Tanchjim Space

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Disclaimer:

• - I bought this unit with my own money, without any Tanchjim’s knowledge or intervention. Rest assured that this review will be free from any form of bias/s as much as possible.
• - I have not tested this with MQA files or MQA streaming since I don’t use MQA at all.
• - The following remarks and observations shall be made and owned only by me.
• - No monetary compensation is/was involved before, during, and after the period of creation of this review.
• - I have only tested this with earbuds and IEMs and earbuds.
• -Your mileage may (and always, will) vary.

Burn-in time: 5-10 hours per day, 10 days.

IEMs/Earbuds/Source used:

• - Etymotic ER3SE
• - Simgot EM6L
• - Letshuoer DZ4
• - Tanchjim One
• - Temperament X6
• - Simgot EW200
• - Sony Xperia X Compact
• - Aiwa XP-V710C CD Player (12 sec. EASS)
• - Non-HiFi smartphone (Infinix Note 12 G96)
• - Desktop PC, Laptop.
• - Local Files via Foobar, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.

Setup configuration: Tanchjim Space paired with phones/laptop/pc.

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Essential Product Specifications:

• - Headphone port: 3.5mm SE / 4.4mm Bal
• - Input port: USB Type-C
• - Frequency response: 6hz-85kHz
• - Background noise: 1.3uV(BAL), 1.1uV(UNBAL)
• - Dynamic-Range: 132dB (BAL), 127dB (UNBAL)
• - THD+N: 0.00017% (BAL), 0.00019% (UNBAL)
• - Output power: 4Vrms (BAL High), 2Vrms (BAL Low), 2Vrms (UNBAL High), 1Vrms (UNBAL Low)

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Sound signature:

• - The Tanchjim Space exhibits an analytical, reference, transparent/uncolored sound that focuses more on utilizing the gear and the audio file’s optimal sound quality. This also means that this DAC is a “revealing” set, which can be a good or a bad thing depending on the user. It will reveal how wide or narrow an IEM/earbuds sound, how well layered the whole track is, how muffled or clear the files played with it, and the likes. I can clearly hear how compressed Spotify sounds, and how “rich” or clean Deezer, Qobuz, and my ripped CDs sound on this dongle. YouTube Music sits in the middle in terms of sound quality, and is the most practical among the file types/streaming platforms I’ve tested to my liking.

Build Quality:

• - I personally like what they did with the Space - it is very light in weight without skimping on the build quality. The design exhibits a sturdy,industrial-type of motif in a sleek, minimalist, gray color. It is also smaller in height and a bit wider in width as well, which makes it more portable compared to other dongles I’ve tested and loaned.

Device Compatibility:

• - Just like the Fosi Audio DS1 which is my current daily driver for a year and a half, this dongle does not need any proprietary app to sound in its optimal sound quality, making it very easy to connect across all of my android and windows devices. Hardware volume control is also detected in UAPP, and is easily detected on UAPP, Hibymusic, and Eddict player.

Battery Consumption:

• - This dongle is quite average in terms of battery consumption. It drains about 6-10% of battery in an hour when paired with a smartphone at most, depending on the file type and gain that you are using.

Power and volume:

The Tanchjim space was sufficient (and even more than enough at times) on delivering power and volume on all of my IEMs and earbuds. It has a high gain mode on both BAL and SE connections. Here are some IEMs and earbuds I have tried with their respective listenable/ enough volumes (do take note that the volumes indicated are only based on adjusting the hardware volume buttons to 5 steps from its factory hardware volume setting, with the software volume variable. 100% = 100% max software volume):

• - Etymotic ER3SE - 30/100
• - Temperament X6 - 35/100
• - Simgot EM6L - 20/100
• - Tanchjim One - 25/100
• - Simgot EW200 - 15/100
• - Letshuoer DZ4 - 25/100

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Who is the Tanchjim Space for?

• - For those people who want an analytical, uncolored sounding dongle.
• - For those people who want a distortion, jitter free-sound.
• - For those people who wants a dongle with a detachable cable.
• - For those people who want a very lightweight usb dongle on-the-go.
• - For those people who do not want to mess with any app or setting just to achieve optimal sound quality.

Why should you not buy the Tanchjim Space?

• - If you want a dongle that forgives recording/setup flaws.
• - If you are looking for a warm-sounding dongle.
• - If you mainly use easy-to-drive IEMs (The Tanchjim Space Lite sounds about the same to my ears but with only one SE port, 2vrms max output and no hardware volume buttons).
• - If you need a dedicated app for your dongle.
• - If you care about MQA too much.

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Pros:
- An excellent reference/analytical, transparent-sounding DAC under 100 USD!
- Clean, pitch-black,noise and distortion-free, spacious sound (literally).
- The most “revealing” DAC I’ve used under 100 USD.
- Well-done, powerful output (230 mw @32 Ohms).
- Offers two modes of gain.
- Offers SE and BAL ports.
- Independent hardware volume controls!
- Detachable cable!
- Does not require any app to sound in its optimal performance! (There’s an app but it is buggy as of this moment)
- Does not get too hot unlike most USB DACs.
- Minimal yet intuitive LED indicators!
- Quite tiny in terms of form factor!
- Excellent build quality!
- Visually pleasing appearance!
- Visually pleasing packaging! (subjective).
- Average power consumption.

