Hidizs S8
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Jumping right into Disclaimer…the Unit was provided to me by hifinage.com in exchange for my honest opinions and that is what you will get here. No Influence or sugar-coating whatsoever!
You can also buy the S8 by clicking here.
Technical Specifications:
Build:
Hidisz S8 has a small minimalistic design with glass in the front and back of the body. The Chassis is made of aluminum. The Top has the infamous Micro-usb post and the bottom has the 3.5 jack. The front portion features the volume rockers. It would have been nicer if the micro-usb was done away with and USB-C type port was used.
Sources:
Lows:
Lows are clear and detailed. If your IEM has sub-bass, S8 adds more punch to the same, while ensuring that there is no bass bleed while it enhances the same. So you will have a fun time while using this.
Mids:
Mids are also cleaner with natural tonality. Vocals, both males and females, have a sense of energy to them, and hence they sound more and more engaging.
Highs:
The treble portion is also well-pronounced while at the same time, I did not encounter any weird peaks. This gave me the micro-details I was looking for, in my playlist. But yes, I would not suggest using bight/neutral IEMs with S* as it may become too much sometimes.
Soundstage:
You will have a good separation between instruments. Throw a busy track to S8 and it will show you its prowess…there is no clutter observed at all. While the resolution may be top-notch, but it will still satisfy the needs of many.
Conclusion:
For day-to-day usage, Hidisz S8 is just a perfect offering. This is not something for very critical listening but if you like to have a good time with your music while traveling or while on a walk, this is the perfect fit. There are flaws to it like, no MQA support, or the presence of micro-usb port, it still makes up with its capabilities.
You can also buy the S8 by clicking here.
Technical Specifications:
- DAC Chip CS43131
- Supported sampling rate PCM up to 32bit 384kHz
- DSD up to DSD256
- Compatibility iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS, iPad OS
- Output options Single-ended stereo output on Jack 3.5mm (compatible with headphones with a microphone)
- Single-ended output power 2x 30mW @ 32Ω
- Single-ended output frequency response 20Hz - 50kHz
- Single-ended output THD+N 0.002% (1kHz)
- Single-ended output SNR 120dB
- Single-ended output channel separation 78dB @ 32Ω
- Single-ended output impedance < 1Ω
- Recommended headphone resistance range 8-150Ω
- Physical buttons.
- 1 x S8 Hi Fi Decoding DAC Amp
- 1 x 2.0 USB to Micro Cable
- 1 x Micro to Lightning Cable
- 1 x Micro to Micro OTG Cable
- 1 x Micro to Type-C OTG Cable
- 1 x Silicone Case
- 1 x User Manual
Build:
Hidisz S8 has a small minimalistic design with glass in the front and back of the body. The Chassis is made of aluminum. The Top has the infamous Micro-usb post and the bottom has the 3.5 jack. The front portion features the volume rockers. It would have been nicer if the micro-usb was done away with and USB-C type port was used.
Sources:
- Samsung Galaxy S10
- Laptop
- See Audio Bravery.
- CCZ Plume.
- KZ ZAS.
- KZ ZEX.
- Tforce Yuan Li.
Lows:
Lows are clear and detailed. If your IEM has sub-bass, S8 adds more punch to the same, while ensuring that there is no bass bleed while it enhances the same. So you will have a fun time while using this.
Mids:
Mids are also cleaner with natural tonality. Vocals, both males and females, have a sense of energy to them, and hence they sound more and more engaging.
Highs:
The treble portion is also well-pronounced while at the same time, I did not encounter any weird peaks. This gave me the micro-details I was looking for, in my playlist. But yes, I would not suggest using bight/neutral IEMs with S* as it may become too much sometimes.
Soundstage:
You will have a good separation between instruments. Throw a busy track to S8 and it will show you its prowess…there is no clutter observed at all. While the resolution may be top-notch, but it will still satisfy the needs of many.
Conclusion:
For day-to-day usage, Hidisz S8 is just a perfect offering. This is not something for very critical listening but if you like to have a good time with your music while traveling or while on a walk, this is the perfect fit. There are flaws to it like, no MQA support, or the presence of micro-usb port, it still makes up with its capabilities.
Attachments
Introduction:
Hidizs is a Hong Cong based audio company known for delivering quality portable audiophile equipment like DAP, DAC, Amps and IEMs. S8 is an offering by Hidizs that surprises us with its features, size and price. It is a USB DAC-AMP that comes with 4 types of connector and is super useful for all types of sources we use, be it an android phone, an iPhone or any laptop. With most of the phones getting away with the headphone jack, USB dongles solve a dire need of the hour. This does not need any kind of app installation even on laptop. Just connect it with the device and you are good to go.
In just an inch square of size S8 packs so many capabilities that it mind blowing. Its design is minimalistic and simple. CNC machined aluminum case makes it sturdy and strong. It's extremely lightweight so super easy to carry. It comes in two colors, white and black. The front side has just 2 buttons on them, the top side has a headphone jack and bottom side has a micro-USB port. The design has an elegant simplicity and classiness.
It also comes with a nice feature of intelligent detection for headphone/IEM impedance as given in marketing manual which maybe be used for balancing the power consumption of the device, or could be just a marketing gimmick am not sure about that. Also it has an exclusive support for hiby app control giving one nice eq tweaking freedom using MSEB features.
Along with the device, the package also has
• 2.0 USB to micro cable
• Micro to lightening cable.
• Micro to Micro OTG
• Micro to Type-C OTG
• Silicon case
• User Manual
Features:
• DAC Chip : CS43131
• Supported sampling rate : PCM up to 32bit 384kHz, DSD up to DSD256
• Compatibility : Universal
• Output : Single-ended stereo output (3.5mm)
• Single-ended output power 2x 30mW @ 32Ω
• Single-ended output frequency response 20Hz - 50kHz
• Single-ended output THD+N 0.002% (1kHz)
• Single-ended output SNR 120dB
• Single-ended output channel separation 78dB @ 32Ω
• Single-ended output impedance < 1Ω
About Product:
• Case material CNC machined Aluminum, Rear panel material Glass
• Physical buttons Volume +, Volume -
• Dimensions : 47 x 18.8 x 7.8mm
• Weight : 9g
Sources:
For this review the unit has been paired with my phone Vivo X50 Pro and Samsung tab S6 lite without any other amplification on setup.
Disclaimer:
I have received as part of review circle sent from Hifinage in exchange of honest reviews. All impressions of sound are subjective to my own listening and my sources and is based on my experience with DAC/AMP of similar hardware configurations and price range. One can purchase it from the following link.
Highs:
The treble is well extended with nice micro-contrast. I did not find any kind of unwanted peaks or harshness. Treble felt slightly boosted to bring out all the micro details, with bright IEMs it tends to get little tiring with time.
Mids:
In terms of Mids, S8 sounds bit forward and aggressive. The instruments are nicely separated and have an airy effect. The vocals, both male and female are clean sounding.
Lows:
This has above average thumping base for such a small device. The subbase is clean without any bleeding effect. Mid-base complements the subbase very well. It does the job perfectly. Although low power impact can be seen in bass with some of IEMs making them less punchy. But overall as a budget device it does the job perfectly.
Technicalities:
Soundstage has decent depth and width with good separation between instruments. This does not have the best resolution one can find in USB DAC Amps but it's definitely of among the good ones but overall environment effect is quite airy and has a feel good factor to it.
