[Ragnar-BY]

In your option, was it worth the cost of the HMS on the DAVE for the upgrade it gave?

If you like Chord's house sound in general and looking for "same but better" experience, HMS and pair of Wave BNC cables is a way to go. Great improvement which is absolutely worth its price.

 

[GOKYO]

I’ve had my Dave for about a week.Wow it’s the best digital I’ve heard . It’s hard for my brain to comprehend what I’m hearing.So, much detail I love it.You guys here are way ahead of me .Looking forward to optimizing the sound,but it’s already the best digital I’ve heard.

 

[TheAttorney]

Thank you for a detailed account of the diffrences between CF intensity and the percrived effect it has on the soundstage. I am now trying CF 2 as I have been using zero for over a year. I can hear what you mean about the hole in the middle effect. I also hear a stronger center image with CF on. Just wondering if you find instrument seoeration to be slightly diminished with CF on? My pet peeve is when music gets mushy with complex passages. That is what I want to avoid.

Curious, what phase do you have your Dave set at? I am set at POS. HF Filter OFF. My current chain is in my sig. Thanks.

Phase (more strictly, Absolute Polarity) is dependent on the recording. Some recordings are carelessly mastered with inverted phase, which does subtly impact image definition. Originally, my OCD tendencies caused me to check and tag every album I played. Since then, I worry less about it - partly because I worked out that the correct recordings outnumbered the inverted ones by over 10:1 (from distant memory). And partly because gradual improvements in my upstream components improved both right and wrong phases, to the point that the wrong phases often sounded "different" rather than "worse".

Nowadays, I just leave phase as +ve (on) and don't worry about it. If a particular recording seems to be a bit too "phasey" and diffuse, I'll try it the other way. Sometimes this makes it better, sometimes worse, and sometimes just a bit different,

Note that some manufacturers carelessly produce components (e.g. a streamer, CD player, amp) that inverts the phase. That is another reason for the phase switch to correct another component in the chain. But I think that's not very common, and I've never come across it.

I always have HF Filter off - it's a touch more transparent that way, but it's very subtle and no big deal really should it be accidentally on.

I see you switched to CF 2. I am still debating on CF 1 or 2. I like air, a bit sharper treble edge, wider soundstage. I do notice CF 1 is not giving me enough CF changes to make it apparent. I'll probably stick to 2 for a few weeks and change back to 0 and see what I hear.

Gosh, my preference for CF1 was back in 2016, when I first got my DAVE and tried CF for the first time. I've been using mostly CF2 for years since then.
It does take time to get used to the pros and cons of various CF settings. There is no right or wrong answer. As well as reduced width, you do lose some air and sparkle, which gets progressively worse with the higher settings. It is that apparent loss in transparency that I think causes some people to shy away from CF when they first try it. Pros and cons - it's having to choose the lesser of two evils, but still a first world problem that doesn't need to be sweated over if you're not bothered.

 

[PierreHPfan]

I’ve had my Dave for about a week.Wow it’s the best digital I’ve heard . It’s hard for my brain to comprehend what I’m hearing.So, much detail I love it.You guys here are way ahead of me .Looking forward to optimizing the sound,but it’s already the best digital I’ve heard.

Congrats. Yes the DAVE is a break from the 'normal' delta sigma and multibit DACs. It has a unique way of digging up a lot of fine details and presenting them in a big soundstage, and with zero fatigue / harsh edges. I find DAVE has an edge on headphone systems re other DACs, less so on 2 channel for some reason (IMO). I think the extra detail and soundstage plus a decent headphone amp make it a compelling product here.

 

[Somatic]

Phase (more strictly, Absolute Polarity) is dependent on the recording. Some recordings are carelessly mastered with inverted phase, which does subtly impact image definition. Originally, my OCD tendencies caused me to check and tag every album I played. Since then, I worry less about it - partly because I worked out that the correct recordings outnumbered the inverted ones by over 10:1 (from distant memory). And partly because gradual improvements in my upstream components improved both right and wrong phases, to the point that the wrong phases often sounded "different" rather than "worse".

