After adding an Audio Research Ref5 SE, the score went up to 225. With the Ref 5, the score was the same as using the MSB volume control.
MSB Diamond DAC IV Reviewed By Stereophile
- Thread starter catastrofe
- Start date
After adding an Audio Research Ref5 SE, the score went up to 225. With the Ref 5, the score was the same as using the MSB volume control.
I would need to check with regards to Vivaldi/MSB.
Understood about the difference, why it will be interesting to see orther reviews about the DAC IV Plus in comparison to DAC IV without Galaxy clock.
I have to say the DAC IV has freaking amazing measurements, and that is without the upgrade clock.
Would love to hear the product myself, as seems to be one of the top runners against the sigma delta architecture DACs.
Cheers
Orb
Lloyd,
that the Vol6/no2 issue (Apr-Jun 2012)?
Will need to look and find it, pain in back side when subscribing to 5 paperbased publications
Cheers
Orb
Yes, that looks like the one. Good review. I've only read a few like that from MC. One was the Krell FPB650...a complete resetting of the bar, the Wilson X1 Series 1...another resetting of all expectations of the possible, and to a lesser extent the Guarneri Homage. And this article suggests it sets another bar without doubt...in much the way the X1 did in 1994.
I showed Vince this link and this did the trick. Just ordered the Femto 140 clock, and will have a 10 day return option. Not expecting to excercise it, but you never know.....
Trying to get the USB drivers to work with the MSB.
Everything installs just fine, but then the only output option that shows up are "speakers" not any USB device. So I cannot get the PC to output to USB. Any idea what is going wrong?The driver is installed and working. I have output set to ASIO in JRIver, using the MSB Asio driver.
Any suggestions?
Everything installs just fine, but then the only output option that shows up are "speakers" not any USB device. So I cannot get the PC to output to USB. Any idea what is going wrong?The driver is installed and working. I have output set to ASIO in JRIver, using the MSB Asio driver.
Any suggestions?
Last edited:
Quick update. The speaker icon is not a problem - this is how the DAC shows as an output device in windows. I was still was not getting sound. MSB then informed me there are (a) compatibility issues with some version of the SotM card, (b) issues with audophile USB cables that are not build to USB specs.
So I finally got it to work using a standard USB cable, but still having problems getting my CAPS 2.0 to see the DAC. This is probably related to the SotM card. In any event, I can now compare USB direct with AES/EBU trough the Offramp 5, and if I get Dirac Live to work on my CAPS 2.0 I can also compare Dirac on the PC with running through an outboard Trinnov box, versus using no DRC at all.
So I finally got it to work using a standard USB cable, but still having problems getting my CAPS 2.0 to see the DAC. This is probably related to the SotM card. In any event, I can now compare USB direct with AES/EBU trough the Offramp 5, and if I get Dirac Live to work on my CAPS 2.0 I can also compare Dirac on the PC with running through an outboard Trinnov box, versus using no DRC at all.
Sunday afternoon shootout results:
Offramp 5 USB converter versus MSB USB input. Verdict: MSB USB wins handily.
Trinnov room correction on/off. Still easily prefer Trinnov over no DRC. So my target configuration is to get dirac live running on my server, use USB direct into the MSB and ditch the Offramp 5. The Trinnov stays for multi channel only.
Since I finally got the MSB USB input set up, I was able to play some of my SACS rips via DoP. Verdict: DoP beats conversion to PCM in Jriver hands down. Also, I have Friday night in San Fransisco as DSD SACD rip, 96/24 PCM dowload, and 44/16 rip. DSD rules.
Femto clock will be arriving on thursday - more shootouts ahead next week-end. Hopefully I can get dirac live to work as well by then.
Offramp 5 USB converter versus MSB USB input. Verdict: MSB USB wins handily.
Trinnov room correction on/off. Still easily prefer Trinnov over no DRC. So my target configuration is to get dirac live running on my server, use USB direct into the MSB and ditch the Offramp 5. The Trinnov stays for multi channel only.
Since I finally got the MSB USB input set up, I was able to play some of my SACS rips via DoP. Verdict: DoP beats conversion to PCM in Jriver hands down. Also, I have Friday night in San Fransisco as DSD SACD rip, 96/24 PCM dowload, and 44/16 rip. DSD rules.
