[GreenLeo]

At this point I'm thinking why not just buy Dave blind, what are the odds I'm not going to love it. Possible but not very likely. It might also enable me to sell my WA5 LE if I conclude straight out of Dave is superior. I might not need the amp anymore with my HD800, LCD-3 and PS1000. Also thinking of getting a Utopia, straight out of Dave is supposed to be most excellent.

If possible, try audition first.

I bought my DAVE blind because there was no local Chord dealer at vicinity that will carry DAVE. I learnt, from the impressions of other users, that DAVE excels at live concerts which is my genre and made the leap. It's been with me for a few months now and every time I switch it on I smile. However, for albums that each of the parts was recorded in a studio and then mixed, I guess a lesser DAC can do the job equally well.

 

[astrostar59]

I found the type of output to the DAC affects things a LOT. Especially from a PC or music server. I have grown to hate USB. I currently output Ethernet - Rednet - SPDIF or AES - DAC. The upgrade dong that was more mares than any DACs I demoed over the last year. That and ridding everything of any SMPS in Rednet, Mac MIni and ext Drive. I output from my DAC direct to Carbon amp or my speaker power amps via a passive pre-amplifier.
I have read the SPDIF on the Yggy is better than USB input, and on the C1 better on Ethernet, on Audio Note DACs better on SPDIF. If Mike at Chord is saying not too upsample before the DAVE, SPDIf limited to 192k is not an issue.

 

[Whazzzup]

antipodes audio usb from external server running roon core is something i think folks need to listen too and evaluate, but I'm sure there are many other brands and methods.

 

[ecwl]

I found the type of output to the DAC affects things a LOT.

I think since DAVE's BNC & AES? inputs are not galvanically isolated, I find them to sound worse than USB and Toslink, unless your source absolutely has extremely low noise. I generally unplug my Blu-ray BNC source to DAVE when listening to music from USB PC to improve sound quality.

 

[lovethatsound]

For those of you that can get the bbc i player,their's a great treat for you and your headphones.You want doctor who,and the episode called Knock knock,this
episode was recorded for headphone users and sounds great with the dave,and in fact sounds good just using your tv headphone out,ENJOY

 

[Beolab]

I am a reseller of MSB, Chord , DCS , PS Audio , T+A, AMR and a few more brands.

The MSB Analog with the upgraded power supply got a great very fluid sound, but not the same impact dynamic resolution as DAVE or the bottom end is very weak against DAVE, it is not in the same league. You have to compare the DAVE with the more expensive MSB line.
The DCS Rossini DAC (25.000 dollar) got some greatness when it comes to precision, timing, correctness with great dynamics and detail that i haven't heard elsewhere, but it is maybe to neutral bright for some, but a great DAC overall.
DAVE its the best sound-technically, but it is as always a matter of taste in the end, and it is the king up to 20.000 dollars from what i have heard and compared to.

 

[rkt31]

@Beolab, have you compared Dave + Blu 2 combo with these expensive DACs ?

 

[Beolab]

@Beolab, have you compared Dave + Blu 2 combo with these expensive DACs ?

Unfortunately not yet, but as soon as i get my hands on one i will do.

 

[emrelights1973]

ıs any one using Dave with a Naim power amp? using is as a pre as well? can a dave/blu2 combo replace my nac272 and be an addition to NAP300?

 

[zimzim2001]

I am a reseller of MSB, Chord , DCS , PS Audio , T+A, AMR and a few more brands.

The MSB Analog with the upgraded power supply got a great very fluid sound, but not the same impact dynamic resolution as DAVE or the bottom end is very weak against DAVE, it is not in the same league. You have to compare the DAVE with the more expensive MSB line.
The DCS Rossini DAC (25.000 dollar) got some greatness when it comes to precision, timing, correctness with great dynamics and detail that i haven't heard elsewhere, but it is maybe to neutral bright for some, but a great DAC overall.
DAVE its the best sound-technically, but it is as always a matter of taste in the end, and it is the king up to 20.000 dollars from what i have heard and compared to.

