[audio_1]

That is interesting and I am pleased for your result.

My experience is that every time I have tried exotic fuses I have heard zero difference in sound (or more accurately not enough that I could reliably put it down to the fuses). This has been with £450 SR fuses and with QSA fuses costing up to £1000 (although also trying their cheaper options as well). I have tried them in the 13A plugs and I have tried them in the mains inlets on the devices. Each time and wherever, zero difference or at least so small that I personally could attribute it to inaccurate audio memory between changing the fuses.

Mind you, I admit I am not a good candidate to try fuses because of a natural inclination not to comprehend how they can make any difference. If it was the bottle neck theory then a 5mm copper rod cut down to fuse length would sound best. One person I know on here has done that and suggest I at least try it.

I was under the impression was that some fuses such as QSA are not dealing with the fuse element as such but are rather dealing with ‘treatments’ to the fuse and this treatment can also be applied to many electrical components.

I say all of this knowing that many swear by the SQ improvements due to fuses but so far I am not one of them. Mind you my experiments have always been with borrowed fuses and I have not paid for them if that makes any difference.

I use Schuko plugs and sockets in my system as the UK 13 amp plug and socket are so badly designed. This obviously eliminates the plug fuse. My Niagara 7000 is the European Schuko version.

 

[audio_1]

When i at one point changed all fuses for these purple ones coming fron stock fuses i just noticed a sort of gently opening up of the music/stage could be a feeling but it became slightly more engaging. Went back day after and did the same again and after reinstalling it gave that same vibe again. If its worth it thats uo to the listener ofcoarse but in the grand sceme of things i let them in. They say as with all equipment need some burn in time. Will try the back and forth again future when the occasion arrises.

Had kind of the same experience week ago with rca cables replaced my tellurium q diamond black for a custom made tube kind of rca with two silver wires inside, no shielding and kle harmony rca plugs on the outside. It enlightend the dave more open more musical. And cost a fraction of the telluriums. Bizar learning curve every time.

I was never a fan of Tellurium cables as they provide absolutely no information on the cable geometries or materials used. I only consider equipment from manufactures where I agree with their design principles. For example Chord Electronics dacs, Audionet single ended power amps and Børresen loudspeakers (Light carbon fibre membranes, low inductance, planar ribbon almost zero mass tweeter membrane etc.)

 

[audio_1]

That is very true.

When John Sampson from JS Audio rodded the power supplies on my twin Musical Fidelity A370 mk II power amps the first thing that went was the stock "slo-blo" resistors in the mains feed. These resistors were there to enable the amps to be turned on in a normal domestic setting without tripping the fuses in the fusebox.

They strangle the power supplies.

All devices, including the DAVE, will suffer the ill-effects from such components in the power train.

The Main system in my house is on an exclusive separate leg of heavy-duty mains wiring direct from the fusebox.

The downside is that now I have to have the Main system on a 60A fuse, and then I can only turn on one side of each amp at a time. I have to wait about 30s between each switch on to allow the 60A fuse to cool down a bit otherwise it'll trip and I have to reset and start over.

That's four switch ons just to get the amps going

Sounds like a pain but when I have somebody to listen to the system for the first time it's fun watching them freak out as I go through this procedure

Then it's even more fun watching the movie U571 when those depth charges start going off...

One day I'll install the m scaler and the DAVE with all the mods to the Main system and then we'll see what's what.

With Dave and the M scaler installed it will be incredible!

 

[MvRBE10]

I was never a fan of Tellurium cables as they provide absolutely no information on the cable geometries or materials used. I only consider equipment from manufactures where I agree with their design principles. For example Chord Electronics dacs, Audionet single ended power amps and Børresen loudspeakers (Light carbon fibre membranes, low inductance, planar ribbon almost zero mass tweeter membrane etc.)

Yes indeed long journy of listening learning and applying and indeed for the most it is indeed what you say. Using pink faun amplifiers now, straight from the designer and no feed back design only good components and good power supply in there and man sings and it beats every big marketed amp i heard until now… maybe except the jeff rowland 625 s2 heard the 625 and that one is on my list to demo or just buy and listen or a set 725 whatever comes first. You have to try everything in life.

 

[Ards]

Don’t forget that any persons comments regarding the effect of power conditioning or regenerators are entirely personal to them and their mains supply.

This is true. I live in a big old Victorian house with 3-phase wiring and a nearby substation. The P12 gives me constant 230v and consistent sound quality, whereas without it I get power and sound quality swings all day long.

 

[DJW50]

This is true. I live in a big old Victorian house with 3-phase wiring and a nearby substation. The P12 gives me constant 230v and consistent sound quality, whereas without it I get power and sound quality swings all day long.

