Aiyima T9 Pro == ES9018K2M DAC + Tube pre-amp + TPA3250 amplification

[Kip]

I like your update - I just purchased a T9 Pro and had it about a week. It has some serious eye candy, and I thought well the sound is probably sacrificed but the look is killer. Initial listening using the built in ESS dac via usb from my laptop was not impressive although the unit seemed really solid build and they added a few side-vents which I thought was smart and good foresight.

I also have an M300 SE (another new arrival) and when I used the M300 SE to decode the T9 Pro completely changed. I want to say it sounds 7X better, but that is just my subjective opinion. Soundstage, imaging, bass extension, volume was all greatly improved - I just kept repeating wow over and over. I went from probably going to send it back, to most definite keeper. Having a remote for tone controls is just french pastry on top. The aux out works really well too. Liking this M300se/T9 Pro combination, the ESS9018 built-in is a nice feature (I guess), but its quite weak when compared to a better dac. I would like it with no-built in DAC but instead Qualcomm 5125 BT chip which does LDAC & AptX HD codec. My first Aiyama product, I like it a lot.

Here's the list of TOS optical outputs I have so far. Xbox 360, ASUS z690 Apex Maximus, TCL Roku Television 2 Sony CD carosels, Android TV with HDMI and Optical output.
So far, the only time I have ran into an issue with the Aiyima T9pro handling the Optical input is on the Sony Carosels. If they removed the internal DAC they would lose Coax and Bluetooth options.
While I agree there are usually much better dedicated DACS out there I would want some good improvements to the T9 pro in exchange for the sacrifice of a built-in DAC.
I'd say that combo of the Android TV, no audio Computer monitor, and T9 pro made a great little station.
Now I wish I could find a portable CD player that offers TOS as well.
Maybe there is always a "better DAC out there" but I suspect you hit diminishing returns pretty quick.
I worry about CD's going away. I am having a hard time noticing huge quality differences between the CD's and Vinyl.
This might mean I gotta go buy expensive cartridges ??
I still don't understand the hate for EQs. I have few of them and it is hard to beat dialing in things the way I want to listen to them.
If the sound engineer can do it in the studio, then why can't I as well
If nothing else, an EQ can be of great assistance of getting rough ideas about how speakers tonality is different when compared.
I guess I am probably a perpetual tinkerer and won't stop until I grow bored of it.

 

[KaeliKoo]

Here's the list of TOS optical outputs I have so far. Xbox 360, ASUS z690 Apex Maximus, TCL Roku Television 2 Sony CD carosels, Android TV with HDMI and Optical output.
So far, the only time I have ran into an issue with the Aiyima T9pro handling the Optical input is on the Sony Carosels. If they removed the internal DAC they would lose Coax and Bluetooth options.
While I agree there are usually much better dedicated DACS out there I would want some good improvements to the T9 pro in exchange for the sacrifice of a built-in DAC.
I'd say that combo of the Android TV, no audio Computer monitor, and T9 pro made a great little station.
Now I wish I could find a portable CD player that offers TOS as well.
Maybe there is always a "better DAC out there" but I suspect you hit diminishing returns pretty quick.
I worry about CD's going away. I am having a hard time noticing huge quality differences between the CD's and Vinyl.
This might mean I gotta go buy expensive cartridges ??
I still don't understand the hate for EQs. I have few of them and it is hard to beat dialing in things the way I want to listen to them.
If the sound engineer can do it in the studio, then why can't I as well
If nothing else, an EQ can be of great assistance of getting rough ideas about how speakers tonality is different when compared.
I guess I am probably a perpetual tinkerer and won't stop until I grow bored of it.

Thanks for the feedback with the amp - it also made me think on my comments about the DAC, not really needing it and s/pdif is on my other dacs too. So....I ordered a T08 Pro from Wal-mart on sale for $107 and will compare it to T9 Pro. Big advantage I see is that it has Cirrus chip which I already dig the sound in the M300 SE. It has a QCCS 5125(!) for BT and the biggie for me is the TP3255 chip. That chip can access higher output, I see it ships with a 36V 6A. The T9 Pro with 32V kind of gets warm, warmer than I'd like but probably OK. I'm so-so with the tubes, nice touch but kind of superflous. They are both good enuff for what I'm expecting at the price point, I'm sure. This is fun stuff just "tinkering" with what works best when you have liberal return policies and some free time. And it's too damn hot to do anything outside...!

 

[GoaBhau]

I am planning to purchase t9 pro

Usage is mostly bluetooth and bookshelf speakers like mb42x

I wanted to know the configuration which uses inbuilt Dac and tubes

Do all inputs will be processed by in built DAC and Tubes preamp?

Let me know

 

[Kip]

I am planning to purchase t9 pro

Usage is mostly bluetooth and bookshelf speakers like mb42x

I wanted to know the configuration which uses inbuilt Dac and tubes

Do all inputs will be processed by in built DAC and Tubes preamp?

Let me know

I am pretty sure all inputs will make use of the tubes.

Optical, Coxial, and USB
CORRECTION: and bluetooth
will use the T9 pro's internal DAC

 

[Guddu]

I am planning to purchase t9 pro

Usage is mostly bluetooth and bookshelf speakers like mb42x

I wanted to know the configuration which uses inbuilt Dac and tubes

Do all inputs will be processed by in built DAC and Tubes preamp?

Let me know

I believe Tubes are pre-amp stage and everything goes through it.
You run it without tubes and you have just 30-40% output.
Digital inputs surely go through dac, however I doubt analog RCA input will though AD/DA.

 

[GoaBhau]

I am pretty sure all inputs will make use of the tubes.
Optical, Coxial, and USB will use the T9 pro's internal DAC

Thanks

 

[GoaBhau]

I believe Tubes are pre-amp stage and everything goes through it.
You run it without tubes and you have just 30-40% output.
Digital inputs surely go through dac, however I doubt analog RCA input will though AD/DA.

