[Glossator]

Yes you are wrong. My DC4 powering my Dave (and one powering my Mscaler) are both absolutely quiet with no noise from it whatsoever. I also have a DC3 and likewise there is no noise from that even if I rest my ear on the case.

Actually, I think you are both (potentially) right and also wrong!

My first DC3 (mid 2019) did buzz and Sean suggested various solutions - I cannot find the emails immediately but causes can depend on your circuit.

However, my DC3 'evolved' and Sean added some sound shielding and changed the transformer - there is now no trace of hum at all (which is also true of its younger sibling built to the same design).

So, my take away is (i) hum is certainly not inevitable, and (ii) the great thing about Sean's design is that he is really constructive and approachable - so if there is an issue he will help fix it.

 

[VladYR]

Actually, I think you are both (potentially) right and also wrong!

My first DC3 (mid 2019) did buzz and Sean suggested various solutions - I cannot find the emails immediately but causes can depend on your circuit.

However, my DC3 'evolved' and Sean added some sound shielding and changed the transformer - there is now no trace of hum at all (which is also true of its younger sibling built to the same design).

So, my take away is (i) hum is certainly not inevitable, and (ii) the great thing about Sean's design is that he is really constructive and approachable - so if there is an issue he will help fix it.

How much difference does this power supply actually make to the performance of the Dave? The price seems rather high relative to what one is upgrading.

 

[Glossator]

How much difference does this power supply actually make to the performance of the Dave? The price seems rather high relative to what one is upgrading.

I am afraid I cannot help in relation to the DAVE - as mine currently runs off its stock supply. I have been hesitating for just the reason you allude to.

That said the reviews (I think a new one is due via Audiobacon) etc seem very enthusiastic and if you look at the workmanship involved they are meticulously built. Also, the likes of Naim have for years priced the PSU separately and, rather than equating the price to the DAVE itself I think it more logically to look at the aggregate price and say 'is it worth it'/'can I afford/justify it'? The difference my DC3s make is anything but minor and is worth every penny. Indeed, it partly because it sounds so good as is that I hesitate about whether a DC4 for a DAVE is a step I need to take.

 

[Triode User]

How much difference does this power supply actually make to the performance of the Dave? The price seems rather high relative to what one is upgrading.

The DC4 power supply costs in the region of 50% of the cost of the Dave and in my opinion that is the sort of uplift percentage it gives over the stock Dave.

The difference my DC3s make is anything but minor and is worth every penny. Indeed, it partly because it sounds so good as is that I hesitate about whether a DC4 for a DAVE is a step I need to take.

I compared a DC3 on my Dave with a DC4. Once I heard the DC4 compared to the DC3 I had to get a DC4. It is one of the best HiFi purchases I have made. You can come and hear mine and compare it to your DC3 Dave.

 

[EuropeanEar]

I'm planning to use the DAVE in preamplification mode with the Dan D'Agostino Momentum S250 Stereo amplifier. Does anybody have this configuration here? I'd appreciate if you would share your experiences.

 

[azvargulis]

DC4 power supply

Sorry for my ignorance, but what is this DC4 (or DC3) power supply being referred to?

 

[Ciggavelli]

Sorry for my ignorance, but what is this DC4 (or DC3) power supply being referred to?

https://www.custom-hifi-cables.co.uk/power-supplies/dc4-power-supply

 

[edwardsean]

Sorry for my ignorance, but what is this DC4 (or DC3) power supply being referred to?

https://www.custom-hifi-cables.co.uk/dc4-psu-for-chord-dave-dac

Welcome to the Rabbit Hole.

 

[thePhones]

The differences that you can here with this power supply, is that also with headphones or just with external amps?

 

[Glossator]

The DC4 power supply costs in the region of 50% of the cost of the Dave and in my opinion that is the sort of uplift percentage it gives over the stock Dave.



I compared a DC3 on my Dave with a DC4. Once I heard the DC4 compared to the DC3 I had to get a DC4. It is one of the best HiFi purchases I have made. You can come and hear mine and compare it to your DC3 Dave.

Kind Nick - much appreciated (if only I could take you up on it, but not practicable in the foreseeable future I am afraid!)

 

[Glossator]

The differences that you can here with this power supply, is that also with headphones or just with external amps?

