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BLON V1 - DUAL CS43131 DAC CHIPS PORTABLE DAC/AMP
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Zerstorer_GOhren
1000+ Head-Fier
Pros: ● Affordable pricing.
● Solidly built aluminium alloy structure.
● Clear glass panel for viewing on its internal parts and components that reminds me of QUESTYLE M15s.
● Using a proven Cirrus Logic DAC known for its performance and power efficiency.
● Good thermal control as it does not build-up too much heat in longer usage.
● Incremental level on its volume control.
● Clearly has a neutral sound profile.
● It can drive some power-demanding IEMs.
● It further improves the technical performance of the already technically-proficient sets.
● Quite a technical performer.
● Solidly built aluminium alloy structure.
● Clear glass panel for viewing on its internal parts and components that reminds me of QUESTYLE M15s.
● Using a proven Cirrus Logic DAC known for its performance and power efficiency.
● Good thermal control as it does not build-up too much heat in longer usage.
● Incremental level on its volume control.
● Clearly has a neutral sound profile.
● It can drive some power-demanding IEMs.
● It further improves the technical performance of the already technically-proficient sets.
● Quite a technical performer.
Cons: ● Doesn't have manual gain mode.
● Some reported issues on PC usage especially on MacOS as it suddenly delivers a full volume level.
● Brightly-tuned sets should take caution on pairing them with this device.
● Inconsistent resolution capability particularly on micro-detail retrieval.
● Some reported issues on PC usage especially on MacOS as it suddenly delivers a full volume level.
● Brightly-tuned sets should take caution on pairing them with this device.
● Inconsistent resolution capability particularly on micro-detail retrieval.

The name BLON or its full international brand name, WGZBLON cemented its own legacy in the later years of 2010s as its product, BLON-03 left an indelible mark in the audio community. I am not a fan of BLON BL03 as it did not impress me but I acknowledge its popularity among other audio enthusiasts.

And BLON is now trying to be back in the audio game and they released their first ever headphone DAC/Amp dongle in partnership with TDKD HiFi, the V1. The V1 follows a standard pattern of most headphone DAC/Amp dongles like an elongated rectangular chassis with USB type-C port as its main digital interconnector to other devices and a dual audio output interface consisting of 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced.

On its physical profile, its overall structure is a CNC-milled aircraft-grade aluminium alloy and it feels light and sturdy and it has high strength with excellent fatigue resistance and is less susceptible against corrosion. On its top section, there's a tempered glass where we can view the internal parts and components embedded in a circuitry. Then on its side panel, at the left part, there's an overlap hollow part with the WGZBLON brand that can be used for loop straps and in the right part of the panel, the volume key buttons are situated there.




As for its audio interfaces, there's a 3.5mm audio jack and a 4.4mm balanced output jack and each port has a different power output rating, a 2Vrms on 3.5mm and a 4Vrms on 4.4mm that makes them a bit powerful in terms of power output delivery. On its opposite ends, there's a USB type-C port in which BLON also supplies a short type-C to type-C OTG cable used for data transmission on both encoding and decoding.


The WGZBLON V1 uses a proven Cirrus Logic DAC chip, CS43131 in a dual configuration which is known for its power efficiency while delivering a powerful output from its proprietary headphone amp driver with a low noise ground along with consistent chip components to eliminate any possible distortion, artefacts and pre-echoes during its operation. This audio IC is a 32-bit low-powered stereo audio DAC that can process some digital audio playback up to 384kHz on PCM and up to DSD256 on DSD format.


Another internal part of this headphone amp dongle was its LED light indicator which only has two colour modes, Green for PCM mode and Red for DSD mode. This device doesn't have a switch or button for adjusting gain mode manually. Its play and plug connectivity is akin to QUESTYLE's M15 headphone amp that the dongle itself became operationally active once you connected a termination plug on either 3.5mm and 4.4mm on its corresponding audio jack.

The product packaging of this one is rather spartan, enough to cover its intended usage as the contents inside of its packaging box consisted of the headphone DAC/amp dongle itself and the type-C to type-C cable.



On compatibility with both hardware and software, this device can be used on smartphones, tablets, laptops, PCs and even some DAPs that can support USB audio. As for software support, it is compatible on mobile OSes like Android, iPadOS and iOS and then on desktop ones, Windows and MacOS, although there are some reported issues on the latter operating system as it suddenly max out its volume level.

In all of my testing methods, I will use Android phones with different versions and some music applications like HIBY MUSIC app and NEUTRON app.
Here are following IEMs to be use on this test:
- LETSHUOER S12 2024 8th Anniversary Edition
- LETSHUOER EJ07
- BQEYZ CLOUD
- HIDIZS MP143
- KEFINE Delci
- LETSHUOER EJ09
On its tonality, the BLON V1 delivers a neutral sound with some slight emphasis on high frequencies that we can classify it as neutralish-bright which is unusually on this particular DAC model as most headphone DAC/Amp dongles sporting this particular DAC model will usually have a warmish-neutral sound profile.

