[Triode User]

Can someone explain why it is +6dB with mscaler attached?

The Mscaler reduces the Dave output level by 3dB so +6dB with mscaler is the same volume as +3dB without mscaler.

 

[Foxman50]

You need to be at +3 dB on the volume control before any possibility of clipping with Dave. With the M scaler attached it is +6dB.

Thanks Rob, much appreciated

 

[tunes]

Thanks Rob, much appreciated

I am in process of selling my old Zana Deux headphone amp to a lucky buyer and needed to check it before sending as had not used it for over a year. I hooked the line out from the same DAP (Questyle QP1R) that I use as a transport via optical out with my DAVE/Mscaler to the ZANA Deux and for fun listened with my Utopias and was blown away by how good it sounded. I was surprised and a bit disappointed that when compared to my DAVE/Mscaler, the base and sub base on the Utopias was much better with the Zana Deux!? So should I sell my DAVE and get a TT2 for better low end performance with the Utopias? This unexpected. However, the transparency, microdetail and acoustic dimensionally was better was Dave.

 

[HeeBroG]

I too have Utopia and DAVE/Blu2 but rarely use it now in favour of my speaker setup.
I would rather try another headphone directly driven by DAVE than go to TT2.
The Meze Empyrean would be top of the list. There may be better headphones out there but they would need an amp.

 

[xxx1313]

I too have Utopia and DAVE/Blu2 but rarely use it now in favour of my speaker setup.
I would rather try another headphone directly driven by DAVE than go to TT2.
The Meze Empyrean would be top of the list. There may be better headphones out there but they would need an amp.

I would say, try Empyrean and Stellia. Maybe also HEK SE if you do not mind Hifiman's business practices (short upgrade cycle etc.).

 

[tunes]

I too have Utopia and DAVE/Blu2 but rarely use it now in favour of my speaker setup.
I would rather try another headphone directly driven by DAVE than go to TT2.
The Meze Empyrean would be top of the list. There may be better headphones out there but they would need an amp.

Curios, are you driving speakers with DAVE? What is your speaker set up?

 

[musickid]

Thanks Nick.

 

[HeeBroG]

Curios, are you driving speakers with DAVE? What is your speaker set up?

Direct drive Voxativ 9.87 with stereo pair REL G1 Mk II's

 

[Arcabonne]

Stupid question ... is there a way to use Dave's headphone output from an analog signal from a phono stage?

 

[dac64]

Stupid question ... is there a way to use Dave's headphone output from an analog signal from a phono stage?

What you need is a chord Davina.

 

[x RELIC x]

Stupid question ... is there a way to use Dave's headphone output from an analog signal from a phono stage?

Nope. Digital input only on all Chord DACs.

 

[Baten]

Component count is very important for transparency. Doubling the number of parts in the direct signal path does degrade depth perception and detail resolution.

But there is another problem with balanced operation. Imagine a balanced differential in, differential out amplifier. The input stage is normally a differential pair (maybe cascoded) with a constant current source. Now the input stage is free to move up and down to accommodate the common mode voltage - but the input stage common mode impedance is non linear, and if the common mode voltage has a signal component (it always will have due to component tolerances) then this will create a signal dependent error current, thereby generating distortion. Unfortunately, the negative feedback loop of the amplifier can't correct for this distortion as it can't see the error on the summing nodes. So there will always be a limit to the performance. With SE operation, this problem does not occur, as the differential input stage is clamped to ground.

Now DAC designers are well aware of this - that's why all high performance DAC's use two single ended I to V converters from the current OP of the DAC's, then use a differential to SE converter to create the voltage OP. There are other reasons for doing this as well, as the DAC requires a very low impedance virtual ground for low distortion, and you can only get this using dual SE amps - another problem is RF and its much easier to decouple SE than differentially - this in turn creates a lot more noise floor modulation, making it sound less smooth.

But for me the most important is transparency. I had an amp that had two modes - differential or SE - listening in balanced mode flattened the sound stage depth dramatically,and it sounded harder, less smooth. That said, there are circumstances when balanced operation can be better than SE, for example when you are looking at connecting a pre-amp to a power amp, and what is best depends upon particular circumstances. In short, if SE operation is noisy, try balanced.

Rob

Hi Rob. If you happen to see this question,

If one were to use an AES to SPDIF converter, can Dave/Qutest(or even mojo for that matter) understand AES-3 over S/PDIF?

 

[SCBob]

Hi Rob. If you happen to see this question,

If one were to use an AES to SPDIF converter, can Dave/Qutest(or even mojo for that matter) understand AES-3 over S/PDIF?

For connecting DAVE to Chord TToby amp to drive speakers is there any advantage to using DAVE balanced output as opposed to the RCA output?

 

[Rob Watts]

Hi Rob. If you happen to see this question,

If one were to use an AES to SPDIF converter, can Dave/Qutest(or even mojo for that matter) understand AES-3 over S/PDIF?

In practice there is no real difference between AES3 and SPDIF as far as the data protocol is concerned so you are OK, all products will work fine - it just needs to be via the optical or coax inputs.

 

[Baten]

In practice there is no real difference between AES3 and SPDIF as far as the data protocol is concerned so you are OK, all products will work fine - it just needs to be via the optical or coax inputs.

Wow, thanks for getting back at me so quickly! Cool, no problem then