JayNetTech5
100+ Head-Fier
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- May 26, 2012
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With inexpensive and fewer devices and equipment, so take it with a grain of salt. Not trying to open a can of worms, but, I personally, find that different DACs, whether or not if it's the chip itself or units they go in, tend to sound a specific way, and I can only use terms I can come up with mixed with "audiophile terms" to describe them.
AKM = well-rounded, can be overly smooth in parts of the midrange, almost like there's variable peaks and dips, and while being generally weightier sounding, it can go either way when it wants to, kind of airy, bassier, very dynamic in volume, imaging and staging, literally can go almost entirely mono-sounding, to huge and 3D in different tracks, track sections or sources, captures individual instrument tone very well almost to the point of being cheesy or wonky; instrument solos really bring that out.
ESS = harsher high frequencies, almost like the vocalists in tracks with a lot of commotion are piercing my ears (AKMs do this too but it's a different kind of harsh), more detailed or revealing of very delicate sounds, lesser bass, thinner-sounding, more metallic and gritty, can be more pacey, more percussive texture from not being as smooth as AKM, consistent imaging and staging whether narrow or big, vocals have more emotion, upfront, and feel more immersive or "exciting". Overall, I tend to enjoy ESS Sabre more upon first impression, because there's something more exciting and different about how it makes tracks sound.
AKM tends to sound its best with good direct source material, while ESS tends to be highly enjoyable in multiple sources; AKM can too but is picky. Then there's the variable where some units can sound like they want to be like the other, but not quite, there's still that sense of having their typical sound but with each chip and unit having their own overall sound but stick to the general premise of their brand signature. For instance, the ES100 is dryer and harsher than the HUD100 but still have a general similarity to their signature. AKMs to me sound more refined almost too much at times without lacking too much bass even when bright, and there's a variability with enjoyment, but they tend to not be so immersive or emotionally impressive as ESS Sabre chips, at least in terms of vocals, especially upon first impression, but non-vocal instruments are a different story. Keep in mind, all are very inexpensive devices, especially my headphones, so my judgement may not be justified, and it's not like I've had everything to test out because of budget.
AKM devices I've heard: PlayStation Model SCPH-1001 (1995), 5001, FiiO K3, EarStudio ES100, EarStudio HUD100, FiiO BTR3.
ESS devices I've heard: XtremPro X1, Sabaj Da3, SMSL X4 and Sabaj Da2, DragonFly Black, Monoprice Monolith USB DAC, Hifime Sabre 9018 USB DAC.
My general thought.
AKMs are more balanced, bassier, smoother almost to the point of losing texture, and captures the tone and notes of individual instruments so well that it sometimes sounds so hilariously cheesy and wonky, or off-key, it's hard to explain, but still more impressive over the ESS, maybe because of the slight sharpness in the highest part of the treble. AKMs like to exaggerate certain parts in a tracks, like it's excessively dynamic.
Dullest/boring sounding AKM: FiiO K3 and BTR3
Darkest sounding AKM: FiiO K3 bass-boosted
Brightest sounding AKM: EarStudio ES100
ESS Sabres sound more immersive with strong emotion in the vocals, are very detailed, "euphoric", and generally just enjoyable all-around with a lot of sources, but can be excessively harsh and unrefined in comparison, also sometimes lacking in bass, not as dynamic or flexible in how it produces sound, but this could be a good thing if you like a specific sound.
Dullest/boring sounding ESS: DragonFly Black
Darkest sounding ESS: Hifime Sabre 9018 USB DAC
Brightest sounding ESS: All, except Hifime Sabre 9018 USB DAC and Monoprice Monolith USB DAC
I really want to try more TI/Burr-Brown stuff, I know a lot of people like Wolfson and old iPods, but I cannot get myself to like them, older iPods never sounded great to me, they're so "conventional", soft and dull-sounding, like most other players; I remember my Sandisk Sansa Clip back in '09 sounded amazing.
I think I might look into the iFi Zen DAC next, I heard a lot of good things about it, but a portion of people have said some bad things about it.
AKM = well-rounded, can be overly smooth in parts of the midrange, almost like there's variable peaks and dips, and while being generally weightier sounding, it can go either way when it wants to, kind of airy, bassier, very dynamic in volume, imaging and staging, literally can go almost entirely mono-sounding, to huge and 3D in different tracks, track sections or sources, captures individual instrument tone very well almost to the point of being cheesy or wonky; instrument solos really bring that out.
ESS = harsher high frequencies, almost like the vocalists in tracks with a lot of commotion are piercing my ears (AKMs do this too but it's a different kind of harsh), more detailed or revealing of very delicate sounds, lesser bass, thinner-sounding, more metallic and gritty, can be more pacey, more percussive texture from not being as smooth as AKM, consistent imaging and staging whether narrow or big, vocals have more emotion, upfront, and feel more immersive or "exciting". Overall, I tend to enjoy ESS Sabre more upon first impression, because there's something more exciting and different about how it makes tracks sound.
AKM tends to sound its best with good direct source material, while ESS tends to be highly enjoyable in multiple sources; AKM can too but is picky. Then there's the variable where some units can sound like they want to be like the other, but not quite, there's still that sense of having their typical sound but with each chip and unit having their own overall sound but stick to the general premise of their brand signature. For instance, the ES100 is dryer and harsher than the HUD100 but still have a general similarity to their signature. AKMs to me sound more refined almost too much at times without lacking too much bass even when bright, and there's a variability with enjoyment, but they tend to not be so immersive or emotionally impressive as ESS Sabre chips, at least in terms of vocals, especially upon first impression, but non-vocal instruments are a different story. Keep in mind, all are very inexpensive devices, especially my headphones, so my judgement may not be justified, and it's not like I've had everything to test out because of budget.
AKM devices I've heard: PlayStation Model SCPH-1001 (1995), 5001, FiiO K3, EarStudio ES100, EarStudio HUD100, FiiO BTR3.
ESS devices I've heard: XtremPro X1, Sabaj Da3, SMSL X4 and Sabaj Da2, DragonFly Black, Monoprice Monolith USB DAC, Hifime Sabre 9018 USB DAC.
My general thought.
AKMs are more balanced, bassier, smoother almost to the point of losing texture, and captures the tone and notes of individual instruments so well that it sometimes sounds so hilariously cheesy and wonky, or off-key, it's hard to explain, but still more impressive over the ESS, maybe because of the slight sharpness in the highest part of the treble. AKMs like to exaggerate certain parts in a tracks, like it's excessively dynamic.
Dullest/boring sounding AKM: FiiO K3 and BTR3
Darkest sounding AKM: FiiO K3 bass-boosted
Brightest sounding AKM: EarStudio ES100
ESS Sabres sound more immersive with strong emotion in the vocals, are very detailed, "euphoric", and generally just enjoyable all-around with a lot of sources, but can be excessively harsh and unrefined in comparison, also sometimes lacking in bass, not as dynamic or flexible in how it produces sound, but this could be a good thing if you like a specific sound.
Dullest/boring sounding ESS: DragonFly Black
Darkest sounding ESS: Hifime Sabre 9018 USB DAC
Brightest sounding ESS: All, except Hifime Sabre 9018 USB DAC and Monoprice Monolith USB DAC
I really want to try more TI/Burr-Brown stuff, I know a lot of people like Wolfson and old iPods, but I cannot get myself to like them, older iPods never sounded great to me, they're so "conventional", soft and dull-sounding, like most other players; I remember my Sandisk Sansa Clip back in '09 sounded amazing.
I think I might look into the iFi Zen DAC next, I heard a lot of good things about it, but a portion of people have said some bad things about it.
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