CHORD ELECTRONICS DAVE

[iDesign]

Let’s just hope it allows for easy firmware or software updates like other modern high end dacs.

Agreed. Chord would be wise to begin working on a firmware update strategy. With an interest rate hike, record inflation, broken supply chains, and a major recession on the way Chord needs to figure out ways release affordable firmware upgrades for their DACs and M Scalers. From a hardware perspective, the DAVE and M Scaler platforms have many more years left of life. An economic tumble will be unkind to companies like Chord and trying to push Choral range products and an M Scaler X in late 2022+ won’t end well. Firmware upgrades would also increase customer loyalty, reduce the secondhand market, and help Chord justify MSRP increases. And if they release firmware upgrades, they cant be frequent because that will backfire and should only be issued every so many years.

 

[chesebert]

Agreed. Chord would be wise to begin working on a firmware update strategy. With an interest rate hike, record inflation, broken supply chains, and a major recession on the way Chord needs to figure out ways release affordable firmware upgrades for their DACs and M Scalers. From a hardware perspective, the DAVE and M Scaler platforms have many more years left of life. An economic tumble will be unkind to companies like Chord and trying to push Choral range products and an M Scaler X in late 2022+ won’t end well. Firmware upgrades would also increase customer loyalty, reduce the secondhand market, and help Chord justify MSRP increases. And if they release firmware upgrades, they cant be frequent because that will backfire and should only be issued every so many years.

It's almost a crime at this point to not be able to update your own FPGA and firmware. I have been updating firmware on Linn streamer/dac for 10+ yr now. Started with basic one with just basic UPNP functionality 10 years ago, but now it has Tidal, Qobuz, Roon integration, among other integrations, airplay, multi room cast, digital EQ, DSP and room correction. Sound quality has also been improving in general over the past decade. All these were provided for free and I have pretty much saved a decade worth of firmware files in case I want to go back.

 

[Triode User]

This is true, though he claimed that the FPGA whatever hasn’t advanced enough to warrant a DAVE 2. I guess that leaves open other technologies and wouldn’t make Rob a liar (something he says he tries hard to avoid).

Let’s just hope it allows for easy firmware or software updates like other modern high end dacs.

When used with the mscaler, part of the Dave is redundant. I suppose it is not impossible that with the new Choral range mscaler might get a new dedicated dac to go with it . . . and might that combination sound better than using the new MScaler with a Dave?

Of course unfounded speculation such as this is basically just a waste of time but it does put off having to get on and doing some actual work on this nice sunny day!!

 

[lucasratmundo]

Dave is night and day difference for technical performance. You will give up TT2's slight warmth and tonal density for better everything from the DAVE.

Got my Dave today to replace my TT2. I couldn't agree more with this.

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

You will give up TT2's slight warmth and tonal density

Actually Dave has more real tonal density.
TT2 is just warmer/thicker denser. But at the same time less tonally variable.

 

[Powersquat]

This is true, though he claimed that the FPGA whatever hasn’t advanced enough to warrant a DAVE 2. I guess that leaves open other technologies and wouldn’t make Rob a liar (something he says he tries hard to avoid).

Let’s just hope it allows for easy firmware or software updates like other modern high end dacs.

It was never my intention to imply that Rob Watts has been disingenuous, in fact I can't think of any other HiFi designer/manufacturer that's been so frank and honest, but as anyone who's been following Chord over the past number of years knows, John Franks likes to play his cards very close to his chest, so Rob is somewhat limited as to what he's able to reveal.

As a relatively new owner of Dave I'm still revelling in the glow of my new Dave, so I may well be peeved if a new Chord Super DAC were to come to market any time soon.

 

[chesebert]

Hope you got a good discount on that Dave. It's not exactly new having released in 2015. Almost all TOTL dacs from that time have had at least one interim upgrade.

 

[griff500]

Hope you got a good discount on that Dave. It's not exactly new having released in 2015. Almost all TOTL dacs from that time have had at least one interim upgrade.

And yet after all that time at still one of the best out there at that price.

What did you pay for yours?

 

[chesebert]

And yet after all that time at still one of the best out there at that price.

What did you pay for yours?

Just a general observation about TOTL dacs from that era. Not a fan of Chord's higher end dacs so not a Dave owner.

 

[Lgn3]

And yet after all that time at still one of the best out there at that price.

You beat me to it !

 

[griff500]

Just a general observation about TOTL dacs from that era. Not a fan of Chord's higher end dacs so not a Dave owner.

You're in the wrong thread then.

 

[chesebert]

"one of the best" is a loaded term. SFD-2 is still "one of the best" and I am sure someone out there will prefer a decades old dac over Dave.

 

[DJJEZ]

Just a general observation about TOTL dacs from that era. Not a fan of Chord's higher end dacs so not a Dave owner.

Why are you in the chord DAVE thread if you don't like it surely it's better to spend your time discussing things you do like.

 

[griff500]

"one of the best" is a loaded term. SFD-2 is still "one of the best" and I am sure someone out there will prefer a decades old dac over Dave.

Come on buddy, you must have something better to do...

 

[chesebert]

Come on buddy, you must have something better to do...

You are right. I should just leave y'all to circlejerk one another