E1DA 9038D

before I even start this review, let me first apologize for my weird english and grammatical mistakes.
I purchase the E1DA 9038D with my own money and this review is 100% my opinion

UNBOXING

BUILD
it made of (i believe) from aluminum, not the most premium and precise built ever, stock cable looks generic and cheap
NOTABLE MENTION :

• if you use 3pole 3.5mm jack, you need to use OMTP - CTIA adaptor to get correct signal
• it picks up RF Interference (states on their own website)
• it has its own apps called Tweak, most of the option are premium paid, the free option can be used for volume control
• get warm when in use

APP

SOUND IMPRESSIONS

tested using ddHifi OTG cable, source from Apple Music Lossless and local FLAC files
genre : J-POP, J-ROCK, EDM, Metal, Jazz
IEM : Moondrop S8, Kato, Stellaris
Headphone : Hifiman Sundara

overall character of the E1DA 9038D is precise, analytical, wide and tad bright

the bass of the 9038D if i need to describe it, its "precise" and have correct transient (both attack and decay), not having added coloration, pure

for the mids, i would describe it as very analytical, it makes you focused on what's being played on the tracks you listen, very lively, the mids if compared to other DAC, the 9038D sound a just very little... lean.

as for the treble, it didn't hide or trying to smooths out anything, full of micro detail and once again very analytical

TECHNICALITIES

STAGE : sickeningly wide, even wider than my ZEN stack setup, wider than most dongle I've previously owned (9038s, Dragonfly Red, Cobalt, ddHifi, iBasso)
IMAGING : it images sounds realistically but in analytical way, it could brings out your IEMs / Headphones potential without any problem
DETAIL RETRIEVAL : A LOT OF MICRO DETAILS!! if you like you details being thrown at your face, this is the dongle for you.

POWER : it could power my Hifiman Sundara without any problem on -20 volume on E1DA Tweaks app

PAIRING
anything, if you like your sounds very detailed, just use this dongle, but warmer cans / IEMs i think it would creates more good synergies than brighter set.

BATTERY CONSUMPTION
not the most efficient dongle ever, i plugged this to my Redmi Note 9 Pro (5000mAh) and feels the battery draining quite quickly

COMPARISON :

E1DA 9038s G3 Susumu S3000
the older brother of the 9038D, use 2.5mm balanced connector, have more driving power, free from RF Interference, more neutral, 9038s soundstage is not as wide as the 9038D, and the detail retrieval is better on the 9038D, also the 9038s stays cool when in use

Moondrop DAWN 3.5
cheaper, more neutral, warmer, smoother, technicalities on all aspects better on the 9038D, if you need dongle with decent technicalities and safe for portable use(safe from RF interference) and on tight budget, the DAWN 3.5 is a decent option

other comparison? just ask on comment section

CONCLUSION / TLDR ;
if you need the most pure analytical dongle on tight budget, this is the one to get, though myself cannot recommend this if your purpose is for portability / plugged in to your smartphone (2G, 4G, 5G Interference), if you intend to use this with your laptop / PC then go ahead I 100% recommend this dongle

if only it didn't picks up interference (2G,4G,5G) I would 200% recommend this dongle to everyone

For $100 you can buy much more universal iBasso DC03 Pro and a good $20-$30 IEM.
Though I have to say, 9038D has the best upper treble.

The E1DA 9038D is a compact digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and amplifier combination unit which connects to the source devices via USB-C. The 9038D follows in the footsteps of the 9038S, which I reviewed here:
E1DA 9038S Gen 3 Review
Unlike the 9038S and other E1DA products, the 9038D opts for an unbalanced 3.5mm audio jack instead of a 2.5mm balanced connection.
The 9038D was provided to me for review by HiFiGo, where it is available for purchase starting at $99.99 for the DAC/AMP only “Bundle 1.” If you do purchase the 9038D, I recommend opting for the slightly more expensive “Bundle 3” for reasons I will cover in this review.
This review is also available on my blog:
E1DA 9038D Impressions. A Dongle For Desktops

PACKAGING, ACCESSORIES, AND FUNCTIONALITY:

The E1DA 9038D comes in a small rectangular white box featuring a diagram of the device on the lid. The review unit I received did not include any additional cables. However, the 9038D proved compatible with every USB C-C cable I have used it with as well as the Y-split USB OTG cable included in some 9038S bundles. This cable features one male USB-C connector, one male USB-A connector, and one female USB-A connector. The USB-C connector plugs into the transport device, the male USB-A connector plugs into a power source such as a portable power bank, and the female USB-A connector plugs to the 9038D via a male USB-A to male USB-C cable.
I noted in my 9038S review that I experienced signal dropouts and stuttering using the 9038S with certain USB 3.0 Type-A ports. E1DA rectified this issue with a firmware update by the time I received the 9038D. It is possible the issue existed with the default firmware on the 9038D, but I updated the firmware to the most current version available upon receiving the device. E1DA is one of a small number of manufacturers in the audiophile source device space that consistently works to address problems and concerns for existing owners without requiring them to purchase new hardware. The quality of their aftermarket support and the responsiveness of E1DA’s employees through their official Discord server is notable and praiseworthy.

SOUND:


Despite being an unbalanced source, the 9038D is more than powerful enough to drive any of the portable headphones I have in my inventory to dangerous volumes. I have not heard hiss with the 9038D even with multi-balanced armature in-ear monitors.
Despite my long-held skepticism of audible differentiation between competently designed source devices, I learned during my review of the E1DA 9038S that, at a minimum, I can hear the difference between a minimum phase digital filter and a linear phase filter in a sighted, volume-matched, non-instantaneous switching comparison. The E1DA 9038S, with its default linear phase filter, offered a minute sense of improved clarity and detail retrieval over my JDS Labs Element’s minimum phase filter. E1DA offers a variety of different flashable firmware options with different digital filters, and I encourage owners of the 9038D and 9038S to experiment with them. I have been completely satisfied with the default digital filter on the 9038D, which is a linear phase, slow roll-off filter. I do not think I would be able to tell the 9038D and the 9038S apart in a blind test with their default digital filters. Both devices are transparent.
A NOTE ON TWEAK:
E1DA offers an Android app called Tweak that works with the 9038D and 9038S. The primary benefit offered by the free version of this app is the ability to limit the device’s maximum output level. This is useful for preventing accidental hearing damage using IEMs with the 9038 lineup given the tremendous power of these devices. I have not purchased the Pro version of the Tweak app, which offers a variety of on-the-fly parameter adjustments, including digital filter selection. If I purchase the Pro version in the future I will update this section.
POWER CONSUMPTION:
The following power consumption measurement was taken while the E1DA 9038D was in use:

I measured power consumption on several different source devices, including my desktop PC and two different Android smartphones, and the power draw readings were consistent across all of them. They are also broadly similar to that of the E1DA 9038S Gen 3:

The power draw for both devices is far higher than that of the gold standard for USB-C audio devices, the Apple dongle:

For this reason, I recommend using the 9038D either with a dedicated music transport device, preferably with a large battery or with a PC.

CLOSING WORDS:

For those who primarily listen to IEMs or efficient over-ear headphones, the E1DA 9038D is a capable alternative to a desktop stack, and I give it my unqualified recommendation for this purpose. It is less-suited for use as a dongle replacement given its high power draw but is usable in a portable context with a dedicated audio transport device.
The E1DA 9038D can be purchased below:
E1DA 9038D USB Headphone Amp 3.5mm jack unbalanced output DAC+HPA — HiFiGo