L.K.S Audio MH-DA004 - probably sounds bad

Were you looking for this one maybe @Kattefjaes?

 

http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...ot-of-dac-talk-on-here.197/page-7#post-155986"

Marvey, I couldn't hear much difference between a good implementation with the new chips vs the older ES9016S (which wasn't even the flagship).

What I think ESS improved with the new generation is providing a reference design for the I-to-V converter, which is where some of the less good Sabre DACs trip up, I think there is also a separate chip which can be used for the I-to-V. This should help the bad cheap Sabre designs to be less bad, but won't necessarily make a difference for the guys like McIntosh who knew what they were doing in the first place.

 

Any trusted ears in NY area?

I'm just concerned I might have misheard Torq, there was a lot of background noise on the line (female laughter, clinking champagne glasses, lapping waves and so on).

 

It's like another side version of GUTB.

 

"I find it suspicious that you are going round in circles on this. I've asked you for specific catalog numbers three times now. Knowledge of these specifics would be beneficial to the members here if they every wanted to do more meaningful TT to DAC comparisons (assuming two cartridges even have the same frequency response, which they do not.)"

Since you disparage a comparison, I don't know why you care. Also the members would have to play DSD through their DACs. But in any event I didn't think the specific disks mattered as there are so many and I thought I made it clear enough, but for openers:

LSC 2341
LSC 1984
LSC 2367
LSC 2446

 

"And the SACDs are the one released in the 2000s correct? The SACDs are the ones that I wanted to confirm. I have some of those Living Stereo LPs."
Yes.

 

@Lenny Just a suggestion, but if you want to quote someone, you can use the quote function in the lower right hand corner, next to the "Like" button. It is easier for others to distinguish between your thoughts and quotes from others. It also indicates for everyone who you are quoting and sends the person you quote a notification that you quoted them.

 

That or just hit the 'Reply' button to the right of that one if there's a single post to which you're replying.

 

So it's "chi-fi." Do I sense a bit of racist attitude here?
I am not an authority; never made such a claim, nor did I make any special claim about my knowledge or about my analog front end, neither of which you know much about.

 

"Another mantra is put up or shut up. It's standard practice to send something potentially awesome to one at least one of the trusted members here. And by doing so, legitimately becoming part of this community. Otherwise it's just blowing smoke.

You'll have to forgive me if I say trust is earned here, not freely given. I think you are asking too much of this community to just take you at your word since you are a complete stranger to us. Many of us know at least dozens of other members in person or have direct contact with each other at the very least through text message / phone.

My main source is a VPi Classic 4, 12" metal arm (the 3D is an inferior cost cutting measure by Mat) and Ortonfon Cadenza Bronze. Phonostage and onward are custom toob jobs.

Secondary source is a modded Yggdrasil. Like a real modded Yggdrasil with tweaks can only be done by someone with a soldering iron who is very familiar with the output stage circuit. Not modded with stickers on the capacitors or with Reynolds wrap over the fuse.

I'd be happy to give this DAC a run through. I have already heard 70% of the DACs on said list, plus a lot more, most of which I wouldn't bother mention.

I don't really get comparing a DAC to a TT because the presentation is so different, and also because every DAC I have heard comes up significantly short to a good TT setup. Another problem that compounds DAC to TT comparisons is the masters are different.

I've got DSD content too. Will convert to DXD to feed into Yggdrasil. To be honest, I prefer many of the original Redbook PCM masters (or custom PCM masters) over a lot of the DSD masters."


I don't have to "put up" because I'm not trying to sell anything, or persuade anyone to do or believe anything. Never asked you to take my word. Only suggested you not judge a product you have never heard. Is that controversial?

I know VPI and its people better than you might suppose. The 3Ds prededed Mat and IIRC at least the 12" arm (which was my interest) cost more to produce. It makes no business sense for them to charge less for the allegedly more costly metal arm. VPI uses the 3D arms everywhere they want to best demo the sound of their equipment, your considered opinion notwithstanding. VPI's real cost cutting also preceded Mat and was the conversion to aluminum platters and inverted bearings as on your Classic. These were clearly cheaper to produce than what came before, and far easier to source materials for. Harry has written that his best platters were not the new aluminum ones. Where Mat cut costs was in consolidation of the line, and in the ADS.

Yes, presentation is different. But when I hear a band marching two blocks away through an open window or sit in Carnegie Hall, I hear different presentations, but that they sound live is clearly in common. I did not mean to suggest that my DAC sounds just like my TT, but to my ear they have common, analog, qualities. That's why a good friend, an engineer currently working in Hong Kong, recommended it to me. He heard through phones what I now hear through speakers. Out of the box. Which is not to say that other DACs don't have a similar appeal. But the price and also the flexibility were the clinchers for me.

In the year 2017 I would not spend multi-kilobucks on a DAC that did not have a DSD input, or an I2S input for that matter. I think there are, and will be, desirable music servers and other devices outputting via I2S.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

In any event, what a bizarre place! Your intemporate and imperious big boss calls you all "dumb dumbs" and dictates whom you can communicate with. And you tolerate that?
No need to respond. I am so outta here.

 

I would hope one time someone would actually mean what they say, but I have a feeling we'll all be disappointed again.