Audiophonics Evo-Sabre DAC

[Richdw]

Hi All,

I've been reading this refreshingly fact-based and polite forum for a while now, and found a wealth of useful knowledge. In my quest to totally start from scratch with my hifi, I have been considering some kind of streamer/DAC/preamp to connect to a clean power amp for a minimal setup. Last night I stumbled upon this from @Audiophonics and it looks incredible:

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/dac-and-interfaces-for-raspberry-pi/audiophonics-evo-sabre-balanced-dac-2x-es9038q2m-usb-rpi-spdif-bt-xlr-rca-p-14562.html#:~:text=The EVO-Sabre is a,clarity with tremendously low crosstalk.

The bare module seems excellent value at €229. Even when you add a power supply, enclosure, extra screen, Raspberry Pi4, bluetooth antenna, and micro sd, it still comes to less than €500 / £450. That provides a network streamer, (hopefully) good quality DAC, simple remote, and excellent physical and wireless connectivity, via both the Pi and the module alone.

Some good reports of functionality with volumio:
https://community.volumio.org/t/dual-es9038q2m-dac-from-audiophonics-fr/39319

I have a few main questions...
1. Does anyone have experience with the Evo Sabre, and can describe its performance from a functional perspective?
2. Can anyone provide test results? I appreciate this is a new product and @amirm @WolfX-700 are busy people with many items on their lists

...and some smaller tech queries...
3. Based on the specs, the unit puts out 2V rms on RCA output and 4V rms on XLR (although specs on the website seem to have an error, saying 4V rms for RXL, but I see no RXL outputs, so confirmation would be good). Is this enough voltage to drive a power amp directly?
4. When turned on/off does the unit remember output level? I worry about putting full power in to my speakers, especially if I purchase a power amp with no level/limit control.
5. Can anyone squash queries about the ESS hump, before the world (I mean thread...) implodes

I previously researched Topping D90, E30, D50S, Soncoz SGD1, various SMSL, PiHats, etc but they all seem to lack a piece of hardware, connections, or functionality, where this module has most things I need (except power amp..) in a single box.

I hope this post is appropriate and in the correct place.
Many thanks,
Rich

 

[Veri]

RXL output is probably a typo for XLR, no

The bare module seems excellent value at €229. Even when you add a power supply, enclosure, extra screen, Raspberry Pi4, bluetooth antenna, and micro sd, it still comes to less than €500 / £450. That provides a network streamer, (hopefully) good quality DAC, simple remote, and excellent physical and wireless connectivity, via both the Pi and the module alone.

Not sure about the Evo Sabre, but for €159 more there is this matrix mini which you might want to consider, too. Easier to set-up at least!

 

[Matias]

There are these 2 to consider as well.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...matrix-audio-mini-i-3-and-mini-i-pro-3.15294/

 

[Richdw]

RXL output is probably a typo for XLR, no

It would help if I could spell XLR... just fixed my typo, thanks!

 

[Richdw]

Just seen this is now available as a complete kit.

I'm very keen, but there's still very little in the way of controlled testing data available. Has anyone on here got one yet?

Many thanks,
Rich

 

[Sukie]

Just seen this is now available as a complete kit.

I'm very keen, but there's still very little in the way of controlled testing data available. Has anyone on here got one yet?

Many thanks,
Rich

I like the look of the EVO-Sabre but can't help with the specs. Have you considered keeping things separate? You could get a RPi 4 to sit alongside a DAC. You can add in a headphone amp to act as a preamp, or just run the DAC straight into your choice of power amp.

Having separates allows for easy upgrades and cheaper replacement costs if things go wrong. You've also got a wider choice. If you got a L30/E30 combination and added in an RPi 4 with case, you'd be looking at less than £300. You'd also know that the thing would measure well, at least up the power amp.

When turned on/off does the unit remember output level? I worry about putting full power in to my speakers, especially if I purchase a power amp with no level/limit control.

I can't comment for the EVO-Sabre but I know that my Topping D50s remembers its volume setting when its turned back on.

 

[sovarm]

I'm also taking the first steps to get myself into the hifi world.

Stumbled upon the thread which replicates the same question I had.
I'm also considering to AUDIOPHONICS EVO-SABRE DAC Kit, which looks exactly what I'm looking for: Raspberry Pi4 based streamer + a seemingly great DAC.

I was wondering if its XLR outputs could be fed directly into a power amp. I'm considering a power amp based on the latest Purifi chips like for example: VTV AMPLIFIER Stereo Purifi Audio 1ET400A Amplifier or does one need a pre-amp.

 

[Harmonie]

I'm also taking the first steps to get myself into the hifi world.

Stumbled upon the thread which replicates the same question I had.
I'm also considering to AUDIOPHONICS EVO-SABRE DAC Kit, which looks exactly what I'm looking for: Raspberry Pi4 based streamer + a seemingly great DAC.

I was wondering if its XLR outputs could be fed directly into a power amp. I'm considering a power amp based on the latest Purifi chips like for example: VTV AMPLIFIER Stereo Purifi Audio 1ET400A Amplifier or does one need a pre-amp.

As this kit/dac has
Audio OutputRCA unbalanced stéréo (2V RMS) XLR balanced stéréo (4V RMS) with a volume attenuator
It's perfectly OK to feed the power amp directly;
Many of us do.

 

[sovarm]

As this kit/dac has
Audio OutputRCA unbalanced stéréo (2V RMS) XLR balanced stéréo (4V RMS) with a volume attenuator
It's perfectly OK to feed the power amp directly;
Many of us do.

Thanks for the clarification, Harmonie!!!!
Merry Christmas!!!