I have AK4137 (pi version) working with ES9038Q2M without problem. So I think your boards may work too.
I suggest to try I2S to AK4137 directly from pi. And don't forget to change pi alsa driver for slave cards (like hifiberry).
I suggest to try I2S to AK4137 directly from pi. And don't forget to change pi alsa driver for slave cards (like hifiberry).
Hi Uchu007, my DAC is a work in progress and it will probably be for a while... 🙂 I like the sound very much! Like you I used LT3042/3045 regulators for every power connection. I still plan to add upsampling and of course build it into a neat cabinet. For now I first want to complete building the BPBP pre-amp.
Have you tried spdif connection ? And if so, under what circumstances ?
The reason I'm asking is from this comment:
The reason I'm asking is that I'm looking at a 3dac multichanell solution using the
Lynx AES16e or minidsp U-DIO8 as an interface. I have failed so far to find out
what level of spdif there is in any of these products.
The reason I'm asking is from this comment:
The reason I'm asking is that I'm looking at a 3dac multichanell solution using the
Lynx AES16e or minidsp U-DIO8 as an interface. I have failed so far to find out
what level of spdif there is in any of these products.
No, I haven't tried feeding this dac with SPDIF. I use I2S. However I did at some point consider using SPDIF. At that time I found the following info:
- My understanding is that coaxial SPDIF in-/outputs always work at 0.4Vpp to 0.6Vpp level.
- Inside circuits SPDIF uses TTL level. More info at epanorama.net/S/PDIF Interface
- I found this converter. I converts to 5V TTL though, not the 3.3V that the DAC seems to require, but perhaps both would work.
Hope this helps.
- My understanding is that coaxial SPDIF in-/outputs always work at 0.4Vpp to 0.6Vpp level.
- Inside circuits SPDIF uses TTL level. More info at epanorama.net/S/PDIF Interface
- I found this converter. I converts to 5V TTL though, not the 3.3V that the DAC seems to require, but perhaps both would work.
Hope this helps.
I saw that one today as well 😀 I have to figure out some more aspects on this as
well. For instance, if I would like to use the "sabre volume control " there is the
possibility to buy the xmos board as a bundle. Now I'm wondering if I could
stack all three dacs on top of each other and let the xmos control all three in
parallel (a bit to much to hope for maybe).
How about register settings ? Does the dac run in "hardware mode" or do you
have the abbility to acces settings in any way ? In the sales information it says
that it's "popfree"(automute), do you agree ? A solid lock without any hazzle
would be nice as well.
This might be a solution but It's not one I'm going for in the near future.
well. For instance, if I would like to use the "sabre volume control " there is the
possibility to buy the xmos board as a bundle. Now I'm wondering if I could
stack all three dacs on top of each other and let the xmos control all three in
parallel (a bit to much to hope for maybe).
How about register settings ? Does the dac run in "hardware mode" or do you
have the abbility to acces settings in any way ? In the sales information it says
that it's "popfree"(automute), do you agree ? A solid lock without any hazzle
would be nice as well.
This might be a solution but It's not one I'm going for in the near future.
And so I found this thread
MiniDSP : UDIO-8 P-P voltage (1/1)
So I figure that it would be possible to connect the UDIO-8 directly to the spdif
input connector. Just have to figure out what pins in the xlr connector
(AES-EBU output cable) that goes where.
MiniDSP : UDIO-8 P-P voltage (1/1)
So I figure that it would be possible to connect the UDIO-8 directly to the spdif
input connector. Just have to figure out what pins in the xlr connector
(AES-EBU output cable) that goes where.
Sorry, completely overlooked this post. Answering your questions:
- I don’t have the XMOS board, so can’t tell you anything about that.
- I haven’t tried to access the registry yet; next level... 🙂
- indeed there are no pops or clicks. It locks on seamlessly.