LOWS/BASS:
Due to its almost uncoloured tuning, there's no hint of added elevation on the bass response on the some neutral sounding sets. On how the transducers on the IEMs sound based on its intended tonal profile, it will simply sound like without any overemphasis on its predetermined target tuning.
Even on sets with some elevated bass response, it still retains its authority, punchy, zest and slam in a clean and well-segregated presentation.
MIDRANGE:
As usual for its almost uncoloured tuning, it retains a clean, transparent and linear midrange presentation that there will be no added embellishment that might affect that might cause colouration on timbre characteristics of vocals and instruments.
Although in some instances, I noticed that some sets with a neutralish-bright sound signature or a treble-focus tuning profile have some slight added energy and lustre on some female vocals and instruments like strings and woodwinds.
HIGHS/TREBLE:
While it appears that it doesn't sullied the treble quality that much but there is slight perceptible elevation on upper mids up to the presence treble section that gives more definition and clarity on vocals and attack of instruments. So pairing it with brighter-tuned IEMs should be taken with caution that it might me a bit overbearing to some treble-sensitive folk out there.
This dongle is capable of giving that crisp, shimmering and delineating sound on treble-clef instruments like cymbals, hi-hats, glockenspiels and celestas.
OVERALL TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE:
This is probably one of the most impressive aspects that this headphone DAC/Amp dongle could deliver. It can project a wide sound field in a clean black sonic soundscape. It adds more spacing and gaps on sets with excellent layering and separation capabilities.
For resolution capabilities, this one has a solid note definition on macro-dynamics but the micro-detail retrieval is rather quite an oddity in my opinion. The reason I explicate the oddity nature on its micro-dynamics that it is given that neutral sounding DAC/Amps dongles with slight emphasis on the high frequency will give a razor-sharp definition on extracting on nuances and micro-details from an audio track but it wasn't the case on this one as it is a bit blunted. Power delivery of this appears to be sufficient on IEM earphones that need more power output on their transducers especially on planar magnetics and ceramic dynamic driver ones.
PEER COMPARISONS:
HIDIZS S8 PRO ROBIN
- It has a similar size with BLON V1 but it appears a bit more lighter.
- It still follows the design language of current Hidizs dongles with some unique twists on the design shapes on volume key buttons and play/post button.
- It uses the same Cirrus Logic DAC like the one that was implemented on BLON V1.
- This dongle offers 6 options of digital filters that makes this device even more versatile.
- It doesn't have a manual gain switch or button.
- It has a warmish-neutral sound profile.
EPZ TP20 PRO
- It has almost similar size with the BLON V1, but it doesn't have that see-through glass feature.
- It has a sandblasted surface with carbon-fibre covering on its panels.
- This dongle also uses the same Cirrus Logic DAC model with BLON V1.
- It has LED Indicator from sampling rate but its placement looks asymmetrical on its overall design
- It has a manual gain toggle switch.
- Like the S8 PRO ROBIN, this one also has a warmish-neutral sound profile.
FOSI AUDIO DS2
- It has slimmer form factor compared to BLON V1 and it doesn’t have a see-through window feature but it is quite more solidly built.
- On its packaging box, it has an USB type-A adaptor for its type-C for compatible connectivity to older PCs and laptops.
- It has more power output than BLON V1 which this set can drive to some power-hungry headphones and earphones.
- It has a LED indicator for sampling rate.
- It has more tactile and snappy key buttons.
- This device has a warmish-neutral sound profile.
As I end my assessment on this device, the BLON V1 could be a good option if you are looking for headphone DAC/Amp dongle which has an unusual design feature like see through window panel, can deliver a good power output for IEMs with a stubborn transducers that demands more output and a unusual sound profile for Cirrus Logic DAC-equipped device. This device seems to distance itself from other Cirrus Logic DAC dongles as it has a cleaner, almost linear neutral sound with a tad brighter profile for less colouration on delivering a sound quality on IEMs and headphones that makes this one its one of its strong assets but some its facets aren't that class-leading that makes this device rather an average on the ever-competitive battle of entry-level headphone DAC/Amp dongles in the audio market.
BLON V1 is now available at LINSOUL, check the non-affiliated link below that I've provided.
LINK: https://www.linsoul.com/products/blon-v1?srsltid=AfmBOopM-sy_DCdmnM0taCCgufrEbWgsTEFX7IeIMuDIFP1sYSKBxyhx

SPECIFICATIONS:
Model | BLON V1 DAC/Amp |
Output Power | 80+80mW(SE); 160mW(BAL) |
Input Mode | USB Type C |
Output Mode | 3.5MM + 4.4MM Headphone |
Frequency Range | 20Hz-45kHz (±0.5dB) |
THD | 0.0006%(32Ω SE), 0.0005%(32Ω BALANCED) |
SNR | ≥132dB |
Sampling Rate | 32bit/384kHz |
DSD | DSD64/128/256 |
DAC Chip Set | CIRRUS LOGIC CS43131 (2x) |
Material | Aluminium Alloy |
Compatible Devices | Mac\Windos\IOS\Android |
Dimensions | 57mm x27.25mm x 11.43mm |
TESTING TRACKS: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)
Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*
P.S.
I am not affiliated to LINSOUL nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.
Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to KAREENA TANG for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate her generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.