I did a great deal of internet research before buying mine, as you say if you have iffy power delivery it's a no brainer plus I also read on many occasions it's the final icing on the cake of a high end system. A good friend of mine who has spent a fortune on hifi actually paid to have a separated spur run into his home just for his hifi. At the level my system will ultimately be once I try and perhaps get a DAVE it seems silly not to have this device.

 

[Triode User]

I did a great deal of internet research before buying mine, as you say if you have iffy power delivery it's a no brainer plus I also read on many occasions it's the final icing on the cake of a high end system. A good friend of mine who has spent a fortune on hifi actually paid to have a separated spur run into his home just for his hifi. At the level my system will ultimately be once I try and perhaps get a DAVE it seems silly not to have this device.

Like I have said several times, they seem to work for some but not others. My comments regarding them causing a slight hardening to the sound, principally in the treble, have coincided with other users similar experiences.

My best results have been from using balanced mains transformers from UK companies such as Airlink or with the more visually attractive but same spec offerings from the like of PliXir. Both of these are the only mains supply equipment that I have found to give benefits in SQ but with no downsides.

 

[Ards]

My best results have been from using balanced mains transformers from UK companies such as Airlink or with the more visually attractive but same spec offerings from the like of PliXir. Both of these are the only mains supply equipment that I have found to give benefits in SQ but with no downsides.

Hadn't heard of either before, but now on the watchlist for future reference. Thanks.

 

[KevinJB]

The Chord DAVE is my end game DAC, hopefully will get one eventually
I’m planning to buy a new Mojo 2 or Hugo 2 at a physical store in the UK, they stock the DAVE so I’m hoping they will let me listen to the DAVE when I buy my new Mojo or Hugo 2.
Kev

 

[SteveHulk]

The Chord DAVE is my end game DAC, hopefully will get one eventually
I’m planning to buy a new Mojo 2 or Hugo 2 at a physical store in the UK, they stock the DAVE so I’m hoping they will let me listen to the DAVE when I buy my new Mojo or Hugo 2.
Kev

Try buying a second-hand Hugo 2, it'll be good as new except maybe the batteries might need to be replaced.

If it is under warranty I think Chord would do this free of charge and restore your device as new.

When you want the DAVE, you'll have a device to trade in that every dealer knows they can sell so it'll get a good price from them.

In the meantime you'll still have a very good DAC to enjoy.

Any dealer who is worth a damn will let you audition a DAVE whether you intend to buy anything or not.

They also know that a large majority of people who audition a DAVE will fall in love with it and so they will have another sale as good as done.

 

[KevinJB]

.

 

[GuiltyRocker]

Try buying a second-hand Hugo 2, it'll be good as new except maybe the batteries might need to be replaced.

If it is under warranty I think Chord would do this free of charge and restore your device as new.

When you want the DAVE, you'll have a device to trade in that every dealer knows they can sell so it'll get a good price from them.

In the meantime you'll still have a very good DAC to enjoy.

Any dealer who is worth a damn will let you audition a DAVE whether you intend to buy anything or not.

They also know that a large majority of people who audition a DAVE will fall in love with it and so they will have another sale as good as done.

You're right, I auditioned DAVE at home and fell in love with it, now that it has been over 7 years of DAVE being released, I wonder if Rob is working on DAVE 2.

 

[KevinJB]

I just need to keep saving and one day upgrade to the DAVE
Kev

 

[johnwillmclean]

The Dave cannot be a state of the art DAC if I need to buy other products to make it sound better. It’s simply absurd.
Why don’t Chord just make a single state of the art DAC instead of an obviously floored design. Include the M scaler and include a decent linear power supply without noise into single DAC.
Chuck in an audiophile fuse while they’re at it.

 

[Hooster]

The Dave cannot be a state of the art DAC if I need to buy other products to make it sound better. It’s simply absurd.
Why don’t Chord just make a single state of the art DAC instead of an obviously floored design. Include the M scaler and include a decent linear power supply without noise into single DAC.
Chuck in an audiophile fuse while they’re at it.

These days a true state of the art DAC has performance that is close to impeccable without any band aids at a price that is an order of magnitude less than what a DAVE costs. Are you suggesting that Chord try to compete in that market? I doubt they have any particular interest in going there.

Chord is in the market of audiophile enthusiasts who value design and fun as part of the hobby. Trying things with and without an M scaler, testing different power supplies, cables, etc. is what the fun is all about. Just sticking everything into one simple functional box that does it all impeccably kind of removes that experience.

Given the huge improvements that have been made in DACs since DAVE was designed there is no way it can be state of the art any more. Is it a fun cool product that many people enjoy? You bet, DAVE is cool.