Musetec (LKS) MH-DA005 DAC

My experiences with the Musetec and silver (USB cables only) mirror that of @melm. I tried the Audioquest Diamond and Supra Excalibur and I prefer copper USB cables such as the Acoustic BBQ Helix and Sablon 2020.

If one dislikes sound quality with AQ Diamond its due to some coloration elsewhere in system. AQ Diamond is probably the most forgiving of top echelon usb cables, this based on many comparative reviews I've observed over the years, and my personal experience. The added bonus of Diamond vs lower AQ models is increased transparency, resolution.

Get your timbre, tonality, harmonic development right, only then will higher resolving, transparent cables show their full capabilities. Towards that end, recent replacement of Audyn True Copper Max and Miflex KPCU coupling caps in 300B amps with Duelund CAST PIO tinned copper has provided both greater resolution, transparency, but more importantly more natural timbre. Harmonic development with these caps has really turned the corner, 005 is now moving into REAL SOUL territory!

Further major changes coming in form of near SOTA custom build music server, power supply and install of Euphony Stylus Version 4. This is not just music player, but full operating system for music servers. This will be tested along with Roon for best sound quality. I'm expecting these purchases in home by next week.

From recent comments here it looks like I am not the only one here experimenting with cables of all sorts.  Like may high-end devices I find the Musetec to be very sensitive to cables: power, USB & analog.  I noted that in my particular set-up silver USB cables that had been very effective with other components seemed to give a surrealistic (and sometimes very pleasant) sound to many recordings used with the Musetec.  Similarly recently with silver XLRs.  That's uniquely what I hear in my own system and I am persuaded that there is no cable that can be optimal in every quality system.  I know some will think otherwise.

In my last post I said I had "calibrated" my ears by going to a concert given by a small orchestra in an appropriately small performance space.  I had missed concert going during the Covid period.  When I go to a concert like this I can't help comparing it to listening at home.  Calibrating one's ears is not a bad way to put it.  When The Absolute Sound was run by Harry Pearson and was worth reading, each of his reviewers was required to attend concerts of unamplified music on a regular basis, to "calibrate" their ears.

The possibility of making a component sound better-than-real reminded me of how friends in the past had sometimes remarked that classical concerts sounded dull compared to their stereo systems.  Of course anyone can make their system sound any way they wish.  Unfortunately though, I don't think any reviewers these days, print or video, are listening for accuracy to the real thing, rather than simply expressing personal likes and dislikes in audiophile jargon.

@melm

In my last post I said I had "calibrated" my ears by going to a concert given by a small orchestra in an appropriately small performance space. I had missed concert going during the Covid period. When I go to a concert like this I can’t help comparing it to listening at home. Calibrating one’s ears is not a bad way to put it. When The Absolute Sound was run by Harry Pearson and was worth reading, each of his reviewers was required to attend concerts of unamplified music on a regular basis, to "calibrate" their ears

Excellent points made, particularly this one concerning calibrating one’s ears by listening to live acoustic instruments (And human vocalists). I’ve have done this for many years. This year I’ve attended 7 live performances and going to a piano recital this evening. Jazz club show next week.

One thing that is unfailingly consistent with live un-amplified music, it’s very full bodied with vivid, rich and colorful tone. There is so much beauty, emotion and presence when listening to these live instruments. I can understand how someone used to modern hyper detailed emphasize components would actually find the live instruments dull by comparison.

In my opinion the pursuit and emphasis on achieving ever more “detail” and “inky black” backgrounds has unintentionally moved away from a natural realistic sound presentation. Melm, I definitely understand your perspective.
Charles

Above posts are good for voicing one's system. I also use my own voice in order to ascertain natural timbre, tonality of my system. I love to sing, sang in many choirs back in the day, so often sing within my dedicated listening room. Really belt it out with operatic voice, hearing live voice within one's own room is extremely enlightening.  Speaking, clapping, whistling, yelling can all be helpful as well, sometimes ugly sounds very telling, don't want to beautify the ugly. Used all the above in determining best use of acoustic treatments for my dedicated listening room, wide variety of music as well.

The one issue with using unamplified live music for voicing one's system is we then have to rely on aural memory. Not to say its not valid method, hearing a good amount of this over a lifetime certainly helps in training our sensory perceptions. Listening to live and reproduced  music over audio systems in analytical mode is a skill, practice improves this skill.  Just leaves out the insights gained from instant comparison to live voice  and/or sounds reproduced within our listening rooms.

As far as colorations within systems, I maintain my estimation of neutral voicing of 005, silver content of wiring doesn't upset in the least. In my setup silver only adds transparency, resolving capability, no brightness or spotlighting of highs, no thinning of mids and bass, in fact I'd say highs and mids sound most natural with the aprox. 50/50 copper/silver content I currently employ. Excessive copper can harden mids, close in highs to some extent, silver opens things back up, and adds delicacy and sophistication.

No to say, I'm unaware of downsides of sliver in some systems, I've had systems in past very sensitive to silver, spotlit highs, thinning of mids, bass, so understand not for everyone.

I'd just like everyone to understand 005 is not inherently allergic to silver, this dac is voiced wonderfully, while it may not be warm enough for every taste and system, it is not hifish sounding. 005 not scared of silver or even rhodium, capable of wonderful harmonic development with a variety of metals.