A very smooth presentation, vocals are more natural sounding and easier to listen to but all the details of the voices are heard through the DAVE. Whether you want that or not, up to you. Thats all for now, back to some glowing valves and good music. The differences are subtle but there. I mean that. Talk about delicate mixed with holographic. That's just not me. Over the past 18 months I have either been fortunate to own or on extended demo some spectacular DAC's any one of which could lay claim to "Best DAC" etc etc. Not as extreme as the DSD recordings. Sounds veiled in comparison to the DAVE, lots more detail of the space and everywhere. More grounded sound. So if I had to pick one, it’s obvious from the “raw notes” below which one I would choose. I would gladly include them. COMMENTdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ae9d5ef9c8428cba7f87d3f087d18ff4" );document.getElementById("d6113cb9fb").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I haven’t recently listened to HQPlayer but decided against using it some 1,5 years ago after liking the DAVE better on its own. render the closest one can get to the original analog source, any recording that has been killed by overt digital manipulation in the mastering phase cannot be considered a quality source for deep aural investigation. The Chord DAVE is a truly extraordinary DAC. Micro-details are made apparent. Noise floor modulation? It is on kind short-term loan from Gig Harbor Audio. #1. Lots and lots of caffeine. MSB Reference Transport Cable: IEC power cable Remote: Transport remote Options: Reference Transport Powerbase, $11,500 (includes Dual-Link cable) Price: $18,500. So your short conclusion about DAVE is jaw dropping sound like when you heard the ToTal DAC stack the first time? To me the comparison should be for the money, the Chord Hugo TT2 and a M-scaler vs the Dave outright no Dave + M-scaler. As Beyonce’s voice gets louder, you could hear her gradually approach from afar (depth) where was on the Berkeley, it sounded more like the levels were being increased. I just think it’s the best portable DAC. I really enjoyed this article, and it was really one of the pieces that directed me to get the DAVE. Really shines with higher-res, good recordings. Could be Abyss cable and the extreme transparency of DAVE? The Berkeley had a difficult time conveying this realistically. The Lumin seems to have a little more meat to the bones vs DAVE. The Bartok is also sharper on percussions and have better, more nuanced and natural tonality vs the Dave. This means a much bigger jump in performance between the portable and the tabletop version. Chord DAVE da-converter, tja, waar moet je beginnen om niet direct in superlatieven te vervallen. I’m still curious as to which albums/tracks you would like to see in these reviews. Your reviews are great, and I will not argue your methods. I don’t hear this with the Lumin S1 or Berkeley. Accurate decay. Layering isn’t as good. Because you mention Lumin wins everything pretty much, yes, if you must ask, I read the review a little more in the past though not the whole review, and this time either, so no, sorry, can’t read it all. As so commonly said, YMMV. Please sign in or register to vote in this poll. Sounds good but you don’t realize how much of the dynamics are missing until you hear the DAVE. It has good low-end atmospherics and does most things well. My goal for the DAVE review was to zone into the overarching differences between the various DACs and by listening to all types of recordings, I feel this builds more confidence in my conclusion. I have tested Audiobyte Hydra on coax too, but I found the usb input from Analog Dac to be better than it. What do you do for a living isquirrel to afford these DACs ? Much flatter, but I do hear some of the DAVE’s DNA. With the DAVE you get exact placements in 3D space. The DAVE is much more resolving, you could hear the air and reverb around the snares and drums and guitars in crazy microscopic detail. This meant I used the Lumin app on the iPad instead of Roon. You really don’t know transparency until you listen to the DAVE. The DAVE has a much more holographic sound. Lumin does sound pretty good, good PRaT, just not as holographic as the DAVE. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The thirst for comparative data no doubt stems from both DACs’ use of an internal FPGA instead of an off-the-shelf DAC chip to handle data marshalling and upsampling as well as decode preparation and execution. For the absolute best digital cable that would be this. I'm sure we each have uttered those words about some piece of gear at one point or another but as Beolab has stated, these statements should be taken with a grain of salt. PS AudioDirect Stream vs Chord DAVE? The Chord’s do have a similar sound for this track. Blacker background, more sparkle. Does the dave also have Mojo’s euphonic characteristic but a super refined presentation? The chords have a blacker background. Audio Bacon himself. Insane. All other DACs sound like a decent 5.1 setup. For me the benefits of M-Scaler are