Kategorie: ES 9038Q2M

New Dual ES9038Q2M out !! + new Volumio ES9038Q2M-plugin !! (HW-Vol. + DPLL etc.)

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so, 😉
in visiting this great,great, diyaudio.com-forum (as said a million times before and link also in the “sidebar”)->https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-line-level/314935-es9038q2m-board-338.html we have now here first a new “Dual ES9038Q2M-DAC/board“; it has also “a lot of shit” as a bluetooth-receiver and such on board, but has also an HDMI-I2S-input, see post before..(the board itself is also from “SMP CB” (like “our” green-ones))


160-200$ roundabout->Aliexpress-Link..

by that, and thats most important, someone over at the diyaudio.com-forum “DID IT” 😉 , means software-control on some internal register, HW-Vol, DPLL-settings and so on / unbelievable !!..

i dont want to write here too much about it (NDA and such), just head over to the forum->https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-line-level/314935-es9038q2m-board-338.html and u will be absolutely fascinated !!

also i found just now by chance a github-repository for a driver/.dtbo for the AK-4137 on a ES9028Q2M (hifibunny-driver) or ES9038Q2M->also just discussed in the forum..->Github/TuziUsagi->https://github.com/TuziUsagi/ak4137

more to come, merry christmas and many greets for now !! 😉

Op-Amps: Burson V5/V6 – AD797BRZ / ES9038Pro with Burson V5 / Gustard H-10 with V6

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so, 😉
after i´ve re-checked my Op-Amp-“collection” 😉 (in testing them on an ES9038Q2M) and reading a lot of op-amp reviews again, i´ve ordered a few days ago some AD797BR(Z) (as described in some posts before)..

The “B“-line has a stricter factory-selection/-fabrication and is mainly considered as the best AD797 for audio..
by that, curiously, i got the most the site-/page-visits here op-amp-wise, means the main interest is also in the op-amp-section/part/reviews..
so i can/will hopefully test them in a few weeks and the next step (op-amp-wise) would be the “Burson V5/-6″-line..


was also clear, as said in the earliest posts..but they cost around 40-50$ (pair)..
(the third set of pictures here are some Burson V5 on an ES9038Pro->https://hallmanlabs.com/2018/01/04/pictures-of-es9038pro-dac-w-burson-audio-v5-opa-and-orange-amplifications-discrete-design/)

some good toroidal transformer (+-15V) cost also about 30-40$ (min.) and so i/u have to check out which will bring the best “tone/sound”-enhancement (or both of course)..

(Link-Aliexpress or from Audiophonics or something)
“Webcontrol”-ESP32-wise its still in development but primary i think i want now to search for the right case, transformer..
many greets from here for now 😉
(some pics of pc/-hifigear with Burson´s + also a pic from a Gustard H-10 with V6s)

ESP32 – Bodmer TFT_espi / autoconnect github / Picoreplayer 4.1.0 / Dietpi V6.18

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so, 😉
nothing particular new; “audio”-wise its a little bit on “hold” (had first to buy some +-15V toroidal transformer and so on) but i made a little progress/effort “usability-wise”..
i´m now able to get something in the spiffs-fs (ESP32), read it out 😉 and display it via “drawJpeg” from the famous Bodmer TFT-eSPI-library->Link

(!! sorry for the still absolutely “shitty” layout, but i was only happy to get something on the display at all 😉 !! (will change/edit it then; only some “ideas” (for not doing it in this way 😉 ) for u maybe)
was a little bit difficult because u (i) really need the absolutely newest libraries (jpegdecoder.h for example too) from the bodmer-github-repository (some older example jpgs are unreadable by their own decoder-library and so on..)..
have still some problems/the first third of a decoded jpeg is corrupt, but i can now upload some jpegs in the spiffs, list and display them..(and understood how)
the whole sketch (web-gui for filter-selection, HW-volume control via digi-poti, display jpgs etc..) is here->Link and i maybe make a post in the forum->Link..(could be very interesting for some who also want to understand the ESP32 “better”)..


by that it was all build on top of the absolutely fabulous “Autoconnect-library” by Hieromon -> https://github.com/Hieromon/AutoConnect; absolutely super great webserver/wlan access library->absolutely to recommend !!
Picoreplayer is now at V4.1.0 (24.Nov 2018)->https://www.picoreplayer.org/main_downloads.shtml(Pi-Kernel-bump to 4.14.81, squeezelite-update, support for Rpi 3B+ and so on->Link
Dietpi is now also at V6.18 (26/11/18)(some bugfixes+improvements)->https://github.com/Fourdee/DietPi/blob/master/CHANGELOG.txt
that was it for now, more to come, stay tuned, greets 😉

