ddHiFi TC35CM2
- Added by ahammedsojib
- Create date
★ Introduction :-
ddhifi has been regarded as a reputable Chinese audio equipment manufacturer.Who have been manufacturing audio gear and accessories for a long time.Their latest innovations and modern solutions cater to the needs of audiophiles and make everyday life more easier. ddHiFi generally started their journey with Guangzhou DD Electronic Technology Company established in July 2017. They are the manufacturer of earphone, cable, audio adapter, dac dongle and many other necessary accessories. In which they represent an emphasis on unique design as well as craftsmanship can be said to be meticulous. I recently got hold of their newly released tc35cm2 dongle dac and have been using it regularly, the whole experience of which will be shared in today's review.
★ Disclaimer :-
This unit was sent to me directly from @ddHiFi 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 :-
Tc35cm2 dongle comes in a very small white color box. When you open it, you will see the dongle, a warranty card and qc passed card. Apart from that, there is nothing else what can be called a very simple unboxing experience. I expected there to be a generic fabric pouch to carry the dongle. Unfortunately it wasn't there, ddhifi does not include it in the box. In this case they can be said to have shown some stinginess lol.
1.TC35CM2 Dongle Dac ×1
2.warrenty card ×1
3.QC Passed card ×1
★ Design, Build Quality & Compatibility :-
This miniature form factor's dongle is really eye catchy due to its smooth finishing.The construction of this device is simply top notch. Ddhifi has tried to make a single end dongle as durable as possible with their tc35cm2. CNC-machined aviation grade aluminum has been used as the construction material of the device. Both ends of it i.e. type c interface portion & earphone port portion are completely surrounded by metal cover where smooth finishing is also given, At the same time, ddhifi's branding has been highlighted nicely in the golden accent on the surface of type c port portion. Which enhances its premium-ness to a great extent. Moreover, the braided structure of high quality silver plated copper cable connects the two ends of the dongle in a very strong way, resulting in a very stiff feel when held in the hand. Along with the commendable build quality, its compatibility was also quite good. I have been able to use it with my android phone, ipad and pc without any issues and even when using it on pc its full potential has come out. Its small size is designed for ultra portability without sacrificing performance. Since there is no problem with carrying it, this device can be used in any situation with ease. As mentioned earlier, there is no problem with the phone. The dongle connects very strongly to the type c port of the phone which is a positive aspect but keeping it in a jeans pocket makes it a bit risky to stay connected to the phone while traveling as the phone's charging port remains prone to breakage. So I think it would be wise to maintain personal awareness then.
★ Specifications :-
~ Interface : USB-C
~ Socket : 3.5mm 4-pole
~ Cable : High-purity oxygen-free copper multi-core shielded
~ Supported headphone type : TIA standard inline controls
~ Frequency response : 20Hz- 20kHz
~ Headphone amp chip : ES9603Q (independent)
~ PCM decoding support : Up to 32bit/384kHz (dsd 64 max)
~ Output power : L+R>45mW+45mW (322/ THD+N<1%)
~ SNR : ≥112 dB (32Ω load/A-weighted)
~ Dynamic range : >120dB
~ THD : <0.008% (322 load)
~ Noise floor : <3μV (A-weighted)
~ Length (excluding plugs) : 9cm
~ Weight: Approx. 9.5g
★ Tested With :-
Android phone 
, Ipad & PC 
~ Tanchjim Origin
~ Dunu Falcon Ultra
~ NF Audio Ra15
~ Artti Audio R1
~ Letshouer S08
~ Dunu Kima 2
~ NF acous Nm20
~ Celest Wyvern Qing
★ Sound Aspect :-
The Tc35cm2 dongle is basically a neutral sounding source where a hint of bright touch exists. Sound wise it gives fairly natural presentation in all cases. Although minimal coloration has been found, I would not say that make the sounds more clinical or digital. This dongle tries to deliver sound exactly as it should be to create the appearance of music. Other than that there haven't found any roll-off issues which is definitely a strength.This dongle supports audio format of upto 32 bit 384khz sampling rate, where the max Dsd 64 is supported. With It's 112db SNR, this small dongle is capable of delivering very clean sound. Talking about the sound, let's jump to the bass at the beginning.The bass wasn’t punchy enough, where depth is noticeably lacking.The speed & texture of the bass was on the good side. Due to this lack of depth, this will increase more the lack of bass region in IEMs. There is a slight warmth in the mids section which adds a welcoming factor to the overall midrange. Upper mids region is somewhat forward but clean, lower mids can retain clarity. In general the vocal sound does not seem very lifelike or realistic even more coloured that's considered as neutral presentation. As a result, the mids have been able to ensure adequate cleanliness.Treble region was quite good, able to offer moderately detailed presentation along with sufficient airiness. A very nice extension from upper treble to lower treble was maintained, on the other side the presence of lower treble is also good.There is a slight boost towards the upper register but it doesn't affect the treble too much and there is no harshness or peakiness. Also lower treble is pretty good. Where smooth manner has gained importance along with detail retrieval is intact. In terms of technicalities, it has given a decent result. The sound stage height was a little better than the average and the depth was accurate. Imaging capability was not bad, even if not more precise.The instruments can be located fairly good way. I didn't get any kind of stereo separation related issue, similarly micro dynamics is just good & macro dynamics presentation was below average.
