Listen to Dave for some time like week or two. Then switch again to tt2.
You will be surprised
CHORD ELECTRONICS DAVE
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You will be surprised
Triode User
Member of the Trade: WAVE High Fidelity
Good advice. I found TT2 quite muddled/muddy in the bass and lower mids after prolonged Dave listening.Listen to Dave for some time like week or two. Then switch again to tt2.
You will be surprised
I tired this for a while, before my DAVE went in PX.....short answer is not much, not really, and yes, it sounded better for me. I used both an HPA4 and a Nimbus US5 with it, connected with chord Signature XLR. The HPA was a 'pass through' experience (unsurprising, given the HPA's design) - if there was any loss of micro-detail, I couldnt hear it. What it did do, however, was light up the headphones (LCD3, Utopia, Empyrean) for my preferences - more dynamics, wider staging - nicer to listen to - perhaps not 'better' than the DAVE HP output, but more engaging to listen to. The US 5 was a massive step up in SQ - better timbre, more dynamics, better imaging/staging, especially with the Focals. then again, you'd expect that from a £5000 amp.
The Headphone output on the DAVE is very good - clean, clear, detailed and well-imaged. But, if it doesnt suit your headphones, or you prefer balanced, it;s worth trying other amps - for me, if there was anything being lost, it was more than made up for with the the other gains.
I did find that the setup scaled well with good interconnects - I tried many different cables from TQ, AQ, Nordost and Chord co before settling on the Signatures. I tried the Chord Music XLR, and it was astonishing, but as it cost more than the HPA, that was never going to happen
In both cases, (HPA and NImbus) the Chord wires sounded better (to me) than the others. TQ was dissapointing. with AQ and Nordost, I was looking at 2x the ££ to get the same effect as cheaper Chord. Eventually settled on the Signature as a good balance between SQ and ££.I've demoed the TT2 in the past - it;s a fine unit. But for me, DAVE + Amp delivered much broader muscial enjoyment, albeit at some cost......
What's also surprising is the fact that crossfeed on Dave has much more profound effect.
I'm not sure exactly why this is happening.
On TT2 and also hugo2 crossfeed wasn't changing that much. Actually I preffered it to be off everything was squashed together and the depth was not as clear as it is on Dave.
With Dave crossfeed is huge. I mean the image really is more upfront you. The depth and instrument placement is completely changed - of course assuming that recording has it.
With classical music I'm like 99% of the time using crossfeed 3.
My guess why this is happening is that:
- high frequencies are more extended on Dave than TT2/hugo2
- better clarity and overall small nuances are clearer on Dave especially in higher frequencies
- as we know a lot of information about space and placement of sounds are contained in high frequencies
As far as I know implementation of xfeed is exactly the same on every chord dac.
So it's really interesting to see how much of a difference you can still hear. In my opinion that's the reason why dark sounding DACs have problems with overall soundstage.
It would be interesting to hear @Rob Watts view on why there is so much difference in crossfeed between his DACs - at least to my ears.
I'm not sure exactly why this is happening.
On TT2 and also hugo2 crossfeed wasn't changing that much. Actually I preffered it to be off everything was squashed together and the depth was not as clear as it is on Dave.
With Dave crossfeed is huge. I mean the image really is more upfront you. The depth and instrument placement is completely changed - of course assuming that recording has it.
With classical music I'm like 99% of the time using crossfeed 3.
My guess why this is happening is that:
- high frequencies are more extended on Dave than TT2/hugo2
- better clarity and overall small nuances are clearer on Dave especially in higher frequencies
- as we know a lot of information about space and placement of sounds are contained in high frequencies
As far as I know implementation of xfeed is exactly the same on every chord dac.
So it's really interesting to see how much of a difference you can still hear. In my opinion that's the reason why dark sounding DACs have problems with overall soundstage.
It would be interesting to hear @Rob Watts view on why there is so much difference in crossfeed between his DACs - at least to my ears.
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A simple, but brilliant quality, Singxer SA-1 Headphone Amp with the DAVE is all that is needed on my side. The SA-1 is very clean and does not colour, veil or muddy the sound. In recent tests the SA-1 came out with extremely good results. Feed the DAVE through this and things become even fuller and very musical. A 'cheap' way of enhancing the DAVE if you require more power and 'thump'. Everything seems to be 'enhanced'. SA-1 is great to drive the DAVE with LCD-5's which I feel doesn't require EQ thereafter. You can 'play' about with the sound, if you so wish, by using various and personally chosen RCA Interconnects and 'Bob's your Uncle' ! 
Thanks for the tips on appreciating the Dave. I heard the difference and will keep the Dave. Instruments are more convincing, more layers, bass is all encompassing, micro details increase and soundstage width increases. Just part of me thinks it emphasizes the mids more making less neutral? I am now thinking of selling the TT2 and getting an mscaler with Wave cables.
Can someone add again what the Macaler brings to the table using the Dave?
Can someone add again what the Macaler brings to the table using the Dave?
