ddHiFi TC44Pro

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ahammedsojib

100+ Head-Fier
Ddhifi Tc44pro dongle dac (Tiny, powerful & Ultra portable)
Pros: ~ Plug & play functionality with great efficiency
~ Small form factor with solid build quality
~ Decent output power for maximum IEM's
~ Good dynamics presentation from such form factor
~ Fully neutral sounding with a hint of coloration
~ Well-extended & airy treble performance
Cons: ~ Tends to heat up quickly when demanding gears are used
~ No dedicated gain switch even no app support
~ More powerful competitors will be found in similar price category
~ Confusing led indicator
~ Not very suitable for bright-analytical lovers
★ Introduction :-

Ddhifi brand currently most popular for their new audio solutions. Along with good quality, they always give importance to the longevity of the products. I have personally used and reviewed quite a few of their audio gear items so far, which I found to be premium for the price. ddhifi's small audio adapters are on the wish list of many. For them a good sounding small dongle dac is Tc44pro which is priced at almost 80$. I have had this dongle dac for a few months now and have been using it almost regularly without any issues.Today, I'm here with the review of this dongle and I also going to highlight how strong position it will be in the current dongle market.

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★ Disclaimer :-

First of all, I would like to thank @ddHiFi for sending me this review sample. I had no financial agreement with them to promote their product. So the entire opinion of this review is completely my personal.

★ Box content at a glance :-

Ddhifi has always kept the packaging of their products very simple. A Tc44pro dongle dac and a stylish looking leather braided lanyard in the familiar box of white color, there is nothing else except some extra paperwork. This is how they always market their audio gear so it would be foolish to expect too much from here.

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1. Ddhifi Tc44pro dongle dac ×1
2. Leather braid lanyard ×1
3. Some paper works


★ Design, Build Quality & Compatibility :-

The design language of Tc44pro does not have much aesthetics, ddhifi has not made any kind of compromise in the build quality of this small dongle. They have tried to give this device as robust a build as possible. Made of aluminum alloy & carbon fiber panel, this dongle feels very solid when held in hand. Many may consider it an ultra portable dongle as it is quite small in size. It has two variants available, type c & lightning, so all types of users can benefit more or less from it very easily. Ddhifi has always been serious about the build material of their products which is an example of this dongle. I already said that it is small in size but it has no single end port only 4.4 bal port in which gold plated socket is attached and the fixed type c jack is very strong. Apart from this, there is a light coating of gold color which will ensure longevity along with the gorgeous look. ddhifi has cleverly provided a lanyard attachment port with this dongle and it comes with the out of the box dongle. Which looks more beautiful when attached and also reduces the chance of losing it. Apart from the good build, its compatibility was also very good. I have not faced any problem in my daily use. Used with pc, android and ipad and the streaming platform on all devices was very playable with the dongle. I did not get any kind of freeze or disconnection problem and there is no need to install extra driver on PC. In this section, the dongle has given really appreciable results so there is no room to complain. But its small led indicator makes the sound sampling a bit confusing most of the time which is a bummer.

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★ Specifications :-

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★ Tested With :-

▶️ Android phone📱,Ipad & Pc 🖥️
~ Sennheiser IE900

~ Sony IER M9
~ Dunu Zen pro
~ Dunu Falcon Ultra
~ Tanchjim Origin
~ NF acous Nm20
~ Letshouer S08

~ Dunu Kima 2

★ Sound Aspect :-


In terms of sound, Tc44pro offers completely clean & neutral presentation with minimal coloration. The internal configuration of this bal dongle dac has cirrus logic's high-end 43198*2 dac chip which is capable of decoding from pcm format to dsd 256. But because of the sound sampling rate, this device is able to facilitate music listening in any condition. Its sound has a lot of fun factor which will bring relief for longer listening very easily. If I have to express its sound, I would say that it indicates an engaging v profile where there is sufficient clarity of midrange as well as light emphasis of mid bass and decent treble extension. Talking about the sound in details let's jump to the bass at the beginning. The bass section is the strong point of the dongle, especially its mid bass impact was very tight & well controlled and at the same time managed to maintain decent speed & texture. The presence of the sub here is relatively less compared to the mid bass due to which there will not be much satisfying rumble and will not create unwanted bleed with the lower mids. But I think the punchiness of mid bass will be enjoyable for many.
The midrange sound presentation was totally uncolored, the engaging factor may seem less to many. Usually the midrange of cirrus logic house sound brings a welcoming factor with a touch of warmth, but that thing is missing here, but it can subtly highlight the artist's vocal craft and maintain decent weight. At the same time the vocal & instrument placement was also on the good side. Treble section tc44pro delivered a solid performance, I got the treble extension from upper to lower treble very well, I didn't notice any roll-off issue. There is no chance to complain too much about the detail retrieval and the air-sparkle in the upper register has been able to enhance the clarity of the cymbals and string instruments but it was a bit bright & energetic. Upper treble though slightly forward with lower treble performing decently. Its technicalities were quite good, if we talk about the sound stage, then I would say it was fairly open with good depth, but the width was a bit lacking. Apart from that, the tonality was a bit on the colder side and the timbre accuracy was fairly decent, which is enjoyable even if not quite realistic or lifelike. Detail retrieval was good as mentioned earlier but micro detail presence is fairly present but macro detail is lacking which is a common problem with budget dongles.

