Hidizs DH1000 ( Sonata )

Hidizs DH1000 DAC/Amp Review


Introduction:

DAC/Amp solutions are not as common as DAPs, but there is a market for them because of their versatility and compatibility, giving you a high resolution listening experience across different devices, be it from your mobile phone, laptop, or tablet. Since many stream their music out of convenience, this is an optimal solution without trading off sound quality.


For technical specifications and details about the device, hop over here: https://www.hidizs.net/products/dh1000


I suspect that for many audiophiles, the DH1000 presents a product in a category that best fits a use-case scenario where it is a portable/transportable secondary DAC/amp setup e.g. for the office or when travelling overseas, where it is not possible to lug your desktop setup, with great convenience and portability trading off a little for ultimate sound quality.


With that said, the sound of the DH1000 is superb at its price point, and is atypical of a Sabre DACs. The people at Hidizs have tuned this in a very coherent and organic way, and there is no treble stridency or harshness that is commonly associated with ESS Sabre DACs. More on the sound later.


What I like about the device:

1) It is slim and pocketable, about the size of a portable hard disk drive or portable battery charger. One can easily slip it into a messenger sling, backpack or work briefcase. The fact that it looks good is a bonus.

2) It offers you two connections, the more common 3.5mm unbalanced connection, as well as the 2.5mm balanced connection that Astell and Kern and other audio companies have adopted for their products. I personally find that the 2.5mm balanced connection provides a little more drive and resolution that is a notch higher than the regular 3.5mm.

3) It comes bundled with a few cables that allows you to connect to most major sources that run out of USB-C or the previous micro-USB connections. It is literally plug and play, which is lovely and fuss-free for the end user.


Some cons:

1) It’s a fingerprint magnet (with glass sides). I have given up trying to clean it.

2) Could use a nice carry case. I currently carry it in a soft phone case from the budget store.


Sound:

Bass has solid extension down low, and rumble in the sub-bass regions. Midbass hits with impact, with a decay that is not too slow to be draggy but not too quick to lose slam. In spite of this, there is no overdone bloom or bleed into the mids, exhibiting a good sense of control. Going up into the midrange, one perceives fullness and notes have proper weight, yet retains articulacy and clarity. Vocals cut through the mix easily, making vocal lines easily discernible and emotive. Treble is nowhere near harsh and free of sibilance, one that is very well tuned and easy on the ears, however still possessing speed and correct timbre/decay. There is a naturalness to the notes and the way instruments and voices sound, a result of masterful tuning of the dual DAC chips. I would say also that it makes for hours of fatigue free listening, which is important for me.


Staging is not the widest nor deepest, but extends comfortably outwards from your headspace in all axes. For a product at this price point however, I think it is already operating at the best in its class for technicalities. There is a small sphere of sound around the head that forms, creating sufficient air and space around and between instruments. It is easy to follow instrumental lines even in complex arrangements. Imaging is terrific, and one can pinpoint instrument placements with ease within the stage. Voices tend to be centred and presented in front of the listener, lending itself to a very immersive listening experience.


The major difference between the two output options is that generally speaking, the 2.5mm output provides a larger stage with a greater sense of dynamic range and drive, where in comparison the 3.5mm would sound slightly more congested and having a weaker contrast of dynamics. Thus, I would strongly recommend getting cables/IEMs that have a 2.5mm connection to maximise the sound quality you can get out of the DH1000.


Sources:

Macbook Air 13 inch 2015

Google Pixel 3


IEMs/Earbuds:

Venture Electronics (VE) Monks (Cappuccino 2.5mm)

Venture Electronics (VE) Zen 2 (2.5mm)

Kinera Sif (3.5mm)

JVC FD-01 (predecessor of Drop/JVC FD-X1) (3.5mm)


Final comments:

Being familiar with some of my IEMs and how they sound like tonally, I can conclude that as a DAC/amp it plays wonderfully with a wide variety of earphones, giving you a clean and musical sound, with a fabulous treble tuning that gels with almost any earphone. As far as sonics are concerned, at its price range the DH1000 presents superb value for its performance, and offers a plethora of connections that anyone would need.

Hidizs DH1000;
The DAC/AMP with top features for a reasonable price…


About Hidizs:

Hidizs Technology Co. Ltd. was founded early in 2009 in order to produce some portable HiFi audio devices. Hidizs is now producing Digital Audio Players (DAP) like AP100, AP60/AP60II, AP200 and upcoming AP80 and Digital to Analogue Converters (DAC) like the DH1000 which I will now review for you.




Disclaimer:

First of all, a big thanks to Hidizs for providing me this sample of the DH1000 for review purposes. I am not affiliated with Hidizs beyond this review and these words reflect my true, unaltered opinions about the product.

Hidizs Offical Webpage: https://www.hidizs.net/



Price:

The Hidizs DH1000 DAC/AMP is available on Hidizs Store for a MSRP of 249,00 USD.

Purchase link: https://www.hidizs.net/products/dh1000



What is the Hidizs DH1000? :

The Hidizs DH1000 is a Digital to Analogue Converter (DAC) with a built in amplifier that supports Hi-Res music files with sampling rates up to 32bit – 384kHz and is compatible with multiple operating systems like Windows, Mac, Android or IOS etc.



Package and Accessories:

The device comes in black card-box which contains the following items;

• 1 x Hidizs DH1000
• 1 x Micro USB Cable
• 1 x Micro to Type-C USB Cable
• 1 x Micro to Micro USB Cable

Design and Build Quality:

The Hidizs DH1000 is a very well made device with a relative small dimension of 121 x 68 x 13mm, which is smaller than an iphone6/6s. The device comes in black color and will also available in silver and gray colors.

