IQaudio Pi-DAC Pro Streamer DAC

[amirm]

This is a review and detailed measurements of the IQaudio Pi-DAC Pro DAC for the Raspberry Pi streamer/single board computer. It was purchased by a kind member and drop shipped to me a while back. The Pi-DAC Pro costs £ 44.40 or about US $59.

You have seen one Pi DAC, you have seen them all:

This one has a headphone out which I did not have time to measure.

I tested the PI-DAC Pro using a Ropieee Roon endpoint allowing me to stream test files to it from Roon player. As usual, since my Audio Precision analyzer cannot control streaming platforms, I can only test with unchanging signals. So no sweeps.

Streaming DAC Audio Measurements
As usual, we start our dashboard playing a 1 kHz tone using Roon to push the content to the Pi platform:

Nice that we can get over 2 volts output. But distortion is quite high, causing the SINAD which is the sum of that plus noise to not be that good:

As noted, if I reduce the digital volume in Roon by 3 dB, distortion goes down substantially to a more reasonable value of 93 dB. Alas, other DACs such as HiFiBerry DAC+ Pro don't need such help and produce that SINAD at full output.

Multitone test uses lower amplitude tones and demonstrates the lower distortion:

Jitter shows decent results for a platform like this:

But again, not as good as HifiBerry.

Conclusions
I don't see the value/merit of this DAC. It has lower performance than HifiBerry DAC+ Pro yet costs more. Maybe if you are local to them the transaction cost is lower. Otherwise, I would pass on it.

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As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

You know the decapitate panther? Well, some scientific types saw that and have contacted me to borrow it for brain research. They say I have no use for it anyway so why not. I decided to let them have it but need to come up with the money to pay for special transportation to their lab. So please donate what you can so that we can collectively advance our understanding of human, er, I mean panther brain using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/

 

[alex.r]

Is there any hope that not soldered balanced outs (right side on the board) will perform better?

 

[amirm]

No. Here is the Ti spec for the DAC chip they are using:

Best case SINAD is 94 dB which is more or less what I got in unbalanced. All of them seen to be using these low cost and easily to implement DAC chips which limit performance. For something better you need to go to what Allo and others like them use but of course at much higher cost.

 

[ZolaIII]

Actually it's interesting they didn't lie regarding THD+N. The DAC may not be all that bad but amp certainly is. For the money more comprehensive discreet portable solution can be optained with now dirty cheap ES9018K2M DAC. If you pick up one with reference Sabre implemented SABRE9601 amp you will get much more. Don't get me wrong it's still entry lv solution good enough to do 96 KHz properly. For more than that you will have to go either balanced (two DAC's) or much higher tire DAC.

 

[restorer-john]

As usual, since my Audio Precision analyzer cannot control streaming platforms, I can only test with unchanging signals. So no sweeps.

Why not zoom in at 0dB on the multi-tone point samples to give a reasonable frequency response plot? We are seeing around -1dB at 20Hz and 20K.

 

[Haskil]

Amirm, can you test the last Airport Express form Apple ? A lot of people have this product "couteau suisse" :

- In : Wifi, Ethernet...

- Out analog after DAC 16/44.1 or PCM in SPDIF toslink...

My be, you have one...

 

[Jimster480]

Why are there so many of these ? The market surely cannot be that big...

 

[Nicosea]

Oh a pity for no measurements (yet?) of the headphone out, very curious about that.

 

[Soniclife]

I don't see the value/merit of this DAC. It has lower performance than HifiBerry DAC+ Pro yet costs more.

If the headphone out is decent it might have value, but only if it has more power than a phone or dongle.

 

[blodsbror]

Are there any RPi based DACs that actually offer good performance?

 

[amirm]

Are there any RPi based DACs that actually offer good performance?

Yes, as I noted, look to Allo for much better DACs. https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...lo-katana-and-applepi-raspberry-pi-dacs.4164/

 

[Soniclife]

Are there any RPi based DACs that actually offer good performance?

And the usb out of a standard pi into a well designed DAC is perfect, if you don't need the single box solution.

 

[m8o]

It comes as no surprise that in the world of RPi the dollar/pound dominates, not sinad.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/iqaudio-is-now-raspberry-pi/

 

[Sukie]

It comes as no surprise that in the world of RPi the dollar/pound dominates, not sinad.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/iqaudio-is-now-raspberry-pi/

I have no idea what this means?

 

[m8o]

I have no idea what this means?

The organization made a deal that their dealer network would carry and sell a DAC HAT that happens to have more failings & compromises than others because it's a tad cheaper. (I'm taking real world prices I can buy them for today from existing resellers)

 

[Sukie]

The organization made a deal that their dealer network would carry and sell a DAC HAT that happens to have more failings & compromises than others because it's a tad cheaper. (I'm taking real world prices I can buy them for today from existing resellers)

Fair enough. There are other DAC HATs available though, as mentioned, that have better SINAD.

If you want really good SINAD I would have thought an external DAC would be preferable. I haven't yet seen any DAC HAT that can compete with even the Topping D10s on SINAD. But obviously a number of the cheaper SOTA DACs have been released since this product was reviewed and, I agree, there's no reason to buy this product over another DAC HAT or an external DAC.

 

[Phil Weaver]

Just thought I'd chime in as someone who owns this DAC, I use it with the onboard headphone amp to listen to 320khz and HD streaming and it sounds beautiful (especially the latter) through my cheap AKG K-92's.

This setup replaced my vinyl rig - Revolver turntable with Moth tonearm, Audio Technica ATF3 occ cartridge, Arcam Delta 290 amp with optional phono stage and Mission M71i speakers and stands.

Although I preferred the sound of my vinyl rig (I prefer speakers always) the sound quality is very, very similar with the headphone setup extending into the sub bass further.

Testing sound quality has to involve the ears.

 

[Sukie]

Just thought I'd chime in as someone who owns this DAC, I use it with the onboard headphone amp to listen to 320khz and HD streaming and it sounds beautiful (especially the latter) through my cheap AKG K-92's.

This setup replaced my vinyl rig - Revolver turntable with Moth tonearm, Audio Technica ATF3 occ cartridge, Arcam Delta 290 amp with optional phono stage and Mission M71i speakers and stands.

Although I preferred the sound of my vinyl rig (I prefer speakers always) the sound quality is very, very similar with the headphone setup extending into the sub bass further.

Testing sound quality has to involve the ears.

Great to have you here on ASR.

Do have a look at some of the threads that discuss this issue of the merits of listening tests with DACs and other solid state parts of the chain.

 

[Phil Weaver]

I've read it, I'm aware of the ethos of the forum but fundamentally disagree that measurement is king. Now I know that's not going to go down well here! Peace.

 

[Sukie]

I've read it, I'm aware of the ethos of the forum but fundamentally disagree that measurement is king. Now I know that's not going to go down well here! Peace.

We're all entitled to our opinions, just not sure why you felt the need to express yours on this forum. Particularly if you "fundamentally disagree" with the ethos of the forum.

If you're here to contribute, learn and grow, then that's great. If not, then there are probably better things to do with you time.