Final Verdict:
Hidizs S8 pairs well with power efficient IEMs, and is perfect for day to day listening. It is a kind of device that significantly improve the quality of sound when connected to a casual source thanks to the very good implementation of CS43131. I have not faced any kind of pairing issues with this and it's very easy to carry around as of its low form factor. The power consumption also felt minimalistic so need not to worry much about the battery life of the source. For the price range this gives a decent listening experience and recommended for headphone/IEM impedance upto 150ohm.
Hidizs is a Hong Cong based audio company known for delivering quality portable audiophile equipment like DAP, DAC, Amps and IEMs. S8 is an offering by Hidizs that surprises us with its features, size and price. It is a USB DAC-AMP that comes with 4 types of connector and is super useful for all types of sources we use, be it an android phone, an iPhone or any laptop. With most of the phones getting away with the headphone jack, USB dongles solve a dire need of the hour. This does not need any kind of app installation even on laptop. Just connect it with the device and you are good to go.
In just an inch square of size S8 packs so many capabilities that it mind blowing. Its design is minimalistic and simple. CNC machined aluminum case makes it sturdy and strong. It's extremely lightweight so super easy to carry. It comes in two colors, white and black. The front side has just 2 buttons on them, the top side has a headphone jack and bottom side has a micro-USB port. The design has an elegant simplicity and classiness.
It also comes with a nice feature of intelligent detection for headphone/IEM impedance as given in marketing manual which maybe be used for balancing the power consumption of the device, or could be just a marketing gimmick am not sure about that. Also it has an exclusive support for hiby app control giving one nice eq tweaking freedom using MSEB features.
Along with the device, the package also has
• 2.0 USB to micro cable
• Micro to lightening cable.
• Micro to Micro OTG
• Micro to Type-C OTG
• Silicon case
• User Manual
Features:
• DAC Chip : CS43131
• Supported sampling rate : PCM up to 32bit 384kHz, DSD up to DSD256
• Compatibility : Universal
• Output : Single-ended stereo output (3.5mm)
• Single-ended output power 2x 30mW @ 32Ω
• Single-ended output frequency response 20Hz - 50kHz
• Single-ended output THD+N 0.002% (1kHz)
• Single-ended output SNR 120dB
• Single-ended output channel separation 78dB @ 32Ω
• Single-ended output impedance < 1Ω
About Product:
• Case material CNC machined Aluminum, Rear panel material Glass
• Physical buttons Volume +, Volume -
• Dimensions : 47 x 18.8 x 7.8mm
• Weight : 9g
Sources:
For this review the unit has been paired with my phone Vivo X50 Pro and Samsung tab S6 lite without any other amplification on setup.
Disclaimer:
I have received as part of review circle sent from Hifinage in exchange of honest reviews. All impressions of sound are subjective to my own listening and my sources and is based on my experience with DAC/AMP of similar hardware configurations and price range. One can purchase it from the following link.
Highs:
The treble is well extended with nice micro-contrast. I did not find any kind of unwanted peaks or harshness. Treble felt slightly boosted to bring out all the micro details, with bright IEMs it tends to get little tiring with time.
Mids:
In terms of Mids, S8 sounds bit forward and aggressive. The instruments are nicely separated and have an airy effect. The vocals, both male and female are clean sounding.
Lows:
This has above average thumping base for such a small device. The subbase is clean without any bleeding effect. Mid-base complements the subbase very well. It does the job perfectly. Although low power impact can be seen in bass with some of IEMs making them less punchy. But overall as a budget device it does the job perfectly.
Technicalities:
Soundstage has decent depth and width with good separation between instruments. This does not have the best resolution one can find in USB DAC Amps but it's definitely of among the good ones but overall environment effect is quite airy and has a feel good factor to it.
Final Verdict:
Hidizs S8 pairs well with power efficient IEMs, and is perfect for day to day listening. It is a kind of device that significantly improve the quality of sound when connected to a casual source thanks to the very good implementation of CS43131. I have not faced any kind of pairing issues with this and it's very easy to carry around as of its low form factor. The power consumption also felt minimalistic so need not to worry much about the battery life of the source. For the price range this gives a decent listening experience and recommended for headphone/IEM impedance upto 150ohm.
Disclaimer
Hidizs S8 was provided to me for review purposes by Hifinage, India. I am neither related to them in anyway nor work for them. All the impressions shared here are subjective to my listening capabilities and gear used. You can buy Hidizs S8 from Hifinage, India for INR 6590 through this below link:
https://hifinage.com/collections/hidizs/products/hidizs-s8
About
Hidizs S8 is a beautiful small-frame body HiFi decoding amplifier with a built-in DAC. It has a strong Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC chip, which provides exceptional audio performance and quality. It supports native DSD and PCM 32Bit 384kHz. It intelligently detects the plugged-in headphone impedance and provides stereo output up to 2-Vrms. It's a multi-platform universal AMP-DAC dongle that works with iOS, Android, Windows, MAC OS, and iPads. It has very compact size and is built extremely well with very good finish. It has minimalistic design, with just two buttons for volume on its front and brand labeling on the backside. It has only 3.5mm jack which has enough power to drive most of the IEMs out there. Hidizs has provided good amount of cables to use with different smartphones.
Gears Used
I had tested S8 by connecting it to my phone, iPhone 12 Pro Max, IEM used being itsfit labs Fusion.
Sound Impressions
Bass is good in S8, More so in sub-bass region, where it is emphasized. It has nice punch and slam feel to it. Midbass is decent, but not to the level of subbass. Bass is clean and decently detailed with neither muddiness or boomy nor bleed showing up in any other frequencies. Mids sound clean and natural, but slightly recessed. Male vocals sound natural, engaging, and energetic. Mids have good extensions. Female vocals sound natural, with good energy and engaging too. Soundstage has good width and depth with good space between instruments making it sound airy. There's no congestion found even in busy tracks. Imaging is precise. It has decent detail retrieval capabilities. Cymbals sound natural and crisp. Treble too carries forward S8's good performance with good extensions. Has decent details and is non-fatiguing.
Verdict
S8 is a very good dongle DACAMP for the price. It has got very good sound quality to go with good enough power to drive most IEMs.
Hidizs S8 was provided to me for review purposes by Hifinage, India. I am neither related to them in anyway nor work for them. All the impressions shared here are subjective to my listening capabilities and gear used. You can buy Hidizs S8 from Hifinage, India for INR 6590 through this below link:
https://hifinage.com/collections/hidizs/products/hidizs-s8
About
Hidizs S8 is a beautiful small-frame body HiFi decoding amplifier with a built-in DAC. It has a strong Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC chip, which provides exceptional audio performance and quality. It supports native DSD and PCM 32Bit 384kHz. It intelligently detects the plugged-in headphone impedance and provides stereo output up to 2-Vrms. It's a multi-platform universal AMP-DAC dongle that works with iOS, Android, Windows, MAC OS, and iPads. It has very compact size and is built extremely well with very good finish. It has minimalistic design, with just two buttons for volume on its front and brand labeling on the backside. It has only 3.5mm jack which has enough power to drive most of the IEMs out there. Hidizs has provided good amount of cables to use with different smartphones.
Gears Used
I had tested S8 by connecting it to my phone, iPhone 12 Pro Max, IEM used being itsfit labs Fusion.