The front and back panel is made of glass, which has a smooth surface that is a real finger print magnet. The frame of the DH1000 is made of metal instead of plastic, which gives an overall nice appearance.





The top side sports the power button, a power green LED indicator which lights up when you press the bottom for 2 – 3 seconds and also the 2.5mm balanced headphone out and the 3.5mm single ended headphone out.



On the bottom is a full sized USB input which can be used for IOS and other devices, a Micro USB for input to feed your music from PC and Android devices and a second Micro USB to charge the DH1000.



On the right side you can find the volume up and down buttons which have a nice click.



The front panel sports a blue LED indicator which lights up when you charge your device and the Hi-Res Audio certificate sticker.



On the back panel, you can find the Hidizs logo, the model number (DH1000) and some certifications.



The Hidizs is very well made device and they are no sticky residues or openings on it. But the front and back panel makes me worried because of the glass material which is prone to scratches.





Technical Specifications:

• DAC : 2 x ES9018K2M
• Freq. Response : 0Hz – 50KHz
• Output Interface : 1 x 3.5mm headphone jack, 1x 2.5mm balanced headphone jack
• Input Interface : Micro USB/ USB (iOS)
• System Support : Android/ iOS /PC /Mac
• Supported Formats : FLAC, APE, WAV, ALAC, APPLE LOSSLESS, DSF, DSDIFF PCM , Support 24-Bit/192KHz / DSD Support DSD 64/128
• ASIO Drive : Support Windows 7/8/10
• Custom App : HiBy music player
• Battery Life : 10 hours
• Dimensions : 121 x 68 x 13mm
• Colors : Silver, Black, Gray

Hardware and Operation:


a) DAC Section:

The DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) used inside the Hidizs DH1000 is the Sabre chip of the Company ESS Technology with 32-bit, 2-channel audio D/A converter targeted for audiophile-grade portable applications such as digital music players, Portable DAC/AMP’s etc. The ES9018K2M is using the ESS patented 32-bit HyperStream® DAC architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator. The ES9018K2M delivers a DNR of up to 127dB and THD+N of -120dB.



Hidizs DH1000 uses two (x 2) of this ES9018K2M DACs for each channel to make sure the signals will not interference with each other.



b) AMP Section and Drivability:

The Hidizs DH1000 is using two LPF and OPA modules, which are integrated to the ES9601K headphone amplifier. The ES9601K delivers according to the company ESS a SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) of 122dB and a THD+N (Total Harmonic Distortion) of 117dB which are quite good values on paper. There also a 20-pin, 3mm x 3mm QFN package inside the ES9601K amplifier, which minimizes some unwanted PCB footprints.






Here are some additional details:

3.5mm Headphone Output:

• THD+N : 117dB
• Channel Separation : 120dB
• SNR : -122dB
• Output Power : 120mW / 32 ohm (Unbalanced)

2.5mm Headphone Output:

• THD+N : 117dB
• Channel Separation : 120dB
• SNR : -122dB
• Output Power : 150MW/ 32 ohm (Balanced)

c) Dual USB Mode:

DH1000 has two separate data and charge USB ports. This independent design allows the user to charge the device at home or on the go (portable power bank, while continuing to enjoy DH1000 in action at the same time.



d) Battery life:

The DH1000 has a build in battery which should be able to last according to Hidizs, for approx. 10 hours of continuous use.

My test results showing that the DH1000 is able to work services like Tidal or Spotify truth the 3.5mm unbalanced headphone out for approx. 8.5 – 9 Hours and 7.5 – 8 hours over the 2.5mm balanced out which has a higher power rating.



e) Background Noise / Hissing:

The Hidizs DH1000 is a surprisingly silent working device, which has only a very small amount of hissing with some of my sensitive IEM’s like the Dunu Falcon-C.



f) Driving Power:

The Hidizs DH1000 has power to drive headphones from 8 to 600Ω impedance, through both 2.5/3.5mm headphone jacks. It was able to drive my 300ohm rated K’S Samsara Earbud to loud volume, but could struggle to give enough power to more juice demanding full sized headphones, especially above 300 ohms.



g) Compatibility:

Hidizs DH1000 is compatible with almost any of device and dosnet need any addtional driver or software to install. I have test it out with my Android phone, iPad, PC and Cayin N5II which worked flawlessly.



Equipments used for this review:

• DAC’s : Hidizs DH1000, Chord Mojo, Audioquest Dragonfly Black
• Digital Sources : Ipad Air 2, Samsung Galaxy S8+, Dell 5521 PC
• IEM’s : Campfire Audio Polaris, Audeze iSine20, Dunu Flacon-C
• Earbuds : Penon BS1 Official, Astrotec Lyra Collectio, K’S Samsra 300ohm
• Headphones : Audio-Technica ATH50M

Albums & tracks used for this review:

• Jehan Barbur – Yollar (Spotify)
• Minor Empire – Bulbulum Altin Kafeste (Spotify)
• London Grammar – Interlud (Live) (Flac 24bit/44kHz)
• Laura Pergolizzi – Lost On You “Live at Harvard and Stone” (Tidal Hi-Fi)

