[doraymon]

The M-Scaler is something external to Dave. So you should have no reservations buying a Dave today and then adding a future M-Scaler.

Yes, today it is external but tomorrow Chord might want to integrate the new design directly into a super-Dave.

 

[flyte3333]

Yes, today it is external but tomorrow Chord might want to integrate the new design directly into a super-Dave.

No question, but it depends on what "tomorrow" is. I think an M-Scaler and DAC, both inside one metal box, is a looong way away.

I am only guessing (we won't get any confirmation from Chord and that's understandable) but I think it's reasonable to guess the 2-box solution will be the only M-Scaler solution, for at least a couple years.

 

[doraymon]

No. The low level linearity, transparency, channel matching would all be inferior with your amp’s analog volume control. That’s why I don’t think you should feed DAVE at 3V to your amp and then the volume control knob on your amp. I think you should guess where your amp’s analog volume control is the most linear with the least distortion and best channel balance which is usually around the middle (aka. 12 o’clock) and then just fix the analog volume control there. You then control your volume with DAVE’s digital volume control which may actually feed 2V or 1V or even significantly less into your amp because that’s your volume control. Hope that makes sense

One more doubt.
Is the suggestion of using RCA because for some reason she it’s a better output compared to XLR on Dave or its only to avoid using the amp’s attenuator?

 

[Triode User]

Yes, today it is external but tomorrow Chord might want to integrate the new design directly into a super-Dave.

"Yes, today it is external but tomorrow Chord might want to integrate the new design directly into a super-Dave"

Tomorrow? What do you know that we don't? That is how rumours start. On the other hand most new Dave owners seemed sufficiently reassured by the responses from a 'man that knows' that nothing was going to happen with Dave for quite a while.

 

[Whazzzup]

Hey TT first

 

[doraymon]

"Yes, today it is external but tomorrow Chord might want to integrate the new design directly into a super-Dave"

Tomorrow? What do you know that we don't? That is how rumours start. On the other hand most new Dave owners seemed sufficiently reassured by the responses from a 'man that knows' that nothing was going to happen with Dave for quite a while.

Lol no, I’m just guessing!
I wouldn’t buy a Dave today if I had that kind of information!

 

[Triode User]

One more doubt.
Is the suggestion of using RCA because for some reason she it’s a better output compared to XLR on Dave or its only to avoid using the amp’s attenuator?

This is a simple one. The XLR output uses an additional amp stage to create the balanced output and that is why the simpler RCA output is agreed to be better quality. They both use the digital volume control so there is no difference there (or indeed any issues or concerns with that).

Hope that helps.

 

[jonstatt]

Yes, today it is external but tomorrow Chord might want to integrate the new design directly into a super-Dave.

@Rob Watts has suggested several times that the nearer future has other m-scaler products being launched but as separate devices (such as to why all new DAC products have dual coax inputs). Of course it is highly likely that as time passes it will be possible to get closer to BluDave performance for less money whether it be one box or two. But to exceed the performance of BluDave is likely a long time ahead.

 

[doraymon]

Hey TT first

I’ve been waiting for T4 so long that I decided to move to Dave...

 

[Whitigir]

"Yes, today it is external but tomorrow Chord might want to integrate the new design directly into a super-Dave"

Tomorrow? What do you know that we don't? That is how rumours start. On the other hand most new Dave owners seemed sufficiently reassured by the responses from a 'man that knows' that nothing was going to happen with Dave for quite a while.

Won’t happen to the Dave, but is such man bound and limited to the ability to stop at Dave and strive for nothing better ? Who knows ? It could be TICDA (Top In Chord Digital-Analog) and priced at 25k as msrp

 

[AndrewOld]

How much more time does the DAVE have? The QBD76, Hugo, and 2Qute were replaced by a newer model in an average of approximately 1,500 days. The DAVE has been available for over 1,000 days and I’m wondering how much more life it has before we will see a new version? I imagine most DAVE owners would prefer to see a firmware update than the sting of an all new version.

Well, I would be delighted if there was a new version (though somehow I doubt it), but I would expect a fair upgrade price. Linn do this with their top end streamers - you can upgrade to the latest model and get the option of having the board from your earlier product recased in a simple case. A very decent solution, and environmentally responsible. Have to say I am not as impressed with Chord; iirc they promised their cd mech would be upgradeable, and it wasn’t.

But as everyone on here has got fed up with me saying, the best (and I hope the most imminent) upgrade for the DAVE will be an m-scaler without a cd mech. All those DAVE and Hugo2 and Qutest owners out there have products ready and waiting for it.

 

[Whazzzup]

I’ve been waiting for T4 so long that I decided to move to Dave...

I know we have little patience and high expectations in these matters. Personally I don’t care when tt2 is launched cause I love my system anyways but since tt launch that is only 2.5 years ago chord has developed. Mojo, Dave,ch2,poly, blumk2, qutest, with things like davina, 2go, M scaler on the books.
Us tt mid price desktop users are a little neglected. There is a massive mid market desktop base with all kinds of alternatives in the 3000-6000 price point. They might want to shore up that market at some point.

 

[Jawed]

The power pulse array amplifier should be seen as the next high-end DAC after DAVE. It is intended to drive speakers. And should have a headphone output. It won't have the WTA stage 1 upsampler, so it must be fed by DAVE or Blu 2. There will be no USB input. Well that is how it was originally described - perhaps this has changed over the last couple of years - seems unlikely.

DAVE's pulse array is so good that WTA stage 1 needed to be improved, which is where M scaler comes in.

There is no sign of an FPGA being manufactured that costs the same as the FPGA in Hugo 2 that is powerful enough to use as an M scaler. When that FPGA arrives (years from now) it might also be the basis of a DAVE 2 to enable it to have built-in M scaler capability. Might.

So anyone hoping for either a replacement DAVE (e.g. with built-in M scaler) or an M scaler that costs about the same as Hugo 2 is going to be waiting years. Also, Davina and the range of power pulse array amplifiers are a higher priority.

You guys need to remember that all of these Chord DACs, since Hugo, exist solely because FPGA technology had pushed forward, bringing cheap, high performance and very high volume chips to companies like Chord (FPGAs are generally low volume). M scaler in Blu 2 exists because FPGAs had pushed forwards some more, and this particular FPGA is still pretty niche. It's reasonable to expect it'll be 2020 before an FPGA that can run the M scaler will be available for products costing about $2000. The AI revolution is likely to accelerate the use of FPGAs, hence lowering cost:

https://www.fool.com/investing/2018/03/13/growth-in-ai-driven-cloud-computing-can-supercharg.aspx

But it's still early days - those FPGAs cost $5000+.

If you want a better DAVE, buy Blu 2 to feed DAVE.

Now playing: Pink Floyd - If

 

[statfi]

Rob Watts has been pretty clear that Dave's digital volume setting works in a way that does not degrade or deteriorate the output.

Could someone remind me of how that is implemented?

 

[statfi]

Optimal means at that setting, there is the least distortion, perfect channel balance (volume-wise)

Why "least distortion"?