CHORD ELECTRONICS DAVE

[Ciggavelli]

What’s the best sounding headphone with Dave combined with M-Scaler and the best amplifier?

There’s no right answer. For me personally, the Abyss 1266 TCs for normal headphones and the Shangri-La Sr for estats.

 

[Slim1970]

What’s the best sounding headphone with Dave combined with M-Scaler and the best amplifier?

Now this is a whole different can of worms. Putting an amp after the DAVE/HMS can be tricky if you want to maintain the Dave’s transparency levels. Most amps tend to have a sound of their own and you will hear a drop off in sound quality moving from the DAVE alone to a DAVE plus amp. There are some amps that are very good matches like the Benchmark HPA4, HeadAmp GS-X Mk2, and Sparkos Aries. All of these amps are fairly neutral and are close to n[being ”wire wire gain” type amps, meaning they don’t add any coloration to the sound.

 

[Yatharth]

(Deleted)

 

[johnwillmclean]

Now this is a whole different can of worms. Putting an amp after the DAVE/HMS can be tricky if you want to maintain the Dave’s transparency levels. Most amps tend to have a sound of their own and you will hear a drop off in sound quality moving from the DAVE alone to a DAVE plus amp. There are some amps that are very good matches like the Benchmark HPA4, HeadAmp GS-X Mk2, and Sparkos Aries. All of these amps are fairly neutral and are close to n[being ”wire wire gain” type amps, meaning they don’t add any coloration to the sound.

You either use the Daves internal amp or bi-pass it and use an external amp with no loss in signal.

 

[SteveHulk]

I've had a few days now with the Dave and mscaler as modded by @Reactcore with the optical link on the WA5 and the Audeze LCD-4.

The trip to Rotterdam from London was entirely worth it! I paid for the necessary parts and @Reactcore did the work out of the goodness of his heart. I am so glad I met him - he is a great guy. What matters to him is the music and he just wanted to bring that joy to me.

Not only do I now have a system without the Dave mscaler form factor clash, but the sound is at a new level.

The Dave and the WA5 are now on their own battery and there is no electrical connection whatsoever between the Dave and the rest of the system - not even through the ground plane. The Dave is isolated from the mscaler by the optical link.

It sounds so natural. Bass extension, mid range finesse, extraordinary delicate detail in the treble. A beautiful soundstage alive with focused sounds and acoustic ambience.

Piano music. What can I say. Reviewers have commented that the Dave "just does piano" - and now just how. Arvo Pärt "Alina" for piano and cello - I can hear the hammers falling back after each note, the release of the silent strings when the sustain pedal is used, the Steinway bell-like tone in the upper registers and the plangency of the bass. The deep woodiness of the cello. The almost breathy sound of the bow on the strings. An organic timbre totally appropriate to an instrument made of wood, catgut, and horsehair.

George Crumb "Vox Balaenae" for three masked players - the intimate detail of the crazy sounds that come from a "prepared" piano.

Noisia "Reptilians" - the force in the bass is just mental. You heavy metal fans would just love this!

I'll stop there. A new interface box for the RAAL sr1b has just arrived and if it works in the way I hope, the Audeze will be history!

 

[Reactcore]

Have great blissful times sir!! I sure must continue digging in your excellent music collection that you shared

Looking forward to your Raal impressions

 

[GuiltyRocker]

I've had a few days now with the Dave and mscaler as modded by @Reactcore with the optical link on the WA5 and the Audeze LCD-4.

The trip to Rotterdam from London was entirely worth it! I paid for the parts necessary and @Reactcore did the work out of the goodness of his heart. I am so glad I met him - he is a great guy. What matters to him is the music and he just wanted to bring that joy to me.

Not only do I now have a system without the Dave mscaler form factor clash, but the sound is at a new level.

The Dave and the WA5 are now on their own battery and there is no electrical connection whatsoever between the Dave and the rest of the system - not even through the ground plane. The Dave is isolated from the mscaler by the optical link.

It sounds so natural. Bass extension, mid range finesse, extraordinary delicate detail in the treble. A beautiful soundstage alive with focused sounds and acoustic ambience.

Piano music. What can I say. Reviewers have commented that the Dave "just does piano" - and now just how. Arvo Pärt "Alina" for piano and cello - I can hear the hammers falling back after each note, the release of the silent strings when the sustain pedal is used, the Steinway bell-like tone in the upper registers and the plangency of the bass. The deep woodiness of the cello. The almost breathy sound of the bow on the strings. An organic timbre totally appropriate to an instrument made of wood, catgut, and horsehair.

George Crumb "Vox Balanae" for three masked players - the intimate detail of the crazy sounds that come from a "prepared" piano.

Noisia "Reptilians" - the force in the bass is just mental. You heavy metal fans would just love this!

I'll stop there. A new interface box for the RAAL sr1b has just arrived and if it works in the way I hope, the Audeze will be history!

Very nice, glad to see you happy. Enjoy.

 

[LucyWu]

[To Steve Hulk]
Looking forward to your Raal impressions

Maybe I can just scroll forward and predict...

"The Raals sound freaking amazing - be gone LCD4, be gone all things not Ribbon-y."

Just to save Steve from a bit of typing that might drag him away from his increasingly excellent set up

 

[801evan]

What’s the best sounding headphone with Dave combined with M-Scaler and the best amplifier?

DCA Stealth . 2nd place is susvara, 3rd lcd4. Dave's HP amp is as good as it gets.

 

[SteveHulk]

"DCA Stealth . 2nd place is susvara, 3rd lcd4. Dave's HP amp is as good as it gets."

There you have it, boys and girls. Now you can all pack up and go home.

 

[Icenine2]

Anyone tried the Matrix Audio X SPDIF 3 for optical to MScaler to DAVE? Looks interesting but I know NOTHING about optical other than the above reading.

 

[Reactcore]

Anyone tried the Matrix Audio X SPDIF 3 for optical to MScaler to DAVE? Looks interesting but I know NOTHING about optical other than the above reading.

Looks like a nice DDC.

The rates higher than 192k are ofc only possible for its IIs-LVDS output

 

[ZappaMan]

Anyone tried the Matrix Audio X SPDIF 3 for optical to MScaler to DAVE? Looks interesting but I know NOTHING about optical other than the above reading.

My own thoughts, with spdif 2, is that the Audiolab 6000 cdt, produces far superior signal, judged by the music being clearer.

Ps you can also output Bnc/coax from spdif 2, which some say is better.

 

[AxelCloris]

Folks let's please keep the discussion on-topic and focused around the DAVE. Thanks everyone.

 

[RustyGates]

@Rob Watts

Any chance of a DAVE revision with the newer FPGA architecture and UHD DSP, along with updated analogue circuitry?