CHORD ELECTRONICS DAVE

[Triode User]

Better low end in speakers ?
Quantity yes (in terms of physical impact) but not quality and extension. Not many speakers go as low as 20hz not to mention distortion that speakers produce and also room modes (hence coloration).
Nevertheless I'm impatiently waiting for my 2 channel system to happen

My speakers are rated down to 20Hz and what that does do and which is difficult (impossible?) to do with headphones is to physically feel the bass through ones body, even at quite low volumes.

 

[MvRBE10]

Same mine goto 20hz and with the s812 rels even dieper. Headphones do not give these thunders and room dynamic. Sometimes my complete room gives the dynamic feeling if eg. A church or concert hall it just breath. Cant explain it maybe triode can but headphones dont give that experience

 

[The Jester]

What is commonly called “soundstage” is more likely with a good speaker system, or more accurately a good, well setup speaker system within the room, using headphones on some material it’s more difficult to hear the full effect of the MScaler compared to a speaker system,
My main system is a combination of a 2 channel “hi fi” (?) setup of pre/power amps and floor standing speakers as well as a 7/2/2 home theatre setup with the HT amps front channels connected to the main preamps “theatre bypass” input, naturally for movie use the surround system has been “EQ” ‘d with the HT amps built in system using the supplied mic and creates a reasonably “ believable” movie environment, but with music it falls short of the soundstage that the MScaler gives to the dedicated 2 channel system and stepping up through the modes from bypass to maximum is easily heard in both instrument timbre, positioning and soundstage width/depth, relatively easier to choose headphones that sound “just right” for the individual listener compared to choosing speakers, and more importantly the speaker setup within the room and sometimes the compromises between the best position and aesthetics (WAF), but once “optimally” positioned the effect of the MScaler is easily heard, and once heard hard to go without.

 

[sm60]

Take a look at this. Hearing loss at 100dB SPL within 15 minutes. Even listening at 80 dB will give hearing loss after 2 hours.

The UK legal limit for noise is 80dB for 8 hours; for music events it's supposed to be no more than 95db (but this of course is never enforced). If you expose yourself to more than 80dB for long periods you will suffer long term hearing loss. For a music lover your hearing ability is crucial, so download a sound level meter onto your phone, and checkout how loud you are actually listening at; and if you want to preserve your hearing, listen for long periods below 80dB.

Excellent advice! One reason I don’t listen with headphones much (besides the other reason being I find them far too colored). My usual reference loudspeakers are Quad electrostatics (57s, 2805, 2905). I monitor always with an SPL and ensure levels never exceed about 75dB at my listening chair. This is one reason I avoid discos, rock concerts or any venue with amplified sound. The worst aural experience of my life was in San Francisco 3 years ago at an IMAX theater screening of a movie where the sound levels were painfully loud. I have never gone back there. I’m in my early 60s and despite having listened to high end audio for 30+ years, my hearing remains very good (knock on wood).

 

[Ragnar-BY]

I have a suspicion that 2 channel speaker systems more readily expose all the areas where Dave exceeds what the May can achieve.

With well placed speakers in acoustically treated room - for sure.

Honestly speaking, I can easily hear that mDAVE is giving better soundstage depth and image separation than May. I gave up my Chords because I realized that all this depth and separation did not make me happier. I did not immediately understand this, at first I was very carried away by the new impressions of DAVE's holographic nature. Then it gradually became more and more boring for me to listen to the music that I used to love. May with its rich timbres and accentuated macrodynamics reproduces the position of sound sources in space worse, but entertains me much better.

 

[MvRBE10]

With well placed speakers in acoustically treated room - for sure.

Honestly speaking, I can easily hear that mDAVE is giving better soundstage depth and image separation than May. I gave up my Chords because I realized that all this depth and separation did not make me happier. I did not immediately understand this, at first I was very carried away by the new impressions of DAVE's holographic nature. Then it gradually became more and more boring for me to listen to the music that I used to love. May with its rich timbres and accentuated macrodynamics reproduces the position of sound sources in space worse, but entertains me much better.

Is that with headset or speakers. I can understand that with headphones i rekon.

 

[Ragnar-BY]

Is that with headset or speakers. I can understand that with headphones i rekon.

Headphones.

 

[Ciggavelli]

I've been switching between amps and headphones all day. I'm now on the LCD-4 out of the DAVE. It sounds okay, but is much more to my liking out of my WA33. If I only had a DC4'd mDAVE, I'd probably sell the LCD-4s.

However, they sound good out of the WA33 EE JPS (and different enough from my other headphones, with how great doom and stoner rock/metal sounds with them)

 

[jlbrach]

It helps to unplug. Having it off isn't good enough. Yea I'm doing quad stage conditioning. My IC and HP cable are shielded because they MAY be the cause of that. I used to hear it before but not anymore. I think another big factor was taking out the hdplex. As per Watt's claims, those transformers can be a source of interference depending on implementation.

Lol. Imagine I'm trying to rent an apartment on the same floor just for headfi. Not even for loudspeakers. I'm also looking at best EMI ratings of smartphones and it's a Samsung Note. That's too big for my partner to use.

listen to your HP's in the get smart cone of silence!

 

[801evan]

Didn't know Hans dropped a bombshell lately...

 

[iDesign]

Didn't know Hans dropped a bombshell lately...

How is this a bombshell let alone even surprising?

 

[MvRBE10]

Reading everywere that chord combo is much much better than holo may. But consensis is that the difference on headphones is less than on two way systems. Same as i notice on changes in general are better noticable on two wat than phones

 

[Ragnar-BY]

Reading everywere that chord combo is much much better than holo may.

I think it’s more about your values. If soundstage depth, instrument separation and holographic imaging is your thing - nothing would beat DAVE equipped with MScaler, cables and PSUs.

 

[MvRBE10]

I think it’s more about your values. If soundstage depth, instrument separation and holographic imaging is your thing - nothing would beat DAVE equipped with MScaler, cables and PSUs.

Also true

 

[Sajid Amit]

Hi Good People,

I just ordered a DAVE.

Is it supposed to be 8 lbs only?