CHORD ELECTRONICS DAVE

[simorag]

Oh I see now what you mean! Yes, I am using the SMPS that comes with the LPS-1. For sure will check the thread, then. Thank you for the heads up!

 

[draytonklammer]

Rob Watts, all I can say is thank you for this beautiful DAC.
I have spent tonight experiencing a lot of library for what feels like the first time.

This thing also has more than enough juice for my Abyss Phi, so looks like I will likely be selling my Moon Neo + Yggy!

When I started with the HD 800 and Valhalla 2 2-3 years ago I didn't expect to ever get to this point, but here I am.

 

[x RELIC x]

Rob Watts, all I can say is thank you for this beautiful DAC.
I have spent tonight experiencing a lot of library for what feels like the first time.

This thing also has more than enough juice for my Abyss Phi, so looks like I will likely be selling my Moon Neo + Yggy!

When I started with the HD 800 and Valhalla 2 2-3 years ago I didn't expect to ever get to this point, but here I am.

Nice, isn’t it?! Enjoy!

 

[draytonklammer]

I honestly didn't expect this level of performance.
It took me off guard.

It wasn't something I could barely tell was there, or a feeling.

I put my headphones on after plugging everything in and pressed play.
Just like that, it started. Hearing things I haven't before, instruments are more realistic, sounds more open/realistic in general.

Damn.

 

[etnt]

Hate to sound like a broken record, but you'll be thanking Rob again with the blu.

But in the meantime, enjoy the Dave.

 

[musickid]

for Em did you consider adding a blu2 to h2 instead of a dave? reports seem to indicate superior results.

also does anyone have solid experience of oppo's totl pm1 with dave?

 

[mtoc]

Rob, we want the Dave 2 carries 4,096fs or even bigger (just like Blu mk2), imagine a 8,192fs new Dave

 

[GryphonGuy]

I honestly didn't expect this level of performance.
It took me off guard.

It wasn't something I could barely tell was there, or a feeling.

I put my headphones on after plugging everything in and pressed play.
Just like that, it started. Hearing things I haven't before, instruments are more realistic, sounds more open/realistic in general.

Damn.

One of my initial responses was about the realistic timbre of instruments that DAVE brings to the party. I am 18 months into my DAVE journey and it continually provides an awesome musical experience, particularly with the Utopia plugged in. I think your USA expression is end-game equipment? If so DAVE is my end-game. I have no need to experience anything better than the awesomeness I hear now.

Enjoy!
Regards
GG

 

[flyte3333]

for Em did you consider adding a blu2 to h2 instead of a dave? reports seem to indicate superior results.

also does anyone have solid experience of oppo's totl pm1 with dave?

I must have missed these posts/user reports.

Hugo2 + Blu2 outperforms Dave without Blu2?

Blu2 and Dave are roughly the same price here in Australia.

If only one of those is allowed my budget, should I add a Blu2 to my Hugo2, or get a Dave without Blu2? What would you do @Rob Watts

 

[Rob Watts]

I must have missed these posts/user reports.

Hugo2 + Blu2 outperforms Dave without Blu2?

Blu2 and Dave are roughly the same price here in Australia.

If only one of those is allowed my budget, should I add a Blu2 to my Hugo2, or get a Dave without Blu2? What would you do @Rob Watts

It depends upon what on balance is the most important to you; Dave is completely unbeatable in terms of transparency, particularly in soundstage depth. And it is not small going from a Hugo2 to a Dave. But a Blu2 Hugo2 wins in musical performance - the range of timbre, rhythm, bass, and raw instrument power - this performance only occurs with an M scaler in the system...

 

[flyte3333]

It depends upon what on balance is the most important to you; Dave is completely unbeatable in terms of transparency, particularly in soundstage depth. And it is not small going from a Hugo2 to a Dave. But a Blu2 Hugo2 wins in musical performance - the range of timbre, rhythm, bass, and raw instrument power - this performance only occurs with an M scaler in the system...

Cheers Rob !

 

[flyte3333]

It depends upon what on balance is the most important to you; Dave is completely unbeatable in terms of transparency, particularly in soundstage depth. And it is not small going from a Hugo2 to a Dave. But a Blu2 Hugo2 wins in musical performance - the range of timbre, rhythm, bass, and raw instrument power - this performance only occurs with an M scaler in the system...

The other question I had - you can only get 1 million taps with a USB source feeding Blu2, right?

There's no way to get 1 million taps with a TOSlink source? With either Dave or Hugo2?

 

[x RELIC x]

The other question I had - you can only get 1 million taps with a USB source feeding Blu2, right?

There's no way to get 1 million taps with a TOSlink source? With either Dave or Hugo2?

AFAIK you need a minimum 16/44.1 source which the optical can handle just fine. The Blu mk2’s CD player certainly uses the 1 million TAPs.

Oops! I completely blanked that the Blu mk2 doesn’t have an optical input. No, you can not get 1 million TAPs by just going in to the DAVE or Hugo2 with optical. You can use a coaxial (BNC) source and USB in to Blu mk2.

 

[flyte3333]

AFAIK you need a minimum 16/44.1 source which the optical can handle just fine. The Blu mk2’s CD player certainly uses the 1 million TAPs.

Oops! I completely blanked that the Blu mk2 doesn’t have an optical input. No, you can not get 1 million TAPs by just going in to the DAVE or Hugo2 with optical. You can use a coaxial (BNC) source and USB in to Blu mk2.

Cheers, makes sense.

Hmmm for purely headphones listening, I like the idea of the 1 box solution Dave only - compared to the 2 box solution when adding Blu2.

Less desk space, one less SMPS in the chain and the option of using TOSlink for music up to 24b/192k.

I will demo Hugo2 with Blu2 shortly though.

 

[flyte3333]

There are quite a few ISO REGEN and Intona (and other similar USB isolators) users here and on the Hugo2 thread.

For those not already following this below linked thread of John Swenson, I wanted to share it - in particular the last page is of interest (to me).

The high level summary of John's findings is that most digital isolators do well to block what he calls 'low impedance leakage current' but he's found high impedance leakage current sails right through ethernet transformers and the digital isolators many of us use.

If your USB source is SMPS powered, on the last page John recommends grounding the output of this SMPS, to "shunt" the high impedance leakage current to ground - then the digital isolator will do the rest with the low impedance leakage. This even applies to the ISO REGEN and the Intona.

If your USB source is linear PSU powered, John's found that linear PSU's don't have any high impedance leakage so you're fine with NOT having to do anything - again the digital isolator will do the rest with the low impedance leakage.

If your USB source is completely battery powered, then none of the above applies and you'll have no leakage currents coming via the USB input - as Rob's always said too.

I've tried it with my Intona Industrial and heard a little more bass and smoother sound. I ground the DC plug of the 12Vdc Mean Well that's powering my 7-port USB 3.0 hub, which feeds my Intona and other USB devices at my desk. So the theory is the ground shunts the high impedance leakage from my mains connected Mac and NAS and other USB devices, then the Intona blocks the remaining 'low impedance' leakage current.

Of course if you don't care about any of this, feel free to ignore this post of course. But even if you're not using any USB isolators with your Dave's USB input, I wonder if this would benefit Dave's USB input's internal isolation.

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/37034-smps-and-grounding/?page=1