Chord DAVE Review (DAC & HP Amp)

[Billy Budapest]

I'm not sure that Chord is really one of the many high end audio companies selling fantasies at astronomical prices. They measure well enough, if not quite SOTA, unlike many high end favourites which have measurements belonging to a previous age.

Chord’s prices, by and large, are not at the upper reaches of the market either—not compared to MSB, dCS, etc.

 

[YSC]

I like Emm Labs, MSB, Playback Designs and Linn.

Just did a quick Google for msb impulse response…

 

[Garrincha]

I wouldn’t know for sure unless I heard it. I always leave some wiggle room as audio is very subjective and personal. I was hoping you know what “digital” sounding means but I was wrong you have obvious never heard non “digital” sound reproduction in your life - go borrow a Linn turntable or some tape and get some listening experience

Are you aware of this analog vs digital blind test from 1984(!!!): http://www.bostonaudiosociety.org/bas_speaker/abx_testing2.htm

 

[chesebert]

Just did a quick Google for msb impulse response…
View attachment 220288

We don’t know the test window, sampling frequency or the vertical scale. This is way better performance than Dave just from an initial glance.

This is Dave’s impulse response (4ms window at 44khz

 

[YSC]

We don’t know the test window, sampling frequency or the vertical scale. This is way better performance than Dave just from an initial glance.

This is Dave’s impulse response (4ms window at 44khz

View attachment 220289

It don’t look all that different from one another, both have measurable but imo not noticeable ringing. So have nothing to do with night and day digital vs analogue sounding

 

[Billy Budapest]

It don’t look all that different from one another, both have measurable but imo not noticeable ringing. So have nothing to do with night and day digital vs analogue sounding

Both show pre-ringing which does not exist in analog audio signals, but there is no evidence that pre-ringing has any audible effects.

 

[MattHooper]

This is a review, detailed measurements and listening tests of CHORD DAVE combination DAC and headphone amplifier. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $14,000.
View attachment 220013

Crikey. Performance/cost considerations aside, this would be an aesthetic no-go for me. I HATE seeing screws on "nice" gear. So utilitarian and always reminds me of stuff made in shop class.

For me visible screws like that - especially silver screws on black! - are a design fail, every time.

 

[MattHooper]

I'm thinking high end companies start quaking in their boots if they catch wind that Amir has one of their products to test.

 

[theREALdotnet]

Wow, this is a very important moment. This test marks the end of high end OR the end of objective testing. The only other possibility is that the unit was broken.

High end is alive and well. Look at the Tambaqui for example, that’s a technological tour-de-force with no holds barred. The Chord Dave is a mediocre POS with a high-end price.

 

[jam]

Now that's the kind of gear I like to see you review Amir, a high-end DAC from an established industry leader like Chord.

Hmmm... wait, what? That can't be! 14 grand and we get these results that DACs costing two orders of magnitudes less run circles around it. Like I said on your review of the Hugo 2, Chord have lost my respect in the last couple of years and it's not with a pompous "Digital to Analogue Veritas in Extremis" (DAVE) moniker that they're going to get it back, specially with these lack luster measurements and the exorbitant selling price.

 

[hvbias]

That’s most probably true, but it won’t stop engineers from reaching closer and closer to that goal. It would probably require some sort of completely esoteric technology such as clocking components operating at near-absolute zero, etc.

I think it was DCS Vivaldi that John Atkinson gave one or two (or three) wows to at the end of his measurements.

 

[GXAlan]

I think it was DCS Vivaldi that John Atkinson gave one or two (or three) wows to at the end of his measurements.

That’s right.

Dcs Vivaldi at Stereophile
The only distortion harmonics visible are the third, at –130dB (0.00003%) in both channels, and the second, at –126dB (0.00005%) in the left channel (blue trace)

With 24-bit J-Test data, a single pair of signal-related sidebands at ±229Hz is visible at –142dB

Mola Mola Tambaqui at Stereophile
Even with the Tambaqui's maximum output level set to 6V, the only harmonic visible was the third, at a roots-of-the-universe level of –130dB (0.00003%).

24-bit data gave a superb result (fig.12). The left channel's sidebands are still present; at –140dB
——
You would put the DCS Vivaldi as a peer to the Mola Mola Tambaqui.

DCS got to that level of performance in 2012 which is pretty impressive.

If we arbitrarily apply Moore’s Law and half the price after 18 months.
100k -> 50 -> 25 -> 12.5 -> 6.5 -> 3.25k - -> 1.6k gets you to 2021.

 

[Garrincha]

That’s right.

Dcs Vivaldi at Stereophile
The only distortion harmonics visible are the third, at –130dB (0.00003%) in both channels, and the second, at –126dB (0.00005%) in the left channel (blue trace)

With 24-bit J-Test data, a single pair of signal-related sidebands at ±229Hz is visible at –142dB

Mola Mola Tambaqui at Stereophile
Even with the Tambaqui's maximum output level set to 6V, the only harmonic visible was the third, at a roots-of-the-universe level of –130dB (0.00003%).

24-bit data gave a superb result (fig.12). The left channel's sidebands are still present; at –140dB
——
You would put the DCS Vivaldi as a peer to the Mola Mola Tambaqui.

DCS got to that level of performance in 2012 which is pretty impressive.

If we arbitrarily apply Moore’s Law and half the price after 18 months.
100k -> 50 -> 25 -> 12.5 -> 6.5 -> 3.25k - -> 1.6k gets you to 2021.

Yes, 2012 (dCS) and 2015 (Chord Dave) these measurements were impressive, it's just that the develpment in research and chips and all that moved on and many cheap DACs now have reached that level of performance, yet the prices of Chord, dCS and others remain in the stratosphere, what makes them outdated and living in a pipe dream.

 

[DonR]

Can't wait to see how the M-scaler will take DAVE to new heights when @amirm tests them together.

 

[GXAlan]

Yes, 2012 (dCS) and 2015 (Chord Dave) these measurements were impressive, it's just that the develpment in research and chips and all that moved on and many cheap DACs now have reached that level of performance, yet the prices of Chord, dCS and others remain in the stratosphere, what makes them outdated and living in a pipe dream.

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[a.dent]

I just checked to see how much these are here in OZ. I thought I was being extravagant buying a Matrix Audio Element X when I would have been happy with the Element I.

This is crazy pricing.

 

[dc655321]

I just checked to see how much these are here in OZ. I thought I was being extravagant buying a Matrix Audio Element X when I would have been happy with the Element I.

This is crazy pricing.

View attachment 220295

Free shipping though...

 

[PeteL]

Fair enough. My comments about Chord marketing stands, though, and you never hear anything even remotely similar from companies like RME.

OK, any healty company do marketing, but may I ask what are the lies you are refereeing to?

 

[DonR]

I just checked to see how much these are here in OZ. I thought I was being extravagant buying a Matrix Audio Element X when I would have been happy with the Element I.

This is crazy pricing.

View attachment 220295

You'll want to set aside a few pennies for the stand though.

 

[Axo1989]

Hah...good, I wasn't looking forward to submitting this unit to Chord for a warranty claim ("sounds fine, but then I sent it to ASR which said it was running hot and the capacitor might be defective, but don't go to ASR's site just yet! Fix it first, then go...")

If you can be bothered, by all means send it to them. We've seen here some channel anomaly that didn't show up for Stereophile and we don't know if it's normal unit variation, a QA/QC thing, something broken, a testing problem etc. Chord are big enough to evaluate the unit on its merits and ignore a storm in a forum teacup, presumably. And here at the lively tea party, any result would be informative.

*I'm thinking Mad Hatter, not US political history, no offence intended to our American friends.