Millennial Magic - How the DAC64 Rocketed Chord Electronics into the Digital Converter Super League!

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In this episode, Mike and David remember Chord's first ever digital converter, launched in 2001. Not only was it the most radically styled DAC on the market, it had a unique, bespoke architecture that was far in advance of almost anything else around. The guys agree that it was a seriously special product, and reckon it still sounds surprisingly good today.
Each episode of Hi-Fi Riff features Mike and David's unedited, unexpurgated views about all manner of weird and wonderful hi-fi designs. Business executive Mike has a wealth of knowledge from previous hi-fi retail experience, and David has written about hi-fi for thirty years. Now Editor-in-Chief of StereoNET, he's picked up a few things along the way.
So relax and enjoy some one-take hi-fi riffing - and please leave your comments below. And don’t forget to hit the Subscribe button, this one goes up to eleven!
The eighties-tastic title tune is called ‘UFO/Mike’s Jumper’, and used with the express permission of our old pal and rights holder Simon Lythe.
Follow Hi-Fi Riff on Instagram here: hifiriff

Опубликовано:

17 окт 2024

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Комментарии : 65

@jakbenardete7707 7 месяцев назад

I bought this DAC in 2008, I think it was the most or second most expensive DAC back then, and finally sold it in 2019. I haven't found anything that's as good as it was that I can afford. I might have to spend above $10K to try to get there. I still think it's a fantastic DAC, and writing this I realize, what a mistake it was to sell it.

@nickevans3190 7 месяцев назад

I would try and find a naim dac which I found to be better sounding and even better when paired when paired with the naim XPS PSU

@dangeorgecommunications 7 месяцев назад

Such an entertaining episode! The 2000-launched DAC 64 is a landmark product on the audio landscape and lives on in the flagship DAVE which can be improved further with an M Scaler, of course.

@JCW-jx6ld 7 месяцев назад

Wonderful stuff .Every pub needs these guys in the corner yacking🤗

@davidwilliams2840 7 месяцев назад

I had a tube technology 64 which had the chord DAC in it sounded phenomenal one of the best CD players I've ever owned

@Ricky-cl5bu 7 месяцев назад

I’ve never heard a dac 64 but always liked them the looks and sound

@pew32 7 месяцев назад

It was great to meet you both at the Bristol show, I got hat same cold I was rough as toast,

@MrVinylista 7 месяцев назад

Yep, not fun! Hope you're on the mend.

@titntin5178 7 месяцев назад

Thanks guys, always a pleasure listening to your pearls of wisdom! I love that Chord refuse to stick to the 'mold' and do things the way others do. Therein lies the route to true inventiveness. In particular, this thing looks great to my eyes and I'd be very proud to have that on my Hi Fi table. Viva la difference!

@nickevans3190 7 месяцев назад

I totally agree etc they now use cheap & nasty switch mode 3-pin power brick, power supply is extremely important to get a high quality Mains supply

@martinbishop2966 7 месяцев назад

Great video, I bought a Chord Dac 64 mk 2 in December 2007 and it has been in my system ever since. This is truly one of rhe most outstanding components of the last 20 years and I would concur with your score of 10/10. Keep up the good work! 🙂

@andrewlittleboy8532 7 месяцев назад

At least they put a proper psu inside this one! 44.1 can really be all you need. Tried lots of hires and never been impressed by any of it. If you watch the hifi shows on yt, nearly all the rooms are still playing 44.1 16bit content! Another fantastic review chaps! 😊

@nickevans3190 7 месяцев назад

Exactly Andrew now a days Chord use cheap and nasty switch mode power brick when we all no the power supply is extremely important to the overhaul sound quality

@lewiswaddo5045 3 месяца назад

I have the MKII and love it. Use it daily.

@roryyoung6192 7 месяцев назад

Great Riff as always and its refreshing to hear that old kit can still sound fantastic! It's not all about the measurements that we are led to believe nowadays, it's more about the implementation to get a good sound. Get well soon, David.

@razisn 7 месяцев назад

What one thinks is 'good' sound just reflects one's preferences and auditory system and is also heavily biased by the material one tends to listen to as well as the rest of the system and also the listening conditions. What the measurements strive to reflect are whether the sound is neutral and uncoloured by the hardware. Let us not confuse these two quite different things.

