Hifimediy ES9023+TE7022 24/96 USB Dac

[ms142]

I have a troubleshooting question about the original $39 version; just wondering if it might ring a bell for anyone familiar with the board here.

My uae23 is quite new but it failed recently. When I connect it, the optical out red LED goes on but the yellow power LED just flashes and goes off, and the DAC is not recognized. I tried resoldering the four conductors and it worked again; but shortly afterwards the same problem happened. I checked the connection starting from the USB adapter and the four connectors are all properly connected. I'm wondering what the flashing of the yellow LED means - does it mean it fails to lock, for example? Any suggestion on what to check?

Thanks in advance!

 

[McDark]

Thanks Andy! Mark just rolled out 10.3 - absolute perfection. Would be my next build as main speakers (7.3 were intended for bedroom - my first speaker project).

 

[McDark]

I have a troubleshooting question about the original $39 version; just wondering if it might ring a bell for anyone familiar with the board here.

My uae23 is quite new but it failed recently. When I connect it, the optical out red LED goes on but the yellow power LED just flashes and goes off, and the DAC is not recognized.

I had same issues with NuForce uDac 2. Not exactly sure why it is happening but swapping ports/using powered hubs helped. Unit failed completely after year working this way and I was lazy to fix it as I got UAE 23 at the moment which sounded a lot better. I suppose problem itself is related to increased power consumption but where are many ways it could happen - leaks in chip due to ESD, failed capactitors etc.

 

[z0rz]

I was Googling some stuff and this thread was on top, so I'll just ask my question here.

I've been playing music through my phone (AT&T LG Optimus G E970) into my car stereo via aux and was looking for a way to improve the sound quality. According to this thread, USB DACs should work for my phone with USB Audio Recorder. But I've also been noticing that you need an OTG cable for USB DACs? I'm not really sure.

My question: would the Android UAE Tiny (with the micro USB cord) be fine in my case? Or do I need to get the regular (non-micro) UAE Tiny and get a micro USB OTG cable for it? Is there any difference?

Thanks!

 

[Extreme_Boky]

You can't judge the performance of a DAC upon the DAC chip alone. The power supply, digital receiver/USB receiver chip etc all play a massive role on the end result.

We compared the hifimediy to a Beresford Bushmaster (fairly similar sound), Resonessence Concero, audio-gd DAC3SE with digital board upgrade, Aurialic Vega, and Metrum Hex.

In the opinion of those present, the little hifimediy was subjectively outclassed by all of the other DACs which it was compared to. It was harsh, brittle and lacking in resolution and separation of musical elements compared to the other DACs. In isolation, I suppose you could say that the DAC sounds OK, but when you start comparing it to others, it's shortcomings become only too apparent.

Of course, we are talking about a $50-100 investment for either the USB or mains powered version, so it's hard to compare it against thousand dollar DACs. The Bushmasters is a few hundred dollars and the closest to the price of the hifimediys.

I've heard better implementations of the ES9023, where more attention was paid to the power supply, input and output circuitry. The Concero mentioned above uses the ES9023 and is in a different league to the hifimediy.

Concero is 10X more expensive as well... but its high-res PCB photo on the 6moons site does look good indeed.

Which DAC provided the best sound?

Boky

 

[petemac110]

Concero is 10X more expensive as well... but its high-res PCB photo on the 6moons site does look good indeed.

Which DAC provided the best sound?

Boky

Yes, the Concero is more expensive, but it is clearly a better DAC than the hifimediy IMHO. Someone asked the question regarding which DACs surpassed the hifimediy during the listening tests, so I obliged.

The hifimediy is a nice DAC in the sub-$100 price point, but it ain't no giant killer. I prefer the sound of the hotaudio DAC WOW, for example, despite it using more old-school chips for DAC and USB interface duties.

