Announcements, DAC's, News
Announcing new Hifime DAC’s with ESS Sabre 9018
We are proud to be releasing several new DAC’s made with the Sabre ES9018K2M DAC chip. This chip has great specs like 127dB DNR, -120dB THD+N and patented Time Domain Jitter Eliminator.
First out is Hifime 9018, which uses the same small compact box as our U2 and UAE23 Sabre dac’s. We used a double PCB to be able to fit in this small box.
Hifime 9018 uses the Savitech SA9227 USB receiver in asynchronous mode (more about that here) and support sample rates up to 384Khz/32 bit. It has a MAX97220A headphone chip that can drive headphones down to 16 ohm as well as higher impedance headphones as the Sennheiser HD650. The volume level goes quite loud, more than enough for 300ohm HD650’s-
It works without drivers in Mac, Linux, and requires drivers to be installed in Windows. Note that 384khz only works with ASIO which is accepted by some programs only, and not by Chrome, Youtube etc. Chrome on Mac’s also doesn’t support 384kHz. It uses by default USB Audio Class 2 which is required for sample rates above 96kHz. It will switch down to Class 1 if USB High speed mode is not available. It also have (like the U2 and UAE23) an optical output, which works up to 192khz. In addition to normal PCB format It can play DSD files.
We think the sound of this DAC is really great! Another cool features is that it works with Android 5.0! This makes it a super small portable highly audiophile solution. Only caveat with phones is that it draws much more power than our smaller “Android” DAC. The Nexus 6 battery last 6 hours when playing constantly with the 9018.
Features:
- Compact size
- Audiophile Sabre ES9018K2M chip
- No drivers required for Mac and Linux. Drivers available for Windows
- Accepts all sample rates up to 384Khz/32bit
- Asynchronous USB transfer
- Analog and digital (optical) output from 3.5mm connector
- Volume level responds to computer hot keys, –however only in 8 steps. This is the behaviour of SA9227 USB receiver. You can fine tune volume level in software.
- Works plug-n-play with Android 5.0 Lollipop (Nexus 6 tested). Responds to system volume level/vol+/. keys.
Specifications:
- SNR: 112.5dB @ 1kohm, 109dB @ 600ohm
- THD: 0.0035% @32ohm, 20mW
- Crosstalk: 1kHz,10kOhm: -125dB, 1kHz, 32ohm -125dB
- Output power: 1.05Vrms/2.94Vpp@1khz. 31mW @ 32ohm. In real life this DAC is much more powerful than UAE23/U2. It can drive most 16-300ohm headphones.
- Power consumption: Standby 170-190mA. Max draw 270mA
Then, In just a few weeks we’ll have its bigger brother ready, the HiFime 9018D. It comes in stylish small aluminium box and has a digital controlled lossless volume control, and a display showing the sample rate.
Benefits of the 256 step digital volume control.
This DAC utilises a ultra low power MCU chip to control the volume level output from the DAC chip. This is different from controlling volume at USB level which reduces the signal level going into the DAC chip and causes loss of dynamic range and lower SNR when volume is reduced. Using a digital volume control this way will be better than an analog one unless you have a analog volume control that has a lower noise floor than the DAC itself. You would need a exceptionally low noise analog volume control to beat the Sabre chip impressive -127dB.
An explanation from Sabre chip makes ESS Technology:
https://www.esstech.com/PDF/digital-vs-analog-volume-control.pdf
The specifications for the two 9018 dac’s are the same except for the volume control, switch and display.
We will also make another version of the 9018 featuring a i2S input using HDMI plug. This dac can be connected to a USB to i2S (HDMI) device, or a small i2s (TTL) to HDMI board.
More info on this devices will follow.
Hi,thanks for the great design and construction of the uda18. It sounds awesome. Currently it is connected analog via the headphone jack.Does this dac (still) have an optical output via / within the 3.5 headphone jack? If so does this work with usb input in high mode (used with windows 10 drivers)? Thanks in advance and keep going making great products. I would appreciate / support a 5.1 / 7.1 dac coming in future.
interested as well for a coaxial input (coming from my m2tech hiface)
Which is the output impedance of 9018 and 9018d?
Hello, any plans for 9018 usb dac but with external power supply option and rca outputs? Thanks for reply.
We are working on a exciting new DAC, it has optional external power supply, isolated signal. Output still from 3.5mm connector.
je viens de vous adresser un mail concernant ma dernière commande sur un U2…
je souhaite réellement UN SABRE 9018 AVEc UNE ENTRÉE OPTIQUE , toslink et SORTIE RCA ,au minimum;
pour un amplis en RCA
avec la stabilité d une alimentation . extérieure ,
la je suis preneur.
I’d really like if your company would sell a 5.1 DAC for Home theatre use. Have you considered there’s a market for a good sounding and not expensive multichannel DAC?
Hi RicRen,
I’ll support your suggestion for a 5.1 DAC! I have a 7.1 system that I’m sure would go from great sounding to pretty damn awesome!
Any plans of using ESS SABRE9018AQ2M chip anytime soon with your DAC’s?
Any plans for 9018 usb dac but with external power supply option and rca outputs? Really hoping for this. Thanks.
I’ve been looking for a Raspberry Pi DAC that uses the ESS 9018k2m to see how well it does. Will you be creating a board for the Pi?
Any plans to create a 9018 series dac that can be connected to an external PSU like the usb dac 2? I have a USB isolator, would I get comparable performance combining the 9018 with a USB isolator? Thanks
Hi, yes this a very late reply, but we have now made a sample for a new DAC that can be used with an external power supply. It also has a isolator chip (i2s isolation) that also supports high resolution.
Hi, this DAC sabre 9018 and 9018d is compatible with USB 3.0? I have Astell&kern ak120 and it doesn’t work with usb 3.0 ( with 2.0 works great but I don’t have this standard on my laptop). Which will be better ak120 or Your DAC 9018/9018D? I will be connect to amplifier with speakers ( not headphone). Thank’s for reply.
Is the volume control on the 9018D controlled from system volume, or do you have to use the buttons on the device?
I want a the dac to connect directly to a PROCEED AVP and PROCEED AMP with old THIEL 1.2 SPEAKERS.
Is the 9018 the same (sound quality) as the 9018D in these setup?
Would this new 9018 dac be a good investiment over the U2 (HD650 using a E12)? I like the U2 sound, but always considering something higher 😛
Question: In which mode the 9018 DAC operate? IOut or in VOut?
is max97220a on the 9018 DAC (especially the 9018D), the only chip after the DAC chip? (thus max97220a doing multiple role as I/V, LPF and line/headphone driver?)
For the 9018D, what volume setting best level matches a line output?
Should have made the MCU display at the top instead at the back directly opposite of the output, would make it way more usable. Oh well, I guess it’s too late now since I assume that you’ve already begin production.
Any version with Line/RCA output planned. Feels that when used with PC, a very likely usecase is to connect to HiFi, instead of headphones only.
If would order right now a desktop version with usb and 2 switchable spdif inputs (at least one optical), rca output and a separate headphone connector. What about it?
Will the bigger 9018 one has SPDIF optical input?
Will you release a version with spdif inputs as for the 9023?