Little update: ES9038Pro / SMPCB v1.07 better than Skysong ES9038Q2M / new ES9068AS

so, 😉

a little update:

re-checked a few days ago these “SMPCB 1.07″ (Green) against the Skysong ES9038Q2M and for me, the “SMPCP v1.07” has a much better sound/tune than the Skysong-board: more crispy + dynamic (IMHO)..

by that, as we are now “through” with the ES9038Q2M, the next step will be a ES9038Pro (or ES9068AS, see at the bottom) 😉 (the “balanced” output-options are also very interesting..)

also i´ve heard some new AKM4495 in a high-end headphone-amp surrounding (by a friend), and for me these “velvet-sound”-(branding) from these AKM-chips is for me (as ESSabre-“enthusiast”) still “hearable”/present, although these two approaches (Sabre+AKM) are coming more and more close to each other the more “high-end” they come..very close meanwhile..

(update: SMSL-8U (ES9068AS-chipset)-review->https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/s-m-s-l-su-8s.25206/reviews ->”..to put it shortly, it sounds very good considering its price. A trained ear will quickly recognize that quick and sharp Sabre sound signature. Highs are bright and airy, mid-range is clean and informative, emphasizing crisp edges and transients“)

so, found by chance some ES9038Pro-“implementation” in a SMSL-SU-9 (450$) (see pictures, audioscene-review is here->https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/smsl-su-9-balanced-dac-review.16150/ ) 😉

they “measured” it at a very high (they called it “Sinad”) point with 121db (SNR)->”..it is my pleasure to highly recommend the SMSL SU-9. Great job.”

point is, that u also see, that these dual DC is absolutely “uber-important” + by that the SU-9N uses the xmos216 + theres also a “new” ES9068AS on the market, for example in some Topping E50->https://de.shenzhenaudio.com/products/topping-e50-dac-es9068as-mqa-xu216-32bit-768khz-dsd512-decoder-ultra-low-noise-preamp-headphone-dac , also with some “CPLD” jitter reduction (guess its a hardware-solution like in the Chord-Mojo (FPGA) for example)

will have to check out the difference (and price) to an ES9038Pro and if this chipset (ES9068AS) will also being implemented on some cheap chinese-boards..we will look  for it 😉 ->”A18 (AK4499) vs X16 (ES9068AS)-“shootout” is here->https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/new-gustard-twin-shootout-a18-ak4499-vs-x16-es9068as.17428/

so, and as we´ve learned soo much about the right power-supply-chain and i2s-hdmi-connection-things and and and 😉 , we can just sit back and relax and wait for the new cheap chinese-essabre-boards to come out 😉 ..

many greets for now ! 😉

Raspberry Pi 4 ->DSD(.dsf/.dff)-files over HDMI / HDMI to I2S-extractor arrived..

so folks 😉 ,

hooray, today the hdmi to i2s extractor (from audiophonics) arrived ! 😉 (more later)..

but first, these “Raspberry Pi 4 DSD over HDMI”-thing:

i´ve read the days that openelec, Volumio, Moode + picoreplayer are also capable to sent dsf/dff(DSD)-files via hdmi-out on the Pi-4..

thats also a very nice “alternative” because u didnt have to use an usb-bridge (which is absolutely + in every way necessary) to play DSD-files from a Pi-(X) to an “chinese” ES90XX-board..(we didnt get it to work only over I2S)..

the Pi-4 should now be capable of streaming (also multichannel-DSD) via HDMI (was not (or less) possible with the Pi´s before)..

i´m reading just now a lot of it and will post then more about it..

so, and yet to the (long awaited) “HDMI-I2S-extractor” 😉 ..

