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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

AudioSceptic

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I'm not sore at you, but man you are doing some serious psychoanalysis. My point was about how all kinds of psychological effects affect our perception of sound, including worrying about if they get damaged. How the mind plays tricks on you, which is the post I was replying to.

I already have the system of my dreams, thank you. I don't know what kind of parties you go to (or not go to), but no one outside of hardcore audiophiles know what a DAVE is. Much less stare at it. A lot of people think these high end things are about status, that's really funny. You're not going to impress any dates with your audio system. If you're trying to impress someone, you buy a fancy car, watch, yacht, etc. You think wealth and income is inversely correlated with intelligence?

I bought the DAVE because I was chasing sound, and thought the DAVE brought quality sound commensurate to its price. That's why everyone who buys the DAVE (or the M Scaler) buys them- they think they will bring incredible sound. That's why I was treating it so preciously, not because of the money but because I thought it would be difficult to replace. Now I know that's all wrong. I'll use a $5 DAC if that gives the best sound and isn't ugly. The new Hifiman one that is the size of a quarter looks tempting, actually.

You need to turn your reasoning around. Why would indeed would I send the DAVE to ASR if I cared so much about it? I tried the topping because after my initial embarassment about the M Scaler, I thought I should keep an open mind and try what ranked highest on Amir's ranking. If you read carefully, I sent the DAVE to ASR *after* I bought and tried the Topping. Because I knew I was done with the DAVE, and wanted to see what ASR's measurements showed.
Again, I'm impressed with your reasonable, open minded attitude. You can at least get a lot of your money back by selling the Chord stuff. I doubt that its value will plummet just because it no longer has SOTA measurements (if it ever did). When has that ever mattered in High End audio anyway?
 

AudioSceptic

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That's the core of it. The entire packaging including its design story sends buyers there if they can afford it. Even I had no idea that it was different until I tested it.

We are very fortunate to have had you send it in for testing without fear or disappointment. I know a ton of local high-end audiophiles with systems costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. None of them remotely want to have their stuff tested. Heck, the one with the expensive system said elsewhere something to the effect that he would shoot anyone who gets within a mile of his system to have it measured! Shame as he has incredible list of gear for us to test. I would be willing to take my gear to his house even but know as I just said that I would not at all be welcome.
Amazing, isn't it? Is it only audio where this happens?
 

raif71

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I appreciate the way your comments conflict with your signature of "The highest activity a human being can attain is learning for understanding, because to understand is to be free. -- Spinoza" (copied here for context in case your signature changes)
Perhaps he's being emphatic and felt for the poor guy. Even though he has his stand, he can still understand what the other guy is going through and he's trying his best to understand. Maybe :)
 

srkbear

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@Jomungur apparently is classy and self-assured enough not to be sore at you for this comment. But your post is still gratuitous and condescending - not to mention hypocritical, as IMHO the evidence for status-seeking is much stronger in your comment than it is in Jomungur's gracious act of sending this unit in to Amir for testing.

(After all, even if it had tested exceptionally well, that level of performance would still be available for a fraction of the price, and so Jomungur would be open to that critique no matter what, and must have known that before sending the unit in. So clearly they were not status-seeking by sending it in.)
You’re absolutely correct, my post was a projection about something that had nothing to do with him and is not consistent with my values. I deserve your response.
 

srkbear

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Again, I'm impressed with your reasonable, open minded attitude. You can at least get a lot of your money back by selling the Chord stuff. I doubt that its value will plummet just because it no longer has SOTA measurements (if it ever did). When has that ever mattered in High End audio anyway?
I am impressed with his attitude as well.
 

Dogcoop

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For what it’s worth, I was upset when I wrote my response to him because I had just learned that the LGBT music forum I had created awhile back, which had been closed back then due to the disruption it caused, was ultimately deleted altogether—because some folks who wouldn’t tolerate its mere existence on here put up such a fit that the mods erased it all together.

I would have hoped that folks who espoused such intolerant views on here would have been the ones sanctioned (as I’m sure they would be if they espoused racist epithets), but apparently that’s not the case. And one of the mods whom I admire immensely responded with insouciance when I asked about it.

I was angry and humiliated when I learned of this, and I took it out on the nice gentleman who submitted his DAVE for review—which was totally uncalled for and deeply unfair to him. I sincerely apologize to all of ya’ll for my petty, self-centered actions. It doesn’t reflect who I am. Thanks for understanding.
Power to the LGBTQ community and shame on this site for removing your forum. I hope that LGBTQ members are not driven from this site because of the forum’s removal. I hope in the future we no longer have to use LGBTQ to define someone, but
just accept each other as fellow travelers on this possibly doomed planet. We ALL need music and the enjoyment it brings.
I hope your forum returns.
Cheers
 

tmtomh

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You’re absolutely correct, my post was a projection about something that had nothing to do with him and is not consistent with my values. I deserve your response.

Not only have you posted an apology for your post, but you have also taken the time to respond that way to multiple comments about your post. That takes character, and I commend you for it. If we call out questionable actions here, then we should also recognize and appreciate stand-up behavior too. So thank you!
 

tmtomh

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Thank you, truly. I honestly don’t want it to return—it caused enormous disruption by a few actors and I don’t want that—I’m here to discuss music and audio like everyone else. It just demoralizes me that mentioning who I am or my husband of 18 years is considered tantamount to discussing politics or religion, which are topics appropriately banned on here.

