I don't often put much credence in Amir, but he found there was no benefit to upscaling.
well that settles it, right? 🤣
Chord M-Scaler and Should I Want One?
I have an Innuos Zenith Mk3 server/streamer feeding an Innuos PhoenixUSB reclocker, which feeds my Gryphon Diablo 300’s DAC module. I am connecting these with Audioquest Diamond USB cords. I love the sound of this combo.
I know the Chord M-Scaler doesn’t support the max upsampling when connecting non-Chord DAC’s, but I’ve read in multiple places that it still makes a big improvement.
Are others using the M-Scaler with non-Chord DAC’s and if so what has your experience been?
As an aside I see the M-Scaler only allows for the tiny low-voltage power cord. I find this surprising since I find that an aftermarket premium cord improves my Innuos USB reclocker very noticeably (but not as noticeably as using premium cords with my Innuos streamer).
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You will find this interview informative, they discuss the m-scaler and what it actually does to the sound extensively - https://youtu.be/TknWME93SgE Includes how to tell which cables are best. |
I have a similar setup but with a Dave as the final part of the chain. The M scaler will add something more, no doubt. Will the uplift be worth it for the money though? Possibly! Try and get one to demo in your system. One thing I can wholeheartedly recommend for next to no money though is the Fo.Q tape applied to the capacitors in the Zenith and Phoenix. No doubt about the difference, it really works. Bigger difference than power cables and thats saying something because as you have noticed, the Phoenix responds well to good powerJust cut squares to fit on top of the caps. I think lotususa do it too.
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@nyev, here’s a link to a review of the Gryphon 300 DAC with its integrated amplifier. The Chord Hugo M Scaler is mentioned as to how connecting it to the Gryphon 300 can be a benefit and it’s sound can be improved by adding the M Scaler. I use an M Scaler with my Chord Hugo TT2 DAC and three WAVE Storm BNC cables to get the sound signature that I enjoy. |
@adasdad , thanks, I had linked that article above. The article says they upsampled to 176kbps when connecting to the Gryphon DAC. That leads me to believe they were using TOSLINK and not the SPDIF connection option on the Gryphon DAC module (which would need to be RCA on the M-Scaler side but BNC on the Gryphon DAC side (I think most cable companies will mix and match connectors in this scenario?) But this does lead me to the unresolved debate on the pros and cons of various digital interfaces, USB vs TOSLINK vs SPDIF, etc….. The experts end up saying what matters most is the implementation of the interface by the manufacturer, and not the interface itself. Either way, I don’t know how good or bad the SPDIF connection is (which I’d need to use for the m-scaler if/when I bought one) in my Gryphon DAC module, vs the USB interface for which I know Gryphon went to town on. I wish I could do an interface bake off with my current gear, but Innuos only has USB outputs. |
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