★ Synergy and Power :-
The output power of the dongle is quite low (45mw@32ohm) so it can provide good synergy with driving most easy to drive IEMs to their full potential. I tried many IEMs with this dongle including regular dd as well as budget friendly planar set, but did not use any kind of full size headphone as its driveability was not that satisfactory level. It becomes a bit challenging for this dongle to drive a demanding planar set. I used my Letshuoer S08 planar, which was a bit hard to drive so the tc35cm2 couldn't open-up full dynamics with its lower amplification. Moreover, it has performed well in the case of regular dd sets, but if the sound of IEMs are a bit bright-ish, then the pairing with them will not be very promising. Outside of it, neutral or slightly warm sounding IEMs have shown good performance. I don't notice too many complaints with it considering the size.
★ Comparison :-
~Ddhifi tc35cm2 Vs Tanchjim space lite~
Both are dongles of similar form factor. Space lite a little bit more pricey than tc35cm2. In terms of sound, space lite will be in a better position even the output power is far ahead than tc35cm2. None of them have a gain switching option sadly, but the space lite is handy for using a bit more demanding gear for its higher power output (98mw@32Ω). It supports pcm to max Dsd 256 while ddhifi can decode up to highest dsd 64. Interestingly, none of them paired well with the sensitive sets. Different dac chip are used in the internal configuration of both of them, that's why there are some changes in the sound. Regarding tonality, space lite is neutral to slight warmth and ddhifi is neutral to hint of bright-ish. Even though ddhifi overall is better in technical aspect, space lite seems more wider in sound stage but its imaging capability is not very convenient but space lite is definitely the real winner in overall sound performance.
~ddHiFi tc35cm2 Vs Blon V1~
The price of blon's newly released dongle V1 is almost similar with this dongle of ddhifi. Price is consistent but blon V1 offers better value in terms of price to performance ratio. It is made up of glass panel and aluminum frame so the device looks quite premium and it has bal port which gives upto 160mw output power which is much more higher than tc35cm2. By doing this, v1 will bring additional benefits in driving moderate demanding headphones, which is the main lacking of ddhifi but does not come with such clean output with sensitive sets. It has hardware level volume control buttons with "play" & "pause" buttons as an extra benefit. Slight pop-ing sound is available only when plugging in and removing the earphone. That doesn't seem like any major problem. Technicalities are also much better than this dongle of ddhifi. So if you need more output power, I think v1 will definitely be a worthy purchase.
★ Conclusion :-
ddhifi has tried to cover pretty much everything from the build quality of their tc35cm2 dongle. If you look at its retail price, then it must seem a bit pricey because other offerings are better than this in the current market. Which are performing better in addition to the output power.Those who are looking for a simple dac dongle as an alternative to the earphone port of any smart phones (except Lg & some specific phones). which will have good build quality as well as fairly good sounding. At the same time, this tc35cm2 dongle can be an ideal option for those who do not need high power output but are thinking of regular use with phone. I can recommend those folks to buy it. Otherwise, those who already have a few sets in their arsenal will easily find a better option in the current market under 50$.
