Cozoy Astrapi

Cozoy Astrapi Review
 

 
 
Intro: Cozoy Ltd. is a relatively new company that was founded in 2014 and based in China. Their current product portfolio only includes their recently released Cozoy Astrapi portable dac/amplifier. CTC Audio is their official distributor for the United States and Canada. Link here: http://www.ctcaudio.com/products/cozoy-astrapi-dac-amplifier.
 
I was very interested in purchasing a Cozoy Astrapi for my portable needs and contacted CTC Audio with some questions. CTC Audio was kind enough to supply me with a loaner review unit upon request. I am in no way affiliated with Cozoy or CTC Audio and this a non-professional, unpaid, and uncensored review covering my honest thoughts.
 
Tech: The Cozoy Astrapi is a portable USB digital analog convertor with a solid state amplifier designed to work out-of-the-box with iOS and Android. The Astrapi is powered by the source device with it is connected via the included usb cable. When the volume output is maximized, it functions as a standalone dac, providing a clean line-out output to pair with another amplifier.
 
It natively supports up to 16 bit depth and 44.1 sample rate decoding and uses Digital Sound Processing tuning algorithms during all playback. Source files higher than 16/44.1 will be played back non-natively (Cozoy recommends Onkyo HF player and Radius NePlayer).
 
Official Specifications: (Copied from their official website)
Bit rate: DSP engine sampling at 16/44.1, all formats playable with software support
System power current: 10mA - 70mA max.
Power input: 1.8V-3.3V+-10%
Output gain level step: 3dB/step; 16 steps
Native 16/44.1 decoding and implementation of DSP tuning algorithms
Output varies as power input may differ, this situation exists on every kind of OS
 
Packaging: Packaging is beautiful, but I personally couldn't care less and don’t really place much emphasis on the packaging in my reviews.
 

Astrapi Box
 

Astrapi in box with ribbon for easy removal & warranty card
 
Build Quality & Design: I personally rate the design and build quality of the Astrapi extremely highly. Its body is fully metal and feels quite premium. There is a small clip on the back side. Adorning the two ends is the micro usb port and 3.5mm headphone jack (double as a line-out at maxed volume]. It is easy to see that Cozoy has taken extra care to place an emphasis on aesthetic appeal and build quality, which is a refreshing attitude for the inexpensive portable amp/dac market.
 
          
 
          
 
          
 

Weight: 10 grams measured on my kitchen scale (specially calibrated for measuring audiophile-grade equipment… & small non-audiophile edibles.)
Dimensions* [length x width x depth]:
not including clip: 52 mm x 15mm x 6 mm [2 in x ⅝ in x ¼ in]
including clip: depth changes to 9 mm [⅜ inch]
*if you do the metric to imperial conversation, you see that the metric measurements are shorter. well, the Cozy is so small it measures in between the little lines of the inches side on normal non-audiophile approved ruler. My metric measurements more accurate. That should be obvious as all scientists who measure stuff as a profession use the metric scale.
 
In case you still didn’t understand how minuscule the Astrapi is, the AudioQuest Dragonfly which is often praised for its small form factor looks giant next to the Astrapi. The Dragonfly more than doubles the Astrapi’s weight and body thickness*!!! Let me pause for a moment for that to stick in. You can scroll down look at comparison pictures while I’m pausing. [*Note: body means excluding the metal clip; the Astrapi is still thinner including the clip]
 
          
 
          
 
I did run into a rare issue where my Astrapi would drop out sometimes or fail to recognize upon first connection. This was a scarce occurrence during my month-long audition of the unit and I actually had difficulty duplicating this phenomenon, even under stress testing. May possibly be related to my phone. The connections on both ends do appear to be quite stable. If this was caused by pulling or strain rather than my phone, I do think that usage with a shorter cable or using its clipping feature will easily eliminate that.

 
The Astrapi has a clip. I am ambivalent about it. Good clipping locations would be either on your belt or pocket or on a bag for convenience. I found the length of the stock cables made clipping to the side of my belt (so my belly isn’t in the way) to be ideal. Cable gives ample length to place the phone into your pocket and take it out without unclipping. Clipping to the inner pocket worked the best with the clip on the exterior either clipped very high or very low on the pocket so it doesn’t get in the way when I reached into my pocket.
 
Pros in Design: solid build quality, small, lightweight, metal housing, no need to charge an internal battery, does not get hot
Cons in Design: well, it’s small & sexy, so you might lose it or jealous audiophiles may try steal it. if you are anti-clipping, there is a clip. may be possible to try to break it off, but it is quite solidly attached. also, clipping could possibly prevent loss or theft. included cable length may not be suitable for everyone
 

 
Accessories: All the accessories you require to use the Astrapi are included. There are three cables all measuring 1 ft in length.

1. Micro to USB 2.0 connection cable for computers
2. Micro to micro USB cable for Android
3. Micro to lightning cable for iOS (the Astrapi works natively with iOS without any additional camera connection kit/adapter)

 

 
No carrying case is included, but honestly the minuscule form factor of the Astrapi renders a carrying case unnecessary. Don’t really know of any portable dac/amps that include carrying cases.
 
I think I would personally prefer much shorter cables for connecting with my smartphone to cut down on excess wire length as most portable headphones already come with ample cable length. Something super short like 3-6 inches would be ideal in my mind for the Android and iOS cables. Of course, with shorter cables, the clipping feature cannot be used at all, so their choice makes a lot of sense. The longer cable allows the phone to be taken out of your pocket without unclipping. I would recommend purchasing an additional short cable for your device of choice just to see what you prefer. With the longer cables, I just rock the clip-onto-belt method to flash my tiny Astrapi implying my corresponding high audiophile pedigree to whatever jealous audiophiles might happen to be wandering the streets.
 
Portable Usage: Highly rated as it is extremely portable. No other option that rivals its form factor and weight. No need to recharge. Does not get hot. Extremely convenient and easy to bring around with you even when you have very limited pocket space. It is extremely well-designed for portable applications.
 