Sound Impressions
Bass is good in S8, More so in sub-bass region, where it is emphasized. It has nice punch and slam feel to it. Midbass is decent, but not to the level of subbass. Bass is clean and decently detailed with neither muddiness or boomy nor bleed showing up in any other frequencies. Mids sound clean and natural, but slightly recessed. Male vocals sound natural, engaging, and energetic. Mids have good extensions. Female vocals sound natural, with good energy and engaging too. Soundstage has good width and depth with good space between instruments making it sound airy. There's no congestion found even in busy tracks. Imaging is precise. It has decent detail retrieval capabilities. Cymbals sound natural and crisp. Treble too carries forward S8's good performance with good extensions. Has decent details and is non-fatiguing.
Verdict
S8 is a very good dongle DACAMP for the price. It has got very good sound quality to go with good enough power to drive most IEMs.
INTRODUCTION:
Hidizs, one of the big names in the ChiFi audio industry is well known for their high quality budget DAC AMPS, Cables, In ear monitors. The Mermaid series of earphones got a very good reputation among the consumers and to that addition they also got a good reputation for some budget dac amps like the sonata series.
They now launched the S8 as their mid fi dongle dac with the dual CS dacs to give a nice competition to its competitors and in this review let's check whether they really are catching up to the competitors.
DISCLAIMER:
This unit has been provided to me as a part of the review circle and a big thanks to Indranil Mitra for having me in this circle. The whole review is based on my observations with this product and I have not been influenced by the brand or the person to manipulate this review. The review also depends on the type of gear and the source used to test out the product.
The product can be purchased via Hifinage in India and the link as follows: https://hifinage.com/products/hidizs-s8?_pos=1&_psq=Hidizs&_ss=e&_v=1.0
SPECIFICATIONS:
DAC Chip CS43131
Supported sampling rate PCM up to 32bit 384kHz
DSD up to DSD256
Compatibility iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS, iPad OS
Output options Single-ended stereo output on Jack 3.5mm (compatible with headphones with microphone)
Single-ended output power 2x 30mW @ 32Ω
Single-ended output frequency response 20Hz - 50kHz
Single-ended output THD+N 0.002% (1kHz)
Single-ended output SNR 120dB
Single-ended output channel separation 78dB @ 32Ω
Single-ended output impedance < 1Ω
Recommended headphone resistance range 8-150Ω
Physical buttons Volume +, Volume -
PACKAGE AND ACCESSORIES:
1 x S8 Hi Fi Decoding DAC Amp
1 x 2.0 USB to Micro Cable
1 x Micro to Lightning Cable
1 x Micro to Micro OTG Cable
1 x Micro to Type-C OTG Cable
1 x Silicone Case
1 x User Manual
DESIGN AND BUILD:
The design of the S8 is very minimalistic and small in size and literally they are the size of a pocket knife. The whole construction is made out of aluminium chassis and the front and back of the chassis is made out of glass. The top portion has the volume rockers embedded in a circular button style and in the bottom they possess the 3.5mm jack. In the top portion they possess the micro usb port for connecting the main hub to the various devices.
It would have been nicer if they included the type c port instead of the micro usb port since the USB C is universally used as of now but it's fine since the brand also included the necessary cables in the package itself so no need of worrying about connecting to different platforms.
For some reason the volume buttons don’t work in iOS when the apple music is used but it's not a deal breaker since I use the volume within the smartphone itself.
SOUND:
The Hidizs S8 is equipped with the dual CS43131 dac chip which is now widely used in most of the dacs in this price range where this thing started after the greatest hit of Tempotec Sonata HD Pro. The Hidizs S8 just takes the sound of the HD Pro up a notch by adding the dual dacs in them.
The Cirrus Logic dacs are always a pretty good package giving nice warm and dynamic sound but struggles when it comes to distortion and cleanliness.
The S8 is developed in the sense that it should combine that dynamism and the fun with that undistorted sound and that cleanliness. In this review let’s see whether the S8 really lives up to the expectation.
The power output of the S8 is rated at 32mv@32 Ohms and based on the spec sheet they are very low in power and in my testing the IEM ran sufficiently but the power hungry iem has issues in revealing its full potential. The whole sound output is via the 3.5mm end.
The overall sound signature of the S8 is more of a warm and balanced sound which pairs really well with the bright sound signature earphones. The tin t2 plus and the HZ Sound Heart Mirror does pair well with the S8 and overall they are even good for the balanced sounding iem too.
The S8 instantly shows the dynamic range with all the earphones that I have tested. The soundstage slightly got wider and the depth of the low end notes got slightly improved. The vocal positioning is done pleasantly which is rather not too forward or too laid back instead they are at a sweet spot.
The extensions on both the ends are done very well and the overall sound output is dynamic and fun. The tin t2 plus with bright and balanced dacs doesn’t have that warmth but after using this the whole sound signature appeared very pleasing and smooth.
The awesome aspect of the S8 is that they have one of the best low noise floors thus even when paired with the sensitive iem’s they don’t cause any hissing sound. The TFZ No:03 has a very prominent hissing sound when paired with any ordinary dacs but with the S8, the hissing is completely absent and overall gave a nice positive feedback.
LOW END:
The low end is tighter and provides a nice extension thus giving that nice depth effect overall. The rumble is slightly boosted up and the mid bass section now got slightly cleaner and detailed. These things are pretty appreciated when the bright and balanced sounding earphones are paired with it.
However the bass depth and the extensions are not upto my expectation and in that regards i would say get a DAP for that nice bass effect and the overall deep extensions. Considering the size of the package they sound really great and provide a nice low end overall.
MID SECTION:
The instruments are now clearer and made the presentation slightly wider. Now the instruments get enough air and the space can be easily appreciated. Both the male and the female vocals sound nice and smooth without any harshness. The female vocals however have that grainy effect in the top end but overall they are very pleasing and non fatiguing.
The detail retrieval is good and overall the separation and the clarity of the midrange got improved as per my observations. The midrange however sounds slightly lower in volume since the power of the S8 is not that high and you need to push the volume slightly higher to get that bloom effect in the midrange.
TREBLE:
The high end is not affected at all here, when it comes to the extensions they are not affected but it does the clarity and separation very good. The cymbal crashes are very natural now and the decay of the cymbals are precise and doesn’t sound sharper thus making the listening experience very pleasing.
Overall I don't find a big difference in the high end when it comes to the extension and the quantity but the tonality and the balancing part is nicely done in the S8, the instruments now sound more natural and not sibilant thus the presentation is very pleasing. This is acceptable since the power is required to make the headphones shine in the high end and the S8 doesn't have that, but considering all other factors of the S8 the treble is well tuned and delivered nicely.
The S8 might not have that blooming and vibrant factor but they are dynamic and slightly expansive for sure.
VERDICT:
S8, the latest offering from the Hidizs is a pretty good package from the brand. From the size to the sound they are just overall bang for the buck. The overall sound of the S8 is balanced with the warm background giving a versatile experience and they can be paired well with all kinds of sounding earphones. The power output may not be the strongest aspect of this earphone but when it comes to the sound they are very pleasing and dynamic.
The size is just perfect and the build is overall great with a nice aluminium build. The accessories that they provide with this are generous and of very good quality. At last the price is very reasonable!
The dynamism and the separation are the first aspect that you will observe instantly after listening via the HIDIZS S8 which is a pretty welcoming package in this price range. Even though they lack the vibrant and detailed sound, the dynamic energy and the very low noise floor gives this product a MAJOR GO! from my side.
