E1DA 9038D Review (portable DAC & Amp)

[Alou]

I was looking for a dongle dac/amp for phone use mainly but i have several dongles all with Cirrus Logic chips.Regardless of price between them there isn't a Hugh difference from one model to another ,even if the price is doubled!They all sound very similar.
I wanted to try something with ESS or AKM.
Also almost all use SGM opams.Wanted something with TI or Burr Brown .Anyway most dongles seem to follow the same architecture so wanted something different focused mainly on music listening while on the go.
This one has very good specs and ESS/Ti combo ,hardware volume is a plus when on the go.its the only negative i find here.I am also qurious on how different will it sound (if there is a difference) then a Cirrus chipped one.Many sites that review this say it wasn't music orientated but for measurements and testing ?? Also i cant find a place in EU with a reasonable sale price.

 

[testp]

Many sites that review this say it wasn't music orientated but for measurements and testing

That's when you know, there is something subjective they don't like about it.

if a reviewer says this chip/dongle wasn't designed as music oriented, then excuse me but what / where is this category in the chip making know-how that instructs one to use either measurements vs. music oriented,

basically what i mean is, testing with measurements is needed. (many here have proven, there shoudn't be no difference)
The only thing i can think of is impedance differences, but even for this, i believe tests here cover that.

 

[Alou]

Yes its a bizzare statement ,to say that it was made only to well in tests but not listen to music with it?Its like saying we made this supercar that does amazing 0-100 and exceptional fuel consumption etc but it was not meant to be driven only for the track to do the numbers.Of course tests are needed ,that why we are all here!

 

[testp]

Yes its a bizzare statement ,to say that it was made only to well in tests but not listen to music with it?Its like saying we made this supercar that does amazing 0-100 and exceptional fuel consumption etc but it was not meant to be driven only for the track to do the numbers.Of course tests are needed ,that why we are all here!

well these type of cars do exist (except fuel efficiency) , but for audio, the general consensus is, if device -> done right, it gets out of the way, not taking or adding anything -> which also means good Sinad. the only thing is impedance, but i think freq. response test etc. should show that as well.

 

[IVX]

Yes its a bizzare statement ,to say that it was made only to well in tests but not listen to music with it?Its like saying we made this supercar that does amazing 0-100 and exceptional fuel consumption etc but it was not meant to be driven only for the track to do the numbers.Of course tests are needed ,that why we are all here!

I never said the DAC was designed for measurements, but if stupid bloggers say so, we can understand. Bloggers need something to say about what they have no idea, they call it content. Did they say the CS43131/43198 based DACs are more musical?

 

[Rottmannash]

I never said the DAC was designed for measurements, but if stupid bloggers say so, we can understand. Bloggers need something to say about what they have no idea, they call it content. Did they say the CS43131/43198 based DACs are more musical?

Your 9038D remains my most listened to, most reliable and most powerful and clean of all my many dongles. If only I hadn't closed the car door on it...still works but looks battle-hardened.

 

[Alou]

I never said the DAC was designed for measurements, but if stupid bloggers say so, we can understand. Bloggers need something to say about what they have no idea, they call it content. Did they say the CS43131/43198 based DACs are more musical?

Thank god we have this forum to reveal some truth!

 

[Alou]

Your 9038D remains my most listened to, most reliable and most powerful and clean of all my many dongles. If only I hadn't closed the car door on it...still works but looks battle-hardened.

You remind me the very old Timex commercial...""It takes a licking and keeps on ticking"!

 

[testp]

You remind me the very old Timex commercial...""It takes a licking and keeps on ticking"!

...and it comes in a mini-wooden crate if i remember correctly, solid..

 

[Alou]

I found someone who has one ,older version,that might lend it to me next week to listen to,only thing he said was that its awesome on a PC or laptop but on a phone its humming all the time from GSM interference.I want it for phone use

 

[IVX]

GSM no problem, but LTE, especially 4-6G.

 

[Alou]

Yes he meant the mobile network,everyone is either 4G or 5G!!