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Musetec (LKS) MH-DA005 DAC

Some history: I was the OP on a four year old thread about the Chinese LKS MH-DA004 DAC. It achieved an underground buzz. The open architecture of its predecessor MH-DA003 made it the object of a lot of user mods, usually to its analog section, rolling op amps or replacing with discrete. The MH-DA004 with its new ESS chips and JFET analog section was called better then the modified older units. It has two ES9038pro DAC chips deliberately run warm, massive power supply, powered Amanero USB board, JFET section, 3 Crystek femtosecond clocks, Mundorf caps, Cardas connectors, etc., for about $1500. For this vinyl guy any reservation about ESS chips was resolved by the LKS implimentaion, but their revelation of detail was preserved, something that a listener to classic music especially appreciated. I made a list of DACs (many far more expensive) it was compared favorably to in forums. Modifications continued, now to clocks and caps. Components built to a price can be improved by costlier parts and the modifiers wrote glowingly of the SQ they achieved.

Meanwhile, during the 4 years after release of the MH-DA004, LKS (now Musetec) worked on the new MH-DA005 design, also with a pair of ES9038pro chips. This time he used more of the best components available. One torroidal transformer has silver plated copper. Also banks of super capacitors that act like batteries, solid silver hookup wire, 4 femtoclocks each costing multiples of the Crysteks, a revised Amanero board, more of the best European caps and a new partitioned case. I can't say cost NO object, but costs well beyond. A higher price, of course. Details at http://www.mu-sound.com/DA005-detail.html

The question, surely, is: How does it sound? I'm only going to answer indirectly for the moment. I thought that the MH-DA004 was to be my last DAC, or at least for a very long time. I was persuaded to part with my $$ by research, and by satisfaction with the MH-DA004. Frankly, I have been overwhelmed by the improvement; just didn't think it was possible. Fluidity, clarity, bass extension. A post to another board summed it up better than I can after listening to piano trios: "I have probably attended hundreds of classical concerts (both orchestral and chamber) in my life. I know what live sounds like in a good and bad seat and in a good and mediocre hall. All I can say is HOLY CRAP, this sounds like the real thing from a good seat in a good hall. Not an approximation of reality, but reality."

melm
yyzsantabarbara
4,455 posts
 
My Gustard X26 Pro also seems to be built with some similar characteristics as the 005. I am not an engineer so I am going by the descriptions. The Gustard is not as revealing as my Benchmark DAC3B (close) but it is warmer. The 005 sounds a bit like an mix of my 2 DACs.

I wish I could find a DAC like the 005 with built-in fibre optical streaming like the $12K Lumin X1 or the $40K Linn DAC. I use fibre optical in my DAC3B and Gustard but with a Sonore OpticalRendu. The next step would be to ditch the OpticalRendu and go directly into the fibre input of the DAC.

The way you describe the 005 sounds similar to how I have heard Mola Mola Tambaqui owners describe their DAC.
melm OP
1,057 posts
 
@yyzsantabarbara

First, I don’t know what you mean by the 007. If you mean the Musetec 005 we would all be happy to see a review. However, a comparative review with the Gustard X26 Pro would probably not be a fair comparison.

The direct import Chinese DACs generally have pricing that is a fair reflection of the quality of the materials within. This is because other costs like labor and marketing are usually very low, and the competition very high. In the case of the Musetec, it uses an o-ring silver plated transformer for the analog circuit that can cost upwards of 20X the cost of the transformers in the Gustard. It uses custom clocks costing multiples of the off-the-shelf clocks in most (even more expensive) DACs. It uses very high quality European capacitors, some costing $95 each. It uses a bank of super-capacitors and a special circuit generating battery-like DC for its digital circuits. And a whole lot more. For further details, if you are interested, you can see the full description at http://www.mu-sound.com/DA005-detail.html It has always been my experience that long-time enjoyment of an audio component is enhanced by the quality of its internal parts.

As I wrote earlier, everything about the description of the Gustard seems close to that of the LKS 004, a DAC whose insides I know very well, and which I would easily prefer over the Gustard for several reasons, some described in detail in my OP and follow-up at the LKS 004 thread here. I don’t mean to diminish the Gustard in any way. It’s just that I made a careful choice when I purchased the LKS and enjoyed it very much for several years.

As for built-in optical streaming, or built-in anything else, it has always been my preference to have separates. That way when you want to upgrade (and that can happen a lot in digital), you don’t have to get rid of your whole system.

yyzsantabarbara
4,455 posts
 
I realized I said 007 when I meant 005, but it was too late to change. 

I would love to have Sandu (one of the best reviewers) do a comparison of the Gustard and 005 given his comments on the Gustard.

The One to Beat: Gustard X26 PRO DAC Review (soundnews.net)

Built-in optical is like built-in RJ45 or even USB. It will be the next wave of streaming inputs as can be seen by the very expensive Lumin X1 and new Linn DAC. I doubt it is that expensive to implement. Most people do not know how to use it.
sns
3,003 posts
 
I really doubt Gustard plays in same league as 005, likely more in Okto dac8 range. Still, any comparative reviews would be good to help ascertain 005 place in hierarchy of dacs.
Bypassing usb could be good thing if theoretical advantages of alternative inputs were actually implemented, not always the case.
ja_kub_sz's avatar
ja_kub_sz
254 posts
 
@sns Well you're 100% correct. Just got the DA005 and it blew me away right out of the box. Did a 5 song listen on the Gustard and as soon as the DA005 got it's turn my jaw dropped!

The sound field is excepllent and it brings out clarity like I've never heard before. Vocals clear and forward, and in no way artificial. Details and seperation spot on, and cymbal crash and decay have never sounded better.

Bass!... Wow, not just depth, but how smooth and well preserved the DA005 makes the bass. There were moments where on the Gustard I would feel the bass was kind of harsh especially with bass heavy parts of music, but the DA005 just took everything and made it sound dynamic all the while controlled and contoured.

The music just comes to a whole new level with the DA005 from the X26 Pro.

Super happy with it all.
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