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

[IVX]

Icarus2000
9038S has 4 active outputs(L+, L-, R+, R-), hence, you can't use as 2 inputs(L, R) system.

 

[Veri]

Dear friends,

Based on this review I just bought one of these. I have a question though.. I'am not a very technical person and want to use this dac between my pc(nog usb c port) and my TPA3116 2x50W type d amp combined with two b&w dm110. So what kind of cables do I need for this setup? Or is it not even possible?

PC: Dell T3420 SFF Precision i5 with 6x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (3.1 Gen 1) Type A
AMP: 3.5mm female jack (audio input)

This product is incompatible with 3.5mm female.

 

[Henning]

Hi newbie here
I just purchased one, 9038S Gen2, with the plan to use it with a windows 10 pc, balanced 2.5mm to xlr cables and powered JBL or Yamaha studio monitors. Will this work as I hope?

 

[Veri]

Hi newbie here
I just purchased one, 9038S Gen2, with the plan to use it with a windows 10 pc, balanced 2.5mm to xlr cables and powered JBL or Yamaha studio monitors. Will this work as I hope?

Can you link the 2.5mm cable? But yes I think it will work.

 

[tifune]

Hi newbie here
I just purchased one, 9038S Gen2, with the plan to use it with a windows 10 pc, balanced 2.5mm to xlr cables and powered JBL or Yamaha studio monitors. Will this work as I hope?

I do this and it works fine, just make sure the cable is fully balanced. HOWEVER, E1DA does NOT recommend using the 9038S with any form of amplification just FYI - I took a gamble because (for me) they're so cheap, but you may not be in the same position.

 

[Jimbob54]

Dear friends,

Based on this review I just bought one of these. I have a question though.. I'am not a very technical person and want to use this dac between my pc(nog usb c port) and my TPA3116 2x50W type d amp combined with two b&w dm110. So what kind of cables do I need for this setup? Or is it not even possible?

PC: Dell T3420 SFF Precision i5 with 6x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (3.1 Gen 1) Type A
AMP: 3.5mm female jack (audio input)

I read some post in here regarding, I presume, the same question, but I didn't understand the technical solutions offered, sorry.. That balanced vs unbalanced got me confused.. Please bare with me

Thanks in advance

DON'T- I'll let others explain why. Don't buy adaptors that claim to work. The manufacturer and others will say it could destroy the unit. Even worse, damage kit downstream. I believe the only suggested use is into a 2.5 mm balanced headphone cable. Possibly adapt the 2.5mm to a (balanced) 4.4mm cable or a 4 pin xlr (balanced) termination. If you havent got 'phones with any of these plugs I would suggest cancelling your order.

 

[m8o]

I just discovered this thread & device. I'm floored by its measured performance. I certainly don't need it. But at the price I see it selling at, I simply have to acquire one and try it out to either feed my iSine 20 directly (yes, I have a 2.5mm balanced terminated cable), or be the balanced DAC input to my Mjolnir or WA-22 (yes, I have a 2.5mm to dual 3-pin XLR cable). In regards to the latter use case, it will better my use of a DragonFly Red in every way or DacMagic Plus too.

EDIT: Actually, I bought the PowerDac (lol); for the DSP and slightly higher power for driving the likes of an Ether Flow C or HE-1000 directly (even tho it is not needed if I use it only as a DAC to an analog amp, which I will do too). I suspect I'll buy this one in a few months.

 

[obladi]

hey, anyone knows how to get rid of a sudden loud white noise? im using E1Da 9038s gen 2 with a 22 ohm iem, attached to a xiaomi phone type c usb port. i really love the sound but hell that loud noise, i'm scared away because of it..

thanks

 

[IVX]

obladi
it is one of two remained nonidealities, thanks to stupid cmedia, which ignores CRC of audio data, and without checking the validity sends corrupted audio-data to the DAC. Only chance to avoid that noise is fixing 9038S to the phone. Please check our discord channel for more details.
PS: the last one serious nonideality is the sensitivity 9038S to an EMI noise("static buzzing" if phone's LTE data On). Also, no HW volume is quite inconvenient "feature". All these nonidealities will be corrected in the new G3, which will be released soon if the virus has mercy for us.

 

[obladi]

obladi
it is one of two remained nonidealities, thanks to stupid cmedia, which ignores CRC of audio data, and without checking the validity sends corrupted audio-data to the DAC. Only chance to avoid that noise is fixing 9038S to the phone. Please check our discord channel for more details.
PS: the last one serious nonideality is the sensitivity 9038S to an EMI noise("static buzzing" if phone's LTE data On). Also, no HW volume is quite inconvenient "feature". All these nonidealities will be corrected in the new G3, which will be released soon if the virus has mercy for us.

i should have wait for G3 then.
i'll find ways to fix it. and also i can't validate my account at discord, btw im from manila..
thanks anyway

 

[Madcow]

Well Iam new here and thanks for having me. So I just got mine today finally but it didn't come with the cable I ordered oh well. Anyways I have 2 phones both one plus 6t and 7t pro. Both phones power device stand alone no battery required and I have been getting barely a hit on my battery. The problem I have is I think I have possibly a defective unit. From the start there seems to be some system noise like interference or maybe a cold solder joint I can't tell. The unit works and sounds great except for the noise. And I only hear this noise on usbapp. Once I switch to say YouTube nothing obviously plays through the device, but I believe it's still powered. Anyone else experience this? Do I have a defective unit? Bought through linsoul still awaiting their response.


