[CRITICALSHOT]

It's quite an amusing descriptor, I chuckle every time. I suppose some people think musical is synonymous to warm, rich, and dynamic. But to me the only practical use of musical would be saying yeah, that audiobook wasn't very musical. Otherwise music is inherently pretty... musical.

The Dave is all three of those descriptors and the TT2/MS in comparison was flat, thin and lifeless. I bought an Aqua La Scala Optologic Dac and put the grimiest and dirtiest sounding tubes in it to get me the furthest away from the TT2/MS sound. This is my 5th Chord product so I do enjoy and respect what they do. The Dave hit the nail on the head for me and will be an integral/core part of my system.

I spent more time changing those damn filters on the TT2 because I was never satisfied. I bought the damn Phasure Lush USB cable just to try and coax a little life into it. With the Dave i'm like yup this is it.

 

[CRITICALSHOT]

I don't even listen to music anymore. I just look at the Dave's Porthole and hum the above tune!

 

[koven]

The Dave is all three of those descriptors and the TT2/MS in comparison was flat, thin and lifeless. I bought an Aqua La Scala Optologic Dac and put the grimiest and dirtiest sounding tubes in it to get me the furthest away from the TT2/MS sound. This is my 5th Chord product so I do enjoy and respect what they do. The Dave hit the nail on the head for me and will be an integral/core part of my system.

That's interesting as I commonly see people describing discrete R2R DACs like the Aqua or Lampizator as more ugh, musical, than FPGA or chip DACs. But nonetheless DAVE is pretty amazing indeed. Certainly the most memorable DAC I've owned but alas I'm exploring life after DAVE. Personally in this price bracket the new-ish Tambaqui DAC from Mola Mola looks really good. The creator is also the founder of Ncore (class D) tech and Kii Audio.

 

[CRITICALSHOT]

That's interesting as I commonly see people describing discrete R2R DACs like the Aqua or Lampizator as more ugh, musical, than FPGA or chip DACs. But nonetheless DAVE is pretty amazing indeed. Certainly the most memorable DAC I've owned but alas I'm exploring life after DAVE. Personally in this price bracket the new-ish Tambaqui DAC from Mola Mola looks really good. The creator is also the founder of Ncore (class D) tech and Kii Audio.

I was attempting to say just that but seemed to have fallen flat. The TT2/MS had great space and great delineation, but never felt cohesive or rythmic. I went the so called musical direction as a pallet cleanser. I was worried that the Dave was going be similar in nature to the TT2 but I was wrong. I was worried that buying the Dave was going to be a big mistake but luckily I was wrong again. When I say something negative about the TT2/MS it is in comparison to the Dave. I also am trying to be definitive as not to leave any doubt as to which I prefer.

*****In my two channel system*****

 

[thomaskong78]

I had been using HMS and Dave for more than a year now.

Before Dave I had been using Emmlab Dac2 for 7 years.

HMS and Dave give more details with transparent and deeper soundstage than Dac2 while Dac2 sounds warm with slightly more bass slam.

My 2 channel system has tube integrated amplifier that mate well with HMS and Dave which sounds neutral or slightly on the cool side.

On headphones, I had been using Ksshv Carbon to drive 009s and Jot R to drive Sr1a.

Although they sound fine, I had felt something missing.

After having Schitt Freya between Dave and headphone amplifier, I feel everything much more musical with nuanced details and more bass texture.

I had done lot of tube rolling on Freya which uses quad 6sn7 tubes.

Sylvania vt231 in gain stage and RCA gray bottle in buffer stage give ideal combination of details speed and wide and deep soundstage but without hot edges.

Freya fitted with above Nos tubes and Kgsshv Carbon drive 009s with sublime air, fast speed and textured bass.

Freya in the chain also make HD 800s and Sr1a sound much nice with relaxed and sweet details.

Maria Carey's "Vision of Love" sound nuanced without hard edge with Freya in the chain.

Just my two cents.

 

[CRITICALSHOT]

There's some stuff about Lumin U1 settings for DoP on Roon discussion boards.

I had to go to the Lumin App and disable the Volume Control to stop the Lumin U1 from converting DSD to PCM.

 

[smodtactical]

Anyone compare dave to rockna wave dream signature balanced?

