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Chord MScaler - not that impressed

C

Crazeenick

pfm Member
Has anybody had a Chord MScaler and then sold it because they were not that impressed?

I have an MScaler and a DAVE. After a few months of listening:

a) the impact of the Mscaler is much more subtle than I had expected it to be
b) I am not convinced the SQ with the Mscaler is superior to the DAVE alone

I am seriously considering selling the MScaler and using the funds to upgrade my speakers!

Maybe it is just my cloth ears?!

Has anyone else got rid of their MScaler or considered doing so? There does seem to be a steady flow (albeit in small numbers) of second hand Mscalers up for sale.....
 
I started with a DAVE, and very good it is too. I was curious, and pretty sceptical, about the MScaler, so borrowed one on extended loan from my dealer. From the off, I was impressed by what it did to the sound quality. I did try removing it for a while, but then I really missed it. I guess, like all other bits of hi-fi kit, it very much depends on the rest of your system, what you're feeding the MScaler with, your room, and your individual preference.
 
I use an MScaler with the Qutest and I like what it brings to the system especially on ripped CDs, I did remove it to see how the ND5XS2/ Qutest sounds but soon reinstated the MScaler.

ND5XS2 feeds the MScaler.
 
Crazeenick said:
Has anybody had a Chord MScaler and then sold it because they were not that impressed?

I have an MScaler and a DAVE. After a few months of listening:

a) the impact of the Mscaler is much more subtle than I had expected it to be
b) I am not convinced the SQ with the Mscaler is superior to the DAVE alone

I am seriously considering selling the MScaler and using the funds to upgrade my speakers!

Maybe it is just my cloth ears?!

Has anyone else got rid of their MScaler or considered doing so? There does seem to be a steady flow (albeit in small numbers) of second hand Mscalers up for sale.....
Click to expand...
If it’s not doing the business for you move it on and reallocate the funds, I’ve had similar experiences, the reviews, posts and general consensus is that X is fantastic only to sit there wondering what the fuss is about.

What are you feeding it -CD/SACD/Rips/Streaming?
 
Chord perspective is that if you want to improve the Qutest get a TT2. MScaler doesn’t do enough on it to justify the outlay compared to what you’d get with a TT2. MScaler on a TT2 is quite a leap. At Dave level it’s very subtle indeed and I can totally understand why some people would go with bare Dave.
 
OP here.

I am feeding the Mscaler with an Innuos Zen Mk3 - mainly ripped redbook CDs (FLAC files). But also Tidal HiFi streaming also. Decent USB cable into the Mscaler. Chord Shawline Dual BNC cables between Mscaler and Dave.

I don't dislike what the Mscaler does with the Dave - it's just that the effect seems very subtle and, although I can detect a difference, I can't decide whether I prefer the sound with or without the Mscaler! So in view of the cost of the Mscaler, I'm thinking I'd rather put the £3k towards better speakers - which would probably give me a better "bang for the buck".
 
Mike Hughes said:
Chord perspective is that if you want to improve the Qutest get a TT2. MScaler doesn’t do enough on it to justify the outlay compared to what you’d get with a TT2. MScaler on a TT2 is quite a leap. At Dave level it’s very subtle indeed and I can totally understand why some people would go with bare Dave.
Click to expand...
I have an M Scaler and DAVE. I didn't think the difference was at all subtle! The real debate is how a TT2 + M Scaler compares to a DAVE.
 
Crazeenick said:
OP here.

I am feeding the Mscaler with an Innuos Zen Mk3 - mainly ripped redbook CDs (FLAC files). But also Tidal HiFi streaming also. Decent USB cable into the Mscaler. Chord Shawline Dual BNC cables between Mscaler and Dave.

I don't dislike what the Mscaler does with the Dave - it's just that the effect seems very subtle and, although I can detect a difference, I can't decide whether I prefer the sound with or without the Mscaler! So in view of the cost of the Mscaler, I'm thinking I'd rather put the £3k towards better speakers - which would probably give me a better "bang for the buck".
Click to expand...

What speakers have you got?
 
When I listened (over expensive headphones and headphone amps) at Munich (2018 or 2019) the Mscaler was paired with a TT2 and the Dave with the new mk2 Blu - both streaming.
Both sources sounded really good - how different they were in sound quality was not easy to hear because of the different headphone set-ups associated with the Chord gear.

Digression: The Chord room with their gear through speakers was a great disappointment both years (a dealer who would definitely prefer to remain nameless put this down to the speakers and cables provided by their German importer).
 
AndyU said:
I have an M Scaler and DAVE. I didn't think the difference was at all subtle! The real debate is how a TT2 + M Scaler compares to a DAVE.
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Not subtle at all in my system either Andy; I was really taken aback by what the MScaler did.
 
Crazeenick said:
Has anybody had a Chord MScaler and then sold it because they were not that impressed?