Edit: just read above, so this noise in completely normal using phone on cellular networks? I am hearing EMI noise?

Can I put it in a farady cage to shield it or is the EMI traveling through the phone and into the cable?

I don't have WiFi but I assume if I disable celluar data and run off WiFi this will go away?

I pray for coronavirus to die and g3 come soon

Thanks


Thanks

 

[IVX]

Madcow
yes, it is EMI from the phone LTE + sensitive headphones.

 

[Madcow]

Madcow
yes, it is EMI from the phone LTE + sensitive headphones.

I have the the shouer tapes. Well I can ways buy another if and when g3 comes outoddly the noise isn't consistent sometimes I can't hear at all either which is what spooked me I to thinking maybe a cold solder joint. Sounds great though my ears are ringing in mode 4 haha

 

[ZolaIII]

Madcow
yes, it is EMI from the phone LTE + sensitive headphones.

What do you think about using something as graphit thin plates for eliminating RF interference and improving thermal dispersion? I hope G3 will have unbalanced line.

 

[Madcow]

What do you think about using something as graphit thin plates for eliminating RF interference and improving thermal dispersion? I hope G3 will have unbalanced line.

Personally I don't know. If the EMI is not traveling down the cable then simple copper farady pouch would work. I have the volume up to loud to notice usually, but, I am going to experiment around. I stream all my music so I don't download anything. The problem is to control volume I have to use usbapp but I can't download music from there. I do have volume control using hardware keys on both phones which is great as long as I don't use bit perfect mode. I suspect g3 will allow bit perfect mode and they will setup for volume control on the device itself in some way. Can't wait this is pretty cool stuff

 

[ZolaIII]

Personally I don't know. If the EMI is not traveling down the cable then simple copper farady pouch would work. I have the volume up to loud to notice usually, but, I am going to experiment around. I stream all my music so I don't download anything. The problem is to control volume I have to use usbapp but I can't download music from there. I do have volume control using hardware keys on both phones which is great as long as I don't use bit perfect mode. I suspect g3 will allow bit perfect mode and they will setup for volume control on the device itself in some way. Can't wait this is pretty cool stuff

Simple protective signal shielding bag or a pouch (with a tin silver based fabric inter layer coating) should do trick with already final designs (car key sized in this case) for couple buck's. It's not very elegant but it's cheap & should work. I whose asking more for a incorporating into device design with some cheap & durable material to use which wouldn't add moch on the wight of the device and would also help with cooling.

Edit: Yup Graphite pretty much wins hands down if you want to keep costs down while getting everything else right, Graphen but not worth the cost.
https://www.intechopen.com/books/el...ence-shielding-materials-and-their-mechanisms
One more thing, there are numerous tape or foil like products based on; Copper, Silver, Graphite or combined. Single sided or duble sided adhesive one's if you rather prefer to wrap it up which could be much more convenient. Plenty to choose from Ali.

 

[beanxinh]

Hi,
I don't know if this is the right play to ask but I want to play DSD file on my PC and use a DT880 600ohm headphone so can I use the Powerdac v2 or I have to use the 9038s? (I would prefer the Powerdac for the extra power but not sure if it can decode DSD).
Thanks.

 

[ZolaIII]

Hi,
I don't know if this is the right play to ask but I want to play DSD file on my PC and use a DT880 600ohm headphone so can I use the Powerdac v2 or I have to use the 9038s? (I would prefer the Powerdac for the extra power but not sure if it can decode DSD).
Thanks.

How about getting a proper amp for those first than wory about the DAC?
Try with Schiit Magni Heresy;
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...gni-3-and-heresy-headphone-amp-reviews.10311/

 

[Veri]

How about getting a proper amp for those first than wory about the DAC?
Try with Schiit Magni Heresy;
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...gni-3-and-heresy-headphone-amp-reviews.10311/

Powerdac and E1DA can both drive full size headphones perfectly fine though, no amp required. Just need a balanced headphone!

The Magni can't interface with powerdac/9038s since they are balanced and Heresy has no balanced inputs..

 

[beanxinh]

How about getting a proper amp for those first than wory about the DAC?
Try with Schiit Magni Heresy;
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...gni-3-and-heresy-headphone-amp-reviews.10311/

I want something portable that I can bring with me. I already have the Aune X7S as my desk amp.