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

[Crane]

I just replaced the wires with these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07CVX3516?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07C9S23L5?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Works nicely just the OTG connector wont plug in through my phone case.

 

[IVX]

Huh, seems we are lucky today and I quickly programmed/tested 83pcs 9038S G2. All of you who preordered that a few days ago will get DACs soon. Tomorrow all of your DACs will be shipped out, thak you for your trust me.
I have tested S/N and THD for one of sample randomly chosen from 83pcs. WIth PC USB S/N -121dbA(could be a bit better with battery-powered Android, usually -122dbA), The highest harmonic -113db at -3dbfs level 1kHz 32ohm load(THD .00025% at 160mW), and -122db at -10dbfs(middle of Windows Vol. slider) 32ohm load.

PS: PCB immersion gold-plated, the mask is chocolate color

 

[noel_fs]

what about 0dbfs? although im aware with most headphones/iems you are likely to not use full volume but still good to know the potential of it.

also can you measure imd?

 

[IVX]

Sorry, I have no installed IMD options in my AP, there is no surprise(no hump) too. 0dbfs THD very depends on USB 5V rail quality and ES9038Q2M output current tolerance. Usually, under 32ohm load there .001% to .2% of THD+N, and .0003%(according to Amir's result) if no load.

 

[esm]

I ordered one of the (V1) #9038S models shortly after this review was posted, because I was in the market for a dongle-form DAC/amp and the timing was perfect. I've been using it with a pair of Shure SE846 IEMs and an OTG cable to an Android phone (running HibyMusic most of the time, which recognizes the #9038S and happily drives it directly); I'm one of the lucky folks who can drive it directly off the phone without a battery, because Android and OTG is still a tire fire. Anyway, so far it's been great in that role, aside from getting a tad warm; the SE846s are really good at highlighting the noise floor of your gear (8 ohms impedance!), but otherwise they're simple to drive.

I bought a 4-pin XLR adapter shortly after I got it (since that's how most of my headphones are terminated), and it finally arrived in the mail today, and so of course I dropped everything I was doing and started plugging in headphones, because "weeeee new toy!" None of my cans had a problem with power output, including the planars. I kept swapping between this and my desktop rig to make sure my brain wasn't playing tricks on me.

I have pretty high expectations for large-footprint desktop and home theater gear, but this is just a tiny sliver of a thing that hangs off of a headphone cable, for under $100. When I started shopping for a dongle, I was mostly hoping for something close to the performance of my old portable DAC/amp (Topping NX4DSD), but without having to carry around an "audio brick". I certainly wasn't expecting to be able to drive full-size cans with any reasonable fidelity. It seems ridiculous that I'm sitting here listening to my HE-560s tethered by what is essentially a single cable to my phone and enjoying the hell out of it.

I'm blown away. Good job, @IVX.

 

[PalmtopNihilist]

@esm Out of curiosity what phone are you powering this with?

I'm looking forward to some feedback from folks receiving the G2 and testing it with a variety of devices - I'm seriously considering the G2 so I can pair it with the Galaxy S8 to replace my DAP but am a little concerned about OTG compatibility

 

[esm]

I'm using a non-US (Exynos) Galaxy S7 (micro-usb host to usb-c OTG, which was a surprisingly hard cable to find), but take that with a huge grain of salt; I run LineageOS 16, not the version of Android that shipped with the phone, and hacking on this thing is somewhat of a pasttime for me, so I'd expect that my phone will behave somewhat differently than what normal folks might see.

tl;dr: I'm weird and a poor data point

 

[Fabio]

I ordered one of the (V1) #9038S models shortly after this review was posted, because I was in the market for a dongle-form DAC/amp and the timing was perfect. I've been using it with a pair of Shure SE846 IEMs and an OTG cable to an Android phone (running HibyMusic most of the time, which recognizes the #9038S and happily drives it directly); I'm one of the lucky folks who can drive it directly off the phone without a battery, because Android and OTG is still a tire fire. Anyway, so far it's been great in that role, aside from getting a tad warm; the SE846s are really good at highlighting the noise floor of your gear (8 ohms impedance!), but otherwise they're simple to drive.

I bought a 4-pin XLR adapter shortly after I got it (since that's how most of my headphones are terminated), and it finally arrived in the mail today, and so of course I dropped everything I was doing and started plugging in headphones, because "weeeee new toy!" None of my cans had a problem with power output, including the planars. I kept swapping between this and my desktop rig to make sure my brain wasn't playing tricks on me.

I have pretty high expectations for large-footprint desktop and home theater gear, but this is just a tiny sliver of a thing that hangs off of a headphone cable, for under $100. When I started shopping for a dongle, I was mostly hoping for something close to the performance of my old portable DAC/amp (Topping NX4DSD), but without having to carry around an "audio brick". I certainly wasn't expecting to be able to drive full-size cans with any reasonable fidelity. It seems ridiculous that I'm sitting here listening to my HE-560s tethered by what is essentially a single cable to my phone and enjoying the hell out of it.

