CHORD ELECTRONICS DAVE

[thePhones]

Just for anyone still interested. I got my 12 ferrites today. Why 12, because it just made it over the free shipping limit.
I still think it belongs in this forum because no other dac reveals problems like this so obviously.

So first I put one ferrite core on each mains cable of my AVM monos and it was 50% better, then two made 85%, from 4-5 I did not hear a significant change anymore.
The last two I put on Dave‘s mains cable and right before the M scalers psu. That also made a difference. Never found the Dave too bright with headphones though only in combination with my mono blocks.
What I heard was a more depth, a lot smoother highs, softer bass, more timbre variation in general. I could also listen a good 5 db louder.

I was just trying to make a few listening tests, but then suddenly the music stopped and I was shocked that I got so lost in the music that I heard through the whole album and it felt like 5 minutes. Wow what a difference. Never had this musicality before on my speaker system, only with headphones straight out of Dave.
From now on I will use ferrites on every mains cable when ever another non Chord product is in the chain.

RF-noise… what a musicality eating beast.

 

[alphaman]

If the purposed Chord ADC is rolled off into products such as the popular Focusrite's or RME babyface's -- that is, one that can interface well with a phono pre-amp, allowing one to make, say, septillion-tap vinyl rips-- then you might make a customer, here, pilgrim. Uhhhhhnnnnnn!!!

 

[johnwillmclean]

Just for anyone still interested. I got my 12 ferrites today. Why 12, because it just made it over the free shipping limit.
I still think it belongs in this forum because no other dac reveals problems like this so obviously.

So first I put one ferrite core on each mains cable of my AVM monos and it was 50% better, then two made 85%, from 4-5 I did not hear a significant change anymore.
The last two I put on Dave‘s mains cable and right before the M scalers psu. That also made a difference. Never found the Dave too bright with headphones though only in combination with my mono blocks.
What I heard was a more depth, a lot smoother highs, softer bass, more timbre variation in general. I could also listen a good 5 db louder.

I was just trying to make a few listening tests, but then suddenly the music stopped and I was shocked that I got so lost in the music that I heard through the whole album and it felt like 5 minutes. Wow what a difference. Never had this musicality before on my speaker system, only with headphones straight out of Dave.
From now on I will use ferrites on every mains cable when ever another non Chord product is in the chain.

RF-noise… what a musicality eating beast.

Do live next door to a broadcasting tower?

 

[GuiltyRocker]

Do live next door to a broadcasting tower?

Hahahahahahajajajha

 

[thePhones]

Do live next door to a broadcasting tower?

German channels are particularly noisy, especially the shrill pop carrying frequencies

But seriously why not give it a try?! It is cheap, easy and quickly reversible. You can even do quick A/B testing when you have a second standard mains cable.
All this is not true for all the modifications involving high end LPS for Dave..

 

[kawhia]

Thanks all for your comments. I bought a Qed reference quartz toslink cable I believe. It cost around 120€. Marketing got me there, again . I have to try a different cable then and see if it changes anything. However, I am also quite happy with AES.

 

[Paul Bjernklo]

Thanks all for your comments. I bought a Qed reference quartz toslink cable I believe. It cost around 120€. Marketing got me there, again . I have to try a different cable then and see if it changes anything. However, I am also quite happy with AES.

That is an excellent cable as well based on reviews, unless that is the one not working, if so try the kabeldirekt.

 

[Ragnar-BY]

I bought a Qed reference quartz toslink cable I believe. It cost around 120€. Marketing got me there, again . I have to try a different cable then and see if it changes anything.

Same story here I had to check for myself if “real glass” optical changes anything and bought this QED. Neither me, nor @alxw0w were able to hear any difference between this cable and cheaper “plastic optical”.

Those nice and shiny QED plugs don’t really work well with DAVE. Mine was barely holding in its hole. Cheaper plastic QEDs are absolutely fine though.

 

[Jawed]

From now on I will use ferrites on every mains cable when ever another non Chord product is in the chain.

I recommend covering the entire length of a cable when using ferrites. If you don't then some frequencies will be emphasised instead of calmed, due to the varying impedance over the length of the cable.

I also recommend applying ferrites to all DC cables too, e.g. those coming out of an SMPS (like that on HMS).

If you are cursed with Naim gear that has separate power supplies, using Burndy and SNAIC cables, then you'll get an unreasonably large benefit from covering those cables in ferrites too.

 

[thePhones]

I recommend covering the entire length of a cable when using ferrites. If you don't then some frequencies will be emphasised instead of calmed, due to the varying impedance over the length of the cable.

I also recommend applying ferrites to all DC cables too, e.g. those coming out of an SMPS (like that on HMS).

If you are cursed with Naim gear that has separate power supplies, using Burndy and SNAIC cables, then you'll get an unreasonably large benefit from covering those cables in ferrites too.

I think I already need brighter speakers now because everything sounds so warm an dark now. Even my fiancée said that she has to adapt to the deeper voices when watching Netflix. This just shows how much of a problem I had in my chain. I think it was not as bad with Hugo 2 which would mean that Rob not earthing the other dacs is actually the right idea and probably my monos are super sensitive to RF-noise.

 

[Digital Enigma]

I think I already need brighter speakers now because everything sounds so warm an dark now. Even my fiancée said that she has to adapt to the deeper voices when watching Netflix. This just shows how much of a problem I had in my chain. I think it was not as bad with Hugo 2 which would mean that Rob not earthing the other dacs is actually the right idea and probably my monos are super sensitive to RF-noise.

You have to be careful when using things like ferrites, you can suck the life and dynamics out of the sound and that doesn’t always mean the darkness is from lower RF.

 

[thePhones]

You have to be careful when using things like ferrites, you can suck the life and dynamics out of the sound and that doesn’t always mean the darkness is from lower RF.

I don’t think that is how it works when putting ferrites on mains cables. But more noise floor modulation can give the impression of faster attack -> more dynamics. This is not the right approach imo. Analoge cables are a different story and I would never use ferrites on them.

 

[Digital Enigma]

Yes they should be avoided on interconnects for sure unless you intentionally want a low pass filter.

 

[Reactcore]

For the ones who havent seen..
Another interview with Rob

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/canjam-socal-2023-impressions-thread.969902/post-17755583

Not much news other than the Ultima DAC will get a Pentaconn balanced socket

 

[Digital Enigma]

For the ones who havent seen..
Another interview with Rob

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/canjam-socal-2023-impressions-thread.969902/post-17755583

Not much news other than the Ultima DAC will get a Pentaconn balanced socket

Strange, I thought Rob didn’t care for balanced if single ended is done properly?