clear, not mind blowing, but definitely there and nice. Hey Max! The Berkeley doesn’t even come close. Jay, you are complelty awesome. Maaan…holy crap. However, there is nothing understated about the Chord Electronics DAVE when one looks further. Sounds like a smeared mess compared to the DAVE. In almost every instance USB either sounds close to or is the worst performer. That extra bit of dimension helps differentiate from listening to a good recording and one that you don’t you don’t think about and just take as truth. Amazing. I would also say that their is still considerable amounts of musical enjoyment left in the Redbook standard. Insane. Even-handiness. Where's the music guys, I can't stretch to a Concert at home, but I am sure I saw Elvis the other day. I also find the 'gospel' spreading fanboyism on Head-fi in respect of Chord products quite distracting and at times annoying. DAVE is the most advanced DAC Chord Electronics has ever made. On the TT, it just sounds really flat…just a bunch of instruments playing…and a bit congested. I have tested Audiobyte Hydra on coax too, but I found the usb input from Analog Dac to be better than it. The Chord DAVE DAC, Part 1. I'll give an example: I have been using a the Isotek Sigmas with Dave and it is very clean indeed but I found my 350 watt Chord SPM 1200 mkII delivers better dynamics when plugged directly into the wall. I too have spent many hours late into the night listening to my rig. TT = matter of fact with no fun. Chord Electronics Qutest DAC. I'm sure it was almost the same experience for you. When I demo-ed the DAVE, I had box fresh speakers which shouldn't have had any critical listening at all as they were awful. sounds like a different song on the Lumin. The DAVE is by far the best DAC that has ever graced these 34 year old ears. There are plenty of DACs that sound better than the Chord Hugo. With the DAVE you could hear the acoustic space perfectly along with the acoustic space around each instrument. I don’t go past -8dB. Chord has long done things differently. You could distinctly hear the different players, with their own space. Anything less than the attempt to get as close to the original source as possible will render a 7K audio cable as useful as a sack llama feces. Classical, Classical, Classical..... and pop, Good little article on the state of digital at the CES from TAS which includes the DAVE. Trouble is Mike, unlike you, 99% of us have to ask the question since we do not have access to all the cool toys for a one of one comparison. © 2001-2021 Head-Fi.org. Addition of Crossfeed setting feature in a uber high-end DACs is also interesting . I found the La Scala to be an extremely detailed and borderline bright DAC (Stock). Differences aren’t as obvious with this song. I didn’t have these DACs for a side-by-side comparison but I did have an in-home audition with both for a few weeks. For me this final component made a significant difference to my system. Each hit of the piano keys, tap of a cymbal, is delineated. Can I ask you about Chord hugo which I had for more than 1 year . You must log in or register to reply here. IMO the Chord Hugo portable is still technically better than the Mojo but the Mojo is, like you mentioned, euphonic. You can’t really hear the faults of the Berkeley until you do a direct comparison with the DAVE. It’s very seductive. I have not heard that from anything this side of a master tape. They sound more real and more detailed. For some reason, there’s a bit of harshness to the vocals, a little difficult to listen to. TT sounds a bit dull in comparison. I do still hear a bit of the edginess/grain on the vocals though. Thanks alot. How much ambiance do the drums and cymbals give off as they fade to black? Could be the crossfeed on the DAVE but the reverb from the drum slaps don’t fill the space to the left channel. It features the very best conversion technology available, using proprietary techniques never seen before, making DAVE the most advanced DAC/preamp amplifier in the world. That said, if you have any recordings you would like to be included in any future reviews, I’d be glad to check them out . The MSB Select II vs the Chord DAVE. To my great surprise, and contrary of @Bluesfan recent feedback, the Bartok is more surfooted, has better prat vs the Dave. However, there is nothing understated about the DAVE when one looks further. Much much more musical and engaging.Warm bodies. I know a few who even prefer it over the DCS or MSB Select II stack. It just has this natural presentation that draws you into the music. You could hear every detail of her carrying a pitch and exhaling. Throw on Elvis’ “Elvis is Back!,” track 2, “Fever.” This is one of my favorite tracks to audition a system with. DAC Types and Technical Details DACs come in several basic types. Not as much meat around the bones on the TT. DAVE gives you an outline. I’m not sure if it’s because the DAVE is so transparent it exposes the treble bump on the Abyss or if the Berkeley just does a better job at painting a more realistic picture for female/male vocals. parts. Does not