Nice review, looks like a very handy dac amp. No official information about the output power?

It has. For single-ended 3.5mm -

• Max Output @150Ω- 35.3mW(2.3Vrms)
• Max Output @32Ω- 125mW(2.0Vrms)
• Max Output @16Ω- 114mW(1.35Vrms)

for balanced 4.4mm -

• Max Output @300Ω- 83mW(5.0Vrms)
• Max Output @150Ω- 167mW(5.0Vrms)
• Max Output @32Ω- 211mW(2.6Vrms)
• Max Output @16Ω- 123mW(1.4Vrms)

Nice, those are good numbers for the balanced output. Thank you for the info!

How's the resolution vs other desktop stacks like Schiit Modi/Magni and Topping E30/.L30?

The coax spdif is an input right? I have several daps with spdif outputs. I’m grabbing one if its an input!

@lycos - I've heard the Topping E30/L30 stack as it is almost very similar to my Topping D50, it seems a tad too neutral, clinical and dry sounding for me (the D50 imo resolves even better). The Topping E30/L30 actually reminds me of the JDS Atom + DAC stack which is quite more for reference, transparency and has more detail retrieval than the Tone2 Pro. Of course, this stack has an amp so make sure you pair the Tone2 Pro with an amp as well for mid-to-high impedance cans. I personally tried the Tone2 Pro with my Schiit Magni 3 as well and shows the same smooth, airy, neutral-to-warm character of the Tone2 without the harshness if just using the Magni 3 + any transparent DAC on its own. It does sound like a modified ESS, unlike any Sabre signature I've heard.

@eclein - Yes, the Tone2's spdif coax is input. Appreciated it as well and if only this has optical as well then makes it truly a complete compact all-in-one

Thanks for the solid review! Looking forward to getting mine in the second batch.

Thanks @d m41n man
My budget is $200. So either Khadas Tone Pro 2 or Schiit stack. It seems the latter is a better option

@lycos - it's more of if you value compactness/portability as well as if you would need balanced output and MQA in the future as the Schiit Magni+Modi stack does not have those

Awesome review!
Do you think an easy to drive iem would benefit from dac/amp combo like this?

@Zerozen - somewhat yes, these are already powerful for IEMs in squeezing out the microdynamics at lower volumes and the DAC section gives noticeable improvement in detail retrieval especially if you’re streaming Tidal Masters since it’s an asynchronous MQA ‘unfolding’ and decoder, not just a renderer. If you have IEMs that are too neutral to bright and with quite an impedance such as my AKG K3003 and the RHAs, these smoothens those peaks out for a pleasant yet detailed listening. Just make sure you have a powerbank or linear power supply if your source does not have a capable USB power output. This is definitely not a Dragonfly or USB dongle DAC.

Thanks for the help!
I just bought the KBEAR believe and now i can't decide between a powerful amp or this.
The believe is notorious for it's selective pairing, it's been known that it has a good synergy with the topping L30 but the khadas tone 2 pro is just too tempting with it's measurements...

If you could choose soundwise this or iFi Zen DAC V2?