CHORD ELECTRONICS DAVE

[rayl]

Have you tried contacting Chord direct or through your dealer with problem you appear to be having? Or even message Rob Watts diredt on here?

I was headed down that path until jawed mentioned same issues with all generations of chord DACs in his hands. It clearly, in my opinion, is a driver bug as using Microsoft driver had no clicks. If it has existed for years, I don’t expect a quick fix.

Similarly getting the hardware to report 16 and 24 bit support won’t happen as the firmware is non upgradable.

 

[tkcha]

Hi All the Dave owners or lovers. I have one genuine question Dave have inferior dsd sound quality compared to same price range DAC, or lower for me It is real concern. Because PCM sound is great but DSD is so so at best. I compared to Holo spring KTE level 3 overall Dave is better DAC for sure but DSD play back Holo had better texture,tone,which it brings out more Analog sound like but here head-fi nobody say or write about it. So every owner here totally happy with Dave DSD play back?

 

[Natronious]

@tkcha, you are likely aware, but just to be safe, are you selecting the DSD+ setting on the DAVE? DSD playback is possible in PCM+ mode, but is not optimized. The manual points out that the signal is 'decimated', when feeding DSD signals to DAVE in PCM+ mode.

Interesting too to read that for streaming video, it is recommended to use DSD+ mode, as there is a 'lower delay'.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Hi All the Dave owners or lovers. I have one genuine question Dave have inferior dsd sound quality compared to same price range DAC, or lower for me It is real concern. Because PCM sound is great but DSD is so so at best. I compared to Holo spring KTE level 3 overall Dave is better DAC for sure but DSD play back Holo had better texture,tone,which it brings out more Analog sound like but here head-fi nobody say or write about it. So every owner here totally happy with Dave DSD play back?

I absolutely love the L3 Holo Spring KTE DAC and under $5k its hard to beat! But after having both there is a clear advantage for both PCM and DSD for the DAVE. Remember you have to set the DAVE to DSD playback? The differences were quite profound with all of my headphones on hand, from the Abyss-Phi, to the LCD-4, HD800S and Utopia (among others).

 

[rgs9200m]

I asked this question a few months ago (about DSD and DAVE) since I have lots of SACDs and an EMM xds1 cdp. Yep, the EMM is amazingly real on DSD/SACD, but the DAVE is wonderful and handy and fits nicely on a desk. So for now, I kind of need both, even though it's inconvenient.
But I still maintain that DSD done right lifts another layer from the sound that is significantly closer to real life. There is nothing like it as I hear things.

[And of course, only a fraction of the (mostly popular) music I listen to is in SACD, so PCM still take precedence. If you like classical or jazz, you are in luck because of the wealth of DSD in these genres.]

I'd love to dispense with my discs and just go fully PCM, but I just can't give up the truth in sound that I only hear in SACD. Even hi-res PCM doesn't come close.
(Someday I may rip my SACDs, but it's a painful process and I'm too lazy for the moment.)

EMM, Playback Designs, and Esoteric sound the most brilliant on SACD to me. I have not heard the Holo or the other ones, so I can't comment. DAVE is very good, but it does not match EMM in DSD for me.

 

[tkcha]

And also rob watt said he doesnt think DSD is that important and just for convenient . So my gut feeling Dave is not design aim for good DSD play back but more PCM. That is too bad I like PCM sound Dave but not DSD.
Because I have over 3000 DSD Album and love the sound of them so much. So I think might be look at Lampi GG is other candidates and anybody can recommend other than Dave, Lampi GG on same price range. Thank you for advance! I almost forgot already listened Bricasti M1se, MSB analog,DCS rosoini DAC with clock but no Total DAC,Esoteric D-02X but I like K-01X sound but I dont need cd/sacd player so not my option.

 

[Rob Watts]

And also rob watt said he doesnt think DSD is that important and just for convenient . So my gut feeling Dave is not design aim for good DSD play back but more PCM. That is too bad I like PCM sound Dave but not DSD.
Because I have over 3000 DSD Album and love the sound of them so much. So I think might be look at Lampi GG is other candidates and anybody can recommend other than Dave, Lampi GG on same price range. Thank you for advance! I almost forgot already listened Bricasti M1se, MSB analog,DCS rosoini DAC with clock but no Total DAC,Esoteric D-02X but I like K-01X sound but I dont need cd/sacd player so not my option.

I have to disagree with you here; DSD playback on Dave in measurement terms is identical to the digital domain performance of the DSD 64 signal - and no other DAC can do this. The downside to DSD is that it is innately flawed compared to PCM; but to do PCM properly requires considerable effort. So DSD sounds as good as you will ever get via Dave (IMHO); but because PCM is so much better handled with Dave the innate limitations of DSD becomes much more obvious.

