Digital Drive: REVIEW: Muse Electronics Model 2 DAC Processors by Green Lantern

Model:	Model 2
Category:	DAC Processors
Suggested Retail Price:	$1700
Description:	D/A Convertor
Manufacturer URL:	Muse Electronics
Manufacturer URL:	Muse Electronics

Review by Green Lantern ( A ) on March 23, 2004 at 15:55:32
IP Address: 68.111.151.55

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for the Model 2

I picked up a used mint (and I mean mint ) Muse 2 (non Bessler) off Agon last week for an incredible $300 (what's even more incredible was it was listed for over a week). It arrived in perfect order and had the BNC input options. After obtaining an adapter (thanks to Digepix)and after purchasing a on the fly digital RCA at Best Buy (hey I was anxious!) I connected it up to my Sony DVPNS-500V SACD player as a transport. Ironically I own TWO NEC CD602's but after my last move into a condo I can't for the life of me find em'. Oh well they only set me back $5 each off ebay a year ago! Anyway, I've been listening to my Muse 2 for the past three days now and I have to say the effect is phenomenal. Drums sets are in the room . When was the last time the music sounded so great you had to press pause on your player to digress? For me it's happened 'numerous' occasions now. I haven't heard digital sound so amazing since I auditioned a pair of Magnepan 20.1's fed through with Levinson 36! Cymbals hover and shimmer in mid air; kick drums beat now with authority ; high-hats palpate as if they had their own amp source. Key word here is definition gents; upright bass is played with a new level of realism: not only do I picture the artist strumming his/her instrument, I see the 'ridges' interwound on the strings themselves as finger plucks vibrating metal.
Female vocals are maggie's forte' and here she became even more memerizing when I threw on Debra Laws (along with brothers Ronnie and Hubert on their "Brotherhood" CD ) singing 'when I fall in Love'. So much wind, aire and breath was release in-between notes I had to press pause again just so my brain could catch up and process what I had just heard (yeah, no kiddin')!

In retrospect I can only imagine what the Bessler filtered version must sound like and quite high on my next upgrade list.
Would highly recommend obtaining one or any high end DAC as a supplement to your exisisting system.

Product Weakness: easy to 'set off track' or 'skip' when a cd's playing. Incompatability issues; would like to have had a optical connection on this version.
Product Strengths: easy to obtain; dirt cheap pre-owned; PHENOMENAL SOUNDING!

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	M&K MK442 220wpc 8 ohm'd
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Audio Research LS/7
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Sony DVPNS-500V SACD player as a transport
Speakers:	Magnepan 1.6QR with modded XO's
Cables/Interconnects:	cat/5 speaker cables, diy silver with Cardas interconnects
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	jazz/classical
Room Size (LxWxH):	30 x 13 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	n/a
Time Period/Length of Audition:	72 hours
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	n/a
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition):	home

Product Weakness:	easy to 'set off track' or 'skip' when a cd's playing. Incompatability issues; would like to have had a optical connection on this version.
Product Strengths:	easy to obtain; dirt cheap pre-owned; PHENOMENAL SOUNDING!