“rock-solid” (not soo heavy as the before mentioned Burr-Brown-implementation in the Philips Fidelio BDP9700), but very “steady”..

in first using and setting it up, it has 2 red LEDs flashing/blinking) and no picture/sound and i´ve read elsewhere before that u have to use a 5V external power-source (although its not necessary as per “description”)..

okay, feeded it with 5V,2A and had problems (again) with the I2S-line from the extractor to the “green” (SMPCB) ES9038Q2M, not soo with the JY “Blue” ES9038Q2M..

ended it up now with a coax-line from the extractor directly to the coax on the ES9038Q2M..(but only for now, for DSD(native) u need the I2S-line)

and got finally my lovely 192/24 😉

as said, very “solid”-sounding, almost like the Burr-Brown-Gear in the BDP-9700; very exact, another step in the “hi-fi”-direction..

so, the problem is now that my Sony BDP-S7200 should play .dsf/.dff-files (SACD in anyway) via usb/network, but don´t do 😉 

got/always say “file is corrupt or wrong media-format”, + i havent got a single !! SACD here, so i couldnt test the DSD-functionality (and that is/was originally the reason for all these devices lately !!) right now..(but i´m on it !!)..

and so, these Raspberry Pi-4 playing DSD-files via hdmi came to my mind..

(i do play here with volumio->usb-bridge->es9038q2m .dsf/.dff-files “in native” but for test here the hdmi-i2s-extractor)..

(will post a lot more about it)..

so, many greets for now, hope u enjoy the pictures, much more to come 

and stay tuned !! 😉

“Shame on me”->very nice “Burr Brown” (uargh) implementation on a Philips BDP9700..

so, 😉

shame on me” 😉 , but got today by chance a “Philips Fidelio” (uargh, hell 😉 ) Blurayplayer BDP9700 “in” and as u know, i HATE this “Burr Brown”-sound, for me its the sound u have to avoid by any chance, its exactly the opposite of this “airy”/”open-sounding” of the later ES-Sabre-chips, i must say its the finest implementation of any Burr Brown-“gear” i´ve ever had (okay, this thing/player costs originally above 500€ !!)..

but so “honor where honor is due“->very nice “craftsmanship” (and thats the point by the later “Burr Brown”-implementations)..

the “sound” is absolutely superb (FLACs till 24/192 over “internal” stage/chinch), best BB i´ve ever had (as said), rock-solid, but misses these unbelievable ES-Sabre-advanced-bitstream-thing (the fabulous/enormous “soundstage”/”positioning”/”airy attitude”)..

but as u see (they used for example 2 toroidal transformer (one just for audio)) its absolutely made on a highest level of “craftsmanship” and so u got a result which has also to be achieved..

picture-wise these player is worser than the other Sony BDP-S7200 which i also have here; by that the firmware is too old + buggy->the Sony (and the newer Sony UBP 4K-Player) are absolutely better IMO..

(these have btw. and as u surely know 2 x HDMI-out (1x for audio only) (absolutely “common usage” nowadays)..(these Philips has also 2 x HDMI but u cant get DSD (via DLNA) over HDMI out)..

so, clear and rock-solid BB-sound here now (but not for long !!), in this sense, greets for now, more to come (especially about this HDMI->I2S-thing) !! 😉

SFB2

HDMI to I2S Part II.-> experiences, links, pics, wiring dsd->i2s

It Works ! – Sony UBP-X1000ES HDMI “Audio” output to Chinese I2S Adapter Board to DS Sr. I2S Input”

->https://forum.psaudio.com/t/it-works-sony-ubp-x1000es-hdmi-audio-output-to-chinese-i2s-adapter-board-to-ds-sr-i2s-input/15630

2. “SACD playing to an external DAC (DSD via i2s hdmi input)

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/sacd-playing-to-an-external-dac-dsd-via-i2s-hdmi-input.20115/

->”..And that works!
I’m really satisfied with the results indeed, superior to anything I’ve got till now.
In addition I have some SACDs that cannot be played by my Yamaha cds-s2000 anymore. I can play them again with a blu ray player with even better results.
During all my tests I’ve found the result with the i2s hdmi always better than any other input (also for red book CDs)”