Last edited:
ahammedsojib
100+ Head-Fier
Pros: ~ Premium looking & robust build construction
~ Physical control buttons
~ Neutral to slightly bright sound signature
~ Decent technical performance
~ Good output power for the price
~ Physical control buttons
~ Neutral to slightly bright sound signature
~ Decent technical performance
~ Good output power for the price
Cons: ~ Control button pressing feels edgy
~ No dedicated gain switching option
~ Not very strongest dynamics punch
~ Mising type A adapter
~ Pairing not good with bright sounding stuff
~ Not very thick and well-bodied sound
~ No dedicated gain switching option
~ Not very strongest dynamics punch
~ Mising type A adapter
~ Pairing not good with bright sounding stuff
~ Not very thick and well-bodied sound
★ Introduction :-
Blon is a popular chinese brand, they were founded in 2014. We all are more or less familiar with the Blon brand, they gained a good reputation for releasing market hit products at basically affordable prices. Blon's first market shaking item was the Bl03, which was widely discussed for its quality bass performance and as their next successor they brought out the Blon 05s which was capable of providing great technicalities along with descent sound clarity and at that time its competitor was very few. I was personally a user of their 05s, Which satisfied me quite well. Recently they've launched V1 model dongle dac in the market, interestingly this is the first dongle in their dac amp line up. I've been using this dongle regularly for more than two weeks, I'll try to give my personal opinion about it in this review. So that it is convenient for understand how equitable for this price category.
★ Disclaimer :-
This unit was sent to me directly from Linsoul Audio for review purpose. I had no financial agreement with them to promote their product. As always the entire opinion of this review is completely my personal.
★ Box Content at a Glance :-
The Blon V1 comes with a small box and out of the box dongle, type c to type c cable and lighting cable variants are also available. My unit is lightning cable version Besides, there is no type A adapter in the box that should have been there. So if you want to use it on PC, you have to buy usb A adapter separately.
1. Blon V1 dongle dac ×1
2. Type c to lightning cable ×1
3. User manual guide ×1
★ Design, Build Quality & Functionality :-
The Blon V1 is a very sleek and premium looking device that uses tempered glass on both the front and back.The Side frame are basically made with aluminum alloy chassis. It has three physical multifunctional buttons including two volume up & down buttons and another music "play-pause" button. Due to some edgy finish to the buttons, they are not much leniency to press but the control buttons are not wonky, besides its ports also seem to be very durable. So there is no room to complain about these. V1 features light weight as well as durable and this is definitely a solid pieced. This portable device can be an ideal option for regular usage, because it is very compact in size and at the same time it very easy to carry. So can be easily used anywhere for indoor or outdoor travel. On the other hand, its glass panel gets fingerprints and scratches very easily which looks quite annoying that is basically a bummer. However, the interesting thing that the device is compatible with everything, so you don't have to face any kind of usability issues. It performed well with everything on all platforms including android, iOS and windows. No need to take the hassle of extra driver installation to use on PC, just plug & play type performance will be available. Also I was able to stream apple music on iPhone with it very well. That's why I would like to thank Blon for such a nice compatibility of their V1 dac.
★ Specifications :-
~ Model: V1 DAC/Amp
~ DAC Chip: CS43131*2
~ Frequency Response: 5-82KHz (±1dB)
~ Headphone Interface: 3.5mm single-ended, 4.4mm balanced
~ SNR: 132dB (A-weighted)
~ Dynamic Range: 4.4mm: 132dB (A-weighted)
~ Output Level: 4.4mm: 4Vrms,
3.5mm: 2Vrms
~ Sampling Rate Indicator: PCM (Green), DSD (Red)
~ Dimensions: 57mm*27.25mm*11.43mm
~ Weight: 20g
~ Max output power: 160mw
★ Tested With :-
~ Sennheiser HD660S2
~ Sony IER M9
~ Tanchjim Origin
~ Dunu Falcon Ultra
~ Hidizs MP145
~ IO Audio Volare
~ NF Audio Ra15
~ Letshouer S08
~ Artti Audio R1
★ Sound Aspect :-
The tonality of the dongle is simply neutral with a hint of bright-ish nature but there was no extra coloration. Which will match from maximum IEM's to some moderate demanding headphones, if they're not too bright sounding stuff by default. There was no unwanted boost in the V1 dac bass region. It exhibits controlled bass response with good extension but less depth & texture. The speed of the bass notes is good, bass notes were not too thick but not so thin, considered to be in a middle position.
Midrange has a very clean and forward presentation. This dac emphasizes the upper mids a bit, the lower mids tend to be a little grainy but less so. Because it's a bit more forward, it unlikely to do well in sets where the mids are already forward. Treble has a good amount of detail which is enough to bring out the upper treble, the lower treble is a bit unrefined with the quantity & quality of micro detail not up to expectations and their extension is mediocre.Technically, this dongle is in a very strong position. Wider stage as well as good imaging capability will put V1 far ahead of its competitors. However, this dac will not deliver clean output with sensitive sets (lower than 16ohm). So it is not wise to use those sensitive sets. I used the IO Audio volare for testing and I didn't get the results that I expected, it seemed to bloat the bass notes and ruin the dynamic punch and at the same time noticeable hissing issue was there
★ Synergy and Power :-
Decent synergy comes with the dongle in regular sets. Although it is a entry level dongle but power output is quite good. The maximum output capability of the device comes from its bal port. On the other hand, I've noticed the lack of many dynamics in the single end port, which is normal. Paired hd660s2 with its bal port (160mw) where there was good amount of loudness but dynamic punch was lacking. The bass was not tight and well-controlled with lack of depth, mids were more forward but not engaging even well-bodied. Besides, I got average detail retrieval and technicalities from it. This is not likely to cause problematic, as many desktop setups are unable to drive the 660s2 properly. The main drawback of the dongle is that dynamics & micro dynamics region. Which is usually seen from this type of offerings. In addition to moderate output power, It has the ability to decode sound from PCM to DSd256. The color of their light indicator changes according to the sample rate.
★ Conclusion :-
As Blon's first dongle, the v1 was pretty good but lacking in several aspects. By doing this, it may not be able to create a strong position compared to others dongle in similar price range. I don't consider these as major flaws though. If they can make their next generation dongle sound more resolving and technically more stronger, then it will surely achieve the title of value for money tag.
I've provided the purchase link below for everyone convenience
Linsoul Audio (link isn’t affiliated)
Blon is a popular chinese brand, they were founded in 2014. We all are more or less familiar with the Blon brand, they gained a good reputation for releasing market hit products at basically affordable prices. Blon's first market shaking item was the Bl03, which was widely discussed for its quality bass performance and as their next successor they brought out the Blon 05s which was capable of providing great technicalities along with descent sound clarity and at that time its competitor was very few. I was personally a user of their 05s, Which satisfied me quite well. Recently they've launched V1 model dongle dac in the market, interestingly this is the first dongle in their dac amp line up. I've been using this dongle regularly for more than two weeks, I'll try to give my personal opinion about it in this review. So that it is convenient for understand how equitable for this price category.


