Had the MSB Analog in the house for 2 days. I am using the USB inputs but I do not have a cable that extends far enough from my computer. This means, unfortunately, that I am hooking up the MSB to my monitor which has USB outputs. Any ideas on how to optimise the situation? Perhaps I should use the optical input with the MSB Network Renderer - not sure how to use that though.
Despite these limitations, my first and immediate impression of the MSB Analog is that it is a very noticeable step up from the AMR DP777 in terms of detail and resolution. Guitars sound most realistic. The presentation is more forward in the sense of the listener being positioned a few rows closer to stage than the AMR (though I read still more laid back than other DACs in the price range), the music becomes more engaging and musical and spatial images are better focused.
The stand-out aspect of the MSB Analog is how smooth everything sounds. There is no digital glare or artifacts even on poorly recorded modern pop recordings. Vocals sound buttery and fluid. This is a DAC that can make anything and everything sound good - in fact really good. To give full disclosure, I still have problems with a couple of recordings that may have been too compressed to the point of clipping. My copy of Norah Jones' Come Away With Me has always clipped and with the MSB it still sounds compressed. On almost all other recordings, including music on Spotify, the resolution, ambiance and smoothness is remarkable. If this is what analog sounds like, I like it. Since I have an eclectic taste of music and my collection comprises quite a large number of poorly recorded music, I am absolutely loving the MSB Analog. Of course, high resolution files such as Mahler's 5th from Blue Coast Records (DSD64) sound even more sublime.
Another stand out aspect is the transients. Individual instruments on jazz and acoustic tracks (e.g. acoustic guitars) sound uncannily lifelike and palpable because of the quick transients. The attack is better than the AMR, which sounds dull and lacks the ability to "kick" as hard in comparison. The HD800, for instance, often loses out to the HE-6 when it comes to the ability to kick. I feel that the HD800 has that missing impact now and that is welcomed. I think it is hard to better the MSB Analog when it comes to small ensemble / solo instrumentals.
There are some minor drawbacks though.
1) On complex passages I expected better speed, extraction and separation from such an expensive DAC (it is still better in that regard than the AMR in my opinion). It may not be the end-all in terms of resolution as the improvements on the AMR are incremental, not night and day.
2) Tonally the MSB Analog has a bit of a bright edge in the sense that everything is now sharper, more forward and the attacks are more prominent - though there is no artificial or digital grain. If you want a smooth sound and laid back presentation the AMR might be better, costing resolution, detail and speed in the meantime. *edit: This does not mean that the AMR is as smooth as the Analog. No, not even close. The Analog is still a whole lot smoother.
3) The AMR seems to boast a larger and slightly more natural soundstage.
Nevertheless, the ability of the Analog to tease out the macro and micro details whilst being buttery smooth is very attractive. It deserves all the accolades it has received so far and remains a step up from the AMR. In fact perhaps a bigger step up from the AMR than my upgrade from the Emotiva DC-1 Stealth to the AMR. It is the first DAC purchase which immediately impressed me - the AMR was an improvement on the Emotiva but it was not as big of a difference than the AMR vs MSB. And I have not even heard the MSB with the power base or proper USB set-up yet. I am planning to get the MSB Signature Power Base perhaps with the MSB UMT transport as my next step.
. With quad usb, the difference was incredible. It was like I had another dac. Everything got scary real. There is more sound than on the normal usb input. Everything scales. It's like you get another whole dimension into the sound! 