I've provided the purchase link below for everyone convenience
ddhifi has been regarded as a reputable Chinese audio equipment manufacturer.Who have been manufacturing audio gear and accessories for a long time.Their latest innovations and modern solutions cater to the needs of audiophiles and make everyday life more easier. ddHiFi generally started their journey with Guangzhou DD Electronic Technology Company established in July 2017. They are the manufacturer of earphone, cable, audio adapter, dac dongle and many other necessary accessories. In which they represent an emphasis on unique design as well as craftsmanship can be said to be meticulous. I recently got hold of their newly released tc35cm2 dongle dac and have been using it regularly, the whole experience of which will be shared in today's review.
★ Disclaimer :-
This unit was sent to me directly from @ddHiFi 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 :-
Tc35cm2 dongle comes in a very small white color box. When you open it, you will see the dongle, a warranty card and qc passed card. Apart from that, there is nothing else what can be called a very simple unboxing experience. I expected there to be a generic fabric pouch to carry the dongle. Unfortunately it wasn't there, ddhifi does not include it in the box. In this case they can be said to have shown some stinginess lol.
1.TC35CM2 Dongle Dac ×1
2.warrenty card ×1
3.QC Passed card ×1
★ Design, Build Quality & Compatibility :-
This miniature form factor's dongle is really eye catchy due to its smooth finishing.The construction of this device is simply top notch. Ddhifi has tried to make a single end dongle as durable as possible with their tc35cm2. CNC-machined aviation grade aluminum has been used as the construction material of the device. Both ends of it i.e. type c interface portion & earphone port portion are completely surrounded by metal cover where smooth finishing is also given, At the same time, ddhifi's branding has been highlighted nicely in the golden accent on the surface of type c port portion. Which enhances its premium-ness to a great extent. Moreover, the braided structure of high quality silver plated copper cable connects the two ends of the dongle in a very strong way, resulting in a very stiff feel when held in the hand. Along with the commendable build quality, its compatibility was also quite good. I have been able to use it with my android phone, ipad and pc without any issues and even when using it on pc its full potential has come out. Its small size is designed for ultra portability without sacrificing performance. Since there is no problem with carrying it, this device can be used in any situation with ease. As mentioned earlier, there is no problem with the phone. The dongle connects very strongly to the type c port of the phone which is a positive aspect but keeping it in a jeans pocket makes it a bit risky to stay connected to the phone while traveling as the phone's charging port remains prone to breakage. So I think it would be wise to maintain personal awareness then.
★ Specifications :-
~ Interface : USB-C
~ Socket : 3.5mm 4-pole
~ Cable : High-purity oxygen-free copper multi-core shielded
~ Supported headphone type : TIA standard inline controls
~ Frequency response : 20Hz- 20kHz
~ Headphone amp chip : ES9603Q (independent)
~ PCM decoding support : Up to 32bit/384kHz (dsd 64 max)
~ Output power : L+R>45mW+45mW (322/ THD+N<1%)
~ SNR : ≥112 dB (32Ω load/A-weighted)
~ Dynamic range : >120dB
~ THD : <0.008% (322 load)
~ Noise floor : <3μV (A-weighted)
~ Length (excluding plugs) : 9cm
~ Weight: Approx. 9.5g
★ Tested With :-
Android phone , Ipad & PC ~ Tanchjim Origin
~ Dunu Falcon Ultra
~ NF Audio Ra15
~ Artti Audio R1
~ Letshouer S08
~ Dunu Kima 2
~ NF acous Nm20
~ Celest Wyvern Qing
★ Sound Aspect :-
The Tc35cm2 dongle is basically a neutral sounding source where a hint of bright touch exists. Sound wise it gives fairly natural presentation in all cases. Although minimal coloration has been found, I would not say that make the sounds more clinical or digital. This dongle tries to deliver sound exactly as it should be to create the appearance of music. Other than that there haven't found any roll-off issues which is definitely a strength.This dongle supports audio format of upto 32 bit 384khz sampling rate, where the max Dsd 64 is supported. With It's 112db SNR, this small dongle is capable of delivering very clean sound. Talking about the sound, let's jump to the bass at the beginning.The bass wasn’t punchy enough, where depth is noticeably lacking.The speed & texture of the bass was on the good side. Due to this lack of depth, this will increase more the lack of bass region in IEMs. There is a slight warmth in the mids section which adds a welcoming factor to the overall midrange. Upper mids region is somewhat forward but clean, lower mids can retain clarity. In general the vocal sound does not seem very lifelike or realistic even more coloured that's considered as neutral presentation. As a result, the mids have been able to ensure adequate cleanliness.Treble region was quite good, able to offer moderately detailed presentation along with sufficient airiness. A very nice extension from upper treble to lower treble was maintained, on the other side the presence of lower treble is also good.There is a slight boost towards the upper register but it doesn't affect the treble too much and there is no harshness or peakiness. Also lower treble is pretty good. Where smooth manner has gained importance along with detail retrieval is intact. In terms of technicalities, it has given a decent result. The sound stage height was a little better than the average and the depth was accurate. Imaging capability was not bad, even if not more precise.The instruments can be located fairly good way. I didn't get any kind of stereo separation related issue, similarly micro dynamics is just good & macro dynamics presentation was below average.