I have an MScaler and a DAVE. After a few months of listening:

a) the impact of the Mscaler is much more subtle than I had expected it to be
b) I am not convinced the SQ with the Mscaler is superior to the DAVE alone

I am seriously considering selling the MScaler and using the funds to upgrade my speakers!

Maybe it is just my cloth ears?!

Has anyone else got rid of their MScaler or considered doing so? There does seem to be a steady flow (albeit in small numbers) of second hand Mscalers up for sale.....
Click to expand...

Or you could get a home demo speaker upgrade before selling the MScaler to see if they're holding things back ;)
 
Crazeenick said:
OP here.

I am feeding the Mscaler with an Innuos Zen Mk3 - mainly ripped redbook CDs (FLAC files). But also Tidal HiFi streaming also. Decent USB cable into the Mscaler. Chord Shawline Dual BNC cables between Mscaler and Dave.

I don't dislike what the Mscaler does with the Dave - it's just that the effect seems very subtle and, although I can detect a difference, I can't decide whether I prefer the sound with or without the Mscaler! So in view of the cost of the Mscaler, I'm thinking I'd rather put the £3k towards better speakers - which would probably give me a better "bang for the buck".
Click to expand...
I would agree with you on this, no point stressing over the whys and wherefores, if the Scaler doesn’t make you smile and feel happy you’ve spent the wedge move on. I bought an expensive item recently that has had rave reviews and heard almost zero improvement on DSD and zero on Red Book Sold it on as there was just a feeling I'd wasted the cash. At least you should get a decent amount back selling/trading as they are sought after.
 
I’d just follow where your heart/ears dictate with hifi. Avoid the echo chamber of opinion, particularly a certain headphone based forum where you’ll risk being ostracised or called a troll merely for speaking your mind. I experienced disappointment with a brand new TT2. Not the enjoyable sound I’d been used to with the first Hugo. Sold up, went for a used TT - ahhh much much better! Not quite as super detailed, but I could relax ‘into’ the music with ease (just like with good vinyl) and it was an additive listen. Muggins here listened to the ridiculing voices at the head place, that TT2 was technically superior, was the second best DAC Chord made, so ordered another after more selling and part-exchanging. Well blow me down, same complaints as before - music often sounded lean/dry almost over-sharpened... it taught me to trust my own ears, tastes & opinion after trying to fool myself into enjoying it. I think there’s a subjectively pleasing balance to be had between the taps and the wta filters etc. in Rob’s designs. The original Hugo and the TT (really just a super pimped Hugo) got the subjective balance spot-on for *my* tastes, TT2 and Hugo 2 for me went too far into a direction I wasn’t so keen on. So really the moral of the story is follow your heart. I wasted a fair bit of money on all this box swapping, which I’d have largely avoided if I’d just trusted my own opinion. You know if you’re enjoying a bit of kit or not, and if something degrades your overall enjoyment, or doesn’t provide enough of an improvement to justify the price, move it on quickly before it devalues too much. I ended up with a temp. solution with a Quad Artera Play+ (and very good it is too, though it’s no Chord dac alas), but later this year will be looking for a mint used TT again ;)
 
Upsampling ( upscaling) cannot, simply cannot improve sound quality, look at the Stereophile measurements there is no audible difference.
Keith
 
I buy stuff, if I like it I keep it, if it doesn’t make me grin or look forward to spinning tunes I sell it.

I’m past caring what the consensus on an Internet forums says or the voices that gang up spouting the usual crap that all DACs sound the same, all that counts is how they measure, you need to do a double blind test bullshit. This morning I swapped DACs over, one makes me want to keeping spinning tunes the other doesn’t.
 
Purité Audio said:
Upsampling ( upscaling) cannot, simply cannot improve sound quality, look at the Stereophile measurements there is no audible difference.
Keith
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More correctly: none of the measurements Stereophile made showed a difference. They certainly thought it made an audible difference. And it isn't simply an upsampler. It's claim to fame is that it is an extraordinarily long tap-length filter; the upscaling is incidental to that. Here is the Stereophile review.

"there was now even more image depth, an increased sense of drive, and even more clarity. These improvements were not just audible with the magnificent Magico M2 full-range speakers; I also heard them with the KEF LS50 minimonitors."

https://www.stereophile.com/content/chord-electronics-hugo-m-scaler-upsampling-digital-processor

If you've never heard one, how can you claim there is no audible difference? Why do you persist in crapping on threads about products you have no experience of, and don't sell? ahh ...
 
There are several possibilities the OP can't hear a difference while few are able to easily hear them. One possibility is the quality of loudspeakers. Some speakers don't reveal much while others are able to reveal more.
 
ryder said:
There are several possibilities the OP can't hear a difference while few are able to easily hear them. One possibility is the quality of loudspeakers. Some speakers don't reveal much while others are able to reveal more.
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I read the OP as he hears a difference but it’s not as big a one as he expected or feels reflects the £cost of the Scaler.
 
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