The OPA627AU arrived – very “warm”- not so much “digital-room/-soundstage”/ Volumio now at V2.502 / dimdim.gr

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so 😉 ,
finally the OPA627AU (as dual on one DIP-8) arrived..
and indeed, absolutely more “analogue/tube-sound” (in comparison to the AD797ANZ + LME47910-20s) here..
very “warm”, but with a lot of “body”, more “natural”, not so digitally “harsh” as the AD797ANZ (or the LME47910 of course) by example..


better for high-volumes->thought first “more right/true”->more hi-fi..(but also maybe a little bit “fatiguing/boring” due to the analogue “timbre”)
not so much “digitally room/3D” what i liked the most on the ES Sabre-Chips; very “sweet”..
The OPA627AU and the AD797ANZ are absolutely on a very similar “level”; u absolutely dont go wrong in using the OPA627AU..
but for me, i think i stuck with the AD797ANZ; more “room/clinical”, but thats really an absolutely personal impression/affection/taste..)
i think the speciality on these Sabre-Chips is this digitally room/3D-feeling + also with the great soundstage..
so i stay, as said, with the AD797ANZ (all on this “Blue” ES9038Q2M; the “Green” have a slightly different characteristic as mentioned in an earlier post..)
(Update 2hrs later: i will definitively stuck with the AD797ANZ; for me absolutely the better choice !!)

by that Volumio is now at V2.502, some minor bugfixes + Pi Kernel-bump to 4.14.71; couldnt determine any differences in the overall tune..


by that i want to suggest/introduce you to http://www.dimdim.gr again..
absolutely great site; inventor of the famous “Hifiduino-project”; a lot of very interesting infos/tips there; take a look over there !!


more to come !! 😉

HW-Volume pinlayout – ES9038Q2M + OPA627AU/AD827

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so, (another one today) 😉
found by chance a picture of the pin-assignment for the HW-Volume-control on an ES9038Q2M (its from the Audiophonics-site->Link..)(“we” knew it, but so its much “clearer”) 

by that there´s also a wonderful picture from an combined Raspi/ES9038Q2M (its from the diyaudio-forum; hope i can use it here, if not, please e-mail)->Link

(i´m lately thinking also about to include some raspi directly in such a DAC too, because (as said and also in testing here) on a raspi (over I2S) u have an absolutely superior sound comparing to any XMOS-USB-device (over PC by example)->see this post too->http://essabre-90xx-rpi.sfb2.com/2018/05/moode-volumio-on-a-raspberry-pi-vs-samsung-bluray-player-spdif-coax-impressions-src4392-beta-project-2/ and whats all about this site too 😉 ..
third, on some japanese-yahoo-auction-site they also recommend/have the OPA627AU on it; but they use it only in the dual 15V “environment”, they recommend “strong +-15V” 😉 ..in the case of a single rail 15V they recommend the AD827 (JN) (and they made a special layout for both cases)->https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/q238163678

Op-Amp Diskurs: AD797A – AD797B / OPA627AU + other.. / DIY-Audio

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so, 😉
after i´ve finally got the Green ES9038Q2M (see post before) i can continue to “develop/build” the planned DIY-DAC (according to the main topic of this site->”Audio-introduction”->”..all in favor (in the way) of building „our“ own DIY-DAC !!” 😉 ..)

and as i said, i´ve got the feel that the AD797ANZ (i had no other AD797 here) is absolutely the best choice on the “Blue” ES9038Q2M (and from the Op-Amps i´ve got here so far of course) (LME47910,-20,OPA2134,Muses8920, etc..), on the Green they “sounded” for me a little bit too thin(+harsh)..
guess (it is) because of the different pcb-layouts, other voltage regulators, capacitors and so on; wonderful thread concerning this as posted million times before->https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-line-level/314935-es9038q2m-board-301.html
i´ve just ordered (as planned) some OPA627AU (they should be a little bit “warmer”, but also with the wide soundstage + 3D/spacious/”airy” attitude) and hope they will fit my personal taste a little bit more (and this is exactly what it is in the high hifi-gear-equipment->from a certain level on its always/depends on your personal taste + affectations/preferences)..
so, by that, as some user said, the the AD797B is the optimimum choice for hi-fi by the AD797s i´ve found by chance a .pdf (datasheet) from original Analog-Devices->Link..


