[GuiltyRocker]

I wonder how much extra effort it would take for Mr. Watts to offer non-oversampling in a Chord DAC? Not sure how Chord DACs implement just the DAC part (w/o an oversampling fpga, that precedes the DAC). I assume D/A is purely in FPGA. If an FPGA is emulating, say R2R, then this might be a way to offer NOS, like some NOS PCM63 and AD1862 projects have.
I think the Chord DAC fpga/dsp is based on Philips Bitstream ????? 1-bit pdm/pwm has a kind of "oversampling" built in to the architecture. Yes?

Not really based on 1 bit Phillips, and oversampling is needed for the noise shaper to work correctly, you don't need oversampling on a Ladder R2R DAC on the digital domain because the resistors basically create current sources from the bits, there is no bit truncation like a sigma delta, but, one can say that these "NOS" DACs do oversampling on the analog domain. But, and there is always a but, R2R have a lot of issues with the results not being all the same, these errors need to be corrected by the computers they now use, like dCS, it's no wonder I can't stand the way they sound

 

[OnlySoMany]

Doubt will make appreciable diff vs farad stack after pumped through the wa33e

To each their own.

I consider my current stack my end game.

Naim ND555, dual 555DR psu
Sean Jacob's dc4 arc6 psu
Dave
Blu Mkll
Chord Music Cables
Audioquest Niagara 5000
Viva Egoista 845 w/ takatsuki rectifiers

 

[thePhones]

Blu Mkll

Do you use the CD transport often? I think it is really cool looking machine and the CD drive is a nice nostalgic feature to me but I think I would not miss it if it is not on the new Scaler. My Hifi journey started so recently that I didn’t collect much disks.

 

[AnotherFineMess]

Hi all, I'm a new member. I've been lurking here for a while and finally decided to introduce myself.

I'm currently upgrading a lot of my vintage or very basic audio gear. I've got my analogue system set up and I'm now upgrading my digital gear. I need a new DAC and I'm now in the market for a used Chord DAVE, or maybe Hugo TT2, but if I can get a DAVE for a good price, I'll go for that Then later, M-Scaler and headphones. I haven't decided which headphones I want to use yet, but looking at manufacturers such as Abyss, HiFiman, Meze Audio, Focal.

I've been reading through this thread, and it has proved to be a very valuable source of information

 

[Rob Watts]

I wonder how much extra effort it would take for Mr. Watts to offer non-oversampling in a Chord DAC? Not sure how Chord DACs implement just the DAC part (w/o an oversampling fpga, that precedes the DAC). I assume D/A is purely in FPGA. If an FPGA is emulating, say R2R, then this might be a way to offer NOS, like some NOS PCM63 and AD1862 projects have.
I think the Chord DAC fpga/dsp is based on Philips Bitstream ????? 1-bit pdm/pwm has a kind of "oversampling" built in to the architecture. Yes?

For me to convert it to NOS or non-oversampling - zero effort. But it would destroy musicality (that is getting emotionally involved in the music) and destroy the illusion of real instruments playing in real space. Why buy a hyper sports car and put a 5 mph limiter on it? That's just crazy, and I refuse to cripple the performance of my designs.

Also - ALL DACs including NOS DACs digitally oversample - the term NOS for a DAC is a non sequitur or a delusion. In the case of NOS it is technically a first order hold oversampling filter. And this digital filter is the worst possible digital interpolation filter to use; it's got horrendous measured and transient timing recovery performance.

If you like distortion, go buy another DAC. Don't buy a Chord.

 

[shaylin3]

Hi all, I'm a new member. I've been lurking here for a while and finally decided to introduce myself.

I'm currently upgrading a lot of my vintage or very basic audio gear. I've got my analogue system set up and I'm now upgrading my digital gear. I need a new DAC and I'm now in the market for a used Chord DAVE, or maybe Hugo TT2, but if I can get a DAVE for a good price, I'll go for that Then later, M-Scaler and headphones. I haven't decided which headphones I want to use yet, but looking at manufacturers such as Abyss, HiFiman, Meze Audio, Focal.

I've been reading through this thread, and it has proved to be a very valuable source of information

I have tried all DAVE direct output headphones over 3000$
The following three models are recommended for good performance.
1.Focal Utopia
2.Audeze LCD-5
3.Hifiman HE1000SE

 

[AnotherFineMess]

I have tried all DAVE direct output headphones over 3000$
The following three models are recommended for good performance.
1.Focal Utopia
2.Audeze LCD-5
3.Hifiman HE1000SE

Thanks. I've read good reviews and opinions about each of these headphones, they seem to be highly regarded. What about Meze Audio Empyrean or Elite?
I listen to mainly rock/prog rock, sometimes metal or hard rock, folk/folk rock, psychedelic rock, jazz rock. I've looking for a good all-rounder. I also need ones that can be driven direct out of DAVE. Tbh, I don't know a lot about headphones, only really what I've picked up here in the last month or so of reading the forums.
This will come a lot later, as I need to find and buy a DAVE first

 

[GuiltyRocker]

For me to convert it to NOS or non-oversampling - zero effort. But it would destroy musicality (that is getting emotionally involved in the music) and destroy the illusion of real instruments playing in real space. Why buy a hyper sports car and put a 5 mph limiter on it? That's just crazy, and I refuse to cripple the performance of my designs.

