Hi
Lately, I decided to try DACs from different companies.. I also want to include in my tests a Sabre DAC..
In ESS's website, it seems that all their DAC chips expect to communicate in I2S, and unlike other companies that create DACs, they don't have some chips that include a USB controller built-in (so the chip would be a USB Controller + DAC).
Can anyone please recommend me of a DAC Product or Board that is Sabre based, and has USB connectivity? (and hopefully in a reasonable price also)
Alternatively, Is there some way to get a USB<->I2S board, which can then be connected to any DAC that expects I2S? (do all DACs that expect I2S communicate the same way over I2S, or it changes. If it changes, then it makes this second question irrelevant..)
Thank you very much
Lately, I decided to try DACs from different companies.. I also want to include in my tests a Sabre DAC..
In ESS's website, it seems that all their DAC chips expect to communicate in I2S, and unlike other companies that create DACs, they don't have some chips that include a USB controller built-in (so the chip would be a USB Controller + DAC).
Can anyone please recommend me of a DAC Product or Board that is Sabre based, and has USB connectivity? (and hopefully in a reasonable price also)
Alternatively, Is there some way to get a USB<->I2S board, which can then be connected to any DAC that expects I2S? (do all DACs that expect I2S communicate the same way over I2S, or it changes. If it changes, then it makes this second question irrelevant..)
Thank you very much
eBay/Alibaba and modify it seems a solid way forward.
I picked up a es9018k2m with a sa9023 USB to i2s receiver for less than $15 USD.
I picked up a es9018k2m with a sa9023 USB to i2s receiver for less than $15 USD.
Hi DPH
thank you for your answer..
Do you maybe have a link to what you bought?
And btw:
you wrote:
>and modify it
What do you mean?
thank you for your answer..
Do you maybe have a link to what you bought?
And btw:
you wrote:
>and modify it
What do you mean?
You'll probably find something,
here: DIYINHK
or here: Audiophonics: Purchase of Hi-Fi, Electronic, Audio and DIY Products - Audiophonics
here: DIYINHK
or here: Audiophonics: Purchase of Hi-Fi, Electronic, Audio and DIY Products - Audiophonics
Great, I will check these 2, thank you very much.
BTW,
from what I read in ESS's website,
ES9018K2M is the 2-Channel version of ES9018 (which is 8-Ch).
So in that case,
What is the difference between ES9023 (which is Stereo) and ES9018K2M (which as we've seen is also Stereo)?
From ESS's website it's quite hard to see any difference..
BTW,
from what I read in ESS's website,
ES9018K2M is the 2-Channel version of ES9018 (which is 8-Ch).
So in that case,
What is the difference between ES9023 (which is Stereo) and ES9018K2M (which as we've seen is also Stereo)?
From ESS's website it's quite hard to see any difference..
If you do a search for "es9018k2m USB" on eBay, you'll find several vendors. Not sure which one I picked (I'm at work). These boards are all powered by the USB, so getting off of that plus tapping the inputs for a I/V like the one "vicnic" described will benefit you handsomely.
edit: Chinese ES9018K2M I2S DAC
Similarly, you can work with the 9028q2m or 9038q2m boards. They're all quite solid.
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I've not seen the DS for ES9018K2M but in my understanding that's not a complete solution in that it needs an output stage (normally some opamps implementing a differential-SE filter) and power supply to create a complete DAC. ES9023 on the other hand already has the necessary opamps built in along with a power supply for them.
And a charge pump to create a ground-centered output (the ES9023), ostensibly eliminating the need for AC coupling.
Yes - that's what I was referring to when I wrote '... along with a power supply for them' of the opamps.
Should I conclude from these 3 posts that I should get the ES9023, and not on the ES9018K2M?
That depends on how much you care about how the DAC sounds. The ES9018K2M can sound quite dynamic in a reasonable implementation but to my ears the ES9023 is the epitome of boredom even with attention paid to its power supply.
That's the most important thing for me 🙂
That's why I am buying several different DACs..
Wow..
So from these 2 options the ES9018K2M sounds better,
and the ES9023 is lifeless relative to it?
Hmm, good to know
BTW, do ESS have more Stereo DACs to consider from, or just these 2?
I only need stereo, I don't have any 8-Ch setting or something like that..
One of my mobile phones (that I no longer use) has ES9018K2M and apart from the higher frequencies (which to my ears sound too mushy), its quite enjoyable when fed into an external amp, i.e. used as a DAC.
ESS has more modern DACs than those two which are getting a bit long in the tooth now. ES9038 (more than one variant, -Q2M is probably the one most of interest to you) is the most recent and I believe it fixes up at least some of the 'mushiness' on HF. So I'd guess its going to sound better than '9018 all other things being equal.
