Really cheap ($50) ES9023 USB dacs

navi · « **Reply #60 on:** 18 Nov 2012, 10:37 am »

Quote from: randytsuch on 15 Nov 2012, 05:09 am

Sorry, if it helps I bought an Olimex too.
A guy posted about this other one a couple of days ago at diyaudio

I found a cheap 5V power supply at home and plugged it into the olimex isolator and It sounds a bit more dynamic and cleaner. there is less grain in the highs as well.

Doublej · « **Reply #61 on:** 13 Dec 2012, 11:19 pm »

Where did we leave this? Is it worth my $50 for a Hifimediy USB DAC or should I double down and get a $100 DAC?

http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=83

randytsuch · « **Reply #62 on:** 14 Dec 2012, 01:11 am »

Quote from: Doublej on 13 Dec 2012, 11:19 pm

Where did we leave this? Is it worth my $50 for a Hifimediy USB DAC or should I double down and get a $100 DAC?

http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=83

What do you want to use it for?

It's a nice, small dac which should sound better than your PC. It can drive IEM's directly, using windows to control volume digitally, which is nice.

I think it's worth $50. I actually broke mine by applying too much voltage to it (long sad story) so I ordered another one.

In the meantime, I built a "pupDAC", which probably sounds better, but is larger, and costs $120 in parts, and then I spend 5-6 hours putting it together. If you could buy one assembled, probably $200 or so as a guess.

Randy

Doublej · « **Reply #63 on:** 14 Dec 2012, 01:34 am »

Quote from: randytsuch on 14 Dec 2012, 01:11 am

What do you want to use it for?

It's a nice, small dac which should sound better than your PC. It can drive IEM's directly, using windows to control volume digitally, which is nice.

I think it's worth $50. I actually broke mine by applying too much voltage to it (long sad story) so I ordered another one.

In the meantime, I built a "pupDAC", which probably sounds better, but is larger, and costs $120 in parts, and then I spend 5-6 hours putting it together. If you could buy one assembled, probably $200 or so as a guess.

Randy

I want to use it to connect to my preamp from my Mac and PC instead of the headphone out jack. No DIY electronics for me.

Folsom · « **Reply #64 on:** 14 Dec 2012, 02:18 am »

This DAC is actually very pleasurable to listen too. It isn't high end, but it is musical, and super easy on the ears when battery powered.

You'll need a USB to SPDIF converter but those are cheap. Then what you want to do is get a battery to power it.

If you got super fancy what you would do is get several batteries so that you can have an output for 5v and whatever the DAC takes. You run the 5v into the USB converter via one of those power adapters, and then run the DAC off of the other tap. I've done this with a few good sized electrolytic running in parallel as reservoirs. For the small amount of money it was impressive, very impressive.

I haven't read ANYTHING that speaks for the pleasure of listening to. Everything I read about the cheap dacs, even the ODAC, is that they articulate but they aren't enjoyable to listen too. I can say the opposite for a 1543 that is battery powered. It isn't not articulate, but it doesn't shine in sterile qualities.

randytsuch · « **Reply #65 on:** 14 Dec 2012, 06:25 am »

Quote from: Doublej on 14 Dec 2012, 01:34 am

I want to use it to connect to my preamp from my Mac and PC instead of the headphone out jack. No DIY electronics for me.

I'm pretty sure it will sound better than you Mac or PC, it sounds better than my Dell laptop.

And the PupDAC is not a beginner build, so small surface mount stuff to solder, so probably wise to not do it.

Randy

wushuliu · « **Reply #66 on:** 14 Dec 2012, 06:59 am »

Quote from: Doublej on 14 Dec 2012, 01:34 am

I want to use it to connect to my preamp from my Mac and PC instead of the headphone out jack. No DIY electronics for me.

No free lunch. If DIY is not an option then I think your best choices are to either get the $50 DAC or just shell out for the Audioquest Dragonfly at $250. There are no commercial contenders I am aware of in between that would constitute a big improvement from the $50 one. The $50 would sell for $>100 anyway if it were a true retail product. The 1543 is also an option if you are looking for a smooth, easy on the ears sound. That is more a question of taste.