For DC3 powering HMS the difference is very apparent using just headphones. I am sure, and have seen it said elsewhere, that the same will be true of the DAVE (but defer, of course to Nick, who can say for sure)

 

[thePhones]

For DC3 powering HMS the difference is very apparent using just headphones. I am sure, and have seen it said elsewhere, that the same will be true of the DAVE (but defer, of course to Nick, who can say for sure)

Sorry if I have overseen it, but what exactly are the differences you are hearing? Does it sound warmer or more incisive, is the bass looser/fuller or tighter, is the the treble more detailed or softer?

 

[muski]

I am still playing around but bottom of my list for sound quality is Roon + Roon RAAT player with Dave or the Mscaler selected as the audio output in Roon. This is not even using Roon for any DSP but just using it for file selection

Better than that IMO is Roon on the K50 server and using HQP + NAA as a player with no processing done by HQP. For this I do not use any upsampling or filters on HQP (I set them all to 'none'), so I just use it as a player. Another alternative is ditching Roon altogether and using the HQPD app on an ipad etc for file selection (again just using HQP set to none for all upsampling and filters) and using the HQP NAA player. This sounds OK but I find both HQP and the HQPD app are pretty flakey to use if one is used to Roon. I only really include these options because I tried them, not because I recommend them.

Better still for than all of these for me is using Squeeze on the K50 server and player (outputting via USB or BNC, both outputs have their advantages but with the latter I can use my own spdif BNC cables which I prefer). With Squeeze on the K50 I use the web based Material app for file selection and find this works well. It also has Qobuz and other app integration.

I tried MPD early on and didnt think it was as good as Squeeze. Squeeze is a push app so as far as I understand it and so allows the player to do minimal processing and MPD (again as far as I understand it) is a pull app so the player is doing more work / processing and possibly generating more noise because of that. But then again I might have got it all wrapped around my neck! I still might go back and try MPD.

All in all, I suggest you have a play for yourself. The Antipides streamers are very flexible and offer a number of server / player app options but by far the best is to try them yourself in your own system with Dave or Mscaler.

Hope I have helped rather than confused things.

Very interesting post—I think you're on to something.

My Sonore/SGC setup allows me to run Roon, HQP & LMS on the sonicTransporter i9 optical server, and then quickly switch the opticalRendu between the Roon, HQP and Squeezelite endpoint apps. Much to my surprise there is a noticeable difference. After a few hours of critical listening, I came to agree with your ranking. To my ears there was greater clarity with the LMS (and no harshness), and the soundstage was noticeably wider.

Shocking that LMS still wins after all these years. In 2006 I made my first serious foray into digital audio with a Slimdevices Transporter feeding a Headroom Max Balanced amp. I still have that system boxed up in the garage. Makes me wonder what it would sound like fed by an opticalRendu->PhoenixUSB->M Scaler chain...

cheers,
muski

 

[LucyWu]

Very interesting post—I think you're on to something.

My Sonore/SGC setup allows me to run Roon, HQP & LMS on the sonicTransporter i9 optical server, and then quickly switch the opticalRendu between the Roon, HQP and Squeezelite endpoint apps. Much to my surprise there is a noticeable difference. After a few hours of critical listening, I came to agree with your ranking. To my ears there was greater clarity with the LMS (and no harshness), and the soundstage was noticeably wider.

Shocking that LMS still wins after all these years. In 2006 I made my first serious foray into digital audio with a Slimdevices Transporter feeding a Headroom Max Balanced amp. I still have that system boxed up in the garage. Makes me wonder what it would sound like fed by an opticalRendu->PhoenixUSB->M Scaler chain...

cheers,
muski

The Squeeze ecosystem is terrific. I am always pleasantly surprised when my restless fiddling lands back on LMS/Squeezelite. Daphile exploits it nicely too, and adds a few useful tricks - the ability to load whole albums into ram appeals because it reduces the constant read burden on media storage is handy, along with a simpler interface for configuring SOX upsampling if that's required.

But, I have come to prefer Audirvana recently. SQ is very good, ram loading is possible and the integration of Qobuz is more to my liking.

 

[Triode User]

The Squeeze ecosystem is terrific. I am always pleasantly surprised when my restless fiddling lands back on LMS/Squeezelite. Daphile exploits it nicely too, and adds a few useful tricks - the ability to load whole albums into ram appeals because it reduces the constant read burden on media storage is handy, along with a simpler interface for configuring SOX upsampling if that's required.

But, I have come to prefer Audirvana recently. SQ is very good, ram loading is possible and the integration of Qobuz is more to my liking.

I also have Innuos server/streamers as well and my Antipodes K50 and I am looking forward, hopefully with delight, to the release of their 2.0 app which seems to do a lot of what Roon does but almost certainly with better sound quality.