- one thing to note: there is a DC offset on the balanced output that causes a “thud” at shutdown. That annoyed me a bit at first, when I had the DAC connected directly to my power amp. But now I have the BPBP preamp in between, which adequately corrects the offset. All in all I am pretty happy with this DAC.
Has anyone tried these boards form these ebay sellers ,Es9038Q2M Es9038 Q2M I2S Dsd Optical Coaxial Input Decoder Dac Headphone OuU6Y6,
yugum or tianxinshops
Sorry I did not know how to copy/paste for eBay.
yugum or tianxinshops
Sorry I did not know how to copy/paste for eBay.
Any boards that are 9038Q2M based are probably covered in this thread: ES9038Q2M Board , which is the mobile version of the 9038. This thread is more oriented toward the 9028 and 9038Pro base boards.
hi Mark,
i just got a topping e50 as base to upgrade, it sounds good, but is too trebly whatever 5v barrel enclosure input psu i use and whatever opamp i use as filter/buffer (i use balanced output to own external buffer/filter). it uses es9068as and it has opa1612 for , i assume, avcc buffer. I can't find the pinout for that ESS chip though. would you have any recommendation for that? amybe add a ~1000uf capacitor before the opa1612 buffer? I bought it used so i may just swap the dac for another kind.
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Hi pidesd,
Looks like it has multiple SMPS inside. Anyway, I doubt its simply a matter of FR that makes it sound the way it does. Thus, efforts to adjust FR probably aren't going to exactly compensate for whatever it is you are hearing. You could try playing with FR by using a player app that allows you to adjust some kind of EQ and then use that to see if you think you can make it sound better that way.
From the pic, looks like it also has ferrites on the clocks' power, etc. Even has multiple different clocks around the board, which, if so, would suggest one or more ASRC stages.
Its like, for a $200 dac, what should you expect in this day and age? There is too much stuff to fix; in my view it almost would take a redesign to address everything I don't like.
So if it were me I would probably sell it and build a diy dac. Miro 1862, one of the Abraxalito dacs, or if you want to higher end, maybe a Marcelvdg RTZ dac with Cestrian clock board, and Iancanada clocks, etc. The latter would cost more when all is said and done, but I think you would probably be happy with the investment.
Looks like it has multiple SMPS inside. Anyway, I doubt its simply a matter of FR that makes it sound the way it does. Thus, efforts to adjust FR probably aren't going to exactly compensate for whatever it is you are hearing. You could try playing with FR by using a player app that allows you to adjust some kind of EQ and then use that to see if you think you can make it sound better that way.
From the pic, looks like it also has ferrites on the clocks' power, etc. Even has multiple different clocks around the board, which, if so, would suggest one or more ASRC stages.
Its like, for a $200 dac, what should you expect in this day and age? There is too much stuff to fix; in my view it almost would take a redesign to address everything I don't like.
So if it were me I would probably sell it and build a diy dac. Miro 1862, one of the Abraxalito dacs, or if you want to higher end, maybe a Marcelvdg RTZ dac with Cestrian clock board, and Iancanada clocks, etc. The latter would cost more when all is said and done, but I think you would probably be happy with the investment.
Ok.... thanks for the suggestions.
i may try to add capacitors and see if it changes anything. Otherwise i would keep my topping d10s. This one sounds ''righ't' out of the box and got better wth every upgrade, which i guess should be a good prerequisite before modding.
if i go the complete diy route, i would like not to spend too much, because there is always the chance of something going wrong, plus import taxes and duty. I was thinking about an xmos+ak4493 board from DIYINHK....do you have any experience with these? I bought an SMSL su-1 before the e50, in hope for an upgrade, which it was in part, great detail and bass, except that one too had a bit too hot treble for my taste, and decided to return it. Maybe i'll get one used to see if it can be ''fixed'', because otherwise i think it is really high bang for buck.
