I have contacted ddHiFi to ask for a TC44B review and they have kindly responded by providing one free of charge.
This review reflects my honest and subjective opinion.
Introduction
ddHiFi is a relatively new brand that was established in 2017 by Mr. Demond Ding a former engineer and lead designer for FiiO and Oppo.
They started by building some very useful audio adapters and they have grown to include an earphone (Janus) and a few small dac/amps with the top model being the TC44B.
They have stripped their products from unnecessary cosmetics and fancy packing in order to offer good quality at an affordable price.
The ddHiFi TC44B comes into a simple and environmental friendly small carton box with an extra USB type C to type A adapter.
It is priced at $89.99 and you can get it directly from ddHiFi or from Linsoul
Physical specifications and build quality
The TC44B is a small USB type C (a lighting version is also available) to 2.5/4.4mm balanced dac/amp with an embedded cable.
Due to having both balanced outputs it is a little more bulkier than similar products like the iBasso DC04 but still very compact to fit with ease into our pocket.
It has a unique triangular shape that looks like a cheese slice wrapped with matcha skin as we can read at the ddHiFi website.
The dimensions are 18.3x16.8x30mm with an extra length of 98.5mm for the cable including the plug and weights about 13gr.
It is an all aluminium chassis with good build quality without hard edges and a quality green paint job.
The cable is silver plated with teflon insulation and TPU coating in order to be thin but strong although there is not a strain relief to protect the side that enters into the main body.
Technical specifications
The ddHiFi TC44B adopts dual Cirrus CS43131 DAC's the same that we have encountered in similar products like the iBasso DC03/DC04 (Review) or the SoundMAGIC A30 (Review)
This is a high end miniature chip with a dynamic range of more than 120dB able to provide high resolution PCM output of up to 32bit/384KHz and native DSD64/DSD128/DSD256 decoding.
It is a low powered audio DAC with a high-fidelity headphone amplifier to provide a superior system-level audio performance without draining battery life.
The integrated Class H smart adaptive headphone amplifier can drive 2 Vrms of output into 600Ω and 30mW into 32Ω.
It provides precision volume control with 0.5 dB step size and the power consumption varies from 6.25 to 40.2 mW at maximum.
Dual configuration will double the output power to 4 Vrms/600Ω and in our case it is configured to provide 120mW/32Ω but somehow it seems that it doesn't output 4V at 300ohm load.
Of course power consumption is also doubled so the TC44B is going to drain the host device battery much faster.
Set-up
The TC44B is plug and play with Android and it will completely bypass the internal sound card so there is no need for a special application.
Sound calls are not supported.
For Windows 10 we need to install the available drivers that offer ASIO support.
We have used it with a couple of mobile phones and tablets plus a Windows PC without encountering any functional problems at all.
Sound quality
Sound tests were performed with various earphones like the Dunu EST 112 , FiiO FH3/FD5 and Kinera Freya.
We have also tried it with the easy to drive Sennheiser HD 660S and HiFiMan Ananda to discover that the TC44B is powerful enough to drive them with satisfying results although not to their full potential.
It's not a secret that we are very fond of the CS43131 musical and very engaging sound presentation.
The overall sound signature is very balanced and linear with good extension both ways without any significant roll off to be noticed at least for the intended use scenario.
Bass is full sounding with satisfying levels of clarity and layering plus it never feels out of control.
This balanced configuration is certainly better than the single ended variants with upgraded driver control and ample dynamics as long as we don't use inefficient headphones.
Mid range feels clear and well articulated with strong presence and natural voiced timbre.
Voices and instruments sound full bodied with a lifelike quality to them and deep sense of musicality.
Treble is smooth and easy going but still full of energy and crispness.
Decay feels very natural as for timing and pace are top notch and the TC44B can handle busy and complex material with ease.
Noise floor is surprisingly low and the black background helps with detail retrieval and precision that are more than enough for the price point.
Head stage presentation may lack in depth layering but feels very airy with good width and positioning.
All in all a very enjoyable sounding device with a touch of an analog feeling and great technicalities that feels at home with all kinds of music.
Vs the iBasso DC04
Compared to the iBasso DC04 ($69) the differences come down mainly into physical attributes than sound quality itself with the exception that the DC04 is somewhat more powerful at 190mW/32ohm.
Both devices sound almost indistinguishable and the decision factor should be design and size.