Why bluetooth is not passed through DAC? Does bluetooth input not require DAC?

 

[GoaBhau]

I believe Tubes are pre-amp stage and everything goes through it.
You run it without tubes and you have just 30-40% output.
Digital inputs surely go through dac, however I doubt analog RCA input will though AD/DA.

Why bluetooth is not passed through DAC? Does bluetooth input not require DAC?

I am pretty sure all inputs will make use of the tubes.
Optical, Coxial, and USB will use the T9 pro's internal DAC

Why bluetooth is not passed through DAC? Does bluetooth input not require DAC?

 

[GoaBhau]

I just came to know that Qualcomm 3031 bluetooth chip has Kalimba DSP which has its own DAC, hence I think bluetooth signals are not passed thought the es9018k2m.

Now the question is, will the bluetooth music after its internal DSP passed through the Tubes or directly amplified by 3250 amp?

 

[Kip]

Why bluetooth is not passed through DAC? Does bluetooth input not require DAC?

forgot about bluetooth, corrected

 

[funkyphonics]

Apologies if this is a silly question, but if I run a Chord Mojo or ifi Gryphon through the line in, will this avoid the DAC in the T9 Pro? Thanks in advance.

 

[Guddu]

Apologies if this is a silly question, but if I run a Chord Mojo or ifi Gryphon through the line in, will this avoid the DAC in the T9 Pro? Thanks in advance.

Yes

 

[Kip]

Apologies if this is a silly question, but if I run a Chord Mojo or ifi Gryphon through the line in, will this avoid the DAC in the T9 Pro? Thanks in advance.

If you use the RCA inputs on the T9 pro, you will always bypass the T9 pro's internal DAC. This can be a good idea because some nicer DACs can make a quality difference.

 

[bgravato]

A few months back I ordered a T9 Pro from Amazon and had it for about 3 weeks. I ended up returning it because I wasn't happy with it at all and I don't recommend it.

I think the culprit was probably the tubes that did more harm than good to the audio signal. For someone looking for a "transparent" amp/DAC that doesn't distort the sound, I'd stay away from the T9 Pro.

I first tried it only as a DAC, connected via USB to my PC and aux out into a pair of (fairly cheap) active speakers. I compared it to a Motu M2 which is my default interface for the PC in my home office (the Aiyima was intended to the living room). The T9 Pro clearly added some "reverb" to the signal, I'm guessing an effect of the tubes. In near field listening it actually sounded nice, at least on recordings that were "dry" originally, giving it a bit of a bigger room flair. On recordings that were already a bit "wet" originally, it was unpleasantly too much.

Then I tested it in the living room (mid sized room) with a pair of Dali Spektor 2 speakers (entry level 6Ω passive speakers with a low sensitivity of 84.5 dB). I used 3 sources: another PC connected via USB, TV via optical and CD player via coaxial (and also tried the CD via RCA inputs, hence bypassing the T9 Pro DAC and using the CD's internal DAC).

I compared it to a vintage Philips FA950 amp. I was honestly expecting the T9 Pro to be better (I was naive to think that anything made nowadays would be better than an old amp made 25-30 years ago, I was so wrong...). The differences were quite clear to me. With the T9 Pro it sounded kind of veiled. It wasn't lack of volume, it just felt like the sound was coming from the end of the room, behind a thick curtain. Soundstage and imaging was poor. With the Philips amp, everything sounded more "live" and "natural". Soundstage was more upfront, there seemed to be more details and better instrument separation.

I also tried (briefly) the BT receiver and it was even worse... There was some audible noise floor when my phone was connected to it via BT and sometimes (not always though) there was also some other annoying "rattling" noises (I don't know exactly how to describe it).

The remote also didn't work very well.

I only tested 1 unit, so it could be faulty of course... but it was a very disappointing experience so I returned it withing Amazon's 30-day return policy for a full refund...

A few months later, when the Fosi V3 came out, I decided to give another try at these cheap chi-fi amps and I was very pleasantly surprised with it. I've ordered it directly from Fosi with the 48V power supply and I've been using it paired with a Topping E30 II DAC for the digital sources and so far I've been quite happy with it. Compared to the vintage Philips amp, I can't really hear any noticeable differences (except the Philips can output quite a bit more power, but for my needs the Fosi has enough power... I rarely turn the volume knob past half the range).

Of course I may have got a faulty unit or maybe I'm just not a fan of the tubes' distortion... Anyway the T9 Pro wasn't a good experience to me and I can't recommend it...

 

[Jeromeof]

A few months back I ordered a T9 Pro from Amazon and had it for about 3 weeks. I ended up returning it because I wasn't happy with it at all and I don't recommend it.


A few months later, when the Fosi V3 came out, I decided to give another try at these cheap chi-fi amps and I was very pleasantly surprised with it. I've ordered it directly from Fosi with the 48V power supply and I've been using it paired with a Topping E30 II DAC for the digital sources and so far I've been quite happy with it. Compared to the vintage Philips amp, I can't really hear any noticeable differences (except the Philips can output quite a bit more power, but for my needs the Fosi has enough power... I rarely turn the volume knob past half the range).

Of course I may have got a faulty unit or maybe I'm just not a fan of the tubes' distortion... Anyway the T9 Pro wasn't a good experience to me and I can't recommend it...

I agree that the Fosi V3 is a significant improvement for these amplifiers - though the Aiyima A07 was pretty good also (as is the new A07 Max). I think with the T9 Pro (which I had for a few months but sold on) it was the 'experience' of the retro looking VU + flashing lights combined with the 'tube' sound that made it fun for a bit at least for me.