To me, this stick is magic. Is this a Dragonfly killer? Perhaps not as a portable phone DAC considering its power draw, but for desktop use it seems to crush DF. Why do I need a big desktop dac/amp for my medium power hungry phones when this magical thing exists? The latest generation is 3. What generation did Amir review? He gave it his strongest recommendation. The following generations mus be ever better, which makes me imagine this as a possible end game. Not!? Or what else is there for me in life?
I have heard much good things about T1.2 and T5p.2 and may be something I may try to get in the future if I have the money for it. When do you prefer 9038S over other DAC/AMPS? I assume you have quite a few DAC/Amps around. It is nice to see bit-rate and sampling frequency being displayed on UAPP, but besides that are there any other advantages of playing Tidal Hifi through UAPP instead of Tidals Android app?My G3 is currently comfortably powering the 600ohm Beyer T1.2 (via Android and UAPP) with plenty of volume slider left to go.
I have heard much good things about T1.2 and T5p.2 and may be something I may try to get in the future if I have the money for it. When do you prefer 9038S over other DAC/AMPS? I assume you have quite a few DAC/Amps around. It is nice to see bit-rate and sampling frequency being displayed on UAPP, but besides that are there any other advantages of playing Tidal Hifi through UAPP instead of Tidals Android app?
Hello. I am sorry for such unproductive first post but there's a question that bothers me a bit because I want to support this brand. At least a couple of times I've read or heard that 9038s has a very "cold, clinical, analytical" sound and even a bass roll-off. The latter sounds like deep dark fantasies to me but I still want to confirm if there's any truth to that.
If the objective of those so called muddy makers is to make cheap DACS, why donthighpurityusbcable, don't need to support any brands, let's forget that kind of socialism forever. I recommend joining our discord channel where we discussed all such things already and often more than twice.
PS: shortly, the DAC either Amp with less distortions in trebles(THDvsfrequency plot is flat) always sounds more bright vs muddy one, that may be interpreted as less bass, especially by untrained listeners. Actually, it is neutrality as is, muddy DAC/Amp sounds not neutral i.e. soft-muddy trebles which interpreted as more bass. If you wondered about the percentage ratio neutral vs muddy DACs on the market, I guess the muddy type is dominating due to it is cheaper and it always much more easy to make something inaccurate than vice-versa.
I am merely a confused consumer. Is less more? Why do I need a big desktop amp/dac when this exists? I do understand Amirs measurements, which do make the stick look very good, but I dont get WHY I better get a big box or boxes called stack instead, unless I need more than 340mw@32. My Oppo outputs 220mw@32 and my Sundara and AH-D7200 sing according to my liking. I am fine, but if there is something that is much better, I would be happy to know. Should be nice to have MQA in this one, not that I know whether MQA improves the sound, but I dont mind spending 10 dollars more having it there as in case it does improve the sound a little.
Hi @IVX ,In my opinion, cobalt is completely another class of products. Plastic vs anodize aluminum(however, cobalt noticeable bigger so the weight could be comparable), 20 times difference in power, 100 times difference in distortions, 4 times lower PCM Fs(96 vs 384kHz), $300 vs $85. After all these differences the idle current consumption 70 vs 88mA doesn't look impressive, isn't it?
For everyone who itching to buy DF cobalt I honestly recommend taking a look at Meizu HiFi DAC. 5 times smaller aluminum case, 2-3 times less idle current consumption, the same or higher output power, 10-20 times fewer distortions, 3 times less noise = higher dynamic range, 32/384 +DSD, $19 vs $300 price.
If the objective of those so called muddy makers is to make cheap DACS, why dont
they adopt the technology found in 9038S? I hope that someone here or there, perhaps an EE, may reveal the sonic secrets of this little stick, which costs less than DF black but according to measurements competes well with DF cobalt.
I am merely a confused consumer. Is less more? Why do I need a big desktop amp/dac when this exists? I do understand Amirs measurements, which do make the stick look very good, but I dont get WHY I better get a big box or boxes called stack instead, unless I need more than 340mw@32. My Oppo outputs 220mw@32 and my Sundara and AH-D7200 sing according to my liking. I am fine, but if there is something that is much better, I would be happy to know.
Should be nice to have MQA in this one, not that I know whether MQA improves the sound, but I dont mind spending 10 dollars more having it there as in case it does improve the sound a little.
100.0% agree, normal engineering. Nothing special, just I made it as for myself, that's it. In most cases poor design could be explained not only ignorant "engineers" were involved but "economy" if not say greediness. I remember I was shocked when I saw the DAC+HPA with 100 pounds retail with nickel-plated 3,5mm jack! The difference vs gold-plated is a couple of cents, and in case 100mlns pcs/year it is worth to go but this is the same useless DAC like cobalt and other junk(my $300 snapdragon855 based android has comparable power, and a lot better THD+N, SNR!), no way to sell more than 10000/year. So what is that, $100/year is economy? Some buddy asked me:There's nothing particularly special or unique about this, just good, careful, data-backed engineering.
Correct- well, Im adapting 4.4mm on the HP cable to 2.5mm via an adaptor but that has no bearing. Dont need a Y split for power on the G3 from either my Pixel 3 or my old Oneplus 3TCan you pls tell how you have connected? Is this correct?
HP balanced 2.5 mm jack --> HP slot-- 9038s--USB slot --> C-to-C cable --> DAP/laptop/phone.
Have you had to use the other (Y-split) cable?
9038ap ? Is this a new product and where can I find info about it?Thanks, Mr. Ivan. BTW, your company's next priority is 9038D and then the 9038ap DAC, right?