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★ Synergy and Power :-

The Tc44pro dongle is neutral to hint of bright-ish sounding and has less coloration in tonality. You don't have to face much problem with pairing if you don't have any very bright sounding stuff plugged in. Although it is not very impressive in terms of output power (120mw@32Ω) it is possible to get good synergy with easy to drive dd set and fairly demanding planar sets with full dynamics. However, its output power is not enough to drive full size headphones, but the good thing is that this dongle has performed well with sensitive sets. I did not get any hissing effect during my usage. It was able to treat the sets I used pretty well and I didn't have any problem driving them. It does not overly push or dull the sound characteristics of IEMs but tries to produce in the exact way and to enhance the clarity of the overall sound. Despite having a slight boost in the mid bass, it can handle the quality as well as the quantity of the bass fairly accurately and maintains a decent speed. The sound stage can be slightly wider which can be called an out of your head type presentation. But there is no lack in the placement of the instruments, although it is not a highly detail monster, but it was good as a budget dongle.

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★ Comparison :-

~Ddhifi Tc44pro vs Tc44pro E2~


The next upgrade version of Tc44pro is 44pro e2 whose price is higher than og pro. In terms of output power, 44pro e2 has got a big upgrade, which can be more benefited in using demanding gear. But in terms of sound quality, I like the OG pro version a little more for its open dynamics presentation & good technical ability. On the other hand, the dynamics of the 44pro e2 seemed relatively congested and the staging was narrow. In tonality pro e2 is a bit colder with timbre and lifeless whereas og pro doesn't give much natural tone but it is not dry or overly colored sounding. 44pro is smaller in size and is more versatile in terms of use than its big brother pro e2 because the non-detachable cable of e2 is long and in terms of portability may not be ideal for many, especially those who are more used to using it on the go.

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★ Conclusion :-

Although Tc44pro dongle has miniature form factor, it has more strength in sound as well as portability. This dongle can be recommended for those who are looking for an almost uncolored sounding dongle dac and want to simplify regular usage and don't need much power output.On the other hand, there are more options in the current market for those who prioritize the sound a bit colored and more fun factor. So finally I would like to say that since dongle dac has become a daily companion, I think it would be wise to consider your own sound preference before purchasing, but if you are a neutral lover, I would definitely say to try Tc44pro.

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I've provided the purchase link below for everyone convenience 👇

Ddhifi Ali express store (link isn’t affiliated)
Last edited:

Headphones and Coffee

Previously known as Wretched Stare
Perfect for traveling light.
Pros: Solid construction, low noise, and efficient draw. balanced output.
Cons: had an issue with some services.
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The packaging is minimal and responsible as always from ddhifi.

Specifications
DAC chips: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43131
Output power: 120mW (4.4Bal. 3252)
SNR: >125dB
Dynamic range: >120dB
THD+N: <-110dB
PCM decoding capability: Up to 32bit/384kHz
DSD decoding capability. Native DSD64/DSD128/DSD256
Dimensions: 30×18×12.5 (mm)
Weight. About 9g


The TC44pro performed well, it has no detectable noise and provided a nutral-ish sound with a little warmth.
Presentation was mostly transparent with a noticeable increase in clarity and volume, it had little effect on battery compared to other dongles.

Gear used for testing.
Pixel 7a
Samsung A72 5G
Motorolla G stylist

Philips X2HR, OKCSC Ash, Grado SR80x and AKG M220 pro
Kinera Hodur, IDUN Golden 2.0 and QOA Gimlet
Kiwi ears orchestra lite and Cadenza
Hidizs MS5, MD4 and MS1
KZ Krilla, AS24 and CCA Duo

ywheng89

100+ Head-Fier
ddHifi TC44 Pro Review - Pocket Rocket
Pros: Works very well with sensitive IEM - No hiss
Efficient power draw
Packs plenty of punch in such form factor
Cons: Not sure why it doesn't work with Tidal native app (no sound coming from it but on UAPP Tidal its fine)
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General/Packaging/Build
ddHifi is a brand that I believe needs no introduction. Most of the audiophiles should be familiar with their adapters as well as cables. The brand produces a wide range of products ranging from adapters, cables, portable dongle dac/amp, and even IEM. Packaging is taking on the minimalist approach, very straightforward yet premium looking at the same time. The box contains the dongle itself as well as a mini lanyard.