Glossator
Head-Fier
Greater musicality: the sounds just flows like water ... and with that comes greater emotional involvement.
What about optical? Heard this is a great option with Dave. Are we not messing to it because it can’t play high sample rates?
Wondering if I should get a SRC DX with HQPlayer now that it supports streaming platforms vs getting an MScaler/Wave Cables.
number1sixerfan
Headphoneus Supremus
Depends on the amp. With a high quality, transparent amp not much, if at all audibly. One thing to note is that depending on the headphones.. especially if they're harder to drive, you often get an improvement in fullness overall + increased bass performance. In comparison, in these cases the Dave alone can sound a bit leaner overall, which many associate with greater transparency or clarity, which I wouldn't say is accurate (just imo). This is especially true regarding bass, because with lower bass output and fullness, the mids and highs are accentuated.
Now with a colored amp behind it, it absolutely loses some neutrality and transparency, so you'd want to avoid warmer, intentionally lusher amps if transparency is your absolute main goal.
I would just thoroughly test it out yourself. For me, I did so extensively and landed on always using the Dave direct on really efficient headphones (*unless* they are naturally lean/bright themselves), and absolutely always using an amp for any harder to drive headphones. That has produced the best sound for me.
For me, the mscaler added a really great sense of spaciousness, which increased perceived level of detail and accentuated the imaging. It was a really nice and welcomed change for me. (I do get how some perceive these changes as the sound becoming more digital, however). I would say the mscaler just crosses the line of being a must have for me. A bit pricey for what it is and the changes are indeed a bit subtle, but I have no intention at all to let mine go.
Ards
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After a week of delay, thanks to the UK Queen's Jubilee double bank-holiday and then FedEx's ridiculously manual duties payment system, I finally received my Farad3 upgrade kit. I installed this yesterday and left it to warm up overnight, then spent this afternoon critically evaluating using a selection of tracks that I know extremely well from years of repeated listening.
Three hours later, and my face aching from the three hour grin, my conclusion is this:
You haven't heard what DAVE is fully capable of until you've upgraded the power supply...
Everything is just better. SO MUCH BETTER!
Transients and their timing is significantly improved. Things like Oldfield's Tubular Bell clang, or Maxwell's Silver Hammer strikes, or just simple rim hits, now have a speed of impact that can shock and delight. Previously you heard the sound but never believed the instrument is in front of you. Now you do.
Vocalists now have a physical presence, whereas previously there was just a ghost standing there. Voices are much better defined in space too. In fact everything is better defined. It's like a blurriness has been removed and so everything snaps in to focus.
Bass is hugely improved. Double bass, for example, which previously sounded like a double bass, now REALLY sounds and feels like a double bass. Notes are clear, well defined, perfectly controlled. etc. You can literally see these instruments.
Depth, and indeed, the entire soundstage is improved. It's now holographic 3D, whereas before it was a little flat and layered.
Dynamics are hugely improved. Drum hits sound real, fast and impactful and combined with the other improvements above you fully believe there's a drum kit banging away in the room with you.
Put simply, upgrading the power supply of the DAVE turns it into a DAVE+
The Farad3 upgrade gets an unequivocal recommendation.
Haven't heard the Sean Jacobs, so cannot offer any comparison.
Three hours later, and my face aching from the three hour grin, my conclusion is this:
You haven't heard what DAVE is fully capable of until you've upgraded the power supply...
Everything is just better. SO MUCH BETTER!
Transients and their timing is significantly improved. Things like Oldfield's Tubular Bell clang, or Maxwell's Silver Hammer strikes, or just simple rim hits, now have a speed of impact that can shock and delight. Previously you heard the sound but never believed the instrument is in front of you. Now you do.
Vocalists now have a physical presence, whereas previously there was just a ghost standing there. Voices are much better defined in space too. In fact everything is better defined. It's like a blurriness has been removed and so everything snaps in to focus.
Bass is hugely improved. Double bass, for example, which previously sounded like a double bass, now REALLY sounds and feels like a double bass. Notes are clear, well defined, perfectly controlled. etc. You can literally see these instruments.
Depth, and indeed, the entire soundstage is improved. It's now holographic 3D, whereas before it was a little flat and layered.
Dynamics are hugely improved. Drum hits sound real, fast and impactful and combined with the other improvements above you fully believe there's a drum kit banging away in the room with you.
Put simply, upgrading the power supply of the DAVE turns it into a DAVE+
The Farad3 upgrade gets an unequivocal recommendation.
Haven't heard the Sean Jacobs, so cannot offer any comparison.
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MvRBE10
Member of the Trade: Farad Power Supplies
And your fixed inlets are on there way
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Oh God now I'm going to go crazy waiting for mine
MvRBE10
Member of the Trade: Farad Power Supplies
You exactly describe what i reviewed few pages back. Im not a nutcase afterall
.Oh boy oh boy, please don't do this to me
Would you recommend the Farad3 or Mscaler for a solo Dave? Which one gets more benefit? Thanks
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