3. DSD->I2S wiring..

(backside of the earlier posted “HDMI/MHL zu IIS I2S HDMI IIS I2S Separaten Extrakt Audio I2S/DSD/Optische/Koaxial”(and used in the 2 above mentioned articles/builds)->http://essabre-90xx-rpi.sfb2.com/?p=2531)

very much to come + many greets !! 😉

Review: Sanskrit SMSL Sanskrit 10th MK.II / absolutely “bad”, not for “hi-fi-enthusiasts”

so, 😉

got today the “SMSL Sanskrit 10th MK.II” (from Amazon) in red and the first thing to remark is that the case/DAC is absolutely small; absolutely smaller than you might expect..

second: had trouble in detecting it via USB under Windows 10..installed the original smsl(xmos)-driver (Thesycon), tried all different USB-ports, restart etc, no success..

connected then a blurayplayer via coax->suddenly the DAC via USB was detected..

third: the tone !!

generally speaking: absolutely nothing..absolutely no push/aggressiveness, no particular soundstage, no “3D”, no “airy”, brilliance, nothing, absolutely “flat”..

okay, for “normal” PC-soundcard-user its maybe an upgrade, but for really sabre-hi-fi-enthusiasts absolutely NOT !!  

i would say, from the overall tone-quality its in the ES9018/28Q2M-range, almost so bad like the Cambridge Audio DAC Magic-100 for example, the Xduoo-Link (portable) sounds almost better..(btw.just saw the Cambridge Dac Magic 200M uses also ESS Sabre-chips; the “100” used Burr-Brown, no 3D,soundstage,nothing)..

okay, so absolutely no comparison to an ES9038Q2M (not to speak of an ES9038Pro for example)->“worlds/”lightyears” between them (also i got the feel that the AKM4493 is not soo bad as Sanskrit has it implemented in this “Sanskrit 10th Anniversary MK.II”)

so, great/final conclusion:

buy the SMSL Sanskrit 10th Anniversary MK.II

“ABSOLUTELY NOT” !! 

absolut no recommendation; if u would buy a cheap chinese ES9038Q2M (for only 35$)  you will have an absolutely better tone/sound !!

AKM vs. ES-Sabre:

i really miss this “spectacular” 3D, soundstage,”airy”, aggressiveness/push from the ESS-Sabre-chips..no comparison, ESS-SabreChips are laps/”worlds” ahead !!

so, the other possibilty in this price-range would be the Topping D10S, one ES9038Q2M in it (the D50S for example is a dual-ES9038Q2Ms-build), but it has only an usb-input, no coax/toslink/no remote..

so, todays conclusion for me is to safe money and buy a Topping D50S (with this dual ES9038Q2M)..(obviously it would be better buying some DAC with an ES9038Pro or similar, but this also costs a lot more..) 

greets for now !  (was a tough/interesting afternoon ! 😉 )

Task: with a cheap bluray/SACD-player over hdmi to I2S->ES9038Q2M

so, in short: 😉

idea is to buy a cheap bluray-player (Sony BDPS570 for example) with SACD-capability and then sending the DSD-information over hdmi to a hdmi -> I2S converter and then via I2S to an ES9038Q2M for example..(btw. absolutely “common practice” in the “hi-fi”-world).

we had such a hdmi-i2s-converter-discussion some time ago->http://essabre-90xx-rpi.sfb2.com/?s=hdmi..->

(and beware: there are lot of different hdmi->I2S sender/receiver-boards: ones are only for transmitting the I2S-signal between them and the other “extract” the audio-signals/I2S from the HDMI-stream ! (had made a new category”->”HDMI to I2S”; will explain it in a later post)

there are also complete “solutions” for that, and also i´ve read just now that u can burn your own SACDs with Nero for example..