Sound Quality:
I posted an addendum HERE on how I approach reviewing external components. In case you skipped the long tedious testing methodology section: The thoughts written here are relative impressions based on extensive direct A/B comparisons between the Cozoy Astrapi against no external components on my laptops or my Samsung Galaxy S5. I do recommend skimming the testing methodology section to get a sense of my background and approach.

1. Dell XPS m1530 & Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone > Combination of FLAC files, Tidal HiFi lossless, and Spotify Premium Ogg Vorbis > Cozoy Astrapi > Oppo PM-3 & AKG K7xx
2. Please use this resource for the definitions of the audiophile terms I am using: http://www.head-fi.org/a/describing-sound-a-glossary

 
I found the Astrapi to have an extremely clean sound. No dramatic sound signature departures from set-ups containing no additional external components. This might ruin my audiophile credibility, but I will be the first to admit that I cannot hear a sonic differences between a Dell XPS M1530 laptop, Samsung Galaxy S5, Nexus 7, iPhone 5, iPad mini, iPad normal, or HP elitebook… so I did comparisons on whatever device was closer atm, mostly on the S5 to stimulate real-world usage.
 
I did initially think that there was the noticeable addition of warmth. After extensive fast switching A/B direct comparisons of extremely short <10 second segments, I found it was actually not a very drastic change in overall sound signature when volume matched. Tested this further via EQing my unamplified set-up various different ways vs unEQed Astrapi and rapidly switching back and forth to see how well I could detect differences in sound signature. My conclusion was that the Astrapi did not dramatically alter the sound signature of the source or add any significant additional coloration to your chain. I do still feel there is still subtle hint of warmth underlying its sound signature throughout, but not anything dramatic. There were some subtle changes that I felt comfortable talking about after really extensive testing, but do note they are relatively minor in comparison to sound signature changes brought about by different headphones.
 
Treble Tuning: Slight hint of additional breathiness with the Astrapi which suggests to me a slight emphasis in the upper mids. Decreased sense of edginess/sibilance so no peakiness in the 4kHz to 7kHz region. Good sense of definition to instruments so well tuned 6-10kHz region. No piercingness, so no prominent 10kHz spike. Can hear the airness and wind more prominently.Overall detailed, clean, and smooth treble. Non-fatiguing. More gentle treble tuning.
 
I wondered if the smoothness was simply the characteristic of my PM-3 so I tested via the AKG K7xx, which I would I personally find to have a sharper and more 'abrupt' feeling to its treble presentation. I did the K7xx to sound relatively less piercing and edgy than normal. Do note that I do not think the K7xx actually sounds piercing or edgy normally, I am just talking about a subtle degree of difference. Still maintains great definition. Sound is not as 'crispy' but still maintains a very good airness. Note that the smoothness does not detract from the resolution. Smoothing of the treble response I am referring to relates to the decreasing the peakiness of the treble (not a treble roll-off) as the Astrapi has a solid sense of air and treble extension.
 
Mid-range Tuning: While the 250-400 Hz region also does not appear to be particularly emphasized without any drastic addition of fullness to notes, there is a hint of additional body underlying the notes. Slight sense of fullness to notes compared to unamplified, but not as full-sounding as some other set-ups. Slight blur to the edge of notes that subtly enhance a smooth organic presentation. The midrange can appear a bit closer and more intimate at times, but maintains general imaging precision of the headphones. I would guess there may be a slight emphasis in the presence range with hint of intimacy to the sound. The midrange does not very get too “lush” or heavily colored with an emphasized warmth, but balances a nice musical cohesion and detail retrieval. More wet reverberant sound rather than a dry sound signature. Mid-range is has good clarity and a clean sound with realistic timbre and tone. No significant glaring flaws to my ears.
 
Bass Tuning: Sub-bass extension of the headphones is maintained well without any additional emphasis in that region. How deep the sub-bass goes depended on which headphones I used.  Will not experience any increase in the rumbling low frequency feeling. There does appear to be a subtle addition of punchiness and warmth. I do want to note that the underlying warmth is extremely subtle and not even very noticeable in direct A/B comparisons. The extra punchiness of the bass is a bit more noticeable, but still a very small tuning change. I did think that keeps a clean high quality bass while tightening up the spacing between notes.
 
Other Sonic Attributes: Against unamplified, the Astrapi has more warmth and additional richness to the textural detail. Notes are better defined while maintaining a good sense of body and fullness. Very good detail resolution and more resolving of low-level micro-details. Improvements in imaging precision and soundstage, most noticeably in L-R width. Nice liquid smoothing effect to the sound, removing raspiness and edginess. Better and more realistic timbre, improved textural detail, and resolves subtle tonal shifts on instruments. I personally really like to test for piano, violin, and trumpet sounds as I have personal experience actually playing those instruments. Better dynamic range with a good sense of control through sudden volume changes.
 
Overall Sound Quality Thoughts: Very subtle refinement to overall sound signature. Nice sound quality improvements with minimal coloration. Pretty clean and clear amplification.
 
***Link HERE for list of notable test tracks used and sonic characteristics assessed***
 
Direct Amplifier Comparisons:
*******Important Notes*******

1. Compared the performance of each amplifier against the Astrapi using the Oppo PM-3 (and K7xx).
2. The Astrapi will most likely be primarily used in portable applications, so I feel the PM-3 is a good testing choice with a very well-balanced, highly-resolving portable headphone that is extremely competitive among the mid-tier closed category.
3. Please remember these are my own personal subjective impressions. YMMV!!!

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Against the Audioquest Dragonfly v1.2:
MSRP: $149 - USB dac/amplifier combination (unspecified 24-bit ESS dac chip)
 
Design: The Dragonfly is relatively larger in all dimensions and twice the Astrapi’s weight. More suitable for computers with its usb-stick design. Requires additional adapter cables to work with smartphones. Still relatively portable dac/amplifier combination. Powered by the source device and gets significantly hot.
 
