Hi All,
Could anyone please advise if this one looks worth trying at this kind of pricing?
Mini ES9038Q2M ES9038 XMOS XU208 USB DAC USB Soundcard Headphone Out DSD Native High Resolution Hi Fi Audio,100V 240V AC Adaptor-in Amplifier from Consumer Electronics on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
Sadly I have almost no background in all this stuff whatsoever but some features like separate power input and that XMOS XU208 queueing at the USB input sound right to me after reading a few threads with detailed discussions of various DACs and their boards here.
My only use case is: Windows Laptop --usb-- DAC --rca-- Denon PMA-355UK amp -- 4-ohm S-90 speakers by RRR (Riga, Latvia)
My music collection is mp3-328Kbps/flac at present and this DAC would let me try something in DSD format and hopefully sense the difference.
Many thanks in anticipation!
Update: In fact it looks like it was briefly discussed a few days ago but any further thoughts would be very welcome:
Could anyone please advise if this one looks worth trying at this kind of pricing?
Mini ES9038Q2M ES9038 XMOS XU208 USB DAC USB Soundcard Headphone Out DSD Native High Resolution Hi Fi Audio,100V 240V AC Adaptor-in Amplifier from Consumer Electronics on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
Sadly I have almost no background in all this stuff whatsoever but some features like separate power input and that XMOS XU208 queueing at the USB input sound right to me after reading a few threads with detailed discussions of various DACs and their boards here.
My only use case is: Windows Laptop --usb-- DAC --rca-- Denon PMA-355UK amp -- 4-ohm S-90 speakers by RRR (Riga, Latvia)
My music collection is mp3-328Kbps/flac at present and this DAC would let me try something in DSD format and hopefully sense the difference.
Many thanks in anticipation!
Update: In fact it looks like it was briefly discussed a few days ago but any further thoughts would be very welcome:
Price is low, but distortion is fairly high. Output stage is voltage mode rather than current mode, and the critical AVCC power supply doesn't look very high quality. Despite the shortcomings, some people seem to like these pretty cheap (for ESS Sabre) dacs okay. Others can't stand them. It depends on what sound quality one finds acceptable, I guess.
If you would like, we can try to provide more info about ES9038Q2M dacs over in the 'ES9038Q2M board' thread: https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-line-level/314935-es9038q2m-board-320.html#post5609058
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Some more !
1. From the famous "Mshow" Aliexpress.com : Buy Mshow audio TOP DSD1796 + XMOS XU208 USB DAC decoder / Support DSD64 256 / PCM 32Bit 384k from Reliable dac decoder suppliers on Mshow Store
2. Aliexpress.com : Buy Assembled TDA1547 DAC board 16Bit 48Khz for HIFI audio decoder upgrade TDA1541 from Reliable dac board suppliers on Mshow Store
3. Aliexpress.com : Buy Mshow audio Parallel AD1865 SOIC DAC decoder board Hifi with TO 99 AD711 opamp,coax and USB input from Reliable dac decoder suppliers on Mshow Store
4. Aliexpress.com : Buy Mshow audio Parallel AD1865 SOIC DAC decoder board Hifi with TO 99 AD711 opamp,coax and USB input from Reliable dac decoder suppliers on Mshow Store
5. Aliexpress.com : Buy NEW ES9038 ES9038Q2M DAC Decoder board Support IIS DSD 384KHz Coaxial Optical DOP For hifi amplifier audio With TFT display from Reliable Amplifier suppliers on Mshow Store
6. A NOS DAC ? https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pr...C-24bit-192K-Decoder/1679052_32946947755.html
1. From the famous "Mshow" Aliexpress.com : Buy Mshow audio TOP DSD1796 + XMOS XU208 USB DAC decoder / Support DSD64 256 / PCM 32Bit 384k from Reliable dac decoder suppliers on Mshow Store
2. Aliexpress.com : Buy Assembled TDA1547 DAC board 16Bit 48Khz for HIFI audio decoder upgrade TDA1541 from Reliable dac board suppliers on Mshow Store
3. Aliexpress.com : Buy Mshow audio Parallel AD1865 SOIC DAC decoder board Hifi with TO 99 AD711 opamp,coax and USB input from Reliable dac decoder suppliers on Mshow Store
4. Aliexpress.com : Buy Mshow audio Parallel AD1865 SOIC DAC decoder board Hifi with TO 99 AD711 opamp,coax and USB input from Reliable dac decoder suppliers on Mshow Store
5. Aliexpress.com : Buy NEW ES9038 ES9038Q2M DAC Decoder board Support IIS DSD 384KHz Coaxial Optical DOP For hifi amplifier audio With TFT display from Reliable Amplifier suppliers on Mshow Store
6. A NOS DAC ? https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pr...C-24bit-192K-Decoder/1679052_32946947755.html
I really liked the layout of that board !
