DAVE - Seconds Out, Round Three...

Blu2 is also is an interesting device for Dave.... specially if you still spinning cds

When I auditioned Dave at home I could clearly hear the differences between it and TT. Dave was better on so many things such as instrument and vocal timbres (more realistic sounding), bigger soundstage depth and width, more 3D, and more bass. I remember hearing a tom tom drum roll and thinking how amazingly three dimensional and in-room it sounded, the TT just did not have this ability on the same track. I'd never heard anything like it (I'm a hifi enthusiast and amateur musician, having played live and in the studio, as well as dabbling with studio recording). However, the big caveat for me was that, in comparison to TT, Dave sounded processed, over-egged if you like, as a whole a little disjointed, with recessed vocals. It reminded me of when we first got our 3d TV and watched strictly come dancing at home with our 3d glasses on. It was weird and like watching miniature figures moving in a doll's house, it just didn't work. Perhaps in an odeon IMAX it might have been impressive.

Halloween Man posted:

When I auditioned Dave at home I could clearly hear the differences between it and TT. Dave was better on so many things such as instrument and vocal timbres (more realistic sounding), bigger soundstage depth and width, more 3D, and more bass. I remember hearing a tom tom drum roll and thinking how amazingly three dimensional and in-room it sounded, the TT just did not have this ability on the same track. I'd never heard anything like it (I'm a hifi enthusiast and amateur musician, having played live and in the studio, as well as dabbling with studio recording). However, the big caveat for me was that, in comparison to TT, Dave sounded processed, over-egged if you like, as a whole a little disjointed, with recessed vocals. It reminded me of when we first got our 3d TV and watched strictly come dancing at home with our 3d glasses on. It was weird and like watching miniature figures moving in a doll's house, it just didn't work. Perhaps in an odeon IMAX it might have been impressive.

 

I would tend to agree with this, which is why i can understand why the TT would suite some over DAVE. DAVE for me is just the right side of digital, however Hugo 2 for me has gone too far and sounds unnatural.

I can't hear Dave sounding over processed. To the contrary, I hear it a lot natural than the lesser Chord Dacs.

analogmusic posted:

I'd also add that the differences between Hugo TT and Dave maybe were a lot more day and night due to the demonstration using Nordost interconnects.

I'm not that keen on Nordost cables, so I didn't look into those further. 

The next time I heard Dave like the demo was with Sonus Faber Amati Futura speakers, with Superlumina Full Loom and a 552DR .300 DR Naim system. I don't think it's the system as it as a 172/250.2 in the demo.

The 3d Stage was back, and so was the amazing musicality. At home, I'm not quite getting that 3D stage. But maybe it's my room, placement, mains, who knows.

I guess must also be speakers, and also the cables? The focus 260 is a long gap away from the confidence range in performance.

Hope TonyM doesn't mind this discussion on his thread. Apologies if he did.

 

 

It certainly doesn’t need anything special in terms of cables to hear the difference between Dave and TT/Hugo as fundamental as “night and day” - indeed I wouldn’t be surprised if the difference is also just as evident even with fairly nondescript renderers. However, anything muddying the sound of course could reduce the perceived difference, in respect of which speakers and room effects may be prime contributors.

Indeed, I, too, found the difference between the DACs less obvious at home than when I first heard in a demo room - though Dave still streets ahead - but I am well aware that my room is problematic and needs significant treatment, which for various reasons I’m delaying doing.

well cables do make an appreciable difference with Chord Dacs.

I'm now using a Vertere DFI interconnect from my Chord Mojo to my Naim system. Nothing else special, just the standard Naim SNAIC and also NACA5. 

I'm absolutely delighted with the sound and musicality. It's like having a live band in front of me right now (with high-quality recordings)

The Vertere cable lets me hear just how good the Mojo is.

It is very interesting you also found at home that day and night difference that I heard between Dave and Hugo TT wasn't there.

analogmusic posted:

well cables do make an appreciable difference with Chord Dacs.

I'm now using a Vertere DFI interconnect from my Chord Mojo to my Naim system. Nothing else special, just the standard Naim SNAIC and also NACA5. 

I'm absolutely delighted with the sound and musicality. It's like having a live band in front of me right now (with high-quality recordings)

The Vertere cable lets me hear just how good the Mojo is.

It is very interesting you also found at home that day and night difference that I heard between Dave and Hugo TT wasn't there.

 

I wonder if the sensitivity to cables you describe specifically with [the output of] Chord DACs, or with [the input of] Naim preamps, or both - though you may not have tried other combinations to be able to say.

Regarding the difference at home vs demo room, indeed - but Dave still distinctly better.  I look forward to the improvement when I in a position to fix my room problems!