• Steve Srauss – Mr. Bones (Flac 16bit/44kHz)
• Dire Straits – Money for Nothing (DSD 64)
• Gothart – Jovano, Jovanke (Spotify)
• Otto Liebert & Luna Negra – The River (DSF) – Binaural Recording
• GoGo Penguin – Fanfares (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Adam Taylor – Colour to the Moon (Flac 16bit/44kHz)
• Casey Abrams – Robot Lover (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles (Tidal Hi-Fi)

• Liqid Tension Experiment 2 – Acid Rain (Spotify)
• Opeth – Damnation (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Megadeth – Sweating Bullets (Flac 16bit/44kHz)
• Metallica – Sad bu True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)

• Future Heroes – Another World (Tidal Hi-fi)
• Lorde – Team (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
• Tom Player – Resonace Theory “Album” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Deeperise feat. Jabbar – Move On (Spotify)

Sound:

The Hidizs DH1000 review is written after a burn-in of approx 100 hours, over the 3.5mm unbalanced headphone out.

Tonality / Bass / Mid / Treble / Soundstage & Imaging:

The Hidizs DH1000 is using same ES9018K2M DAC chip, which can be found inside the of the Cayin N5II. But I was quite surprised by the difference in tonality, because the DH1000 has a pretty neutral presentation, with only a hint of warmness and very low coloration, compared to the warmer and more musical tonality of the N5II







Bass:

The Bass response of the DH1000 is close to natural and has pretty good control, but is missing a bit of fullness.

The sub-bass area has an adequate amount of rumble with a pretty well texturing and speed, which is quite successful at this price range. The minus of this tuning is the missing of depth in the sub-bass area, which is needed in some genres like Trance music or EDM.

The overall bass character makes the sounds not too warm, but neither cold and is hitting with quite tight and controlled notes.

The mid-bass area sound fairly neutral and has a moderate fullness, which has enough weight to give guitar strings a natural pretention.



Mids:

The Hidizs DH1000 doesn’t sound dry or cold, but is not the warmest source out there. It has a transparent and smooth midrange, which is fairly neutral with its overall presentation. A remarkable ability of the DH1000 is the layering and separation between instruments and vocals, which is in a high level for this price tag.

Both male and female vocals sounding quite realistic, but the most interesting part is the female voice presentation, which sounds clean and lifelike with some artist like Jehan Barbur or Ozgu Ozman (Minor Empire).

There was a bit stress in the upper midrange for the first 10 – 15 hours, which is partially gone and is now much more controlled and with less stress quantity, after a burn in period of 100 – 120 hours.



Treble:

The treble range of the Hidizs DH1000 is producing a fairly amount of air between instruments and the treble texture extends vey well for this price range. The lower treble area sounds pretty controlled without any remarkable sibilance, with some female vocals like LP (Laura Pergolizzi), which has a voice on a mezzo soprano level.

The upper treble range of the Hidizs DH1000 has a pretty good level of resolution that is remarkable while paying some instruments like violins, side flutes or cymbals. Another good ability of the DH1000 is the level of brightness, which doesn’t sound in a metallic or unnatural way.

A noticeable minus is the missing of some definition and micro detail in the upper treble range that is quite acceptable for this price range.


Soundstage & Imaging:

The soundstage of the Hidizs DH1000 is quite expansive in both directions, especially with its wideness and performs very well in Casey Abrams binaural recording “Robot Lover” and Yoshi Horikawa’s interesting song “Bubbles”. The Positioning of instruments and vocals is quite precise and with pretty good separation.







Comparisons:

Hidizs DH1000 vs Chord Mojo & Audioquest Dragonfly Black





Hidizs DH1000 vs. Chord Mojo:

The Chord Mojo is one of my favorite portable DAC/Amp’s with its musical and powerful presentation.

The main difference starts in the lower frequency area, where the Chord Mojo sounds fuller and dynamic. The sub-bass of the Mojo is reaching to a lower register and has more rumble. The Hidizs DH1000 on the other hand, sounds more natural and has additional control in this area.

The bass of the Mojo has more impact, while the DH1000 sounds slightly more controlled. The texture of the bass punches is nearly identical and the difference is not on a remarkable level. The Chord Mojo has also more mid-bass fullness with a slightly warmer approach, while the Hidizs DH1000 has additional control over this area.

The Hidizs DH1000 sounds more natural and airy in the midrange area compared to the Chord Mojo, which is a result of its bass tuning. The success of transparency goes to the DH1000, while the Mojo wins in musicality and emotion. The Chord Mojo represents male and female vocals in a more intimate and emotional way, while the Hidizs DH1000 is missing some warmth, but wins with its neutrality and clearness.

The Hidizs DH1000 has more space for instruments, while the Chord Mojo shares more micro details.

The Hidizs DH1000 has slightly more treble emphasis and extends better then those of the Chord Mojo, which has otherwise a sweeter presentation. The Cord Mojo on the other hand, has slightly more resolution and better control in the treble area, but both devices have nearly the same performance for separation of instruments and don’t sound unnatural or metallic.

In terms of soundstage performance, the DH1000 and the Mojo are similar for wideness, while the DH1000 has slightly better depth. The Chord Mojo has the upper hand for separation and imaging of for instruments.







Hidizs DH1000 vs. Audioquest Dragonfly Black:

The Audioquest Dragonfly Black is also one of my favorite sources, especially due its small form factor.

The Dragonfly Black has a warmer tonality then those of the DH1000 due more weight in the lower frequency range.

The Dragonfly black has relative more bass emphasis and impact with an energetic presentation. The sub-bass has more rumble and goes also deeper, but sounds a bit loose compared to the DH1000’s sub-bass presentation, which has better control in this regarding.