Hidizs, one of the big names in the ChiFi audio industry is well known for their high quality budget DAC AMPS, Cables, In ear monitors. The Mermaid series of earphones got a very good reputation among the consumers and to that addition they also got a good reputation for some budget dac amps like the sonata series.
They now launched the S8 as their mid fi dongle dac with the dual CS dacs to give a nice competition to its competitors and in this review let's check whether they really are catching up to the competitors.
DISCLAIMER:
This unit has been provided to me as a part of the review circle and a big thanks to Indranil Mitra for having me in this circle. The whole review is based on my observations with this product and I have not been influenced by the brand or the person to manipulate this review. The review also depends on the type of gear and the source used to test out the product.
The product can be purchased via Hifinage in India and the link as follows: https://hifinage.com/products/hidizs-s8?_pos=1&_psq=Hidizs&_ss=e&_v=1.0
SPECIFICATIONS:
DAC Chip CS43131
Supported sampling rate PCM up to 32bit 384kHz
DSD up to DSD256
Compatibility iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS, iPad OS
Output options Single-ended stereo output on Jack 3.5mm (compatible with headphones with microphone)
Single-ended output power 2x 30mW @ 32Ω
Single-ended output frequency response 20Hz - 50kHz
Single-ended output THD+N 0.002% (1kHz)
Single-ended output SNR 120dB
Single-ended output channel separation 78dB @ 32Ω
Single-ended output impedance < 1Ω
Recommended headphone resistance range 8-150Ω
Physical buttons Volume +, Volume -
PACKAGE AND ACCESSORIES:
1 x S8 Hi Fi Decoding DAC Amp
1 x 2.0 USB to Micro Cable
1 x Micro to Lightning Cable
1 x Micro to Micro OTG Cable
1 x Micro to Type-C OTG Cable
1 x Silicone Case
1 x User Manual
DESIGN AND BUILD:
The design of the S8 is very minimalistic and small in size and literally they are the size of a pocket knife. The whole construction is made out of aluminium chassis and the front and back of the chassis is made out of glass. The top portion has the volume rockers embedded in a circular button style and in the bottom they possess the 3.5mm jack. In the top portion they possess the micro usb port for connecting the main hub to the various devices.
It would have been nicer if they included the type c port instead of the micro usb port since the USB C is universally used as of now but it's fine since the brand also included the necessary cables in the package itself so no need of worrying about connecting to different platforms.
For some reason the volume buttons don’t work in iOS when the apple music is used but it's not a deal breaker since I use the volume within the smartphone itself.
SOUND:
The Hidizs S8 is equipped with the dual CS43131 dac chip which is now widely used in most of the dacs in this price range where this thing started after the greatest hit of Tempotec Sonata HD Pro. The Hidizs S8 just takes the sound of the HD Pro up a notch by adding the dual dacs in them.
The Cirrus Logic dacs are always a pretty good package giving nice warm and dynamic sound but struggles when it comes to distortion and cleanliness.
The S8 is developed in the sense that it should combine that dynamism and the fun with that undistorted sound and that cleanliness. In this review let’s see whether the S8 really lives up to the expectation.
The power output of the S8 is rated at 32mv@32 Ohms and based on the spec sheet they are very low in power and in my testing the IEM ran sufficiently but the power hungry iem has issues in revealing its full potential. The whole sound output is via the 3.5mm end.
The overall sound signature of the S8 is more of a warm and balanced sound which pairs really well with the bright sound signature earphones. The tin t2 plus and the HZ Sound Heart Mirror does pair well with the S8 and overall they are even good for the balanced sounding iem too.
The S8 instantly shows the dynamic range with all the earphones that I have tested. The soundstage slightly got wider and the depth of the low end notes got slightly improved. The vocal positioning is done pleasantly which is rather not too forward or too laid back instead they are at a sweet spot.
The extensions on both the ends are done very well and the overall sound output is dynamic and fun. The tin t2 plus with bright and balanced dacs doesn’t have that warmth but after using this the whole sound signature appeared very pleasing and smooth.
The awesome aspect of the S8 is that they have one of the best low noise floors thus even when paired with the sensitive iem’s they don’t cause any hissing sound. The TFZ No:03 has a very prominent hissing sound when paired with any ordinary dacs but with the S8, the hissing is completely absent and overall gave a nice positive feedback.
LOW END:
The low end is tighter and provides a nice extension thus giving that nice depth effect overall. The rumble is slightly boosted up and the mid bass section now got slightly cleaner and detailed. These things are pretty appreciated when the bright and balanced sounding earphones are paired with it.
However the bass depth and the extensions are not upto my expectation and in that regards i would say get a DAP for that nice bass effect and the overall deep extensions. Considering the size of the package they sound really great and provide a nice low end overall.
MID SECTION:
The instruments are now clearer and made the presentation slightly wider. Now the instruments get enough air and the space can be easily appreciated. Both the male and the female vocals sound nice and smooth without any harshness. The female vocals however have that grainy effect in the top end but overall they are very pleasing and non fatiguing.
The detail retrieval is good and overall the separation and the clarity of the midrange got improved as per my observations. The midrange however sounds slightly lower in volume since the power of the S8 is not that high and you need to push the volume slightly higher to get that bloom effect in the midrange.
TREBLE:
The high end is not affected at all here, when it comes to the extensions they are not affected but it does the clarity and separation very good. The cymbal crashes are very natural now and the decay of the cymbals are precise and doesn’t sound sharper thus making the listening experience very pleasing.
Overall I don't find a big difference in the high end when it comes to the extension and the quantity but the tonality and the balancing part is nicely done in the S8, the instruments now sound more natural and not sibilant thus the presentation is very pleasing. This is acceptable since the power is required to make the headphones shine in the high end and the S8 doesn't have that, but considering all other factors of the S8 the treble is well tuned and delivered nicely.
The S8 might not have that blooming and vibrant factor but they are dynamic and slightly expansive for sure.
VERDICT:
S8, the latest offering from the Hidizs is a pretty good package from the brand. From the size to the sound they are just overall bang for the buck. The overall sound of the S8 is balanced with the warm background giving a versatile experience and they can be paired well with all kinds of sounding earphones. The power output may not be the strongest aspect of this earphone but when it comes to the sound they are very pleasing and dynamic.
The size is just perfect and the build is overall great with a nice aluminium build. The accessories that they provide with this are generous and of very good quality. At last the price is very reasonable!
The dynamism and the separation are the first aspect that you will observe instantly after listening via the HIDIZS S8 which is a pretty welcoming package in this price range. Even though they lack the vibrant and detailed sound, the dynamic energy and the very low noise floor gives this product a MAJOR GO! from my side.
In today’s world when most smartphone manufacturers have removed the 3.5mm jack we have seen some drastic improvements in the USB Type-C DAC/headphone amplifiers. Hidizs S8 is one among such highly-acclaimed portable USB Type-C DAC/AMPs that offer splendid performance at a budget price. S8 is a portable HiFi audio decoder that can be connected with Windows/Mac/iOS/Android devices to bring high-resolution PCM and DSD decoding to them. I got a chance to audition the Hidizs S8 via a review tour being organized in my country. So let’s begin with the review of this cute yet powerful little device.
Hidizs S8 is equipped with a premium CS43131 Cirrus Logics DAC chip that provides high-res 32-Bit/384kHz PCM as well as Native DSD256 decoding support. It has a 3.5mm single-ended headphone output port. Hidizs packs the S8 with Type-C, Micro USB, USB Type-A, and Lightning connector cables for connection with most devices. It is priced quite attractively at just 80$, but is it worth the asking price?? Let’s find out.
