This is what I've found over the years....
I also like 5534 if not exposed to high levels of noise... don't place it straight after a high sampling rate DAC for example. As MM pre-amp they simply shine. Also as analog preamplifier or buffer IC's. Very musical and if their voltage supply rails are tightly decoupled, they can sound very spacious with great extension top and bottom.
A step up that can also handle HF rubbish better is AD8066 - my absolute favourite OPAmp, albeit limited to + 12 and -12V DC rails.
Straight after DAC with high amount of noise, an 1611/1612 do really good while staying completely neutral with great amount of details.
... but other types have their place as well... depending on application. With 1704 for example, that spits out a max. of 2mA of current, nothing works better than AD811... mainly because it can present a close to 0 dynamic impedance to that DAC while at the same time it provides the required gain - all in one. I achieved the best looking staircase out of that DAC only whit that OPAmp. Subjectively, it also sounded amazing - like D/A wire with gain...
But with 1794 DAC for example (8mA current out), I found that a simple high quality resistor does best.
What would be some good Chinese DAC's with AKM chips with similar level of 'qualities / performance' equivalent to ESS 9039Q2M?
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Well I imagine a group buy could suffice.
Making monney at 30 euros a 4 layers boards? With the time spent for packing, go to the post office, make the papers for customs, insurance... Not possible imho, at least not from France.
Interest is also limited by the specificity of the chip, also free 2 layers exists, the need of logic with Iancanada , JLsounds, miro1360, cpld boards to stay short and straigth.
And for people able to solder 0805 " smd.
Simple design with good layout on 4 layers.
So quite limited interrests imo, but good rnough sounding if liking NOS as I, to me I propose it.
It is not mass market indeed. But I listened to at least two kits that sounded less good to me dealed at diyaudio, once was a discrete r2r...
Maybe a 100 bucks chi-fi with discrete from Sparkos sounds better, I don't know. But the one i heard stocks till now let me suspicious.
Anyway it is trade offs as always and also personal tastes.
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Seems like AKM haven't pushed out all their updated DAC chips, the old AK4497 is gone but there is an updated version called AK4497SVQ but I haven't seen any products with it, or not watched carefully enough, well implemented AK4493 is probably a good choice too.
https://www.akm.com/us/en/products/audio/audio-dac/
https://www.akm.com/us/en/products/audio/audio-dac/
I think we are seeing a lot of push for ever-so-low distortion figures. Here, an ESS chip will help achieve the said goal more easily - hence, a DAC utilising an ESS chip will be more widely accepted as a better DAC. Most of the consumers who buy DACs these days do not listen; they base their final decision purely on how low a DAC's THD + N is. This automatically disqualifies a possibly better-sounding DAC IC (AKM) from the race. Which in turn pushes the manufacturers away from implementing such a DAC IC.
Another DAC for $200 US that will do everything. Balanced out, it can even drive headphones, has Bluetooth 5.1 with LDAC codec, excellent measured performance, and even a remote control (!). Onboard power supply as well. Just add active speakers, any PC/laptop lying around to stream via USB, a phone to cast Bluetooth... and there's a hi-fi system for next to nothing:
https://aoshida-audio.com/products/smsl-c200
https://aoshida-audio.com/products/smsl-c200
ES9038Q2M and TRS are both not its attractive features. TRS is even more awful than XLR (despite balanced itself of course being preferred). FWIW I haven't had any device with ES9038Q2M that I liked sonically, even if they measure exemplary. ES9039Q2M just is better, maybe even comparable with AKM chips.
What about the devices with Rohm DAC chips? Haven't heard these but I am curious:
https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/912.html
https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/771.html
What about the devices with Rohm DAC chips? Haven't heard these but I am curious:
https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/912.html
https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/771.html
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IMHO because of the new AK4499 - it's better and not much more expensive.
And where you need it even cheaper, there are 4490 and 4493.
P.S. The old 4497 was the best of the AKMs, but that was until the old 4498 and 4499, with the new ones everything has changed.
Very strange chips.
I haven't used the newest BD34302, but I've made several DACs with BD34301 and BFD34352.
(I don't think there's much difference between 301 and 302, except for the even higher price of 302).
What I can say (all my IMHO, of course 🙂):
1) The difference between 301 and 352 is much smaller than the difference in their prices.
2) 301 and 302 - cost as much as a wing from F22 Raptor.
3) They don't consume much power and don't get very hot.
4) My friends and I didn't hear anything extraordinary in PCM playback, but DSD is just superb!
Alex.
SMSL D300 costs 350 Euro. Maybe the wingtip lamp of a F22 Raptor 🙂
My D6s is broken in. Nice device but brutally honest, no sonical schnick schnack at all.
My D6s is broken in. Nice device but brutally honest, no sonical schnick schnack at all.
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It goes to show that what AP likes best (and that DAC does indeed have a nice set of measurements for the price, low, tight and clean jitter graph as well), we humans do not necessarily appreciate that much...
So what is the missing link?? Is it highly individual, or is there a distortion range and a specific harmonic profile, for example, that suits us humans...?
Probably. My opinion is that it is amongst the best DACs I ever bought for 100 Euro. My life does not depend on it, meanwhile I just use it. As hoped it is better than the 9038 which is worth something.
It is likely not a DAC for those that want a colored sound character. If one can just let go/accept changes it is a good device. It invites playing albums which eventually should be the goal of such devices. I noticed to play various albums every day since I have it.
It is likely not a DAC for those that want a colored sound character. If one can just let go/accept changes it is a good device. It invites playing albums which eventually should be the goal of such devices. I noticed to play various albums every day since I have it.
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I was talking about the price of chips, not the price of Chi-Fi (I'm not familiar with it).
(Hm, few weeks ago 302 was more expensive than 301).
For 1/100/100pcs:
301:-$126/95/90
302: $110/87/79
352: $19/13/11
Alex.
No way one can compete with the newcomers, their design teams and their prices due to the production numbers. Very nice for audio enthusiasts that stuff can be bought at various websites and such for commodity prices. There is no substitute and also no one accepting the challenge to offer any affordable project for members. If there exists better stuff it is either vapourware, a one off by a single person, very to extremely expensive, not obtainable/buildable/available or out of reach for any other reason. Simple. Even the seasoned DIYer just has the choice to buy or don’t have such a device as the factors of DIYing a DAC have multiplied to a too steep level for most.
Reminder: this thread is entirely about such devices.
Reminder: this thread is entirely about such devices.
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And why not DO100Pro...? Cheaper than d6s. I don't get it...
DO100Pro has two 9039Q2 DAC ICs, HDMI Arc, Bluetooth 5.1 with LDAC support. The deciding factor for me is the inclusion of through-hole filter electrolytes that are easy to replace with something that would make the sound easier to bear, in case the factory sound does not suit.
DO100Pro has two 9039Q2 DAC ICs, HDMI Arc, Bluetooth 5.1 with LDAC support. The deciding factor for me is the inclusion of through-hole filter electrolytes that are easy to replace with something that would make the sound easier to bear, in case the factory sound does not suit.