That’s good to know, leo.
Then I’ve already fallen in love with an R2R DAC!
Hey guys,
it’s time again to announce the next soundcheck!
On April 11, 2024 from 8 pm we want to test 8 currently available DAC Devices for volumio.
Unfortunately, great DAC HATs like the Mamboberry keep disappearing from the market. I could also no longer find the InnoMaker Pro on Amazon.
Seven I2S and one USB DACs should be compared:
PecanPi+ from orchardaudio.com
PecanPi from orchardaudio.com
EVO Sabre from Audiophonics.fr
Primo from Volumio.com
AroioDAC from abacus-electronics.de
Discrete R2R DAC from Audiophilediyer.com
SabreBerry from Muc89.com
ToneBoard from khadas.com
you are welcome to joyn this event in beautiful Hamburg.
As always, the event is free of charge. Registration requested by PM.
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Enjoy!
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Thank you!
We now even have a new competitior! The ProtoDAC version of @Vincent_Fong just arrived.
After a bit of soldering and playing in, I should have it ready in time for the soundcheck.
hi music lovers
due to a cold, the soundcheck will be postponed by one week.
Now on april 18.
stay tuned
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@judydudi FWIW, I’ve just read your message on the Innomaker dac pro not being available on Amazon and was about to post about it on the manufacturer’s post in the forum: it seems they’ve re-stocked and updated it with new capacitors:
This is the previous version, where it looks like they’re using 100uF capacitors:
And this is the new listing on Amazon, with red caps that look to be 220uF:
I’ve looked at my own and can confirm the 100uF 25v gold/yellow caps. I can’t tell what voltage the new, red ones are. Also, get well soon!
that’s a good hint. thank you very much.
I can confirm the availability.
Without question, the board is very special. ES9038Q2M and XLR for less than 60€.
apparently they have further optimized the board.
Yesterday there were four of us to test the two new additions.
The new additions were the discrete R2R DAC from EW and the ProtoDAC from Vincent.
To save myself from much effort, I decided to pit them against two TOP devices - the PecanPi and the PecanPi+.
I adjusted the volume to same level and connected the devices via multiroom.
This meant we could pause important passages in the music and play them on the next device.
For example, we played Hans Zimmer Dune part two ‘Beginnings are such delicate times’ again.
The bass part really brings cinema into the living room.
Of the four devices, we realized that three were in a league of their own!
The three devices played very musically, with fine resolution that impressed us much.
When asked which was our favorite device, there were two groups.
But we all placed our 2nd. place to the ProtoDAC from Vincent.
The stage was nice and wide, very detailed, bass was well present, controlled and beautiful timbres.
I would never have thought that the DIY DAC board would play that well with a 30 year old DAC. Hats off!
First place in one group went to the PecanPi+. The DAC doesn’t play as far, but with a bit more musican and punch. Things are more compressed there. The bass here has ‘caramba’ which goes into the pelvis. 
First place in the other group went to the discrete R2R DAC from EW. The stage was a little more subtle and wider than the ProtoDAC. With pleasure to be able to explore the sound of the stage in detail. With cost of losing a little foundament/bass.
Now I can say that we have gained two really great boards!
It’s really worth listening to them!
If you can solder, you should definitely try the ProtoDAC.
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Thanks for the summary of the sound check. I’m also amazed by the sound from this 30-years-old thing 
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@judydudi I have a set of used 150W monoblocks, I would like to send them to you to use at future soundchecks. Let me know what you think.
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You’re absolutely right. It’s become too quiet around the soundchecks. Lately, I have indeed been taking care of amplifiers.
I’ve been able to test the Audiolab 8300 MB, the Sphinx Siltech Project 12 monoblocks and a Purifi Eigentakt amplifier. But I stuck with my Cambridge 651w amplifier. At the moment I have finished a DIY FM300A clone. It sounds wonderful, but it lacks presence in the midrange.
The PecanPi+ Dac is my favorite DAC, so if you send me your amplifier, I’d be very curious to hear how it harmonizes with your PecanPI+.
When the amplifier arrives, I will announce the next soundcheck.
Thank you Leo!
Great gear, unfortunately the manufacturer was too much in party mode and drank the complete brand…
Hi @judydudi , out of curiosity, do you keep a Soundcheck playlist you could share in the music section? New music’s always welcome, and it would be cool to tune-in, in a way.
Hi ,
thanks for asking
Here is one playlist from a previous soundcheck
13. Volumio Soundcheck, Hamburg on TIDAL
I will provide the playlist for the next soundcheck around two weeks before soundcheck happens…
Thanks! This is great!
Awesome, thanks for this!!
I am looking forward to your thoughts on the amplifiers.
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YES! We’ll do it again… 
This is the invitation for the next VOLUMIO soundcheck in Hamburg Germany.
The event will be on september, 25 at 8PM.
It’s free of charge for everyone. just PM me for registration and more information.
OK music lovers. Looking for a great I2S DAC board for your Volumio DIY project?
We will have most of the best avaible DIY DAC boards in one competition.
| I2S device | DAC | RCA/XLR | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| PecanPi+ | AKM AK4499EXEQ | +/+ | US |
| PecanPi | PCM1794A Dual | +/+ | US |
| evo sabre | ES9038Q2M Dual | +/+ | FR |
| AroioDac | PCM5122 | +/- | DE |
| Innomaker HIFI dac pro | ES9038Q2M | +/+ | CN |
| R2R DAC | R2R | +/- | MY |
| ProtoDACgi | TDA1387 | +/- | HK |
But that’s not all! Orchard Audio sent us as set of their Starkrimson Mono Premium amps!!
With this we have the pleasure to make two rounds. One with the modified
cambridge 651w amp and one with the Starkrimson.
The Orchard Audio amps are already an eye-catcher Very well designed!
Of course we will publish our results here after the event.
I’ll post the playlist here later
The event is a unique opportunity to take a look at various devices on the market.
Here we are looking for the best volumio experience 
see you!