Note that my emu0404 has a lot of modules disconnected and chips removed... it has also massive decoupling capacitors like 1mf... and a new transformer... the dac has all filters disabled and the output is going straight to 10uf 600v film caps, then passive filters, the Broskie (tube ecc88 un-balancer) cancels most noises from balanced outputs and sums it up, with very low noise, each resistor value was selected both with critical listening and THD tests, I use Mundorf 250uf caps for direct headphone use, and 1uf tin foil amphom as output...
I checked many times the signal with scope and there are 'no spikes' in music or signals.
Placing a 3kVA variac with a DC filter EMI twice in the power signal of the dac brought it to surpass completely the Vinyl. It has that natural sound, total fluidity. Zero fatigue.
I purchased it only to build loudspeakers as a cheap mic preamp ADC ... turns out .... 15 years later I still use it for all my music. Just now it is time to upgrade, I hope PCM58 will do it!!!
I checked many times the signal with scope and there are 'no spikes' in music or signals.
Placing a 3kVA variac with a DC filter EMI twice in the power signal of the dac brought it to surpass completely the Vinyl. It has that natural sound, total fluidity. Zero fatigue.
I purchased it only to build loudspeakers as a cheap mic preamp ADC ... turns out .... 15 years later I still use it for all my music. Just now it is time to upgrade, I hope PCM58 will do it!!!
On Aliexpress it is 'Chinese' to understand what is going on with their dacs...
They have these AK4117 receivers which are NOS (no digital filter nor OS) BUT they send As-Is the signal to the PCM chip, it can vary to multiples of 48khz which then produce different noise patterns which is not ideal...
The best way to take advantage of this is to upsample on the numerical side on the computer so that every signal is 4x os for example and all is 192khz then build the output filter accordingly.
Others are using same techniques with 'switchers' DF1706 which I believe is the same as AK4177 principles...
Then they offer traditional 8x filters which only accepts 48khz signals and works with SM5813APT ,
SM5847... DF1700, DF1704?
One needs either his own music collection and use a resampler in foobar etc, OR
Use an internet streamer with a paid player with upsampling abilities.
They have these AK4117 receivers which are NOS (no digital filter nor OS) BUT they send As-Is the signal to the PCM chip, it can vary to multiples of 48khz which then produce different noise patterns which is not ideal...
The best way to take advantage of this is to upsample on the numerical side on the computer so that every signal is 4x os for example and all is 192khz then build the output filter accordingly.
Others are using same techniques with 'switchers' DF1706 which I believe is the same as AK4177 principles...
Then they offer traditional 8x filters which only accepts 48khz signals and works with SM5813APT ,
SM5847... DF1700, DF1704?
One needs either his own music collection and use a resampler in foobar etc, OR
Use an internet streamer with a paid player with upsampling abilities.
A smattering of coloured caps and a 5532 in a socket. My Qualcomm BT app doesn't see the chip. Actually I didn't have the aerial plugged in, but 300mm away with no box.. I would hope for something.
£32 in my hand.
Maybe the 28 Euro (for sure the inexpensive part) Aliexpress ES9039Q2M board is good (somewhat in the direction of excellent part). It is at the customs office so we'll see.
The other Aliexpress ES9039Q2M board in the thread you were quick to lock shows more promise although it only operates in ASRC mode.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...le-what-can-we-do-with-it.426928/post-7996653
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...le-what-can-we-do-with-it.426928/post-7996653
Yeah good that it is locked. Before you know it is yet another DAC Meister thread with people only telling what is wrong with everything but without having tried it out 🙂
The other looks promising but at double the price and only I2S input. Balanced outputs are nice though just as the 2 x OPA1612. More complicated PSU too but IMHO minimum requirement to be really good. Other category. Maybe I'll try that one too after "CheapESS".
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005008386240703.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2deu
The other looks promising but at double the price and only I2S input. Balanced outputs are nice though just as the 2 x OPA1612. More complicated PSU too but IMHO minimum requirement to be really good. Other category. Maybe I'll try that one too after "CheapESS".
