CHORD ELECTRONICS DAVE

[Beolab]

My estimation:

Chords distributers have a pretty high margin on Chord and overal High End equipment.

So the product DAVE may just cost a bit over 3000 £ for the distributers in each country and then the dealers/resellers have about 35% margin on 8000 £ = 5200£ for the dealer if he is a true Chord reseller with their hole product range incl the Reference series on display, otherwise they got like 25% margin.

Then Chord have a 30-40% margin on 3000£, so the actual cost to produce incl sallery, material shipping, is about 1000-1500£ Inkl tax for Chord or even lower.

You can use on this method on all markets, take a Ferrari for example, its cost about 17.000 £ to produce, but are sold for 170.000£ or more.

This is nothing new, its like this for all High End companies/brands trough the hole "food-chain" around the world, give or take.

 

[esimms86]

I love my QBD. But how do you know DAVE represents good value without comparing it against Berkeley Reference or Gryphon Kalliope, or maybe Lampi Big 7/ Golden Gate.

And for the gentleman who "predicts" DAVE is 30% better than QBD, how do you and what ruler do you use to come up with such a number? Is it because DAVE is 60% more expensive than the QBD76HDSD?

There's always some degree of hype in advertising, however, it does appear that the folks at Chord believe that DAVE competes well among such products as the ones I've mentioned. So far, no one has given a report on how DAVE actually sounds. I'd say listen first before complaining that it's overpriced.

 

[Beolab]

There's always some degree of hype in advertising, however, it does appear that the folks at Chord believe that DAVE competes well among such products as the ones I've mentioned. So far, no one has given a report on how DAVE actually sounds. I'd say listen first before complaining that it's overpriced.

Not to mention the worlds best Atomic Clock DAC Rubicon 39000$ Light Harmonics DaVinci DAC's in the upper 38000$ mark, or MSB, MBL and DCS ring DAC's

What my 30% SQ increase assumption builds on are inside info, and based on that the Hugo with 26000 taps WTA filtering DSP sounds better than my previous QBD76HDSD with 17.000 taps WTA , so the taps do make a change in sound.

 

[chordguy]

As a long term Chord user I thought i'd chime in.
I use a 5 year old Red Reference as my cd player. This has 18,000 taps.
Last year I compared my Red Ref against a Hugo, (26,000 taps) at my dealer.
The Hugo was slightly better, slightly 'crisper' in timing and slightly better top end, but not enough improvement to buy.
The Dave is coming in at 164,000 taps, this should be a huge increase in sound quality.
As for the price, top hi fi is always going to be a niche market and because so few are sold the price has to be high to justify the R&D and the small sales.
I am eagerly awaiting to hear the reports of how it sounds.
I will also be waiting to hear the upgrade path that Chord offers it's Red Ref owners.

 

[analogmusic]

@ Beolab
can you explain the differences you found between Hugo and QBD76?

 

[chordguy]

My Red Ref would be a qbd76 dac I've never had it updated. I belive the Hugo and the newer qbd hdsd are very similar in sound.
When I compared my Red Ref as I explained the Hugo was very slightly better both in timing and top end but not enough for me to buy the Hugo plus a set of interconnects and digital cable I would have required to run it as an outboard dac.
I knew Dave was coming and preferred the upgrade path that hopefully will be offered to Ref Ref owners.
I have found Chord Electronics an excellent company to deal with and because it is relatively small it maintains a close relationship with its customers. The success of the Hugo though may be putting that at risk though as it has proved so popular.

 

[ted_b]

 So far, no one has given a report on how DAVE actually sounds.

DAVE isn't finished yet.  It will be out in the Fall of this year.  What you saw is a prototype.  Rob still has work to do (although it's working enough for Rob and John to hear it and know it).  That is why no one has given a report; it doesn't exist in real life yet.

 

[Beolab]

@ Beolab
can you explain the differences you found between Hugo and QBD76?

Better perspective, and higher separation and better midrange tonally you hear the voices more pronounced and clearly separated from the other vocals.

The QBD 76 sound are bit compressed and less vocal clarity, and have litle sweetness to the sound.

So the Hugo are better and have a diffrent and more clearly and better sound overall is my critical opinion. And i think it is a pretty big improvement.

The QBD76 sound are more like the Qute HD sound i think.

 

[agisthos]

Rob what sort of analog output stage does the DAVE have in SE and balanced? And the Hugo for that matter.
..
Chord talks a lot about the taps e.t.c but does not say much about the output stage, which I have found is as important as the digital stage for good sound.
 
This reference DAC has 166,000 taps compared to 8,000 in the older one. The next model will hit the million mark no doubt.

 

[LFC_SL]

There's always some degree of hype in advertising, however, it does appear that the folks at Chord believe that DAVE competes well among such products as the ones I've mentioned. So far, no one has given a report on how DAVE actually sounds. I'd say listen first before complaining that it's overpriced.

Spot on. Anyone complaining now are hating for the sake of it and will never be buying anyway! Stating an opinion once is fine. Repeating it ad nauseum is boring and attention seeking. Everyone else are either ambivalent, interested enthusiasts or actual potential customers.

 

[Beolab]

Rob:

Will DAVE have support for Meridian MQA format, or in a later MK II version , because you need a chipset like DSD to decode MQA, if i have understand it correctly.

 

[Beolab]

have a look at this video; Rob Watts are talking about the development of the DAVE at the Munich High End 2015

http://youtu.be/80iu7ifXsOo

 

[kzhtoo]

There's always some degree of hype in advertising, however, it does appear that the folks at Chord believe that DAVE competes well among such products as the ones I've mentioned. So far, no one has given a report on how DAVE actually sounds. I'd say listen first before complaining that it's overpriced.

Spot on. Anyone complaining now are hating for the sake of it and will never be buying anyway! Stating an opinion once is fine. Repeating it ad nauseum is boring and attention seeking. Everyone else are either ambivalent, interested enthusiasts or actual potential customers.

I don't see anyone "repeating" it over and over again nor "complaining" about it out of the line. What's wrong with stating it expensive? It IS expensive. The only attention seeking I see is saying people who are complaining will never be buying. Very weird logic.

 

[analogmusic]

Not quite. I would like to own one but can't afford.

 

[OK-Guy]

The only attention seeking I see is saying people who are complaining will never be buying. Very weird logic.

 
a Head-Fi'er emailed me recently re-DAVE quoting a relatively famous man saying 'I have a dream'... well we all have those & price is irrelevant in dreams.