Chord DAVE DAC Review (Video)

[amirm]

Follow up video review of CHORD DAVE stereo DAC:

Nothing new if you have read the text review. But you get to have my emotional reactions thrown in.

 

[Dmitri]

At 14 K? What a train wreck.

Just yet another example of how a “pretty face” and a ludicrous price tag automatically equals audiophile “SOTA” product...when it’s anything but. The quirky interface and awkward display simply adds to the displaced mystique.

Profit margin must be quite impressive.

Thanks for the video review...I find them helpful when reaquainting myself with concepts and measurements that I sometimes struggle a bit to grasp.

 

[AndreaT]

Always nice to listen to your healthy disappointment in the testing of a $ 14K (plus tax) DAC/HP amp. For the same price I could buy 15 Topping D90 SEs and place one in each room of my house and have a few left for Xmas gifts. Once more, removing the veneer of "excellence" from products that do not deserve in any way our hard earned taxed $$. It also makes me feel so good to have achieved superior performance spending but a fraction of a DAVE: my three main DACs (Okto, Gustard and Benchmark) are about 1/4 of the price of a DAVE. Thank you Amir!

 

[Katji]

Thanks for the video review...I find them helpful when reaquainting myself with concepts and measurements that I sometimes struggle a bit to grasp.

Yes. Me too.

But I'm amazed. It's weird. A weird situation.

So we'll see. Whether or not another one is provided for testing, new in box from dealer, to see about that weird channel thing.

 

[olderman]

Follow up video review of CHORD stereo DAC:

Nothing new if you have read the text review. But you get to have my emotional reactions thrown in.

Emotional reactions are a bonus!

 

[Lukino]

Absolutely exemplary video. I really like to hear this type of videos. That's how the producers should present it. Supported by a graph, measurements. But that won't happen. Also Dan Clark similarly, he explained the production of his headphones, enjoying the knowledge and measurements. An honest person will show how he solved product problems, etc. I think the way of truth and honesty is the way of sales. People try to sweep many things under the carpet. They know well that the measurements are not excellent, so they will not show. Otherwise they would brag. All that remains is a verbal description of the unreal device. The price puts the device into the realm of dreams. So it is very tempting to experience the dream. Amir thanks for the video. You woke us up from our dream.

 

[tomtoo]

"....But you get to have my emotional reactions thrown in. ...."

 

[DanielT]

Nice of you to post videos Amir. They attract, to some extent, a different audience . It may also provide information, marketing for ASR. Hopefully it will attract new members to ASR (forum).That is good.

About this Chord DAC itself. Feels like a bygone era when DACs were ridiculously expensive. It's basically overplayed now with all the good value ones from Topping and, well there are more brands than Topping ,SMSL and Allo Boss for example,that have superb performance for little money.

What I don't understand are those who nowadays so desperately argue for the existence of these expensive DACs, way?. Those who don't want to realize that you really don't need to spend such a ridiculous amount of money on DACs. Instead, be happy that this is the case. You don't have to spend that money on expensive DACs and can instead spend the money on speakers, subwoofers, EQ, fixing the acoustics in the room. Things that, on the other hand,REALLY can make a difference to the sound.

Edit:
For example.To get better sound. The question is not whether super high-performance DAC A is preferable to high-performance DAC B, but whether (for the same amount of money) high-performance DAC B together with buying a big thick carpet/rug for the money and then putting the carpet in front of the speakers is preferable vs DAC A without this carpet.
(example DAC A and DAC B, provided inaudible differences between them)

Carpets are also nice to have in the listening room, I think, they look good, but that's another question.
By the way, US $14,000. An equally good or better DAC for around $200-300 then you instead get a decent amount of money left over for all sorts of nice furniture, bookshelves and so on.

You who write in the thread know this, nothing new about that. It was intended for those who read this thread.

 

[Lambda]

An overpriced designer product that looks fancy but has mediocre performance. I’m shocked

 

[Jimbob54]

@amirm missing Dave from the title and intro line

 

[mumadadd]

missing Dave from the title and intro line

Came here to say that.

 

[Deleted member 2702]

Amir's reviewing and presentation skills are absolutely top class: Thanks for the review!

 

[Katji]

Yes, this maybe the best so far for persons asking how to understand the measurements.

 

[Deleted member 2702]

An overpriced designer product that looks fancy but has mediocre performance. I’m shocked

I agree with your first sentence, but I am absolutely not shocked.

 

[Phorize]

Chord fast becoming the British Leyland of the audio world

 

[bYOndo]

thanks Amir as always for your objective reviews. Speaking about YouTube reviews, I remember I have watched many of them by Hans Beekhuyzen, a very nice man and (seemed to me) competent tech guy.... I'm a little bit more confused now...

 

[nyxnyxnyx]

Amir you're missing the word "DAVE" in the title.
Besides that thanks for making this video, it's such a prestige product so I am sure that most audiophiles will want to take a look at how and in what manner you dissected the characteristics.

 

[DonR]

"....But you get to have my emotional reactions thrown in. ...."

"Failure"

 

[PeteL]

What I don't understand are those who nowadays so desperately argue for the existence of these expensive DACs, way?. Those who don't want to realize that you really don't need to spend such a ridiculous amount of money on DACs. Instead, be happy that this is the case.

I think that one can realize that you don't need to spend that stupid money and be happy this is the case, and still be glad those sort of things exists are relevent and don't mock people that are into buying this.
The Dave is obviously grossly over engineered and it certainly not a necessity, but engineers that push the boundries are essential to the state of the art. They are the ones that allow the tech to become more affordable, more widespread and much more easy to implement.
Keep in mind we are looking at a 2015 product, that we have yet to find 7 years later better reconstruction filters from anybody, that have put forward new approach for noiise shaping, whether they are worthy or not, at least there has to be a will to fix limitations that for mr Watts were worth it. Maybe not for us. It is obviously not the same challenge as putting together a XMOS and ESS reference design.
It don't matter if it brings compromise in other aspects, we have to celebrate those who at least try to innovate instead of going for the easy already made solution.
It's also unclear if this product is defective, I would not be on a design that willfully or ignorantly have a clear measurable issue on one channel only. We have to give benefit of the doubt and Stereophile measurments don't show that. In the end, I think every will agree that is still an hifi product and that it sounds great.
For the record. I would never buy that, It's not for me, I even find it quite ugly, but I am glad it exist.

 

[DanielT]

Keep in mind we are looking at a 2015 product, that we have yet to find 7 years later better reconstruction filters from anybody, that have put forward new approach for noiise shaping, whether they are worthy or not, at least there has to be a will to fix limitations that for mr Watts were worth it. Maybe not for us. It is obviously not the same challenge as putting together a XMOS and ESS reference design.
It don't matter if it brings compromise in other aspects, we have to celebrate those who at least try to innovate instead of going for the easy already made solution.
It's also unclear if this product is defective, I would not be on a design that willfully or ignorantly have a clear measurable issue on one channel only. We have to give benefit of the doubt and Stereophile measurments don't show that. In the end, I think every will agree that is still an hifi product and that it sounds great.
For the record. I would never buy that, It's not for me, I even find it quite ugly, but I am glad it exist.

But wait now! Is this a 7 year old DAC? Is it not on the market now? Has the model been discontinued? It matters a lot.

IF it is sold now, then what you said: push the boundaries are essential to the state of the art becomes rather irrelevant , even wrong because it doesn't do just that BUT seven years ago? Maybe it was SOTA then?My youthful interest in HIFi was brought to life two years ago so I don't know anything about that.