Well, I don't know much about the dacs you guys are working on. The dac in the ES9038Q2M thread is my first one to try building or modding (used to work on other kinds of things before retirement). In case it helps at all, we are using a USB to I2S (typically XMOS or Amanero) into an AK4137 board to do upsampling (and jitter reduction). I2S comes out of the AK4137 board and goes right into the dac I2S inputs. In addition, the dac we are using seems to sound better if the audio stream is converted to DSD. The upsampling stuff might add a lot to the cost of an inexpensive dac though. If the AK4137 board was just viewed as a utility device to move from dac to dac, maybe like some people do with a power supply, then perhaps it might not seem too extravagant. Having said all the above, I haven't tried AK4137 with a dac like the ones in this thread, so don't know how much good it might do, if any.
Have you seen any info on the DPLL filter of the AK4137? I would assume it's pretty good, but AKM datasheets are very light on data or details.
If the AK4137 was low cost, I'd recommend it to Basek too 🙂 The AD1896 and SRC4392 are also really good, given a good xo, low noise regulators and short gsgsgsgsgs interconnects.
To keep cost down though, I'd suggest a logic gate, perhaps a schmitt trigger, or some such pennies device as a humble re-clock of sorts. It won't provide ultimate jitter reduction but hopefully will meet a low cost vs performance upgrade criteria. Can you recommend any such device?
With a 96/24 USB device, usb isolation is somewhat easier too, with an ADUM4160 isolator. These have got really cheap now too. usb???/,usb to usb/?? ????? ADUM4160/ADuM3160-???
Last edited:
No, not at all. The only such filters I am aware of that can be tweaked are in the Sabre dacs. However, there are maybe only a couple of SRC chips to seriously consider, IMHO, unless you want to roll your own in a gate array or something of that nature. There is SRC4392 and AK4137. It's kind of take it or leave it.
Last edited:
There are some on ebay for $30. Those are the boards that are I2S input only, no SPDIF or TOSLINK. If that's too much, then don't know.
I'm not asking if it can be tweaked, just looking for the data that TI and AD publish for the SRC43xx and AD1896. It may be that the SRC4392 is a better part than the AKM part still despite the 32-bit end result.
Anyway, they are probably both audibly transparent. 🙂
My point is that right now I am using with my PC PCM2702 DAC, which was made with some quite good PCB and PANASONIC caps (I haved ordered it from some local guy who soldered it) Photo --> IMG_20181106_225223_BURST1.jpg - Google Drive
Two weaks ago I have received cheap 8$ PCM5102 I2S DAC. I have connected it to my raspberryPiZeroW (I have used volumio player) and it appeared that it is much better than my PCM2702 ;-) That is why I have asked about XMOS - I just wanted to connect this PCM5102 to PC.
But if you can recommend any other plug&play USB DAC which will be also better than PCM2702 I can go for it (I don't want to spend a lot of money - probably everything right now will be better - PCM2702 is quite old chip) .
I will look into SA9023 based dacs on aliexpress - maybe I will find something interesting (I don't want to spend more than 40$).
I think you can remove the op amp in the top right corner for another day...
$30 is pretty good for this: I challenge the whole of DiyAudio to find a better USB audio DAC in a case for the money! ;-) ES9028q2m...
ES9028Q2M ES9028 Hi Fi DAC SA9023 24bit Mini USB DAC Sound Card AD823 Opamp W/ 3.5mm Headphone Output,Successor Of ES9018K2M-in Headphone Amplifier from Consumer Electronics on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
$30 is pretty good for this: I challenge the whole of DiyAudio to find a better USB audio DAC in a case for the money! ;-) ES9028q2m...
ES9028Q2M ES9028 Hi Fi DAC SA9023 24bit Mini USB DAC Sound Card AD823 Opamp W/ 3.5mm Headphone Output,Successor Of ES9018K2M-in Headphone Amplifier from Consumer Electronics on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
Last edited:
It will ultimately come down to the SQ of the unit. Mark's work on a 9038Q2M board has shown that there is potential with these Chinese made units, but they can end up being a shadow of the original once all the mods have been completed. (and the mods may end up costing more than 4X the cost of the original board)
Mind you, if you are willing to put in the effort, you could be very hard pressed to find a prebuild unit capable of the same sound quality for the ~250$US spent on the complete mods.
Also, its a same that shipping is almost 2 X the cost of the unit, at least shipped to Canada..
Last edited:
There are a couple of commercial units that use the 9038q2m in dual-mono mode, if that is what you are asking (Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Dac/Amp for one, and IanCanada has designed one)
In a well designed dac, don't know why dual mono mode would do anything except reduce noise by 3dB. A lot of trouble just for that.
In today's market which seems obsessed with numerical advantage (pay a visit to ASR if you're not up to speed, over there they can't help but salivate over relatively affordable amps with THD down to -140dB), 3dB could be the difference between a me too offering and 'The World's Lowest Noise DAC'.
I recommend the Topping DX3 Pro using the new dual AK4493 and the newer xmos xu208. Its fairly compact and can easily fit on a desktop.
DX3 Pro desktop DAC,DAC,TOPPING
I have it and it's a good sounding dac and its headphone output is fairly decent. In general, my experience is the AKM dac sounds a bit more musical than the ESS dac. Topping also has a yet to be released higher end dual ak4497 dac D70.
DX3 Pro desktop DAC,DAC,TOPPING
I have it and it's a good sounding dac and its headphone output is fairly decent. In general, my experience is the AKM dac sounds a bit more musical than the ESS dac. Topping also has a yet to be released higher end dual ak4497 dac D70.
Last edited:
I believe the aim is to boost dynamics. It seems from my own efforts playing with ESS DACs that more current = better SQ. Ian Canada has come to the same conclusion I think. I doubt it's an original idea at all given the reports on the pro chips.
The effect is probably simply from reducing noise. I believe John Siau of Benchmark Media came to that conclusion, that is, reduced noise sounds better. However, seems to me sound quality is dependent of many other factors too having to do with overall dac design, and that a number of those effects can outweigh effects of noise. Also, not clear to me if DSD operation is equally affected. One of the problems with delta sigma dacs is noise modulation which some people notice and don't like. Noise is less objectionable when it is constant rather than when it goes up and down dynamically in some relation to a music signal. Yet, if less noise is such so important, then why use anything but ES9038PRO, since much higher current can result in the least noise of all?
Cost.
For Baszek's sake, and for the fun of it, I repeat my challenge:
"$30 is pretty good for this: I challenge the whole of DiyAudio to find a better USB audio DAC in a case for the money! ;-) ES9028q2m..."
For Baszek's sake, and for the fun of it, I repeat my challenge:
"$30 is pretty good for this: I challenge the whole of DiyAudio to find a better USB audio DAC in a case for the money! ;-) ES9028q2m..."
Last edited:
I found a DSD version on Taobao but as yet, can't find the same anywhere else. SE4 ??USB??? DAC ES9028 DSD TYPE-C?3.5???????-???
- Status
- Not open for further replies.