DAVE w/ or w/out M Scaler?


DAVE alone or DAVE + M Scaler?

May I have the opinions of those with either configuration?

i currently run DAVE alone. Cheers and stay well 
128x128cantorgale

I’m an about to get a preloved 2023 Chord M Scaler to go with my DAVE. Source is a Innuous Zenith mk3 / Phoenix USB.

I have Redbook CD rips stored as FLAC files and listen to FLAC Internet Radio. 

Is there an optimal scaler settings to listen to 16/44 ripped music ? Or is it best to go on and scale right up to the max 705 kHz setting ?

I have the TT2 with M-scaler and really love it.  BTW I upscale all my 44.1 files to 88.2 and 48 to 96 from my Lumin U1 (mega) to the M-scaler via USB.  Making this first increase before the M-scaler made the sound quality more natural/believable YMMV.  Then I use Silver Dragon dual BNC to TT2 upscaled to 705.6/768 khz.  There is also a footnote in the instructions that mention 88.1.I have no further plans for change at the moment.

The thing I would like to mention here is a DAVE video made for Upscale Audio by Rob Watts (go to the Dave sales page on the Upscale website about 5 minutes in on a 10 minute video).  Mr Watts tells Kat that the preferred way to feed the DAVE is by using an Optical connection.  This comment from the man himself.  What do you think about this.

I have Dave modified with three Farad LPS.

 

I also use it with Mscaler.

 

Mscaler made sound more detailed and transparent,.

 

But it may sound thin in some system.

 

Although Dave can be used as pre amp with digital volume, I added Margules tube pre to make it more harmonic.

 

 

 

My system does not sound thin.

 

My conclusion is that Dave and Mscaler could work in some system but not others.

 

Thomas

Since my earlier post about DAVE/M Scaler (which added resolution to the DAVE), I have added Sean Jacobs’ DC4/ARC6 LPSU which takes the DAVE/HMS to an entirely different level.  “Transformational” is the word I use to describe the improvement.  Rich. Deep.  Solid.  The opposite of thin.  Even more transparent with respect to detail and inner voices.  Of courses, replacing DAVE’s stock internal $50 SMPS with a $10K external LPSU, the change had better be remarkable.  
I look forward to AXPONA in a few weeks to compare my sound with some others.  

@shkong78  Do you use a Farad on the M Scaler or just the DAVE?  I’m interested in how FARAD or SJ would affect M Scaler.  I had a Teddy Pardo on my HMS but heard very little affect and am now back to the HMS’ SMPS.