My Dave wiill be on the way soon, order will be placed tomorrow. I still have the Analog here (with Power Base) and it's obviously a huge upgrade from my Vega, as you say it's very smooth and liquid. I'm quite confident Dave will beat it though. Any suggestions for a good power cord for Dave? I currently have a Shunyata Venom 3, which is an upgrade over stock, but I think Dave might need better.

 

[ecwl]

ıs any one using Dave with a Naim power amp? using is as a pre as well? can a dave/blu2 combo replace my nac272 and be an addition to NAP300?

Hmmm... depends on how you use nac n272. My guess is actually no.
You can hook DAVE directly into NAP300 with a special cable to convert DAVE RCA to Naim XLR which is some weird Naim specific XLR input. That would give you the best sound but DAVE is not an analog preamp. So if you still have cassettes or vinyl connected to your NAC N272, you're out of luck.
And then there's the streamer part of NAC N272. DAVE and Blu2 are not streamers. So I presume you're not playing a CD into NAC N272 via Toslink or coaxial. So you would still need N272 as a streamer and then use its S/PDIF output to feed Blu2 or DAVE. Or you can sell the N272 and buy a cheaper streamer to connect to Blu2/DAVE via USB instead. But then different streamer will also probably mean a different user interface.
Naim is very smart at locking you into Naim. Maybe even better than Apple...

 

[Triode User]

My Dave wiill be on the way soon, order will be placed tomorrow. I still have the Analog here (with Power Base) and it's obviously a huge upgrade from my Vega, as you say it's very smooth and liquid. I'm quite confident Dave will beat it though. Any suggestions for a good power cord for Dave? I currently have a Shunyata Venom 3, which is an upgrade over stock, but I think Dave might need better.

The power chord that comes with Dave is fine. Save your money towards Blu2.

 

[Jawed]

I'm pretty sure the consensus on the Naim forum is that Naim power amps require the pre-amp to sound best. I don't think anyone has reported preferring direct into a Naim power amp from DAVE.

This isn't something unique to Naim power amps. It's pretty hard to find someone who prefers DAVE into a power amp direct, to be honest, no matter what make of power amp.

I think it's a pretty serious design flaw with any power amp that it requires a pre-amp. There's clearly something funky going on, but I have no idea what.

Now playing: Josh T Pearson - Sorry with a Song

 

[GryphonGuy]

My Dave wiill be on the way soon, order will be placed tomorrow. I still have the Analog here (with Power Base) and it's obviously a huge upgrade from my Vega, as you say it's very smooth and liquid. I'm quite confident Dave will beat it though. Any suggestions for a good power cord for Dave? I currently have a Shunyata Venom 3, which is an upgrade over stock, but I think Dave might need better.

You don't NEED better but when you hear Shunyata Alpha Digital and even Shunyata Sigma HC (with VooDoo silver adapter) the DAVE is SUBLIME. I hated myself for trying the Sigma HC on the DAVE. My wallet did too.

I currently run DAVE using Shunyata Denali with the Sigma HC feeding the Denali and the Alpha Digital feeding DAVE. I have the microrendu on the network with a Kimber KS-2436 USB into the DAVE and the Utopias direct into the DAVE. This is quite good for convenience. ROON Software drives this setup.

If I want to work on the computer and listen or even listen absolutely critically, then I use direct USB from workstation to DAVE and I plug the Sigma HC and VooDoo silver adapter into the Double-online Eaton UPS and receive sublime sound unequalled by anything in my 30 odd years in this hobby. Oh and the direct USB software is HQPlayer but without any up-sampling or noise shaping. I find any tampering by HQPlayer kills the atmosphere of the recording (truncates note decays, timbre is less real).

The differences between the network and direct USB setups is small but very noticeable in the microdetails, small signal reproduction and particularly timbre of instruments.

I hope this helps. Of course YMMV.

Cheers
GG

 

[GryphonGuy]

I should have added that let DAVE run-in (or burn-in) for a couple of weeks of normal listening before you start to play with power cables etc. My setup preferences changed as DAVE changed (or my interpretation of DAVE changed).

Cheers
GG