MSB Signature dac iv plus vs CH Precision

audioblazer

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I m considering MSB Signature IV DAC with Diamond PSU with Galaxy Clock . However I have heard CH Precision & it sounded very good as well. Anybody has compare these unit selling for about the same price ie in the region of USD30k .
 

Elberoth

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Haven't heard the CH Precision, but should heve the dCS Vivaldi in the next two days to compare it to the MSB Signature IV DAC with Signature PSU and Galaxy Femto Clock I have at home right now.

I believe the Vivaldi is also around $30k (DAC only).

Both will be used via USB and AES (Berkeley Alpha USB).
 

edorr

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May 10, 2010
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Haven't heard the CH Precision, but should heve the dCS Vivaldi in the next two days to compare it to the MSB Signature IV DAC with Signature PSU and Galaxy Femto Clock I have at home right now.

I believe the Vivaldi is also around $30k (DAC only).

Both will be used via USB and AES (Berkeley Alpha USB).

Didn't you have a Diamond instead of a Signature?
 

Elberoth

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Both were loaners. The Diamond from the distributor, and the Signature from a good friend of mine. I still have the Berkeley Alpha 2 DAC and Alpha USB combo.
 

edorr

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Both were loaners. The Diamond from the distributor, and the Signature from a good friend of mine. I still have the Berkeley Alpha 2 DAC and Alpha USB combo.

On a scale of 1-100, with the Diamond being a 100, how would you rank the Signature? I don't think I'll do the upgrade (spending fatigue is kicking in...), but if I ever changed my mind, all input is welcome.....
 

asiufy

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Add the Scarlatti and Vivaldi to the score too, please :)


alexandre
 

LL21

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Very much looking forward to reading this thread. While deciding whether or not to stay with Zanden & Redbook, I looked into new digital a little and listened to a fair amount (Metronome Kalista Ref/C2A, Meridian 808.2, ARC CD8, Krell 505, Stahl-Tek Vekian, TAD digital, Audio Aero, Esoteric X-01SE, Wadia s7 and a few others)...and eventually stopped looking, happy to stay with Zanden with some very nice tweaks I figured out on my own.

However, I never got to hear 3 of the top guys on that list: MSB Diamond, CH Precision and Stahl-Tek Vekian Opus. So curious to read more about at least CHP and MSB!
 

Aoyama

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Jun 3, 2013
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Hello just to a note, from a owner of a MSB Signature IV with galaxy clock and diamond power base, try another isolations from rack he is very sensitive to it.

Now i'm using tenderfoots from herbie's audio labs with baby boots on stock spikes.

The differences are so big.

[]s
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Hello just to a note, from a owner of a MSB Signature IV with galaxy clock and diamond power base, try another isolations from rack he is very sensitive to it.

Now i'm using tenderfoots from herbie's audio labs with baby boots on stock spikes.

The differences are so big.

[]s

Good to know. Congratulations! Have you tried Stillpoints Ultra SS or Ultra 5s under your MSB?
 

microstrip

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Haven't heard the CH Precision, but should heve the dCS Vivaldi in the next two days to compare it to the MSB Signature IV DAC with Signature PSU and Galaxy Femto Clock I have at home right now.

I believe the Vivaldi is also around $30k (DAC only).

Both will be used via USB and AES (Berkeley Alpha USB).

Elberoth,
Remember that sleepless nights can affect your body! ;)
 

Portugal

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Jan 13, 2013
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(...) should heve the dCS Vivaldi in the next two days to compare it to the MSB Signature IV DAC with Signature PSU and Galaxy Femto Clock I have at home right now.

I believe the Vivaldi is also around $30k (DAC only).

Both will be used via USB and AES (Berkeley Alpha USB).

This is very interesting! Looking forward for your impressions.
 

Elberoth

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This is very interesting! Looking forward for your impressions.

Pedro, this is the one you listened to when you visited me (MSB DAC IV Signature). Now with Magico S5s, it sounds even better than it did with Sasha.
 

Portugal

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Pedro, this is the one you listened to when you visited me (MSB DAC IV Signature). Now with Magico S5s, it sounds even better than it did with Sasha.

Yes, I remember well the great sound in your listening room. A milestone in my audiofile experience. It will be interesting to understand how will the Vivaldi change that sound.

I guess that Vivaldi + S5 justify a visit to Poland, soon ;)
 

Jazzhead

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Elberoth

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Yes, I remember well the great sound in your listening room. A milestone in my audiofile experience. It will be interesting to understand how will the Vivaldi change that sound.

I guess that Vivaldi + S5 justify a visit to Poland, soon ;)

Pedro, you are most welcome anytime !
 

asiufy

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I'm curious to hear the CH Precision. It got recomended to me by Hervé Deletraz. He knows some of the designers, and they even included a BNC/Zeel 50 ohm analog output on the DAC!
So, if any darTZeel owners are able to test these with their 18NS, I'd love to hear about it :)


alexandre
 

AudioExplorations

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I'm curious to hear the CH Precision. It got recomended to me by Hervé Deletraz. He knows some of the designers, and they even included a BNC/Zeel 50 ohm analog output on the DAC!
So, if any darTZeel owners are able to test these with their 18NS, I'd love to hear about it :)
alexandre

+1. And going direct to the 108 via zeel 50ohm (not sure if the CH has integrated volume).
 

Elberoth

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Adam, this is the thread we have all been waiting for ;).

I know, I'm guilty as charged. I never managed to bring it home. Hopefully that will happen in the next two or three weeks.
 

georgemg

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Feb 11, 2013
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I listened to some digital sources said above, when I was in the Kempisky hotel listen to Ch precison, when I asked to compare the CHprecison DAC with a music server versus CH precison transport, the same music( D. Krall), I could change the the source with remote control A X B, for me and one friend the music coming from the notebook was a little fuller, and the transport costs more than 8 times the notebook, so I then I began to wonder if it worth investing in transport, because the transport of dCS, Sthal-tek, Ch precison are not cheap, the problem for me is still in DSD, I do not know if Sthal-tek suport DSD. The new dac of gryphon can be an alternative, the problem is to know how much this DAC contributed the great quality of the gryphon setup in Munich 2013, and there is the new Medus of Weiss and the new Nagra DAC. At this point I think the best for me is to wait a little longer maybe until the end of the year, two years ago, someone said that the Zanden was working on a new dac that supported dsd, maybe is better to wait. The choice between CHrpecison and MSB is a particular preference, the ideal would be to listen in similar setups, both are very good, I would prefer one of the two in relation to vivaldi , although only listened vivaldi twice, and if I have to choose one now would be the gryphon DAC.
 
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