The bass of the Hidizs DH1000 is faster and extends in a more natural way. Those who like a stronger bass impact will love the Dragonfly Black, while the DH1000 sounds more natural and with better texture in this area, which is more ideal for critical listening.

The midrange of the DH1000 sounds transparent and more natural, compared to the warmer and more musical presentation of the Dragonfly Black. The DH1000 has also the cleaner background, which helps to add better definition for instruments. Both male and female vocals are sounding more realistic with the DH1000, which has also the better separation between instruments.

The upper midrange area of the Dragonfly Black is more energetic and forward, but this makes it prone to sibilance. The Hidizs DH1000 has here the upper hand with its less emphasized upper midrange.

The Hidizs DH1000 has a slightly brighter treble presentation with additional resolution, while the Dragonfly Black sound less upfront, but has otherwise a good detail retrieval for its price tag. The treble control on both devices is pretty good, but Hidizs DH1000 has the more superior upper treble extension.

In terms of soundstage, the Hidizs DH1000 expands better in both directions and has also the better instrument separation and placement.







Conclusion:

The Hidizs DH1000 is a very well build device with an eye catching design, which has a fairly detailed and transparent sound. All these features are packed in a relative small device that is sold for a reasonable price. This makes Hidizs DH1000 to a very good choice in a price range between 200 – 400 USD.


Pros and Cons:

• + Eye catching appearance,
• + Great Built quality,
• + Transparency and Clarity,
• + Good Battery Life,
• + Clean background,

• – Glass surface is a fingerprint magnet,
• – The glass panel is prone to scratches,
• – No Carry Case included to the package, which should be a must have!

This review was originally posted on "Moonstar Reviews" :
https://moonstarreviews.net


...

HIDIZS DH1000 - Glistening Gem

HIDIZS created a new interesting product with a very good price, amazing compatibility and with improved support. Hidizs DH1000 is a DAC/AMP unit which comes to bring us lots of musical joy, even if we want to use our smartphones for keeping our libraries and such.




Hidizs DH1000 can be bought within its Kickstarter campaign right now! [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/873263862/hidizs-dh1000-worlds-first-truly-dual-balanced-amp]

Introduction

Hidizs is a pretty well-known company from China, being the creators behind AP200, an interesting and well-priced DAP. We took a few photos and had a look into their AP200, but our final verdict on it is still not fully decided, as Hidizs told us that they are still refining the firmware, and we consider it would be unfair to judge it as an unfinished product. DH1000 (Also previously named Sonata), on the other hand, is a very mature and finished product, being a DAC/AMP (Digital to Analogue Converter / Amplifier) which is supposed to be connected to a transport (usually a smartphone or an iPhone). Whether it will stand its ground against other amazing DAC/AMP units and whether it is worth its asking price, we'll find out today, and we'll also let you know whether we consider it a good idea to back up their Kickstarter campaign for this same product.

It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with Hidizs, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. This review is not sponsored nor has been paid for by Hidizs or anyone else. I'd like to thank Hidizs for providing the sample for the review. The sample was provided along with Hidizs's request for an honest and unbiased review. This review will be as objective as it is humanly possible, and it reflects my personal experience with Hidizs DH1000 (Sonata). Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it, the purpose of this review is to help those interested in DH1000 find their next music companion.



About me

https://audiophile-heaven.blogspot.ro/p/about.html



First Impression

I just received DH1000 recently, and it was a pretty interesting experience. Since I recently build a computer, and I'm still making tweaks to it, I am still receiving a few packages and sorting things out. I did already receive one package that day, with a HDD reader, and I was actually just starting to install it when the DHL delivery people called me and told me that I have a package to pick up.



At first, I wasn't even sure what they were talking about, as with the rather harsh winter weather lately they weren't able to deliver it sooner, and I was already waiting for at least one more package from them.

With the gray clouds guarding the mighty tall buildings of Bucharest, I was actually happy that I got to get out for a few minutes, as the morning fresh air was quite energizing and the people around still had their morning coffee smiles.

The delivery people were quite friendly and handled the package quickly, then went on to deliver more things to people around the area.

I looked for a second at the might of the glass constructions that are rapidly decorating the neighbourhood which just a few years ago looked like ruins of a golden era of the past. "Seems that the world is always evolving and new beautiful things always await in the shadows for those ready to explore them...", I thought to myself, then slowly took a walk back to my room.

I began opening the package of Sonata (DH1000) and the first thing that crawled in my mind was that it is packaged in a rather elegant and tiny package for the device that's supposed to be within.

I connected it to my smartphone, plugged Audeze LCD-MX4 in, then pressed play...



Packaging

First things first, let's get the packaging out of the way:





































The package of DH1000 is rather small for the size of the device, but it has a few interesting things within. You are greeted by a black package, with silvery writing decorating the main box, and describing the wonders that lie within. The actual technical specifications of DH1000 are amazing, describing, at least technically, one of the best DAC/AMPs one should meet with in his audio journey, the dynamic range and the other specs being way out of what a typical device should do. Hidizs even wrote the Frequency response as starting with 0 Hz. While we can chuckle a bit at this statement, we are happy to know that they trust their products a lot.

The package includes a few things, like DH1000, a USB to MicroUSB cable, a MicroUSB to MicroUSB cable and a USB Type-C Cable to Micro-USB cable.

DH1000 doesn't come with a protective cover, which, considering its looks, might have been welcome.

The manuals are pretty nice, and DH1000's package is pretty fit for a product in this price range.