★ Disclaimer :-
This unit was sent to me directly from Linsoul Audio for review purpose. I had no financial agreement with them to promote their product. As always the entire opinion of this review is completely my personal.
★ Box Content at a Glance :-
The Blon V1 comes with a small box and out of the box dongle, type c to type c cable and lighting cable variants are also available. My unit is lightning cable version Besides, there is no type A adapter in the box that should have been there. So if you want to use it on PC, you have to buy usb A adapter separately.


1. Blon V1 dongle dac ×1
2. Type c to lightning cable ×1
3. User manual guide ×1
★ Design, Build Quality & Functionality :-
The Blon V1 is a very sleek and premium looking device that uses tempered glass on both the front and back.The Side frame are basically made with aluminum alloy chassis. It has three physical multifunctional buttons including two volume up & down buttons and another music "play-pause" button. Due to some edgy finish to the buttons, they are not much leniency to press but the control buttons are not wonky, besides its ports also seem to be very durable. So there is no room to complain about these. V1 features light weight as well as durable and this is definitely a solid pieced. This portable device can be an ideal option for regular usage, because it is very compact in size and at the same time it very easy to carry. So can be easily used anywhere for indoor or outdoor travel. On the other hand, its glass panel gets fingerprints and scratches very easily which looks quite annoying that is basically a bummer. However, the interesting thing that the device is compatible with everything, so you don't have to face any kind of usability issues. It performed well with everything on all platforms including android, iOS and windows. No need to take the hassle of extra driver installation to use on PC, just plug & play type performance will be available. Also I was able to stream apple music on iPhone with it very well. That's why I would like to thank Blon for such a nice compatibility of their V1 dac.


★ Specifications :-
~ Model: V1 DAC/Amp
~ DAC Chip: CS43131*2
~ Frequency Response: 5-82KHz (±1dB)
~ Headphone Interface: 3.5mm single-ended, 4.4mm balanced
~ SNR: 132dB (A-weighted)
~ Dynamic Range: 4.4mm: 132dB (A-weighted)
~ Output Level: 4.4mm: 4Vrms,
3.5mm: 2Vrms
~ Sampling Rate Indicator: PCM (Green), DSD (Red)
~ Dimensions: 57mm*27.25mm*11.43mm
~ Weight: 20g
~ Max output power: 160mw
★ Tested With :-
~ Sennheiser HD660S2
~ Sony IER M9
~ Tanchjim Origin
~ Dunu Falcon Ultra
~ Hidizs MP145
~ IO Audio Volare
~ NF Audio Ra15
~ Letshouer S08
~ Artti Audio R1
★ Sound Aspect :-
The tonality of the dongle is simply neutral with a hint of bright-ish nature but there was no extra coloration. Which will match from maximum IEM's to some moderate demanding headphones, if they're not too bright sounding stuff by default. There was no unwanted boost in the V1 dac bass region. It exhibits controlled bass response with good extension but less depth & texture. The speed of the bass notes is good, bass notes were not too thick but not so thin, considered to be in a middle position.
Midrange has a very clean and forward presentation. This dac emphasizes the upper mids a bit, the lower mids tend to be a little grainy but less so. Because it's a bit more forward, it unlikely to do well in sets where the mids are already forward. Treble has a good amount of detail which is enough to bring out the upper treble, the lower treble is a bit unrefined with the quantity & quality of micro detail not up to expectations and their extension is mediocre.Technically, this dongle is in a very strong position. Wider stage as well as good imaging capability will put V1 far ahead of its competitors. However, this dac will not deliver clean output with sensitive sets (lower than 16ohm). So it is not wise to use those sensitive sets. I used the IO Audio volare for testing and I didn't get the results that I expected, it seemed to bloat the bass notes and ruin the dynamic punch and at the same time noticeable hissing issue was there

★ Synergy and Power :-
Decent synergy comes with the dongle in regular sets. Although it is a entry level dongle but power output is quite good. The maximum output capability of the device comes from its bal port. On the other hand, I've noticed the lack of many dynamics in the single end port, which is normal. Paired hd660s2 with its bal port (160mw) where there was good amount of loudness but dynamic punch was lacking. The bass was not tight and well-controlled with lack of depth, mids were more forward but not engaging even well-bodied. Besides, I got average detail retrieval and technicalities from it. This is not likely to cause problematic, as many desktop setups are unable to drive the 660s2 properly. The main drawback of the dongle is that dynamics & micro dynamics region. Which is usually seen from this type of offerings. In addition to moderate output power, It has the ability to decode sound from PCM to DSd256. The color of their light indicator changes according to the sample rate.

★ Conclusion :-
As Blon's first dongle, the v1 was pretty good but lacking in several aspects. By doing this, it may not be able to create a strong position compared to others dongle in similar price range. I don't consider these as major flaws though. If they can make their next generation dongle sound more resolving and technically more stronger, then it will surely achieve the title of value for money tag.
I've provided the purchase link below for everyone convenience

Linsoul Audio (link isn’t affiliated)
Last edited:
P
Pranto Dev
Nice one vai
baskingshark
Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Glass paneling with beautiful design and solid build
Unobtrusive and compact profile
3.5 mm and 4.4 mm ports
Decent power on tap
Independent volume controls with fine steps
Provision of a pause button
Neutral uncoloured sonics
Good soundstage and imaging for a budget dongle
Gets warm but not scalding hot when driving demanding gear
Unobtrusive and compact profile
3.5 mm and 4.4 mm ports
Decent power on tap
Independent volume controls with fine steps
Provision of a pause button
Neutral uncoloured sonics
Good soundstage and imaging for a budget dongle
Gets warm but not scalding hot when driving demanding gear
Cons: Could be better accessorized
Glass panels are fingerprint magnets
No EQ, no DAC filters, no app
No screen, no gain options
Hiss and EMI may occur with sensitive IEMs
Irritating "POP" sound heard on attaching or removing transducers
Not the most micro-detailed, with a slight veil to notes
There are more powerful dongles at its price point
Glass panels are fingerprint magnets
No EQ, no DAC filters, no app
No screen, no gain options
Hiss and EMI may occur with sensitive IEMs
Irritating "POP" sound heard on attaching or removing transducers
Not the most micro-detailed, with a slight veil to notes
There are more powerful dongles at its price point
DISCLAIMER
I would like to thank Linsoul for providing the BLON V1 review unit.
It can be gotten here: https://www.linsoul.com/products/blon-v1 (no affiliate links).
SPECIFICATIONS/COMPATIBILITY
Tested at $41 USD.
This is a plug-and-play dongle. There is no need for additional driver installation for Windows 10 and above devices. As I am not an Apple ecosystem user, I cannot vouch for the V1's compatibility with such devices.
The V1 has no app compatibility and no PEQ available. There are no DAC filters or gain options too.
ACCESSORIES
For folks who have been around the block, the BLON company had many memes for its signature tagline of the BLON word standing for "Belief, Letmusicburn, Oppoty and Never give up".

