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

[tential]

The 9038S G3 is now available on AliExpress!

I will refrain from listing all the improvements so as to not sound like a salesman, but if you're interested, then you can read more on the website or on the Discord server.

It doesn't list it on aliexpress, so can you say them?

 

[staticV3]

It doesn't list it on aliexpress, so can you say them?

Yes it is listed. /item/4000090081514.html

 

[badboygolf16v]

Details of the update to the G3 can be found here: https://e1dashz.wixsite.com/index/9038s

 

[IVX]

Some pics:

 

[badboygolf16v]

I'd be interested to know why there are pads for an additional capacitor on the underside of the PCB?

 

[IVX]

these caps are expensive(2pcs the same cost as 3pcs of DACs PCM5102 https://www.cyrusaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Clean_Top_view_soundKey-2000x1335.jpg ) and rare 1000uF/10V tantalum 2mm profile ESR = 40mOhm. 2pcs are enough to get a very good result but I have a room for the 3rd one just in case.

 

[Veri]

these caps are expensive(2pcs the same cost as 3pcs of DACs PCM5102 https://www.cyrusaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Clean_Top_view_soundKey-2000x1335.jpg ) and rare 1000uF/10V tantalum 2mm profile ESR = 40mOhm. 2pcs are enough to get a very good result but I have a room for the 3rd one just in case.

So you're saying we could possibly custom order a 3-cap version just to satisfy our OCD?

 

[IVX]

some of us may do that for sure BTW 9038D has 4pcs

 

[Veri]

BTW 9038D has 4pcs

Oh. I guess that means it won't be that cheap I'm sure it will be worth the wait, though!!

 

[Lewzke]

Hi guys, I am currently looking foor a small cheap home dac for my studio monitors, I know e1das are designed for headphones but these specs look great, and I want to bypass any analouge volume control, so I want my DAC handle the volume control digitally or adjusting the opamp gain or whatever. The point is to minimise the signal chain, and going straight to my monitors is the best way to feed them. The only thing is that the DAC itself has to do the volume control properly without any quality loss and noise when using low level output. Mr. IVX what do you think, I should wait for 9038D or the 8038S G3 with balanced cables is okay for me? Both will have android app with EQ?

 

[staticV3]

Hi guys, I am currently looking foor a small cheap home dac for my studio monitors, I know e1das are designed for headphones but these specs look great, and I want to bypass any analouge volume control, so I want my DAC handle the volume control digitally or adjusting the opamp gain or whatever. Mr. IVX what do you think, I should wait for 9038D or the 8038S G3 with balanced cables is okay for me? Both will have android app with EQ?

The 9038S cannot be used with external Amps or active monitors unless you know what you're doing and how to DIY your own cables.
Only the 9038D is able to be used as a standalone DAC.
Neither the 9038D nor the S have EQ. That is a feature exclusive to the PDv2, which also cannot be used with external Amps.

 

[Lewzke]

The 9038S cannot be used with external Amps or active monitors unless you know what you're doing and how to DIY your own cables.
Only the 9038D is able to be used as a standalone DAC.
Neither the 9038D nor the S have EQ. That is a feature exclusive to the PDv2, which also cannot be used with external Amps.

Yes, the 9038S is only for balanced application, but if you use separate balanced cables those that won't short the grounds of the left and right output theoretically should be fine. The studio monitors have balanced inputs, seperated from each other. Anyway I'm waiting for the opinion of mr. IVX (Ivan Khlyupin), I'm interested in detail about the 8038D Home DAC mode operation, why is different than the other modes.

 

[staticV3]

Yes, the 9038S is only for balanced application, but if you use separate balanced cables those that won't short the grounds of the left and right output theoretically should be fine. The studio monitors have balanced inputs, seperated from each other. Anyway I'm waiting for the opinion of mr. IVX (Ivan Khlyupin), I'm interested in detail about the 8038D DAC mode operation, why is different than the other modes.

No it's not fine. Your DAC and Amp have to share the same ground. The otherwise resulting ground potential could seriously damage the DAC. the thing is that the 9038S doesn't have a ground contact like a normal, balanced DAC has (3rd pin of a 3pin XLR jack), so to get ground from the 9038S, you need to "tap into" the USB cable connected to it. Then you can take that ground and put it on the XLR pin. Only then is safe operation possible.

"Different than the other modes"
The 9038S G3 and 9038D no longer have any regular modes like IEM mode and SE Tube mode. These have become obsolete with the addition of HW volume and the upcoming Tweak App. The only mode that remains is Home DAC mode on the 9038D. In this mode the DAC is optimized for close to no load, i.e. very high input impedance of normal Amps.

 

[Lewzke]

No it's not fine. Your DAC and Amp have to share the same ground. The otherwise resulting ground potential could seriously damage the DAC. the thing is that the 9038S doesn't have a ground contact like a normal, balanced DAC has (3rd pin of a 3pin XLR jack), so to get ground from the 9038S, you need to "tap into" the USB cable connected to it. Then you can take that ground and put it on the XLR pin. Only then is safe operation possible.

"Different than the other modes"
The 9038S G3 and 9038D no longer have any regular modes like IEM mode and SE Tube mode. These have become obsolete with the addition of HW volume and the upcoming Tweak App. The only mode that remains is Home DAC mode on the 9038D. In this mode the DAC is optimized for close to no load, i.e. very high input impedance of normal Amps.

Long story short. That is what I need basically, the 9038D. Any info about the release date, or it's unknown at this covid state?

 

[badboygolf16v]

some of us may do that for sure BTW 9038D has 4pcs

Would adding the third cap affect just noise?

9038SG3 Troika Edition?

9038SG3X3?

 

[IVX]

Lewzke
Static is right, you can connect 9038S as well if you'll make your own cable for that with the crocodile-clamp to the USB-C connector to get GND. BTW, we have two cases(if my memory serves well) when users killed 9038S trying to connect the amp.

 

[IVX]

badboygolf16v
no, the 3rd one 1000uF may improve low-freq THD. It is the same as with a power amp - more caps on the rail is never worse.

 

[Lewzke]

Lewzke
Static is right, you can connect 9038S as well if you'll make your own cable for that with the crocodile-clamp to the USB-C connector to get GND. BTW, we have two cases(if my memory serves well) when users killed 9038S trying to connect the amp.

Thank you! Yeah that cable modification is pretty ugly, so I will wait the 9038D. Any info about the new Home DAC mode and the new volume control? It is done before the Sabre chip digitally or it is at the amp stage? I'm worried about the quality loss and noise at low level listening, usually the studio monitors have pretty high amplifications.

 

[JustAnandaDourEyedDude]

IVX or staticV3,

Would you please mention usual use cases of USB A OTG cable vs. USB C-to-C cable options offered with 9038S G3 on AliExpress? Is the OTG cable needed to connect 9038S G3 to my Windows PC, or a regular USB A to C cable is OK? Is there some special wiring about the USB C-to-C for connecting 9038S G3 to phone or DAP like iBasso DX 160 or HiBy R3 Pro, or a regular well-constructed USB C-to-C male-to-male is OK for this?

 

[staticV3]

Thank you! Yeah that cable modification is pretty ugly, so I will wait the 9038D. Any info about the new Home DAC mode and the new volume control? It is done before the Sabre chip digitally or it is at the amp stage?

It is digital Hardware volume before the Amp. There's no space in the housing to implement multiple Amp stages