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83 requests
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5 Sold
Product Description
A compact, multifunctional device, the Moonshadow EP3A DAC/amp comes equipped with the well-regarded ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip. For a seamless fit in your audio setup, it features a variety of inputs (including USB, optical, and coaxial) and outputs (including RCA and 6.5 millimeter) Read More
I bought this hoping to use it in the office with my phone, instead of noisy bluetooth dongles or the phone's onboard DAC.
While it pairs up with the phone flawlessly, the audio sounds pretty bad. With sensitive IEMs, I can hear obvious digital noise (aliasing?) in quiet passages. In addition, there are sometimes high-pitched digital clicks, blips, and whines which come and go depending on where I place it!
The amp has enough power to drive sensitive IEMS (if you can stand the noise), but it can barely push 80 ohm DT770s to reasonable levels (something my rechargeable xDuoo dongle does with ease).
I didn't think the volume buttons would be a big deal. But they only adjust the volume when you hold them down. If you try to lower the volume and don't hold the "-/S" button long enough, it switches sources instead! (Not that you'll be lowering the volume often, given its lack of power.)
The device heats up quite a bit when operating. I wouldn't expect that, given its lack of output power.
The included power supply is white, which clashes with the otherwise high-class look of the device
I haven't tried the other input methods or the RCA outs. Perhaps this unit would shine as a USB DAC feeding another amp. But to me the selling point was as an all-in-one bluetooth-enabled desktop dac/amp. And on that level, it fails hard.