My .02

navi · « **Reply #67 on:** 14 Dec 2012, 08:19 am »

Get it.
It's worth more than the $50 you pay for it.
But also get a USB isolator (olimex or AB systems) it's a cheap upgrade for it.

I'm very happy with mine.

I.

Pchelac · « **Reply #68 on:** 10 Jan 2013, 10:58 pm »

http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=87

navi · « **Reply #69 on:** 11 Jan 2013, 02:56 am »

Who is going to get one?

Pchelac · « **Reply #70 on:** 11 Jan 2013, 02:16 pm »

Me... soon... I hope!

walkern · « **Reply #71 on:** 11 Jan 2013, 04:54 pm »

I bought one of the HiFimediy non USB Sabre DACs, and just mounted it on a board and hooked it up. Sounded a little fuzzy and thick in the bass and midbass for about 30 hours, and has now broken in and sounds terrific. Like most reviews I've seen of Sabre DAC sound, it is tight, clean, fast, with good bottom end extension, very neutral mids and highs, and decent soundstaging. For about $90 with shipping and digging up connectors and a piece of wood, I am genuinely impressed. As long as you don't mind the DIY aspect, I think it would be hard to go wrong with one of these 'kits'.

Neil

diyfan · « **Reply #72 on:** 8 Feb 2013, 03:45 pm »

Quote from: navi on 11 Jan 2013, 02:56 am

Who is going to get one?

I bought one and hooked it up to my Pogo player I just got up and running. It sounds great, but now I hope to finish my Buffalo dac and compare it to that.

lacro · « **Reply #73 on:** 10 Feb 2013, 02:04 pm »

Quote from: Pchelac on 10 Jan 2013, 10:58 pm

http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=87

I'm confused about this DAC. Someone please explain: If this is a Digital to Analog converter where does the coax out (digital) get used? Is it just a USB to Coax converter that by-passes the D to A conversion? Also, is the volume pot a worthwhile addition ( or hindrance) over windows volume control for use with an amp such as a Tripath board without a pot?

TIA

srb · « **Reply #74 on:** 10 Feb 2013, 03:29 pm »

Quote from: lacro on 10 Feb 2013, 02:04 pm

Someone please explain: If this is a Digital to Analog converter where does the coax out (digital) get used? Is it just a USB to Coax converter that by-passes the D to A conversion? Also, is the volume pot a worthwhile addition ( or hindrance) over windows volume control for use with an amp such as a Tripath board without a pot?

It can be used as a stand alone DAC, a USB > Coax S/PDIF converter to feed an external DAC (bypassing the internal D/A conversion), or both simultaneously.

The Windows volume control will truncate bits eventually reducing dynamic range (or immediately with 24-bit files) whereas the analog pot will not. Of course, the quality of analog volume controls will vary from a $2 pot to a $20 pot to a $200 stepped attenuator or LDR control.

Steve

ramsubr · « **Reply #75 on:** 10 Feb 2013, 03:56 pm »

Has anyone tried this with a squeeze box touch- thanks

moremoremore · « **Reply #76 on:** 21 Feb 2013, 06:17 pm »

I've owned a couple of SBT's in the past and I currently own the $50 Hifimediy 9023 USB DAC with the headphone connector. I haven't used the two together, but I am 99% confident you will hear a dramatic improvement over your SB's internal DAC. I use mine with a Vortexbox. I love the damn thing.

neekomax · « **Reply #77 on:** 21 Feb 2013, 07:39 pm »

Since the USB input on my Peachtree Audio Decco (refurb) no longer works for some reason, thought this might be a good/cheap solution. That way I could either use it as a DAC or into the Aux input on the Decco, or convert the USB to coax and use the Decco's DAC (I assume the coax still works, the optical input is fine).

Is this an 'asynchronous' USB input (which I've heard is better)?

I assume you can buy a power adapter from eBay, as the company doesn't seem to sell them for some reason. So this would add, what, $25? Brings it to a $90 product in the US?

woodbury · « **Reply #78 on:** 2 Mar 2013, 02:25 am »

I'm looking for a cheap USB dac to try and came across this thread. It seems that the Hifimediy site no long exists. Anyone knows what happened to them?

persisting1 · « **Reply #79 on:** 2 Mar 2013, 06:07 am »

It's there. Looks like they redesigned the site.