The Aurialic was my pick in terms of detail retrieval and transparency, but the real surprise was just how good the audio-gd DAC3 SE was. 4xPCM1704UK chips, three R-core transformers, numerous regulated power supplies, and a thoroughly over-engineered design clearly has paid dividends. I do note that I undertook a digital board upgrade, moving from a DF1704 based circuit to the later DSP1 V5 circuit. The audio-gd didn't have the outright detail of the Aurialic and Metrum, but it just sounded 'right'.

 

[Sugar Man]

Hello Everyone

Is Someone had the pleasure of listening to this In Case Xmos ES9023 Asynchronous I2S USB to Fiber Coaxial 192K 24bit USB Power | eBay ?

What are the advantages / disadvantages? I know about the Jitter but I don't know if I can hear it.

I had at home UAE23 and I wanted to buy the next piece. But maybe saber with XMOS would be a better choice?

Is the USB Isolator available from hifimediy.com only solves the problem of usb or by itself improves the sound UAE23?

 

[satwilson]

I was Googling some stuff and this thread was on top, so I'll just ask my question here.

I've been playing music through my phone (AT&T LG Optimus G E970) into my car stereo via aux and was looking for a way to improve the sound quality. According to this thread, USB DACs should work for my phone with USB Audio Recorder. But I've also been noticing that you need an OTG cable for USB DACs? I'm not really sure.

My question: would the Android UAE Tiny (with the micro USB cord) be fine in my case? Or do I need to get the regular (non-micro) UAE Tiny and get a micro USB OTG cable for it? Is there any difference?

Thanks!

I too watch the Head-Fi thread. I am using the new aynchronous U2 version with my Sony Experia TL, Teralink USB isolator board and battery. As far as I know the Android UAE Tiny is fitted with an OTG cable and should work fine for you. The regular UAE Tiny with an OTG would work also, and allow you to use the DAC with another source other than your phone if you so desired. Keep in mind the DAC will draw its power from your phone battery, and some phones will not work with it due to excess current draw(it is less than 100ma according to HifiMeDiy). My TL refused to power the DAC directly, but an unpowered USB hub in between fooled the TL and it worked OK. I chose to use the Teralink isolator board instead because it powers the DAC with a separate battery rather than draining the phone battery. You should notice a substantial increase in SQ, especially if you are using high quality sources( FLAC or WAVE) files. satwilson

 

[satwilson]

Hello Everyone

Is Someone had the pleasure of listening to this In Case Xmos ES9023 Asynchronous I2S USB to Fiber Coaxial 192K 24bit USB Power | eBay ?

What are the advantages / disadvantages? I know about the Jitter but I don't know if I can hear it.

I had at home UAE23 and I wanted to buy the next piece. But maybe saber with XMOS would be a better choice?

Is the USB Isolator available from hifimediy.com only solves the problem of usb or by itself improves the sound UAE23?

The link you provided goes to a posting that has been removed. HifiMeDiy has a new model, the U2 that is asynchronous. I have one and prefer it to the UAE23 which I also own. As to the USB isolator from HifiMeDiy, there is a lot of discussion regarding this( USB isolation for this DAC) earlier in this thread, I think the Teralink USB isolator specifically mentioned in this thread is a better option. satwilson

 

[Sugar Man]

The link you provided goes to a posting that has been removed.

That was weird. Here is another one http://www.ebay.com/itm/200948481228?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 Maybe link will work this time or search on ebay - tag: ES9023 XMOS

I know about U2 and thank You for impression. But I just think about the DAC from ebay as an alternative in metal case. But I do not know will it be as good as U2 and will there be any problems with it (drivers, USB power, ect )?

I have read previous posts about USB isolator. But maybe I need one more simply confirmation I do not want buy more expensive isolator because I looking for simply and low cost solusion. If Hifimediy USB isolaor not good enough then I just give up this idea.

