Chinese ES9018K2M I2S DAC

I dont see caps on the delay circuit. But during test and resets, you have to go through the wait every time. If you have ssh access to your hifiberry or can write to microsd card, the pin toggle is really easy.

contents of /etc/relay_toggle.sh

# wait for hifiberry startup to complete
sleep 5

# Exports pin to userspace
echo "18" > /sys/class/gpio/export

# Sets pin 18 as an output
echo "out" > /sys/class/gpio/gpio18/direction

# Sets pin 18 to low in a case if it was high
echo "0" > /sys/class/gpio/gpio18/value

sleep 1

# Sets pin 18 to high
echo "1" > /sys/class/gpio/gpio18/value

make sure to make /etc/relay_toggle.sh executable:

# chmod +x /etc/relay_toggle.sh

Now on /etc/rc.local put before exit 0

/etc/relay_toggle.sh
 
Thank you for this advise! I agree, this would be the more elegant solution! But as I wrote before, I doubt the aroio image will let me make chanches in SW. Sudo is disabled and all changes I tried (using different DAC driver e.g.) with nano were overwritten after reboot..

isnt the power cap charging time (and voltage ramp up) influenced by the resistor in power line AC? What happens with LT 1963 when getting slowly rising voltage?
Regarding reset issue you are right.. Maybe better
1) taking a line of the 15-0-15 to power a delay circuit with extra cap in delay circuit or
2) interrupt the trace of the DAC board from cap to the LT1963 (to save another AC/DC converter), taking this DC after cap as relay/delay source and bypass the cut trace to the reg. with the relay switch.
 
Thank you for this advise! I agree, this would be the more elegant solution! But as I wrote before, I doubt the aroio image will let me make chanches in SW. Sudo is disabled and all changes I tried (using different DAC driver e.g.) with nano were overwritten after reboot..

isnt the power cap charging time (and voltage ramp up) influenced by the resistor in power line AC? What happens with LT 1963 when getting slowly rising voltage?
Regarding reset issue you are right.. Maybe better
1) taking a line of the 15-0-15 to power a delay circuit with extra cap in delay circuit or
2) interrupt the trace of the DAC board from cap to the LT1963 (to save another AC/DC converter), taking this DC after cap as relay/delay source and bypass the cut trace to the reg. with the relay switch.

Sharing 18-0-18 with LT1963A

Regarding the overwritten part, what setup you have in raspberry. If it is open source, you should get root access. If not, if you are using linux for your dekstop and chattr +i both files over a mounted sd card.
 
The aroio is free and based on open source, but the image is not changeable even with root access. The config file is overwritten with each boot process and this cannot easily be changed (I gave up after several frustrating trials on this image..). I have no Linux PC installed, so I try the HW way first. At the moment I install the Kali on top of the DAC.
Is it a problem for the oscillators, installing the Kali upside-down?
 
Is this power supply correct?:confused:
 

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I have another version. Can you post the picture on the back as well as the chips part number/pics.
In my case dc was under 12V

My ac is same as you have, but some of the board configure as 0-18-18 to allow non split power inputs. Picture and part number should clear it up.
 
I have been playing with an Orange Pi One and the cheapo Chinese ES9028Q2M with I2S connection. Running off a cheap 12v linear wall supply.

I'm not sure why, but 24 bit audio output just does not play ball on armbian and sounds super quiet, if it helps anyone the following mpd.conf works great for mpd configurations. Obviously 32bit 96k is massive overkill, but it works.

audio_output {
type "alsa"
name "I2S DAC"
device "hw:1,0" # optional
mixer_type "software" # optional
mixer_control "PCM" # optional
# format "44100:16:2" # optional
format "96000:32:2"
}

The rest of the setup was from DimDim's great blog: Orange Pi One & Lite as music streamers (Part 1) | Dimdim's Blog

I also dropped in a OPA2134 from aliexpress and on first impressions it sounds great, sharper than my WM8741/OPA827 USB DAC. I'll have a proper listen tomorrow.
 