 

[koven]

Anyone compare dave to rockna wave dream signature balanced?

966 pages on this thread, 0 search results for Wavedream... Haven't heard it but I've seen Wavedream compared to DAVE multiple times, elsewhere.

 

[Rob Watts]

Please avoid using 'musical' to describe sound, it's probably the emptiest and most meaningless among all audio jargon, no?

True; but it happens to be the most important factor in determining how good your audio is.

Part of the problem is that "musical" is often used for soft, or warm sounding, so a lot depends upon one's definition of musical. For me musical means one thing only - how good the emotional involvement with music is; and that the more musical your gear, the more you want to listen to music, and the more times you get spine tingling effects.

To me the only real reason to want to get involved with audio is to maximise the emotions of listening to music; and if your definition of musical embodies this idea then use the term.

 

[xiaobao0707]

I guess people were complaining. I had the layout memorized while I was waiting and had a checklist. I knew how to put it in DAC Mode and to put some headphones in to make sure cross feed was off.

Dave in "my" two channel system crushes the TT2/MS in every aspect that is important to me. Selling the TT2/MS turned out to be the perfect move. I was so happy that I am not even rushed to get the Blu 2; solo Dave is that much of an improvement for my system.

why don't you keep the MS and connect it to Dave? I am doing this and it's a bless.

 

[CRITICALSHOT]

I wanted the Blu 2 instead and the MScaler sold before my Dave arrived.

 

[Amberlamps]

0

True; but it happens to be the most important factor in determining how good your audio is.

Part of the problem is that "musical" is often used for soft, or warm sounding, so a lot depends upon one's definition of musical. For me musical means one thing only - how good the emotional involvement with music is; and that the more musical your gear, the more you want to listen to music, and the more times you get spine tingling effects.

To me the only real reason to want to get involved with audio is to maximise the emotions of listening to music; and if your definition of musical embodies this idea then use the term.

Lol, I don't need music to feel spine tingling effects, I get them for free, it's called peripheral neuropathy.

Anyway, me being a headphone only user, musical is some of the above, but most importantly for me, it's being able to listen to music without getting fatigued.

I can listen for hours now and it only feels like 30 minutes have went by, when in fact it's 5 hours.

I've also went from loving my HD800S and not liking my Aeon Flow closed, to the opposite, the Aeons took weeks to get used to them, but now they are my preferred go to headphones.

Also, I have never really been one to use headphones when watching movies, but I have started to do it when its late at night and it's crazy good. That "Once upon a time in Hollywood" movie with brad pitt and that leo dude, the subtle sound effects in that movie is cool, it got to a point where I was listening to the sound effects and not really watching the movie. Putting leather gloves on has never sounded so good

It's a tarantino movie.

 

[Amberlamps]

I don't even listen to music anymore. I just look at the Dave's Porthole and hum the above tune!

What can be worse than that love boat video ?

Remembering that I watched it in the UK when it first aired.

Scary flash back.

 

[iDesign]

True; but it happens to be the most important factor in determining how good your audio is.

Part of the problem is that "musical" is often used for soft, or warm sounding, so a lot depends upon one's definition of musical. For me musical means one thing only - how good the emotional involvement with music is; and that the more musical your gear, the more you want to listen to music, and the more times you get spine tingling effects.

To me the only real reason to want to get involved with audio is to maximise the emotions of listening to music; and if your definition of musical embodies this idea then use the term.

I think I can speak on behalf of the other members in saying that it is great to see you’re well and active in the DAVE thread. On the subject of musical, the DAVE+Blu Mk II have been among my most important outlets from an emotional perspective during these extraordinary times. Thank you for ever designing them.

 

[Amberlamps]

It's quite an amusing descriptor, I chuckle every time. I suppose some people think musical is synonymous to warm, rich, and dynamic. But to me the only practical use of musical would be saying yeah, that audiobook wasn't very musical. Otherwise music is inherently pretty... musical.

Not all music is musical, or maybe you haven't heard the right audio book yet ?

Think of the UK grime scene or whatever they want to call it, it is just a bloody noise, and as far from "musical" as one could get. Ice Cube and co N.W.A sound like a church choir in comparison.