There is a myth built around ES chips due to the manufacturer secrecy and to our apetite for myths.
Comtrue company tries (probably) to do the same for their products. I have read about some users that trying to swell CT7302PL chip (unintentionally maybe), also a hard to buy chip, as ESS ones.
I will take AK.
Comtrue company tries (probably) to do the same for their products. I have read about some users that trying to swell CT7302PL chip (unintentionally maybe), also a hard to buy chip, as ESS ones.
I will take AK.
How the components are used and also how they are chosen in relation to the whole, so even not the same sometimes for two diferent dac chip/board. AT the end you listen the whole converter unit and all the others devices around. You can risk sometimes some assertions as : "AK dac chips doesn't sound the same as ESS chips"... but it's risky and all the other choices above will be more important.
That's why it's often more feasible and easier to acheive if you don't need high res. to go towards some very good multibits dac chips : tda1541A, AD1862, PCM1702/4, PCM56, etc. which multiple iteration designs and aditionned experience went to the first steps of the -sound- podium. The limitation is often more what is around : amp and speakers when such good pcm dac chips DACs are well made.
One important thing to consider is the streaming playback chain aka digital front-end in the whole result. a lot of diferent trade offs between the sota brand new chips and the oldest PCM ! One must choose his poison
That's why it's often more feasible and easier to acheive if you don't need high res. to go towards some very good multibits dac chips : tda1541A, AD1862, PCM1702/4, PCM56, etc. which multiple iteration designs and aditionned experience went to the first steps of the -sound- podium. The limitation is often more what is around : amp and speakers when such good pcm dac chips DACs are well made.
One important thing to consider is the streaming playback chain aka digital front-end in the whole result. a lot of diferent trade offs between the sota brand new chips and the oldest PCM ! One must choose his poison
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dotneck335,
The ESS board you linked to has a dedicated thread in this area of the forum. Someone recently asked about the same board there: https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-line-level/314935-es9038q2m-board-584.html#post6297695 ...Bottom line, they benefit greatly from extensive modding. Not very good sound quality stock.
Regarding the AK4493 dac you linked to, it will probably sound better stock than the ES9038Q2M board. However, it doesn't support DSD which says to me the implementation is still too lacking quality (which would also be evidenced by the presumably 2-layer PCB I think you would find).
A much better sounding specimen might be the one at JL Sounds: https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/dig...493-vs-ess9038-based-dac-kit.html#post6302149 ...As you can see prices add up quickly for better quality.
If you are willing to do some exploration and modding work, the Chinese AK4493 board might be a good one to play around with. You should be able to sketch out a schematic from looking at the board since its almost certainly 2-layers. With that it should be possible to figure out what would be possible to improve. A good USB board to go with it would be needed to provide quality clocking. The best Chinese USB board currently is: USB digital interface AS318B PCM1536 DSD1024 compatible with Amanero Italy XMOS to I2S|Digital-to-Analog Converter| - AliExpress ...It's clocks at said to be the same as, and sound exactly the same as Topping used in their top of the line D90 model.
The ESS board you linked to has a dedicated thread in this area of the forum. Someone recently asked about the same board there: https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-line-level/314935-es9038q2m-board-584.html#post6297695 ...Bottom line, they benefit greatly from extensive modding. Not very good sound quality stock.
Regarding the AK4493 dac you linked to, it will probably sound better stock than the ES9038Q2M board. However, it doesn't support DSD which says to me the implementation is still too lacking quality (which would also be evidenced by the presumably 2-layer PCB I think you would find).
A much better sounding specimen might be the one at JL Sounds: https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/dig...493-vs-ess9038-based-dac-kit.html#post6302149 ...As you can see prices add up quickly for better quality.
If you are willing to do some exploration and modding work, the Chinese AK4493 board might be a good one to play around with. You should be able to sketch out a schematic from looking at the board since its almost certainly 2-layers. With that it should be possible to figure out what would be possible to improve. A good USB board to go with it would be needed to provide quality clocking. The best Chinese USB board currently is: USB digital interface AS318B PCM1536 DSD1024 compatible with Amanero Italy XMOS to I2S|Digital-to-Analog Converter| - AliExpress ...It's clocks at said to be the same as, and sound exactly the same as Topping used in their top of the line D90 model.
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I2SoverUSB is the best sounding of that type that I know of: I2SoverUSB - I2S over USB Audio ...It used NDK SDA clocks which are also very good, but not quite as good as AS318 B in a direct comparison. Up until recently most people who tried it found it sounded the best of all USB boards they tried. Good clocks, galvanic isolation, etc. A really good feature of I2SoverUSB is that it can accept external 45/49MHz clocks if desired. That can be useful if someone wants to use it with clocks such as Crystek located at the dac.
By the way, I forgot to mention that the new Chinese USB board benefits considerably from modding to run from clean isolated power rather than from USB power. The mod is exactly the same as some people use for Amanero boards.
I always prefer AKM dac chips.. Don't know why but ess chips sounds unrealistic to me...
I have a somewhat modded version of the ES9038q2m chinese board and a JLsounds AK4493 build. The ES board sounds ok with the few mods that I did, I did not go as far as some did doing all of the fancy mods like separating the on board power supplies, new clocks ect. For a little more money once you add case work psus, ect the AK4493 is in a totally different league IMO. Plus it is very compact and is easy to build into a nice case.