Chord Electronics DAVE Reviews

5 Rating 6 Reviews

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“Hard to know what to write about one of the most well-regarded pieces of hifi ever made, other than to say believe the hype. By far the most expensive piece of hifi I've ever bought, which I only managed to afford by effectively trading in my whole living room system and borrowing from the family savings, impeding future purchases for some time to come. And I still regard it as a hifi bargain. Once heard, it can't be unheard. Don't believe the various comments from certain 'traditionalists' suggesting the DAVE is too digital sounding. It is natural, smooth and realistic beyond words. The most non-fatiguing thing I've ever bought (and I have used both valves and R2R DACs). In my view, its truest potential can only be realised when used as a preamp, with nothing fettering that incredible pure and transparent signal between DAVE and power amp/active speakers. When considered in the context of preamp, headphone amp and one of the best DACs money can buy, even that RRP starts to become a bit of a bargain. Phenomenal bit of kit.”

4 Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“I've had my eye on a Dave for a long time. Although it was introduced a long time ago, it remains a benchmark due to the underlying Robb Watts design. The physical design is also different and ideal for desk top use. All I can say after using it for a bit is blimey.... what a DAC!!! Detail retrieval / sound stage / PRAT all sound stellar (listening to Depeche Mode live currently). The bass is so well defined.... Thoroughly recommended. I am a returning Audiobarn customer and have found dealing with Jack an absolute pleasure. My purchase involved a trade in and I received a fair price and excellent logistics. Great product and customer service - a winning Audiobarn combination.”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Having started with a Chord DAC 64 and having just part exchanged a QBD 76, I have no trouble in singing the praises of the DAVE. Particularly when using it as a pre amp as well.”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Jack laid on a superb audition of the Chord DAVE, Naim ND555, DCS Bartok, DCS Rossini, MSB Discrete and MSB Premier dacs & streamers, all controlled via the Roon app with a Roon Nucleus + as the Roon Core. The benchmark was Naim's CDS3/555PSDR cd player, a tough benchmark to beat. The Chord DAVE when used in conjunction with the Chord M Scaler has a simply phenomenal level of resolution and provides outstanding musical insights. The quality of 3D imaging that this combination produces on a well set up system is unbeaten by any of the other world-class alternatives. The Chord combo also injects a wonderful degree of life and vitality into music because of the unique way in which musical transients are re-created inside DAVE. The Chord DAVE is not perfect but it is world class and a relative bargain at even its price.”

6 Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I was going in to see jack to up grade my naim v1 Dac for a HUGO TT2 and a m scaler at a later date. The time you purchase theses 2 devices, you are not far short from buying the chord Dave. I borrowed the Dave for a few days on a test demo. My mind was made up in a couple of hours to purchase the Dave. Let’s be honest here the Dave Dac is better sounding compared to the Tt2 and the m scaler combined. I own a Hugo 2 which I purchased from audio barn last year. And enjoyed the overall sound quality and build of the chord brand. I have naim set up/ innuos mark 3/ and a set of audio vector Avantgarde. The naim v1 was a good Dac for my kef ls 50. But the audio vectors needed a better Dac. The Dave transformed the sound of the audio vectors. I actually thought I had a new set of speaker. The Dac runs these speakers effortlessly. Huge sound stage, incredible detail, rich, exciting. The Hugo 2 is a great Dac, specially the headphone amp. But running a pair of focal utopia/ Elegia the Dave just blows the Hugo 2 out of the water with detail, and quality. That was a big surprise to me. The Dave and utopia are a marriage, the best I have heard. Forget the Tt2 and the m scaler excellent device. Dave and the m scaler is the way to go for the best sounding device at the moment.”

5 Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“This product is superb. For years I have preferred vinyl to CD. At last a DAC that makes you forget you are listening to digital music. It is now just great music. My goal was to find a DAC that made digital music from my computer as enjoyable as listening to vinyl records on the trusty old Linn LP12. Nearest I found were DSD DACs at prices I couldn't justify and even then they didn't have that beguiling sound. Chord has changed that for me. Dave is the best DAC I have ever heard and comes with a top notch pre- and headphone amps built in. One advantage of Dave over other Chord DACs is its DSD plus mode, which gets the best out of DSD. As a PCM DAC, it builds on the strengths I first heard with Hugo. Chord's ergonomics are a little unusal and Dave looks different, but you get used to it quite quickly. Thankfully the display switches off when in use so there are no distractions from what it does so well: play music. If you are looking for a great DAC then Dave is certainly worth a try.”

4 Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago