Introduction
Dunu is a very popular brand in the Chi-Fi industry, mostly thanks to their well-designed and good sounding IEMs that were praised by many people around the globe.
This time, I will be testing the DTC480, which is one the new dongle DACs that joined their products’ portfolio.
Disclaimer: the Dunu DTC480 was sent to me by Dunu free of charge in order to write an honest review. This review represents my personal opinion and it is by no means a promotional or paid content.
At the time of the review, the Dunu DTC480 was on sale for around $55.99$ (the original retail price is $69.99) at dunu-topsound, which is their official website.
Technical Specifications
- Size → 44mm * 22mm * 11mm (L x W x H)
- Net weight → 20g
- DAC Chipset: CS43198*2
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR):
- Single-Ended: 125 dB
- Balanced: 130 dB
- Dynamic Range (DNR):
- Single-Ended: 125 dB
- Balanced: 130 dB
- THD+N: 0.0002%
- Power Output:
- Single-Ended: 65mW @ 32Ω
- Balanced: 150mW @ 32Ω
- Decoding Capability:
- PCM: 32Bit / 384kHz
- DSD: DoP 128 / Native 256
- Input Interface: USB Type-C
- Output Interfaces:
- 3.5mm Single-Ended
- 4.4mm Balanced
Packaging
The box is very simple and small and it contains:
- The Dunu DTC480
- A cloth-sheathed Type-C to Type-C cable
- A Type-C to USB-A adapter
- User manual and warranty card
Design, Build Quality and Buttons
The Dunu DTC480 has a futuristic design and kinda looks like a small Cybertruck model car with no wheels. The build quality is superb, the painting has no chips or imperfections and the buttons feel very sturdy.
There are two dedicated buttons for the volume control (and other functions), which are independent from the source volume (increasing the volume on the dongle doesn’t affect the source volume, so I just increase the source volume 100% and then adjust the volume directly on the dongle).
There’s also a LED that indicates the various states and filters, even though it doesn’t really help with filters since there isn’t anything that differentiates a filter from another (and the sound differences are usually negligible).
Performance
Power and temperatures
The DTC480 packs decent power, and it’s able to make me reach moderate volumes with my HE400SE. At max settings (both on the phone and on the dongle without High Voltage mode) the sound is loud enough for the average user, even though I would still use them at lower volumes as I find it loud enough. But if you still think it’s not loud enough, turning ON the High Voltage mode makes the HE400SE even louder without going for the balanced output, even though going for the balanced output should still be the better option.
The balanced output, instead, has enough power to drive the HE400SE without turning ON the High Voltage mode, so if you use this dongle with IEMs you won’t have any issue whatsoever with most IEMs.
When it comes to temperatures, the DTC480 doesn’t have particular issues: it becomes just a bit warm when using the Balanced output for very prolonged sessions but the shell never becomes “hot” even after very long listening sessions.
Sound
The DTC480 delivers a full end-to-end experience with a very natural timbre and very good transparency. There isn’t any hiss in the background even with very sensitive IEMs so it’s basically a well-implemented portable DAC/AMP that does its job with no frills or annoyance.
I can’t hear any kind of smoothening on either side of the spectrum, so this is a plus for me, and the DTC480 doesn’t even sound like the treble is particularly bright or emphasized.
Some comparisons:
DTC480 vs Fosi DS2
The Fosi DS2 has a better value proposition imho: it’s lighter, it’s more powerful and the listing price is basically about 10$ below the Dunu DTC480. In terms of sound, the differences are very hard to spot. Maybe, the DTC480 play in a slightly wider soundstage but that may also be placebo. The Fosi DS2 sounds a touch leaner also. The bass sound a bit fuller on the DTC480 to my ears. The DTC480 has a few filters (which I find honestly unrecognizable, even though those with finer ears or measuring units will maybe be able to distinguish), a slightly higher maximum sampling rate, UAC 1.0 support and draws less power. The DTC480 is now on sale for 55.59$, so I would still pick the Fosi DS2 because of the higher power output and the better value for money. However, the DTC480 sounds a bit more natural and consumes less power so if I was going to use the dongle for IEMs only then the choice wouldn’t have been so easy.
Dunu DTC480 vs Hidizs XO
The Hidizs XO is less powerful, slightly more colored than the DTC480 with a bit of added warmth (which can be a “Pro” for some but leads to an objectively less transparent sound), it consumes a lot more power and also become very warm to the touch after some minutes.
Straight to the point, just get the DTC480 if you have to decide between these 2 models: there isn’t any single reason to buy the XO (if not for the MQA support, which I don’t even consider as a true advantage) today so I am not even covering the other technical aspects.
Dunu DTC480 vs Truthear SHIO
The design and build quality of the DTC480 make it look like a better unit, especially because the pleather-covered chassis of the SHIIO feels cheaper. However, the SHIO is a couple notches above in terms of raw power and soundstage.
It’s basically impossible to find the SHIO nowadays, but if it was possible to get one then it would be a better option because of the higher output power and overall sound. The DTC480, instead, has some technical advantages such as the lower power consumption, the UAC 1.0 support and the presence of a few filters that, unfortunately, only provide for negligible differences.
Final Thoughts
The DTC480 is a well done product that comes in a very refined, well built and good looking shell, and that provides for an uncolored and transparent sound along with a fair amount of power to drive the majority of IEMs. The main "problem" about it is that it's a super safe bet that doesn't actually "risk" on anything, so it's very hard to surprise the user in this way especially considering the price (which is higher than competitors' products that have gone a bit more far).
It may not be the best bang for your buck since, for a similar amount of money, you can get better products nowadays, and so could you do back in January 2023, when the Truthear SHIO paved the way for many others (if we do not factor the overall efficiency, of course).
It’s not bad at its listing price, and in fact it's slightly above average in terms of pure sound quality, but if the DTC480 was priced at $35/$40 (I know it’s a very hard call, but the competition is very tough) this could have been a much more attractive option.
