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DAVE

Chord says DAVE's FPGA runs over a million lines of code and applies a 164,000-tap filter.

Type
DAC and headphone amplifier
Output
154 mW into 300 ohms
Weight
5 kg
List
$14,900

Output into any load

The line is what the DAVE delivers, estimated from its published ratings. Each square is a headphone in the catalog at the power it needs for a loud 110 dB peak.

Grado Signature HP100 SE: needs 0.20 mW at 38 ohmsFocal Stellia: needs 2.51 mW at 35 ohmsFocal Clear MG: needs 3.98 mW at 55 ohmsMeze Audio Elite: needs 7.94 mW at 32 ohmsFocal Utopia (2022): needs 3.98 mW at 80 ohmsAudeze MM-520: needs 6.31 mW at 18 ohmsFostex TH900mk2: needs 10.0 mW at 25 ohmsYamaha YH-5000SE: needs 15.8 mW at 34 ohmsRosson Audio Design RAD-0: needs 15.8 mW at 29 ohmsSony MDR-Z1R: needs 10.0 mW at 64 ohmsHIFIMAN HE1000se: needs 25.1 mW at 35 ohmsFinal D8000 Pro Edition: needs 15.8 mW at 60 ohmsZMF Caldera: needs 31.6 mW at 60 ohmsMeze Audio Empyrean II: needs 100 mW at 32 ohmsAudeze LCD-5s: needs 100 mW at 35 ohmsMeze Audio ARTA: needs 15.8 mW at 225 ohmsZMF Vérité Closed: needs 12.6 mW at 300 ohmsDan Clark Audio Expanse: needs 100 mW at 26 ohmsAudio-Technica ATH-ADX5000: needs 10.0 mW at 420 ohmsDan Clark Audio Stealth: needs 100 mW at 23 ohmsSennheiser HD 820: needs 16.6 mW at 300 ohmsSennheiser HD 800 S: needs 20.9 mW at 300 ohmsAbyss Diana TC Signature: needs 100 mW at 72 ohmsAbyss AB-1266 Phi TC: needs 158 mW at 50 ohmsHIFIMAN Susvara: needs 501 mW at 60 ohmsPublished: 154 mW into 300 ohmsPublished: 1.4 W into 33 ohms
Output into each loadPublished ratingHeadphone it drives at 110 dB (25)Needs more (0)Load in ohms across, power up, both on log scales

Build a setup with it

Start with the Meze Audio Empyrean II, the hardest headphone here it drives with power in reserve.

Open in the setup builder →

Where to buy

$14,900

Price: Audio46 and Moon Audio.

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Title block

Maker
Chord Electronics
Model
DAVE
Type
DAC and headphone amplifier
Made in
UK
Output impedance
0.055 ohms
Maximum voltage
6.8 V RMS
PCM
Up to 768 kHz
DSD
DSD512 (native and DoP)
Weight
5 kg
List price
$14,900 USD
Output power
154 mW into 300 ohms; 1.4 W into 33 ohms
Conversion
FPGA DAC (Spartan 6 FPGA, 164,000-tap filter; no off-the-shelf DAC chip)
Topology
Desktop DAC, preamp and headphone amplifier; 4x BNC coax, AES, 2x Toslink, USB; balanced XLR, RCA and 6.35 mm headphone outputs
Finish
Solid aluminium chassis, black or silver

What it drives

How the matching works

Other DACs

Sources