Review and Measurements of E1DA 9038S BAL Portable DAC & Amp

[IVX]

but still trivial

 

[Veri]

but still trivial

tell that to whoever designed the Dragonfly cobalt ...

 

[maxxevv]

tell that to whoever designed the Dragonfly cobalt ...

LOL...

I think it should be whoever is trying to sell the Cobalt ....
The engineers were probably given a fixed manhour budget, and worked accordingly. The marketing guys went bat crazy with the pricing and marketing BS ....

 

[infinitesymphony]

I had the same doubt / question after reading @solderdude comment ... but had no time to ask him, thank you for doing that.

Like this: http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5241

View attachment 31708

I will be curious to hear from anyone who tests this configuration (2.5mm TRRS to two XLR balanced). I understand that this is going to be a corner case compared to the amount of people who will be using it as a DAC/amp with a portable source but this is my ideal scenario as I plan to use such a device with active studio monitors.

 

[AudioSceptic]

LOL...

I think it should be whoever is trying to sell the Cobalt ....
The engineers were probably given a fixed manhour budget, and worked accordingly. The marketing guys went bat crazy with the pricing and marketing BS ....

Did they need to? The usual suspects have given it glowing reviews regardless, such as here <http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/audioquest-dragonfly-cobalt-dacheadphone-amp/> (Alan Sircom, what happened? You used to be alright).

 

[amirm]

I will be curious to hear from anyone who tests this configuration (2.5mm TRRS to two XLR balanced). I understand that this is going to be a corner case compared to the amount of people who will be using it as a DAC/amp with a portable source but this is my ideal scenario as I plan to use such a device with active studio monitors.

I didn't use an XLR but that is exactly how I tested the unit with my analyzer using its balanced banana jacks. So no reason it would not work.

 

[Rollaven]

Finally !!
Today I received my 2.5mm to 3.5mm jack so now I can use my new USB dongle...the E1DA.

This baby will primarily be used in the office at work with my trusted CL1's. In the back you can still see the trusted work horses Atom and D30, still goin' strong.
The E1DA does the job well and is essentially plug and play with my windows laptop. Thanks @IVX for the fast shipment all the way to the EU.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Today I received my 2.5mm to 3.5mm jack so now I can use my new USB dongle...the E1DA.

How to deal with separate grounds to a shared one in such a case?

 

[Julf]

How to deal with separate grounds to a shared one in such a case?

There is only one "ground".

 

[IVX]

Rollaven
sorry, but you can not use any kind of 2.5/3,5 jack adapters with 9038S, rather you can kill the DAC.

 

[Julf]

Rollaven
sorry, but you can not use any kind of 2.5/3,5 jack adapters with 9038S, rather you can kill the DAC.

How so?

 

[Veri]

Finally !!
Today I received my 2.5mm to 3.5mm jack so now I can use my new USB dongle...the E1DA.

View attachment 32168


This baby will primarily be used in the office at work with my trusted CL1's. In the back you can still see the trusted work horses Atom and D30, still goin' strong.
The E1DA does the job well and is essentially plug and play with my windows laptop. Thanks @IVX for the fast shipment all the way to the EU.

Despite all the warnings lol. Never plug unbalanced in a balanced output port dudes. Things break, if not immediately they will over time....
EDIT: I see you used 3.5mm balanced TRRS, carry on

 

[BDWoody]

Despite all the warnings lol. Never plug unbalanced in a balanced output port dudes. Things break, if not immediately they will over time....

Wasn't about half of this thread about that exact issue?

 

[Veri]

Wasn't about half of this thread about that exact issue?

Yeap

PS: isn't that an XLR in the picture anyway??? He could have converted to 2.5mm :| I'm confused.

 

[muths66]

Yeap

PS: isn't that an XLR in the picture anyway??? He could have converted to 2.5mm :| I'm confused.

i think he maybe custom headphone out to balanced xlr cable.

 

[maxxevv]

That is a 2.5mm TRRS -> 4-pin XLR. cable conversion.
The headphone cable is XLR 4.

I have the exact reverse. XLR 4 -> 2.5mm TRRS for output from my HPA-3B.

Edit:

Wait... I missed that but why is there an additional set of connectors between the DAC and the XLR cable??

 

[Mittomen]

Yes this is possible
R+ to 2-XLR right channel
R- to 3-XLR right channel
L+ to 2-XLR left channel
L- to 3-XLR left channel

Thank you Solderdude!
What to do with XLR pin1? Leave floating or connect to shield?

 

[solderdude]

leave it floating. You can connect the shield (one sided) to the shield of the XLR's if you have a shielded cable.

 

[Rollaven]

Rollaven
sorry, but you can not use any kind of 2.5/3,5 jack adapters with 9038S, rather you can kill the DAC.

I know, that's why I ordered a 2.5mm male to 3.5mm balanced cable... Thanks though.

 

[solderdude]

Is the 3.5mm a TRRS version ?