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005008386240703.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2deu
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It is working good also with external MCLK, it is hardware configured by three HW pins and it was not so hard to set "I²S Slave, SYNC" mode according to DS table.
Also it is very easy to use SPDIF input (SPDIF input pin GPIO4 and configure HW modes 16-18 as you need)
Very simple configuring:
As I commented in that locked thread the cheap board is voltage out only. No need to try it out to see that and to know that performance with voltage out is much worse than what ES9039Q2M is capable of.
Yes the CheapESS board in the locked thread is voltage out but it costs 28 Euro and seems to be ready for use when plugging in a 12V PSU/wall wart. My question is what 28 Euro can deliver in terms of (subjective) DAC performance. It is a real device I can try out.
A bit as the thread title says "Are there any excellent inexpensive Chinese DACs?" but in this case with with more emphasis on "inexpensive" than on "excellent". If it is just OK it maybe is a candidate for "inexpensive and tolerable Chinese DAC". We'll see.
A bit as the thread title says "Are there any excellent inexpensive Chinese DACs?" but in this case with with more emphasis on "inexpensive" than on "excellent". If it is just OK it maybe is a candidate for "inexpensive and tolerable Chinese DAC". We'll see.
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Using voltage out is akin to using diesel with a Ferrari since diesel is cheaper and complaining that it does not ride like a Ferrari 🙂
Contrary to all discussions the device can be bought, touched, connected and tried out. In my case with a transformer board probably or an output board.
It even has ferrite beads! 🙂
It even has ferrite beads! 🙂
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What bit isn't excellent.
I dare say the 9039 is better, as it's the reworked version of the same. While the OP amps are an upgrade to. Making the board the better bet. Perhaps even cutting edge. Some of us want a packaged item though, and buy things just to have a look. I'm sorry you find that distasteful enough for a worthless comment. There is really nothing lo-fi about the chips used though. That's all damn good for consumer grade cheapness.
Chipsatz: SA9123L+ES9018Q2M+NJW1194+MAX97220+NE5532+QCC3034
PC-USB-Abtastrate: 24 Bit/192 kHz
Faser-/Koaxial-Abtastrate: 24 Bit 192 kHz
Cinch: Snr: 103 dB, THD + N: 0,0032 %
I guess to say something excels, we need a baseline to judge from. I choose $40, where there is so little action, just working is pretty good 🙂
There's hope for you yet. You seem capable of learning. Perhaps you might learn that for not a lot more effort you could build something bespoke and a lot better.
Is that really where we have come to in terms of DIY? It is there and it is cheap? FWIW, I have one of those chinese ESS9038 dacs. Is the the worst thing in the world? No but I don't kid myself that it is some great giant killing discovery.
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It is not DIY. It is CHEAP but with a good chip. Who cares when it performs OK?
As in trying out. Smelling, touching, connecting, listening (OMG!!!!) like you also did in the past. A physical device, not delivering words on a forum.
As in getting inspiration to maybe design something similar affordable to offer here for builders as despite having the best DAC Meisters in the world onboard there are no (zero, 0) affordable, compact DAC projects a normal member can build. Just endless threads with people commenting that this is not good and that is not good.
The ES9038Q2M was the next big thing (like some equally mediocre ESS predecessors) but I never heard any in whatever device of whatever price that impressed. My favorite audio player has 2 of them, that is karma 🙂 That is why I want to try ES9039Q2M. Would be the first ESS DAC at the upper price spectrum that possibly is not switched off after 15 minutes.
As in trying out. Smelling, touching, connecting, listening (OMG!!!!) like you also did in the past. A physical device, not delivering words on a forum.
As in getting inspiration to maybe design something similar affordable to offer here for builders as despite having the best DAC Meisters in the world onboard there are no (zero, 0) affordable, compact DAC projects a normal member can build. Just endless threads with people commenting that this is not good and that is not good.
The ES9038Q2M was the next big thing (like some equally mediocre ESS predecessors) but I never heard any in whatever device of whatever price that impressed. My favorite audio player has 2 of them, that is karma 🙂 That is why I want to try ES9039Q2M. Would be the first ESS DAC at the upper price spectrum that possibly is not switched off after 15 minutes.
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