[JohnR]

Send it to me before chucking it.

[randytsuch]

Got mine today.


Tried it with my Aiaiai headphones. Sounded pretty boring.
It sounded better with it plugged into my amp that has a headphone output (the only issue is my amp and desktop is having ground loop issues. I will have to buy a USB isolator)

I might try the ODAC next.


Ivan

Are those full size cans?
I have been driving IEM's with it, and even then there was one that it couldn't drive well.

Since it is basically driving the output out of the DAC, I can see a problem driving full size cans.

I am also planning to try a USB isolator.  I don't have a ground loop issue, but thought it might sound better.

Randy

[TheChairGuy]

The point was that it was a low-cost chip with an integrated opamp driver and only requiring a single 5V power supply, and according to ESS, "the ES9023 combines best sounding audio with lowest system cost and highest performance into the ideal D/A converter for line level output applications such as Blu-ray players, CD/DVD players, set-top boxes, digital TVs and audio receivers".
 
That doesn't mean it couldn't be incorporated into a good sounding stand-alone DAC.  It is used the $199 Calyx Coffee DAC/Headamp (per the manufacturer!) and even in the more expensive $449 Peachtree DAC-iT (per the manufacturer!).
 
Steve

Add the $249 Audioquest Dragonfly to that list of good DAC's using this chip.

So long as you don't expect absolute state-of-the-art performance from it.....it performs fabulously in greatly bettering the internal soundcard in any computer I know of.  Weighs nothing, drag on battery is fairly minimal. 

Just give it 200 hours to cook in - seems like the spot everyone who goes that far finds it improves - and plug in some <$300 headphones and you've got small form factor and big sound.  I paid $225 with shipping from someone on ebay and am delighted with it.

I don't have a long enough 1/8" jack to rca's to see how it fares in the main system.....but for laptop side listening while I work it's really a good deal.

John

[Doublej]

ChairGuy,


From Monoprice for under a buck you can buy a mini plug to RCA jack adapter (Product ID 7189) and then use standard RCA interconnects. I use one of these plus a female to female RCA Jack adapter (Product ID 7238) to join RCA cables. The biggest challenge for me was finding both parts on their website.

[TheChairGuy]

ChairGuy,

From Monoprice for under a buck you can buy a mini plug to RCA jack adapter (Product ID 7189) and then use standard RCA interconnects. I use one of these plus a female to female RCA Jack adapter (Product ID 7238) to join RCA cables. The biggest challenge for me was finding both parts on their website.

Cool to know, thanks.

In general, I find less connections make for higher fidelity (eliminating metal-to-metal and as many solder joints as possible)....so I think if I'm going to try it out on the Big Rig it'll be with a dedicated 1/8" to twin rca's.

My current available one here is only is only 0.5mtr long http://www.headphone.com/accessories/straight-wire-musicable-ii-mini-to-rca.php

Maybe I could make it work if I situate the laptop directly on top of the (mostly cool to the touch solid state) preamp.

John

[randytsuch]

Maybe I could make it work if I situate the laptop directly on top of the (mostly cool to the touch solid state) preamp.

John

Seems like that should be fine for a test.
Kind of interested to hear how it sounds.

Randy

[TheChairGuy]

Seems like that should be fine for a test.
Kind of interested to hear how it sounds.

Randy

Hey Randy - been a LOOONG time since we conversed I think.  Harder to find one another in a crowd of 33,000 members now at AC.  Hope you're well, bro 

That's the plan....I've been feeding it a pretty steady diet of oscillating white noise (simplynoise.com) for over a week during the evenings - so between that and playtime during the day I figure I'm close to the 200 hour mark folks have claimed is where this DAC 'opens up'.  Before I hook up to the Big Rig I want to continue evaluating via headphones: I have Grado SR60s with damped plastic cups, SR80 earpads and the cable was re-wired with 12' of Revelation Audio Labs Cryo-Silver cable.  The other 'phone is a Westone UM-2 inner ear monitor.

So, not state-of-the-art by any means....but in line with the modest price of this interesting Audioquest Dragonfly DAC.

I just downloaded a DVD-Audio player accessory that allows DVD-A's to be played with foobar2000.  Pretty nifty if it works...free download: http://amplioaudio.blogspot.com/2010/01/playing-and-ripping-dvd-audio-with-your.html

The worst that happens is that it doesn't work with DVD-A's and the highest res source will be a DVD (video) to try (and some well recorded CD's)

I've not gone to the extent to rip my CD's to hard drive....frankly, I've heard very little difference from good physical players and hard drive computer audio.  I've heard some real good benefits on DVD-A from CD's.  Maybe it's just the more careful mastering or maybe it's the proprietary technology itself....but, it's my favorite digital source.

Haven't gotten on the Blu-ray train, yet......but I got lotsa' DVD-A discs to hopefully test out at 24/96 

[TheChairGuy]

That free DVD-A player integrated into foobar2000 download does indeed work: http://amplioaudio.blogspot.com/2010/01/playing-and-ripping-dvd-audio-with-your.html

Neil Young's Harvest in DVD-A sounds really nice on the 24/96 setting....quite a nice step from even the best recorded CD I have

If you have DVD-A discs....it's better than cheap and cheerful - it's free

I think rather than continue with this here in this circle and overrun the other posters that may have other DAC's with the 9023 ESS DAC I'll make a fuller review in the Review Circle shortly.

[navi]

Randy

The Aiaiai are full size. darker sounding headphones. Not sure if the USB isolator will help but I NEED to give it a try.

[randytsuch]

Randy

The Aiaiai are full size. darker sounding headphones. Not sure if the USB isolator will help but I NEED to give it a try.