Sound: The Dragonfly has a much more dramatic change in sound signature compared to the Astrapi. Dragonfly gives a pronounced v-shaped flavor to the sound signature compared to Astrapi, and can hit with that initial ‘wow’ factor and excitement from its emphasized bass and treble region. Biggest difference is that Dragonfly’s treble sounds noticeably brighter and sharper. Dragonfly has more treble energy and brighter presentation. This will give a sense of additional clarity and definition due to its more heavily emphasized treble region. Treble is peakier on the Dragonfly while Astrapi sounds relatively warmer overall with a smooth texture to its treble. I do find Astrapi’s treble presentation more enjoyable and more linear. The Astrapi’s treble is ‘sweeter’ sounding with that extra smoothness, removing raspiness and edginess from notes. The Dragonfly has a bit of extra hardness to the edges of the notes compared to the Astrapi's smoother presentation. I do think Dragonfly improves the spacing of the notes subtly better than Astrapi. Dragonfly also has more bass impact per note, but Astrapi has a warmer overall sound. The Astrapi does have that sense hint of underlying warmth and richness, but the Dragonfly’s heavier bass emphasis, presence, and impact does also give a sense of richness and body to its notes.
 
Other aspects of sound quality such as overall detail resolution and soundstage remained competitive with Astrapi presenting very nice sense of left to right soundstage width while Dragonfly seems to have a bit more depth. Imaging remained close as well. Dragonfly does appear to resolve textural detail better as Astrapi tends to present more organically with a subtle smoothing effect to focus on the textural shifts rather than point-by-point detail. Astrapi still has quite solid textural detail on instruments and actually sounds more balanced and realistic in its presentation to my ears. I personally really like to test for piano, violin, and trumpet sounds as I have personal experience actually playing those instruments. Their actual detail resolving abilities are quite similar, but Dragonfly increases the volume of low detail detail and noise while Astrapi keeps those elements still have a low volume level that can sometimes be hidden. Dragonfly appears to have a wider dynamic range as a result with volume peaks further accented.
 
Overall thoughts: The Dragonfly is traditionally thought as the gold standard for small, affordable, great value dac/amplifier. Well, the Astrapi is smaller and cheaper, while being a much better option for portable usage. Sonically, I think it just depends on what you are looking for with your sound signature. The Dragonfly has a noticeable brighter sound signature and will hit you with an dramatic high energy v-shaped presentation in comparison to the Astrapi. On the other hand, the Astrapi has a smoother, more relaxed presentation that would sound more mid-centric in comparison. Both are quite highly resolving. I do personally think that the Astrapi’s sound signature is more well-balanced with a nice underlying sense of richness and liquid texture in comparison to the Dragonfly’s sharp and more abrupt presentation. Astrapi has competitive performance for its price point and excels as a portable all-in-one amp/dac solution for those requiring the most minimalist slim design. Consider the Astrapi if portability, size, weight, and small form factor as your primary concerns. More suitable for those who enjoy smooth sound that does not particularly emphasize any particular region of frequency response region with a subtle hint of warmth in their sound signature. The Astrapi offers more subtle refinements to sound quality while maintaining a good balance in the frequency response. The Dragonfly seems to focus too heavily on the treble region to give that perception of additional clarity and definition.
 
The Dragonfly would be suitable for someone looking for something to provide initial excitement out of the box, but I personally feel it can be fatiguing after extending listening. The Dragonfly may also be a good choice for someone with a very warm amplifier or very warm headphones to help tune their sound signature. For me, the Dragonfly represents the audiophile who wants a good value entry-level all-in-one solution for primary non-portable usage with his laptop and never wants to bother upgrading or getting anything else. It is transportable with a laptop, but not as suitable for mobile usage. It is like the entry-level fix, plug it in and be done solution. I would also prefer and recommend getting a true desktop setup (even entry-level) over the Dragonfly if not requiring to be transported with a laptop if your budget can stretch further. If not, then the Dragonfly is a solid transportable pick with acceptable mobile usage if the heat and adapter cables do not bother you.
 
Personal Pick: Cozoy Astrapi. I think it offers a better value for its price point and more practical as a portable solution. Overall sound quality improvements seem similar to me with the Dragonfly having more of an impact on the tonal presentation of the frequency response. I do want to note that I still think the Dragonfly is a great product with high performancerice ratio and would highly recommend it to those that want drastic easy-to-appreciate sonic change. The Astrapi offers more refinement rather than excitement.
 
Against the Resonessence Labs Herus usb dac/amplifier:
MSRP: $350 - USB dac with solid state amplifier (ESS Sabre 24 bit ES9010-2M dac chip)
 
Design: The Herus is much thicker, wider, longer, and heavier. The Herus’ requirement for a special micro-usb-to-usb-B cable in addition to the adapter for Android/iOS makes it less unsuitable for portable usage. Its boxy design also does not stack well. Powered by source device.
 
Sound: The Herus has an extremely brighter sound signature. Very high in treble energy as well with a crispier, edgier tonality. It is more highly resolving of micro-detail than the Astrapi with better note spacing. I do consider the Herus to stay very well-balanced, but very sharp sound. Extremely clinical-oriented presentation in my personal opinion. Herus’ treble is not as peaky as the Dragonfly with a more linear response throughout its frequency range. The Herus does provide even further refinement to sound quality attributes compared to the Astrapi, though the width of the Astrapi stays competitive. The relatively warmer sound of the Astrapi provides a good sense of presence and richness to the body of the notes, which the Herus trades off for better definition and wider spacing between notes with sharp clean abrupt edges.
 
Overall thoughts: I do think that the Herus can be considered to be one of the most sonically capable usb stick based dac/amplifier combinations on the market today. The Herus is more suited for desktop usage, but transportable with a laptop. Not really that suitable for mobile usage. Consider the Herus is you require a stand-alone usb dac and amplifier combination and enjoy a brighter clinical presentation. I can see some people using it as their dedicated dac in a desktop chain. I do think the Herus occupies a weird price niche. If your budget stretches that far to get the Herus, I do really think that you should strongly consider a similarly priced desktop setup instead that will give you even more powerful amplification. Quite pricey for what you get though and I think there are many better performancerice options out there. However, the Herus is definitely a very highly resolving product and I can see its appeal as a ‘budget-dac’ from a brand-name company compared to some of the pricer mid-tier dacs out there.
 