I'm glad to report that BLON has corrected the grammar of previous iterations!
Other than the dongle, only a USB-C to USB-C cable OR Lightning cable is provided for. When placing an order, you are pigeon-holed into selecting only one of the cable types.
BLON has not included any USB-A adapters, so one has to source for this if you would like to use the V1 with a laptop or PC.
Thankfully the sole USB-C cable is a flat cable which is quite supple and flexible.
DESIGN/FUNCTION
The V1 is fashioned from aviation-grade CNC aluminum alloy, with tempered glass panels on the front and back of the dongle. It is very solid to the touch, and robust in build.
Weighing a mere 20 g and measuring 57 x 27.25 x 11.43 mm, this dongle is small in profile and can easily fit inside a pocket or little case.
The front glass panel allows users to visualize the internals in all their glory. There is also an LED light that changes depending on sampling rate - a green light for PCM files and a red light for higher-rate DSD ones. While the glass panels are a looker, they may be scratch or fingerprint magnets, so do be careful!
On one end, we have the USB-C port for data and power.
The opposite side contains 3.5 mm (single-ended) and 4.4 mm (balanced) ports, with the latter reinforced by gold-plating.
On the lateral side of the chassis, we have 3 buttons - the middle corresponds to a pause tab - while the outer 2 are the + and - volume buttons. It is quite a nice touch - no pun intended - to include a pause tab, as some modern day dongles do not even have volume buttons, let alone pause/play ones. Speaking about the volume buttons, these are independent with fine steps, and the hardware buttons are all-round well implemented.
The other lateral aspect of the V1 has BLON's logo etched into the frame.
INTERNALS
The V1's engine are dual CS43131 DAC chips. BLON markets that each chip independently powers the left and right channels, bestowing a fully balanced 4-channel setup, which on paper, reduces crosstalk.
This dongle allows playback of files up to 32 Bit/384 kHz and DSD 256.
SOUND/PERFORMANCE
I tested the BLON V1 with only Android phones and Windows laptops and PCs. As I am not an Apple user, I can't vouch for their performance with Apple devices.
On phones, I used the HiBy Music Player, with USB bit perfect OTG activated. I cannot vouch for usage with other USB exclusive music apps.
Tonally, the BLON V1 sports a neutralish profile that is uncoloured. Instead, it lets the connected transducer do the painting of the soundscape, which will suit purists to a tee.
The BLON V1 has good end-to-end extension. In technicalities, for a budget source, it has a surprisingly good soundstage and imaging that belies its price, with notes heard just beyond the ear. There is a slight veil to notes however, with clarity and micro-detailing taking a hit, so this dongle isn't ultra resolving per se. Instrument separation also has penalties when it comes to complex tracks, with some haziness of instrumentation found.
There are no output specs for the V1 in mW, but marketing materials put the 3.5 mm (single-ended) port at 2 Vrms and the 4.4 mm (balanced) one at 4 Vrms. In terms of sheer power, this dongle is not the most powerful at its price point, but should drive most low-demand IEMs out there with ease.
My acid tests for source evaluation include 3 of my hardest to drive gear:
1) Final Audio E5000 (low sensitivity at 93dB/mW)
2) Sennheiser HD650 (high impedance at 300ohm)
3) Yinman 600 ohm (600 ohm impedance and 87db/mW sensitivity)
The E5000 could be driven to optimal volume, but bass texturing could be improved, with some smearing of notes in complex bass tracks. Soundstage and dynamics were however adequately portrayed for a budget dongle.
The HD650 likewise could reach decent headroom, but soundstage and dynamics were a tinge compressed, and bass could be tighter.
The final boss, the Yinman 600 ohm - with an outrageously low sensitivity and high impedance - can be powered to adequate volume, but bass is one-noted and nebulous, struggling to keep up with complex riffs. Soundstage was also on the claustrophobic side. It is no shame though, many pricier portable gear - some costing 10x more - can't drive the Yinmans well (not a matter of volume but of good control).
This dongle has hiss/EMI on occasions, especially with sensitive IEMs. We have no info on the output impedance, but I surmise it should be relatively low, as fussy low impedance gear that are paired with it do not sound skewed in the frequency response.
Annoyingly - and this may be a deal-breaker - the V1 has a nasty "POP" sound on disconnecting or connecting transducers, especially low impedance/high sensitivity IEMs. This does not get mitigated even with muting the upstream source, and is a sign of inadequate suppression in the circuitry.
During field tests, this DAC/AMP may get warm, especially when driving power-hungry gear, but it is nothing scalding compared to some dongle rivals.
COMPARISONS
The V1 will be compared against other $30 - 40ish USD dongles.
Tempotec Sonata HD Pro
The HD Pro is another neutral source. It also has independent volume controllers and a detachable cable, but only has a 3.5 mm port. The HD Pro has no pause/play button.
The HD Pro has a smaller soundstage, but performs better in micro-detailing and imaging.
The HD Pro is limited to pumping out 60 mW at 32 ohms, and even compared to the 3.5 mm port of the V1, the HD Pro is weaker in terms of power output. The HD Pro is smaller in size, and it runs cooler during usage.
The HD Pro has better implementation of the internals, with no "POP" on pairing gear.
Fiio KA11
The KA11 is a non-detachable dongle in the form of the Apple dongle, and it has no volume controls.
The KA11 has a warm signature, and it imparts more bass to the soundscape. The KA11 is a league behind in technicalities, with poorer imaging, soundstage and micro-detailing.
The KA11 has big power on tap - 200 mW at 32 ohms - and can outdrive more power-hungry behemoths. The KA11 gets much hotter during usage. Thankfully, there is no "POP" on removing gear from the KA11, unlike on the V1. The KA11 has a complimentary app to unlock some goodies.
CONCLUSIONS
The BLON V1 is a budget Cirrus dongle that offers an uncoloured neutral soundscape, letting the connected transducer do the talking, so to speak. Purists will enjoy this arrangement, and the V1 has good soundstage and imaging amongst the budget dongle fare.
It is solidly built, and quite a looker, with the tempered glass paneling allowing users to visualize the innards. There is also decent power on tap from the single-ended and balanced ports, which should be able to handle most IEMs other than outlier equipment. I appreciate the finely tuned independent volume controls, with even a pause button available on the chassis.
This dongle does not get overly hot during usage, but suffers from hiss, EMI and a nasty "POP" sound on connecting transducers. This "POP" may actually be a deal-breaker of sorts, and is more apparent on sensitive IEMs.
Sound-wise, the V1 isn't the most technical, falling behind in parameters like instrument separation, clarity and micro-detailing, when benchmarked against similarly priced rivals. The V1 also loses some marks in terms of accessories and absolute power specs, in addition to being quite no-frills - there is no app, EQ, gain or DAC filters to play with.
All-things-considered, the BLON V1 is quite average. It isn't an outright fail, as there are some redeeming traits - including its relatively affordable $41 price point - but this device is a jack-of-all-trades and master of none, with a smattering of pros and cons balancing out the entire package and not proving to be very decisive in any particular area.
I would like to thank Linsoul for providing the BLON V1 review unit.
It can be gotten here: https://www.linsoul.com/products/blon-v1 (no affiliate links).