Femto clock will be arriving on thursday - more shootouts ahead next week-end. Hopefully I can get dirac live to work as well by then.
MSB IV Plus vs MSB IV
Hi Orb,
I replaced my MSB IV dac with the new IV Plus a month ago.
I did a direct comparison : IV Plus vs IV vs IV Signature. All of them were with the Signature Powerbase & a MSB Data 4 cd transport.
IV Plus KO the IV easily : quieter; more solid images within the soundstage; much more analog-like & musical sound.
IMHO the IV Plus is on par with the older IV Signature that doesn't have Femto/Galaxy clock.
I can image that the IV with the add-on Galaxy clock will be even better.
Hi Orb,
I replaced my MSB IV dac with the new IV Plus a month ago.
I did a direct comparison : IV Plus vs IV vs IV Signature. All of them were with the Signature Powerbase & a MSB Data 4 cd transport.
IV Plus KO the IV easily : quieter; more solid images within the soundstage; much more analog-like & musical sound.
IMHO the IV Plus is on par with the older IV Signature that doesn't have Femto/Galaxy clock.
I can image that the IV with the add-on Galaxy clock will be even better.
I will plunk a new Femto 140 clock (plus status) into my signature IV this evening, adding another datapoint to the discussion.
MSB's USB2 Signature 384 option
Hi edorr,
I installed the USB2 Signature 384 option on my new MSB IV Plus too.
When I received the USB option package, I thought it looked small in size, ugly & cheapy for the high price of USD1395.
However its performance is surprisingly good. No wonder you say that it's better than the Offramp5.
BTW I find DSD file playback via USB very enjoyable.
Do you have the new Opus DSD Sampler? They are amazing!
http://shop.dsdfile.com/category/samplers/
Cheers,
CK
Hi edorr,
I installed the USB2 Signature 384 option on my new MSB IV Plus too.
When I received the USB option package, I thought it looked small in size, ugly & cheapy for the high price of USD1395.
However its performance is surprisingly good. No wonder you say that it's better than the Offramp5.
BTW I find DSD file playback via USB very enjoyable.
Do you have the new Opus DSD Sampler? They are amazing!
http://shop.dsdfile.com/category/samplers/
Cheers,
CK
I played all of two DSD tracks to date. Both sounded phenomenal, and much better than what I recalled from the PCM conversion. I will download some DSD and HirRez PCM of the same recording from channel classic to do an apples to apples comparison between the formats.
Thanks for the Opus link. I was wondering where I could get my hands on some dss128 content.
I bought my DAC with USB installed, so thankfully I never had to go through the experience of being reminded I just paid over a grand for $50 worth of electronics. It sounds pretty damn good though...
DSD file playback
Hi edorr,
IMHO DSD file playback possesses some magic. They are more musical than PCM high resolution files which are sometimes too raw/direct/tiring.
I have such feelings when comparing the 2L DSD samples & DXD samples obtained from their website.
BTW I will have an interesting shootout tomorrow : my IV Plus vs my friend's MSB IV with external Antelope Audio Trinity+10M atomic clock combo.
The Antelope Audio flagship atomic clock combo is not chopped liver. The price is much higher than a Femto140 add-on option but the latter shall be more accurate and located much nearer to the dac circuit.
I will report the shootout result in this forum later.
Hi edorr,
IMHO DSD file playback possesses some magic. They are more musical than PCM high resolution files which are sometimes too raw/direct/tiring.
I have such feelings when comparing the 2L DSD samples & DXD samples obtained from their website.
BTW I will have an interesting shootout tomorrow : my IV Plus vs my friend's MSB IV with external Antelope Audio Trinity+10M atomic clock combo.
The Antelope Audio flagship atomic clock combo is not chopped liver. The price is much higher than a Femto140 add-on option but the latter shall be more accurate and located much nearer to the dac circuit.
I will report the shootout result in this forum later.
True, but well recorder plain 44/16 can sound so phenomenally good and musically satisfying I don't lose one minute of sleep over what format I am playing and try to just focus in the content side of things....
Agree with you 100%. The content is more important than format/sonic quality.
And i have many CD and am too lazy to rip them. haha
Similar threads
 | Steve Williams Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator |  | Ron Resnick Site Co-Owner | Administrator |  | Julian (The Fixer) Website Build | Marketing Managersing |