Personal Pick: Cozoy Astrapi. I actually ended up selling the Herus while demoing the Astrapi. I already have a desktop set-up and I don’t see the place for Herus for me. More of a hassle and inconvenience for portable usage and really drains my phone battery too fast for me to really want to even bother using it in that application. I also personally don’t really see why I would purchase the Herus instead of an entry-level desktop stack or cheaper usb-stick option other than brand name appeal. I actually purchased it based on certain reviews I read on the product as I was curious how it performs and I wanted to judge it for myself to see how reliable the reviewer and the website he was affiliated to was. After my experience, I no longer trust big name reviewers or so-called experts unless they do direct comparisons or some sort of measurement-based findings.
 
I hope I am in no way implying that the Herus is a bad product. It just does not offer the performancerice tag for this type of market category (portable usb dac/amps). It also does not really seem to serve any particular product category well. Even if competing against stand-alone dacs or desktop amp/dac combos, it is hard to say that the Herus is a good deal when I can pick up a non-upgraded Bifrost for the same price point or the Magni/Modi combo for cheaper. Just my uncensored analysis of the item compared to current market offerings.
 
Against the Oppo HA-2 portable dac/amplifier:
MSRP: $299 - Portable solid state Class A/B amplifier with dac (ESS SABRE32 ES9018-K2M dac chip)
 
Design: The HA-2 has a larger rectangular form rather than the usb-stick shaped options covered so far. Dimensions are 68*157*12 mm and weighing 175 grams. The HA-2 also is leather-bound with a metal chassis. High-end aesthetics and build quality similar to the Astrapi.
 
Sound: The HA-2 is actually a bit brighter than the Astrapi, but retains a smooth non-peaky treble. The Astrapi does seem to tilt with a bit of warmth in comparison with dash of richness. The HA-2 has a better defined attack and cleaner decay as well giving wider space between notes with better defined edges. The HA-2 does not sound abrupt though or overly sharp walking that fine line between having enough treble energy and high frequency clarity, but not being fatiguing or shrill. Its frequency response is quite well balanced to my ears with very capable technical performance. Imaging and soundstage is very well done on the HA-2. I do personally feel that the HA-2 is better balanced for my tastes and has higher overall sound quality compared to the Astrapi. The Astrapi does have a bit more organic feeling to its presentation with a relaxing smooth presentation sprinkled with a hint of warmth.
 
Overall thoughts: The HA-2 is still my personal pick for primary external amplifier/dac solution after extensive research. It has everything that I am looking with other cool add-on features while keeping a very competitive performance at an affordable price point. I’ve done the direct comparison tests against much higher priced and well-recommended options, I still consider the HA-2 to be a ‘premium’ portable amp/dac combo with competitive performance above its price point.
 
Personal Pick: Application Specific. If just going just by sound quality alone, I would pick the HA-2. However, the Astrapi still offers relatively competitive performance with a similar well-balanced sound signature while being almost one third cheaper. If going out for a few quick errands, or going to meet some friends, or just quickly going to the gym… [hahah!! tricked you, I don’t go to the gym]... I actually grab the Astrapi. It offers that important convenience factor that most audiophile reviewers forget to mention. I don’t have to worry whether I charged its battery or go through the tedious process of strapping on rubber bands and different wires or carry anything additional heft in my pocket. The Astrapi is quick and easy without taking up any noticeable space. Still provides enough refinement to sound quality for me to remember grabbing, but so portable that it is basically invisible. I think your primary intended usage and overall budget will primarily determine which one is more suitable for your. If I was only going to purchase one portable device, I would get the HA-2. However, the Astrapi is actually the portable device I use more often. Easy of usage and convenience actually makes quite a significant large real-world difference that many reviewers never even mention.
 
Against the Schiit Bifrost Uber + Lyr 2 desktop tube hybrid amplifier:
MSRP: $519 + $449 - Dynamically Adaptive Class A/AB tube hybrid amplifier + (AKM4399 dac)
 
Design: Desktop solution, not portable at all. Chassis becomes extremely hot!
 
Sound: Fuller sound with subtle tube coloration and tube warmth with that noticeably second harmonic distortion for a “tubey” sound. I personally find the Lyr 2 to have a very well-refined balance of an engaging euphonic richness while maintaining great detail resolution and technical performance. The Bifrost Uber offers a nice subtle touch of brightness that really balances out the combination very well. Extremely good sound quality attributes including spacious soundstage, precise imaging, tight transient response, vivid sense of energy, sturdy control throughout the dynamic range, and highly resolving of low-level micro-details. Superior overall detail resolution, clarity, and definition without being too bright. Superior technical performance in all categories against the Astrapi. I do feel that the Astrapi does offer a similar overall balance to its sound signature and that is why I enjoy it. There is definitely significant improvements in realism, tonality, richness of textural resolution, fuller body to notes, and more weighty presence to the sound on the Schiit stack that is missing on the Astrapi.
 
Overall thoughts: Not a direct competitor product. This is my primary personal set-up out of everything that I currently own. The Schiit Bifrost and Lyr 2 is a very strong performer at its price point, among one of the most competitive options in the sub-$1000 market. This combo should and does beat out the Astrapi by a significant margin. While the relative differences were smaller than I expected (since as always most reviewers tend to greatly exaggerate differences, which is actually just inherent to the process of writing about subtle differences), but there was a significant and noticeable difference. I do note similarities with the practical but beautiful design of Schiit products and the Cozoy Astrapi. I do think Schiit overall focus on sound quality over all else will prevent them from designing a similar product with such a small form factor, but the Astrapi has that industrial classiness to its look reminiscent of Schiit design.
 
Personal Pick: Schiit Bifrost Uber + Lyr 2 in desktop applications. Cannot use in portable situations. Will probably burn a hole in your pocket and give you 1st degree burns if you tried to carry it in a custom-crafted giant-sized audiophile pocket™, but I would still totally be down to do that.
 
Against the Woo WA7+WA7tp desktop tube amplifier:
MSRP: $1,398 - Pure Class A transformer-coupled tube amplifier (TI PCM5102A dac)
 
Design: Desktop solution, not portable at all. Can get quite hot. Very engaging unique design.
 