Specifications
  • DAC chips: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43131
  • Output power: 120mW (4.4Bal. 3252)
  • SNR: >125dB
  • Dynamic range: >120dB
  • THD+N: <-110dB
  • PCM decoding capability: Up to 32bit/384kHz
  • DSD decoding capability. Native DSD64/DSD128/DSD256
  • Dimensions: 30×18×12.5 (mm)
  • Weight. About 9g

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Gears used for this review
  • Thieaudio Hype 2
  • 7Hz Legato
  • iKKO OH5
  • TC44 Pro -> Google Pixel 5 -> UAPP (Tidal)
  • Macbook Air M2

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Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Battery Drain
  • TC44 Pro is quite power efficient based on my test, i did not specifically measure the power draw but based on my observation
  • BHD Pro is connected to Pixel 5 at 100% battery, the volume is being set at +- 40% and 7Hz’s Legato is hooked to the 4.4 out and let it loop through the playlist from 10pm until the next morning 9am (UAPP Pro on exclusive mode)
  • That’s about 11 hours and the battery on Pixel 5 is at 50% when i checked the battery%, that is quite efficient in my opinion based on my observation
  • Also take into consideration that i’m streaming Tidal via UAPP as it doesn’t support offline download for UAPP
Sound Impression
Tonality wise, The TC44Pro doesn’t add much coloration to the signature, i would say it is quite neutral with a slight hint of warmth for the signature. I have tested several dongles with CS41313 but they don’t sound the same at all. That pretty much explains implementation and tuning is the key.

Listening Impression with the following gears
Thieaudio Hype 2

  • Bass is punchy and tight, mid bass especially
  • Sub bass has slightly better extension
  • Mids are slightly being pushed forward instead of sounding slightly recessed prior to pairing with TC44 Pro
  • Male vocal has slightly thicker texture and sounds fuller
  • Female vocal is full sounding as well
  • Not so much changes in terms of detail retrieval
  • Overall, a very good synergy pairing the Hype2 with TC44Pro
7Hz Legato
  • Legato is a bassy and warm IEM, aimed at delivering analog-ish speaker sound
  • The mids are slightly recessed, but when paired with , the mids doesn’t sound that recessed anymore and it sounded a little bit more forward, both male and female vocal also have better texture and body to it
  • Bass on the other hand sounds a little tame, the sub bass doesn’t rumble that much, but mid bass is still punchy, a very refreshing experience if you ask me, still very fun sounding
  • Not much changes on the detail retrieval as well
  • Soundstage is slightly better in terms of better height,depth and width perception
  • Legato is not hard to drive, on paper, TC44Pro may seem like it is very lacking in terms of power output, but it is actually more than enough for most IEMs out there
Comparison (Truthear Shio)
  • Shio sounds warmer to my ears
  • The low end is way more elevated compared to TC44Pro
  • Treble is more or less similar
  • It does have a low/high gain mode which can be toggled by pressing a certain button combination
  • Although sporting different DAC, they difference are actually very minimal, the 43131 on TC44Pro is a DAC chip with built in amp section, where as on the Shio’s 43198, it is a DAC only setup and the amp section is designed/implemented separately
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Final Thoughts
After weeks of using the TC44Pro, i’m actually very happy with the performance and the size of it, there’s no additional cable dangling around and the dongle is directly attached to my mobile, although the headphone out port is positioned on the side, i just switch the position of my phone in the pocket to face other direction and problem solved, or just put it in the ddHifi C2023 bag and walk about with it.
While the specs on paper may not please the crowd, however, the sound and the power output is actually very sufficient for most IEMs out there, when i’m using it with the Hidizs MS5 and MS3, both which are quite sensitive and prone to hissing, there’s none, the background is dark and no audible hiss.
The tech within the dongle and the asking price, i’d say it's fair and i have no issue recommending this dongle if you’re in search of a dongle that has good performance and very portable without breaking the bank.

*A big thanks to ddHifi for sending this over for this review. I thank them for the support as always.
Head over to their official AliExpress Store and official website if you are interested in getting one:


ddHifi TC44Pro - Non affiliated

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vafler86
vafler86
Hey thanks for a great review. I too think it is a good product and i too am struggling to make it work with tidal native app. The thing is that after trying TC44pro, my other dongles have stopped working with tidal too. Strange.
Please do share if you find a solution
ywheng89
ywheng89
@vafler86 Hey there, strange..my other dongles are working fine though, with the exception of this TC44Pro.
I'm still trying to figure it out, but on my Mac it works fine
sofastreamer
sofastreamer
i read of problems specially with google phones when it comes to dongles. not sure but i think i read you would need a otg cable at least

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