[jronan2]

I have the MS2+ and a Yulong D100, and even thought I think the Yulong is better, the MS2+ is no slouch and very good and convenient for the price. I agree the NFB 2 or 3 is probably a better value, you would also have to consider it is not made here, how audio GD backs up there products ( Ive heard mixed opinions on there customer service) and their units are tanks, very bulky etc. I wanted to get a NFB but i am going to wait till Schiit shows their dac plans.
 
I find my nightstand set up of the MS2+ and E9 with the D7000's to be an amazing set up. I enjoy it almost as much as my main rig. The MS2+ really surprised me how well it sounds. It is the perfect dac for a nightstand rig or a somewhat portable set up.

 

[edvardd]

Well perhaps I should have bought the yulong DAC, I was looking at it. but I got ms2+ at a great price from england(269 gbp+10 to sweden). It costs 330 gbp in sweden. Cheaper in US but shipping plus customs wasnt worth it. (I paid a total of 320 $ for shipping+custom taxes for LCD))

 

[jronan2]

I haven't really used my LCD 2's with the music streamer but when I did I was satisfied. The Yulong to me is a great dac especially for the money. I got my music streamer open box deal for $290 final price, which to me was a good deal.

 

[yossi126]

 
Quote:

no worries, thanks for poiting it out. MS2+ is sort of a short-term solution and I love that its so portable unlike desktop DAC. I move with my laptop alot. I was looking at NFB-2/3 and they surely seem good for the money. I'll invest in a good desktop DAC within a year.
 
.Perhaps this combo is too warm since EF5 has some warmness to it. I heard the MS2+ had relatively wide soundstage and clear treble that I thought would synergize with LCD2. I'll change the EF5 opamp into something more neutral and the same for the tubes since I have a few to choose from.
 
I see you are using LCD2 but I don't know how B22 sounds in relation to EF5
 


 

I tried various amps before my b22 was finished, all around the same level of EF5. It is all about synergy really, the LCD-2 sounded a bit different every time.
Not until acquiring the b22, and hearing a 1K$ dac, I realized the beast needs heavy equipment to fulfill its potential.
Or you can ignore me and escape head-fi while your wallet is alive

 

[edvardd]

Interesting to hear. Perhaps I follow your second advice and buy a car for 1000 $ instead If I'm able to sell my w1000x I'll take a look at DAC's

 

[adydula]

I just got a HRT Music Streamer II and have not been a fan of USB dacs. I have a flac collection on a laptop that I send via ethernet and DLNA by transcoding the flacs back to CD audio and let my Oppo BD83SE take the signal thru its ESS Sa br4e Dacs to my 2 ch audio setup. Its superb.
 
I tested the HRT Music Streamer II against this by taking the same flacs via winamp to the DAC to my preamp to amp to speakers. I listened to all kinds of music and i can honestly say I do not hear any descernable differences in the two.
 
I also compared to the cd in the Oppo and again no real workd difference.
 
I also used a good set of headphones to compare the HRT performance and sound quality.
 
Conclusion is this neat little toy is awesome...really a wonderful product for a decent price.
 
I would NOT hesitate to buy it again.
Alex

 

[tme110]

Yea, the HRT is actually pretty impressive. I just got a new DAC that was close to $1000 and the HRT still holds it own - which is amazing because my new DAC has about 20 pounds worth of power supply in it and the HRT basically has none.  Though tonally similar there are things the new DAC reveals that the HRT does not.  However, if you weren't A/Bing or very familiar with the song theres no way you'd know.  I have found 1 or 2 songs (literally,  so such a small number not to matter) that the HRT. sounds so different that I think it's having an issue with them but I can figuer anything about the songs that make them stand out (ie, they're not even hi-res songs).

 

[tme110]

note, I was talking about the + but I'm sure the none+ is similar.

 

[jronan2]

Yea I never heard the MS II, but I heard the MSII+ is noticeably better, and also a lot more expensive. I'm glad I went with he plus version.

 

[ULUL]

A number of you mentioned the NfB-3 versus the Streamer II+.  They both cost the same.   Hope you are still reading.
 
Quick questions:
1. Is your Streamer II+ the smaller oval shaped ones or the trapezoid unit?
2. For driving speakers (output to amp), would the NB3 be better?  If so - how is the NFB-3 better and the II+?
 
Thanks,
UL

 

[Diciembre]

The flat, oval-shaped unit has only become available this month (or the last days of May), so anyone who posted previously was talking about the trapezoid-shaped one. I'm also wondering how the MSII+ compares to the NFB-3 (or 2).

 

[jronan2]

I never heard the NFB 2 or 3 but my II+ holds its own against my Yulong D100, which is somewhat in the same price range. The D100 is a better dac, but the II+ is a really good value IMO. Plus its no frills and portable, two things that have come in handy since I bought it.

 

[tme110]

You not going to find anything in that price range or even higher that 'sounds better' than the ms2+ - It's a surprisingly nice unit.  I have found 1 or 2 tracks (a very very small percentage) that it doesn't quite get but I'm also comparing it to a much much more expensive DAC.  It also seems to have good and bad days (not entirely consistant but it may be hard to notice).  I have several DACs at all different price points and they largely sound the same - there are just things you may hear in one and not the other and sometimes they do output something different but you'd have to have a better DAC to notice. 
 
Now the AGD though takes multiple inputs (not just USB) and in fact, I imagine the USB input would be the least recommended input on it.  It can also reach 24/192 but depending on your entire source chain you may have an issue getting it a signal that it can actually lock on at that rate.  I like the ability to use toslink and SPDIF on the AGD but I also like how I can just hang my MS2 off the side of my desk hidden from sight and enabling ultra-short cable runs.

 

[valtopps]

i have the ms II+ and was wondering about the firmware, how can i tell what fw i have and can i update the fw if needed?
 
allso have anyone ever swaped usb cables to see if a better usb cable gives you a better sq?

 

[tme110]

just go to their website and there's info about determining firmware - you have to download their usb software.
 
you have to have a good usb cable but I'm just talking a certified 2.0 cable.  I moved from a free usb cable to a very nice certified cable (for a wopping $6) and it got rid of some random clicking noise I was hearing and was generally an improvement.  I think having a well made cable is esp important with this DAC since it is usb powered but I still don't beleive in crazy over-the-top digital cables - esp usb.