Sound: WA7 has a significant additional warmth added to its sound signature with quite apparent but not unpleasant coloration. Often called characterized as a “rich warm gooey” or “tubey” euphonic distortion. The Astrapi does not add that extra emphasis of warmth, richness, coloration to the extreme that the WA7 does with the WA7’s euphonic distortion. Soundstage differences were difficult to ascertain. I did feel like the Astrapi had a noticeably larger L-R width, the height and depth too close to call. The more intimate presentation of the WA7 did appear to give a closer front row seat feeling to the music. Imaging more precise on the Astrapi. While the WA7 did have less note separation with a greater ‘blurring effect’ to the edges of notes, the Astrapi did also have a subtle roundness to its notes to a lesser degree. The WA7 definitely presents an extremely organic presentation with that ‘liquid’ smoothness to changes in textural patterns, but the Astrapi also captures a bit of that ‘liquid-smooth’ organic element with its presentation. The Astrapi is definitely more clinical than the WA7 though with relatively clean resolution of low-level micro-details. The WA7 does have a very good sense of micro-detail retrieval though. The WA7 still captured the micro-details, but sounded more faded into the background and swirled into the rest of the music in comparison, whereas low-level micro-details were easily to pick out on the Astrapi but still quite faint in volume.
 
Overall thoughts: Not a direct competitor product. I find that the WA7 is a more geared for people looking for engagement and richness rather than transparency and lack of coloration. It does excel at delivering on those fronts with its heavy warm emphasis, additional liquid smoothness throughout the entire frequency response, and pleasantly colored sound signature.
 
Personal Pick: Headphone pairing specific. I would actually generally lean more towards the Cozoy Astrapi for its cleaner presentation over the rich coloration of the WA7. The one exception is that the LCD-X sounds extremely engaging and fun on the WA7.
 
Against the Oppo HA-1 (demo unit):
MSRP: $1,119 - Discrete Class A solid state amplifier (ESS SABRE32 ES9018 dac)
 
Design: Desktop solution, not portable at all. Can get slightly hot. Very appealing practical design
 
Sound: The HA-1 does offer a significant improvement in overall sound quality. Most noticeable aspects is deeper sub-bass extension, stronger bass impact, much better note spacing, better sense of definition to notes, improved clarity, and better dynamic control with a greater dynamic range. More subtle improvements include the soundstage is wider in all directions with more precise imaging. There is also improved textural detail retrieval, improved micro-detail retrieval. The HA-1 can pick up low-level detail that the Astrapi misses. The HA-1 provides a more realistic tonality to my ears with more subtle textural details and more natural fullness, but I do still think the Astrapi offers a similar well-balanced sound signature.
 
Overall thoughts: Not a direct competitor product. However, both products do offer a similar further refinement in sound quality while maintaining the overall sound signature of the headphones being used. The largest difference is the relative degree of difference. The increased depth of sub-bass extension and better bass quality is the most easily to notice sound quality improvements.
Personal Pick: Oppo HA-1 for desktop application. Cannot use the HA-1 in portable situations (but that is why I own the HA-2 hahah)
 
***possible future additional external component comparisons (including the Liquid Carbon)***
 
Headphone Pairings with the Cozoy Astrapi:
*******Important Notes*******
Tested each headphone listed on the Astrapi against the same headphone with:

1. no amplification
2. the Oppo HA-2 dac/amplifier
3. the Schiit Bifrost Uber > Schiit Lyr 2 desktop tube hybrid amplifier (my personal preferred set-up for desktop usage)

Also tested on the Samsung Galaxy S5 as the source to simulate probably real-world usage
***Added pairing analysis on Flare Audio R2A & R2A pro IEMs and Ether on 8/13/15***
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Since I view the Astrapi’s to actually provide quite a clean well-balanced sound that is true to the headphone’s original character, I will be focusing more on whether or not I can detect clipping with the different headphones I try or if there is anything missing when I am using the Astrapi.
 
With Bose SoundTrue In-Ear Headphones: consumer-orientated in-ear headphones
Does not require amplification. Does not scale significantly with external components.
+Very enjoyable pairing; no clipping; highly recommended
 
With the Flare Audio R2A & R2Pro: single dynamic IEM
Does not require amplification. Does scale with external components
+Good pairing! Works quite well with no hiss
 
This is actually my new favorite portable pairing when I am on-the-go wanting to minimize bulk. Increases resolution and adds "liquid" sense of smooth refinement to the R2A/R2Pro while keeping its quickness and overall sound signature.
 
With Oppo PM-3: portable closed over-ear planar magnetic
Does not require amplification. Does noticeable scale with different external components.
+Very enjoyable pairing; no clipping; highly recommended and my most often used pairing.
 
The Astrapi adds a bit of refinement in technical sonic attributes while maintaining the PM-3’s well-balanced sound signature.
 
Audeze EL-8 closed: portable closed over-ear planar magnetic
Does not require amplification. Does slightly scale with different external components.
~Not the best pairing (mainly due to my dislike for the EL-8’s sound signature); no clipping
 
The EL-8 does benefit from the Astrapi’s smoothness which nicely polishes the noticeable coloration at the edges of notes in the upper-midrange and lower treble. Also helps a bit with the raspiness of male vocals and sibilance for certain female singers. For the EL-8, I personally prefer to pair it with external components with an extremely warm coloration, like the WA7. I view the EL-8 requiring extensive “tuning” to be enjoyable by me, so the Astrapi’s clean refinements is not as good a match.
 
AKG K553 Pro: full-sized closed over-ear dynamic headphones
Does not require amplification. Does scale with different external components.
+Enjoyable pairing for stock earpads, +Acceptable pairing with Brainwavz earpads; no clipping; recommended
 
The K553’s subtly emphasized brightness combined with a solid bass presence was not altered with this dac/amp. Great soundstaging and imaging kept. ***Update 6/21/15: Removed impressions based on Brainwavz velour earpads as measured to change K553 sound signature. Link HERE.*** With the stock pleather earpads, the K553 sounds very well-balanced to my ears, measures extremely well, and the Astrapi's revealing presentation very works well with it.
 