and indeed, the frame-specifications are almost the same but there are some differences..(picture is only a small excerpt)
some user said (also here in the forum->http://essabre-90xx-rpi.sfb2.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=76:
“..Category 5 – complete sound traveling in the clean air”
2x AD797BRZ – this is the op-amp truly deserving the name of the Analog Device. This one is a smoother and fuller sounding version of the AD797. Switching from the ANZ to the BRZ series is like going vinyl instead of digital. Everything is smooth to the moment your music craves for the harsh texture like aggressive violin passages, distorted guitars, or stronger double bass phrases. The readability of the furthest plans is great, without going into image sharpening effect which makes you see the details more but lose the feeling of perspective at the same time. Roughly, it’s like the AD79ANZ with all advantages of the OPA627BP added. The soundstage is nowhere limited and the sound image of whatever possible shape. This is a reference integrated op-amp for me so let me know as soon as you find better, and I will verify it.”
i will test it then, have to buy this AD797BRZ.. 😉 ..
another thing is that i now continue to find a case, look for the right torodial transformer (+15V-0–15V) and so on; Audiophonics has some there->https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/search?search_query=transformer+15v


by that, i´ve found some old “Harman Kardon HD710” (for maybe using some parts/case of it) and interesting was also the “normal” CD-Player LCD-displays which had “millions” of different display-elements (maybe to get some other ideas for “layouting” your own display)..


(but i will continue to post raspberry-things, audio-distros (software), ESP32-things and so on, no worry)
gr.. 😉

Finally the ES9038Q2M V1.07 “Green” arrived / results compared to the “Blue” one..

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so, 😉
hooray 😉 , finally the Green ES9038Q2M V1.07 arrived (more Hi-Fi again 😉 )->

Impressions: used first the coax-input (Samsung BD-Player) ->absolutely massive !!, thought: more hi-fi again (as with the first ES9018K2M+ES9028Q2M, not soo with the “Blue” ES9038Q2M..)
interesting is that the NE5532 is absolutely great on this “Green” one; fabulous sound via spdif/coax+NE5532; goes really down and with good “push”..
changed first to the Muses8920 and then to 2*AD797; stick now with the ADs->more “room”, better THD, almost too thin for some i would say (in opposite in using them on the “Blue” ones..).

would say a better performance (Green vs. Blue) by 5-10% 😉 (its also ca. 20% heavier (“Green”) and the PCB is thicker; got the feel has a better “ground”, especially for the “lows”)..
other differences: the “Lock”-light on the “Green” is more “torquise” and is only lit in playing something over I2S (over coax its permanently)..”Blue” Lock-light is red and permanently lit (at connect).

(if u have other questions, please leave a comment here->Link above)

many greets for now 😉

New Moode V4.3 out – now as an image (.img) / ESP32S factory-reset/flash

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so, 😉
a new “Moode” V4.3 is out; now as an image (.img); u dont have to set it up/compile it for yourself anymore->Moodeaudio.org
first impressions: (all in relation to “our” ES9038Q2M-“chinese-boards”):

choose first the “I2S-generic”-settings; runs okay, no problems..

used then the “Audiophonics ES9028Q2M” setting->for me better, not so “harsh”, got the feel it has more room, more “exact”, think its maybe about the specialized register-adressing of the ESS-chips (but don´t know for sure if they “fine-tune” it for the chip, guess so)…used then to cross-check the “hifiberry-dac” settings; the same there; for me absolutely to “harsh”, too much treble (not such a “fine resolution” as the AudiophonicsES9028-setting..)
(the “Allo Katana”-setting (at contrary to Volumio) works also NOT !! (on the ES9038Q2M (chinese)))

stayed with the ES9028Q2M-setting, then tested for DSD(DoP): works, Moode said “Encoded to DoP 352.800khz”, but the DSD-Led on the ES9038Q2M was NOT lit !!

disabled the software-mixer, resampling-options, but still no DSD-light..

i´ve mentioned it in this post/article before-> http://essabre-90xx-rpi.sfb2.com/2018/09/volumio-now-at-v2-452-did-it-dsd-lock-light-on-es9038q2m-alsamixer-archphile-xmos-usb-audio-etc/

the first time i´ve got the feel of real DSD/DoP (and the DSD-Led was lit of course) was in/with “Volumio”; foobar2000 also said ASIO-active (pcm-mode) 352.800khz and so on, but the DSD-Led was also not lit !!

conclusion for now (for “our” lovely chinese-ES9038Q2Ms 😉 ):

true/real DSD/DoP (DSD-Led lit) only on Volumio (V2.452 and up) (and meanwhile i think thats the point: with the “Allo Katana”-settings !!) so far !!

by that, in listening here Moode is very very close to Volumio (maybe a little better at present IMO) (but as said, this is an absolutely personal/subjective impression).

also my ESP32S Geekcreit (Doit.am 36 pin) was not functional anymore, couldnt run/upload a sketch, tried everything, found now a way (and mainly with the right hex-adresses for the espressif-flashtool) to made it functional again->long Tut here (at the forum/at the end of the post)->LINK

greets for now 😉

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