convey the sense of space. This setup (combined with the Sigmas for front end components) sounded very good and for a couple of months I lived with a good sound but it wasn't until I pulled out the basic Isotek premier cable and Connected the Sigmas to a second Syncro that the noise floor dropped to Dave levels. I’ve wondered if the DAVE artificially adds this depth..but it’s clear from this song that it’s how it supposed to sound. I made a mental note to put the Chord DAVE on my "must-review" list. The Berkeley Alpha Reference is an incredible DAC. I previously tested a the older generation, Chrodette and 2Qute DACs so naturally members were curious how the current product line performs. @@hibo - I'm the user who sold the Metrum Pavane for the Chord DAVE. Now I get what is meant by timing. All equipment was attached to a PS Audio P10 Power Plant. Much more resolving. When a drum hits, it should bounce along the walls of the venue or studio. On the opposite end of the spectrum from the Mojo is DAVE which the company says is the most advanced DAC they've made so far. This is useful, romaz. I was thinking that's what I miss most about digital, we very rarely talk about music here and there's no album covers to pour over sitting on the floor drinking coffee. The Lumin has that fun organic bloom, soothing vocals, kinda reminds me of the Berkeley Alpha Reference. Anyway, a great window into depth should be just about any track from Pink Floyd’s “The Final Cut” album. Her voice is still pretty smooth, organic bloom here but it blends in with the rest of the instruments. Be sure to turn off the DAVE’s crossfeed for the Floyd album. Lumin has this really delicious organic bloom to the music. Tonality is similar in the sense that one is not warmer or cooler than the other. Maybe some of your electrics are better than mine but I would strongly recommend you experiment in this area of your setup to be sure. Chord DAVE. This song, both DACs sound very similar. Chord Electronics will be showing several of its latest products at CES 2016, including its new reference-level DAC/preamp/headphone amp, DAVE (£7,995). Reminds me of the Lumin S1, but much better. ​Back to Chord and specifically the DAVE, I for one am not going to perform some sort of on-line detailed comparison between it and the other DAC's I have had experience with, I will be listening afresh, first and foremost I will be trying to find the best source for it and let the rest flow on from there. The DAVE—for Digital [to] Analog Veritas [in] Extremis (Truth in Extreme)—is said by its designer, Rob Watts, to be the highest-performance DAC to come from Chord, but at a price: it costs $10,588. You hear so much detail while maintaining a balanced and realistic presentation. Very visceral and impactful compared to the TT. So much more realistic than the Berkeley. AES 110 ohm or true 75 ohm SPDIF sounds much better. It really does sound fantastic. To my great surprise, and contrary of @Bluesfan recent feedback, the Bartok is more surfooted, has better prat vs the Dave. Overall, this is a great DAC, it does sound incredible. Much more air around her voice on the DAVE. It caused a bit of fatigue on my setup but it’s obvious it’s a fantastic sounding DAC, especially at that price point. Like watching a movie in stereo or in surround sound. I feel the Lumin S1 to be a much better sounding DAC vs the TT. I’m not trying to get anyone upset or be confrontational. Chord's previous DACs had featured what was called the Watts Transient Aligned (WTA) reconstruction filter, which is said to minimize timing errors. I don’t think the artists or sound engineers even realize how much detail is actually in these recordings. My first few days with Mojo had me shedding tears as well as receiving goosebumps. The warm overtones helps makes it more euphonic. Your email address will not be published. I know DACs as much as those Audio Atheists sing praise science and DACs don’t affect sound quality, I know that they do very much affect the sound. It brings more euphony and details to recordings you hold close…and that’s what matters the most. On its fascia, DAVE also features a rotary encoder with a large stainless steel controller and ball buttons, enabling direct interactivity in addition to the supplied remote control. Tons of micro-detail on the intro guitars. you haven’t heard it, you don’t have an opinion,” and “If it sounds better, it is better.” Tiefenbrun also advocated for, and, the sound from a hi-fi system was more than merely. The name stands for Digital to Analogue Veritas in Extremis, which makes you wonder how long they took working it out. I am certainly not a Chord fanboy and I never liked their DACs (including the Hugo) as I found that they tend to sound off in terms of tonality and had a bit of a mechanical sound. I have used the MSB mainly with the usb input. TT sounds a bit compressed, not dynamic, kinda soft and gentle. To my great surprise, and contrary of @Bluesfan recent feedback, the Bartok is more surfooted, has better prat vs the Dave… If you like being distracted by all the detailed