AKM vs ESS

[voodooless]

They are selling fantasy and dreams?

What else would high-end audio be?

 

[Westsounds]

What else would high-end audio be?

Overpriced abstract art.

 

[Behrelec 37]

There are a lot of lies and snake oil salesmen in this hifi/high end music industry. Unfortunately, where there is money, there are always armies of scammers.

 

[Roland68]

These days they are selling DAC's where you can replace the chipset module. (AKM, ESS, Burr Brown, ...)
So you tell me that you can not hear a difference with headphones between a Burr Brown and ESS chipset?
They are selling fantasy and dreams?

Example:

View attachment 467193

That's exactly what's often done: they're selling an illusion.
But there are also sound devices, whether intentional or incompetent.

We often conduct very strictly controlled, blinded tests and have tested various DAPs ranging from approximately €150 to €4000.
The one for €4000 sounded somewhat worse for all of them; there were only marginal differences between an older Pioneer with 2 x ES9018xx and a Fiio M15 with 2 x AK4499EQ.
This also matched my experience at a headphone trade fair, where I listened to many DAPs in all price ranges, with very slight differences, and the more expensive ones weren't necessarily better.

 

[GabrielPhoto]

These days they are selling DAC's where you can replace the chipset module. (AKM, ESS, Burr Brown, ...)
So you tell me that you can not hear a difference with headphones between a Burr Brown and ESS chipset?
They are selling fantasy and dreams?

Example:

View attachment 467193

In an industry filled with BS Snake Oil products taking advantage of the naive...I wouldn't be surprised

 

[Snoopy]

Do the ESS still pop when the bit rate changes from song to song?

A easy workaround for every dac is to upsample all your media to the same Bitrate but some manufacturers mute the output of the dac when the song changes or don’t implement features or if they not correctly.

That’s the price to pay for having always the newest chip.

I would avoid SMSL / topping dacs if that’s important to you.

 

[Westsounds]

In an industry filled with BS Snake Oil products taking advantage of the naive...I wouldn't be surprised

Yep, no such thing as an ethical business unless its not for profit.

 

[Mike_Trueman]

Here is a review of a DAC with swappable chips. ( AKM, ESS, Wolfson, ...) It even has tubes.

 

[solderdude]

No measurements ... no data .. merely a lot of sales talk.
The fact that it has tubes is why there are no measurements either.
It is clearly aimed at a certain 'believers' public.

The comments in the YT vid show how 'subjective' and varied the perception is.

The funniest part (to me) is how people at home using a DAC which has a certain chip in it can still hear differences between DAC chips yet they listen to the actual chip in their DAC (kind of hilarious).

 

[Mike_Trueman]

I want buy the Ares 15th DAC for my PC but there seems to be no reviews on this forum.

 

[solderdude]

Given your belief in the sound of DAC (chips) you would best look for subjective info on the usual sites.
Undoubtedly the Ares DAC will sound great acc. to reviewers and owners. That's how this business works.
When you bought it have it drop-shipped to Amir so he can test it and you will know the objective performance (won't be poor).

The output resistance is a bit on the high side. Ensure the gear you connect it to > 20k input resistance.
SINAD will be around 92 so just in the 'fair' range which is more than good enough.

In OS mode and sharp filter it will adhere to the sampling theorem.
The NOS mode (for 44.1 and 48kHz) on average, will have some roll-off so sound 'fuller' and 'more musical'.

 

[Mike_Trueman]

Where is Amir located?

 

[Roland68]

I want buy the Ares 15th DAC for my PC but there seems to be no reviews on this forum.

Amir once tested the ARES II.

Last weekend, I lent a friend the SMSL D1 Rohm DAC. He actually just wanted to hear it for fun, comparing it to his ARES II and ARES 15th. He's now seriously considering giving up both devices and buying two D1s. I don't know which is more of a problem for him: the fact that the D1 only costs €79 or that it's only slightly bigger than a pack of cigarettes.
When I picked up the D1, we did a quick blind test, and I can understand his point.

Where is Amir located?

USA, near Seattle

 

[thunderchicken]

Xduoo makes the XD05 pro, which has replaceable DAC chip and output circuit cards. Would be fun to see measurements of the normal suite of each combo as well as enhanced frequency response testing. Maybe this could finally be put all the way to bed?

 

[Westsounds]

The funniest part (to me) is how people at home using a DAC which has a certain chip in it can still hear differences between DAC chips yet they listen to the actual chip in their DAC (kind of hilarious).

It is funny that bit. The thing is they are using / listening on devices and equipment that has good enough DAC chips, so they can hear and perceive differences that are being recorded. So the listener of these on the other end of YT are getting a flavour of what the thing sounds like. Which in itself proves a point, why are they running around wasting time looking at other DAC chips when the ones they have already, are just like most that are already on the market 'good enough'.

I'm sure it's the effects box principle, not sure that's actually a principle I just made it up But we all like different sounds or effects, and all music gear does sound slightly different. Whether it's an effect or tuned in a particular way you like then there you go, it's something that'll be a keeper for you and hit the spot. What a lot of these people actually need is a graphic equalizer which will be able to tune and shape the sound far better than faffing around trying infinite types of DAC chips to get a tonality that'll be pleasing for their ear.

 

[solderdude]

and all music gear does sound slightly different

Did you mean all music gear measures different? ... Consider there are audibility thresholds.
This means below a certain point measurements may differ but can not be told apart by human perception when tested under equal conditions with statistical relevance.

 

[raif71]

After the US Open Men's tennis final match, I think Jannik Sinner is more like ESS while Carlos Alcaraz is more AKM

 

[JSmith]

JSmith

 

[thunderchicken]

Could be placebo, but my AKM-based products have been more pleasant to listen to than my ESS-based products. Maybe it was my early experience on head-fi decades ago that ingrained it, but sabres cut and velvet is soft!

 

[Purité Audio]

I had the ESS and AKM versions of the RME ADI no difference at all compared back to back.
Keith