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Showing 1 of 23 conversations about:
Thesesuck
126
Jun 27, 2021
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With the AK chips it may have been able to fetch $900 but it's not worth that much with their choice of substituted chips.
ElectronicVices
2937
Jul 1, 2021
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ThesesuckImplementation matters far more than chipset... I've owned devices with chips from AD, AK, TI/Burr Brown, CS/Wolfson and ESS. Stating the chip used is a key indicator of performance is something people with minimal experience like to assert. I have two 9038 Pro's in my Kann Cube, there is absolutely no issue with that chip.
MattMDavis
37
Jul 11, 2021
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ElectronicVicesI've got the 9038Pro in my SMSL M500, which sells for a little more than $400. So it's certainly possible to get this chip a lot cheaper than 900. Of course, implementation matters a lot. This Topping unit is the cleanest audio DAC available right now, and has SINAD numbers significantly higher than the SMSL. We're talking about differences that can't actually be heard, though: both DACs have distortion and noise levels below the hearing threshold.
The 9038 series generally, and the Pro in particular, are all about that clinical life. If that sound leaves you cold, you may want to wait until AKM gets factory capacity back in a couple years. If you think the Sabre sound suits you just fine (it works great for me!), the Pro is the pinnacle of that sound right now, and only you can decide whether 7 points of SINAD rating is worth $450.
phoenixsong
1055
Sep 25, 2021
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ThesesuckThe SE version actually performs better objectively than the original AKM chip version
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