What to look in when purchasing a DAC/AMP

https://audiophile-heaven.blogspot.ro/p/what-to-lookl.html



Technical Specifications








Build Quality/Aesthetics/UI/Firmware

Starting with the build quality, DH1000 is extremely well-built, and Hidizs is showing massive improvements in this area, starting with the glossy front and back, and to the metal frame of DH1000. The main thing that amazed us is that Hidizs applied screen protectors on both the front and the back of DH1000, thing which is hard to tell from looking at it directly, so they did an amazing job. If it weren't for a very little dust particle caught between the screen protector and the DAC/AMP's body, we wouldn't even know that there is any protector applied.











The whole device feels extremely solid in hand, there is no bending, creaking or any kind of build quality incoherency. The buttons are clicky and there is very little button wobble, the whole device leaving a very high-end overall feeling.

The face and the back of the device are extremely smooth and well-done, with a cold feeling to the touch, indicating high-end materials being used (Glass / metal) instead of plastic, thing which made us pretty happy with DH1000.

On the top of the device you have the power button with a Green LED next to it, to indicate when it is turned on, the 2.5mm Balanced Headphone Jack, and the 3.5mm Headphone Jack. On the right side, there are the volume buttons, and on the bottom, there is a microUSB port used for charging the device, a microUSB port used for feeding data to the device from an Android or Windows device, and a larger USB port, which can be used for other devices.

One thing that disappointed us a bit is that there is no volume indicator with DH1000. The bright side is that the volume resets on each device shut down, so there is no chance on it blowing up someone's ears or IEMs / Headphones.

We were delighted to notice that both the 3.5mm and the 2.5mm jacks can be used at the same time. This is actually pretty rare, as most devices can only use one of the jacks at the same time. We used FiiO F9Pro to test the Balanced and the SE jack against each other, by connecting the left earpiece to the Balanced cable, and the Right Earpiece to the SE cable, then plugging each earpiece with its cable in DH1000. This feature will come in handy in a large number of scenarios for many users, so we consider it a big plus.

Another thing we'd like to mention is that DH1000 connects to any Windows or Android device flawlessly. It has less lag than most DAC/AMP devices, being flawless for playing games or watching fast-paced videos. There is no software needed for either Windows or Android, and it is detected natively by both Windows 10, and all our Android-based devices.

We'd like to add that DH1000 does not charge from the same port it receives signal. This means two things, one rather positive, and one which can be a slight inconvenience. First, this means that you can use it while charging, and that you will be able to use it with a large number of devices and that it doesn't eat away your transport's power (be it smartphone or something else). Excellent news for anyone rocking a smartphone. On the other hand, if you're using it as a stationary DAC/AMP for a windows machine, it needs to be connected with two cables, one for power and one for data, so you either need to use two USB ports, or one USB port and a wall charger. On a more positive note, it works with all our smartphone chargers including quick chargers, so there's no need to worry about its compatibility with chargers either.

Overall, the device has an excellent feeling and its usage is quite awesome, and besides a few things one has to keep in mind before getting one, DH1000 is pretty solid in both construction quality, and functionality.



Sound Quality

Hidizs DH1000 (Sonata) has a fairly neutral tuning, with a very linear response, being rather transparent instead of warm or bright, adding almost nothing to the original signal, thing which makes it quite ideal for most usage scenarios. A transparent device tends to leave the coloring to the transducers (headphones or IEMs), thus it will work better with a wider range of them.





Bass

Now, the bass is not warm nor enhanced, but it is not lacking in any way. Impact is really good and the detailing in the bass is quite excellent, with the impact being quick and solid, and the tactile feeling being rather good. Even when connected to a pair of self powered speakers, we can admire the qualities Sonata's bass has.



With songs like Pegboard Nerds - Hero, you can feel the bass going down to the lowest registers and hitting, then quickly recovering, uncovering a complex set of textures that makes the whole song feel quick and playful. The voices are clear and natural, while the whole song feels quite dynamic and vivid. Details and micro-details, especially background instruments, are present with a rather excellent presence to them, and DH1000 proves to have a rather revealing nature to its sound.



Midrange

The midrange of DH1000 is on the rather neutral and uncolored sides, with a presentation that is forward when it should be forward, like in electronic and vocal-forward music, and which is laid-back when it should be laid back, being excellent and revealing the original recording as it should sound like. Detailing is quite good and we're happy to hear many micro-textures which we're only used to hearing with more expensive DAPs and DAC/AMPs, as well as certain instruments we consider details. Vocal tonality is spot-on and the general feeling is that of vividness and that of a large dynamic range with all instruments feeling different from each other.



With songs like Morgan David King - Weeble Wooble, one can certainly feel each bass note at the beginning of the song. Effects can be heard walking and running through the Stereo Landscape, and the voices, although very few of them in the song, feel rather well-textured and naturally presented for what they were meant to be. The treble is nice and has a good presence, while staying on the smoother-textured side rather than being grainy. Keys and Synths surely have one of those excellent definition to their textures that reminds of of how bit-perfect should sound like.



Treble

The treble of DH1000 is the type of treble one falls in love with, energetic, lively, healthy, all without being too smooth or harsh or dissonant. The basic way to describe it is very well extended, climbing all the way to the highest registers, and feeling rather natural to the way a Cymbal should sound like, having the right amount of texture to feel realistic rather than smooth, but without passing in the grainy or harsh territories, being like an idea treble. Engaging is a good way to speak about its treble, as well. Airy is another good word to define the treble of DH1000, as, especially for its price, the airiness of its treble is quite good.