Mr. Speakers Alpha Prime: full-sized closed over-ear planar magnetic
Benefits from amplification. Does significantly scale with different external components.
+Surprisingly good pairing; no clipping detected at normal listening volumes; recommended
 
While planar magnetic headphones generally benefit from additional power, the Astrapi actually works surprisingly quite well with the Primes. Most noticeable difference is that there is a more intimate presentation on the Astrapi compared to the Lyr 2. The intimate presentation actually works quite well bringing the midrange into closer focus. The Lyr 2 has cleaner note spacing and better definition between notes. Imaging, speed, and soundstage also noticeably improved on the Lyr 2. A bit more “blurriness” to the edges of the notes of the Astrapi, but it does contribute to a very enjoyable smoothness to the sound. More mid-bass emphasis on the Astrapi compared to the Lyr 2. The Primes do noticeably scale up with nicer external components, but the Astrapi performs quite adequately.
 
AKG K7xx (1st edition from Massdrop): full-sized open over-ear dynamic
Benefits from amplification. Does significantly scale with different external components.
+Enjoyable pairing; no clipping; recommended
 
I personally think the K7xx is among the most competitive mid-tier open headphones. It does have an extremely revealing and unforgiving sound. The K7xx is highly resolving of the characteristics of external components used in the chain and requires high quality source files. I personally think that too overly warm/colored external components take away from the K7xx’s strengths. The Astrapi keeps the well-balanced sound signature off the K7xx and is a good match. The K7xx does scale up quite a bit with nicer components though.
 
Hifiman HE-560: full-sized open over-ear planar magnetic
Definitely requires amplification. Does very significantly scale with different external components. Able to reach listenable volumes. Acceptable pairing, but better amplifier options out there. Did not test extensively using this set-up as I feel like the HE-560 needs a dedicated amplifier to truly shine.
 
MrSpeakers Ether: full-sized open over-ear planar magnetic headphones
Does not require amplification. Does very significantly scale with different external components
+Very nice pairing for portable usage. No clipping detected.
 
The Ether is quite easy to drive. While I would recommend a nice dedicated desktop amplifier for the Ether, the Astrapi works well with the Ether adding a bit of an additional treble sparkle to my ears which is quite enjoyable.
 
With the Audeze LCD-X: full-sized open over-ear planar magnetic headphones
Does not require amplification. Does noticeable scale with different external components.
+Enjoyable pairing; no clipping at normal listening volumes
 
The Astrapi can drive the LCD-X and works very well. Noticeable improvement in detail resolution. On nicer components, there will be more bass impact and a more realistic tonality with better speed and improved dynamic range. I've also personally found improvements in treble presentation on the Schiit stack. However, the Astrapi quite a good entry-level pick for the LCD-X.The LCD-X has a very good scaling capabilities, so can possibly think about investing further on external components for it.
 
With the Hifiman HE-1000 beta unit: full-sized open over-ear planar magnetic
Require amplification and scales very well.
+Can reach acceptable volume levels and sounds acceptable, would recommend investing in a nicer external component set-up for the HE-1k
 
Overall thoughts on headphone pairings: The Astrapi maintains the sound signature of each headphone while adding some technical improvements over running directing out of the source device. Nicer external components will add further refinement, but the Astrapi is a very well-balanced dac/amp combo that should work well with any headphone as long as you already enjoy that headphone’s sound signature.
 
Value Judgement:
 
The Cozoy Astrapi currently retails for $129.99. As a portable dac/amplifier in the sub-$150 price category, the Astrapi faces a pretty crowded and competitive niche. However, it does have a few qualities that make it very unique from alternative options.
 
1) The Astrapi holds the exclusive distinction of being the smallest and lightest portable dac/amplifier combination currently on the market (as far as I am currently aware of at time of posting, 6/18/15).
 
2) The Astrapi is also one of the very few dac options that will work natively with iOS without the need of special wires (the $29 Apple Camera Connection Kit or Apple USB Camera Adapter for usage with 30 pin Connector or Lightning Connector iPhones/iPads respectively). The only other portable dac/amp combo product currently available on the market that also works without any special adapters is the much larger-sized Oppo HA-2 at $299 (which I also own).
 
While I did initially think that it seemed slightly pricey at $129, but there are actually hardly any other dac/amplifiers combinations priced below it (portable or nonportable). Below is a list of relevant alternative market offerings.
 
 
My Overall Scoring: (as the side bar reflects averages)
Audio Quality: 8/10
Design: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Value: 9/10
 
Do note that I personally feel that headphones contribute to the majority of the sound quality improvements, so I always recommend to allocate budget accordingly. So I personally would recommend upgrading your headphones/IEMs until you find one you really love and no longer want to upgrade any further prior to investing too heavily into external components. It’s been my personal experience that the higher up in the price ladder I climb for external components, there is an exponential increase in cost for smaller and smaller sonic improvements. Realistically speaking, it is usually not really “worth” it to spend too much money on external components as many claims of sonic improvement are often exaggerated. The first jump from no external components to adding a dac/amp will be the largest and will generally only offer subtle refinements rather than extremely drastic changes if tuned towards a transparent neutral presentation. The Cozoy Astrapi is relatively inexpensive and delivers very nice sonic refinements while being extremely convenient. Good choice for those people who consider the performancerice ratio and want to avoid diminishing returns.
 
Conclusion:
 
Ounce-for-ounce, the Cozoy Astrapi delivers extremely high sonic performance in a tiny package and punches well for its category. It offers noticeable refinements to overall sound quality without altering the sound signature of each individual headphone. Its smooth presentation works well maintaining an enjoyable, non-fatiguing presentation without skimping on detail resolution.
 
The Astrapi has an unrivaled design and it is has the best portability compared to all other competitors. Smallest form factor and lightest weight of a dac/amplifier combo that is currently on the market. It is extremely practical and convenient to use on-the-go. Ease of usage is actually quite important factor as it determines how often the device will realistically be used. I have found that my larger audiophile stacks often get left at home as they are too troublesome to carry out and about. Dealing with thick stacks, multiple wires, and rubber bands can be quite inconvenient, so I actually use the Astrapi the most out of all my other portable gear when on-the-go.
 
