[Jon L]

With upscaling engaged the sound is tonally lighter, cooler and somewhat bleached. It is like a skeletal version of the real thing. I am not convinced that this is merely the removal of distortion.
I wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience.

I don't have the M-Scaler, but what you describe is very similar to what I hear with higher upsampling in general. The most I can tolerate somewhat is 44.1kHz material upsampled to 2x integer value, 88.2kHz...

 

[ZappaMan]

An interesting observation

 

[tunes]

I recently bought a TT2 and M Scaler, which replaced a DAVE and Blu 2 which I owned for a year.

There is an issue I have with the M Scaler, and which I also had with the Blu 2.

The results I get with the M Scaler and, previously, the Blu 2 are both positive and negative. With the M Scaler engaged, there is what seems to be a massive drop in the noise floor of the recording. Low level detail which was previously masked is now more obvious. Timing of transients is sharper and more defined. However, with upsampling engaged, there is also a loss of fullness of sound; there is a new leanness, a lack of bloom around instruments. With the M Scaler, I can hear to the back of the hall, but nothing in between. At native resolution (with the M Scaler bypassed) I hear the fullness of the room, the sense of space around the instruments. And more importantly, the M Scaler seems to remove tonal colour - instruments seem to sound richer, warmer and more colourful when the M Scaler is bypassed. With upscaling engaged the sound is tonally lighter, cooler and somewhat bleached. It is like a skeletal version of the real thing. I am not convinced that this is merely the removal of distortion.

I am now leaning towards preferring the sound of the TT2 without the M Scaler. There is more body, more colour and more tone, at the expense of some forensic detail. I wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience.

How do you compare DAVE vs TT2 without HMS?

 

[Ross]

How do you compare DAVE vs TT2 without HMS?

I prefer the TT2. The DAVE sounded less substantial, slightly thinner and dryer than the TT2. The DAVE also had a strange spatial presentation which didn't sound realistic to me. The TT2 sounds fuller, more dynamic and with a warmer and more liquid sound, and a more natural sense of space. I don't buy the argument that the DAVE is more "transparent".

But let me be clear. Both are outstanding DACs. My comments about the DAVE are what led me ultimately to sell it, but it it is still a more profoundly satisfying DAC than most others out there. That is why I bought the TT2 shortly after selling the DAVE, even though I hadn't really intended buying another Chord DAC.

 

[Deftone]

I prefer the TT2. The DAVE sounded less substantial, slightly thinner and dryer than the TT2. The DAVE also had a strange spatial presentation which didn't sound realistic to me. The TT2 sounds fuller, more dynamic and with a warmer and more liquid sound, and a more natural sense of space. I don't buy the argument that the DAVE is more "transparent".

But let me be clear. Both are outstanding DACs. My comments about the DAVE are what led me ultimately to sell it, but it it is still a more profoundly satisfying DAC than most others out there. That is why I bought the TT2 shortly after selling the DAVE, even though I hadn't really intended buying another Chord DAC.

How long have you had the MScaler paired with TT2?

 

[Ross]

How long have you had the MScaler paired with TT2?

A few weeks. I had the Blu 2 paired with the DAVE for a year before that.

 

[Deftone]

A few weeks. I had the Blu 2 paired with the DAVE for a year before that.

And you thought the Blu mk2 made Dave sound leaner as well? interesting.

 

[Ross]

And you thought the Blu mk2 made Dave sound leaner as well? interesting.

Yes. But it is only now that I am starting to question whether the HMS/Blu 2 are entirely positive in their effects.

 

[rkt31]

I recently bought a TT2 and M Scaler, which replaced a DAVE and Blu 2 which I owned for a year.

There is an issue I have with the M Scaler, and which I also had with the Blu 2.
e results I get with the M Scaler and, previously, the Blu 2 are both positive and negative. With the M Scaler engaged, there is what seems to be a massive drop in the noise floor of the recording. Low level detail which was previously masked is now more obvious. Timing of transients is sharper and more defined. However, with upsampling engaged, there is also a loss of fullness of sound; there is a new leanness, a lack of bloom around instruments. With the M Scaler, I can hear to the back of the hall, but nothing in between. At native resolution (with the M Scaler bypassed) I hear the fullness of the room, the sense of space around the instruments. And more importantly, the M Scaler seems to remove tonal colour - instruments seem to sound richer, warmer and more colourful when the M Scaler is bypassed. With upscaling engaged the sound is tonally lighter, cooler and somewhat bleached. It is like a skeletal version of the real thing. I am not convinced that this is merely the removal of distortion.

I am now leaning towards preferring the sound of the TT2 without the M Scaler. There is more body, more colour and more tone, at the expense of some forensic detail. I wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience.

i listened HMS with H2 at one of my friend. Initial impression were as yours . Bypass was smoother and cold start of HMS was virtually unlistenable. but after about 150 to 200 hours the right from the first note of HMS with H2 is soooo smooth and engaging that you don't even think that you are listening to a system , it's just pure music and nothing. I have said earlier and now repeating that HMS H2/tt2 combo can't be beaten by any dac at any price for pure music enjoyment.

 

[SCOTTY1]

i listened HMS with H2 at one of my friend. Initial impression were as yours . Bypass was smoother and cold start of HMS was virtually unlistenable. but after about 150 to 200 hours the right from the first note of HMS with H2 is soooo smooth and engaging that you don't even think that you are listening to a system , it's just pure music and nothing. I have said earlier and now repeating that HMS H2/tt2 combo can't be beaten by any dac at any price for pure music enjoyment.

Only someone who had spent many hundreds of hours critically evaluating competing units by, dCS, MSB, Linn, EMM, Merging Technologies etc.could make such a statement without attracting the opprobium of their peers. If nothing else, I admire your chutzpah.

 

[rkt31]

Only someone who had spent many hundreds of hours critically evaluating competing units by, dCS, MSB, Linn, EMM, Merging Technologies etc.could make such a statement without attracting the opprobium of their peers. If nothing else, I admire your chutzpah.

Seems to be a typical response from a facebook group I know. Btw don't worry there will be others too validating my statement. If not listened pls go and listen the HMS tt2 combo first

 

[delirium]

Interesting read this! About toslink.usb.coax.aes/ebu.https://www.cnet.com/news/the-audio...do-digital-audio-connections-sound-different/

 

[SCOTTY1]

Seems to be a typical response from a facebook group I know. Btw don't worry there will be others too validating my statement. If not listened pls go and listen the HMS tt2 combo first

I've heard it, but not every other option. Whatever, I've always struggled to communicate with adolescents.

 

[dmance]

... without attracting the opprobium of their peers...

Scotty - thanks for adding another word to my vocabulary!
Dan

 

[Mikey99]

I was listening to HMS/Dave the other day and finding the music rather flat and uninspiring. At first I thought it was my mood or something. After several hours of this I noticed I had misconnected the BNC cables (I had been playing around with different cables for a few days) such that I was in single BNC mode, i.e., 500 k instead of 1 M taps. Once I fixed this the music immediately came back to life!