If all of your balanced earphones are 4.4mm then the iBasso is the obvious choice as it is $30 cheaper but if you have both 2.5mm and 4.4mm then you should go with the TC44B especially if you hate adapters as much as we do.
At the end
The ddHiFi TC44B is easily an instant recommendation because for $89 we get a pocket friendly but powerful dac/amp with two balanced outputs and an excellent sound performance.
Test playlist
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2021
This review reflects my honest and subjective opinion.
Introduction
ddHiFi is a relatively new brand that was established in 2017 by Mr. Demond Ding a former engineer and lead designer for FiiO and Oppo.
They started by building some very useful audio adapters and they have grown to include an earphone (Janus) and a few small dac/amps with the top model being the TC44B.
They have stripped their products from unnecessary cosmetics and fancy packing in order to offer good quality at an affordable price.
The ddHiFi TC44B comes into a simple and environmental friendly small carton box with an extra USB type C to type A adapter.
It is priced at $89.99 and you can get it directly from ddHiFi or from Linsoul
Physical specifications and build quality
The TC44B is a small USB type C (a lighting version is also available) to 2.5/4.4mm balanced dac/amp with an embedded cable.
Due to having both balanced outputs it is a little more bulkier than similar products like the iBasso DC04 but still very compact to fit with ease into our pocket.
It has a unique triangular shape that looks like a cheese slice wrapped with matcha skin as we can read at the ddHiFi website.
The dimensions are 18.3x16.8x30mm with an extra length of 98.5mm for the cable including the plug and weights about 13gr.
It is an all aluminium chassis with good build quality without hard edges and a quality green paint job.
The cable is silver plated with teflon insulation and TPU coating in order to be thin but strong although there is not a strain relief to protect the side that enters into the main body.
Technical specifications
The ddHiFi TC44B adopts dual Cirrus CS43131 DAC's the same that we have encountered in similar products like the iBasso DC03/DC04 (Review) or the SoundMAGIC A30 (Review)
This is a high end miniature chip with a dynamic range of more than 120dB able to provide high resolution PCM output of up to 32bit/384KHz and native DSD64/DSD128/DSD256 decoding.
It is a low powered audio DAC with a high-fidelity headphone amplifier to provide a superior system-level audio performance without draining battery life.
The integrated Class H smart adaptive headphone amplifier can drive 2 Vrms of output into 600Ω and 30mW into 32Ω.
It provides precision volume control with 0.5 dB step size and the power consumption varies from 6.25 to 40.2 mW at maximum.
Dual configuration will double the output power to 4 Vrms/600Ω and in our case it is configured to provide 120mW/32Ω but somehow it seems that it doesn't output 4V at 300ohm load.
Of course power consumption is also doubled so the TC44B is going to drain the host device battery much faster.
Set-up
The TC44B is plug and play with Android and it will completely bypass the internal sound card so there is no need for a special application.
Sound calls are not supported.
For Windows 10 we need to install the available drivers that offer ASIO support.
We have used it with a couple of mobile phones and tablets plus a Windows PC without encountering any functional problems at all.
Sound quality
Sound tests were performed with various earphones like the Dunu EST 112 , FiiO FH3/FD5 and Kinera Freya.
We have also tried it with the easy to drive Sennheiser HD 660S and HiFiMan Ananda to discover that the TC44B is powerful enough to drive them with satisfying results although not to their full potential.
It's not a secret that we are very fond of the CS43131 musical and very engaging sound presentation.
The overall sound signature is very balanced and linear with good extension both ways without any significant roll off to be noticed at least for the intended use scenario.
Bass is full sounding with satisfying levels of clarity and layering plus it never feels out of control.
This balanced configuration is certainly better than the single ended variants with upgraded driver control and ample dynamics as long as we don't use inefficient headphones.
Mid range feels clear and well articulated with strong presence and natural voiced timbre.
Voices and instruments sound full bodied with a lifelike quality to them and deep sense of musicality.
Treble is smooth and easy going but still full of energy and crispness.
Decay feels very natural as for timing and pace are top notch and the TC44B can handle busy and complex material with ease.
Noise floor is surprisingly low and the black background helps with detail retrieval and precision that are more than enough for the price point.
Head stage presentation may lack in depth layering but feels very airy with good width and positioning.
All in all a very enjoyable sounding device with a touch of an analog feeling and great technicalities that feels at home with all kinds of music.
