Meizu HiFi Pro

INTRODUCTION, DISCLAIMER, AND BACKGROUND:
The Meizu HiFi Pro is a USB-C DAC/AMP with a single 3.5mm output. I purchased the HiFi Pro from HiFiGo at its list price of $44.99.
These impressions can also be viewed on my blog: Meizu HiFi Pro USB-C DAC/AMP Impressions

As I previously noted in my review of the xDuoo Link, stock Android limits the output of many USB audio devices to 43% of their actual output. In order to use the full output of products like the Apple USB-C to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter (Apple dongle), one must either have an app that only works with a rooted device or use a workaround made possible by USB Audio Player PRO (UAPP).

The workaround is as follows:

1. With the USB audio device connected, open UAPP and grant it exclusive control over the USB audio device
2. Set the USB audio device’s hardware volume to maximum
3. Exit UAPP

With the Apple dongle, this procedure must be followed every time the USB audio device is connected. Before purchasing the HiFi Pro dongle, I read several accounts that the HiFi Pro did not need the UAPP workaround to utilize its full output volume, or at the very least, only required its hardware volume to be raised once.

TESTING CONDITIONS:
I used the Meizu HiFi Pro in the following configurations:

• Windows 10 PC > Meizu HiFi Pro
• Windows 10 PC >Ugreen Male Micro USB to Female USB OTG Adapter > Meizu HiFi Pro
• Pixel 3 > Meizu HiFi Pro
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 > Ugreen Male Micro USB to Female USB OTG Adapter > Baseus Male USB to Female USB-C Adapter > Meizu HiFi Pro

My initial listening impressions were taken with the Tanchjim Oxygen using Spotify Premium and local music files of varying sample rates and bit depth. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to.

DESIGN AND BUILD QUALITY:
The HiFi Pro dongle is slightly longer than the Apple dongle but is less bulky than the xDuoo Link. The 3.5mm jack housing and USB-C connector housing are metal, with rigid black plastic strain protection above both. The cable between the two sections has a paracord sheath. The USB-C connector housing has a clear circular window above the circuit board. The HiFi Pro dongle does not have physical controls. The HiFi Pro dongle did not warm to the touch after extended use as much as the xDuoo Link did. Unlike the xDuoo Link, the Meizu HiFi Pro advertises support for in-line microphones and controls, although I have not had the opportunity to verify this yet.

FUNCTIONALITY:
To verify that the Meizu HiFi Pro dongle could utilize its full output without adjusting its hardware volume in UAPP, I played a 1kHz sine wave on my phone into the **** Ash (18Ω impedance and 102dB/mW sensitivity) and captured the output with my measurement setup (Dayton iMM-6 microphone, vinyl tubing coupler, and Ugreen USB sound interface). I monitored the output volume in Room EQ Wizard using the SPL meter tool. I did this first with the phone’s system volume set to maximum after dismissing the UAPP popup notification, then again after opening UAPP, setting the hardware volume to maximum and exiting UAPP (as per the workaround), and finally after uninstalling UAPP completely. In all cases, I measured the same maximum output volume.
The objective performance of the Meizu HiFi Pro dongle has been extensively evaluated at Audio Science Review. As far as subjective impressions are concerned, I found the HiFi Pro to have excellent resolution, great dynamics, stellar instrument separation, and an inaudible noise floor. The HiFi Pro audibly edges out the Apple dongle in these respects during critical listening.

POWER CONSUMPTION:
The Meizu HiFi Pro dongle draws power from the transport device and consumes less power than the xDuoo Link but more power than the Apple dongle.


Meizu HiFi Pro:

xDuoo Link:

Apple Dongle:


CONCLUSION:

The Meizu HiFi Pro is a powerful, clean-sounding dongle and is a worthy upgrade from Apple’s offering. Highly recommended.