CHORD ELECTRONICS DAVE

[audio_1]

Thanks for sharing. Which source are you feeding the mscaler with? Im still kind if against the idea of the millions mod when adding mscaler. Also the power cable upgrade for dave, the psu for mscaler, upgraded bnc, optodx?

but im pretty sure music is amazing in your setup w the dave/mscaler combo feeding diablo 300, audio nirvana i wish im close by so i can experience it in person.

There is no other way in real time (or other DAC) to reconstruct the original analogue wave form to 16 bit accuracy other than using the mScaler or Blu2. The Blu2 or mScaler is a huge upgrade for the Dave. The Opto-Dx is also a really worth while upgrade as it allows using a laptop as a source instead of an expensive streamer. It also allows locating the digital components away from the Dave and power amplifiers to prevent RFI. Thirdly the Opto-DX reduces the influence of a power cord upgrade for the Dave. A dedicated power line from the distribution unit for the Dave and analogue parts of the system can be used without creating ground loops. The digital sources and mScaler can be plugged into a standard power socket. The dedicated power line for the Dave and power amplifiers should be routed as far as possible away from the power line for the digital components in the system.

 

[tunes]

I have the iBasso DX220 and use it as a transport for my Flac music files with the CHORD DAVE DAC and HMS up-sampler. I haven’t used any WiFi music streaming services yet with the DAP but was wondering if I can stream music via optical out to the DAVE from the DX220? How is this done?

Thanks

 

[strolee]

Need some assistance please from the group. I just set up my newly purchased Dave, which I have put in the place of my TT2. When I connect the Dave to my WA33 headphone amp and use the Dave as a DAC, everything works beautifully. I am feeding it by USB with a Roon setup on my Macbook. The Dave also is working great directly as a headphone amp. However, when I insert my HMS into the mix, which previously worked flawlessly in the same set up but with the TT2, I am now getting intermittent drop off of sound and a bit of intermittent background noise coming from my left headphone. The display on the Dave also occasionally flickers, together with the sound. There must be a setting or something that I am missing, possibly on the Dave or in Roon? I tried reversing the ports on the BNC cables, and changing some of the settings on the Dave, but the result was the same. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jlbrach]

sound like a bnc cable issue

 

[strolee]

Don't think it's the BNC cables as they work fine with my TT2/HMS set up.

 

[ray-dude]

Try switching to the other BNC pair on the DAVE. The DAVE is more sensitive to dual BNC (DX) sync than TT2.

If you're still having issues, try single BNC from each HMS out to each DAVE in, and see if the 352kHz signal is stable. Try with each of your cables. If unstable, you won't get a dual BNC sync (705/768kHZ)

 

[BreadMaster]

can we get a cut down version of the chord dave without that amp? just make it a dedicated desktop dac without that 10k price tag.

 

[Musikfan]

Try switching to the other BNC pair on the DAVE. The DAVE is more sensitive to dual BNC (DX) sync than TT2.

If you're still having issues, try single BNC from each HMS out to each DAVE in, and see if the 352kHz signal is stable. Try with each of your cables. If unstable, you won't get a dual BNC sync (705/768kHZ)

I had very similar problems when using certain BNC cable brands. I could not get dual bnc setting to work and the Dave's display would flicker and I got crackling, etc. The BNC cables that worked for me were the Moon Silver Dragons ( to which I added ferrite cores) and the Wave Streams. I settled on the Wave Stream cables which are very well built and sounded fuller than the Moon Audio cables. Both cables were really good though. I'd recommend them both. I think it might in partt be a BNC connector issue. Both the Wave and Moon Audio cables have really good connectors that attach firmly. Anyway, that's my 2 cents. Hope it helps. Thanks, James

 

[FunkyBassMan]

can we get a cut down version of the chord dave without that amp? just make it a dedicated desktop dac without that 10k price tag.

I'd love to see a Dave/M-Scaler in one box. I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

 

[x RELIC x]

can we get a cut down version of the chord dave without that amp? just make it a dedicated desktop dac without that 10k price tag.

You can’t cut the ‘amp’ out of the DAVE, or any of Rob Watts’ current DAC designs. The analogue out of Rob’s DAC design is more akin to the line-out of most other DACs. There is only one analogue stage that includes the critical I to V conversion, buffer, filter and gain compared to the complicated and distortion inducing 4 stages in the amp of other DAC/amp combos.

Basically you can’t separate the sound of Rob’s DAC from it’s analogue output and when using DAC mode it’s nothing more than a fixed volume preset. Nothing internally is bypassed.

 

[Triode User]

I'd love to see a Dave/M-Scaler in one box. I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

Rob has several times said it is not currently feasible. Keeping them separate also means that people can keep their HMS whilst migrating up the DAC range.

 

[FunkyBassMan]

Rob has several times said it is not currently feasible. Keeping them separate also means that people can keep their HMS whilst migrating up the DAC range.

Thanks, I guess I somehow missed those comments by him.

Would you happen to have a link?

 

[ecwl]

Thanks, I guess I somehow missed those comments by him.

Would you happen to have a link?

Post #172
Specifically, the quote would be... "Now depth perception is a major thing with Dave - and that is down to resolving small signals absolutely perfectly, with no changes in amplitude. Having a chip next to the pulse array elements injecting 10A peak of weakly signal correlated current would destroy that ability, so using a separate M scaler would be easily the best sounding option."

 

[racebit]

You can’t cut the ‘amp’ out of the DAVE, or any of Rob Watts’ current DAC designs. The analogue out of Rob’s DAC design is more akin to the line-out of most other DACs. There is only one analogue stage that includes the critical I to V conversion, buffer, filter and gain compared to the complicated and distortion inducing 4 stages in the amp of other DAC/amp combos.

Basically you can’t separate the sound of Rob’s DAC from it’s analogue output and when using DAC mode it’s nothing more than a fixed volume preset. Nothing internally is bypassed.

Technically you are 100% correct. However there is Qutest, same DAC as H2, but 2/3 the price.
But Qutest has an amp similar to Mojo, but "fixed" to line out and without volume control.
But I guess doing the "Qutest treatment" to Dave would translate to much smaller relative cost decrease, given the much higher cost of Dave.

 

[FunkyBassMan]

Post #172
Specifically, the quote would be... "Now depth perception is a major thing with Dave - and that is down to resolving small signals absolutely perfectly, with no changes in amplitude. Having a chip next to the pulse array elements injecting 10A peak of weakly signal correlated current would destroy that ability, so using a separate M scaler would be easily the best sounding option."

Thanks very much!