Disclaimer:-
Hidizs S8 is kindly provided to me by Hifinage in India as a part of a review tour being organized here. You can buy it from their store here. (Not affiliated). All impressions and points made in this blog are completely my own with no affiliation with anyone.
Package & Accessories:-
Hidizs S8 comes in a small white cardboard package with an image of both White and Black S8 Dongle DACs printed right on the front of the box. We have the key features of Hidizs S8 printed on the backside of the package. Inside we have the cute little S8 resting on the top layer. Below this layer. Are a bunch of connector cables including one Type-C connector cable, one lightning connector cable, a Micro USB connector cable, and a USB Type-A connector cable. Well, that’s just about it the simple and sweet little packaging of the Hidizs S8.
Contents:-
>Hidizs S8 Dongle DAC/AMP.
>USB Type-C connector cable.
>Micro USB connector cable.
>Lightning connector cable.
>USB Type-A connector cable.
Design, Form Factor, Aesthetics:-
S8 is a very compact and lightweight DAC/AMP. It has a glass finish on the front and back with an aluminum chassis that provides it a rich, premium finish. The front side only has two volume keys, while the backside has Hidizs and DSD branding logos. At the top, we have a 3.5mm headphone jack, at the bottom, we have a Micro USB connector port. I don’t know why a device in 2021 is equipped with a Micro-USB port, Though that’s not an issue as Hidizs bundles the S8 with Type-C, Micro USB, USB-A, and Lightning connectors in the package itself. The included connector cables are short in length, adequate enough to connect, and stick to a smartphone/tablet.
Driving Power:-
Don’t go on the compact size of the Hidizs S8 but at the same time don’t expect too much power. This baby can power anything under the 150-200Ω impedance range without any trouble. I tried it with 150Ω Sennheiser HD58x that got powered quite well at around 80-90% volume. For the IEMs that I tested here, Kinera Norn, KBEar Aurora, and Hisenior T2 Classic all are powered easily without any trouble. I would say the Hidizs S8 is more than enough for IEMs. It is also capable of powering low power requiring HPs(under 150Ω is powered perfectly). For sensitive IEMs I never had to go above 20-30% volume for my adequate listening level.
Sound Impressions:-
Hidizs S8 has a fairly natural sound tuning to it. It adds a slight elevation to the lower frequencies packing a punchy sound in its small form factor but only to the sub-bass region. Mid-bass slams are something that misses their charm with the Hidizs S8. The midrange has a natural presentation with rich natural vocals and a good airy sound field. Treble frequencies have a good amount of energy and clarity. No, it doesn’t make any bright set sounding harsh, rather present a lively and detailed signature with them(For example, Kinera Norn). All-in-all I can say Hidizs S8 produces an immersive experience with good clarity.
Hidizs S8 with Sennheisser HD58X:-
I usually don’t like pairing a headphone like the HD58x or 6x0 series with portable DAC/AMP’s. They are usually not able to provide the best experience for them. But to my surprise, the pairing between Hidizs S8 and HD58x is pretty good. Sure I have to push the volume to nearly full, but the experience is good. The midrange holds its magic, vocals sound natural and rich. Treble detail and clarity are also good with the Hidizs S8. Though I doubt S8 will be good for the 300Ω HD6x0 series as it takes full power to drive the HD58x. For a portable setup, Hidizs S8 and HD58x sound great.
Hidizs S8 with Kinera Norn:-
We don’t have to push volume much for something like Kinera Norn(powered easily at around 40-50%). Norn on its own has an immersive sound signature with a powerful lower end, slightly recessed midrange, and detailed treble. The pairing between Norn and S8 is good, not great. The main issue here is the bass response. S8 prioritizes Sub-bass slightly pushing the mid-bass backward. Other than that, the dynamics, Treble extensions, and overall clarity are excellent in this combo.
Hidizs S8 with KBEar Aurora:-
KBEar Aurora has a balanced presentation with the S8. It is fed adequately at about 50% volume level, midrange shows good clarity, vocals have a rich natural tone to them, again the treble extension here is excellent. The presentation is clean with no noticeable hiss or distortion even at loud listening levels.
Hidizs S8 With Hisenior T2 Classic:-
Neutral, balanced, and clean, these three words instantly come to my mind with this pairing. Hisenior T2 Classic is a neutral-sounding set, the S8 maintains that with its powerful clean output. The midrange here is magical, vocals have good emotion and clarity. For adequate listening levels, I never had to push above 50% for any IEM with the S8.
HiliDAC Audirect Atom 2 vs Hidizs S8:-
Audirect Atom 2 and Hidizs S8 both are priced at 79.99$. Atom 2 is a new model equipped with a new chip that also supports MQA decoding. Here are my key differences between these two.
>Atom 2 has more slightly more power, still good only till 150Ω-200Ω headphones.
>Hidizs S8 has a more practical form factor, the Atom 2 is extremely compact that it sticks right onto the Type-C/Lightning socket.
>S8 features replaceable connector cable design with included lightning as well as type-c and micro-USB cables in the package.
>Atom 2 has a more powerful performance with a better lower-end response and an overall more natural presentation.
>S8 has controllable volume with physical volume keys, Audirect Atom 2 is dependent on source volume adjustment only.
>Atom 2 has MQA support, No MQA support for S8.
>Atom 2 has a led indicator.
Final Words:-
Hidizs S8 is a pretty good DAC/AMP for just 80$. It supports high-resolution audio signal decoding and can turn any normal smartphone into a Hi-Res media source. S8 delivers a powerful output with a clean noise-free background that helps us enjoy our music better. It has its own flaws, mid-bass slam lacks impact, and no MQA support. As a plus for it, it comes with multiple connectors in the box supporting different devices straight out of the box.
Hidizs S8 is equipped with a premium CS43131 Cirrus Logics DAC chip that provides high-res 32-Bit/384kHz PCM as well as Native DSD256 decoding support. It has a 3.5mm single-ended headphone output port. Hidizs packs the S8 with Type-C, Micro USB, USB Type-A, and Lightning connector cables for connection with most devices. It is priced quite attractively at just 80$, but is it worth the asking price?? Let’s find out.
Disclaimer:-
Hidizs S8 is kindly provided to me by Hifinage in India as a part of a review tour being organized here. You can buy it from their store here. (Not affiliated). All impressions and points made in this blog are completely my own with no affiliation with anyone.
Package & Accessories:-
Hidizs S8 comes in a small white cardboard package with an image of both White and Black S8 Dongle DACs printed right on the front of the box. We have the key features of Hidizs S8 printed on the backside of the package. Inside we have the cute little S8 resting on the top layer. Below this layer. Are a bunch of connector cables including one Type-C connector cable, one lightning connector cable, a Micro USB connector cable, and a USB Type-A connector cable. Well, that’s just about it the simple and sweet little packaging of the Hidizs S8.
Contents:-
>Hidizs S8 Dongle DAC/AMP.
>USB Type-C connector cable.
>Micro USB connector cable.
>Lightning connector cable.
>USB Type-A connector cable.
