New DAC board for my Pi: Audiophonics I-Sabre DAC ES9023

[WAD62]

Could you drill some fresh holes for the phono sockets? Or just have three sides on the Pi case and remove the side causing the obstruction.

...probably a question best answered by Rob

[ReggieB]

I think you could just elongate one of the RCA holes, and it would fit. That or remove the one side.

However, as I now have two Pi + DAC units, I'll leave my current case on the Pi using the IQaudIO DAC. So I'm looking round before I buy a second IQ case.

[ReggieB]

I think I've sorted out my best combination of Pi's and DAC after a little reassembly.



Side by side:



RasberryPi B+, RuneAudio, and Audiophonics I-Sabre DAC ES9023 TCXO at the top

RasberryPi 2, Volumio, and IQAudIO Pi-DAC+ at the bottom.

[ReggieB]

Just ordered one of these:



It should be easy to modify

[Kit1cat]

I use one of these with my pi/dac, ok if you are happy with no sides, unlimited height extension with extension pieces.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1717354307...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2910075410...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[lovejoy]

I've been looking at the specs of the ESS DAC chip this board uses and it looks very impressive. What's odd is that the Audiophonics website quotes handling of resolutions up to 24/192 whereas the DAC is capable of much higher. This bit doesn't bother me, but what does interest me is that it looks like the DAC will handle native DSD decoding, which on the end of a Pi, if it works could be something really special. Anyone know if the Audiophonics board allows this?

[cyclopse]

Wow. First night listening via the new DAC, and I have a huge smile on my face.

To my ears, the Audiophonics DAC is better than the IQaudIO! It has a more natural and nuanced presentation. I love it.

Also I'm not getting the odd artefacts I'd get with the IQaudIO. Everything is sounding good with the Audiophonics DAC.

I'll get my camera out tomorrow, and post a couple of photos of the unit.

I take it your using HifiBerry for the dac board driver. Is it true there is no volume control, no alsamixer so fixed at 2V output?

Thanks

Stephen

[ReggieB]

I take it your using HifiBerry for the dac board driver. Is it true there is no volume control, no alsamixer so fixed at 2V output?

That's correct, I don't have the alsamixer settings available that I get with the IQAudIO DAC. Personally, I'd much rather have the better sound quality of the Audiophonic DAC, than the tweakability of the IQAudIO.

[ReggieB]

My wooden case arrived a few days ago, and I've finally got around to drilling out the holes for the DAC RCAs. I'm very pleased with results.





The case is made by a Spanish Guitar maker.

[cyclopse]

These are back in stock for those interested in testing. It's the board with the TXCO clock that you need.

Regards

Stephen