Thank You for your opinions

 

[satwilson]

That was weird. Here is another one http://www.ebay.com/itm/200948481228?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 Maybe link will work this time or search on ebay - tag: ES9023 XMOS

I know about U2 and thank You for impression. But I just think about the DAC from ebay as an alternative in metal case. But I do not know will it be as good as U2 and will there be any problems with it (drivers, USB power, ect )?

I have read previous posts about USB isolator. But maybe I need one more simply confirmation I do not want buy more expensive isolator because I looking for simply and low cost solusion. If Hifimediy USB isolaor not good enough then I just give up this idea.

Thank You for your opinions

The new link works. It looks like an impressive product with the XMOS processor, case, and price point. I hope someone here has one or buys one and can give their impressions as I am interested also. As regards the USB isolator and SQ, it really depends on how you are using your DAC. If you are using it with a desktop or laptop using an AC power supply, then the isolator might clean up the data signal as it separates power and data. You can run your laptop off the battery and possibly eliminate that issue. I mainly use mine for a portable headphone rig using my smartphone via USB out. I used the Teralink isolator to power the DAC with its own battery rather than drain the phones battery. My personal opinion regarding whether the XMOS DAC would sound better than your UAE23 really depends on where you are sending that signal. High end amps,speakers, headphones may reveal an improvement, mid to lower end probably not. satwilson

 

[tofurky]

reverse polarity - oops

hi,
i had a duh moment the other day with this & my adum4160 isolator board.

in the process of trying to troubleshoot some EMI issues with my usb setup, i switched out the 5v regulator powering the dac+adum4160 with another, almost identical one. almost, except i had wired the terminals differently
the dac was hooked up with the polarity backwards for maybe 60s or so until i realized something was amiss.

testing the dac with rmaa showed nearly identical (and in one instance, a "perfect" 96db snr with 44.1/16) results. but i'm still concerned.

the dac uses an lt1763 regulator with reverse battery protection, and the es9023/te7022l behind it. there are 3 os-con capacitors on the board though, and i'm not sure if any of them are in front of the lt1763? i didn't see any bulging or that sort of thing when i pried the dac open to inspect.

should i be concerned about damage? would the reverse battery protection prevent capacitors behind the regulator from picking up a reverse charge? or would some small current still flow backwards through the regulator?

thanks,
-matt

 

[McDark]

Do not worry Matt, reg will completely shut off its output when reversed. Properly designed board will also protect input caps if any (there is usually protection diode on input, you could look for it).

 

[ThatTu]

hifimediy U2-async

I ordered the async version of uae23 and just received it. I think it sounds fine but i want to know the RMAA measuremts on this toy. I wish I could measure it by myself but I'm afraid I don't have any devices for that. I'll be forever grateful if someone could post it.

 

[linuxguru]

If you can solder SMD then try 100K-130K ? 0603 ? SMD R on the vacant pins on the the PCB that go to ES9023 pin#6 to GND. I used 100K, love it!!

Thanks for the tip - I have the following mods on a UAE23 v1.1, and it certainly seems to tame the harshness that some people observe:

1. 120k to ground on R3.
2. C8 changed from 10uF/10V Oscon to 220uF/4V Black Gate PK (this is the LT1763 3.6V regulator output bypass).
3. C9 changed from 10uF/10V Oscon to 4.7uF/50V Black Gate PK (this is the bypass on Pin 6 of ES9023).
4. Added 4.7uF/50V Black Gate PK directly soldered on Pin 11 (NEG) to pin 14 (DGND) of ES9023. It's too difficult to solder it on adjacent pins 11 & 12 (AGND), so I used pin 14 instead - it's grounded at the same ground plane as pin 12, just a few mm away. Pay attention to polarity - the negative terminal of the capacitor goes to Pin 11.
5. Bypassed C10 and C11 (both 1uF) on the underside with 0805 47nF/50V X7R. Not really necessary if both C10 and C11 are X7R, but just insurance in case they're Y5V or similar. There may be some benefit in using SMD PPS caps like Panasonic ECHU to bypass these, but they tend to be larger, typically 1206 or more in useful values like 47 nF and 100 nF, so I stayed with X7R.
6. Changed C13 and C14 from 6.8nF Wima FKP2 to 5.6nF/63V ERO KP1837. Not really necessary IMHO - but some on the Subbu DAC and other threads have recommended lowering it to 4.7nF or even lower. 5.6nF is a reasonable compromise which sounds fine.