On songs like Obisidia - Another world, it is possible to notice the rather excellent treble extension, along with its engaging presentation. The bass notes are exactly where they should be, creating a good amount of impact for this song, while the treble presents itself in a vivid and engaging matter, defining the scene for the young and natural-sounding voice, along with the composition of synths and musical instruments. Multiple layers of instruments are audible, all along a wide and well-defined soundstage.



Soundstage



The soundstage of Hidizs DH1000 is pretty good, rather large and well defined, with an excellent separation between the instruments and layers of instruments, along with a pretty nice definition of each instrument alone. The depth of the soundstage is good as well, but the size and especially the good treble extension are what makes it quite special. The stereo imaging is amazing as well, especially when used with our standalone speaker setup. Spatial cues point to the right directions, and there's nothing to speak ill about its soundstage.



ADSR/PRaT

The ADSR / PRaT of DH1000 are actually quite good, and we were able to hear some interesting renderings of textures in music like that made by Mindless Self Indulgence. The speed is rather natural, and for a DAC/AMP, DH1000 does a good job at keeping things in check for all music played through it.



Portable Usage

This is an interesting aspect, because lately we don't consider any DAC/AMP to be truly as portable as a standalone DAP (Digital Audio Player). DH1000 is roughly the same physical size as a FiiO Q5, with a slightly slimmer body and a few millimeters in difference here or there. The overall device is smaller than all of our smartphones. The fact that DH1000 works flawlessly with all our Android devices means that it also works with our tablets for watching movies and music videos, thing which led to a very satisfying Tablet Media Consumption.



DH1000 is able to drive Audeze LCD-MX4, but that is the upper limit to its driving power, and even then, it might be a bit of a stretch. We'd recommend our readers to use DH1000 with headphones that are easier to drive in general. Although it is rated at "up to 600 OHM" for its driving power, even for satisfying listening volume alone, we'd recommend going with headphones up to 150 OHM for best satisfaction (we like to listen very loud, so if you're a quiet listener, it will surely work with higher impedance headphones).

Its sound is above AP200 from Hidizs, making the stacking of the two an excellent idea. Our understanding is that there will be a firmware update sometime soon, which will allow AP200 to act as a transport for DH1000, so please be noted that it doesn't work at the moment.

The battery life is fairly good, stated around 9-10 hours, and in was quite large in our tests, although we didn't have time to format it or place it through a more serious test, we got around 8-9 hours of continous uisage so pretty close to the specification. We'd like to note that DH1000 does not get hot during usage, even if used while it is charging. Arguably, it is Winter in Romania, and we have a very cold weather along with rather low testing environment temperature, but this is still pretty good news.

All in all, DH1000 is as portable as a DAC/AMP unit will be, the positive side being the rather huge battery life, stated to be at 12 hours, and the beautiful aesthetic, along with the extreme compatibility with other devices.



Select Pairings

Please note that for any pairing, the IEM has more impact on the final result than the DAP / DAC / AMP, the best DAP / DAC / AMP being one that is as transparent as possible.



Hidizs DH1000 + Dunu DK-3001 - DH1000 makes Dunu DK-3001 sing with excellent ability, making the bass feel very natural, with a natural decay, the midrange being presented with a light yet somewhat smooth nature, and the treble being natural and relaxing, yet keeping a lot of detail. The soundstage is very wide, and every detail and micro-detail is presented fairly well.

Hidizs DH1000 + Unique Melody Martian - DH1000 makes the Martians sing with an excellent technical ability, a very precise IEM with no politeness added to a song, exposing the details within with a rather good introspection.

Hidizs DH1000 + Ultrasone Signature Studio - Ultrasone Signature Studio is driven fairly well, although it is starting to be on the edge of what is driveable by DH1000, as the actual maximum listening volume is starting to be the limit. The bass is impactful and has amazing speed, the midrange is crystal clear and presented with a large amount of details and amazing textures, while the treble is vivid, engaging, but with a rather smoother nature.

Hidizs DH1000 + Meze 99 Classics - Meze 99 Classics is driven quite well by DH1000, being presented with an amazing amount of impact and dynamics, being a warm and smooth experience that one can easily relax to for hours in a row.

Hidizs DH1000 + iBasso IT01 - IT01 is presented with excellent dynamics and vividness, being one of our favorite IEMs to combine with DH1000 as they receive a bit of extra engagement to their already engaging signature, resulting in a very impressive experience.

Hidizs DH1000 + Beyerdynamic Amiron - Beyerdynamic Amiron is actually not fully drivable by DH1000, the limiting factor being the maximum listening volume, which isn't quite enough for our typical listening levels. Even so, the experience while using this combination is quite amazing, with a deep and precise bass, a clear and well-defined midrange, and a very clear and well-extended treble. Amiron surely sings well, but a tad quiet from DH1000.

Hidizs DH1000 + Audeze LCD-MX4 - Audeze MX4 is driven quite nicely by DH1000, being on the superior limit of what we consider satisfying as an experience with DH1000. They are made to sing with an excellent extension to their bass, an excellent definition to their midrange, with a lot of detail and dynamics, and with a very well extended and engaging treble.



Comparisons

Most comparisons have been taken with Edifier S1000DB, Audeze LCD-MX4, Cleartune SV4, Dita Truth, Hifiman RE2000, Ultrasone Signature Studio, Hifiman RE800, Sennheiser ie800, and Dunu Falcon-C. Hiss is usually very hard to notice and I tend to not notice it at all, but I tried my best to compare how DAPs perform relative to each other in this aspect, as well as other aspects that might come off as relevant.

