endless402
500+ Head-Fier
anyone know if the voltage is universal? Seems like it's cheaper to pick one up through the UK and ship it to north america
Chord Electronics - Blu Mk. 2 - The Official Thread
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marcmccalmont
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SuperBurrito
100+ Head-Fier
Amazing and throughough review. As a current Dave owner (and potential Blu2 owner), I say thank you!
Tom Blake
100+ Head-Fier
Outstanding review! Thanks so much for your efforts. I currently have 5 of the 1GHz Wurth ferrites on each BNC cable between BluDAVE. Do you think it is worth switching to the 2.5 GHz version?
I have 10 2.5GHz ferrite chokes sitting here waiting to answer that question! Hoping to give it a go this weekend
Tom Blake
100+ Head-Fier
Great! I look forward to your feedback! I am tempted to order up 10 and compare myself as well considering the low cost. I ordered the 1 GHz versions right after Rob made his initial suggestion but it seems he later revised his recommendation to the 2.5GHz variant.
Jawed
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FWIW, @ray-dude, I suspect you need something like 30 ferrites per BNC and you need a mixture of "1GHz" and "2.5GHz". Perhaps put the Topnisus ferrites on those cables too, since you don't need them on the USB cable!
It seems that with some ferrites on the BNC cables you are close to eliminating the quality of the USB cable/ferrites or CD direct. So, try adding all the Topnisus ferrites to the BNCs to hear if you've maxxed the BNCs...
By the way I very much enjoyed the way you summarised the music you listened to. Tomorrow I want to spend a while hunting this music down - I wonder how much is on the music streaming services...
Now playing: New Order - Doubts Even Here
It seems that with some ferrites on the BNC cables you are close to eliminating the quality of the USB cable/ferrites or CD direct. So, try adding all the Topnisus ferrites to the BNCs to hear if you've maxxed the BNCs...
By the way I very much enjoyed the way you summarised the music you listened to. Tomorrow I want to spend a while hunting this music down - I wonder how much is on the music streaming services...
Now playing: New Order - Doubts Even Here
Excellent review! It also gave me that final nudge to order Omegas and JL Fathom
Thank you!
Crgreen
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If you don’t want to have to wait 6 months for a Blu II, mine is still up for sale. PM me.
Crgreen
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Sorry, I should mention, I’m only selling in the UK. Shipping abroad is too complex an exercise. I also have various BNC cables, and 2.5 and other ferrites.
Natronious
Formerly known as nbarnard36
ray-dude, that is an OUTSTANDING review! I am a new-ish DAVE owner, and thought that I will likely go for a Blu II in maybe a year or so, but that timetable has possibly been sped up, reading your findings. Just incredible, I now consider a Blu II as essential. I would have gone for one straight off, and waited for DAVE, instead of the other way around (and gotten a Hugo 2). I ended up purchasing a new transport recently as well, so it really would have made sense. I'm in a similar position, in that the addition of the DAVE has illuminated the 'holes' in my audio chain, and I will need to address those to unleash what the DAVE has on offer.
In other news, I am informed from a dealer, that just TODAY, the retail price for a Blu II has been increased by $1000!! Not good timing for the poorer of us, who only dream of realizing our Audio Dreams...*edit, I've just been informed that this is for the U.S. distributor, so not reflective of Chord actually. This was suggested that this is simply due to demand, plain and simple.
Now playing: Miles Davis Rated X Get Up With It (for Jawed, as in, when I heard the brilliant sound coming through DAVE, I was slack jawed)
In other news, I am informed from a dealer, that just TODAY, the retail price for a Blu II has been increased by $1000!! Not good timing for the poorer of us, who only dream of realizing our Audio Dreams...*edit, I've just been informed that this is for the U.S. distributor, so not reflective of Chord actually. This was suggested that this is simply due to demand, plain and simple.
Now playing: Miles Davis Rated X Get Up With It (for Jawed, as in, when I heard the brilliant sound coming through DAVE, I was slack jawed)
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FYI -- Named Product of the Year at...
https://audiobacon.net/2017/12/30/audio-bacons-best-2017/
(How many more months before my unit arrives? Sigh.)
Oh, on the MSRP hike -- hadn't heard about it, but it probably reflects more the depreciation of the USD vs GBP. 1.36 today vs 1.23 a year ago (11% depreciation).
I recall at one point MSRP on DAVE was over USD $13k pre-Brexit, but was USD $11288 when I bought by a few months back. (And what will happen post actual Brexit where there's no trade deal betw the US and the UK? Hmm...) I have other points of dissatisfaction with the N.A. distributor, but I can't fault them for this one.
https://audiobacon.net/2017/12/30/audio-bacons-best-2017/
(How many more months before my unit arrives? Sigh.)