Design, Form Factor, Aesthetics:-
S8 is a very compact and lightweight DAC/AMP. It has a glass finish on the front and back with an aluminum chassis that provides it a rich, premium finish. The front side only has two volume keys, while the backside has Hidizs and DSD branding logos. At the top, we have a 3.5mm headphone jack, at the bottom, we have a Micro USB connector port. I don’t know why a device in 2021 is equipped with a Micro-USB port, Though that’s not an issue as Hidizs bundles the S8 with Type-C, Micro USB, USB-A, and Lightning connectors in the package itself. The included connector cables are short in length, adequate enough to connect, and stick to a smartphone/tablet.
Driving Power:-
Don’t go on the compact size of the Hidizs S8 but at the same time don’t expect too much power. This baby can power anything under the 150-200Ω impedance range without any trouble. I tried it with 150Ω Sennheiser HD58x that got powered quite well at around 80-90% volume. For the IEMs that I tested here, Kinera Norn, KBEar Aurora, and Hisenior T2 Classic all are powered easily without any trouble. I would say the Hidizs S8 is more than enough for IEMs. It is also capable of powering low power requiring HPs(under 150Ω is powered perfectly). For sensitive IEMs I never had to go above 20-30% volume for my adequate listening level.
Sound Impressions:-
Hidizs S8 has a fairly natural sound tuning to it. It adds a slight elevation to the lower frequencies packing a punchy sound in its small form factor but only to the sub-bass region. Mid-bass slams are something that misses their charm with the Hidizs S8. The midrange has a natural presentation with rich natural vocals and a good airy sound field. Treble frequencies have a good amount of energy and clarity. No, it doesn’t make any bright set sounding harsh, rather present a lively and detailed signature with them(For example, Kinera Norn). All-in-all I can say Hidizs S8 produces an immersive experience with good clarity.
Hidizs S8 with Sennheisser HD58X:-
I usually don’t like pairing a headphone like the HD58x or 6x0 series with portable DAC/AMP’s. They are usually not able to provide the best experience for them. But to my surprise, the pairing between Hidizs S8 and HD58x is pretty good. Sure I have to push the volume to nearly full, but the experience is good. The midrange holds its magic, vocals sound natural and rich. Treble detail and clarity are also good with the Hidizs S8. Though I doubt S8 will be good for the 300Ω HD6x0 series as it takes full power to drive the HD58x. For a portable setup, Hidizs S8 and HD58x sound great.
Hidizs S8 with Kinera Norn:-
We don’t have to push volume much for something like Kinera Norn(powered easily at around 40-50%). Norn on its own has an immersive sound signature with a powerful lower end, slightly recessed midrange, and detailed treble. The pairing between Norn and S8 is good, not great. The main issue here is the bass response. S8 prioritizes Sub-bass slightly pushing the mid-bass backward. Other than that, the dynamics, Treble extensions, and overall clarity are excellent in this combo.
Hidizs S8 with KBEar Aurora:-
KBEar Aurora has a balanced presentation with the S8. It is fed adequately at about 50% volume level, midrange shows good clarity, vocals have a rich natural tone to them, again the treble extension here is excellent. The presentation is clean with no noticeable hiss or distortion even at loud listening levels.
Hidizs S8 With Hisenior T2 Classic:-
Neutral, balanced, and clean, these three words instantly come to my mind with this pairing. Hisenior T2 Classic is a neutral-sounding set, the S8 maintains that with its powerful clean output. The midrange here is magical, vocals have good emotion and clarity. For adequate listening levels, I never had to push above 50% for any IEM with the S8.
HiliDAC Audirect Atom 2 vs Hidizs S8:-
Audirect Atom 2 and Hidizs S8 both are priced at 79.99$. Atom 2 is a new model equipped with a new chip that also supports MQA decoding. Here are my key differences between these two.
>Atom 2 has more slightly more power, still good only till 150Ω-200Ω headphones.
>Hidizs S8 has a more practical form factor, the Atom 2 is extremely compact that it sticks right onto the Type-C/Lightning socket.
>S8 features replaceable connector cable design with included lightning as well as type-c and micro-USB cables in the package.
>Atom 2 has a more powerful performance with a better lower-end response and an overall more natural presentation.
>S8 has controllable volume with physical volume keys, Audirect Atom 2 is dependent on source volume adjustment only.
>Atom 2 has MQA support, No MQA support for S8.
>Atom 2 has a led indicator.
Final Words:-
Hidizs S8 is a pretty good DAC/AMP for just 80$. It supports high-resolution audio signal decoding and can turn any normal smartphone into a Hi-Res media source. S8 delivers a powerful output with a clean noise-free background that helps us enjoy our music better. It has its own flaws, mid-bass slam lacks impact, and no MQA support. As a plus for it, it comes with multiple connectors in the box supporting different devices straight out of the box.
Disclaimer : The unit was provided as a part of a review tour by Hifiange. But all thoughts and opinions are my own. You can buy it here.
Build Quality
the Hidiszs S8 is sandwiched by glass, which gives off a premium vibe to it although at the cost of being a fingerprint magnet. At 80 USD, the build quality feels premium and pretty sweet looking. The buttons are not tiny but suitably sized and is tactile. I would have liked to see the S8 come with a type C port on the connecting side as opposed to a micro USB but it's no big deal as you get Lightning & Type C converter cables in the box.
Functionality
S8 runs cool to the touch, and if pushed hard with a difficult load, it gets mildly warm. Power draw is also minimal. I tested on Android, Windows 10 and iOS and in all cases the S8 was a plug and play affair. It is to be noted that the volume control on the S8 is independent of the source volume. According to Hidizs, this allows for a finer and subtler scale of adjustment. For best results I would recommend to keep the source volume full (provided your source is not noisy, else go up to the point where the noise floor is inaudible) and then control the volume via the S8. It auto adapts the voltage output based on the impedance of the load
and according to Hidizs, it pushes 2 Vrms or high impedance loads. It is not mentioned at which impedance though. I am guessing it pushes 2 Vrms for >150 ohm loads. Output power is rated at 30mW (per channel) at 32ohm. I have tried pairing the S8 with 300 ohm loads and while it drives it satisfactorily, I would advise against it as it is an unrealistic and unlikely pairing.
The S8 is designed primarily for earphone usage and in that use case the 30mW is enough for all but a few of the earphones out there. High impedance loads (300 ohm for example) sound a bit sleepy and wheezy, lacking dynamics and punch. (as expected from such a pairing).
Sound Quality
No part of the frequency is emphasized and none of it stands out screaming "Look at me!". The presentation is tonally balanced, letting the earphone's characteristics shine through. Hence I would classify the presentation of S8 as "seemingly neutral", a point further driven home because all the flaws of the earphones still gleamed through clearly. What stands out is the layering capability; at no point did music come out flat and lacking separation.
Soundstage is neither compressed neither falsely expansive, I would say it is just good. The overall resolution is just okay, there are other dongle DACs out there that outperform the S8 in terms of resolution.
Conclusion
The S8 is a fine performer in its price range especially for those who are looking for a single ended only DAC (as dongles with both SE+BAL outputs usually compromise on the SE outputs) with a pretty much uncolored sound and presentation. What stands out is the premium build quality and the nice layering capability of the sound presentation. While it lacks the last word in resolution and technicalities, it is still a good buy in the fiercely competitive market of dongle DACs. Moreover, Hidizs seems to have upped their game further with the S9 and S9 Pro (cannot wait to hopefully check them out some day!).
Build Quality
the Hidiszs S8 is sandwiched by glass, which gives off a premium vibe to it although at the cost of being a fingerprint magnet. At 80 USD, the build quality feels premium and pretty sweet looking. The buttons are not tiny but suitably sized and is tactile. I would have liked to see the S8 come with a type C port on the connecting side as opposed to a micro USB but it's no big deal as you get Lightning & Type C converter cables in the box.