Vs the iBasso DC04
Compared to the iBasso DC04 ($69) the differences come down mainly into physical attributes than sound quality itself with the exception that the DC04 is somewhat more powerful at 190mW/32ohm.
Both devices sound almost indistinguishable and the decision factor should be design and size.
If all of your balanced earphones are 4.4mm then the iBasso is the obvious choice as it is $30 cheaper but if you have both 2.5mm and 4.4mm then you should go with the TC44B especially if you hate adapters as much as we do.
At the end
The ddHiFi TC44B is easily an instant recommendation because for $89 we get a pocket friendly but powerful dac/amp with two balanced outputs and an excellent sound performance.
Test playlist
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2021
Ichos
Hi, the ddHiFi TC44B doesn't do MQA so I would suggest the TC35 Pro.
It is very good sounding with great form factor.
I haven't experience with the Bolt.
Another good option is the iBasso DC05.
It is very good sounding with great form factor.
I haven't experience with the Bolt.
Another good option is the iBasso DC05.
DocErnie
Thank you!! I was not sure which was better - MQA with a TC35 Pro through my setup or the 2.5mm balanced output of the TC44B. This helps a lot, I'll pursue the MQA option with one of those you mentioned.
Unboxing is a easy and simple one inside the recycled cardboard box is the ddHiFi TC44B and a USB A-C adapter.
The first thought is wow this looks great and the triangle shape is a refreshing change. The device feels solid but weight is light and easy to travel with.
The ddHiFi TC44B performed better than I was expecting outperforming the Dragonfly Black and a few others I had on hand.
Sound is semi Transparent but there is a lift in Bass giving this a slight analog feel but not always noticeable , Midrange is a slightly forward but very natural Treble is untouched and quite neutral, soundstage is open and the imaging detailed with a good amount of separation.
Conclusion:
If you are looking for a small balanced DAC this one not only performs well it looks great too, build quality is very good as is with all ddHiFi adapters and products.
ddHiFi TC44B
ddHiFi TC44B is a fully balanced DAC/Amp based on a dual CS43131 chip with USB-C and two headphones outputs. That pleasure costs $89.
Sound quality for the price
Rating: 9.5 out of 10.
Build quality
Rating: 10 out of 10.
Value
Rating: 9.5 out of 10.
Introduction
The ddHiFi is a company that makes mainly accessories like adapters and cases, but I was pleased to do a review about TC25B and now the TC44B, which are mobile DAC/Amps. They also made the ddHiFi Janus, the earphone with both MMCX and 2pin connectors, but I haven’t chance to test it (yet).
Packaging
Simple design, simple unboxing.
This time ddHifi doesn’t provide us the wooden box like with the TC25B. Instead, we’re getting a package made out of eco-paper. It looks great, and even being made out of paper, it is really solid. Inside the box, you’ll find only the TC44B and USB-C to USB-A adapter. It’s decorated with paper scraps that also delicately secure the DAC. I adore how consistent ddHiFi is with its packaging philosophy.
Build quality
Solid AF.
ddHifi TC44B has a trihedron shape and is entirely made of metal. The part that goes around and the shell of the USB-C connector is painted gray with powder method, but it’s very smooth to the touch. The rear and back pieces are made of brushed metal, in a golden color.
The whole device is about 13cm long. In my opinion, the cable could be a little shorter, but it’s well-made and surprisingly thin. The outer braid is a bit sticky at first touch, but with time it gets smoother.
Design is absolutely different compared to the TC25B.
Surprisingly, it’s very light – only 13g. Thanks to that, it won’t strain the USB-C in your phone.
If the ddHifi looks big for you – trust me, it isn’t significant. I think this trihedron shape is the best possibility to fulfill the DAC with all necessary electronics.
Battery drain
150mW of power has to eat, which’s visible in my phone’s shorter battery life. Using Xiaomi Mi9 and ddHifi TC44B made the SoT strike down from about 5hours to 3,5.
Sound
Charming setup.
ddHifi TC44B definitely makes the wow effect on the listener’s face. It’s shockingly good for its price. The sound signature is pretty natural, but in spring coloristic – it all blooms like the fresh flowers, making it way more addictive. It matches all earphones that I’m listening to for testing. It doesn’t matter if it’s a more bassy IEM like CFA Vega 2020, a brighter one like Bqeyz Spring 2, or calmer and more neutral, like the FIR Audio VxV. None of them sounds bad with this little DAC.
