Disclaimer:
The Audiocular TP20 Pro and TP30 Pro were sent to me as part of a review tour organized by Concept Kart. The units were loaners for an audition in exchange for my honest opinion. The views expressed in this write-up are solely mine. There was no undue influence (monetary or otherwise), or pressure to write anything positive or negative about these dongles from Concept Kart.
Introduction:
Audiocular is an in-house brand of Concept Kart, a popular online store for audiophiles in India. Under the Audiocular brand, Concept Kart has been selling high-quality personal audio accessories at affordable prices. One can view their range of accessories at:
https://conceptkart.com/collections/audiocular
With the TP20 Pro and TP30 Pro, Concept Kart (CK henceforth) is expanding the Audiocular range to include personal audio equipment, such as USB dongle DACAMPs for starters. Both the TP20 Pro and TP30 Pro support USB C input and provide both 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm Balanced output.
Audiocular TP20 Pro:
- Dual Independent DAC Chipset (CS43131)
- 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL output
- DSD256 / 32bit-384KHz PCM and 4x MQA decoding
- Two gain modes
- Onboard media controls (Playback and volume)
The dongle comes neatly packed in relatively luxurious packaging, especially when compared to the other options at this price point. It comes with 2 cables included in the package, namely type c to type c and type c to lightning. Unlike pack-in cables from other brands, which are either too flimsy or just way too short for practical usage, Audiocular has included cables that look, feel, and most importantly perform like a premium cable. Oh yes, the cables are detachable, which IMO is a plus point.
The unit itself is quite heavy, so much so that I prefer calling it an “audio brick”. Perhaps the full metal enclosure is to blame for the weight. The TP20 Pro comes with a black casing and looks quite sleek. The dongle has a gain switch on one side and 3 buttons (Vol. Plus, Play / Pause, Vol Minus) on the other.
In terms of sound, this is a no-nonsense implementation of CS43131. There is a good balance between musicality and technicality here. There is a hint of warmth, making the bass sound slightly more pronounced, especially when compared to the TP30 Pro. Mids are well detailed and so is the treble. Overall, there is plenty of detail with a tinge of warmth, making it sound the more musical of the two.
Audiocular TP30 Pro:
- High-Performance ES9038Q2M DAC Chip
- 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL output
- DSD256 / 32bit-768KHz PCM and MQA decoding
The Audiocular TP30 Pro is a tad bit lighter than the TP20 Pro. It doesn’t have a gain switch or a play pause button but has the volume plus and minus buttons. The TP30 Pro comes in a golden full metal enclosure which IMO makes it look too blingy.
In terms of sound, this one has a vanilla implementation of an ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M DAC chip. Fortunately, the typical ESS glare has been tamed to a certain extent. What we have is a more neutral-sounding output wherein the treble is well-detailed, while the bass is slightly leaner. The mids retain excellent clarity. Overall, the TP30 Pro is the more analytical of the two with excellent detail in terms of treble.
Before I wrap up, I’d like to highlight that these are white-labeled products, hence there’s a chance that you might come across similar-looking products on the internet with different brand names. If you’re in the market for a new dongle DAC, (especially in India), the Audiocular TP20 Pro and TP30 Pro are good choices offering premium DAC chips and accessories at an affordable price.