[Suopermanni]

Here is a link to what it is and how much - 
 
http://www.85china.com/product/15606947954/LKS%20ES9018%20two%20parallel%20HiFi%20Decoder%20DAC%20USB%20DSD%20soft%20control%20PCM%20384K
 
I have only just heard of this thing from another forum and I am wondering if anyone has heard it before? I am wondering about the performance of it. The price seems awfully low considering it's a dual ESS9018.

 

[music_man]

china is putting out some nice stuff already. I think of them as the japan of the 80's. I wonder if that is two of the 8 channel ess9018. if it is I don't see how you could go wrong at that price unless it explodes. I don't read Chinese like you wanted but I don't see any Chinese to read there any how. I was wondering what the connectors are on the back or if that is just a squashed picture. the thing looks good. so, if they actually send it and it does not explode that is one heck of a god price. on the other hand I am not always a fan of the ess9018 even though it is all the rage these days.
you could get the teac and mod it like I did. once it is modded you are on your own. you know music direct will ship it and it is new though. of course this "looks" nicer. I always like to get more for the money myself. the only thing is I bought from a company that is now defunct and two things actually did explode. so that could be a little concern buying from china.

 

[SidiousX]

@Suopermanni its L.K.S Audio not LSK. Here you have some impressions in English.
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/chinese-brand-l-k-s-audio-mh-da002-ess9018-%2A-2-a-17691/
You can drop PM to member david-gao for impressions.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/699707/show-my-new-device-i-like-it-very-much-especially-the-headphone-amplifier
He seems to have one.
I watch opinions on this DAC closely from some time, it is interesting construction for sure.
@music_man as name of DAC stated L.K.S audio Hi-End Stereo D/A Converter.Dual ES9018 version, its rather obvious 2xES9018.
Here is official site of L.K.S audio
http://www.mu-sound.com/
According to my correspondence, actual one has again 2 transformers, there was 3 only for some time, then they back to 2.

 

[music_man]

yeah I just saw that. ess9018 is 8 channel and this is two of them. I also just realized he was wondering if anyone heard it. sorry I misunderstood. it certainly looks good as I said. I don't know what else there is like it for that price.
 
I read that. one guy also has a modded teac. I don't know if he made the same mods as I. probably not but similar perhaps. the teac is at least sold and shipped from the us. it will be a lot more money with the mods though. I would make sure you get the new one with the three small torroids if you get one. I guess they updated it.

 

[kazcou]

I just bought one from http://www.mu-sound.com/. The vendor told me the last version and the best version come with 2 transformers.
There is 2 others version of this DAC
http://htpc.jp/t46v3/index.html
http://www.facebook.com/ArcadiaDigitalAudio
From what I can see the version 3 come with 2 transformers and the version 4 come with 3 little one.
So maybe the vendor didn't told the truth, but I will never know and I dont think there is some much difference.
 
Now the fun part will know to do some opamp rolling.

 

[Chodi]

  I just bought one from http://www.mu-sound.com/. The vendor told me the last version and the best version come with 2 transformers.
There is 2 others version of this DAC
http://htpc.jp/t46v3/index.html
http://www.facebook.com/ArcadiaDigitalAudio
From what I can see the version 3 come with 2 transformers and the version 4 come with 3 little one.
So maybe the vendor didn't told the truth, but I will never know and I dont think there is some much difference.
 
Now the fun part will know to do some opamp rolling.

I will be very interested to hear your results after you get your dac. I can't imagine why they are using two 9018 dac when each one has 8 channels. Of all the companies using this dac this is the only one I have seen using this 2 dac implementation. There are plenty of mono dacs available for a manufacturer than wants total isolation. The Wolfson dacs used in some of the Audio-gd products I think are separate mono dacs. You only have 2 channels so I would think two mono dacs would be enough?  The same company makes a dac with 1 ess9018 I would be interested in a comparison.

 

[kazcou]

  I will be very interested to hear your results after you get your dac. I can't imagine why they are using two 9018 dac when each one has 8 channels. Of all the companies using this dac this is the only one I have seen using this 2 dac implementation. There are plenty of mono dacs available for a manufacturer than wants total isolation. The Wolfson dacs used in some of the Audio-gd products I think are separate mono dacs. You only have 2 channels so I would think two mono dacs would be enough?  The same company makes a dac with 1 ess9018 I would be interested in a comparison.

For much more, like 4000$ (49990$) you can have Resonessence Labs Invicta or Mirus. Or you can build one with two buffalo 3.

 

[TominJapan]

Sonhow is this DAc performing?

 

[okropik]

Sow, how does it sound and how much for it? Thanks for sharing experience. I`d like to find some DAC with sound of Gustard X-12 or Yulong D100, D18 etc...but for some cool price. Let`s say 350 USD. Is it possible? Thx Ondrej