[Frederick Wang]

If anyone paired 9038S with Tempotec V1, does the volume control on V1 work?

 

[backdrifter]

Hi, everyone. I received my 9038S a couple days ago and I want to share some thoughts about it, both good and bad.

Bad stuff first. I think this device is potentially dangerous for your hearing. I don't think an international company that could be sued in US courts would sell something like this here. It has an IEM mode, so clearly it is meant to be used with IEMs. You switch into the IEM mode by physically disconnecting its USB-C cable during its first couple seconds of start up. The problem is that on my phone, something is happening to cause the device to disconnect from the USB cable while the cable remains physically connected, or at least this is my assumption. It is spontaneously switching to its normal/extremely loud mode without my intervention. Part of it may be all the music playing apps on my phone that compete for exclusive USB access. Maybe that is causing some disconnections. But twice, using Neutron player, I adjusted the volume downward only to have the player respond by giving me maximum/ludicrous volume, and this was with no interruption in playback. I think the 9038S must have switched modes, but I wasn't watching the LED to confirm it. I think it would be advisable to keep IEMs out of your ears during start up, switching between apps, and adjusting volume for the first time in a session. Or maybe assume it's in normal mode until you convince yourself otherwise. I am listening to classical music most of the time, so to this point, I haven't made myself deaf, as the classical labels aren't subject to the loudness wars.

Now the good stuff. Before I ordered this, I was having trouble finding any discussion about how its performance compares to the Radsone ES100. That's a pretty popular device, so it seems like an obvious benchmark for a comparison of a small DAC designed for portable use like the 9038S. I'll make the comparison clear now. The 9038S is a very big leap in sound quality over the ES100. And it's not just because it can do hi-res formats. To me, the sound quality I'm getting out from the 9038S is astounding. My best headphones are the Shure SRH1840. Before getting the 9038S, I thought they were very highly resolving and capable, but also a bit bright-sounding. I was favoring my BLON BL-03 IEM because they have a richer and warmer tonality. The engineer for E1DA says somewhere that he finds the sound of the 9038S to be a little too analytical, so I was worried that my 1840 would sound too brittle with them. In reality, when I'm listening to a well-recorded track, the combination of the 9038S and the 1840 sounds practically perfect to me. This combination allows me to hear deeply into my recordings - so many subtleties that brings the performance to life - while the combination preserves the lushness and beauty of the instruments and voices. To me, it's a revelation and it feels like the best experience possible. There might be something better out there but right now I'm blissing out. By the way, using Neutron with USB access on my 1840, my volume is at about an 8 out of 100. The power this thing has is crazy! The volume steps on Neutron are too large for some music. If I give exclusive access to Hiby, the volume and the steps are more usable, but Neutron sounds better to me.

I hope a version 3 of this device addresses some of my safety concerns. I'm sure part of the problem is that my apps are interfering with each other. And the dangerous power of the device is probably inseparable from its amazing high-fidelity capabilities. However, I think there must be an engineering solution to this problem. Maybe something along the lines of a safety on a gun, a future 9038 could have a switch that keeps it safely in IEM mode no matter what. I think that at a minimum, this thing should be packaged with some conspicuous warnings.

Obviously, I'm less experienced with this thing so I'm totally open to advice, comments, corrections, etc.

 

[Marcos Fontana]

Hi, everyone. I received my 9038S a couple days ago and I want to share some thoughts about it, both good and bad.

Bad stuff first. I think this device is potentially dangerous for your hearing. I don't think an international company that could be sued in US courts would sell something like this here. It has an IEM mode, so clearly it is meant to be used with IEMs. You switch into the IEM mode by physically disconnecting its USB-C cable during its first couple seconds of start up. The problem is that on my phone, something is happening to cause the device to disconnect from the USB cable while the cable remains physically connected, or at least this is my assumption. It is spontaneously switching to its normal/extremely loud mode without my intervention. Part of it may be all the music playing apps on my phone that compete for exclusive USB access. Maybe that is causing some disconnections. But twice, using Neutron player, I adjusted the volume downward only to have the player respond by giving me maximum/ludicrous volume, and this was with no interruption in playback. I think the 9038S must have switched modes, but I wasn't watching the LED to confirm it. I think it would be advisable to keep IEMs out of your ears during start up, switching between apps, and adjusting volume for the first time in a session. Or maybe assume it's in normal mode until you convince yourself otherwise. I am listening to classical music most of the time, so to this point, I haven't made myself deaf, as the classical labels aren't subject to the loudness wars.

Now the good stuff. Before I ordered this, I was having trouble finding any discussion about how its performance compares to the Radsone ES100. That's a pretty popular device, so it seems like an obvious benchmark for a comparison of a small DAC designed for portable use like the 9038S. I'll make the comparison clear now. The 9038S is a very big leap in sound quality over the ES100. And it's not just because it can do hi-res formats. To me, the sound quality I'm getting out from the 9038S is astounding. My best headphones are the Shure SRH1840. Before getting the 9038S, I thought they were very highly resolving and capable, but also a bit bright-sounding. I was favoring my BLON BL-03 IEM because they have a richer and warmer tonality. The engineer for E1DA says somewhere that he finds the sound of the 9038S to be a little too analytical, so I was worried that my 1840 would sound too brittle with them. In reality, when I'm listening to a well-recorded track, the combination of the 9038S and the 1840 sounds practically perfect to me. This combination allows me to hear deeply into my recordings - so many subtleties that brings the performance to life - while the combination preserves the lushness and beauty of the instruments and voices. To me, it's a revelation and it feels like the best experience possible. There might be something better out there but right now I'm blissing out. By the way, using Neutron with USB access on my 1840, my volume is at about an 8 out of 100. The power this thing has is crazy! The volume steps on Neutron are too large for some music. If I give exclusive access to Hiby, the volume and the steps are more usable, but Neutron sounds better to me.

