Anybody using the new ESS Vout DAC (ES9022)?

[SunRa]

Thanks Patrick! By the way I like your PCB design

[EUVL]

Many other as well.
And the 9022 does sound much much better than it deserves.


Patrick

[SunRa]

This is good to know. I am now trying out an AK4396 and then I will probably go for an ESS part. The source I will be using is capable of 32bits/384Khz and I would like to take advantage of that..

[woodturner-fran]

Originally Posted by EUVL

Many other as well.
And the 9022 does sound much much better than it deserves.


Patrick

Yes it does sound better than it should. Give it a decent power supply and it will out perform many others. The fact that it doesn't need an output stage is a big plus, also means casing it up is a lot simpler. But the main thing is how it sounds - and that's very good. My points of reference : buffalo with all shunt supplies, audiosector nos, pass d1.

I'm very much looking forward to trying EUVL's implementation in the near future

Fran

[woodturner-fran]

Yesterday I received a nice thing from the mainland of Europe..... EUVLs 8804-9022 DAC.

I had asked for the regs to be left off as I had planned to run it from 4 separate batteries. The wiring was easily completed and the DAC worked right away out of the can.

I listened for a little while last night and again tonight - this DAC sounds really really good.

I need some more time for better comparisons, but from the get go, it sounds great. I will be comparing it against a buffalo 1 with all shunt supplies and counterpoint output stages, an audiosector NOS premium dac, another 9022 run from a battery and fed by a twisted pear 8804 board, and also a Pass D1 clone from spencer. Sources will be 2 different shigaclones and 2 different squeezeboxes.

EUVL can describe the exact configuration in better terms than I can...... photos etc to follow in the next couple of days.


Fran

[EUVL]

Glad you are happy with the results.
Looking forward to further comparisons.




Patrick

[woodturner-fran]

I did some comparisons tonight between the EUVL 8804/9022 and another version, with a twisted pear 8804 receiver and 9022 on a ebay expansion board. Both powered off LiFePO batteries, but with 4 on the EUVL one and 2 on the other.

Short story: better highs and lows with the EUVL version. Bass is definitely tighter, and the treble clearer. I also think I can hear more small details (resolution), especially in live recordings where there is a fair bit of audience noise. Now it isn't a huge difference, but definitely noticeable and easy to tell apart.

Rest of test system:

Shigaclone
aikido 6SN7 pre
modified dynaco ST70 with KT66s
Stacked quads

More and different comparisons to come....

Fran

[EUVL]

Slight correction if I may -- my SPDIF receiver is also a WM8804 and not 8805.
So the difference you can hear is based on both set-up's using identical chip sets.

The difference is relatively easy to explain.
It has to do with power supply decoupling, especially for the ES9022, and HF filtering at the output stage.
I actually asked ESS Tech about in-depth details of their analog output stage, as well the the negative supply generation circuit, before deciding on how I implement the module (which is quite different from datasheet standard circuit).



Patrick

[woodturner-fran]

Sorry, the 8805 was a mistake - corrected now.

Interesting reason........ it's good to have one.


The other thing I forgot to mention above was that the dac also presents vocals differently - they move forward in the soundstage. I know it seems strange but I tried several different cds and found the same thing.

[EUVL]

Regulator ICs & Caps will be on their way Saturday.


Enjoy your audition,
Patrick