Overall, the mods get rid of most of the harshness/brittleness without losing micro-detail. There's also more air and cohesiveness, and it's now good enough to be my primary reference DAC.

 

[linuxguru]

Overall, the mods get rid of most of the harshness/brittleness without losing micro-detail. There's also more air and cohesiveness, and it's now good enough to be my primary reference DAC.

The modded UAE23 was auditioned yesterday in a fairly serious audiophile setup, driving a Dared VP-845 integated SET tube amp, driving a pair of Cadence Arista floorstanders with electrostatic tweeters. I used Rhythmbox on a notebook to play .flac and .m4a hi-res as well as CD-quality 16/44.1 tracks through the UAE23. The other DACs in the fray were an ODAC (also ES9023-based), a tube-buffered TDA1541A DAC, and a Feixiang FX-98s PCM2704 DAC.

On the CD-quality tracks, the tube-buffered TDA1541A held its own. However, on any of the 24/96 tracks, both the ES9023-based DACs (the UAE23 and the ODAC) easily trumped the others on dynamics, headroom, detail, separation, sound-stage - practically any audible yardstick.

Overall, the modded UAE23 was darker and smoother than the stock ODAC, but the ODAC had a bit more micro-detail and air. I preferred the modded UAE23 on overall presentation as well as (possibly) lower fatigue, as compared to the stock ODAC, but individual tastes may vary.

 

[ljbrandt]

I'm hoping someone could offer subjective opinions on the new UE23 with the SA9023 receiver vs the old Tenor TE7022 chip. I'm about to pull the trigger on one of these DACs, but was wondering what the audible differences were between the two USB chips. I know the specs on the SA9023 allow for 88khz whereas the 7022 does not...but I'm wondering if the new USB chip implementation has any impact on the sound of the DAC since both are still available.

Has anyone directly compared the new version (sa9023) to the old UAE23 (te7022) in terms of sonic signatures/SQ?

 

[uncola]

I used to have the old tenor based one but gave it to a friend.. I have one of the new savitech ones coming.. I didn't know there was an asynchronous version available when ordering so now I wish I had gotten the asynch one

 

[ljbrandt]

I used to have the old tenor based one but gave it to a friend.. I have one of the new savitech ones coming.. I didn't know there was an asynchronous version available when ordering so now I wish I had gotten the asynch one

Would you be so kind as to offer a subjective comparison between the two when it arrives? Also, let me know if you would like to sell it if you decide to get the a-sync version

 

[satwilson]

I'm hoping someone could offer subjective opinions on the new UE23 with the SA9023 receiver vs the old Tenor TE7022 chip. I'm about to pull the trigger on one of these DACs, but was wondering what the audible differences were between the two USB chips. I know the specs on the SA9023 allow for 88khz whereas the 7022 does not...but I'm wondering if the new USB chip implementation has any impact on the sound of the DAC since both are still available.

Has anyone directly compared the new version (sa9023) to the old UAE23 (te7022) in terms of sonic signatures/SQ?

I purchased both versions thinking the asynch and 88khz as a reasonable upgrade given the modest cost involved. My impression was the SA9023 was somewhat smoother or warmer but still retaining the upper frequency detail. This was not an in depth comparison and involved my Android phone, USB out to the DAC, to an amp and Fostex T50RP orthodynamic headphones. The files were FLAC, some 96khz HDTracks downloads. I wish my soldering skills were up to SMD devices as I would like to modify one like others have done in previous posts. IMHO the SA9023 is the one I prefer. Hope this helps, satwilson