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REVIEW: MSB Technology Modified LinkII/III DAC Processors Review by Randy Bey at Audio Asylum

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MSB Link III DAC Review


MSB Link III


DAC



I have owned the MSB Link III DAC for eight months now.

Product Hightlights


I had a NAD C520 CD player, an entry level "hifi" player, maybe even just a "midfi" level, depending on who you talk to.


It had some deficiencies of sound, not least of which was a graininess to female vocals.


Enter the MSB, which I use from the digital out of the NAD. In this case I also use a digital cable, Apogee Wide-Eye, which I'll talk about in another review.


The MSB did not impress me. At first.


I thought it was money wasted, and bummed a bit. But I heard about much breakin time needed, which I didn't believe. What's this? Break in? You mean wait for your ears to grow accustomed to the lousy sound?


Well I ran a CD on repeat for weeks on end. No kidding, running continuously the whole time through the DAC. Checked in every weekend after another 150 hours or so of break in.


About a month later things started seeming different. I did some A/B at that time with the NAD analog outputs v. the MSB.


The graininess that I found annoying on the NAD was still there, when listening to the NAD output. But, with the MSB, it was considerably lessened. (Not completely though).


Punch was good, better than the NAD. Dynmaics, bass extension, and midrange clarity, all perceptibly better.


But not as good as I'd like it. Enter the Channel Island mods, and a upscale power supply, over the wall wart power supply that comes with the MSB.


Arrrgh. Another break in period. It sounded crappy after the parts replacements. Same drill, waited weeks again.


Then listened again.


Much, much better. I think this baby sings now, graininess a thing of the past. Palpable vocals, breathing, cripes, you can even hear how much spit the vocalist has in her mouth.


This is a fine product, without the mods. A great product with them. Of course, with a $400 base price, plus another $279 for the power supply, and another $200 for the Channel Island mods, well, you do the math. This guy is now competing with products in the $1000 price range. Is it better? Is it the giant killer?


Sorry, I don't have any first hand experience to show this. But, unless the other DACs out there pull rabbits out of their hats, I can't imagine what they could do better.


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Topic - REVIEW: MSB Technology Modified LinkII/III DAC Processors Review by Randy Bey at Audio Asylum - Randy Bey 18:53:54 12/27/00 ( 4)