ESS has more modern DACs than those two which are getting a bit long in the tooth now. ES9038 (more than one variant, -Q2M is probably the one most of interest to you) is the most recent and I believe it fixes up at least some of the 'mushiness' on HF. So I'd guess its going to sound better than '9018 all other things being equal.
A phone that has a dedicated DAC chip? That's interesting..
What phone is that?
I see..
BTW, another thing that was hard to understand from ESS's website,
is what is the difference between K2M, Q2M, and C2M?
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Its a Meizu MX4 pro. The only reason I stopped using it is its battery died and as its non-replaceable, I had to get a complete new phone.
Seriously if you're primarily after the best sound, I'd give ESS a miss and get yourself something like this eBay board which is based on a classic multibit chip. That is assuming you mostly listen to red-book CD-format music (16bit) : Philips Little Giant TDA1387 hum decoding (nos mode) (upgrade tda1541) | eBay
Its not that ESS makes poor-sounding DACs, I'm sure the ES9038 can sound great, its just that is so hard to find a board which makes the best of it. As for my suggestion, @matt_garman reckons it sounds great : tda1387 dac pcb "front end". Added to that its bound to be eminently moddable...
I forgot to mention, if you have access to Taobao its considerably cheaper there : ???TDA1387?????nos??????tda1541?-???
Seriously if you're primarily after the best sound, I'd give ESS a miss and get yourself something like this eBay board which is based on a classic multibit chip. That is assuming you mostly listen to red-book CD-format music (16bit) : Philips Little Giant TDA1387 hum decoding (nos mode) (upgrade tda1541) | eBay
Its not that ESS makes poor-sounding DACs, I'm sure the ES9038 can sound great, its just that is so hard to find a board which makes the best of it. As for my suggestion, @matt_garman reckons it sounds great : tda1387 dac pcb "front end". Added to that its bound to be eminently moddable...
I forgot to mention, if you have access to Taobao its considerably cheaper there : ???TDA1387?????nos??????tda1541?-???
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It's non-replaceable by the user,
but a smartphone lab (or the mfrr) can mostlikely replace it, no?
Did you consider that option back then?
Regarding the other DAC:
it seems that options never end.. Where do we stop..
I didn't explain myself particularly well. Yes its non-replaceable by the user but I'm a techie guy, replacing a battery wouldn't faze me. However they no longer make that particular physical size of battery as the phone's too old.
As regards where we stop - I've stopped at RBCD. I have no desire for 'hi-res' or any of the other fancy stuff (DSD512). RBCD replay on my multibit DAC is immensely satisfying so I feel no pull to upgrade, only buy more and more music.
As regards where we stop - I've stopped at RBCD. I have no desire for 'hi-res' or any of the other fancy stuff (DSD512). RBCD replay on my multibit DAC is immensely satisfying so I feel no pull to upgrade, only buy more and more music.
These are quite cheap to buy, work acceptably as received, and there is a thread on DIYAudio (Cheap SA9027 + ES9023 (or PCM5102) DAC, anyone try?) about how to mod them:
HIFI SA9023 + ES9018K2M Fever-level Class Audio DAC Sound Card 24-bIT 96K USB | eBay
HIFI SA9023 + ES9018K2M Fever-level Class Audio DAC Sound Card 24-bIT 96K USB | eBay
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Going to read that thread.
BTW, in the ebay's product page's title - "Fever-level Class", that's a new terminology?
Or it's just me who haven't heard it yet?
BTW, in the ebay's product page's title - "Fever-level Class", that's a new terminology?
Or it's just me who haven't heard it yet?
Fever-level Class seems like a mis-translation to English.
You can ask 10 people a subjective opinion about anything audio and expect to get 100 opinions. Take anyone's impression with an healthy amount of incredulity. You'll find one member (ahem) has a long litany of quirks and impressions that he spreads around especially to impressionable new members, but doesn't really like to back those up with any substance. Good luck. 🙂
The options never end -- the es9023 is *probably* going to give you a better chance of a decently working end part. The es9018k2m boards badly load the DAC with a buffer (rather than a transimpedance stage), and gives you an inferior end result. With a transimpedance stage (like the one I linked with data from vicnic), the es9018k2m will certainly outperform the es9023.
For someone starting out, I'd suggest the es9023.
You can ask 10 people a subjective opinion about anything audio and expect to get 100 opinions. Take anyone's impression with an healthy amount of incredulity. You'll find one member (ahem) has a long litany of quirks and impressions that he spreads around especially to impressionable new members, but doesn't really like to back those up with any substance. Good luck. 🙂
The options never end -- the es9023 is *probably* going to give you a better chance of a decently working end part. The es9018k2m boards badly load the DAC with a buffer (rather than a transimpedance stage), and gives you an inferior end result. With a transimpedance stage (like the one I linked with data from vicnic), the es9018k2m will certainly outperform the es9023.
For someone starting out, I'd suggest the es9023.