[Crgreen]

The lack of tos optical input is one reason I sold my Blu2 in anticipation of a more versatile Mscaler

Can I ask: what were the other reasons?

 

[wswbd]

Yes, it’s what I use.

Just to add, you will also need female bnc to male rca adapters also, 2 of them.

You can buy them on amazon for cheap, but remember, it has to be Female BNC to Male RCA adapters.

With this adapter connected to Hugo2, will there be enough room to insert an ordinary size RCA cable into the analogue out (L) from Hugo2? It looks worrying.

 

[Crgreen]

I think this makes sense, it seems like a misunderstanding as the response is not directly related to the content of the quoted post. However a member of the trade should perhaps show more discretion and if they decide to make a rather agressive blanket statement, at least they could miss out the quote.I agree too that all this talk about ferrites or not , split or not , mega buck cables or not etc is becoming a little tiresome to many of us here at the same time however if it satisfies the nervosa of others then it is their own prerrogative. In all this I find Rob Watts responses a breath of fresh air! He is the designer of these remarkable products and if anyone might have a right to be grated by all this RF witch hunt it should have been him, well , he isn't... Perhaps an example to follow

Rob has said there’s a way to make the HMS a “tad smoother” but as far as I’m aware, he hasn’t yet said exactly what that is. I, and others, await his response with interest though admittedly, he is a busy man.

 

[marcmccalmont]

Can I ask: what were the other reasons?

1. I had 2 Blu2’s with screws that came loose from the drive mechanism
2. The cdm pro drive is average in performance
3. The cdm pro drive is discontinued
4 I have 2 outstanding drives the MSB cd IV and ProJect cd box rs
5. Mscaler has better isolation of the dual coax
6. Mscaler has optical inputs
7. Mscaler has super capacitors isolating the mains
8. The cdm pro drive only plays red books
9. The sound I get from the ProJect in 2x oversampling is very very close to the Blu2 in 1M and better than the Blu2 in medium or low

 

[Crgreen]

I’d be interested in hearing the listening impressions from anyone who’s compared a Cd Player/Transport (using optical or electrical) into the HMS with file based playback into the HMS, and if there is a significant difference between CD and a rip. Obviously, there are other reasons why the two might differ other than the HMS.

 

[Triode User]

7. Mscaler has super capacitors isolating the mains

Just checking where you got that from as I thought it was the TT2 that has them for current delivery purposes. I have had my HMS lid off and can’t see any unless they are in the smps. Happy to be proved wrong though.

 

[marcmccalmont]

Just checking where you got that from as I thought it was the TT2 that has them for current delivery purposes. I have had my HMS lid off and can’t see any unless they are in the smps. Happy to be proved wrong though.

Your correct I was confusing it with the TT2
Remember Christopher Columbus is still enroute to the US with a load of Mscalers and TT2's so as of yet I have not seen or heard one

 

[simorag]

The Mscaler converts the DSF files to 768K PCM files before processing them. I hate to abandon the nice native DSD processing that DAVE provides.

Any thoughts? So far, I have not seen any comparisons of how DSF files sound with an Mscaler and DAVE vs. DAVE's DSD+ processing. I'd be curious to read impressions. Thanks.

​

According to @Rob Watts, the M Scaler does a better job than the DAVE with dsd files, see below.

As I understand it, we don't need to switch between different modes (PCM+ vs DSD+) with the M Scaler as we do with the DAVE, which would be another advantage over the DAVE operation in terms of convenience.

Anyway, my M Scaler should arrive today and I will report back what I am hearing after some (brain) burn-in.

Today I tried some dsf tracks from my collection (DSD being about 10% of it). Among several ones, I tried Patricia Barber - Distortion of Love (DSD64), Al di Meola et.al. - Friday Night in San Francisco (DSD64), Amber Rubarth - Sessions from the 17th Ward (Chesky, DSD128), various DSD256 tracks from NativeDSD and 2L.no recording.

In terms of sound quality, comparing 1Mtaps through HMS and bypass mode with DAVE set in DSD+, I preferred the M Scaler presentation by a fair margin.

Basically, the benefits I am hearing from the M Scaler, like the sense of flow (vs. a more mechanical presentation), the reduction of typical digital artifacts (glare, artificial brightness), the overall increased feeling of realism of tone, timbre and ambience, apply also to DSD IMO.

Examples:

- Patricia Barber vocals can be a bit hot sometimes (even with the allegedly softer DSD), much less with the HMS.
- Di Meola & Company guitars have richer harmonics and a darker, less metallic/piercing sound, while keeping their snap, PRaT and speed. Applauses are fleshier and large venue ambience effects in general are more physical.
- In Full Moon in Paris, Amber's haunting vocal is devoid of any hint of glare and sibilance with the HMS in the chain.
- Mahler Symphony 1 - Finale (Native DSD - DSD256) dynamics seems slightly more impactful with the HMS (subtle, though)
- Bellezza Crudel (2L.no Trondheim Solistene - DSD256) is another case of an outstandingly pure vocal reproduction, with the HMS having a clear edge in terms of physicality. Goosebumps


Functionality-wise, I did not have a single hiccup, drop out etc. when using Roon in DoP mode with my ZENith MkII SE.

However, the internal LMS player won't play over DSD128 through the HMS, while having no problems when directly connected to the DAVE.​

 

[onlychild]

IF the Innuos Zen mini has optical out, I d be very interested in such a comparison too. I heard the Innuos Statement with M-scaler and Dave/TT2 and it sounded sublime!

The new “MK3” Mini has optical. There are videos and PDFs on the Innuos site stating that. The old “MK2” Mini did not have optical.

 

[Whazzzup]

Id consider antipodes DX instead, it seems to be a more impressive source.

 

[ZappaMan]

Id consider antipodes DX instead, it seems to be a more impressive source.

But do they cost the same ? I think the mini is an entry level server. Only £899! Which is cheap when you consider how expensive cables etc can be.

 

[Triode User]

The new “MK3” Mini has optical. There are videos and PDFs on the Innuos site stating that. The old “MK2” Mini did not have optical.

Ah, that looks good. I was not up to date . . . . sorry.

 

[Triode User]

Id consider antipodes DX instead, it seems to be a more impressive source.

A big difference in price though even when the ZEN has the optional power supply upgrade. £1303 vs £6625. In fact the DX is quite a lot more than the Innuos SE was.

 

[onlychild]

A big difference in price though even when the ZEN has the optional power supply upgrade. £1303 vs £6625. In fact the DX is quite a lot more than the Innuos SE was.

That difference in price is what has me so excited about the inclusion of optical on the M-Scaler.

Not sure if optical is going to be the be all, end all for sources (if you’re not concerned with playing DSD).

 

[Triode User]

That difference in price is what has me so excited about the inclusion of optical on the M-Scaler.

Not sure if optical is going to be the be all, end all for sources (if you’re not concerned with playing DSD).

Yep, Zen Mini 3 + HMS + TBC should be pretty darned good.