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Here some update to my symmetrical es9028q2m board:


I installed the Kali and now the delay of 2-pin power line is no more necessary. It seems Kali provides a Signal early enough to the DAC so that the volume Setting is not reduced after booting - puuhh ;-)
Sound is very natural and smooth with the LME 49720 and 49710 opamps, but also bass lost a Little texture compared to previous Trial with 5532 and w/o Kali. I also recognized some hizz noises when stopping playback - maybe coming from the I2S coax-wires from Kali to DAC that pass quite Close to the opamps - I will try to move them away from analog circuit.
But one Thing made me worry - I realized a channel switch from left to right I cannot explain. It must be on digital side..anybody has an explanation? Is it the LRCLK wire? Or a different length of I2S wires that could lead to such error or maybe a power-up Setting issue with DAC chip or MC. After a reboot the channel setting was OK again...
 
Mine may arrive next week... I will compare with my Diyinhk 9018 and report. (the ES9038Q2M is the mobile/phone version so S/N and Thd are similar to 9018k2m)
Highlights are the switchable input and volume control through on-board mcu so use as a digital preamp direct to power amp is possible.
Fir filters also accessible.


From another site the detail is better....
ES9038Q2M DAC Selectable FIR Filter Support I2S DSD 384Khz Headphone RCA Out
Support DSD64 DOP input via coaxial&optical, DSD256 via I2S input


Up for sale is an assembled DAC board of ES9038Q2M, It is the latest product from ESS with improvements from ES9028Q2M, The DAC is under soft control with optimized code, No noise when switching DSD and PCM signal, Three ways input can be connected at same time and can be switched with jumper

High Lights

MCU controllor onboard, The DAC receive I2S and DSD input
Support coaxial and optical input, Support sampling rate from 44.1Khz to 192Khz and DSD64 DOP.
There is a connector for volume control, One 10K ohm potentiometer can be series connected to adjust volume.
ES9038Q2M is successor of ES9028Q2M, The sonic is more mellow and juicy,Support DOP input via optical and coaxial which only coaxial is possible for ES9028Q2M.
Default opamp is NE5532DD, Can be subsitutated with better opamps
Improted high precision oscillators
High quality gold plated RCA terminals, Shielded heapdhone output for low noise
With signal locking indicator and DSD signal indicator.
Support 3.5mm heapdhone out and RCA stereo output.

Note: NE5532 opamp can be upgraded to MUSES8920 or MUSES02, Pls contact us if you want.

Specifications

1)Size: 77mm*83mm

Power input:

2) single DC 15V 120ma

3) Dual DC 15V (15V-0-15V), +15V 120ma, -15V 10ma

Default product is dual 15V, Can be changed with jumper,Pls operate follow the table strictly

4)support sampling rate

Optical&coaxial input: DSD64 DOP

PCM:44.1KHz,48KHz,88.2KHz,96KHz,

176.4KHz,192KHz,352.8KHz,384KHz

DSD: 2.8 MHz (DSD64) - DoP,native

5.6 MHz (DSD128) - DoP,native

11.2 MHz (DSD256) - native
 

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......Mine may arrive next week........
Have you tested already?

Listening now. :)

First impressions... I am quite surprised... My Diyinhk 9018k2m with 3x custom power supplies is bested by this 9038q2m using a single 15+-0-15- supply. (plenty of opportunity here for upgrading )

It does not have the 'clinical' presentation I associate with ESS chips... and seems warmer and fuller yet without sacrificing detail.
Resolution and soundstage is noticeably better than the 9018k2m .

I have wired a 50k audio taper pot and can adjust volume. Not a big range but enough to use as a 'digital controller' direct to a power amp.
Using a rotary switch to change inputs. No switching noises ! Very smooth operation.

Will try switching filters next but can't see the need really. Who changes filter on a track by track basis? .
I would rather listen to one for a week then try another and eventually settle on a preferred filter then leave it jumpered.

Inputs tested ...Usb to i2s, optical, and coax all work.

Downsides ?
... so far no direct i2s driver to be found..:-(
I am using a usb to i2s (raspberry pi player) interface and this works ok mostly... lock not achieved unless the dac is switched on while the Pi boots. If it is on first the Pi does not recognise it.

If anyone finds a dtoverlay for this I would be most interested... :)
 
Hi Drone7 - looks very interesting - are you using i2s or usb or..... and what software are you using? Thanks Adrian

Oops - I see you answered most in your earlier post - but just to clarify - you are not getting noise or glitches between tracks or on changing sample rate tracks - even on high res?
 
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