Also - ALL DACs including NOS DACs digitally oversample - the term NOS for a DAC is a non sequitur or a delusion. In the case of NOS it is technically a first order hold oversampling filter. And this digital filter is the worst possible digital interpolation filter to use; it's got horrendous measured and transient timing recovery performance.

If you like distortion, go buy another DAC. Don't buy a Chord.

I love it.

 

[shaylin3]

Thanks. I've read good reviews and opinions about each of these headphones, they seem to be highly regarded. What about Meze Audio Empyrean or Elite?
I listen to mainly rock/prog rock, sometimes metal or hard rock, folk/folk rock, psychedelic rock, jazz rock. I've looking for a good all-rounder. I also need ones that can be driven direct out of DAVE. Tbh, I don't know a lot about headphones, only really what I've picked up here in the last month or so of reading the forums.
This will come a lot later, as I need to find and buy a DAVE first

mainly rock/prog rock?
Utopia is very comprehensive, but Grado PS1000 or Ps2000 may be more direct
Empyrean or Elite are very good and smooth headphones, but sorry, they need a headphone amplifier.

 

[Mr X]

Thanks. I've read good reviews and opinions about each of these headphones, they seem to be highly regarded. What about Meze Audio Empyrean or Elite?
I listen to mainly rock/prog rock, sometimes metal or hard rock, folk/folk rock, psychedelic rock, jazz rock. I've looking for a good all-rounder. I also need ones that can be driven direct out of DAVE. Tbh, I don't know a lot about headphones, only really what I've picked up here in the last month or so of reading the forums.
This will come a lot later, as I need to find and buy a DAVE first

I love the sound of my Meze Elite straight out of Dave. It's a great all rounder for my taste of different genres and has great detail retrieval which is what I like. For the genres you mention, you may be better suited to the Empyrean though. There is also the new Empyrean 2 but I am yet to hear those.

Half the fun is auditioning until your ears find something you like, so have fun.

 

[alphaman]

But it would destroy musicality (that is getting emotionally involved in the music) and destroy the illusion of real instruments playing in real space.

Indeed, the "illusion of real instruments playing in real space...." is an accurate way of phrasing what Blumlein stereo depicts. However, IME and IMHO, dacs that aim for depth and space (noise-shaping-based) can and often do so at the expense of pace, rhythm and timing. Someone earlier mentioned Naim. They don't do space and depth well. But pace n' rhythm is their "house sound". I normally don't associate Chord DACs as pace n' rhythm devices.
That said, not sure how correlative pace n' rhythm is with dac architecture. For example, Wadia used R2R (pcm63) with their DSP "Spline" oversampling dacs and CDPs, and that did not earn them points in pace n' rhythm. But, Naim used a hybrid Philips tda1305 (multibit + Bitstream) in several pace n' rhythm CDPs.

 

[alphaman]

I love it.

What a wierdo response

 

[GuiltyRocker]

What a wierdo response

Hahahahahahah, love what he said, I guess appreciating someone's comments is weird to you.

 

[Kentajalli]

For me to convert it to NOS or non-oversampling - zero effort. But it would destroy musicality (that is getting emotionally involved in the music) and destroy the illusion of real instruments playing in real space. Why buy a hyper sports car and put a 5 mph limiter on it? That's just crazy, and I refuse to cripple the performance of my designs.
Also - ALL DACs including NOS DACs digitally oversample - the term NOS for a DAC is a non sequitur or a delusion. In the case of NOS it is technically a first order hold oversampling filter. And this digital filter is the worst possible digital interpolation filter to use; it's got horrendous measured and transient timing recovery performance.

While you're at it, why not stick a tiny valve/tube buffer inside, for that extra warmth! (well literally)

 

[OnlySoMany]

Do you use the CD transport often? I think it is really cool looking machine and the CD drive is a nice nostalgic feature to me but I think I would not miss it if it is not on the new Scaler. My Hifi journey started so recently that I didn’t collect much disks.

I actually do use it from time to time. I find there is a slight difference in audio quality when going direct off of disk vs streaming.

Would it hurt my feelings if they didn't include it on the next version? Probably not but I have found that not all artists are on Tidal etc. I've had to go to ebay for cds multiple times.

Most people get the Blu because it matches the Dave esthetically vs the mscaler. I'm probably in that camp as well