We only have a few DAC/AMP units that are close to DH1000 in both price and sonic performance, so we'll try to explore the overall differences between those.

Since DAC/AMP units can have a different behavior, we'll also need to talk a bit about the differences in the physical sizes and general unit behaviors of those units.





















Hidizs DH1000 vs FiiO Q5 (AMP5) - With Q5 using AMP5, the main AMP module we are using Q5 with, the difference in sound can be noted as DH1000 feeling less warm and more neutral, with a tad more sparkle in the treble. The soundstage can be perceived as wider on DH1000, but deeper on FiiO Q5 + AMP5, with a better definition to each layer of instruments on Q5. Instrument separation is also a little better on FiiO Q5 + AMP5, but this is probably to be expected considering the price of both. DH1000 feels a tad more forward overall, with Q5 + AMP5 feeling more laid back and effortless in its presentation. Now, when it comes to the actual device, both are beautiful devices. Both work really well, and neither doesn't have a considerable amount of delay. Both work with our test devices out of the box, but Q5 requires a driver for Windows 10, while DH1000 is recognized natively on our Windows 10 machine. Q5 has a bass adjustment tool which we actually use quite a bit, along with a gain setting, which we almost exclusively leave on Low Gain. Q5 has a way of telling the current volume, via its volume wheel, while DH1000 does not. FiiO Q5 has more inputs, and can also be used with multiple amp modules but this adds to its price. FiiO Q5's recommended price is around 350$, with at least another 50$ for its AMP5, while DH1000 should cost around 270$ as its recommended price, with many discounts currently being offered as part of their Kickstarter campaign.

Hidizs DH1000 vs iFi iDSD BL Nano - Starting with the sonic differences, iDSD BL Nano feels smoother and more laid back in general, with a less forward sound and a more relaxed approach, while this makes DH1000 feel more vivid, energetic, and a bit more forward. iDSD BL Nano was already quite engaging, but DH1000 is at least as engaging as iNano BL. iFi iDSD Nano BL is recognized by all our devices and has zero lag while being used as a USB DAC, same for DH1000. There is a way to tell the current volume on iDSD Nano BL, via its volume wheel, and it also has certain filter effects. The prices are quite similar, with iDSD Nano BL (200$) being cheaper than DH1000 outside of DH1000's KS campaign (220$ to 270$). DH1000 has a more lively sound going on for it, along with the fact that it can power two headphones at the same time, via its two headphone outputs, one of which is 2.5mm Balanced and one of which is 3.5mm SE. The physical shape of the devices makes DH1000 more transportable and stack-prone, being longer, wider but thinner, providing a more flexible usage scenario for those who want to stack it with their phone or DAP. iDSD BL Nano is a thicker and shorter. We do feel that iDSD BL Nano has a bit more driving power, so if you plan on powering a headphone that requires more power than DH1000 can handle, it might be an interesting option. Qlthough iDSD Nano BL looks pretty nice, DH1000's aesthetics surely do take things one step ahead, being extremely sleek and elegant, while iDSD Nano BL still is a rather industrial-style device. DH1000 is an interesting option for those who want a more forward sound, with more treble sparkle, with a sleeker design, and with a dedicated 2.5mm and 3.5 Balanced ports, along with separated power and microUSB inputs.

Hidizs DH1000 vs AP200 - We want to point some basic differences between the two devices from Hidizs. First, the sonic differences, AP200 is smoother sounding, with a more constrained soundstage and with less engagement and dynamics for its overall sound. DH1000 is much much better in all of those aspects, and it sports a better treble extension, along with a much more vivid general tuning. The other key difference we'd like to mention is the purpose of each device, AP200 being a music player which can act as a transport, while DH1000 is a DAC/AMP which can be paired with AP200. The third point we wanted to mention is that DH1000 is flawless in its software. Since we mentioned earlier that AP200 is not quite finished yet, we want to mention that DH1000 is a very finished and mature device, and we didn't ran into any single software issue with it, it simply works flawlessly with anything we threw at it, so we can recommend it to everybody. Where AP200 is still evolving in its software, DH1000 is really ready, Hidizs having shown major improvements at this level.



Value and Conclusion

Things are a little tricky this time, as we are talking about a company which ran a Kickstarter campaign already, and even more, thius happened quite recently.

Hidizs had a KS campaign for their AP200 before, and we do want to mention that although they were slightly overwhelmed with e-mails and might not have answered every mail the next day, they did answer most questions and we've noticed a steady and honest interaction with their fans. They have taken a very low time limit for that campaign before, but they actually delivered on their promises and on the Kickstarter-backetd AP200 units, and although maybe they still have to deliver a few units, the general campaign has not been forgotten and Hidizs is fairly able to deliver on their promises. The software on AP200 is still being updated and it still didn't reach a final stage, but the software on DH1000 is as final as it can be, being extremely stable and DH1000 connecting flawlessly with all sources we tried to connect them with. Although it doesn't currently work with AP200, Hidizs released a statement that they know about the issue and will fix it in the upcoming weeks.

Having established that Hidizs can be trusted to deliver on a Kickstarter campaign, the nest question is whether DH1000 is worth its asking price. That is also quite tricky to answer as there are a lot of amazing products even in this price area already, and they are running against some hard-to-beat titans, like iDSD Nano BL.

