[abrahavt]

Any solution for the heat around 9038 pro DAC chips and the I/Vs (100mA)? How long the board may last?

If you are worried about overheating just place one of these USB fans horizontally over the vent on top and keep it running 24X7. They are pretty quiet.

 

[Lennym]

I have written to the factory about the heat generation. Their initial response was :

"About your question of heat.
It's not a problem. We have tested on previous DACs.
Don't worry about the component life. We make many DACs since the year of 2008. No examples of component failures due to the heat.
Best regards.
Jinbo"

I am not satisfied with this so I wrote again using specific facts about the heat from https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/lks-audio-mh-da003.745032/page-45 and what follows. I have not heard back yet.

I'd like to urge others to write to the factory with your concern. You can write to: bleerock@126.com

 

[fjc36]

The factory explanation is not entirely valid. The previous DAC cases consume 10-30mA, but the 9038pro consumes 100mA. So, it is not exactly the same situation, they should know it. The differences in heat among ES 9018, 9028 pro, and 9038pro are quite obvious as indicted by B0BB. If the SQ of ESS9028pro and ESS9038pro are close, I like to try LKS MH DA003 MK2, since it is using twin ES9028pro at less heat, or turn to Gustard x20pro. Question is there any one does serious compare SQ between LKS DA003 MK2 and DA004? How close? I could give up a little for peace of mind. Or patiently wait till nothing bad happens. Only time would tell.

 

[Lennym]

"Question is there any one does serious compare SQ between LKS DA003 MK2 and DA004?"

Yes, on head-fi. Each stock, no comparison. Do a search.

 

[Whitigir]

There were comparisons in 003 thread, basically the 004 sounds as good as a heavily modified 003, and one of the modifications was using the better oscillations clocks, which the 004 is still using the same clocks as 003. There is definitely room to improve this....though, I am not into doing it yet

 

[fjc36]

Yes, in the head -Fi MH-DA003 thread, I read lots of pages of 003 modified, thanks to BoBB. That is an early version, the late version of Mk2 uses two ES 9028pro, that MK2 version is what I am interested of, may sacrifices ajust a bit of SQ to earn some thermal stability. Check through google, you can find other 9038pro DVD has issues for the heat, and by produce a huge heat sink, avoids or reduces sound defect that rises.

 

[abrahavt]

I finally pulled the trigger on one with enhanced USB. Out of the box it sounds great. First time I am hearing music without digital harshness since I ripped all my music onto a computer and started playing via USB a couple of years back. My system consists of music stored on a Synology NAS, played using Roon installed on an Intel NUC (Roon Optimized Computer Kit) via ethernet to a sotm sms-200ultra network player using USB. I suspect that the fancy clocking in the sms-200ultra network player is being wasted. Oh well atleast it helped in my previous system. The case didn't seem hot to the touch after playing for a while but I have laid a quiet computer case fan over the top vent to cool it down as a precaution. I would describe the sound as highly resolved with much detail without being harsh or tube syrupy. My wife is very sensitive to digital harshness and I could never crank my previous system as it would hurt her ears. So far no complaints from her with the music cranked way up. This is the first time that I have able to listen to music from my computer network via USB for long stretches without tiring. Way to go LKS.

 

[fjc36]

Dear abrahavt, have you tried LKS MD-003 mk2? I guess you are saying about the 004, since a FAN IS USED.
I HAVE COPE DOWN A SHORT PIECE from HONG KONG forum, users complain about the heat, it cause unlock besides reducing SQ.
"但更明確的一點是個人聽感~~9038的溫度高到大約46度以上的話音質真的要折損不少,相對之下40度的表現是全面勝出毋容置疑,"
My translation is:
{More specifically , the personal feeling is SQ is going down a lot when temperature of 9038 goes above 46 degC. On the contrary, below 40 degC , the performance is overall winning.}


I guess put a slow moving noiseless fan is a brilliant idea, but I also wish LKS has a internal solution on this, make it measured below 40-43 deg C.


回復

 

[abrahavt]

I have not tried the MD-003 mk2. I wanted the ES9038 chipset for my new DAC. I did not want to go down the modding rabbit hole. Gave that up a few years back. I felt that most affordable ES9028 chip DACs needed modding to sound their best. I was trying to decide between this and a Denafrips DAC and decided to give this a try. I have not experienced any issues with heat like drop outs or loosing of the lock. I have only had it for a short while. I will let you know if that changes. I also live in a cooler climate and use the AC in the summer so I guess that helps. I know having the fan bothers some people. If it does, turn it off while the music is playing and have it running the rest of the time. We will see how it all works out. So far i am happy with the purchase. You have to spend multiple times the amount of money that this costs or do lots of mods to get hires (DSD) digital grunge free music.

 

[Whitigir]

I totally agree about this 004 performances and the digital harshness you mentioned about. The 004 is very clean

 

[jjk43]

Greetings,
Has anyone employed the 004 using the I2S input and if so how do you like it?
I have a PinkFaun streamer with an I2S mch bridge card. Playing through Gustard X20 Pro dacs now and wondering about moving to the LKS 004 for "the fronts" dac.
Thanks very much.

 

[abrahavt]

There is no standard for the I2S connection so whether it will work is anybody's guess.

 

[jjk43]

There is no standard for the I2S connection so whether it will work is anybody's guess.

abra,
Thanks.
Maybe I should have been more specific. Has anyone listened to the LKS over I2S?
I have the pin connection. I know it will work. I want to know how it sounds.
Regards.

 

[mb3]

If you are worried about overheating just place one of these USB fans horizontally over the vent on top and keep it running 24X7. They are pretty quiet.

My experience was that adding transistor heat sinks made a noticeable reduction in the operating temperature, which is probably a good thing. There will be an optimal operating temperature for the components and in particular the ess dac chips.

I was thinking that the next step on from using heat sinks or fans for managing the temperature issue might be to find out the optimal temp range for the 9038pro chip from ess - I did contact an ess company rep but was advised along the lines of, this info is not available to the general public, speak with lks.. If the optimal temp was known then something like liquid cooling could be used. I have an i7 desktop with this - it is practically silent and works well.

 

[colour97]

after using this usb fan, the temp is cooling down. hand feel of metal body is cool.

totally fix the heat issue.

i can really start to burn-in the dac.