★Introduction :-
Tanchjim space lite is a dac dongle in very affordable price category ($45). Earlier tanchjim space dac dongle came in the market which showed good performance considering the price even though the device had 3.5 & 4.4 both output and also cost around 100$. But recently they have launched this space lite (3.5mm) in a very interesting price category ($45). I will try to highlight all aspects of the device in my review. So that it is convenient for you to understand how justified it is for the price.
# Disclaimer :-
I have no financial agreement with "Tanchjim Audio" for this review, so my opinion is completely personal.
★ Box content at a glance :-
The packaging of the Dac amp was very minimalistic.
1. Tanchjim space dac amp
2 . Type c to Usb "A" adapter
3. Some extra paperworks
★ Specifications :-
Dac chip : High-Performance Cirrus logic CS43131
Port type : 3.5 Single-End
Input interface : USB - Type C
Frequency response : 6hz - 85 KHZ
Supports : PCM(32 Bit/768kHz) and Native DSD256
Noise Floor : 1uV
Dynamic - Range : 126 dB
Output Power : (105mw@16Ω & 98mw@32Ω)
Harmonic Distortion THD+N : 0.0003%
Power consumption : 0.5w
Output level : max 2Vrms
★ Design & Build Quality :-
Tanchjim space and space lite both have similar build material.
TANCHJIM Space Lite dongle features a sleek and stylish design with a aluminum alloy frame that is durable and resistant to external interferences. Tanchjim's branding is engraved on the front of the device and space lite is written on the back which looks quite stylish. On the other hand copper silver plated wire core is used as the fixed cable material of the device through which the power supply is done inside the DAC circuit. This fixed cable did not disappoint because the durability was quite good and at the same time it was very small in size and seemed to be suitable for use anywhere. It is able to provide plug & play type performance in any situation.
★ Synergy & Power :-
The device is fully neutral sounding with slight coloration, but the interesting thing is that it is offering good power output from such a small form factor. It is capable of driving 105mw@16Ω as well as regular 98mw@32Ω from easy to drive IEMs to fairly demanding IEMs. Although this dac dongle is capable of driving many earphones, it cannot drive full size headphones because its power output is not that strong. However, some DD headphones will be suitable for headphones such as the Phillips Shp9500 type.However, its pairing is not very good with earphones below 16 ohm, so it is better not to use it. But many will consider using the Final E3000 with it, it will perform well there as well. I've tried several dd IEMs and a few planar IEMs with it and it drives pretty well. However, since it is a neutral sounding dac dongle, the best pairing is possible if it is used with warm, neutral type earphones. If the earphone is a little bright sounding, then I will not use it because the brightness of those earphones will become a little more enchance, then it will be difficult to listen. For example I can talk about letshouer s12 pro which is basically bright "V"set, if you can drive it, it makes the sound signature a bit brighter. But if one has a warm/neutral type sounding IEM in their arsenal then they will undoubtedly benefit the most from this. The sound of this dac dongle has a little coloration, that is, there is a touch of typical cirrus logic house sound. It brings a slight boost to the upper midrange section and at the same time adds warmth to the mids forward a bit, due to which the mids section sounds more pleasing while the clarity of the mids remains intact. It doesn't create any disturbance that degrades the natural presentation, it's fairly clear and the enjoyed with a little warm, On the other hand it has delivered decent treble performance
★ IEMS Used :-
~ kiwi ears Orchestra lite
~ softwares volume
~ Dunu kima classic
~ Letshouer X GIZAUDIO Galileo
~ Kinera Celest Phoenixcall
★ Sound Aspects :-
The device supports sample rate of 32 bit 768khz, so you can understand that starting from Pcm up to Dsd 256 support can be easily found here, which is a very good option for daily usage, at the same time stereo separation was also very good. On the other hand, its distortion ratio is also very low, I have run it at full volume so there is no distortion. I have used it on my phone and pc for a long time and have not had any problem with overheating. Moreover, it consumes very little power during use, the brand claims that its power consumption rate is 0.5w, which has been confirmed in my testing. Tanchjim has been able to handle heat management very well here so good job tanchjim.
Now I will discuss the sound in detail....
When you start listening to the sound by plugging the earphone into the device, the first thing you will notice is the sound stage and separation, it is able to create a good separation. The impact of the bass hits very deeply and there is a slight boost, but due to this, the notes of the bass are not damaged, the small and large notes can be heard clearly. Not that it portrays precisely, but it seems that it has been able to give as much as is available from such a form factor. On the other hand, the mids section has the goodness of cirrus logic because it boosts the upper mids a little bit and forwards the overall mids a little bit, which is also present here. Many people may think its treble is a little smooth, but this is not a big problem because this smooth effect is there to maximize the treble of the earphone. The treble section has a good amount of sparkle without harshness, so the enjoyment of the treble lasts for a long time. By default the extension of treble can hold very well and can create a good separation between small and large instruments. As the upper treble or airy extension was good, the lower treble and the full presentation were able to be represented very cleanly. However, if the treble section of one's IEMs is boosted more, then using it with it will bring harshness which can even create fatigue. At the same time dynamics and macro dynamics were of mediocre level and separation, layering and movement were nothing extraordinary or not bad considering this form factor and price category. Although not up to the mark in technical performance, it can be said that there was a descent. The staging was quite wide, so the earphones you are staging in will benefit more from here. However, I am not very happy with the imaging because it does not portray the instruments precisely and seems to be an average capability. But it would be foolish to expect more from such a price segment.
★ Conclusion :-
Currently there are many options in the market at sub 50$ although its price is 45$ now. This device will be more acceptable to those whose budget is below 50$ and even those whose regular needs will be met with such a single end output. But it is said that there are many more options in the market especially many chifi brands have "Ess" based dac dongle available which are offering better power output but their sound is harsh, sharp or aggressive in most cases space lite has a good position from that side. The device offers a full bodied sound presentation with descent power output. So in conclusion those who are thinking of buying it can definitely buy it and will have a buy recommendation from my side. Hope it will not disappoint you considering the price from any angle.
I have provided the purchase link below for your convenience
https://www.linsoul.com/products/tanchjim-space-lite(link is not affiliated)