[JecklinStax]

I

 

[JecklinStax]

Well done indeed DBB1! Your 'modus operandi' reflects the goal of this thread: find the best DAC by comparative listening.

 

[HermannS]

I got bored and opened up my DA005 to study it in detail, including the hidden analog stage. I couldn't find much that is worth modding. Very good parts quality all over the place. With the capacitors, they went overboard. Most electrolytics in the digital domain (OSCON Polymers) have two(!) smaller MKP bypasses. I am not a fan of that, because it can lead to somewhat inhomogeneous sound. Many of them are hand-soldered on the underside. To my great joy, they used totally different materials in the analog stage. My favorites, the Nichikon Muse KZ caps for instance. Much of the sound signature is coming from there. Overall, I think they know what they are doing.

The USB board underside:

The SPDIF sockets are nothing special as you can tell from the rough metal surface. Coax 1 will be replaced with a top notch WBT silver socket.

I noticed that Coax 1 sounds a bit better than Coax 2. The reason is simple. Coax 2 is stacked on top with extra wiring and a connector:

The analog outputs look much finer:

Here is what's under the hood of the analog stage. The aluminum cover does some shielding, yet it has gaps. It does not disperse any heat. All in all I think one wouldn't notice when it is missing. Somewhat of a showpiece that one. It might help with providing an even temperature across both channels. The 8 FETs of the class A circuits are mounted on the case bottom.

The most used voltage regulator is a TPS7A4700 by Texas Instruments. Each ESS chip has three and it's all over the place. I have experimented with it in the past. It's good. Not spectacularily good, but solid. To improve on it requires very sophisticated circuits like the Walt Jung super regulator class.

There is no custom FPGA in the digital domain. I found only a universal micro controller and a digital format converter. The same processor type is used as the controller for the super cap power supply. So, Musetec is not running any proprietary signal processing software, like for instance Benchmark in the DAC2&3. Musetec left all jobs like jitter elimination and filtering to the ESS DAC. I think this is their competence weak spot. They might simply not have the know-how. Their strong suit is analog and power supplies. Digital signal processing not so much. They are doing this with off the shelf chips and no home-grown algorithms and such.

 

[sns109]

Good investigative work! As I suspected, pretty top notch overall. I'd just as soon not have to feel the urge for modification. I purchased the 004 with intentions to mod, then saw the 005 which looked to be factory modded, sold the 004 prior to any mods. Sound quality continues to impress, absolutely no intentions to change anything in my digital chain. Gave up on audiophile switch, system sounds far more natural without switch, lps powered router preferable to the added Renolab switch.

 

[HermannS]

The only other spot I am most likely going to modify is the analog power supply of the ESS chip. I know it well from my Benchmark DAC2 mods. It is very sensitive and I don't like to see bypassed polymer caps there. They can sound edgy and compressed. Musetec has been a little sloppy and did not implement the recommended (via ESS application notes) noise filtering using an op amp. I found that 1:1 in the DAC2. Generally, concerning the layout they did not follow the ESS reference design much. Not sure if that's good.

 

[sns109]

The only other spot I am most likely going to modify is the analog power supply of the ESS chip. I know it well from my Benchmark DAC2 mods. It is very sensitive and I don't like to see bypassed polymer caps there. They can sound edgy and compressed. Musetec has been a little sloppy and did not implement the recommended (via ESS application notes) noise filtering using an op amp. I found that 1:1 in the DAC2. Generally, concerning the layout they did not follow the ESS reference design much. Not sure if that's good.

Keep us apprised of any mods, I may want to copy if mod is worthwhile.

 

[piaseczek]

The only other spot I am most likely going to modify is the analog power supply of the ESS chip. I know it well from my Benchmark DAC2 mods. It is very sensitive and I don't like to see bypassed polymer caps there. They can sound edgy and compressed. Musetec has been a little sloppy and did not implement the recommended (via ESS application notes) noise filtering using an op amp. I found that 1:1 in the DAC2. Generally, concerning the layout they did not follow the ESS reference design much. Not sure if that's good.

Thanks for photos, could you please also attach some photos of the digital side?
I'm especially interested what galvanic separation and line drivers are used in the 005.

 

[HermannS]

I will post plenty of details of the main board when I remove it from the case to solder the SPDIF socket.

 

[britneedadvice]

China did not attend COP26
If China ( and any other Country ) refuse to abide by International standards on manufacturing ,employment and human rights, then the rest of the world needs to boycott purchases . We will all become third world countries ourselves if we allow this to continue !

 

[DBB1]

China did not attend COP26
If China ( and any other Country ) refuse to abide by International standards on manufacturing ,employment and human rights, then the rest of the world needs to boycott purchases . We will all become third world countries ourselves if we allow this to continue !

This is not an easy task. 61% of US electronics come from China. Try to buy a cellphone or computer with only parts from compliant countries. A 100% boycott does not seem feasible. I do not realistically think I would become a vegetarian either. I may cut back on beef. I would try to pick and choose. Though someday, I admit, we might all live on Walden pond or not at all.

 

[WafflesID]

Any thoughts on this vs Holo spring 3 level 3?

 

[DBB1]

Any thoughts on this vs Holo spring 3 level 3?

The Holo Spring 3 sounds like the May, but not as good. It depends on your personal preference. If you like accuracy and realistic detail, then pick the Mustec. If you prefer smooth sound with a very black background . . .

Did you see this review?

 

[sns109]

China did not attend COP26
If China ( and any other Country ) refuse to abide by International standards on manufacturing ,employment and human rights, then the rest of the world needs to boycott purchases . We will all become third world countries ourselves if we allow this to continue !

Well, on environmental front, developing nations such as India and China can always use the excuse long developed countries such as US, used cheap carbon based energy sources to grow our economies, now we ask them not to! And, most developed nations are refusing or making nebulous concessions to some future cut backs. No, I don't think climatic disasters have caused enough cost in order to sense a need to create an immediate change in our ways.

As for international standards on great sentiments, every country on earth is likely responsible for not living up to some great set of standards. As long as there's "gold in them thar hills," someone or some countries will flaunt rules and regulations. We all need to boycott all sorts of institutions and countries for all sorts of things, no clear cut heroes and villains anymore. We will either muddle through or discover our present lives are an existential threat to our species, which will require radical change. I know not the answer.

 

[britneedadvice]

Well, on environmental front, developing nations such as India and China can always use the excuse long developed countries such as US, used cheap carbon based energy sources to grow our economies, now we ask them not to! And, most developed nations are refusing or making nebulous concessions to some future cut backs. No, I don't think climatic disasters have caused enough cost in order to sense a need to create an immediate change in our ways.

As for international standards on great sentiments, every country on earth is likely responsible for not living up to some great set of standards. As long as there's "gold in them thar hills," someone or some countries will flaunt rules and regulations. We all need to boycott all sorts of institutions and countries for all sorts of things, no clear cut heroes and villains anymore. We will either muddle through or discover our present lives are an existential threat to our species, which will require radical change. I know not the answer.

I penned a long answer to this.,then deleted it. I'm 69 ,can I be bothered !!??
Just ask your children what they think! Yes, morality comes with a price tag !

 

[HermannS]

I have an image of the digital section of the main DAC board for you with all chips identified. The USB board has been removed.
The unpopulated IC position used to be populated in earlier versions of the board. Pictures of the Chinese distributor show that. It's funny that its power supply decoupling caps and some peripheral resistors are still there. I wonder what it could have been. Some traces go straight to the SPDIF sockets.