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CHORD M-Scaler Review (Upsampler)

Rate this product:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 358 88.2%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 13 3.2%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther

    Votes: 7 1.7%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 28 6.9%

  • Total voters
    406

voodooless

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'I have simple tastes, I am always satisfied with the best.'
1668542498486.jpeg
 

ahofer

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I am not, I was just describing what I hear. And wanted to defend the M-Scaler somehow

So “describing what you hear” and “defend[ing] the M-Scaler” IS engaging in a discussion of the sound qualities of DACs. It seems to me you DO want to discuss it, but you don’t want to hear the opposing point of view, or have anyone question your subjective observations. I predict you will be unhappy here, if those are your goals.
 
OP
amirm

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'I have simple tastes, I am always satisfied with the best.'
Objectively and provably, you didn't get the best. Distortion is simply too high relative to its competitors.
 

pkane

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“Beliefs are hypotheses to be tested, not treasures to be guarded."

Your beliefs:

1. M-Scaler is the best
2. Your system is very resolving
3. Measurements don't show fully just how detailed, life-like and luscious the sound is through an M-Scaler and TT2

Your tests to test any of these: ???
 

oleg87

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I'm curious if you've tried to gauge the audibility of this device when controlling for expectation bias. Seems pretty trivial to set up a blind test (with some assistance).
 

Somafunk

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It may be that the measurements don't show it fully, but together with the TT2 it is just a combination that appears to made in heaven, detailed, spacious and lushious sound, simply a pleasure to listen

Detailed, spacious and lush, can all be attributed to the engineering and mastering of the source music.
 

ahofer

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OP
amirm

amirm

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Well, to me it sounds marvelous and distortion is low enough to be inaudible (at least to me and my very resolving system).
That and $5 will get you a cup of coffee. If you say something here and want it to matter to us, you need to demonstrate it to be true. One way to do that is to run a controlled test a dozen times and see if you can tell M-scalar is in the loop or not. If your system is highly resolving then it should be a walk in the park for you. Yet, you didn't do that and just want to repeat that it sounds great to you. It sounds great to you because it didn't screw up the sound that was already great to you.
 
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amirm

amirm

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Yes, but as people say where I spend my working life: There is no free lunch
This is not about free lunch. It is about paying for lunch and getting a picture of the food instead! You need to demonstrate that you were not swayed by marketing material to believe it makes an improvement. My extensive tests show that you are not going to perceive a difference in fidelity. Against that, you need to have a hell of a strong argument to the contrary, not just "I think it is making my system sound better." There are folks selling a box of dirt that they say it makes things sound better. There is no limit to the imagination of audiophiles as far as fidelity....
 

MacCali

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Well, to me it sounds marvelous and distortion is low enough to be inaudible (at least to me and my very resolving system).
Honestly we respect your opinion man. We cannot claim it’s accurate in our objective world. Nor is it bad, unless you factor in the cost.

Please consider for one, you cannot provide a realistic and precise benefit of the M scaler. Let’s say for example it made your system 10% better. If paying almost 10,000 dollars more for that than more power to you.

I’ll sacrifice that 10% in heart beat and it’s definitely not a price factor. I got money but absolutely hate getting ripped off.

Lastly, to your revealing system I’ve heard both units. The TT2 alone I will not say anything bad about, subjectively and definitely passes objectively. However in my experience the M scaler makes everything sound like crap to my ears. It literally feels like it downgraded the Dave, TT, and Qutest.

These feelings are sincerely way before these measurements, and when these measurements came out it basically think to myself this is why.

But yet again, not everyone likes everything to be exactly the same. If you are happy enjoy and thanks for sharing your opinion
 

MacCali

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I'd be interested to know how ones quantifies a luscious sound... or do you mean you only listen to this label?

Luscious+Sounds%2C+Label+logo.gif



JSmith
That’s what I just pointed out. I think everyone misses the point Amir is trying to make. “Don’t get ripped off!”

As stated in my last comment if he feels that it’s a 10-20% improvement over his last dac, which he cannot say or be sure of. How can you justify paying 10,000 for a ~20% improvement vs a 1000 dollar dac solo lol

That’s 10x the cost. But the worse part is he has absolutely no accurate idea how much the improvement is and is going to pay 10, 20, and up to 30x more

I personally feel like certain factors, and incorporating something new into your audio chain can create more of a palpable difference and that leads you to believe it’s an amazing product even if it’s objectively bad. More upon a synergistic basis
 

Ken Tajalli

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Honestly we respect your opinion man. We cannot claim it’s accurate in our objective world. Nor is it bad, unless you factor in the cost.

Please consider for one, you cannot provide a realistic and precise benefit of the M scaler. Let’s say for example it made your system 10% better. If paying almost 10,000 dollars more for that than more power to you.

I’ll sacrifice that 10% in heart beat and it’s definitely not a price factor. I got money but absolutely hate getting ripped off.

Lastly, to your revealing system I’ve heard both units. The TT2 alone I will not say anything bad about, subjectively and definitely passes objectively. However in my experience the M scaler makes everything sound like crap to my ears. It literally feels like it downgraded the Dave, TT, and Qutest.

These feelings are sincerely way before these measurements, and when these measurements came out it basically think to myself this is why.

But yet again, not everyone likes everything to be exactly the same. If you are happy enjoy and thanks for sharing your opinion
I like Chord DACs. I have a couple, probably buy a TT2 in near future.
Having said that, when I heard the mScaler at CanJam London this year connected to a Dave, using my own headphones and a pair of DCA Stealth, I was not blown away!
Was it effective ? yes it was, at half setting mostly. It does improve perceived sound subjectively . Not a lot!
It is too expensive to have "value for money".
Is it snake oil? No, definitely not.
It is (to me) more of an indulgence, if one has the money.
But in the universe of Uber high end fancy hifi world, it is a cheap must-have! God knows what some are charging (in that universe) for devices that are useless at best, crap in some cases .
One should not compare it to the likes of Topping or other selected high value Chinese devices.
 

Blumlein 88

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I like Chord DACs. I have a couple, probably buy a TT2 in near future.
Having said that, when I heard the mScaler at CanJam London this year connected to a Dave, using my own headphones and a pair of DCA Stealth, I was not blown away!
Was it effective ? yes it was, at half setting mostly. It does improve perceived sound subjectively . Not a lot!
It is too expensive to have "value for money".
Is it snake oil? No, definitely not.
It is (to me) more of an indulgence, if one has the money.
But in the universe of Uber high end fancy hifi world, it is a cheap must-have! God knows what some are charging (in that universe) for devices that are useless at best, crap in some cases .
One should not compare it to the likes of Topping or other selected high value Chinese devices.
So how do you suppose this magic happens? What part is making an audible difference?
 
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