It is also worth trying an Innuos PhoenixUSB between the source and either the Mscaler or Dave. I had one on home demo for a couple of weeks and was so reluctant to send it back that I bought it.
Hello Nick .
Interesting to read this again, but permit me to ask,is this also something where you and Rob fully agree as with your BNC cables?
Or is it as with the "cheap" little external build, linear PSU´s you and others use and rave about with Dave but which Rob disagrees with and advices against?
Although imho Rob understates the difference your BNCs make a bit.
To me it is audibly more than "the surface of the icing on the cake" especially if we are talking about using only the stock wallwart supply.
Personally all I can say is that my own humble Qutest sounds more effortless and dare I say "analogue" and realistic with acoustic instruments if used with a battery powered PSU which is the only alternative powersupply to the stock wallwart one I have at hand to compare with.
And I do not mean a typical off the shelf switchmode powerbank , which apparently Rob also has some reservations around, but is not interested in designing one himself in spite of his own reservations?
As far as Dave is concerned I have still only ever auditioned Dave with its stock supply, so I have nothing else to compare with.
And I have also only ever heard Dave via headphones. But I have done so ,with some of the most resolving and transparent headphones available until a few years ago. Including both Stax E-stats and Susvara via external headphone amps which Dave then could drive to my satisfaction with an Mscaler added to the equation.
My opinions as always, based on my own direct to source referenced hi res masterfiles from symphonic music recording sessions I have been present at.
But the more effortless and, less agressive, less digital SQ I hear with the battery psu is equally easy to hear via my big electrostatic speakers.
I listen via those big beasts 80- 90 % of the time via Mscaler and Storm BNC cabling since Covid hit.
The advantage being that I do not need to resort only to headphones like I had to during all those wonderful over -winter travels to SE-Asia. But unlike you ,I do miss travelling a lot!
All in all I suspect that apart from needing mscaling to really shine Rob´s dacs may still harbour a bit of an "Achilles Heel" with the switch mode power choice Rob prefers?
Qutest with its cheap micro usb connected wallwart does not impress me. And I still hate every time I have to dis-connect and re-connect that one when the battery runs out on my preferred alternative and I still want to keep listening.
I abhored that flimsly loose little micro usb connection already with Hugo 1 and it absolutely baffles me that he used it with Qutest!
"Cheap" "penny saving" choice on a dac supposed to be used in a home system imho!
But I am still happy that your Stream and Storm BNCs make such a difference over the stock ones with Qutest.
With Storm ,dare I say? to my ears killing more digital or RF power related "nasties" than Stream?
Simply more Effortless.
Interesting also and related to this, to read some of Steve Hulks recent posts on how HE powers his system and Dave but with the somewhat surprising take,
that he obviously ONLY uses Dave/HMS in his "Cave" headphone based system.
And a dCs dac combo in his B&W 801D main speaker system?
A preference Rob I guess will also strongly disagree with?
Irrespective of what Rob has to say on the matter it sure would be interesting to hear Steve Hulk´s system ,the 801D in my experience one of the most impressive conventional BIG boxed speakers I have heard.
I have some recordings made with those beasts in the control room.
PS Could you please update me on how you currently power your Qutest?
Cheers CC