separation the Dave can give you, then definitely thats the direction to go. It doesn’t matter, though. I could see many being happy with this. Sounds a bit dynamically constrained in comparison. The Chord Electronics Hugo M Scaler. However, there is a fatal flaw in your assessments, which has to do with your choice music, inasmuch as introducing recordings that are dynamically limited, compressed, and clipped, one cannot possibly claim a critical listen, no matter the DAC, power cables, interconnects, etc. It’s ear-splitting past that point. I will stop short of saying it's analytical but it compartmentalizes the sound, MSB is musical and smooth. Against the Lumin S1’s DAC, the MSB Analog is better. ​Oh and one other thing do yourselves a favour and pickup one of these, a friend put me onto them they sound great and are priced really well, every DAC I have tried them on has sounded good and they work great out of computers. In short, these USB conditioners will make an enormous difference. The presence of four coax and two optical inputs don’t let the side down either, with upper sampling rate limits of 384kHz and 192kHz respectively. You could hear her energy exerted. Chord DAVE DAC. You really don’t know much more immersive your recordings could sound. The Berkeley Alpha Reference DAC is regarded by some to be the best sounding DAC, regardless of price. JV’s Reference System Loudspeakers: Magico M Project, Magico M3, Avantgarde Acoustics Zero 1, MartinLogan CLX, MBL 101 E MK. The sound also has this richness to it. While not a true A/B and given that these were, in fact, show conditions with so many variables that were impossible to control, the MSB Select II was in every way spectacular. I’m sure the engineers actually listen to their design. Musical enjoyment is largely subjective and equipment evaluation is pseudo-objective, I think throwing in a variety of recordings, “audiophile-grade” or not, is healthy for a more holistic impression and evaluation of the equipment. I, however, really feel the push on my eardrums, this claustrphobic headache I get from low DRs, almost – almost – without exception. The DAVE is just plain transparent. The only consistent person other than myself has been my partner. il cuore del Dave, cosi' come dei dac MSB, dei Wadia, dei dCS (che usa una tipologia di conversione molto simile al Dave chiamata "Ring", e sul mercato da decine di anni), dei Playback (idem come sopra) dei Meitner, e di moltissimi altri, e' in realta' il filtro sovracampionatore, e nel caso dei dac a conversione sigma delta (Dave, dCS, Playback, etc..) del modulatore sd. I’ll also be testing a few Linear PSUs. DAVE has a better low-end response than the TT. Every DAC has been equally and quite susceptible to the quality of the source, Each DAC has had its preferences as to which input sounded optimum, Only a handful of DAC's have been able to drive headphones direct or have a dedicated headphone output, Every manufacturer has stated that "their DAC is the best". I listened to the new review by Darko Audio on the Dcs Bartok vs the Dave. Hey Nick! Innuos Statement > (Final Touch Audio Callisto USB - 0.8m) > Blu MkII M Scaler > (Synergistic Research Galileo SX BNC x2 - 1m) > Dave DAC > (Tellurium Q Statement XLR - 1.5m) > Constellation Revelation Taurus Stereo Power Amp > (Tellurium Q Statement Speaker Cables - 1.5m) > Piega Coax 90.2 loudspeakers. Her voice has a bit of a edgy tinge. Lumin is a bit fuzzier around the edges but sounds more real than the TT. Copyright 2019. The Lumin S1 is much flatter. Who knows, maybe my methodologies need a bit of tweaking and I’m open to that. One thing is apparent however, the DAVE does everything else better. I find th Audio Bacon. Jon Iverson | Jan 15, 2016 I've recently had a great run with Chord products in my system including the Hugo TT DAC and now the small-sized Mojo (mobile joy) headphone DAC. Not energetic. Layering (partially due to the DAVE’s amazing capability of portraying depth so well) was also much better on the DAVE. Same with crossfeed 0. by John Darko January 16, 2019, 18:04. My ideal chain for the Hugo would be a microRendu + Uptone LPS-1 and stream from Roon/Tidal. Chord have used similar quirky names for other DAC products; the previous 2Qute and latest Qutest, for example. Seems like with pop and hip-hop the differences are difficult to differentiate, they sound almost the same. After all, it is about the music, first, and its inherent properties that dictates its qualitative outcome. Open Poll. It’s the use of this software that marks Chord products as something special. Chord Dave DAC Unboxing Video Overall sound sig: Chord DAVE is the definition or Neutral, you get what the recording is suppose to give you. I can say that my listening to CD (or streamed CD quality) and also true HD content has pulled into roughly the same league as my highend vinyl rig. The echo from the space isn’t as clearly recognized. The Lumin presents the general sound but the DAVE gives it to you raw. The DAVE while using this bigger version of the Spartan 6 delivers music according to Chord with