I would "like" your post but I hardly think like is appropriate.
So here are some angry faces for you. They are yours to deploy as you see fit.
CHORD ELECTRONICS DAVE
- Thread starter magiccabbage
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So here are some angry faces for you. They are yours to deploy as you see fit.
Man that’s so cool. I would be stoked.
paulrbarnard
100+ Head-Fier
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I’m discovering some DAVE magic. It actually does an incredible job with low quantity data. I usually play high sample rate FLAC or stream from QoBuz. I just played a low res file from my old iTunes library 256kbps AAC and it sounds pretty dammed fine. I wasn’t expecting that.
MvRBE10
Member of the Trade: Farad Power Supplies
I compared pictures of different ages dave and i think there were three versions power supply used in the dave. All had diff serial stickers etc. But prob the same specs. Nothing special. These cost the same as a post-stamp if bought in numbers.
I think underneath the display is a pcb screw that has to be removed when the main pcb has to come out. The display i think is sort of sticked on to it. I can image they replace it to be safe.
We also found that the early daves have different cnc measurement of the top lid and casing. Top gap is tighter and gap in the main body is less deep. So somewere during production changed or company change and drawings were revised maybe due to different ac inlet company. These things happen.
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Just going back to the Farad install procedure...
When removing the eight bolts which secure the porthole ring, I recommend gradually loosening them in a diagonal sequence.
I do not think it is a good idea to start at one bolt and then work around the porthole removing the bolts as you go. If you do this then there will be a time when the porthole is still tightly secured on one side and completely free on the other. At this point the metal ring might distort so cracking the glass.
Thinking of the eight bolts as being on the points of a compass, a suitable diagonal sequence might be N S E W NW SE NE SW. Loosen the bolts gradually so that you have to do the sequence at least twice before all the bolts are completely loose and can be removed just with fingers. When replacing the porthole cover also do a diagonal sequence while tightening the bolts.
As a child, I often helped my brother strip and rebuild motorcycle engines. This kind of diagonal sequence was essential when working on cylinder heads. Otherwise the head could distort causing gasket leaks and even severely damaging the camshafts.
When I was working on the DAVE, I used these diagonal sequences without thinking about it.
Another point I might make is to try to avoid using a tool with a long lever on these bolts. Aluminium is a comparatively soft metal and it would be very easy to strip the threads in the lid if using a tool that can exert too much torque.
A good rule of thumb in these situations is: tighten until finger tight and use the tool to turn no more than a quarter turn beyond that.
I hope this helps to keep you SJ and Farad adopters safe!
When removing the eight bolts which secure the porthole ring, I recommend gradually loosening them in a diagonal sequence.
I do not think it is a good idea to start at one bolt and then work around the porthole removing the bolts as you go. If you do this then there will be a time when the porthole is still tightly secured on one side and completely free on the other. At this point the metal ring might distort so cracking the glass.
Thinking of the eight bolts as being on the points of a compass, a suitable diagonal sequence might be N S E W NW SE NE SW. Loosen the bolts gradually so that you have to do the sequence at least twice before all the bolts are completely loose and can be removed just with fingers. When replacing the porthole cover also do a diagonal sequence while tightening the bolts.
As a child, I often helped my brother strip and rebuild motorcycle engines. This kind of diagonal sequence was essential when working on cylinder heads. Otherwise the head could distort causing gasket leaks and even severely damaging the camshafts.
When I was working on the DAVE, I used these diagonal sequences without thinking about it.
Another point I might make is to try to avoid using a tool with a long lever on these bolts. Aluminium is a comparatively soft metal and it would be very easy to strip the threads in the lid if using a tool that can exert too much torque.
A good rule of thumb in these situations is: tighten until finger tight and use the tool to turn no more than a quarter turn beyond that.
I hope this helps to keep you SJ and Farad adopters safe!
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I do not know anything about the firmware update.
Neither do I know anything about possible variations in the psu that have been used.
(Chord please look away now!
) When I open the lid again if I notice any differences I will mention them here.
Everything will have to bed in again and then I'll get my listening hat back on.
Rob Watts
Member of the Trade: Chord Electronics
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Kudos to Chord for such customer service. I'm wondering what was updated in the firmware.
@Rob Watts anything we should know about?
The new display requires a different protocol to drive it, so the FPGA needs updating. No change to SQ at all.
I do not know anything about the firmware update.
Neither do I know anything about possible variations in the psu that have been used.
(Chord please look away now!
When I open the lid again if I notice any differences I will mention them here.
Everything will have to bed in again and then I'll get my listening hat back on.
Please listen to the unit first. Don't assume linear PSU is better...
I would assume @SteveHulk has been listening to the stock power supply for 5+ years. It would be cool if someone had 2 Dave’s and did a A/B.
Yah.... Two DAVE's in dual mono giving out 2 million Taps (with Scalers)... wussssuupppp....
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I did that but with another custom psu, not the Farad. I think Dave's internal filtering and the stock psu are clearly thought as a package deal. If Farad has considered this, great, but the other modified psu clearly hadn't. It sounded better than my stock Dave on a high end speaker rig, but fell apart with direct headphone listening. It was much worse. Then again it was never tested for this during development.I would assume @SteveHulk has been listening to the stock power supply for 5+ years. It would be cool if someone had 2 Dave’s and did a A/B.
Make of it what you will, but I got home and ordered the Isotek Genesis One. I now keep it plugged into my Isotek Aquarius (the cumulative effect is to die for) and I would describe this improvement more significant than what i heard with the custom Dave on the speaker rig. It's also more expansive sadly.
Yes, power improvements do the scale with Dave tremendously, but not all modifications are actual improvements.
If it sounded worse on headphones then it also should sound bad on speakers. If it sounded good on speakers it should also sound good on headphones.
So your opinion is... Strange. Or in another words useless. Sorry
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Wow, I came back to this thread after a month and took me 30 seconds to regret it. The reason Dave sounds better after optimization is less noise. As Rob explained, an LPSU will probably inject more noise and make it sound worse. Direct to (THAT ) modified Dave you're plugging right into an amp with a dumpster fire of a power delivery system. If you go through 30k worth of pre+ amp before outputting to speakers those might actually change the equation. Shocking, i know.
Didn't take you for a zealot before but it looks like the echo chambers do their thing. FWIW i also thought the Farad3 sounded worse on the M-scaler than the stock wall wart and the M-scaler was unlistenable unless on a battery, so make of that what you will.
I'm off, enjoy.
ZappaMan
Headphoneus Supremus
I think his opinion was just jokingly strong. This thread is like audiophile cage fighting.
Don’t tap out.
Come join the dark sideI'm trying as hard as I can not to buy farad3 for my Dave.
But I'm sure I won't last long
I didn't want to be harsh sorry.
I just dont understand how it's possible that on headphones it sounded worse but on speakers it was better i don't understand this. It doesn't make sense.
Ps. I hope we are fine
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