This product is an extremely competitive product for audiophiles who desire an extremely small, lightweight, convenient portable option that provides a clean refinement to their portable set-up. Best suited for lower impedance headphones, but can still drive some of the less picky planar magnetic headphones. Will have better results pairing the Astrapi with a more powerful amplifier for planar magnetic headphones.
 
I would be hesitant to recommend the Astrapi for people who are looking to "tune" their sound signature with additional external components as there is not actually very significant changes to the overall frequency response with the addition of the Astrapi. The Astrapi will not give you a “dramatic change” in sound signature which would lead to that ‘wow factor’ or excitement like the Audioquest Dragonfly. However, it will offer very enjoyable non-offensive sound signature with great refinements in sound quality. There are also higher performance options available if your budget extends higher or portability is not necessary. For audiophiles who do not care about the size of their stack or convenience, there are other options on the market that may be able to squeeze out a subtle bit more performance benefits.
 
I highly recommend the Astrapi to pair with headphones already have a sound signature you enjoy. The Astrapi works extremely well as an entry-level all-in-one device for newbies or a complementary highly portable device for veteran audiophiles on-the-go.
 

My testing set-up (can see Dragonfly, HA-2, Astrapi, and numerous headphones)
 
 
Product Link: http://www.cozoyaudio.com/
CTC Audio (the Official Distributor for Cozoy products in USA/Canda): http://www.ctcaudio.com/products/cozoy-astrapi-dac-amplifier

First of all I would like to thank H20Fidelity for including me on the Cozoy tour, very much appreciated. When I first saw this, I thought that it looked very impressive indeed – small and slick looking. Smaller than many USBs and something that you can easily just clip onto your pocket. Very appealing indeed. I won’t pretend to know anything, or even have heard of Cozoy before this tour, it’s not a brand that is often discussed on Head-Fi. The Astrapi certainly is near perfect in terms of appearance!
 

 
Moving onto the packaging, it comes in an Apple style box and while minimal, looks very nice. I comes with an Android cable, an Apple cable and a charging cable. Maybe a small case would have been nice, the metal seems like it would scratch quite easily. Cozoy have got the design spot on in every aspect of the design though, like I mentioned before, this looks phenomenal and is one of the most practical devices around with the clip. And it is one of the rare DAC/amps for Apple.
 
This worked seamlessly with my Z2 and also with an IP6. Supposedly it supports the iPhone 6S as well… Guess they must have a time travelling device too lol. My sonic tests were done on my Z2, not sure if different sources will affect the sound. Connectivity was awesome, plug and play. No setup required. Volume is controlled on your device and not the Astrapi itself. Unfortunately I cannot comment on the battery life, I never ran it until it was flat. Oh, and I do wish that the cables were maybe right angled so that they would sit better in my pocket, but it was no big deal and I didn’t find it annoying.
 

 
Sound Quality
Let’s jump into it – do I personally like the sound? Unfortunately I am not the greatest fan and I know that many love this device and how it sounds, but the warm signature is really just not for me. Once again, maybe this will change with different phones or a newer firmware. To me, it seemed like it was lacking detail and while I felt like overall it added more depth and realism to my Z2, I just wasn’t overly impressed by its sound.
 
The bass is not as impactful as I would have liked but it isn’t bass light by any means. Its bass is textured, more so than my Z2 by itself, but it also felt slower. It wasn’t muddy, but the speed was just a bit too slow for me, however, don’t simply assume this is a negative aspect of the Astrapi, depending on what IEM/headphone you are using, this could actually be good. If you are using a bass light IEM, this could add some more rumble and quantity.
 
Midrange was similarly warm and made vocals sound a tad veiled at times. I should include that most of my testing was done with a Dunu DN-2000, which is a mildly V-shaped IEM. To me,
they lacked detail and I actually liked the Z2 better. Sorry if this comes off as very negative, but they are just not for me, I do wish that the midrange especially was tuned to be more neutral.
 
The treble gets better. It is smooth, with no sign of sibilance at all, taking the slight edge of the DN2K, something I actually liked. The top end was reasonably detailed and while not a detail king, they did improve on the already quite decent Z2. Everything sound quite crisp with no harshness, and this is one thing that you can take away from this review – this is a warm and relaxing device, not a detail oriented one.
 

 
Soundstage and imaging are god, better than I expected. It expanded significantly on the small stage of the Z2 and it was a lot easier to distinguish between different instruments. This was especially evident on busy tracks. The soundstage is quite wide, but surprisingly deep. This is an area where the Astrapi really punches above its price point.
 
 
Summary
 

 
I have to stress that the Astrapi is actually a very appealing player and this is especially the case if you are using an Apply device. There are not a lot of Apple DAC/amps around this price and none to my knowledge which look as good as this. However, if you do not need the functionalities or the aesthetics of the Cozoy, I would not recommend this, especially if you are using an Android. The D-Zero is much better sounding for $10 cheaper IMO, but you could argue that I am comparing apples to oranges. While the Astrapi is tiny and beautifully crafted, the same cannot be said for the D-Zero. If you are an Apple user and you find the Astrapi a great fit for you in terms of functionality, then by all means go for it, it is a good choice. For me, it just doesn’t do quite enough to gain my overall recommendation, but it does get a 4 star because overall it is a very solid DAC/amp, considering all factors.

Thanks to Luke (H20Fidelity) for letting me a part of the Australian leg of the COZOY DAC/Amp tour and for Igor (DJScope) for the personal delivery, no doubt due to him enjoying the unit so much that it saved on "Postage Time" quote unquote.
 