The power on the output is also above satisfying level. It can even correctly drive my AKG K702, so I think only the mobile planars like Tin P1 need more than TC44B provides.
I’ll make multiple comparisons of the ddHifi to the EarMen Eagle because they’re similar in the basic assumptions. Well, those are small DACs, aren’t they?
If you have USB-C in your laptop, you can use it just like that…
The bass is slightly elevated, but it keeps its naturality. Slam is not as speedy as the Eagle’s one, but I think that’s pretty obvious, even after a few words at the beginning. The Eagle is more technical when the TC44B provides more musicality and delicately sweetens the bass. I can’t say it’s slow or soft, but for sure, TC44B provides a little rounded bass that can strike but usually stays in the background to keep all vocals at the front. The texture level is perfectly balanced. It doesn’t scratch your eardrums with it but also isn’t as smooth as silk. Thanks to that, the bass should please almost everyone – just take your favorite earphones, cable, and go on!
The midrange, as mentioned before, stays at the front for the whole time. When I’m listening to live records, I feel like I would be the microphone and the vocalist sings into my face. I know, I know, not everyone likes that, but it is awe-inspiring for me. It makes the sound more intimate, but kindly, without being offensive and aggressive for the listener. They’re also pretty smooth. It is almost the FiiO M15 level on some earphones, like the Moondrop SSP or CFA Vega 2020. When Craft Ears Four is in use, the vocal is crispier and more precise.
…but if you don’t, there’s USB-A adapter attached.
The treble is pretty linear, except for one frequency range. Around 5-6kHz, there’s a considerable boost that can hurt your ears. But that’s it, the only objectively lousy part of the whole DAC. The rest is lovely, the treble is natural, but it slightly moves to the more delicate presentation (except the part mentioned before), making the TC44B an excellent daily DAC.
Microdetails are another significant part. Each strike in the drum plates let us feel how it is shaking. The same applies to the rest of the instruments. The piano has an excellent black background around it, feeling like I would be sitting in the studio, in front of the musician.
The soundstage is, hmm, satisfying. It’s a nice contrast from the norm because it is more significant than usual. I would compare its depth to the iBasso DX160, but the width is similar to the EarMen Eagle. The imaging is lovely but very correct. There’s no fading through the other sounds, just pinpoints where the sound sources stay for the time. Separation is pleasant too.
Summary
You can take it wherever you want.
ddHifi TC44B is a prominent, cheap, and balanced DAC/Amp for mobile use. For 89$, you can get the sound quality worth more, and it is still small and portable. It brings more fun to your earphones, provides a nice quantity of power, and looks gorgeous.
Definitely recommended.
Gear used during this review for the sake of comparison and as an accompanying equipment:
ddHiFi TC44B is a fully balanced DAC/Amp based on a dual CS43131 chip with USB-C and two headphones outputs. That pleasure costs $89.
Sound quality for the price
Rating: 9.5 out of 10.
Build quality
Rating: 10 out of 10.
Value
Rating: 9.5 out of 10.
Introduction
The ddHiFi is a company that makes mainly accessories like adapters and cases, but I was pleased to do a review about TC25B and now the TC44B, which are mobile DAC/Amps. They also made the ddHiFi Janus, the earphone with both MMCX and 2pin connectors, but I haven’t chance to test it (yet).
Packaging
Simple design, simple unboxing.This time ddHifi doesn’t provide us the wooden box like with the TC25B. Instead, we’re getting a package made out of eco-paper. It looks great, and even being made out of paper, it is really solid. Inside the box, you’ll find only the TC44B and USB-C to USB-A adapter. It’s decorated with paper scraps that also delicately secure the DAC. I adore how consistent ddHiFi is with its packaging philosophy.
Build quality
Solid AF.ddHifi TC44B has a trihedron shape and is entirely made of metal. The part that goes around and the shell of the USB-C connector is painted gray with powder method, but it’s very smooth to the touch. The rear and back pieces are made of brushed metal, in a golden color.
The whole device is about 13cm long. In my opinion, the cable could be a little shorter, but it’s well-made and surprisingly thin. The outer braid is a bit sticky at first touch, but with time it gets smoother.
Design is absolutely different compared to the TC25B.Surprisingly, it’s very light – only 13g. Thanks to that, it won’t strain the USB-C in your phone.
If the ddHifi looks big for you – trust me, it isn’t significant. I think this trihedron shape is the best possibility to fulfill the DAC with all necessary electronics.