I was just grateful that they had left it up, closed to further comments to end the furor, so that other folks like me would see it and know that they’re safe and welcome here—but apparently a staunch faction of bigots wouldn’t stay quiet until they ran it out of town. I would hope that if anyone made racist or prejudicial comments on here that they would be the ones asked to leave—but apparently in my communities case they’re just asked to play nice. I wish it were different, but I’m used to it. I just want to move on.

I'm distressed to hear that forum was deleted. I can appreciate that the mods might have been in a difficult position and I don't necessarily blame them. But if it was removed because of strong complaints by members here, then that sucks - if members are complaining based on homophobia (or homophobia dressed up as "why should we make space for a special interest"), I would join you in condemning that. The historical (and current) contributions of LGBTQ+ people to society remain largely unknown and still partially hidden and erased from public awareness - and that is certainly true in the area of computers, math, and technology, from Alan Turing and John Nash to multiple current-day trans folks who run prominent tech and computer YouTuber channels. Plus if ASR is dedicated to science, then it would seem such prejudices have no place here.
 

raif71

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1659097078476.png
 

Axo1989

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Ahhh nice one.

I recall that thread. I sympathise with @srkbear's reaction to that for sure. Accomodating bigotry isn't an acceptable management response. Erasing history isn't either. It's perhaps more insidious. I'm glad he discussed it. I wouldn't have known otherwise.

Edit: and just in case the third-person sounded impersonal, I'm glad you discussed it @srkbear
 
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AdamG

Proving your point makes it “Science”.
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For what it’s worth, I was upset when I wrote my response to him because I had just learned that the LGBT music forum I had created awhile back, which had been closed back then due to the disruption it caused, was ultimately deleted altogether—because some folks who wouldn’t tolerate its mere existence on here put up such a fit that the mods erased it all together.

I would have hoped that folks who espoused such intolerant views on here would have been the ones sanctioned (as I’m sure they would be if they espoused racist epithets), but apparently that’s not the case. And one of the mods whom I admire immensely responded with insouciance when I asked about it.

I was angry and humiliated when I learned of this, and I took it out on the nice gentleman who submitted his DAVE for review—which was totally uncalled for and deeply unfair to him. I sincerely apologize to all of ya’ll for my petty, self-centered actions. It doesn’t reflect who I am. Thanks for understanding.
So you apologize to one party while targeting a new party and properly toss them under your bus! Thank you for that. With no clue as to how much energy, effort and time we may have invested to keep your LGBTQIA’s thread open! If making me your target makes you feel better then fine. Just don’t expect any favors or special treatment after burying your knife in my back. I certainly hope you feel better now. :mad:
 
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DSJR

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This lower end of the 'high end' market is ripe for the taking though and Chord here in the UK does seem best known for its digital products (not sure how well the currently simplified? amp range sells today)
 

Jomungur

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For what it’s worth, I was upset when I wrote my response to him because I had just learned that the LGBT music forum I had created awhile back, which had been closed back then due to the disruption it caused, was ultimately deleted altogether—because some folks who wouldn’t tolerate its mere existence on here put up such a fit that the mods erased it all together.

I would have hoped that folks who espoused such intolerant views on here would have been the ones sanctioned (as I’m sure they would be if they espoused racist epithets), but apparently that’s not the case. And one of the mods whom I admire immensely responded with insouciance when I asked about it.

I was angry and humiliated when I learned of this, and I took it out on the nice gentleman who submitted his DAVE for review—which was totally uncalled for and deeply unfair to him. I sincerely apologize to all of ya’ll for my petty, self-centered actions. It doesn’t reflect who I am. Thanks for understanding.
Hey, it's fine, I didn't realize all of this was going on in the background. Sorry to hear about all that.

I, too, am not trying to virtue signal by sending the DAVE, etc. in. I got something out of this process, too, with the measurements. It's never fun to realize you were ripped off, even if you can afford it, but no one forced me to buy these units. I'm not even upset with Rob Watts, I think he genuinely drinks his own kool-aid.

And kindness in the ASR forums? Who would have thought...
 

Jomungur

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Again, I'm impressed with your reasonable, open minded attitude. You can at least get a lot of your money back by selling the Chord stuff. I doubt that its value will plummet just because it no longer has SOTA measurements (if it ever did). When has that ever mattered in High End audio anyway?
Thanks. I think I will sell the DAVE since there's demand for it and it is a good DAC. Not sure about the M Scaler, because I don't think it does anything useful. I thought about donating it, but that doesn't make any sense either if it doesn't do anything.

Separate question for those who know: would the M Scaler or any upsampler be useful for a R2R DAC? Or does that defeat the point of an R2R DAC which doesn't oversample?

And for people who do want to buy these things, I see from the receipt I paid 85 83% of the list price when I ordered a new one, plus a separate small cash payment to the dealer on the side to cover lost commission. No idea if that's over or under typical but might be a useful benchmark when you negotiate.
 
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majingotan

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Separate question for those who know: would the M Scaler or any upsampler be useful for a R2R DAC? Or does that defeat the point of an R2R DAC which doesn't oversample?

Most people that I’ve seen who purchased a SOTA R2R DAC like the May KTE definitely prefer the OS sound subjectively through HQPLAYER. Most of them prefer the Sinc-L with 15th order noise shaper, the closest to M scaler with its 17th order noise shaper
 
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