 

[MacedonianHero]

I have to disagree with you here; DSD playback on Dave in measurement terms is identical to the digital domain performance of the DSD 64 signal - and no other DAC can do this. The downside to DSD is that it is innately flawed compared to PCM; but to do PCM properly requires considerable effort. So DSD sounds as good as you will ever get via Dave (IMHO); but because PCM is so much better handled with Dave the innate limitations of DSD becomes much more obvious.

FWIW, DSD on the DAVE is the best I've heard DSD as well.

 

[marcmccalmont]

To my ear it is not dsd that is special I prefer pcm wav files but there are lots of beautiful recordings that were encoded in dsd not pcm, a shame since the pcm recording would have been better. Marketing hype in hi end Audio!

 

[audio_1]

I asked this question a few months ago (about DSD and DAVE) since I have lots of SACDs and an EMM xds1 cdp. Yep, the EMM is amazingly real on DSD/SACD, but the DAVE is wonderful and handy and fits nicely on a desk. So for now, I kind of need both, even though it's inconvenient.
But I still maintain that DSD done right lifts another layer from the sound that is significantly closer to real life. There is nothing like it as I hear things.

[And of course, only a fraction of the (mostly popular) music I listen to is in SACD, so PCM still take precedence. If you like classical or jazz, you are in luck because of the wealth of DSD in these genres.]

I'd love to dispense with my discs and just go fully PCM, but I just can't give up the truth in sound that I only hear in SACD. Even hi-res PCM doesn't come close.
(Someday I may rip my SACDs, but it's a painful process and I'm too lazy for the moment.)

EMM, Playback Designs, and Esoteric sound the most brilliant on SACD to me. I have not heard the Holo or the other ones, so I can't comment. DAVE is very good, but it does not match EMM in DSD for me.

I had an EMM Labs XDS1. It sounds great and is musical compared to other CD / SACD players but there is no comparison between the XDS1 and the Dave / Blu 2 imho. Try to listen to a Blu 2 with your Dave. You will be surprised. You could also dispense with your pre-amp if you have no other analog sources. DSD is soft, diffuse, lacks dynamics and doesn't time.

 

[rgs9200m]

Yep, I did want to mention that I really should hear the Blu2, as the EMM transport (from Esoteric/Toshiba) is said to be a major factor in its performance.

I just thought I would mention that I am very grateful for the astounding work of both Ed Meitner and Rob Watts who have both brought me great audio/musical happiness over the years. I respect them both and marvel at their genius.

They are both great people who have made great contributions to the intersection of art/science/engineering in this untidy world and I'm in awe of both of them.

 

[tkcha]

Everybody Please wake up. I am not going to diplomatic way to say things this time. Rob again said that Pcm is his preferred format than DSD again. He claimed DSD is freud format so his whatever done to his Dave DSD format is no better than his Pcm but still claim that It better than other DACs because measured better? I Do not agreed with that. From my last experience say no already . Only I trust my ear and my listening enjoyment. You still can denied what you hear and It was best DSD sound ever heard but what you hear, what you believe not always agreed and true. Why Dave is so big here head-fi but not other higher end forum.U guys just not exposed enough out there. Not get real great sound quality is all about. Specially DSD play back. Too bed I still not got answered. Still too little or no love for DSD and make believe for certain not real. And know what really all about ? And last Analog sound still better if done right even lower coast. But good DSD recordings are very closed to analog sound now and Dont tell me MQA sound better than DSD.

 

[Muataz]

Everybody Please wake up. I am not going to diplomatic way to say things this time. Rob again said that Pcm is his preferred format than DSD again. He claimed DSD is freud format so his whatever done to his Dave DSD format is no better than his Pcm but still claim that It better than other DACs because measured better? I Do not agreed with that. From my last experience say no already . Only I trust my ear and my listening enjoyment. You still can denied what you hear and It was best DSD sound ever heard but what you hear, what you believe not always agreed and true. Why Dave is so big here head-fi but not other higher end forum.U guys just not exposed enough out there. Not get real great sound quality is all about. Specially DSD play back. Too bed I still not got answered. Still too little or no love for DSD and make believe for certain not real. And know what really all about ? And last Analog sound still better if done right even lower coast. But good DSD recordings are very closed to analog sound now and Dont tell me MQA sound better than DSD.

Your ears is connected to your heart, and If you like the DSD that is fine but does not mean it is technically sound better.

 

[Rob Watts]

The intent is not to re-create analog sound; as vinyl sounds nothing like real unamplified music. The intent is to re-create the sound of unamplified music, and DSD singularly fails and will always fail to do this, as the format is not transparent.

 

[tkcha]

So now case closed DSD for Dave is freud so no love for DSD . That is it I move on.