ES9038PRO Flagship Dac

DAC ES9038 Pro
2017

INTRODUCTION

After the great success the second version Quang Hào opens a new group buy to produce a new series of DAC modules with the best chip available on the market.

>>> first group buy closed <<<

>>> second group buy open <<<

Some rewiew and articles:

This ES9038PRO DAC module have these features:

- ES9038PRO chip
- Crystek TKDMHz performances oscillator
- 7 x LT3042 linear power supply regulator 1uV noise
- 3 x LT1117 linear power supply regulator
- PIC Microcontroller to remap DAC and share I2S connection with DSD signals
Amanero module integrated to have USB input 
- Support 44,88,96,192,352,384KHz PCM and DSD to play SACD ISO
- Full ground isolation from USB module
- On board reference 100MHz Crystek oscillator with a jitter of 0.5psec
- Ultra fast oscillator buffer
- 4 inputs:  USB, Spdif coax on BNC, AES/EBU Professional on XLR, Optical Toslink.
- many output stages choices
- Simple firmware upgrade 
- Remote volume control 
- Remote mute control
- Remote input control 
- Digital filter control
- Optional passive I/V
- Standby mode
- High volume display
- 20 x 4 LCD display
- Fuse protection -  220 VAC power supply / 5W
 
- Turn on, off with remote control or buttons
- Set up customizable protocols such as: volume, input as you like
- Select modes such as filter, frequency, left channel right
- Special and unique - Store settings according to your preferences
- Selectable filter modes: (Pass band): 47kHz, 50kHz, 60kHz, 70kHz
- Option: PCM Filter Characteristics 
- Selectable filter modes: (Pass band): 47kHz, 50kHz, 60kHz, 70kHz
- Option: PCM Filter Characteristics: Fast, Slow Roll-Off, Apodizing, Hybrid, Brickwall.  


Complete user manual

The main characteristics of the ES9038 are  the patented 32-bit Hyperstream™ DAC architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator.
This is the first DAC chip that does not use the master clock on I2S bus and it automatically resample the input signal at the highest resolution available 32bit 384KHz.

 

DAC MODULE

This module if connected to the DAC controller module is configured to select 4 different inputs:

The DAC input configuration is remapped by the micontroller on DAC controller module setting the internal registers for stereo mode.Here the schematic of the final configuration after DAC remap with one I2S/DSD input and 3 spdif input.

Using the controller module is also possible use the internal high performance volume of ES9038 with characteristics better than hi-end analog types (see article).

The DAC module use a dedicated power supply for any section of the ES9038 and it need only a transformer with only 2 secondaries.

 

OSCILLATOR

This is a critical component, the sound performances can be compromised with a cheap oscillator.
Ultra-Low Phase Noise  Crystal Oscillator, 3.3V HCMOS.
The frequency 100MHz as been choiced to support any PCM and any DSD sampling frequency. 

 

CONTROLLER MODULE FIRMWARE

The DAC controller will be ship with the last firmware available but if you want update this in the future theprocedure is very simple.

To program the 16F877A Microchip microcontroller I have used the PICKIT 2 USB Development Programmer/Debugger (cod. PG164120 or DV164121) with a cost about 40-50$. 
The my C source has been compiled with HI-TECH PICC-Lite Compiler V9.82 for PIC10/12/16 MCUs.HI-TECH Software has provided a  freeware HI-TECH PICC-Lite compiler as a tool for hobbyists and students, but the licence allows its use for commercial purposes as well. It is ideal as a teaching tool for an introduction into the 'C' language and embedded programing on a Microchip device.

 

OUTPUT STAGE

For this new DAC has been develop a new pure vacuum tube output stage, this is a very simple differential stage but optimized to obtain the lowest distortion and better sound.

On this folllowing schematic many values has been changed in the final release.

Follows the measurements of the DAC with this output stage at the max outptu level (0dB), the decay of the distortion is linear like a vacuum tube single ended design.

MANUAL

 

PHOTOS

 

Thong ke