@MrVinylista 7 месяцев назад

@@razisn Agreed, but measurements often give a partial, rather two-dimensional view of things. They can explain why something doesn't sound good, but are less good at explaining why something does sound good. One of the most interesting facets of my career was working very closely first with Noel Keywood and then Paul Miller, who would measure everything I reviewed. We'd often discuss these measurements before the reviews started. These are some of the most experienced guys in the business and have measured hundreds of thousands of products between them, I would guess. Even they would not claim that measurements give a fully rounded view of a product's sound.

@razisn 7 месяцев назад

@@MrVinylista Did I argue that 'measurements give a fully rounded view' or whatever else you're arguing for above? I said that measurements STRIVE to measure NEUTRALITY and NOT 'goodness' whatever that is.. I also said that 'goodness' is pretty subjective and dependent on many external factors too.

@MrVinylista 7 месяцев назад

@@razisn I'm not disagreeing, just expanding on your point. Measurements are very useful yardsticks, and as you say there's no room for subjectivity with them. A poor wow and flutter figure on a turntable is a poor wow and flutter figure, and you can't argue your way out of that with metaphysical notions of 'goodness'. I'm just pointing out that they tell some of the story, not all of it.

@charlesnr 7 месяцев назад

Oh my, reading David in HiFi World 30 years ago.

@MrVinylista 7 месяцев назад

Time flies when you're having fun!

@jedi-mic 7 месяцев назад

what Is it like through a mains filter conditioner? You could use an ifi USB to S/pdif if you wanted to that probably work well

@mccrispy 7 месяцев назад

speaking of classic gear and repair/refurb of same... does anyone have pointers to a service that can refurb my Audiolab 8000A on which many of the connector posts have become brittle and snapped off? I'm in North Hampshire UK. (If there's a appropriate/suitable subreddit or other forum to go talk to, please point me at it) Thx

@stewstube70 7 месяцев назад

I bought the mk2 version of this 2nd hand for a very good price in about 2004 or 2005. Still running it today. I tried a Qutest when it came out as a possible replacement but was not impressed by its "incisive" sound signature - headache inducing more like. I'm not sure why Chord have moved in that direction, most people prefer something on the warmer side of neutral.

@jeffstockton534 7 месяцев назад

Beers and bants. Thank you, men.

@GeorgeJohnson-nw7dn 7 месяцев назад

Where did you get the Rush starman statuette ? I need one....

@JohnSmith-of4vh 6 месяцев назад

I bought my 3020 in 1981 & am still using it every day. It probably won't last 'till 2112!

@chewy560 7 месяцев назад

I auditioned this at the time but Eventually purchased Weiss dac 202 which Still sounds impressive. Also tried Dave, but again didn’t really connect with sound, eventually went with DCS Bartók.

@martinscase3904 7 месяцев назад

I have a late 2000s PS Audio Digital Link DAC that I use a usb to S/PDIF adapter (by M2tech) to run hi-res from my laptop to the coax input on the DAC. Sounds far superior to the USB input and no limitation on the hi-res. Sounds lovely, very analogue and like this 'vintage' Chord reminds you that there's more to DAC sound quality than the latest converter chip technology. Couldn't one use a similar converter with this Chord?

@andrewlittleboy8532 7 месяцев назад

I agree, USB to me even done 'properly' sounds very poor compared to coax. It's just a flawed connection, it's why companies are moving to is2 apparently.

@helivet 7 месяцев назад

Another thoroughly enjoyable video fellas, but I think you got a little side tracked at the end there and didn't actually give it a Riffometer score! (I'm guessing 9.5's all round)

@oohtob6685 7 месяцев назад

I couldn't afford the DaCappo at the time so i got the next 1 down the Ordinal. It was a fabulous sound.

@MrVinylista 7 месяцев назад

Absolutely, those were great DACs and of course designed by John Westlake who really knows his stuff.

@oohtob6685 7 месяцев назад

@@MrVinylista I'd buy one today if they came on the market new. Depth lush and rich sounding from my memory.

@RearEntry 7 месяцев назад

Would love to see a comparison by you guys between the chord tt2 with mScaler vs the dCS Lina or Bartock

@MrVinylista 7 месяцев назад

We can certainly do that. The Bartok is a superb DAC, especially with the new firmware. Funnily enough, the better that Chord and dCS DACs get, the more similar the sound gets.

