okay, 😉
today the “Blue”->LINK ES9038Q2M arrived; first impressions:
the pcb is much more light (in weight) than the ones before..
first musical impressions were:
wider soundstage..heavy “lock”-problems with the Skysong-XMOS-USB-bridge (guess its a firmware/driver issue (had to wait for an update or so); i use here right now a Samsung BluRay-player directly via coax), but absolutely more “pop”-tune, by far not so analytic, spacious, also very “flat”, cries really out for a “Muses02” OP-Amp..
there is absolutely something missing->guess it really needs its 15V..(this one is only with the 12V-plug)(but i could feed it maybe also with 15V->have to check/ask the seller)Â
have immediately changed to “Muses02”; which i normally don´t do in fresh, new hifi-gear..(1-2 days “play in”-time)..
the HW-control with a 10k pot was also not so promising as expected..
i didnt test the 7 different filter; maybe the “devil” is there..
also it could be the pcb (and the soldered components itself); don´t know it at present->more to come..
Conclusion for now (and dont forget, this is “whining on a high level” 😉 ):
more “pop-sound” (originally the ES9038Q2M is/was made for handys/portables), not so analytic, spacious, needs apparently its 15V (+/-), cries out for another Op-Amp (Muses02 here), didnt test the filter right know; maybe its also the quality of the pcb/components..)(but that are only the first impressions, can change without notice 😉 )
(Update 2: so, got halfway at least a fairly accurate sound..(its not sooo bad/but for me it still sounds like plate/sheet 😉 )). This ES9038Q2M is very good with a Raspberry (via I2S); no clicks/pops/distortions anymore..very easy !! i use here now DietPi V6.0->tried “sabre-k2m”; didnt work..”hifiberry-dac”+”rpi-dac” works without any problems (but only up to 24/192; as said, “our old problem”; need modified kernel..)
as said, on a pi now very easy to handle, no clicks/pops etc..sounds very well but not soo “HiFi” as with the ES9018/28..somehow less distorted/cleaner in a way, but not so transparent/spacious as the “old”-sabres..could be a problem with the pcb/components on it..but for normal user this ES9038Q2M should be enough 😉
(by that for me DietPi V6.0 is at present much better/cleaner than Moode V4..its much “nearer” to the original recording; with this Dietpi u can fairly begin to work it out/fine tune))
(Update 1: (Win+Skysong USB-bridge)absolute no comparison to my “old” ES9018K2M+ES9028Q2M->they sound really much better, absolutely more Hifi; dont know what the main reason could be; maybe the pcb+the components; absolut “platy”; sounds like sheet/plate..
(Raspberry I2S Moode 4.0 (“hifiberry-dac”)); sounds really better on a raspberry !! absolutely easy to use; no more such horrible clicks/pops changing files/bitrates..as made for it 😉 ->used the hifiberry-dac “overlay”->absolut no problems up to 192/24bit, but no more (our “old” problem..) try to use some other overlays meanwhile..
settings->”Audiophonics ES9028 DAC” works too (in Moode V4->but only up to 192/24)Â