Nowadays, I just leave phase as +ve (on) and don't worry about it. If a particular recording seems to be a bit too "phasey" and diffuse, I'll try it the other way. Sometimes this makes it better, sometimes worse, and sometimes just a bit different,

Note that some manufacturers carelessly produce components (e.g. a streamer, CD player, amp) that inverts the phase. That is another reason for the phase switch to correct another component in the chain. But I think that's not very common, and I've never come across it.

I always have HF Filter off - it's a touch more transparent that way, but it's very subtle and no big deal really should it be accidentally on.



Gosh, my preference for CF1 was back in 2016, when I first got my DAVE and tried CF for the first time. I've been using mostly CF2 for years since then.
It does take time to get used to the pros and cons of various CF settings. There is no right or wrong answer. As well as reduced width, you do lose some air and sparkle, which gets progressively worse with the higher settings. It is that apparent loss in transparency that I think causes some people to shy away from CF when they first try it. Pros and cons - it's having to choose the lesser of two evils, but still a first world problem that doesn't need to be sweated over if you're not bothered.

I love your detailed responses. Thank you for your insight. I will be open minded on CF. Take care.

 

[FunkyBassMan]

Congrats. Yes the DAVE is a break from the 'normal' delta sigma and multibit DACs. It has a unique way of digging up a lot of fine details and presenting them in a big soundstage, and with zero fatigue / harsh edges. I find DAVE has an edge on headphone systems re other DACs, less so on 2 channel for some reason (IMO). I think the extra detail and soundstage plus a decent headphone amp make it a compelling product here.

I got the Anni because I was reading complaints about the DAVE headphone amp and thought the DAVE HP out was MUCH better than the Anni.

 

[Reactcore]

DAVE HP out was MUCH better than the Anni.

And thats even without voltage buffer treatment..
Once done your mind will be blown of amazement..

 

[ZappaMan]

And thats even without voltage buffer treatment..
Once done your mind will be blown of amazement..

No way for us mortals to do it though.

 

[number1sixerfan]

No way for us mortals to do it though.

Seriously... seems like it's time for @Reactcore to open up shop lol

 

[Reactcore]

No way for us mortals to do it though.

Come visit me in the Netherlands.. ill help you place it

 

[FunkyBassMan]

Come visit me in the Netherlands.. ill help you place it

Can I come visit you and hear what you've done (and bring my gear and maybe have you tweak it)?

 

[Reactcore]

Can I come visit you and hear what you've done (and bring my gear and maybe have you tweak it)?

Shurely first hear it before decide

 

[FunkyBassMan]

Shurely first hear it before decide

Great - can you PM me your contact info and I'll see if I can head over!

 

[PierreHPfan]

Shurely first hear it before decide

Nice, I would love to upgrade my DAVE. If I see more doing it here, think I will get the confidence to go ahead. Parts cost is nothing, it is the risk of blowing up the DAVE 8.5K gone that is holding me back. Having said that, I have built a few tube DAC kits and amps, and modded my speaker crossover circuit so....
Reactcore:
is the speed and attack / transparency upgraded as well, or only the bass weight and detail? My LCD4 is already amazing in the bass, but upper mids and treble could have some improvement maybe.

 

[Reactcore]

Reactcore:
is the speed and attack / transparency upgraded as well, or only the bass weight and detail? My LCD4 is already amazing in the bass, but upper mids and treble could have some improvement maybe.

Its the overall energy now Dave gives to my headphone in the whole frequency spectrum.. also on low volume i hear the grip on it with impact and control.. its a strange sensation to feel the punch in my stomach sometimes and yes speed and airy together.. not so much from the cups but out of the space around me.

I gave Dave's amp circuit the stable voltage it requires to truly show its potential ..and boy it has balls