Chord Electronics - Blu Mk. 2 - The Official Thread

[Sonic77]

Just put a deposit down on the Blu Mk 2 today, now the wait...........

 

[adyc]

Can someone advise the ideal length of coaxial cable? Someone says 1.5m to reduce reflection problem. However, if one gets true 75ohm cable and provided that the BNC connectors of both DAVE and Blu2 are true 75 ohm, short length should not be a problem. I want to use 0.5m ideally.

 

[EVOLVIST]

Does the blu2 convert your DSD stream via USB to PCM, then sending it to the DAVE as PCM?

I guess I'm just thinking about this degrading the quality of DSD. I don't listen to much DSD, yet I'm not clear on the up upsampling and conversion to PCM, as I was told never to do it with DSD.

Shoot, maybe the Blu2 does nothing with DSD and it's all PCM through USB, yeah?

 

[Triode User]

Just put a deposit down on the Blu Mk 2 today, now the wait...........

Do you have a date? I am told 'the end of March' for mine.

 

[Sonic77]

Do you have a date? I am told 'the end of March' for mine.

​I was told sometime in April, end of March sounds better to me though.
I see you are in the UK, maybe that makes a difference.

 

[Triode User]

 
​I was told sometime in April, end of March sounds better to me though.
I see you are in the UK, maybe that makes a difference.

Also, I put in my order a few weeks ago.

 

[Gallifray]

I tend not to post on these forums, preferring to be a bit of a lurker instead I'm afraid.
 
However, I thought that I would post a quick note on an experience that I had today at Singapore CanJam.  I was keen on trying the Dave for the first time, and I was lucky enough to spend time with it driving a pair of Audeze LCD-4 headphones.  I was even more fortunate to be able to hear it also drive a pair of Focal Utopia headphones (BTW, these more closely approximate the experience of listening to a well-placed pair of good speakers than any other headphones I have ever tried).
 
Having owned and very regularly used a Hugo for a couple of years, I was prepared for a step up in resolution, air, space and overall musicality with the Dave . . and I was not disappointed.  Another absolutely fantastic product from Chord.
 
But . . I also had the chance to listen to hi-res audio files with the Blu 2/Dave combination for a few minutes.  I have never heard digital music sound like this before.  I have never heard anything like this combination . . . ever.  The best way of describing it is depth - this allows you to hear further into the music than you have ever heard before.  It's like being introduced for the first time to music with which you're familiar.  The ease with which this combination just pulls up detail and space and air is truly remarkable.  Utterly amazing.
 
This short experience was so profound as to alter my priorities in regards to future purchases.  And that after only a few minutes listening.  I cannot wait to listen to the combination properly with top-tier headphones, amplification and speakers in a non-show environment.
 
For those fortunate to own a Dave, you simply must try it in combination with the Blu 2.  If you don't, you're simply not realising the true potential of what I think is the best DAC that I have ever heard.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

  I tend not to post on these forums, preferring to be a bit of a lurker instead I'm afraid.
 
However, I thought that I would post a quick note on an experience that I had today at Singapore CanJam.  I was keen on trying the Dave for the first time, and I was lucky enough to spend time with it driving a pair of Audeze LCD-4 headphones.  I was even more fortunate to be able to hear it also drive a pair of Focal Utopia headphones (BTW, these more closely approximate the experience of listening to a well-placed pair of good speakers than any other headphones I have ever tried).
 
Having owned and very regularly used a Hugo for a couple of years, I was prepared for a step up in resolution, air, space and overall musicality with the Dave . . and I was not disappointed.  Another absolutely fantastic product from Chord.
 
But . . I also had the chance to listen to hi-res audio files with the Blu 2/Dave combination for a few minutes.  I have never heard digital music sound like this before.  I have never heard anything like this combination . . . ever.  The best way of describing it is depth - this allows you to hear further into the music than you have ever heard before.  It's like being introduced for the first time to music with which you're familiar.  The ease with which this combination just pulls up detail and space and air is truly remarkable.  Utterly amazing.
 
This short experience was so profound as to alter my priorities in regards to future purchases.  And that after only a few minutes listening.  I cannot wait to listen to the combination properly with top-tier headphones, amplification and speakers in a non-show environment.
 
For those fortunate to own a Dave, you simply must try it in combination with the Blu 2.  If you don't, you're simply not realising the true potential of what I think is the best DAC that I have ever heard.

I own the original MKI Blu CD Transporter and QBD76 DAC (have this set-up both on my BHSE / Stax 009 and my Speaker System) and the sound is great most of the time and quite amazing other times with well recorded and produced CD's.  
 
I was contemplating possibly changing my Headphone front-end / source set-up to a Lampizator GG or Totaldac Six but now I have seen Chord are bringing out the Blu MkII and reading peoples comments who have heard it with the DAVE like your good self I must have an audition of all these digital sources.  
 
I am also considering having a nice analogue source one day for my speaker system (have a good record collection and a nice RCM) to add further thought and confusion to my ever-long and winding Hi-Fi path for audio-nirvana.  

 

[EVOLVIST]

Shoot, maybe the Blu2 does nothing with DSD and it's all PCM through USB, yeah?

Sigh. DSD over DoP. What was I thinking. I bombed the exam.

In other news: does anybody have any BNC cables to recommend? I, too, have preordered the Blu2. All I've heard from my dealer is that it ships in April.

 

[Triode User]

Sigh. DSD over DoP. What was I thinking. I bombed the exam.

In other news: does anybody have any BNC cables to recommend? I, too, have preordered the Blu2. All I've heard from my dealer is that it ships in April.

I have just bought a pair of cables to link to the Dave in anticipation of the arrival of my Blu2.
 
My advice is to not get carried away with thinking that you need spend more than $20 per cable. Well, OK, £29 per cable which is what I paid.

 

[JaZZ]

 

Shoot, maybe the Blu2 does nothing with DSD and it's all PCM through USB, yeah?

Sigh. DSD over DoP. What was I thinking. I bombed the exam.

In other news: does anybody have any BNC cables to recommend? I, too, have preordered the Blu2. All I've heard from my dealer is that it ships in April.

 
Yes, DSD over PCM. But PCM is just the label that's wrapped over the DSD signal. So I can't see how the M-Scaler could apply its 1-million-taps WTA filter to a DSD signal anyway, since the WTA filter works in the PCM domain. I really think DSD will remain untouched.

 

[Sonic77]

 
I have just bought a pair of cables to link to the Dave in anticipation of the arrival of my Blu2.
 
My advice is to not get carried away with thinking that you need spend more than $20 per cable. Well, OK, £29 per cable which is what I paid.

what brand are they?

 

[Triode User]

 
what brand are they?

QED Performance 0.8m DIGITAL Audio 75Ω Coaxial Custom Cable with Neutrik REAN Plugs. I paid £43.90 for the pair.
 
I have added RCA to BNC convertors.

 

[EVOLVIST]

I have just bought a pair of cables to link to the Dave in anticipation of the arrival of my Blu2.

My advice is to not get carried away with thinking that you need spend more than $20 per cable. Well, OK, £29 per cable which is what I paid.

Yeah, you're right. From my understanding it's all about precise impedance match over materials. Blue Jeans Cables will send you the test pages with your specific cables so you know you're not getting screwed.

I'll probably get the 1.5m. And they have Canare terminations.

 

[DaveRedRef-III]

I use 1m Chord Sarum Super Aray BNC Coax, Evolvist. It replaced my 1m Chord Indigo Tuned Aray BNC which was in itself very good.