[ecwl]

Bummer. I was in Tokyo March 3-8 for vacation. I even went to Dynamic Audio (Pro 5555) to see if they have Blu 2 demo or Chord amplifier demo. Nope, just DAVE on display and definitely to me the best DAC on all 7 floors. I guess I have to wait for my own Blu 2 to arrive to hear it...
The Google Translate version of the review was pretty tough to decipher. Reminds me of me Lost in Translation in Tokyo. I guess the bottomline is Blu 2 is great?

 

[EVOLVIST]

I remember seeing that post when you still had the HD 800 and didn't have the mRendu yet, maybe you were just tired of the sound signature of the HD 800 at that time.  :rolleyes:

Ha! Yeah, I do not remember. I remember when I first auditioned a DAVE, though, that the dealer had the DAVE plugged into some incredibly horrible "high-end" power conditioner that sucked all of the life out of everything plugged into it. I was not impressed with DAVE and didn't hear much of a difference between my iDSD Micro.

When I went to audition some more high-end DACs at my home, I then decided to have a DAVE sent to me, and boy what a change, even by plugging it right into my wall.

With the HD800s I thought the DAVE sounded a little bright, but I think that's because the DAVE accented that 6-8kHz range with super clarity.

But, I think, in the end, the DAVE is pretty much immune to source unless you have it plugged into that really, really compliments it, or really, really drags it down.

That said, with your garden variety interconnects and stock cables, etc., the DAVE shines. Sure, you might be able to draw out a quarter of a percent one way or another, but what does that do in the end?

On topic, why does Rob Watts use to test his gear? By all indications it's the stock stuff that comes in the box.

When I get my Blu2, I'm going to try some some various BNC cables, keeping my return policy very open, because I suspect that my Blue Jean Cables will work just fine.

 

[Sonic77]

  Bummer. I was in Tokyo March 3-8 for vacation. I even went to Dynamic Audio (Pro 5555) to see if they have Blu 2 demo or Chord amplifier demo. Nope, just DAVE on display and definitely to me the best DAC on all 7 floors. I guess I have to wait for my own Blu 2 to arrive to hear it...
The Google Translate version of the review was pretty tough to decipher. Reminds me of me Lost in Translation in Tokyo. I guess the bottomline is Blu 2 is great?

​I didn't want to say anything, but I agree. We need a review from better reviewers, who speak English. 

 

[GryphonGuy]

What is "nobbling?" and what tunes did you have on your CD? Also are you saying that there were huge red cables plugged into the Blu2 or DAVE that wasn't connected to anything else, awaiting to be plugged into a headphone amp?

​As others have said "nobbling" or nobbled as I used it was to say that the performance of the DAVE was compromised in a move I suspect was to enhance the relative difference of the headphone amp that they obviously plug into the black DAVE BLU2 combo. It was to "sell" the headphone amp I suspect not to downgrade the DAVE BLU2 combo but unfortunately that's what they did. Only DAVE owners would pick the downgrade.
 
The DAVE BLU2 was isolated. The big red interconnects were near the BNC plugs of the DAVE ready to be plugged in (to show the difference of the DAVE phone output to the headphone amp, I suspect). Nobody was manning the headphone amp stand for the 10 or so minutes of my demo.
 
The CD I used was Cassandra Wilson's Belly of the Sun. Some great transients on that CD not reflected by the DAVE BLU2 and LCD4 combo. The official test CD for that rig was The Eagles Hell Freezes Over XRCD.
 
Regards
GG

 

[Sonic77]

Hmmm... I don't remember a laptop causing any hardness. The only laptop I've used with the DAVE has Audiophile Optimizer installed on it, and it gives a pretty swell sound. I use the mRendu now, but I might be changing up a few things. We'll see.

I cannot get my Audiophile Optimizer to work with Dave? So it just works with your laptop? I am going to try again, I think it worked with the Hugo, in fact I remember listening using the Hugo, because I still have the drivers for it on my server. I tried using the driver help in the program, but it still didn't work. As a last resort if I cant get it to work, I'll probably contact Chord or Audiophile Optimizer.

 

[EVOLVIST]

  I cannot get my Audiophile Optimizer to work with Dave? So it just works with your laptop? I am going to try again, I think it worked with the Hugo, in fact I remember listening using the Hugo, because I still have the drivers for it on my server. I tried using the driver help in the program, but it still didn't work. As a last resort if I cant get it to work, I'll probably contact Chord or Audiophile Optimizer.

 
Well, I used to run a large desktop for audio which had AO + Win Server2012R2, but I sold that machine, and then AO came out with optimization for Windows 10. So, the laptop I was plugging DAVE into was a Windows 10 machine that has been optimized. In fact, sometimes I kept it in GUI mode, because I could tell no difference in the sound in server mode.
 
That might be the difference in your connection to your laptop.

 

[Sonic77]

   
Well, I used to run a large desktop for audio which had AO + Win Server2012R2, but I sold that machine, and then AO came out with optimization for Windows 10. So, the laptop I was plugging DAVE into was a Windows 10 machine that has been optimized. In fact, sometimes I kept it in GUI mode, because I could tell no difference in the sound in server mode.
 
That might be the difference in your connection to your laptop.

​Ok, I'm using a C.A.P.S. v.3 Zuma  server, not win 10. Thanks, I read the manual and am going to try Win 7 compatibility mode see if that works.

 

[Sonic77]

Updated to the current version of Audiophile Optimizer and everything works perfect.

 

[jlbrach]

what is the proper connection between the dave and the blu 2?...i assume it is included with the blu 2?

 

[EVOLVIST]

what is the proper connection between the dave and the blu 2?...i assume it is included with the blu 2?

Two 75ohm BNC terminated coax cables.

 

[jlbrach]

thanks nick!!

 

[saiteiman]

Is it good idea to use RCA digital cable with BNC-RCA adapter?  Is the quality equivalent to BNC terminated digital cable?

 

[Rob Watts]

When I tested Hugo 2 with the Blu 2 I used a cheap 1.5 M headphone cable (3.5mm to RCA) with BNC adaptors. It worked perfectly in terms of no errors or glitches at all - I must say I was pretty astonished, as this is after all 768 kHz SPDIF. So the system is tolerant of poor quality cables. When I get back to Wales I will do some listening tests to see how much difference poor quality, RF quality cables, or high end cables actually make to the sound.
 
Rob
 
PS - of course it is not a good idea to use adaptors - they are not impedance matched.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

  When I tested Hugo 2 with the Blu 2 I used a cheap 1.5 M headphone cable (3.5mm to RCA) with BNC adaptors. It worked perfectly in terms of no errors or glitches at all - I must say I was pretty astonished, as this is after all 768 kHz SPDIF. So the system is tolerant of poor quality cables. When I get back to Wales I will do some listening tests to see how much difference poor quality, RF quality cables, or high end cables actually make to the sound.
 
Rob
 
PS - of course it is not a good idea to use adaptors - they are not impedance matched.

A++ 

 

[Triode User]

It is possible I might be getting my ordered Blu2 sometime next week . . . . . . . .  let the fun begin.