SPECIFICATIONS/COMPATIBILITY

Tested at $41 USD.
This is a plug-and-play dongle. There is no need for additional driver installation for Windows 10 and above devices. As I am not an Apple ecosystem user, I cannot vouch for the V1's compatibility with such devices.
The V1 has no app compatibility and no PEQ available. There are no DAC filters or gain options too.
ACCESSORIES
For folks who have been around the block, the BLON company had many memes for its signature tagline of the BLON word standing for "Belief, Letmusicburn, Oppoty and Never give up".

I'm glad to report that BLON has corrected the grammar of previous iterations!

Other than the dongle, only a USB-C to USB-C cable OR Lightning cable is provided for. When placing an order, you are pigeon-holed into selecting only one of the cable types.

BLON has not included any USB-A adapters, so one has to source for this if you would like to use the V1 with a laptop or PC.
Thankfully the sole USB-C cable is a flat cable which is quite supple and flexible.
DESIGN/FUNCTION

The V1 is fashioned from aviation-grade CNC aluminum alloy, with tempered glass panels on the front and back of the dongle. It is very solid to the touch, and robust in build.
Weighing a mere 20 g and measuring 57 x 27.25 x 11.43 mm, this dongle is small in profile and can easily fit inside a pocket or little case.

The front glass panel allows users to visualize the internals in all their glory. There is also an LED light that changes depending on sampling rate - a green light for PCM files and a red light for higher-rate DSD ones. While the glass panels are a looker, they may be scratch or fingerprint magnets, so do be careful!

On one end, we have the USB-C port for data and power.

The opposite side contains 3.5 mm (single-ended) and 4.4 mm (balanced) ports, with the latter reinforced by gold-plating.

On the lateral side of the chassis, we have 3 buttons - the middle corresponds to a pause tab - while the outer 2 are the + and - volume buttons. It is quite a nice touch - no pun intended - to include a pause tab, as some modern day dongles do not even have volume buttons, let alone pause/play ones. Speaking about the volume buttons, these are independent with fine steps, and the hardware buttons are all-round well implemented.
The other lateral aspect of the V1 has BLON's logo etched into the frame.