I hope a version 3 of this device addresses some of my safety concerns. I'm sure part of the problem is that my apps are interfering with each other. And the dangerous power of the device is probably inseparable from its amazing high-fidelity capabilities. However, I think there must be an engineering solution to this problem. Maybe something along the lines of a safety on a gun, a future 9038 could have a switch that keeps it safely in IEM mode no matter what. I think that at a minimum, this thing should be packaged with some conspicuous warnings.

Obviously, I'm less experienced with this thing so I'm totally open to advice, comments, corrections, etc.

Same thing happened with me. The volume changed and I had to pull out my iems from my ears. I was walking when this happened.

 

[Draknodd]

Is there gonna be any E1DA device that has 4.4 balanced output?

you can use 2.5 trrs to 4.4 adapter

 

[Tysun]

Very well written impression @backdrifter , added to Page 1 impressions (post #3)

It is spontaneously switching to its normal/extremely loud mode without my intervention.

The volume changed and I had to pull out my iems from my ears.

Happened to me once too. I dieded. But so-far-so-good since, touch wood.

 

[Marcos Fontana]

Very well written impression @backdrifter , added to Page 1 impressions (post #3)

Happened to me once too. I dieded.

LOL, it's true. Happened also when I changed filters in pdv2. I was using the dk3001. I believe that was the loudest sound I've heard in my entire life. Ivan need to work on a fix. With 9038s, I was walking in a shopping center using my note 9 with 9038s connected using type c to type c cable that came with it. My note 9 media sound was almost silent when the volume changed suddenly. It got really lound without any advice.

I believe that E1DA will be a reference in sound. To say the truth, for me, it is. I know that Ivan will do everything to fix and to deliver the best for us. He is really expert in what he does.

 

[Tysun]

LOL, it's true. Happened also when I changed filters in pdv2. I was using the dk3001. I believe that was the loudest sound I've heard in my entire life. Ivan need to work on a fix. With 9038s, I was walking in a shopping center using my note 9 with 9038s connected using type c to type c cable that came with it. My note 9 media sound was almost silent when the volume changed suddenly. It got really lound without any advice.

I believe that E1DA will be a reference in sound. To say the truth, for me, it is. I know that Ivan will do everything to fix and to deliver the best for us. He is really expert in what he does.

For PDV2 E1DA should have the preset set to lower or zero volume. An easy workaround is to set your favorite presets at your favorite custom volume, and save it again in a similar name or any name you like, then delete the old preset. The next time you change to the newly saved preset it will be in the saved volume instead of 0dB.

 

[Draknodd]

Tested the PDV2 with my HE-560 now that the balanced cable is arrived. Review Updated E1DA PowerDAC V2 Review

 

[Tysun]

Tested the PDV2 with my HE-560 now that the balanced cable is arrived. Review Updated E1DA PowerDAC V2 Review

Yes PDV2 does not have enough juice for HE560.

 

[Lohb]

It'd be the very, very short current spikes that harder to drive planars need for deep subs and complex passages that would show up PDv2s output ceiling....though 90% of planars very efficient now , it's probably best to have 1-2 watts of headroom per channel even if they don't break a sweat over 20-30% of that output for most useage....560s 45-Ohm rating/90dB sensitivity probably has max headroom of 200mWatts or less per channel, if that, on PDV2.

 

[Infoseeker]

My e1da stuff next to the NextDrive Spectre X.

Using the E1da Powerdac V2 with my Tin HiFi P1 sounds very different compared to straight from my HiBy R6 Pro. The P1 preset sounds nice, but I needed to increase Treble probably because of my own hearing? Bass is less controlled. It good with certain genres.

Volume needs to go near full for the P1. Only 45 percent on high gain for my HiBy R6 Pro.

I can say the Powerdac doesn't seem to drain my Asus RoG Phone 2 at all.

 

[Krassi]

Very nice!
I also pimped my presets for every Headphone on the powerdac.

Is amazing that your Asus RoG Phone 2 seems to get not sucked to death so fast

 

[Infoseeker]

One percent took a little more tham 3 minutes with the screen on at 60% brightness. On my RoG Phone 2.

This should be 5 hours and 30minutes of use from a full charge. Normal screen on time is 10 hours (without gaming)

 

[Tysun]

My e1da stuff next to the NextDrive Spectre X.

Using the E1da Powerdac V2 with my Tin HiFi P1 sounds very different compared to straight from my HiBy R6 Pro. The P1 preset sounds nice, but I needed to increase Treble probably because of my own hearing? Bass is less controlled. It good with certain genres.

Volume needs to go near full for the P1. Only 45 percent on high gain for my HiBy R6 Pro.

I can say the Powerdac doesn't seem to drain my Asus RoG Phone 2 at all.

ROG2 is denifintely a power house!

Wow P1 preset definitely sound bright to me and I needed to tone it down a little. Good thing is, you can tweak it to however you like~!

Welcome to E1DA club (cult)!

 

[Baten]

I'm selling my PowerDAC, have put it on eBay. It's a great device but I'm only really using my desktop stack