unmatched reality and musicality. Lumin much flatter, not as much dimension, roundedness. On the Berk, emphasis was on the piano, as if it were the star player, especially at the 3:30 mark. Lumin is mid-forward. The TT carries the same DNA but seems to hit a dynamic ceiling and can’t achieve the same amount of sharpness and refinement to give a clean sense of delineation and separation. Even with low DR, poorly produced/compressed albums like Adele’s 21, there’s still merit in evaluating those tracks. If we were to rate audiophile firms on the basis of the strength of their brand identities, Chord would be near the top of the list. The simple fact is, in order to attain what the DAVE is supposed to do, i.e. The sound of the same files played directly from the Lumin’s USB sounds much more dynamic and tight (as opposed of streaming the same file over Roon). Hi Jay, do the DAVE gives full power to the Abyss? Lumin is flatter in general. To me the comparison should be for the money, the Chord Hugo TT2 and a M-scaler vs the Dave outright no Dave + M-scaler. DAVE has better resolution over all, more detail in the vocals and more rounded. PS AudioDirect Stream vs Chord DAVE? Key Features Meatier textures. However, once you plug it into the DAVE directly, your world changes even further. Piano way to the right. Everything has it’s own resonances and reverb in space and time. Instruments have this clarity and accuracy to them. DAVE has a full-sized LCD display, showing input, sample frequency, volume and set-up configurations options, within Chord’s famous porthole design. Long story short, I don’t think an A/B is required as I found the DAVE to something entirely different. Very detailed though. PS AUDIO DIRECTSTREAM DAC V CHORD DAVE3 members have voted. Best Regards and I hope you’ll still be able to answer my question in the nearby future even though this article is somewhat old already. Berkeley sounds a bit too smooth in comparison. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Share This Post Reactions: Raika. I … When going from the TT first, you can’t help but to think “Man can it really sound better than this?” This DAC sounds great to my ears. Chord’s main demonstration system will comprise its Reference Series components, plus DAVE (which is … Chord have used similar quirky names for other DAC products; the previous 2Qute and latest Qutest, for example. Some high DR, quieter passages actually sound very similar between the devices but often times with low DR, busier, and high energy recordings, the differences are clearly audible. That said, it’s still a great sounding DAC, especially at this price. The thing the Lumin has going for it is that it has, like the Berkeley reference, this cozy/organic aura to it that makes it easy to listen to. The MSB had incredible low level detail, micro and macrodynamics, massive soundstage, fully fleshed out rich natural sounding harmonics, but most importantly, had that quality that would change recordings to sound like the instruments were in the room and real. Oddly enough, this song sounds better on the Berkeley for some reason. Different levels in her voice could be heard. Chord Electronics support is here to help you get the best from your music system throughout your journey. For some studio recordings, they sound similar. The Lumin sounds colored but in a good way. The Chord Electronics flagship Dave is rated at a 164,000 tap length so the Hugo 2 TT is now halfway between the Hugo 2 and the Dave and is unlike the original line where they shared the same architecture. TT sounds almost like a radio quality voice in comparison, flat. To wit, here are but a few examples with their corresponding DR values: Colbie Caillat – Never Gonna Let You Down – DR6 Coldplay – Hymn For The Weekend – DR5 Coldplay – Adventure Of A Lifetime – DR5 Eminem – Love The Way You Lie – DR6 Taylor Swift – Everything Has Changed – DR7 Adele – Can’t Let Go – DR6 Ice Cube – Ask About Me – DR8 Paramore – Crushcrushcrush – DR5 Damien Rice – 9 Crimes – DR6. Le DAC Chord Electronics DAVE est le modèle haut de gamme du fabricant britannique. DAVE excelled with live recordings…as well as studio recordings. I no longer have the Hugo TT but these conditioners would benefit the TT as well. Chord DAVE DAC. Her emotion is easily deciphered. Having heard/owned a few high-end DACs such as the Chord Hugo TT, Lumin S1, MSB Analog, and Aqua HiFi La Scala, I wanted to step it up a few notches. All Rights Reserved. On the opposite end of the spectrum from the Mojo is DAVE which the company says is the most advanced DAC they've made so far. The Chord DAVE handles DSD files up to staggering DSD 512 too, should you need. Sep 30, 2015. In the Chord unit, from Rob Watts. True test of depth and space. It’s better in every way. If you have to use a PC, the iFi USB3.0 looks promising and just pair that will a decent linear PSU. Let us help you never miss a beat. There were many times when I was listening to artists such as Dean Martin and Elvis and felt as if they were singing into my soul!
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