[SomeGuyDude]

I'll say this.

Listening to Tidal -> Macbook Pro -> DAVE -> Focal Utopia felt like the first time in my life I've heard "the best you can get."

Personally I'd like to get my hands on an LCD-4 with it, but I now know what my "if I won the lottery" setup will include.

 

[astrostar59]

I'll say this.

Listening to Tidal -> Macbook Pro -> DAVE -> Focal Utopia felt like the first time in my life I've heard "the best you can get."

Personally I'd like to get my hands on an LCD-4 with it, but I now know what my "if I won the lottery" setup will include.

Knowing how much noise is transferred via USB from a MacBook Pro I would say look to that next. Lots more to be had yet!

 

[EVOLVIST]

Has anyone heard the Omega 7XRS speakers driven directly from a DAVE? Looking for the purest full range speaker output without an intervening amplifier.

I haven't heard the 7XRS, but I have heard the Omega CAMs with the DAVE driven directly. I got a really, really pure sound out of the combo; however, they were very limited in choice of music. Only have the DAVE drive 8ohm speakers, though. Anything lower is verboten.

 

[ray-dude]

Have folks found a good substitute for the Chord stands for the DAVE and Blu? I'm sure they're awesome, but I prefer to save that $$ as downpayment for a car

 

[bigfatpaulie]

Have folks found a good substitute for the Chord stands for the DAVE and Blu? I'm sure they're awesome, but I prefer to save that $$ as downpayment for a car

Sure. I heard the MSB Select about 2 months ago. It was about as good as the DAVE.

Edit- Sorry I didn't read the "stands" parts My comment still 'stands'! Har har!

 

[stvc]

Have folks found a good substitute for the Chord stands for the DAVE and Blu? I'm sure they're awesome, but I prefer to save that $$ as downpayment for a car

Plan to DIY my own choral stand.

 

[x RELIC x]

Have folks found a good substitute for the Chord stands for the DAVE and Blu? I'm sure they're awesome, but I prefer to save that $$ as downpayment for a car

This may be of interest to you, side by side if you have the space:

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/chord-electronics-dave.766517/page-301#post-12837752

 

[esimms86]

I use a quartet of Stillpoints Ultra SS footers sitting on top of an incredibly inexpensive bamboo cutting board from IKEA.

 

[stvc]

I use a quartet of Stillpoints Ultra SS footers sitting on top of an incredibly inexpensive bamboo cutting board from IKEA.

I like that idea but it won't be able to stack with blue like it original choral stand which is very cool looking.

 

[ray-dude]

This may be of interest to you, side by side if you have the space:

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/chord-electronics-dave.766517/page-301#post-12837752

I'm normally delighted to follow the trail that Roy has blazed, but with my space, alas I need to stack them. I'm looking at various desk risers, but it may be time to Macgyver something to tide me over until (if?) I get serious with mechanical isolation.

 

[x RELIC x]

I'm normally delighted to follow the trail that Roy has blazed, but with my space, alas I need to stack them. I'm looking at various desk risers, but it may be time to Macgyver something to tide me over until (if?) I get serious with mechanical isolation.

I see.

Please let us know what you come up with as I've wanted to do some audio stacking myself to save space but haven't put too much thought in to it beyond a simple IKEA desk shelf.

 

[Triode User]

UNABLE TO DISENGAGE MUTE ON DAVE

Today I went to my Dave and the display was showing 'mute' so I just assumed that was how I had left it (I generally do not put the Dave in standby or switch off when I leave it).

I tried to disengage the mute using the remote but it wouldn't do it. I tried turning the Dave off and then on. No difference.

Just to try everything I pressed, and kept pressing, the volume up button on the remote. Nothing changed for a few seconds then the 'mute' on the display disappeared and the volume started to climb up from -75dB.

I seem to remember a telephone call had come in and I turned the volume down with the remote but it was still annoying so I must have just held my finger on the remote long after the volume was inaudible.

So remember folks that 'mute' will display if the volume is turned below -75dB and will only cease displaying by increasing the volume above -75dB.

@Rob Watts it might be worth putting in the next revision of the Dave Manual.

 

[astrostar59]

You have a nice setup. I have the same Mac Mini with Uptone MMK. Mine is powered by a Paul Hynes SR7. OSX is run off SD card and music drive is streamed from a Thunderbolt drive.

I have compared microRendu powered by the Paul Hynes SR7 against a recently purchased SOtM sMS-200 which is also powered by the SR7. Compared against the LPS-1, I have found the SR7 to be superior. USB cable used is a Clarity Cables Natural USB which is one of few USB cables that has been actually measured to meet true USB 2.0 spec (90 ohms differential impedance). This cable outperformed and replaced my Curious USB which outperformed and replaced my TotalDac USB. I have recently compared it against the RedNet 3 via SPDIF:





With each connected to my Chord DAVE, RedNet 3 sounded very good, a bit better than the microRendu with iFi 9V PSU. As you suggested, details were a bit cleaner. With the microRendu powered by the SR7, soundstage of the microRendu was much bigger with more air and much better dynamics but clarity with RedNet was still a bit better. In comparison, microRendu sounded a bit muffled. Which one is better between these two, I think it's a toss up. It depends on which qualities you value more.

The winner of the group by a fair margin, however, was the SOtM sMS-200 powered by the SR7. This is now my new reference front end with my DAVE and surpasses the microRendu by a fair margin and for less money ($450). In fact, it is the least expensive device of this group. It matched every bit the clarity and the smoothness of the RedNet but the soundstage was bigger still and with extraordinary dynamics. Compared to RedNet, RedNet sounds flat. Treble edge or glare? I'm not hearing any of it. This device is very clean and the PSU has a lot to do with it. Part of this is almost certainly due to DAVE's exceptional USB implementation which incorporates galvanic isolation. While the RedNet 3 holds much promise, I suspect its downfall is its PSU.

Regarding your system, consider replacing your HDPlex. With your Mac Mini, you will be quite surprised how much better the Paul Hynes supplies are. I say this because I have an HDPlex also in addition to a Teradak, Paul Pang, Kenneth Lau and LPS-1. None of them are in the SR7's league. Since Paul Hynes is based in Scotland, it should be easier for you to audition one.

Romaz, sorry I just read your post so way out of date here, but I have the Rednet 3 and liked the sound quality boost getting off USB in my system However I followed JohnJen's thread on DIY Cookbook on head-fi and fitted an internal LPS to my Rednet. Wow, it makes the thing, seriously better. Everything get bigger, faster and even smoother and layered. There are about 6 of us on here who did the same mod, one an external feed, the rest internal and all say the same thing.

Here is my mod:

 

[Crgreen]

I don't think you're going to find Romaz on here anytime soon.

 

[mslatr]

Wondering if anyone else has had this happen. After reading the Stereophile review of the Dave I thought I would give Tidal a try and see for myself how high res files compare to normal streaming. For this I am running a Mac Mini into the Dave over an optical cable.

When I play a Masters file on the DAVE the song plays a double speed. I thought it might be the song i picked so i tried a number of artists and songs but none worked. I then opened Audirvana and played high res files without issue. It's strange...when I swap my benchmark hgc2 into the mix it plays at normal speed.

A few days ago the same setup played masters files no problem...any thoughts if this is a Dave problem or a Tidal problem??