Functionality
S8 runs cool to the touch, and if pushed hard with a difficult load, it gets mildly warm. Power draw is also minimal. I tested on Android, Windows 10 and iOS and in all cases the S8 was a plug and play affair. It is to be noted that the volume control on the S8 is independent of the source volume. According to Hidizs, this allows for a finer and subtler scale of adjustment. For best results I would recommend to keep the source volume full (provided your source is not noisy, else go up to the point where the noise floor is inaudible) and then control the volume via the S8. It auto adapts the voltage output based on the impedance of the load
and according to Hidizs, it pushes 2 Vrms or high impedance loads. It is not mentioned at which impedance though. I am guessing it pushes 2 Vrms for >150 ohm loads. Output power is rated at 30mW (per channel) at 32ohm. I have tried pairing the S8 with 300 ohm loads and while it drives it satisfactorily, I would advise against it as it is an unrealistic and unlikely pairing.
The S8 is designed primarily for earphone usage and in that use case the 30mW is enough for all but a few of the earphones out there. High impedance loads (300 ohm for example) sound a bit sleepy and wheezy, lacking dynamics and punch. (as expected from such a pairing).
Sound Quality
No part of the frequency is emphasized and none of it stands out screaming "Look at me!". The presentation is tonally balanced, letting the earphone's characteristics shine through. Hence I would classify the presentation of S8 as "seemingly neutral", a point further driven home because all the flaws of the earphones still gleamed through clearly. What stands out is the layering capability; at no point did music come out flat and lacking separation.
Soundstage is neither compressed neither falsely expansive, I would say it is just good. The overall resolution is just okay, there are other dongle DACs out there that outperform the S8 in terms of resolution.
Conclusion
The S8 is a fine performer in its price range especially for those who are looking for a single ended only DAC (as dongles with both SE+BAL outputs usually compromise on the SE outputs) with a pretty much uncolored sound and presentation. What stands out is the premium build quality and the nice layering capability of the sound presentation. While it lacks the last word in resolution and technicalities, it is still a good buy in the fiercely competitive market of dongle DACs. Moreover, Hidizs seems to have upped their game further with the S9 and S9 Pro (cannot wait to hopefully check them out some day!).
Specifications
Price: U$ 79.
Available in Black and Silver colors.
Official S8 page
The S8 unit was kindly provided by Hidizs company for the review.
The S8 arrives in a very small simple cardboard box. Upper layer inside holds the S8 device and below are all the possible cables with micro USB on one end to connect to the S8 itself and different plugs on the other: micro USB, Type-C, Type-A and Lightning for Apple devices.
With iBasso players the audio volume can be only handled through the Hidizs S8 buttons, while with a PC and Hiby players it can be adjusted from the source volume too. The S8 has 16 digital volume steps. The volume changes are not subtle enough, usually either too low or too loud, so further adjustment from the sources may be needed.
Sound Quality
For such a small device the S8 is powerful and can get to quite loud volume levels even with high impedance gears. The specifications suggest up to 150ohm, but it has no issues driving 300ohm earbuds like the VE Zen, or a relatively low sensitivity IEM like the final E5000. It may be either the supposed ‘impedance detection’ working or simply having a high jump between volume steps that when switching from sensitive to more demanding sets the extra volume clicks needed are 2 or 3.
For sound presentation, I’ve tested the S8 tends with earphones/headphones with varied sound signatures, from warm and bassy to midrange centered and treble, detail oriented. In general, the S8 presents a cleaner and clear sound, more linear through lows to mids and highlighting the treble. It has an unavoidable forward and aggressive character that depending on the headphones used can become quite tiring and unforgiving.
The DAC itself does not tend to add any coloration though can sound a bit colder, more specially in the midrange. There is good control and extension on the bass which sounds good with neutral or midrange headphones but can sound light and softer in impact with warmer, bass oriented ones missing in mid-bass power. For example, the Campfire Audio Polaris 2 and final E5000 IEMs will sound just less bassy with a cleaner and bit forward mids (which can be good), but with the Meze 99 headphones the low-end and warm tonality is quite missing. Treble is quite the opposite. The S8 gives an extra treble boost that adds more air and clarity, good extension and highlight small details, but result in more aggressive highs. It can be tiring and show harshness and unwanted sibilance with bright headphones like the Dita Audio Fidelity or planar Sendy Aiva and Hifiman Sundara. Soundstage does not sound larger but the presentation is airier and open.
Comparisons
Zorloo ZuperDAC-S
The ZuperDAC-S implements a ESS Sabre DAC 9018 and supports only up to 192kHz / 24 bit quality. Build quality feels tougher with all metal chassis versus the metal & glass combination on the S8. Both DACs have no inner battery and have volume control; the ZuperDAC buttons are harder to press. Volume changes are similar on both, not very accurate being both limited to 16 digital volume steps.
In terms of sound, these are quite the opposite. The ZuperDAC-S emphasize the low-end with a powerful impact and warm tonality, thicker and less forward midrange and much smoother highs. Whatever that doesn’t pair well with the S8 will have much favorable synergy with the ZuperDAC, and vice versa. The S8 highlight more detail and gives higher resolution.
Audirect Beam
Another ESS Sabre DAC, a ES9118 model with same file quality support as the Hidizs S8 of up to 384kHz / 32-bit. All metal build with bit sharper corners than the S8. The Beam has a different volume control that adds a clickable play/pause control, which can be too sensitive.
Sound presentation falls somewhere between the S8 and ZuperDAC-S, but closer to the ZuperDAC-S. Among these three small DACs the Beam is the most balanced and comfortable to listen. It has less bass than the Zorloo but still warmer and stronger than the Hidizs S8. Midrange is forward like on the S8, more textured too but less clear and detailed. Treble is smooth, laid-back next to the S8 but more present than the ZuperDAC.
Following few succesfull tries in extra-portable HiFi audio converters, Hidizs have just released their new and more powerful tiny HiRes device — S8 HiFi Decoder. This is trully portable and universal audio decoder that supports most of the popular types of operating systems, HiRes certified and capable of decoding 32bit/384kHz PCM & DSD256 (natively). In contrary to previous and popular series of Sonata HD cable decoders, Hidizs has developed a new firmware that doesn’t require to take a decision on the forced mode of resulting audio quality by uploading different FW. S8 can be used «as it is», supporting any types of audio streams and giving out the best quality it is capable of with no extra steps required from a user.
Hidizs S8 technical specifications:
For those who are familizar with previous Sonata HD converters, S8 has quite different design and architecture. It has larger dimensions and should be considered as an extra device connected to your smartphone rather than just a cable with DAC chip. S8 is still a tiny DAC and weights only 9g. Moreover, it features micro-USB port instead of having an integrated cable.
There were some complaints from the user of prior Sonata series about the possibility to exchange the integrated cable… No problems with that anymore. Volume buttons add to the overall ease of use as well. Although, there is still no LED indicators or other elements that would signal that the device is in use or powered.
Design wise, S8 feels very sturdy and elegant. Modern combination of one-piece aluminum shell and glass on the back with additional curved and shaped corners. Just a few elements on the case — volume buttons raising above the surface, 3.5mm SE audio output at the top edge and micro-USB at the bottom edge. No power button — S8 powers up automatically when connected to any audio source.
