[paul2qute]

You give back more than you can ever suspect.
Rob comes across as very generous with his time and help.
In return all designers are delighted to receive feedback, about how their designs/products were received and enjoyed.
Some user questions, are the trigger events, for the designer asking themselves whether they could implement the solution, in the next generation of the product.

Can I ask when Dave was built best dac in the world and John Franks wanted to build the best amp to get the best out of the Dave which he has recently done, but all them ppl that bought the chord mono blocks that cost over 20 grand at least,how are they feeling right now because sometimes Chord confuse the customer when it comes to amps what's best,analogue against digital in the same company?It's like Rob and John are going in different directions, digital or analogue?

 

[Deftone]

It is impossible for other DACs to sound as good as the Dave and Blu 2 / M-scaler as they have short tap length filters and don't reconstruction the original analog wave form correctly. The other issue is generally digital volume controls affect dynamics unless very little attenuation is required. Anything more that 20 dB and the DAC sounds flat. The DAC then requires various analog gain setting to match different systems. Analog volume controls affect transparency. This is why these DACs can sound better with a pre-amp. The great thing about Chord DACs is that they have properly designed digital volume controls, don't require a pre-amp and can feed power-amps directly.

Something id love to do is sit down over a month period and really do a 3 way comparison of the Dave + MScaler / dCS Vivaldi / MSB Select 2.

 

[audio_1]

Something id love to do is sit down over a month period and really do a 3 way comparison of the Dave + MScaler / dCS Vivaldi / MSB Select 2.

There is no point, The Dave and Blu 2 / M-Scaler are way better.

 

[Hifi Boy]

They only thing you might want to consider comparing is the Aries Cerat Cassandra. One guy on this forum has it, I think it's @astrostar59.

 

[Hifi Boy]

You give back more than you can ever suspect.
Rob comes across as very generous with his time and help.

I don't think I've ever seen anyone put in as much time to answer questions related to his products as Rob does.

 

[paul2qute]

When I was saying about Rob and John going in different directions with hi-fi I just meant with the amps,I haven't a clue what's better analogue or digital,my Arcam Avr 850 is G class so I assume it's digital

 

[Triode User]

I’m not sure I support your thoughts about JF and RW going in different directions at all. For sure they come at it from a different background but there must be a common purpose and overlap of purpose and direction because otherwise the sum of their parts would not add up to more than they are individually in the way that it does.

Oh, and class G is not digital.

 

[Whazzzup]

For me purely out of interest and not actionable, is la scala formula, total dac 7, Dave. Each have a different take on filters, ladders etc...

 

[SearchOfSub]

Please dont find my comment as an offense to the Dave, I love chord products. I really admire the Chord company marketing team. When we talk about sound whether it's good or bad. It's really a subjective opinion which depends on the person perception or preference. The chord made a new standard to the market by adding the term "Tab length", it's a tool to measure the subjective term of good or bad. This really outplayed other competitors because people seems to perceived the "Tab length" as a performance level for a dac. Haha idk if others are like me but I was trapped by that Tab length and became a Chord's customer. Well played tho.

I think Chord is the best solid state sound you can have. There is always a sense of musicality, refinement, and analog in nature in all of their models including the Mojo!
Tab length was only worth reading because the DAC sounded good when I played it. I used to just take it with a grain of salt but after a few Chord products it's starting to get into people's head.

 

[SearchOfSub]

Yes your right, obviously I travel extensively with Rob and he brings units to write code and to prove it and the units in proper use situations until we are fully happy before releasing them it’s a lot of extra weight for him to carry but the extra time he has when traveling with the units is always beneficial though sometimes at airport security it raises a few eyebrows.

Why is Hugo TT2 priced $1000 more than the original Hugo TT? Aren't you guys richer now so it should be easier to produce in bigger volume and used to the technology so it should cut costs why more expensive?

 

[SCBob]

I am a recent DAVE owner and have a lot to learn about it. Is it worth buying hi res music files for DAVE or are Redbook CDs burned to the computer just a good due to how the DAVE handles the files? I don't have any music files in both formats to directly compare but the Redbook files sound so good I'm not convinced I can tell any difference. I am not using with a Blu2. Would love to but too soon. Thanks.

 

[paul2qute]

I’m not sure I support your thoughts about JF and RW going in different directions at all. For sure they come at it from a different background but there must be a common purpose and overlap of purpose and direction because otherwise the sum of their parts would not add up to more than they are individually in the way that it does.

Oh, and class G is not digital.

They work great as a team,it's just the difference between amps that's all I'm saying

 

[ray-dude]

I am a recent DAVE owner and have a lot to learn about it. Is it worth buying hi res music files for DAVE or are Redbook CDs burned to the computer just a good due to how the DAVE handles the files? I don't have any music files in both formats to directly compare but the Redbook files sound so good I'm not convinced I can tell any difference. I am not using with a Blu2. Would love to but too soon. Thanks.

These are actually very illuminating and educational experiences to do with your system. Now that you have a DAVE, you will be able to MUCH more clearly hear differences elsewhere in your chain (from speakers to headphones to your recordings)

I suggest going to audiophile labels like 2L and Blue Coast Records. They both offer some of their amazing recordings in a variety of formats and resolutions. The original recordings are world class, so you'll be sure to hear honest differences from the various file formats.

How much a difference you hear will very much depend on the rest of your chain, but I found in my system that DAVE (and later BluDAVE) does a remarkable job minimizing the gap between redbook recordings and their high res counterparts.

Enjoy your DAVE!

 

[Triode User]

I am a recent DAVE owner and have a lot to learn about it. Is it worth buying hi res music files for DAVE or are Redbook CDs burned to the computer just a good due to how the DAVE handles the files? I don't have any music files in both formats to directly compare but the Redbook files sound so good I'm not convinced I can tell any difference. I am not using with a Blu2. Would love to but too soon. Thanks.

Perhaps the easiest way fir you to decide is to buy a few albums in both 44.1 and also higher res versions and compare.

For me, in my system I definitely think is worth getting the high res versions. Everything sounds better. The bass has more shape, and there is more detailing all the way through.

A classic example for me is the new Marcus Miller album Laid Black where I have compared the 44.1 and 48k versions. There is a slight but noticeable improvement to my ears with the 48k version. Only you can decide though so that is why I say you need to try.

Be sure though that you are buying true hi res versions and not just upsampled music.

Edit. I buy my hi res downloads from Qobuz.

 

[Amberlamps]

I don't think I've ever seen anyone put in as much time to answer questions related to his products as Rob does.

Yeah, I agree 100%.

Rob gets a lot of schiit from others in a certain part of the forum, but yet, he keeps supplying facts and anecdotes regarding his work and passion/hobby.

When others would of bailed out years ago, Rob is still here and answering questions. < he has balls of steel.

On his desk