★ Synergy and Power :-
The output power of the dongle is quite low (45mw@32ohm) so it can provide good synergy with driving most easy to drive IEMs to their full potential. I tried many IEMs with this dongle including regular dd as well as budget friendly planar set, but did not use any kind of full size headphone as its driveability was not that satisfactory level. It becomes a bit challenging for this dongle to drive a demanding planar set. I used my Letshuoer S08 planar, which was a bit hard to drive so the tc35cm2 couldn't open-up full dynamics with its lower amplification. Moreover, it has performed well in the case of regular dd sets, but if the sound of IEMs are a bit bright-ish, then the pairing with them will not be very promising. Outside of it, neutral or slightly warm sounding IEMs have shown good performance. I don't notice too many complaints with it considering the size.
★ Comparison :-
~Ddhifi tc35cm2 Vs Tanchjim space lite~
Both are dongles of similar form factor. Space lite a little bit more pricey than tc35cm2. In terms of sound, space lite will be in a better position even the output power is far ahead than tc35cm2. None of them have a gain switching option sadly, but the space lite is handy for using a bit more demanding gear for its higher power output (98mw@32Ω). It supports pcm to max Dsd 256 while ddhifi can decode up to highest dsd 64. Interestingly, none of them paired well with the sensitive sets. Different dac chip are used in the internal configuration of both of them, that's why there are some changes in the sound. Regarding tonality, space lite is neutral to slight warmth and ddhifi is neutral to hint of bright-ish. Even though ddhifi overall is better in technical aspect, space lite seems more wider in sound stage but its imaging capability is not very convenient but space lite is definitely the real winner in overall sound performance.
~ddHiFi tc35cm2 Vs Blon V1~
The price of blon's newly released dongle V1 is almost similar with this dongle of ddhifi. Price is consistent but blon V1 offers better value in terms of price to performance ratio. It is made up of glass panel and aluminum frame so the device looks quite premium and it has bal port which gives upto 160mw output power which is much more higher than tc35cm2. By doing this, v1 will bring additional benefits in driving moderate demanding headphones, which is the main lacking of ddhifi but does not come with such clean output with sensitive sets. It has hardware level volume control buttons with "play" & "pause" buttons as an extra benefit. Slight pop-ing sound is available only when plugging in and removing the earphone. That doesn't seem like any major problem. Technicalities are also much better than this dongle of ddhifi. So if you need more output power, I think v1 will definitely be a worthy purchase.
★ Conclusion :-
ddhifi has tried to cover pretty much everything from the build quality of their tc35cm2 dongle. If you look at its retail price, then it must seem a bit pricey because other offerings are better than this in the current market. Which are performing better in addition to the output power.Those who are looking for a simple dac dongle as an alternative to the earphone port of any smart phones (except Lg & some specific phones). which will have good build quality as well as fairly good sounding. At the same time, this tc35cm2 dongle can be an ideal option for those who do not need high power output but are thinking of regular use with phone. I can recommend those folks to buy it. Otherwise, those who already have a few sets in their arsenal will easily find a better option in the current market under 50$.
I've provided the purchase link below for everyone convenience
ddHiFi official Ali express Store (link isn’t affiliated)
Rsifur9
very good heads up 