Oh, on the MSRP hike -- hadn't heard about it, but it probably reflects more the depreciation of the USD vs GBP. 1.36 today vs 1.23 a year ago (11% depreciation).
I recall at one point MSRP on DAVE was over USD $13k pre-Brexit, but was USD $11288 when I bought by a few months back. (And what will happen post actual Brexit where there's no trade deal betw the US and the UK? Hmm...) I have other points of dissatisfaction with the N.A. distributor, but I can't fault them for this one.
marcmccalmont
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FERRITES PART II
with wifi and plasma TV on using BLU2 CD drive
on bnc1 only (352.8 KHz)
Ears and BLU2/Dave over a month of breakin
All configurations sounded good
stock 1m cable
Clearer Audio Silver Line Optimus Reference .7m
Clearer Audio more dynamic, imaging the same, bass better detail
added 16 Fair Rite 61 ferrites to each
imaging focus and depth improved on both, Clearer audio still more dynamic
doubled up both with a bnc to bnc adapter so now 32 ferrites and twice as long
No more improvement to depth or imaging focus on both but stock cable close to Clearer Audio in bass definition Clearer Audio still a tad bit more dynamics
These were small differences, to put it in perspective switching from single to dual coax (705 KHz vs 352.8KHz) is a larger difference.
Is it worth or would I recommend spending $1500 on the Clearer Audio cables between Blu2 and Dave for a slight improvement, no but I own them so I'll use them
I Do recommend the Fair Rite 61 ferrites.
Doubling the length should reduce reflections and doubling the ferrites should improve depth but in my system it did not improve the Clearer Audio and it was a minor improvement in the stock coax.
Later I'll compare the 2 between my N10 and BLU2
Finished comparing USB to COAX with and without ferrites between my Aurender N10 and Blu2
Tried about 6 USB cables including QED none sound as good as the coax connection all sound rolled off some more than others, the coax however sounds closer to live music.
Tried both USB and Coax with and without Topnisus lower frequency ferrites, I hear no difference with and without ferrites (the N10 is a very low noise source)
Compared the stock Chord supplied coax and the Clearer Audio coax, no contest here, in this application the Clearer Audio is vastly superior, wider deeper sound stage more dynamic better bass articulation, more subtle details much more lifelike. I would gladly spend $750 for this improvement. to put it in perspective the difference in cables (in this application between source and Blu2) is greater than the difference in single coax vs dual coax between Blu2 and Dave
By far the best usb cable was the wireworld starlight platinum 7 also an expensive cable but a noticeable improvement
with wifi and plasma TV on using BLU2 CD drive
on bnc1 only (352.8 KHz)
Ears and BLU2/Dave over a month of breakin
All configurations sounded good
stock 1m cable
Clearer Audio Silver Line Optimus Reference .7m
Clearer Audio more dynamic, imaging the same, bass better detail
added 16 Fair Rite 61 ferrites to each
imaging focus and depth improved on both, Clearer audio still more dynamic
doubled up both with a bnc to bnc adapter so now 32 ferrites and twice as long
No more improvement to depth or imaging focus on both but stock cable close to Clearer Audio in bass definition Clearer Audio still a tad bit more dynamics
These were small differences, to put it in perspective switching from single to dual coax (705 KHz vs 352.8KHz) is a larger difference.
Is it worth or would I recommend spending $1500 on the Clearer Audio cables between Blu2 and Dave for a slight improvement, no but I own them so I'll use them
I Do recommend the Fair Rite 61 ferrites.
Doubling the length should reduce reflections and doubling the ferrites should improve depth but in my system it did not improve the Clearer Audio and it was a minor improvement in the stock coax.
Later I'll compare the 2 between my N10 and BLU2
Finished comparing USB to COAX with and without ferrites between my Aurender N10 and Blu2
Tried about 6 USB cables including QED none sound as good as the coax connection all sound rolled off some more than others, the coax however sounds closer to live music.
Tried both USB and Coax with and without Topnisus lower frequency ferrites, I hear no difference with and without ferrites (the N10 is a very low noise source)
Compared the stock Chord supplied coax and the Clearer Audio coax, no contest here, in this application the Clearer Audio is vastly superior, wider deeper sound stage more dynamic better bass articulation, more subtle details much more lifelike. I would gladly spend $750 for this improvement. to put it in perspective the difference in cables (in this application between source and Blu2) is greater than the difference in single coax vs dual coax between Blu2 and Dave
By far the best usb cable was the wireworld starlight platinum 7 also an expensive cable but a noticeable improvement
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6aardvark9
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After a 12 week wait (this seems reasonably quick considering some lead times indicated by previous posts) I have received and installed my Blu2... one evening listening so far and wow, the increase in detail compared to Dave alone is quite astounding and so smooth on the ear. Great investment!!
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