I might go for this one instead of the Topping lol
Markw4:
eljoantonyn:
Thanks for your feedback and alternative suggestions. I do realise a ~GBP50 device is unlikely to compare even with those costing 3-digit figures (the good ones I mean) but I'd still prefer to wait until the industry settles somewhat after so rapid growth before paying that much for anything. Frequent buying-trying-selling-on is unfortunately not an option because of the time constraints; another constraint is my amp+speakers, which I intend to keep long term. Initially I was looking at this cheapo one:
DA3 SA9227 + PCM5102A 32BIT/384KHZ USB DAC HIFI Asynchronous Decoder + Case | eBay
but it has no DSD at all, and I thought perhaps the one in question may even play my mp3/flac collection better due to the better design + play DSD too just for those extra GBP25. If I can hear sound quality improvements vs built-in audio card in my Lenovo X1 Carbon 1st gen that I use as DAC at present then job done at least for the next few or even several years I suppose......while I'm saving on my PS Audio DirectStream ))
Edit: actually what does Topping D10 have under the bonnet? It looks fine too at a glance for my modest requirements..
eljoantonyn:
Thanks for your feedback and alternative suggestions. I do realise a ~GBP50 device is unlikely to compare even with those costing 3-digit figures (the good ones I mean) but I'd still prefer to wait until the industry settles somewhat after so rapid growth before paying that much for anything. Frequent buying-trying-selling-on is unfortunately not an option because of the time constraints; another constraint is my amp+speakers, which I intend to keep long term. Initially I was looking at this cheapo one:
DA3 SA9227 + PCM5102A 32BIT/384KHZ USB DAC HIFI Asynchronous Decoder + Case | eBay
but it has no DSD at all, and I thought perhaps the one in question may even play my mp3/flac collection better due to the better design + play DSD too just for those extra GBP25. If I can hear sound quality improvements vs built-in audio card in my Lenovo X1 Carbon 1st gen that I use as DAC at present then job done at least for the next few or even several years I suppose......while I'm saving on my PS Audio DirectStream ))
Edit: actually what does Topping D10 have under the bonnet? It looks fine too at a glance for my modest requirements..
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Are you serious about wanting a TDA1305 DAC? Oh I forgot, you like artificially bright
@dandreye - don't equate the cost of something with its performance. I have a DAC design with a Taobao parts cost of $3 which outshines DACs on offer at many, many times its component price on Taobao. In fact I'd choose it over some commercial designs in the hundreds of dollars.
@dandreye - don't equate the cost of something with its performance. I have a DAC design with a Taobao parts cost of $3 which outshines DACs on offer at many, many times its component price on Taobao. In fact I'd choose it over some commercial designs in the hundreds of dollars.
Thanks for your feedback - I'll look into ways of making them commercially available. There are guys (on the lingDAC thread) who are going to be making them themselves from kits, they are worth approaching to see if they are likely to have a spare one they'd sell to you. This is of course looking forward six to eight weeks.
Are you serious about wanting a TDA1305 DAC? Oh I forgot, you like artificially bright
.
Lol
Does it have bright sound , the tda1305 dac ?
Absolutely !
See this link for some measurements and opinions.
Review and Measurements of Topping D10 DAC | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum
Lol
Does it have bright sound , the tda1305 dac ?
You see, I bought Yamaha AS500 amp over a Marrantz PM5xxx for the same reason, bright sound . But, my speakers are just the opposite. So now, the sound is sort of balanced. I want to change that lol
I don't recall TDA1305 being bright, most noticeable was its artificiality.
I took a look at an online pic of the Topping D10 PCB. Looks like you only get to roll the very last opamp in the chain - the two next to the DAC chip (an ESS) are hard-wired SO-8 OPA2134s. Whereas to get brightness you'd want to put a pair of LM4562s in that position as when exposed to RF (fresh from the DAC chip) they really do the business of brightness generation.
I took a look at an online pic of the Topping D10 PCB. Looks like you only get to roll the very last opamp in the chain - the two next to the DAC chip (an ESS) are hard-wired SO-8 OPA2134s. Whereas to get brightness you'd want to put a pair of LM4562s in that position as when exposed to RF (fresh from the DAC chip) they really do the business of brightness generation.
shenzenaudio.com: Is it a good site ?
Hi !
I'm going to buy a Topping D10 soon and this site is mentioned as the world wide authorised seller of topping at toppings website. So, I'm wondering if anyone have any experience in dealing with them.
I want to know coz I don't like too many dramas
Thanks !
Hi !
I'm going to buy a Topping D10 soon and this site is mentioned as the world wide authorised seller of topping at toppings website. So, I'm wondering if anyone have any experience in dealing with them.
I want to know coz I don't like too many dramas
Thanks !
Huge sound quality improvements are possible over all those cheap dacs. For anyone that has the time and interest, a modded ES9038Q2M board can be built up into a very excellent dac over time and as costs permit. A dac of that calibre can serve well for a decade or more. For the best A+ quality dacs there is little difference if any between DSD and PCM. For slightly lesser dacs the difference is largely in the sound of the interpolation filtering (using sigma-delta dac type). Very cheap dacs may show more differences with DSD as compared to PCM, just depends.
My current strategy is to get a decent performance DAC first and keep it as sort of a benchmark. Then start diy DAC modding as I don’t know what I’m doing and not good with soldering small components.
But, I’ll try browsing the eBay stores of mShow and along to see if they have any interesting stuff in my budget.
But, I’ll try browsing the eBay stores of mShow and along to see if they have any interesting stuff in my budget.
That’s what I have done, and it does work like mark said, but not without a lot of trials and tuning to get what you want.
My first dac didn’t last long, had a low voltage, single rail supply. The second one, a much better design, I made changes until the board had been compromised, a replacement board retrofitted has been in use for 5 years or so daily. They were from along/minishow also.
My first dac didn’t last long, had a low voltage, single rail supply. The second one, a much better design, I made changes until the board had been compromised, a replacement board retrofitted has been in use for 5 years or so daily. They were from along/minishow also.
If you're completely serious about wanting the brightest possible sound I reckon. Otherwise the OPA2134 will be contributing some 'warmth'.
@phase - is there's something amiss with single rail supplies? My DACs have a single rail supply, to my ears they sound awesome