(50$/37$ Aliexpress->https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005001265826217.html ; https://de.aliexpress.com/item/33031920347.html )

i´m in the “gathering-information” state 😉 right now , will post then more about it,

greets for now 😉

Schiit Modi 3+/Multibit 99$ / Analog Devices AD5547

So folks, 😉

back to a little bit “Hi-Fi” again.. 😉

according to this list (interesting, have a look)->https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2021/05/15/the-best-dacs-servers-streamers-and-disc-spinners-buyers-guide-summer-2021/

the Schiit Modi 3+ (Multibit) should be the best in this price-range..(99$/249$)->(https://www.schiit.com/products/modi-1)

we had here THD-lists (“Sinad”) from audioscenereview->(https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-new-topping-d50s-dac.7914/) in which the Schiits were also in the top) 

question is now (because they use in 80% of their products “AKM-chips”) and as i always said and read again and again, these AKMs (“Velvet”-sound) were not so transparent + airy like our phenomenal ES-Sabre-chips..

so best would be to test one of them in comparison to some ES-Sabre-gear; we´ll see..

also interesting is that there is “a new player” in these DA-market->”Analog Devices“..I/we know that they had made very good DA-chips in the very beginning of this era + also have a very high “distinction” in the hi-fi-world in general..

The Schiit 3+ Multibit uses an Analog Devices “AD5547”->have to test them also against some sabre´s..

(it would be very nice, if someone can post his experiences with one of the Schiits oder ADs in the comment-section !!)

more to come, greets for now !! 😉

New speaker / little experience-report / Volumio at 2.861 / some new ES9038Pro DACS / Universal USB to I2S Interface Indicator

so, 😉

as i´ve bought some “new” speaker (Mission Cyrus 780 (one bass driver was defect, had to order some spare from the UK)), i´ve had to re-adjust/re-set/re-listen to my hifi in general..

I´ve just bought some AMD Ryzen on some Asus-Board too and so i could test the nowadays “onboard-sound-solutions” (in this case some Realtek S1220A with 120db SNR) against some “normal CD-transporter” or some Raspberry PI 4 over USB->I2S to some ES9038Q2M..

Absolutely still no comparison !! ->we forget these onboard-sound now and go directly to the USB->XMOS-USB-Bridge->I2S->ES9038Q2M vs. Raspberry Pi -> XMOS USB-Bridge->I2S->ES9038Q2M thing..

First thought (over PC->XMOS-USB->I2S->ES9038Q2M) these ESSabre-engineers “add/or re-invented” some really funny/sunny/airy components to the digital stream..absolutely lovely, much “more voluminous”, airier..(these advanced-bitstream-thing))

But after connected to the Raspberry Pi 4 via USB(3.0)->XMOS-USB-Bridge->I2S->ES9038Q2M its still an enermous “lap ahead”, guess its absolutely because of the short electronical circuits on the Pi (less latencies) and the less EMI-interferences on some PI-boards against the “noise” on some normal PC-mainboards..

So its again some “normal” CD-transporter (over spdif to some dac/ES9038xx) vs. Pi-4 (for saved media-content)..

Updated my volumio-software on the Pi-4 (now at V2.851), absolutely great, super fast “scrolling” through the libraries (more CPU-power Pi-4)..

->https://volumio.org/get-started/

So conclusion for now (again):->forget the soundcard/USB-thing from the PC/MAC->its still about “normal” CD-transporter vs Raspberry Pi ->USB-bridge->ES9038xxx..

I´ve also bought some Synology DS214Play now->absolutely great, no lags/problems now, absolutely smooth..

by that i´ve found right now by chance these “Arduino-based Universal USB to I2S Interface Indicator” by dimdim.gr; its here->http://www.dimdim.gr/arduino/universal-usb-to-i2s-interface-indicator/ (+ there are a lot of very interesting infos about sabre+akm-boards in general on this site !!)

thats exactly for what i searched soo long !! (.ino is here->LINK)

also found some new ES9038Pro-DACS on massdrop for example->will post then more about it..

greets for now !! 😉

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