I'm blown away. Good job, @IVX.

I had a similar experience as yours but I´d been looking into a small high quality ring to use while not at home. I´d bought one #9038S Mk1, two days after the review came out and ordered an Audiosense T800 (IEM 9 ohms 90 db/mv - hard to drive with authority with high DR music) and man what a combination. After a small mod to mechanical secure the usb connector and get rid of some noise related to #9038s dangling outside my pocket it´s pure pleasure. And at discord about 250 people are talking, making suggestions, and Ivan designing one iteration after another based on all this collective thinking... I´m sure we are witnessing the birth of one line of products that have a brilliant path ahead. Astounding audio quality, power to spare, nice, strong and small case at unbelievable price. I advise everyone to give this a try before Audioquest buy the design, rename it dragonfly diamond at 400 usd and call it a day!

 

[Fabio]

I'm using a non-US (Exynos) Galaxy S7, but take that with a huge grain of salt; I run LineageOS 16, not the version of Android that shipped with the phone, and hacking on this thing is somewhat of a pasttime for me, so I'd expect that my phone will behave somewhat differently than what normal folks might see.

tl;dr: I'm weird and a poor data point

Mine: Exynos Galaxy Note 8 with a USB-C/Micro-USB OTG cable with a micro adapter micro-usb to usb-c without powebank. The #9038S Mk2 will use a simple usb-c to usb-c cable.

 

[doctorjuggles]

My LG V20 doesn’t work with the Gen 1 (even when hooked up to the hub which I bought at the same time). Works perfectly with a Fire HD8 I had lying around, so not sure what’s happened, but hopefully the Gen 2 or D versions will do the business for me

 

[mmicko]

@esm Out of curiosity what phone are you powering this with?

I'm looking forward to some feedback from folks receiving the G2 and testing it with a variety of devices - I'm seriously considering the G2 so I can pair it with the Galaxy S8 to replace my DAP but am a little concerned about OTG compatibility

My S7 and S9 are both powering #9038s gen1 + Shure Se215 or even Sennheiser HD800 without problem - no splitter or powerbank needed

 

[headwhacker]

Huh, seems we are lucky today and I quickly programmed/tested 83pcs 9038S G2. All of you who preordered that a few days ago will get DACs soon. Tomorrow all of your DACs will be shipped out, thak you for your trust me.
I have tested S/N and THD for one of sample randomly chosen from 83pcs. WIth PC USB S/N -121dbA(could be a bit better with battery-powered Android, usually -122dbA), The highest harmonic -113db at -3dbfs level 1kHz 32ohm load(THD .00025% at 160mW), and -122db at -10dbfs(middle of Windows Vol. slider) 32ohm load.
PS: PCB immersion gold-plated, the mask is chocolate color

Great news, looks like my mobile will much more simple sooner than I expected. Just my phone and 9038S.

 

[Fabio]

Longtime lurker, great forum, thanks to all the wonderful contributors.

Looking to get Powerdac v2 and 9038S G2 to power from Huawei Honor 10 phone via USB C out, for use with HE-4XX. Does anyone have links for:

2.5mm male TRRS to dual 3.5mm TRRS headphone cable (can only find an out of stock New Fantasia one on Amazon)

Short USB C to B cable for the Powerdac (assuming Honor 10 can power both units without needing OTG cable/adaptor in between - does anyone know?)

Cheers.

#9038S gen2 is supposed to run without an otg cable even from cellphone. But I'm not sure about powerdac. I'm only following #9038S, D, and soon X threads.

 

[florence]

So what's the final launch date for single end version with a volume control? Still to be announced?

 

[headwhacker]

Just received a notification that my order of 9038S Gen2 has shipped.

 

[Fabio]

So what's the final launch date for single end version with a volume control? Still to be announced?

Lauch date: Soon but without HW volume control for sure. His working in a "nice volume control" but I´m not sure his made his mind about launch this with #9038D Gen 1

 

[mmicko]

Ivan is already playing with HW volume control over USB (version #9038X ) the date is not confirmed yet.
(but based on actual progress and his fast work, it should be more in weeks than in months)

 

[snip3r77]

Silly question

1. If I order 9038S from ali will it be g2?
2. What's the diference 9038S and PowerDACv2? If I'm using it for my IEM which one should I order?

 

[IVX]

snip3r77
I prepared a simple website for such basic info https://e1dashz.wixsite.com/index

 

[Biblob]

Nice product, congratulations @IVX !

Any chance of seeing a multichannel version? I'm thinking of desktop usb-dac of 4 channels for 2.2 for stereo subs. Decent dacs with more than 2 channels are either 4k$ or doesn't exists.
Also any possibility to control reconstruction filters or other modes with PC through usb? I'm sure the world is full of competent programmers if there just is a possibility in the device.
Simple dsp/crossover can be integrated or a different device.

PS. Balanced output is a requirement, that's where options are few.

Look at the multichannel Dac from Okto, it has been reviewed here. It's excellent and around $1K. (On mobile, thus can't link easily.)