DH1000 finds its place in the audio world, even against other titans, as it comes with a set of innovations, like offering 2.5mm balanced output, along with a 3.5mm single ended output, which can work at the same time, having a good battery life, and having one of the most beautiful aesthetic designs we've seen on a DAC/AMP unit. The only real drawbacks we've noticed so far are that it isn't possible to tell what volume it currently has, and that it requires two cables to charge and play, but we feel that the later will actually be seen as an advantage by many people, while the first is mitigated by the fact that the volume is reset on each device power cycle.







At the end of the day, Hidizs DH1000 is an amazingly beautiful DAC/AMP with a vivid, energetic and rather engaging sound, really good build quality, and a healthy battery life. It can be connected to almost anything one wants to connect it with, doesn't have one bit of lag, so it can be used for gaming or music videos and other media consumption, and it can drive portables rather well. We do like what we're seeing, and we consider that DH1000 will make its way into the homes and pockets of many music enthusiasts, being a rather portable and nifty little DAC/AMP that is sure to please those who own and use it.

Hidizs DH1000 can be bought within its Kickstarter campaign right now! [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/873263862/hidizs-dh1000-worlds-first-truly-dual-balanced-amp]



Stay safe and remember to always have fun while listening to music!



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Review of the Hidizs DH1000 ( Sonata )



( for those curious about the meaning of the name )


A little unboxing to get ya excited...




(Hidizs always makes such good looking devices ) ( AP200 on the left )


The Review

I have not written a review in a few months. Mostly because I haven’t found anything new that is exciting. About a month ago I was reached out to by a rep for Hidizs to see if I would be interested in testing the Sonata (DH1000). This is an AMP/DAC that was built to be connected to cell phones, computers, and preexisting DAPs. I tested the device with almost everything I own. If you want to see a list of all of my headphones, earphones, and daps, please click on my profile as it is too long to list. I should also mention that I tested this on my gaming computer. The BUILD quality is impressive. It reminds me of a cellphone and the first time I saw it I was confused that I was sent the wrong thing. Both sides are made of tempered glass and look fantastic. On the flip side of looking awesome, I find myself cleaning the glass every time I get it out of the box. A case is a must for this device to keep up the gorgeous aesthetics. The rest of the device is constructed of aluminum with the inputs on the bottom (two micro USB ports and one standard USB ). One of the micro USB ports is for charging ( the DH1000 lasts ten or more hours depending on headphones used and volume level. ) The left side has volume buttons for plus and minus, and they feel nice and stable when they click. The top has a power button and two outputs, standard 3.5mm, and 2.5mm. Let me stop here and just say how thankful I am that this is incorporated in the DH1000. 2.5mm has become popular among the crazies in our hobby, and there is a good reason why. At the end of this review, I am going to leave a link to the ES9018K2M DAC data sheet for the super nerds. If you have not heard about this DAC chip, you need to. Hidizs put two of these in the DH1000 to make sure the balanced output was actually BALANCED. If you are familiar with this issue, there have been companies releasing devices that are not balanced. Time to talk about the SOUND... the device reminds me of my aune M1S and what I mean by that is the DH1000 is very clear and organic. I am a huge fan of anything that can keep songs to how the mastering engineer intended them to be enjoyed. All spectrums of the frequency range are coherent. The DH1000 has an open soundstage with both depth and height that created holographic imagining when paired with well-mastered songs in Hi-RES. Both the 3.5mm and 2.5mm are impressive! 2.5mm is the clear winner just because of the extra voltage which gives an even more realistic nature to the sound spectrum. That is normal between 3.5mm and 2.5mm outputs if the design is right so if you don't have anything balanced its time to invest. If I had to put a percentage on it, I would say there is an overall 10% improvement that if you have the right gear, you will absolutely notice the difference. Which is thanks to the designers that put the extra effort in the internals on the DH1000. However, I saw that higher ohm ( with lower sensitivity ) home gear does lose some of the soundstage and bass which is to be expected from a device geared toward mobility. I have used that for a month as my only audio device to understand its use as an EDC. EDC stands for every day carry, and I believe that was the vision behind the DH1000. There have been days in the past at work that I feel somewhat insane when I start working on a project and pull out a DAP strapped to an AMP... having the DH1000 is freaking convenient; I can plug it into my work computer when I am at my desk. Later I can plug it into my iPhone while I am enjoying a coffee and then plug it into my gaming computer at home and it is very accurate on 3D imagining and could be used by gamers on the go. The way this is possible is that the DH1000 has an internal battery and keeps the sound quality on point when I am running off of a weak source like an iPhone. The one downfall I noticed what that it does not charge and play at the same time. With other AMP/DACs like the hifimeDIY 9018, it drains my iPhone battery. I am ok with it not pulling power from its source, but It would be a cool feature if there is a version to that would know the difference between a mobile device and a powered PC. Another feature that could be useful and needs to be discussed is an auto reset to 20% volume on mobile devices. With my iPhone, there is no software volume control, so if it were to be accidentally be turned up, I could potentially damage my more sensitive gear. Everything has its pros and cons and the convenience of the DH1000 matched with the overall sound quality makes this a necessity in every audiophile arsenal. I will continue to carry this on a daily basis.

Favorite album with the DH1000: https://tidal.com/album/2570671 ( Nirvana MTV unplugged )

DAC Data sheet: http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/721831/ESS/ES9018K2M.html

Link to official website: https://dh1000.hidizs.net/

Link to Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/873263862/hidizs-dh1000-worlds-first-truly-dual-balanced-amp