The purpose of S8 has not changed — turning any audio source equipped with USB A|Type-C|Micro-USB|Lightning ports into HiRes audio device capable of native reproduction of PCM 32bit|384kHz / DSD256 format by the means of a tiny adapter that would not consume excessive space in your pocket. Furthermore, pro-level DAC chip and extra output power would create more potential to drive most of the headphones or IEMs than bare output of a smartphone|laptop or other portable and universal devices. As we asll know, some laptops and tablets would not even come close to what we mean by a term «HiRes audio».
Their outputs are weak, don’t have enough driving power, don’t have enough volume and the sound is evidently blurred. This is exactly where Hidizs S8 converter might come to a rescue — the best way to upgrade the resulting audio quality. It is small, universal, doesn’t require additional power supply, doesn’t consume additional space — just an adapter between your device and headphones.
One of the main features of this product is its box contents. S8 comes with 4 types of cables:
Hidizs has also mentioned that the FW in S8 might be upgraded in future but has not explained the process. Hope to see such instructions and furter FW in the nearest future. Although, there is no necessaity to upgrade right now as S8 works perfectly with no observable glitches.
Sound quality:
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 3.5mm own output VS S8 adapter connected to micro-USB:
The pure winner is S8.
Original Xiaomi audio output is muted and have some tube feel. Its power is low and not enough to drive 48Ohms Audio-Technica ATH M50 studio monitor headphones. Volume is low. Sound gets distorted at higher volume levels.
With Hidizs S8 connected the sound gets much juicy: volume gets higher, driving potential allows more mid bass tightness. Lows would get more contoured, tube feel would go away. Good improvement is apparent in in crispness and resolution of higher frequencies. More details and scene depth would get apparent. For this usage scenario, S8 is a way better than the regular audio output of this smartphone.
Lenovo Y500 (Intel HD audio integrated sound card) VS Hidizs S8 connected to USB A:
The winner is Hidizs S8.
The difference in the audio quality is still apparent, although not that impressive. S8 is able to deliver more resolution, details and more driving ability to full-sized headphones. Sound is more crisp and bright. Although, this laptop audio output is much closer to S8 in nature than Xiaomi smartphone. But still lacking power and looses out some details.
Conclusion:
Creating HiRes audio adapters is trending now. While smartphone and laptop manufacturers remove 3.5mm audio outputs — there is a growing demand from people who still want to have the best audio quality on the go. If having the additional HiRes DAP is not an option — the only possible solution is devices like Hidizs S8. Taking into the consideration previous and quite successfull attempts by Hidizs in a form of Sonata HD cable — this method really works. Some additional features, better DAC ship and more friendly operation makes Hidizs S8 more attracting and almost ideal. Furthermore, the final audio quality is really outperforming bare smartphone & laptop outputs and prove that S8 trully serves its main purpose.
Official S8 page and store: LINK
10% discount for any item at Hidizs store using our promocode: ZMCR10
Hidizs S8 technical specifications:
- DAC: CS43131
- DSD: 64/128/256 HW
- PCM: 32bit/384kHz
- Output: 30mW + 30mW @ 32Ω
- FR respone: 20-50kHz
- THD+N: 0.002% @ 1kHz
- SNR: 120dB
- Channel Separation: 120dB @ 32Ω
- Output impedance: <1Ω
- Recommended resistance: 8-150Ω
- Buttons: Volume +/-
- Audio jack: SE 3.5mm /mic supported
- Connecting cables: Lightning/Type-C/Micro-USB/USB Type-A
- Device port: Micro-USB
- Weight: 9g
- Material: aluminum-alloy + glass
For those who are familizar with previous Sonata HD converters, S8 has quite different design and architecture. It has larger dimensions and should be considered as an extra device connected to your smartphone rather than just a cable with DAC chip. S8 is still a tiny DAC and weights only 9g. Moreover, it features micro-USB port instead of having an integrated cable.
There were some complaints from the user of prior Sonata series about the possibility to exchange the integrated cable… No problems with that anymore. Volume buttons add to the overall ease of use as well. Although, there is still no LED indicators or other elements that would signal that the device is in use or powered.
Design wise, S8 feels very sturdy and elegant. Modern combination of one-piece aluminum shell and glass on the back with additional curved and shaped corners. Just a few elements on the case — volume buttons raising above the surface, 3.5mm SE audio output at the top edge and micro-USB at the bottom edge. No power button — S8 powers up automatically when connected to any audio source.
The purpose of S8 has not changed — turning any audio source equipped with USB A|Type-C|Micro-USB|Lightning ports into HiRes audio device capable of native reproduction of PCM 32bit|384kHz / DSD256 format by the means of a tiny adapter that would not consume excessive space in your pocket. Furthermore, pro-level DAC chip and extra output power would create more potential to drive most of the headphones or IEMs than bare output of a smartphone|laptop or other portable and universal devices. As we asll know, some laptops and tablets would not even come close to what we mean by a term «HiRes audio».
Their outputs are weak, don’t have enough driving power, don’t have enough volume and the sound is evidently blurred. This is exactly where Hidizs S8 converter might come to a rescue — the best way to upgrade the resulting audio quality. It is small, universal, doesn’t require additional power supply, doesn’t consume additional space — just an adapter between your device and headphones.
One of the main features of this product is its box contents. S8 comes with 4 types of cables:
- Lightning -> micro-USB
- micro-USB -> micro-USB
- micro-USB -> USB Type-C
- micro USB -> USB A
Hidizs has also mentioned that the FW in S8 might be upgraded in future but has not explained the process. Hope to see such instructions and furter FW in the nearest future. Although, there is no necessaity to upgrade right now as S8 works perfectly with no observable glitches.
Sound quality:
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 3.5mm own output VS S8 adapter connected to micro-USB:
The pure winner is S8.
Original Xiaomi audio output is muted and have some tube feel. Its power is low and not enough to drive 48Ohms Audio-Technica ATH M50 studio monitor headphones. Volume is low. Sound gets distorted at higher volume levels.
With Hidizs S8 connected the sound gets much juicy: volume gets higher, driving potential allows more mid bass tightness. Lows would get more contoured, tube feel would go away. Good improvement is apparent in in crispness and resolution of higher frequencies. More details and scene depth would get apparent. For this usage scenario, S8 is a way better than the regular audio output of this smartphone.
Lenovo Y500 (Intel HD audio integrated sound card) VS Hidizs S8 connected to USB A:
The winner is Hidizs S8.
The difference in the audio quality is still apparent, although not that impressive. S8 is able to deliver more resolution, details and more driving ability to full-sized headphones. Sound is more crisp and bright. Although, this laptop audio output is much closer to S8 in nature than Xiaomi smartphone. But still lacking power and looses out some details.
Conclusion:
Creating HiRes audio adapters is trending now. While smartphone and laptop manufacturers remove 3.5mm audio outputs — there is a growing demand from people who still want to have the best audio quality on the go. If having the additional HiRes DAP is not an option — the only possible solution is devices like Hidizs S8. Taking into the consideration previous and quite successfull attempts by Hidizs in a form of Sonata HD cable — this method really works. Some additional features, better DAC ship and more friendly operation makes Hidizs S8 more attracting and almost ideal. Furthermore, the final audio quality is really outperforming bare smartphone & laptop outputs and prove that S8 trully serves its main purpose.
Official S8 page and store: LINK
10% discount for any item at Hidizs store using our promocode: ZMCR10