Do you know their impedance?  This little guy can't generate much voltage (it is running from USB), so it will probably have problems with high impedance cans.  Even low impedance ones would need to be pretty effiecient, or you will probably need a seperate head amp.

For the isolator, I am thinking about trying one of these
http://microcontrollershop.com/product_info.php?products_id=3769
They are also sold by Digikey and Mouser and other large distributors.

I saw where someone from head fi had compared some isolators, and he liked this one best, and it's also the cheapest.

Although it almost doubles the cost of this setup to around $80  , I am encouraged enough by early listening to invest the extra money to try this isolator.

Chairguy
Yeah, long time.  Seems like I don't see many of us "old timers" post much, and I know I don't.
The dragonfly probably deserves it's own thread, it appears to have some pretty cool features, and was well reviewed, considering the asking price.  I read somewhere Gordon Rankin (sp?) designed it, and I think he is a good designer.  I used to see him post on a diy audio forum, and it seemed like he knew what he was doing, and had an open mind to try things out.

I also don't have a problem if you post on this thread about it, I'm not possesive about threads I start.

A "shootout" between some of these low cost DACs would also be very cool.

Randy

[persisting1]

A "shootout" between some of these low cost DACs would also be very cool.

I agree 

[navi]

Do you know their impedance?  This little guy can't generate much voltage (it is running from USB), so it will probably have problems with high impedance cans.  Even low impedance ones would need to be pretty effiecient, or you will probably need a seperate head amp.

For the isolator, I am thinking about trying one of these
http://microcontrollershop.com/product_info.php?products_id=3769
They are also sold by Digikey and Mouser and other large distributors.

I don't know what the impedance  is but I will keep it plugged into my amp. Tried it on my MACBOOK Pro, no hum.
I saw that isolator on ebay. Might give it a go.

[persisting1]

Looks like there's a new version of this DAC
http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=84

Two COAX and two OPTICAL inputs and a onboard power supply.

[randytsuch]

So my impressions after a week or so.

Still might use some more burn in, because I need to hook it up to a PC to run it I haven't burned it in constantly like I do with most gear, might have 50 hrs so far, but I am not really keeping track.

I bought this because it was cheap, and I wanted something I could plug into my laptop to listen to foobar and spotify/pandora/mog/any other internet music.
I wasn't expecting an audioplile grade dac out of this.

So far it has exceeded expectations.  It drives almost all of my IEMs no problem, and sounds pretty good doing it.  I have no complaints about the sound, and I love the size and it has been easy to use.  I thought I might need an amp, but I haven't used one so far.  It would probably sound better with an amp, but its not bad without one.  And this is using windows to control volume, so I know I am truncating bits and its not ideal.  I am thinking about building a O2 to go along with this.

As an aside, I had used mog a little before, but stopped, and I started again, along with spotify.  This is probably the best part, I get decent sound quality (mog is better SQ), and get to listen to whatever I want.  It's nice that you can pick an artist, and then use mog to find other artists with similar sound/style.

Randy

[this_is_vv]

Does this DAC has any version which has USB input as well as HARWARE volume control works for the RCA output as i need something that controls volume from the DAC...any suggestions?


V

[randytsuch]

Does this DAC has any version which has USB input as well as HARWARE volume control works for the RCA output as i need something that controls volume from the DAC...any suggestions?


V

This one doesn'thave HW volume control.

The audioquest dragonfly mentioned by chairguy does, and that is getting some pretty good reviews.
I was at a Best Buy Magnolia the other day, and they had a couple of these, they cost $250.

I'm pretty sure BB has a 30 day return policy, so if there is one nearby you could pick it up and try it, if it's in your budget.

Randy

[persisting1]

The AudioQuest DragonFly does not have hardware volume controls.

It does have this though.

And although it's digitally operated from your computer screen, AudioQuest gave the DragonFly a high-resolution analog volume control to avoid the reduction in resolution and sound quality that plagues many digital volume controls.

[srb]

The AudioQuest DragonFly does not have hardware volume controls.

From the Audioquest website:
"DragonFly’s high-resolution analog volume control carries out the instructions in the analog domain for the best sound quality."
 
And from the DragonFly brochure:
"DragonFly can be used in ‘variable’ output mode with computer-controlled analog volume control when connected directly to powered speakers or a power amplifier."
 
and
 
"Even when the iTunes volume slider is used, DragonFly’s high-resolution analog volume control carries out the instructions in the analog domain for the best sound quality."
 
So even though it does not have a physical potentiometer on the USB dongle, it appears it does at least have a digitally-controlled analog volume control, albeit controlled by software.
 
Steve
 
 

[this_is_vv]

From the Audioquest website:
"DragonFly’s high-resolution analog volume control carries out the instructions in the analog domain for the best sound quality."
 
And from the DragonFly brochure:
"DragonFly can be used in ‘variable’ output mode with computer-controlled analog volume control when connected directly to powered speakers or a power amplifier."
 
and
 
"Even when the iTunes volume slider is used, DragonFly’s high-resolution analog volume control carries out the instructions in the analog domain for the best sound quality."
 
So even though it does not have a physical potentiometer on the USB dongle, it appears it does at least have a digitally-controlled analog volume control, albeit controlled by software.
 
Steve

how it will work with Linux MPD like voyage mpd.....


V

[srb]

how it will work with Linux MPD like voyage mpd.....

My guess is it won't.  Apparently only Mac and Windows, and then only XP and 7, but not Vista!  The manual says further information can be found at www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Vista and www.audioquest.com/DragonFly/Advanced, but I only get blank pages for those in both IE9 and Firefox 16 (?).
 
For Linux you will probably need an analog pot on the DAC just as you said, and even then I would want the manufacturer to state that the USB implementation is Linux compatible.
 
Steve