MSB Select II
- Thread starter Mike
- Start date
That’s awesome, glad the upgrade is sounding so good.
UltraFast69
New member
Hello - Curious on what are you using into the Renderer?
I am either beginning to confuse myself or starting to understand more about the benefits of MSB.
- Thread Author
- #67
Just an ethernet cable, preferably a high quality one like the AQ Diamond. The Roon Renderer is essentially a module sized Linux computer which then connects directly inside the DAC.
Over the years I've had several excellent pre-amps in my systems made by Krell and Mark Levinson. They gave the sound a rich, full bodied density that was very pleasing. When I transitioned to a dCS stack, I lost the pre-amp and went direct to the mono blocks. The sound was excellent but I didn't realize what I had lost until I auditioned the Select II. That richness returned in a way I wouldn't have thought possible. Dynamics on percussion instruments were instant and convincing. I see no reason to every use a pre-amp again.
Eric
Thanks. dCS preamp is pretty bad. I don’t think a lot of people are using their built in preamp. But I do see a lot of Select owners don’t use any preamps.
The Select II DAC’s built in preamp is significantly better than the ARC Ref 10 preamp I owned. And the Ref 10 is a terrific sounding preamp.
Ken
Kingsrule
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- May 11, 2014
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- 646
dCS everything is pretty bad. It is the most overrated product line in digital audio.
How it still gets any interest is baffling.....still riding on the 4 box $100k price that shocked when it came out.
I guess many (including me) can be fooled........
still-one
Active member
Horsepucky
The comparable MSB Select II lists for about $147k or 50% more. Yes the Select II is really excellent but since I am not willing to pay $150k for any product as a source. I haven't brought the Select II in to demo as my dealers know I won't ask to audition any product I have no intention of purchasing. I did bring I the Reference set-up to A/B against my 3 piece stack and it offered ia sound that was just different not better. Like any audio component there will be those who prefer one over the other. The Reference and dCS DAC/Clock/Upsampler are both in the high $60's.
If you think the Vivaldi is the same unit that was released in 2012 then you haven't been paying attention to the mostly "free" updates. (The Upsampler board was a charge)
The comparable MSB Select II lists for about $147k or 50% more. Yes the Select II is really excellent but since I am not willing to pay $150k for any product as a source. I haven't brought the Select II in to demo as my dealers know I won't ask to audition any product I have no intention of purchasing. I did bring I the Reference set-up to A/B against my 3 piece stack and it offered ia sound that was just different not better. Like any audio component there will be those who prefer one over the other. The Reference and dCS DAC/Clock/Upsampler are both in the high $60's.
If you think the Vivaldi is the same unit that was released in 2012 then you haven't been paying attention to the mostly "free" updates. (The Upsampler board was a charge)
- Thread Author
- #74
For the record, I think a fully pimped out Select II is closer to $115k.
http://www.msbtechnology.com/dacs/select-pricing/
As a side, I have another Vivaldi 2.0 stack coming in on trade if someone is interested in a smoking deal.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
still-one
Active member
Mike
He alluded to dCS at ~$100 which means he included the ~$35k transport.
Form the MSB site:
Select II DAC. $84.5
Dual Mono Power $19.5
Femto 33 $9.5
MQA Module $1.6
Renderer $2.0
Transport $24.5
Transport Power Base $16.5. (not sure if you can plug this into one of the Dual Mono's)
That is somewhere between $140K and $155k.
Not including additional inputs/outputs, etc.
Anyone who is playing in that sandbox should look at the Select II.
- Thread Author
- #76
Kingsrule
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- 646
Bogus Jim. U have to add another $20k in cables to hook all the dCS boxes up
And I never compared any pricing....just said everyone was enamored with a $100k stack.....
Money has nothing to do with sonics if u want to compare dCS vs. MSB
Please. The dCS sandbox isn't in the same world as MSB...
But if u insist ...the MSB Premier Dac is close to the Vivaldi and the Reference destroys it....
The Select II is in a realm u will never understand.
All u see is the stack of dCS boxes in your system....
still-one
Active member
What do you think I haven't heard the Select II? I have listened at three locations including my local dealer and MIke's store last year. Mike's set-up was "excellent" and the Select was the best sounding of the digital gear we listened to. That said when I returned home I never felt I was missing something. (other than the ability to get speakers as far into the room as he can)
During a A/B in my system the Reference you think so highly of sounded good but hardly spectacular and didn't to make me consider moving from the dCS stack. The dealer is getting another renderer module and wants try and compare them again. I tried it direct and thru my Dag pre-amp. I felt it sounded much better via the pre-amp.
Maybe in your world money is not a consideration. In mine the Select II, the Relentless and Magnum Opus are not a smart option.
You really lose al credibility when you state component A destroys component B. That just doesn't happen in the real world. It is a figment of your imagination.
Hi Jim,
I’m not looking to get in the middle of this but I think even the base Select II DAC would make you extremely happy. It’s better than a loaded Reference due to double the number of DAC modules. Also, no need for a transport once you’ve listened to the Renderer input module.
Best,
Ken
I’m not looking to get in the middle of this but I think even the base Select II DAC would make you extremely happy. It’s better than a loaded Reference due to double the number of DAC modules. Also, no need for a transport once you’ve listened to the Renderer input module.
Best,
Ken
Kingsrule
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- May 11, 2014
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- 646
Last time:
Just because the Vivaldi is the top dCS product and Select II is the top MSB product DOES NOT IN ANY WAY mean the two are comparable.
Why can't u understand that....Is it that hard?
You always defend and say what u already own is better. You did that for years with your Meridian 808 when it was way long in the tooth. Same with the rest of your gear. Now u are doing that with your dCS.
And why are u bringing money into this conservation? I never did...
Mostly you are right about A destroying B but in the case of dCS vs. MSB, it's no contest. In your terminology, dCS is not a smart option....
Also, I'm very confident in my credibility. U have the imagination problem....
Just because the Vivaldi is the top dCS product and Select II is the top MSB product DOES NOT IN ANY WAY mean the two are comparable.
Why can't u understand that....Is it that hard?
You always defend and say what u already own is better. You did that for years with your Meridian 808 when it was way long in the tooth. Same with the rest of your gear. Now u are doing that with your dCS.
And why are u bringing money into this conservation? I never did...
Mostly you are right about A destroying B but in the case of dCS vs. MSB, it's no contest. In your terminology, dCS is not a smart option....
Also, I'm very confident in my credibility. U have the imagination problem....