INTERNALS
The V1's engine are dual CS43131 DAC chips. BLON markets that each chip independently powers the left and right channels, bestowing a fully balanced 4-channel setup, which on paper, reduces crosstalk.
This dongle allows playback of files up to 32 Bit/384 kHz and DSD 256.
SOUND/PERFORMANCE
I tested the BLON V1 with only Android phones and Windows laptops and PCs. As I am not an Apple user, I can't vouch for their performance with Apple devices.
On phones, I used the HiBy Music Player, with USB bit perfect OTG activated. I cannot vouch for usage with other USB exclusive music apps.
Tonally, the BLON V1 sports a neutralish profile that is uncoloured. Instead, it lets the connected transducer do the painting of the soundscape, which will suit purists to a tee.
The BLON V1 has good end-to-end extension. In technicalities, for a budget source, it has a surprisingly good soundstage and imaging that belies its price, with notes heard just beyond the ear. There is a slight veil to notes however, with clarity and micro-detailing taking a hit, so this dongle isn't ultra resolving per se. Instrument separation also has penalties when it comes to complex tracks, with some haziness of instrumentation found.
There are no output specs for the V1 in mW, but marketing materials put the 3.5 mm (single-ended) port at 2 Vrms and the 4.4 mm (balanced) one at 4 Vrms. In terms of sheer power, this dongle is not the most powerful at its price point, but should drive most low-demand IEMs out there with ease.
My acid tests for source evaluation include 3 of my hardest to drive gear:
1) Final Audio E5000 (low sensitivity at 93dB/mW)
2) Sennheiser HD650 (high impedance at 300ohm)
3) Yinman 600 ohm (600 ohm impedance and 87db/mW sensitivity)
The E5000 could be driven to optimal volume, but bass texturing could be improved, with some smearing of notes in complex bass tracks. Soundstage and dynamics were however adequately portrayed for a budget dongle.
The HD650 likewise could reach decent headroom, but soundstage and dynamics were a tinge compressed, and bass could be tighter.
The final boss, the Yinman 600 ohm - with an outrageously low sensitivity and high impedance - can be powered to adequate volume, but bass is one-noted and nebulous, struggling to keep up with complex riffs. Soundstage was also on the claustrophobic side. It is no shame though, many pricier portable gear - some costing 10x more - can't drive the Yinmans well (not a matter of volume but of good control).
This dongle has hiss/EMI on occasions, especially with sensitive IEMs. We have no info on the output impedance, but I surmise it should be relatively low, as fussy low impedance gear that are paired with it do not sound skewed in the frequency response.
Annoyingly - and this may be a deal-breaker - the V1 has a nasty "POP" sound on disconnecting or connecting transducers, especially low impedance/high sensitivity IEMs. This does not get mitigated even with muting the upstream source, and is a sign of inadequate suppression in the circuitry.
During field tests, this DAC/AMP may get warm, especially when driving power-hungry gear, but it is nothing scalding compared to some dongle rivals.

COMPARISONS
The V1 will be compared against other $30 - 40ish USD dongles.
Tempotec Sonata HD Pro
The HD Pro is another neutral source. It also has independent volume controllers and a detachable cable, but only has a 3.5 mm port. The HD Pro has no pause/play button.
The HD Pro has a smaller soundstage, but performs better in micro-detailing and imaging.
The HD Pro is limited to pumping out 60 mW at 32 ohms, and even compared to the 3.5 mm port of the V1, the HD Pro is weaker in terms of power output. The HD Pro is smaller in size, and it runs cooler during usage.
The HD Pro has better implementation of the internals, with no "POP" on pairing gear.
Fiio KA11
The KA11 is a non-detachable dongle in the form of the Apple dongle, and it has no volume controls.
The KA11 has a warm signature, and it imparts more bass to the soundscape. The KA11 is a league behind in technicalities, with poorer imaging, soundstage and micro-detailing.
The KA11 has big power on tap - 200 mW at 32 ohms - and can outdrive more power-hungry behemoths. The KA11 gets much hotter during usage. Thankfully, there is no "POP" on removing gear from the KA11, unlike on the V1. The KA11 has a complimentary app to unlock some goodies.
CONCLUSIONS

The BLON V1 is a budget Cirrus dongle that offers an uncoloured neutral soundscape, letting the connected transducer do the talking, so to speak. Purists will enjoy this arrangement, and the V1 has good soundstage and imaging amongst the budget dongle fare.
It is solidly built, and quite a looker, with the tempered glass paneling allowing users to visualize the innards. There is also decent power on tap from the single-ended and balanced ports, which should be able to handle most IEMs other than outlier equipment. I appreciate the finely tuned independent volume controls, with even a pause button available on the chassis.
This dongle does not get overly hot during usage, but suffers from hiss, EMI and a nasty "POP" sound on connecting transducers. This "POP" may actually be a deal-breaker of sorts, and is more apparent on sensitive IEMs.
Sound-wise, the V1 isn't the most technical, falling behind in parameters like instrument separation, clarity and micro-detailing, when benchmarked against similarly priced rivals. The V1 also loses some marks in terms of accessories and absolute power specs, in addition to being quite no-frills - there is no app, EQ, gain or DAC filters to play with.
All-things-considered, the BLON V1 is quite average. It isn't an outright fail, as there are some redeeming traits - including its relatively affordable $41 price point - but this device is a jack-of-all-trades and master of none, with a smattering of pros and cons balancing out the entire package and not proving to be very decisive in any particular area.
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Vamp898
I am surprised that the DAWN PRO, that does use the same chips, does not have the POP issues nor hiss and also has a Gain switch and selectable filters
For 8$ more... IMHO 8$ well spent
For 8$ more... IMHO 8$ well spent

baskingshark
@Vamp898 That's why the implementation and rest of the circuitry trumps the DAC chip.