@RearEntry 7 месяцев назад

@@MrVinylista That would be greatly appreciated as I own the tt 2 combo but am getting another case of the old upgradeditis… thanks gents as always stellar content 👌🏆

@garth56 7 месяцев назад

A little tear when looking at this.. I bought one of these way back when and loved it..I had then a Micromega transport, the top one then, with the perspex lid..The Chord stayed for 5 months until I bought a dCS DAC.. I'm so glad old digital is coming back just like the vinyl resurgence.. Buy CD's because downloads are on the down turn..I've bought so much vinyl and cd's and cheaply but it's not going to last as prices are going to rocket... As usual guys great.. Hey how about transports review from low to mega.. I can think of a few..????

@andrewlittleboy8532 7 месяцев назад

You're absolutely right, I've been saying it for a while and I keep reading it. I buy lots of cd's especially at 99p! Although quite a few have been around the £40 mark for 1st press copies. I've even sent some away to be fully refurbished and they come back like new. I love cd's. I have two cd players in my system, a brand new DENON DCDA110 and Tag Mclaren DAC20 that I really love.

@garth56 7 месяцев назад

@@andrewlittleboy8532 Way better than downloads.. And thank you just keep buying and love music my friend!!

@andrewlittleboy8532 7 месяцев назад

Absolutely! @@garth56

@garth56 7 месяцев назад

@@andrewlittleboy8532 Oh I forgot to tell you and I think it's going to be another great medium..Actually it still is..I have a Studer B215S cassette deck and it gives my transport/dac combo a run for it's money.. The B215S gives even my Dohmann Helix 1 V3 again a good run..The Studer and metal cassette is so under rated.. I can't be bothered with reel to reel it's too much effort. It's the best bust not practical. The Studer out does the Dragon or any Nak by quite a margin..If you haven't go listen you'll fall over!!

@MrVinylista 7 месяцев назад

@@garth56 Lovely cassette deck, always wanted one!

@kjbunnyboiler 7 месяцев назад

Evening gents👍👍👍

@asrarul12 7 месяцев назад

Absence of a USB would certainly rule out the DAC today BUT YES, if you're not listening to Hi-Res, then the DAC still stands out almost a quarter of a century later.

@andrewlittleboy8532 7 месяцев назад

As someone who only buys vinyl and cd's and sold all their somewhat expensive streaming kit in favour of going back to cd's for absolute pure enjoyment I'd love to try one. That's one good thing as when this expensive kit goes out of date people like me can pick it up cheap.😊

@MrVinylista 7 месяцев назад

@@HectorHughMunro Indeed. I use an old Musical Fidelity V Link.

@MacsMachines 5 месяцев назад

Nice to see you celebrating great Chord legacy products, unlike their sales guys at the Bristol show (chucking them under a bus over their new stuff).

@Hi-FiRiff 5 месяцев назад

A bit silly really... it's how they got to where they are now! Mike

@majtextwriter1794 7 месяцев назад

What about Numerik? I will pay for a beer or two or three....

@pittsburghpenguinstv9735 7 месяцев назад

Skill question for Dave: Which DAC is inside the Bowers & Wilkins A7?

@MrVinylista 7 месяцев назад

B&W portables of that era used Analog Devices - so that's my guess!

@sunilm3181 7 месяцев назад

How mola mola tambaqui sounds compared to chord house sound?

@MrVinylista 7 месяцев назад

I would say the Chord sound is more rhythmically engaging and animated. MM sound is super polished and detailed.

@sunilm3181 7 месяцев назад

Thank you David. I'm looking for a DAC with good PRAT, like my Sonneteer Alabaster. So I think Chord is a better choice for me. Any advice for a streamer to go with Chord TT2 ?

@MrVinylista 7 месяцев назад

@@sunilm3181 Yes, Chord DACs do PRAT very well. How much have you got to spend on your streamer?

@sunilm3181 7 месяцев назад

Not decided yet. Please give me two options- below & above $5000. Do Chord TT2 need a separate power supply- MRCU as mentioned by you or Sean Jacob ? Have a Leben CS600X as well - bit thick sounding compared to Sonneteer. I think Chord might match with Leben well. Speakers are Falcon gold badge.

@oliverbeard7912 7 месяцев назад

No offence intended to owners of this,but to me it looks a bit like David is holding an oversized instant camera.

@steven2809 7 месяцев назад

🤔

@robertgough5804 7 месяцев назад

Didnt like my qutest anyone wanna buy it. Much prefer moon dac. Great riff why r they better on the black couch rather than the cram one with fluffy cushions

@MrVinylista 7 месяцев назад

Try an MCRU power supply for it.