Introduction: Simple things are attractive things. This COZOY amp certainly fits the bill. I also found it had beauty and brains to match, especially if you have a lower to mid range device. I found that this unit audibly improves the sound quality of my units, most especially the Nexus 5, which really isn't known for its audio prowess. This will just be a quick impression on this unit with my various devices.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pairing with my Nexus 5 Lollipop updated V5.1. Nexus 5 headphone out is kinda lifeless and 2 dimensional. I downloaded Poweramp and it improve things abit but still it was "MEH". I put in PCM WAV file rips and it improved again but for me it just passed the grade. Dont get me wrong the phone itself is a pleasure to use but im not reviewing the phone here..HA! Im actually listening to Shania Twains "That don't impress me much" right now (wav file) on the headphone out. Im using phonak's and I have my bass boost eq curve applied in Poweramp and yes it does sound nice but its abit two dimensional and flat. Where is the soundstage? the dynamism? the toe tapping urge?? (scratches head). Queue the COZOY amp. Yep found it! Not that this track is the bees knees of recording and sound engineering nor is it an audiophile test track but listening through the COZOY amp just improves the clarity, the bass, her vocals seem more real and the song is just more alive, like the amp is doing its best to convey every last information on this track. Its night and day difference for me and the pairing with the nexus 5 and COZOYS and the phonak's are a saviour for me. I can now consider using the Nexus 5 as a music player as well, where previously it was just there for me to play with an unmodified android O.S. I found that I can switch between headphone out of the devices and the cozoy headphone out without interruption. I tried plugging in my phonaks in the cozoy and my BW P5's into the nexus 5 headphone out and see if it plays sound through both ends at the same time but my P5's had the only sound coming out if it so I guess it defaults to the unit when it detects a headphone plugged in...kinda was testing this to see if I can share my music with another person. I use the cozoy output while the friend uses the unit output but sadly no. 
 
Pairing with my HTC One M7 lollipop update: The HTC M7 is a top end device a couple of years ago and this is what I plug my Phonaks into when Im out and about. currently Im listening to S2S sister (a pop song popular in Australia early 2000's) and i can definitely vouch for the M7's standard audio reproduction as im happy with its clarity, soundstage, instrument separation, and general sound presentation.  Now Queue the COZOYS and here's the first hiccup. I had to re start the unit with the Cozoy's plugged in as it didn't detect it at all. Now that its plugged in, I tried to change the volume one down from Max  (as Cozoy turns to line out when volume pot on unit is max) guess what, when i press the volume keys down, 1st press nothing happens, and 2nd press just mutes the sound. What happened?! i tested if it pauses the music or mutes it and i came to the conclusion it mutes it cause the song keeps playing in the background. Weird! Also the first 2 minutes of re-starting the phone, the playback stutters and i lose sound for a second or two. After that it seems to stabilize. I think this due to my phone not the amp itself so no biggie.
 
 

 
Now that the COZOY is working properly, immediate improvement is SOUNDSTAGE!! and overall refinement of sound. Id say a 30 improvement over the headphone out of the unit. I can also hear more details in the music. Since S2s a girl duo, I can now audibly distinguish the two sisters when they're singing together in the chorus. So yes there is a marked improvement on my HTC M7 when its working properly. The biggest jump is still the Nexus 5 tho.
 
Pairing with my Galaxy Tab S 8.4:  The galaxy tab s 8.4 is a pretty recent device, about 6 months old I believe and while i like the headphone out, for me, its a step below the HTC M7 so this is another perfect candidate for the COZOY DAC AMP. When I plugged it in, Poweramp chucked a spaz. The sound coming out of the Cozoy amp was not music at all but a horrible approximation of one. Thus I had to restart my galaxy tab with the Cozoy plugged and it worked!
 

 
Now thats out of the way, Im listening to Kenny G with Chaka Khan, a jazzy rendition of Beautiful, I believe originally by Christina Aguilera. What and improvement this makes! with the COZOY and the galaxy tab s 8.4, this pairing gives me greater listening pleasure than with the HTC M7 Cozoy combo. The sound from the headphone out was ok, but nothing exciting, kinda 2 dimensional like the nexus 5 and flat dynamically even with my EQ settings on Poweramp. With the Cozoy's Chaka Khans voice becomes more lively and authoritative. There also seems to be no compression when she gets to her upper registers and when she full out belting, unlike the headphone out. Kenny G's sax doesn't get drowned out in the mix and the other instruments are more distinct, especially when everything is playing at once towards the end of the song. I can actually say this is one of my favourite pairings with the COZOY and the Phonaks.
 
 
[size=small]Pairing with my Ipad air Wifi+cell 1st gen: [/size]On my Ipad im using itunes quality downloaded music and using the equaliser paid app by Audioforge. I find this ipad to be excellent in sound quality even in headphone out. There is clarity, instrument separation, clarity and soundstage that actually satisfies me when im pluggin in my Phonaks. the song that im listening to is Eros Ramazotti's La Cosa Mas Bella, the album Eros Live. (eros is kinda the Robbie Williams of italy lol). Eros live is one of my favourite albums as its just recorded so well. It conveys the crowd, the vocals the stage, the instruments for me is such a lifelike manner that this album is where I go and listen with my favourite headphones and earphones. Also as a litmus test for soundstage since its a live recorded album.
 

 
 
Now plugging in the Cozoy's. I tried again plugging my Phonaks in the Cozoy and the P5's in the Ipad headphone out the sound came out only on the P.5's so no sharing here. Also i found it to be less buggy with IOS. I can plug and unplug the amp and it doesn't skip a beat. Wait 5 seconds and sound will come out of the Cozoy. Im thinking this item was made more for the Apple devices as it seems to perform more smoothly.
 
There seems to be a difference in sound presentation. Eros' vocals seem more laid back with the Cozoy and the Ipads headphone out seems like Eros is singing right in front of you, more intimate like your'e in the front row. With the Cozoy's it seems your a few rows back. Also I noticed the resolution is improved abit also with the other instruments having more room to breathe but there's not much in it. I could happily live without the COZOY on the Ipad air.
 
Now with using the COZOY as a DAC only and paring it with MY CC BH: As I found for myself when doing this with all the devices mentioned above, I found pairing it with my CC BH was heaps better. there's an added level of energy and dynamism to all the songs that I played through it but maybe just because it was louder (Ha!). 
 
[size=small]Conclusion: [/size][size=small]The Cozoy is a well built product that fulfills its design brief, trying and mostly succeeding in being a jack of all trades with compatibility for many android and I OS devices. Perhaps the hiccups with android devices is abit of a let down in me experience but once its up and running, it provides and audible jump in quality for my devices except for the Ipad air. For me, this is better to be used as a DAC and a separate portable amp to power your headphones/earphones. But itself, I would recommend the unit if you're not happy with the sound coming out of your android or I OS device. Androids more if you have a low to mid range device.[/size]