Battery drain
150mW of power has to eat, which’s visible in my phone’s shorter battery life. Using Xiaomi Mi9 and ddHifi TC44B made the SoT strike down from about 5hours to 3,5.
Sound
Charming setup.ddHifi TC44B definitely makes the wow effect on the listener’s face. It’s shockingly good for its price. The sound signature is pretty natural, but in spring coloristic – it all blooms like the fresh flowers, making it way more addictive. It matches all earphones that I’m listening to for testing. It doesn’t matter if it’s a more bassy IEM like CFA Vega 2020, a brighter one like Bqeyz Spring 2, or calmer and more neutral, like the FIR Audio VxV. None of them sounds bad with this little DAC.
The power on the output is also above satisfying level. It can even correctly drive my AKG K702, so I think only the mobile planars like Tin P1 need more than TC44B provides.
I’ll make multiple comparisons of the ddHifi to the EarMen Eagle because they’re similar in the basic assumptions. Well, those are small DACs, aren’t they?
If you have USB-C in your laptop, you can use it just like that…The bass is slightly elevated, but it keeps its naturality. Slam is not as speedy as the Eagle’s one, but I think that’s pretty obvious, even after a few words at the beginning. The Eagle is more technical when the TC44B provides more musicality and delicately sweetens the bass. I can’t say it’s slow or soft, but for sure, TC44B provides a little rounded bass that can strike but usually stays in the background to keep all vocals at the front. The texture level is perfectly balanced. It doesn’t scratch your eardrums with it but also isn’t as smooth as silk. Thanks to that, the bass should please almost everyone – just take your favorite earphones, cable, and go on!
The midrange, as mentioned before, stays at the front for the whole time. When I’m listening to live records, I feel like I would be the microphone and the vocalist sings into my face. I know, I know, not everyone likes that, but it is awe-inspiring for me. It makes the sound more intimate, but kindly, without being offensive and aggressive for the listener. They’re also pretty smooth. It is almost the FiiO M15 level on some earphones, like the Moondrop SSP or CFA Vega 2020. When Craft Ears Four is in use, the vocal is crispier and more precise.
…but if you don’t, there’s USB-A adapter attached.The treble is pretty linear, except for one frequency range. Around 5-6kHz, there’s a considerable boost that can hurt your ears. But that’s it, the only objectively lousy part of the whole DAC. The rest is lovely, the treble is natural, but it slightly moves to the more delicate presentation (except the part mentioned before), making the TC44B an excellent daily DAC.
Microdetails are another significant part. Each strike in the drum plates let us feel how it is shaking. The same applies to the rest of the instruments. The piano has an excellent black background around it, feeling like I would be sitting in the studio, in front of the musician.
The soundstage is, hmm, satisfying. It’s a nice contrast from the norm because it is more significant than usual. I would compare its depth to the iBasso DX160, but the width is similar to the EarMen Eagle. The imaging is lovely but very correct. There’s no fading through the other sounds, just pinpoints where the sound sources stay for the time. Separation is pleasant too.
Summary
You can take it wherever you want.ddHifi TC44B is a prominent, cheap, and balanced DAC/Amp for mobile use. For 89$, you can get the sound quality worth more, and it is still small and portable. It brings more fun to your earphones, provides a nice quantity of power, and looks gorgeous.
Definitely recommended.
Gear used during this review for the sake of comparison and as an accompanying equipment:
- Headphones – Philips Fidelio X2HR, Bqeyz Spring 2, Craft Ears Four, Hifiman HE400i 2020, AKG K702, Moondrop SSP, UM Mest, CFA Vega 2020, Fir Audio VxV, Unique Melody MEST, Campfire Audio Solaris LE
- Sources– FiiO BTR5, Dragonfly Cobalt, iFi iDSD Neo, Topping DX3 Pro, EarMen TR-Amp, EarMen Eagle, xDuoo XD-05 Plus.
Which offers the most performance in sound upgrade for my setup (Samsung Note 10+ with ThieAudio Monarch iems with stock 2.5mm balanced output jack and streaming Tidal MQA)?
1. This ddHiFi TC44B with balanced output?
vs.
2. The ddHiFi TC35 Pro USB Decoder (Eye)? Or similarly the Helm Bolt MQA? (from what I've read they both use the same chipset - though the Bolt's is hidden/unspecified)
ANY comments, opinions, educational thoughts and advice greatly appreciated!!
Thank you!