Moondrop x Crinacle DUSK

[EddNog]

All this talk about the DSP, but has anyone mentioned the fact that being stuck with a DSP cable in order to get the desired sound is far from ideal because it completely eliminates the user’s ability to utilize a separate DAC?

This silly DSP cable ends up being the DAC, no? Has the Moondrop Free DSP cable been tested here at AMR? Is it any good at all compared to modern ultra-high measuring DACs?

-Ed

 

[CedarX]

All this talk about the DSP, but has anyone mentioned the fact that being stuck with a DSP cable in order to get the desired sound is far from ideal because it completely eliminates the user’s ability to utilize a separate DAC?

This silly DSP cable ends up being the DAC, no? Has the Moondrop Free DSP cable been tested here at AMR? Is it any good at all compared to modern ultra-high measuring DACs?

-Ed

Not sure I understand your logic here…

You’re free to use whatever DAC/Amp you want with the analog cable. They give you the option of a USB-C cable that also happens to have a DSP… but you don’t have to use it. You can use, say a Qudelix 5K with the analog cable and have DSP, or a phone app with DSP and whatever dongle you want.
Oh, and if you don’t want to use the FreeDSP cable with Dusk, you can recycle it and use it with another IEM.

 

[markanini]

All this talk about the DSP, but has anyone mentioned the fact that being stuck with a DSP cable in order to get the desired sound is far from ideal because it completely eliminates the user’s ability to utilize a separate DAC?

This silly DSP cable ends up being the DAC, no? Has the Moondrop Free DSP cable been tested here at AMR? Is it any good at all compared to modern ultra-high measuring DACs?

-Ed

Because it's incorrect. You can use the included 3.5mm cable and provide your own DSP solution.

 

[EddNog]

Because it's incorrect. You can use the included 3.5mm cable and provide your own DSP solution.

And @CedarX My point is that in an ideal scenario, the thing should sound right with the analog cable and not rely on any DSP. Does nobody agree with me on this?

-Ed

 

[markanini]

And @CedarX My point is that in an ideal scenario, the thing should sound right with the analog cable and not rely on any DSP. Does nobody agree with me on this?

-Ed

There can be numberous reasons why DSP is used as a final step for the tuning of an IEM. But if you are just looking for people to agree with you no matter what you say that's kind of weird, even more so when the majority of IEMs are non-DSP and you are free to choose any IEM you want.

 

[preload]

And @CedarX My point is that in an ideal scenario, the thing should sound right with the analog cable and not rely on any DSP. Does nobody agree with me on this?

-Ed

Respectfully disagree. If DSP proves optimization corrections that are not feasible to apply electromechanically, why wouldn't I use the dsp?

 

[MacClintock]

Respectfully disagree. If DSP proves optimization corrections that are not feasible to apply electromechanically, why wouldn't I use the dsp?

Because it is EQ and you can use it always, basically with any IEM, you will not be able to eliminate all resonance in practice, but with most IEMs it will work just fine and be better than a noisy DSP cable with a DAC we don't know much about (yet). If EQ is a crutch, a DSP cable is a wheelchair.

The question remains, if it sounds really good only with the DSP cable, why spend so much money? You can get the May instead or use any cheap, competent IEM with EQ.

 

[preload]

DACS are a solved problem. Even a $10 dongle is transparent.

A better example is an EQ is like a turbo and DSs is like a rocket booster.

 

[MacClintock]

DACS are a solved problem. Even a $10 dongle is transparent.

Yes, the Apple dongle is. This cable is reportedly noisy. So if DACs are a solved problem, a notion I in principle agree with, Moondrop did not come up with the solution here.

A better example is an EQ is like a turbo and DSs is like a rocket booster.

A rocket booster which ties you to a special cable, more like a tether.

 

[Octopie]

But you are not tied to only using the DSP cable. Crinacle released all the settings for the EQ profiles: https://crinacle.com/2024/04/10/moondrop-x-crinacle-dusk-eq-dsp-values/
You have been untethered. Fly rocket man, fly.

 

[InfiniteJester]

DACS are a solved problem. Even a $10 dongle is transparent.

A better example is an EQ is like a turbo and DSs is like a rocket booster.

Except the Samsung one.

Which is disgusting and full of noise.

 

[MacClintock]

But you are not tied to only using the DSP cable. Crinacle released all the settings for the EQ profiles: https://crinacle.com/2024/04/10/moondrop-x-crinacle-dusk-eq-dsp-values/
You have been untethered. Fly rocket man, fly.

Oh great, what an Innovation! Firstly, as was reported, Moondrop did not want to release the settings and did so only after being pressured. And secondly and most importantly, in case you don’t know, you can EQ any IEM, not just the Dusk 2. So it is the most trivial thing ever.

 

[preload]

May as well use this as my first post since nobody else is chiming in. I can't really answer the comparison but...
The >12khz spiciness in analog 'mode' is very very unpleasant to me. Bass is thunderously good but you have to almost squint to get past the spiciness.
Conversely, with the DSP default eq setting, which i think is a straight up correction the Dusk sounds absolutely beautiful. I've compared to the zero 2s and all i can say is i enjoy the dusks more.
However, my (because i'm sure this may be a QC issue) cable is noisy at times. Digital squelchy unpleasantness. I'll be very interested in how it measures.
Hope that helps.

Sounds like the dusks are worth checking out either with the dsp cable or the replicated EQ settings. Really appreciate you sharing your listening impressions.

 

[CedarX]

I'll be very interested in how it measures.

See @Phenoez8 review of Moondrop MAY—most likely the same cable—here:
https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/moondrop-may-usb-c-headphones-review.52396/

…and Headphones.com review of FreeDSP here:

Moondrop FREE DSP Review & Measurements

[TableOfContents] Introduction Video Review Design Software Measurements [End] Introduction The Moondrop FREE DSP is a cable that features an inbuilt DAC and amp to directly power IEMs without the need for a separate dongle, but most importantly, it offers the ability to load EQ profiles...

headphones.com

Measurements are not perfect, but “good enough”…

I do get some weird noise from time to time with MAY or FreeDSP, but it is very occasional and appears to be random. It occurs mostly at the beginning of a track or after a long pause. I suspect it is some kind of USB com. problem.