Musetec (LKS) MH-DA005 DAC

On presumption of bias by some toward Sabre chip dacs; I can understand that bias as I've heard what some characterize as digititus in particular Sabre dac setups. On the other hand, I've heard very nice presentations of previous Sabre chip dacs in sympathetic systems.
I can only say this particular dac is capable of very natural presentation.  First off, the sheer resolving power allows for extremely dimensional imaging and precise and properly proportioned soundstaging, giving illusion of live performers in room. Another standout aspect of this dac is really special micro and macro dynamic presentation. Macro presentation, just as with soundstage, is properly proportioned, the real magic is in micro presentation. Amazing ability to expose the smallest gradations of dynamic performance, singers and wind instrument breathe, different fingering techniques of non-wind instruments greatly exposed such that sense of live performers in room heightened. I presume excellent power supply responsible for this performance.
And now for the assumed bugaboo of Sabre chip dacs, namely timbre, and perhaps timing. I can only say in sympathetic setup 005 is capable of natural timbre. I grew up on analog, have been to tons of live performance, including non amplified, and I do have pretty nice analog setup. I can only say I don't feel deprived on this score with the 005. Add to this a neutral tonal balance in my system with choice of three amps and four preamps setups. If timing is perceived as function of dynamics than micro dynamic excellence solves that issue. I've yet to experience that feeling of irritation that long digital listening sessions can bring about, says good things about lack of digititus to my way of thinking.

Now, I'm not here to anoint 005 as a dac for all seasons. It is capable of sounding analytical in certain choices of setups available to me. I can't fathom anyone evaluating it as a warm or romantic device, I'd describe 005 as broadly neutral. By the same token, I'd find it difficult to believe one would evaluate it as ruthlessly revealing, I've found very few recordings sound worse than with previous less revealing dacs in my system.
Now, I'd really like to hear this dac comparatively reviewed against some of the higher price spread such as Holo May, Mola Mola, Briscati, Totaldac, etc. Devoid of such a review we are only left to speculate as to it's place in dac hierarchy.

Since sns has written about the ESS Sabre DAC chip, and because Sabre chips were trashed by someone in the MH-DA004 thread as others have in other places, I'd like to share my reasons for going this route. The main reason for the trash talk, I think, is that these chips are used in a great many inexpensive and otherwise not very good performing DACs that can then advertise the same chip as in the expensive DACs.

But the ES9038PRO is probably the result of more R & D over multiple generations and three decades than any digital to analog sound circuit on the planet. Implemented well they are used in some of the best DACs available. For example, the Ayre QX-5 Twenty ($9000), the Mytek Manhattan ($6000) and the Weiss DAC502 ($10,000). Apparently the Meridian Ultra DAC ($23,000) also uses a pair of off-the-shelf chips, but their identity is unrevealed. Could they be Sabres? Like Meridian, by the way, many DAC manufacturers try very hard to hide what's inside. Too many have not heard chips implemented this well and yet have formed general opinions about them anyway.

Call me technologically limited, but I have never understood the interest by companies in developing alternate digital to analog circuits on an FPGA chip, except as a marketing scheme. Nor have I understood the willingness of the audio public to pay a premium for it. At the end, you still have a chip, and to build a great DAC you still have to surround it with great components--power supply, clocks, USB to I2S converter, analog stage, etc. Designers can use a chip like a Sabre, and they don't have to use the full range of offerings of this chip if they don't wish to. They can bypass functions and implement their own, like filters, for example. Designers have done just that. But they don't have to reinvent the basic digital to analog conversion and charge their customers extra for doing it. It takes a lot of resources, pushes the DAC price up and probably takes its toll from other parts of the circuit.

Any talk of FPGA must consider the Chord DAVE ($12,500). I mention the DAVE especially because some audiophiles who have listened to it and the LKS MH-DA004 ($1500) have characterized them as being in about the same audio ballpark. One can believe or disbelieve as you wish. The MH-DA004 has the advantage of a large linear power supply while the DAVE has a switching power supply normally costing far less to make. Beyond that, and that it has an FPGA, I know nothing about what's inside the DAVE though I have read all I can about it.

Just to complete the circle I also considered an R2R Ladder DAC, seemingly the current favorite. R2R DACs of comparable quality, though also from China, cost about twice as much as the Musetec, for a quality R2R has a lot of very high precision parts. I did much reading/research on R2Rs. I found comments from satisfied users around the Web, much like some in a thread here comparing DAC technologies. There were expressions like "a relaxed presentation," "allows body relaxation," the sound was "further back in the hall," it "allows my body to relax" and even that it gives "the ability to go into a kind of meditative state." My own preference is very different. For me listening to audio is a substitute for going to a concert. When I do that, I expect my pulse to be greater at the end than when I walked in. Otherwise, what's the point? Same with audio. A Beethoven symphony is not a lullaby. And do I want a middle of the hall perspective when that's not where the main mikes were? Not me. These typical R2R reactions are not what I am personally looking for.

Totally agree on sound quality preference  I'm looking for in dac. If I need more romance/warmth I can build that in elsewhere in system.
Dac topologies aren't my primary concern in dac purchase, whatever the topology I like to see a mature implementation of that topology. 005 has certainly implemented  excellent engineering elsewhere in unit with this highest performing Sabre chip.

Thanks for sharing.

At the price point of 3k I wonder how this would compare and contrast to the Holo Spring DAC (also 3k), but R2R.

I would love to see more reviews of the MH-DA005 though.

Currently I have the Gustard X26 Pro (Dual 9038 sabre chipset), and am loving it.

The 3k price range would probably be my next step up in the DAC department.

Thanks for your post.

Those of us who have and enjoy this Musetec DAC would love to see a professional review of it, but, unfortunately, that’s not likely to happen. There are just too few units out there, and though there’s a distributer in Europe, there’s none in the US..

The best I can offer is to let you know that there’s an active thread over at head-fi with several owners of this DAC participating. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/four-years-after-the-l-k-s-da004-the-musetec-da005-dac.953177/ Any one of them, I’m certain, would be glad to offer comments and answer any question you might have. I think most of us originally owned the LKS MH-DA004. There were many more of these units out there (at $1500 price point) and I used to have a long list of favorable comparisons to other DACs at that price or more.. Confidence in the designer and the very detailed description of the deluxe parts he put into the Musetec, along with comments by early users did persuade us. I think we were very happy with the LKS’s performance with the dual 9038 sabre chipset. The Musetec seems to take those dual chips perhaps about as far as they can go, and most of us think that's pretty far.

And by the way I made a mistake in my original post. The transformer powering the analog section is not a torroidal. It is an O-Ring transformer that can cost 8 to 10 times the cost of a torroid. That’s but one example of the parts quality in this unit.