Otherwise i could wait for a used e70....supposedly it sounds more ''dark'' up top than average.
i may try to add capacitors and see if it changes anything. Otherwise i would keep my topping d10s. This one sounds ''righ't' out of the box and got better wth every upgrade, which i guess should be a good prerequisite before modding.
if i go the complete diy route, i would like not to spend too much, because there is always the chance of something going wrong, plus import taxes and duty. I was thinking about an xmos+ak4493 board from DIYINHK....do you have any experience with these? I bought an SMSL su-1 before the e50, in hope for an upgrade, which it was in part, great detail and bass, except that one too had a bit too hot treble for my taste, and decided to return it. Maybe i'll get one used to see if it can be ''fixed'', because otherwise i think it is really high bang for buck.
Otherwise i could wait for a used e70....supposedly it sounds more ''dark'' up top than average.
Most of the stuff is sold in Canada, isn't? Mouser there? Ian Canada is surely there. Things like bare boards could be sent to you as low value gifts. Only thing is you need to be able to solder fine pitch SMD.
I can kind of tell you haven't heard a really good dac in a good system because you are talking about things like FR, detail, bass, etc. Its the reproduction of space (holographically) that is real goal. FR is just one thing required to get there. Same thing for the other factors you mention, they are necessary elements but not the whole of good stereo reproduction. At least if you can get to the holographic level of reproduction (actually there is a range of possible holographic precision; at its best it can get quite precise) using recordings made with good spatial mic'ing, then everything else should pretty close to where it needs to be.
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To my knowledge, not much is sold in Canada except passive/active parts. There is iancanada, but it's all built for raspberry pi, and i prefer USB form my computer, i guess i will have to look around more .
I'm not sure what you mean by «good dac in good system», but i aim for good value, and i assume modern dacs like sabre and akm would dig deeper into the recording, so to speak. So i look for affordable solution with those dacs. if you have other dacs to recommend, feel free to suggest. I'm not into putting words on the sound characteristics too much, because i creates more confusion than anything in the end. if i hear sounds i did not hear before and more reverberation of the environment, i put it in the category of having more detail, which is desirable (to me). Also it must not be «fatiguing», and if i hear higher frequencies too much, it makes me crazy. i assume it's some sort of distortion or behavior in the treble (or maybe even a lack of something in all the other regions), because in theory, most dacs have flat frequency response. Another good indication for me of good sound in bass region for instance would be equally good drum reproduction, but not only.
anyway, a project that does not require to much soldering on a single board is safer to build and ideal for me. topping e50 just loooked like a logical upgrade form d10s that i could mess around with. Turns out it is not. it does not sound bad as is, and has nice features not related to sound. it's just that whatever i do to make it more revealing, it exacerbate what i don't like.
Otherwise i could just dust out my disassembled pcm1794 dac. not too many parts to build and even on a vero board sounded nice. Not sure it would beat the d10s, though.
I'm not sure what you mean by «good dac in good system», but i aim for good value, and i assume modern dacs like sabre and akm would dig deeper into the recording, so to speak. So i look for affordable solution with those dacs. if you have other dacs to recommend, feel free to suggest. I'm not into putting words on the sound characteristics too much, because i creates more confusion than anything in the end. if i hear sounds i did not hear before and more reverberation of the environment, i put it in the category of having more detail, which is desirable (to me). Also it must not be «fatiguing», and if i hear higher frequencies too much, it makes me crazy. i assume it's some sort of distortion or behavior in the treble (or maybe even a lack of something in all the other regions), because in theory, most dacs have flat frequency response. Another good indication for me of good sound in bass region for instance would be equally good drum reproduction, but not only.
anyway, a project that does not require to much soldering on a single board is safer to build and ideal for me. topping e50 just loooked like a logical upgrade form d10s that i could mess around with. Turns out it is not. it does not sound bad as is, and has nice features not related to sound. it's just that whatever i do to make it more revealing, it exacerbate what i don't like.
Otherwise i could just dust out my disassembled pcm1794 dac. not too many parts to build and even on a vero board sounded nice. Not sure it would beat the d10s, though.