Cons:
- Having a revealing, transparent sound is a double-edged sword. (heavy emphasis on this one)
- Having an independent volume control also requires at least an - indicator or a tiny screen for me to see what volume step I am in.
- Some people may ask for a well-done, properly-functioning dedicated app for this dongle (I don’t need that as it works excellent without it, still subjective though).
- Cable is visually aesthetic and very durable, but it is quite stiff to my liking.
- A pouch or a carrying case would’ve been nice if included for its price, to prolong the dongle’s overall life span.

Thank you for reading!

Additional Photos Here:

TANCHJIM SPACE​

Introduction: -

Tanchjim is highly reputed for its unique design for IEMs and DAC/Amps. They’ve started their journey with IEMs followed by the dongle DACs and now they’re producing desktop grade DAC/Amps as well. Tanchjim Space is a very well-built dongle with a full metal body with volume buttons on the side to control the volume with ease on the go and an attractive semitransparent panel on the top to give you a sneak peek into the world of high-quality circuitry inside. Due to its unique Cirrus Logic tonality, we feel it will synergize well with warm tonality IEMs and headphones. We would also like to inform you that Space is very energy efficient all thanks to the Cirrus Logic chip.



Specifications: -

• DAC Used: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43131
• Output Power: 4Vrms (BAL High), 2Vrms (BAL Low)
• 2Vrms (UNBAL High), 1Vrms (UNBAL Low) Impedance: 27Ω
• THD+N: 0.00017% (BAL), 0.00019%(UNBAL)
• Dynamic-Range: BAL - 132dB, UNBAL - 127dB (AES17 20Khz, AWT)
• Background Noise: 1.3uV (BAL), 1.1uV (UNBAL)
• Headphone Out: 3.5mm SE / 4.4mm Bal
• Input port: USB Type-C
• Size: 4.1x2.1x1.2cm Weight: 14.8g

Disclaimer: -

We have received Tanchjim Space, a DAC/AMP Combo from Tanchjim Audio for a considerate discount in exchange for a review. We are thankful to Tanchjim Audio for the same. However, the review reflects our honest opinion.

Packaging & Accessories: -

The Tanchjim Space comes in a small-sized box with the DAC/Amp and all the accessories. The unboxing experience is premium. Removing the box lead, we have the manuals and quick guides. After that, we found the DAC/Amp in an assembly. The Space comes with a USB Type-C to Type-C male cable connection and a USB Type-A male to Type-C female adaptor. All come under the price tag of US $89.99 only.




Build & Design: -

Tanchjim Space features a small and compact building. The DAC features a transparent window design that looks like glass and allows users to see the insides of the dongle. The DAC is lightweight, small, and has a compact design. The housing is made up of high-quality aluminium material with top-notch machining quality. The cable supplied is also sturdy enough.

Sound Analysis: -

Tanchjim Space the name itself depicts the sound quality it is trying to offer. It is one of the cleanest and most reference-sounding dongles we have auditioned or have in our Aural Café’s bank. One of the best things about Space is its neutrality with very good imaging and separation. The soundstage is decent with more depth when we compare it to the other dongles. We believe that the team has achieved it because of the dual path decoding architecture which is supported by two powerful Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC chips. One more interesting thing about Space is that it doesn’t try to colour the sound and no frequency jumps on you abnormally. The sound presentation is unique with a very slightly warm tonality and pitch-black background. The Tanchjim Space non-linear volume control really helps especially with in-ear monitors and the onboard 4.4mm balanced output with 4 Vrms of output power can drive the most demanding IEMs and also drive the less demanding full-size headphones. This review will not do justice if we don’t write about the high-quality OTG cable the Tanchjim space is bundled with. The OTG cable is made up of two parallel strands of single crystal copper silver-plated material which are properly shielded leading to a more efficient power supply to support its dual path decoding architecture resulting in a pitch black and clean background.

Another footnote we want to add here is that the Tanchjim App is available for both Android and iOS devices and this dongle can be fully controllable with the App.



Conclusion: -

We at Aural Café can happily assure you that if you are in the market for a well-built portable DAC/Amp at a competitive price then you cannot go wrong with Tanchjim Space because of its unique and user-friendly design topped up with a seriously built dual path decoding architecture leading to a unique, organic, and original sound experience within the gigantic Dongle Universe. Also, we got it’s sibling called Space Lite, so stay tuned for that review as well.

Non-Affiliated Links: -
- https://www.amazon.com/HiFiGo-Space-Amplifier-High-Performance-Headphone/dp/B0BN3ZBVFC/
- https://hifigo.com/products/tanchjim-space

Tanchjim is famous for its IEMs like Oxygen and Hana 2.0 for their life-like sound at an affordable price point. Tanchjim released their first Dongle dac, Tanchjim Space on Dec 16, 2022, for $89.99. At the core, Tanchjim has equipped a dual DAC arrangement housing two CS43131 high-performance 32-Bit DAC chips. Let’s see how it performs and fairs against the competition.




Disclaimer: -
I got the Tanchjim Space from Hifigo and they were kind enough to give me some Discount on it. I have no monetary benefit with this review, neither am I influenced by anyone to write positive or negative about the pair. All thoughts are based on my usage consisting of mostly Bollywood, EDM, Hip-hop, Alt-rock, and Modern music. I am no professional reviewer, just sharing my thoughts. If interested, you can check out more information on the Hifigo website from the link below(non-affiliated).

https://hifigo.com/products/tanchjim-space

Design & Build:-
Space is made out of Aluminum with a Single bolt holding the front and back frame. It has a Slopping curve-like cutout with a Glass window through which shows the internals of Space, you can see the mechanics of the volume toggle, status led, Type C jack, and the Dual CS DAC chips. The status indicator blinks blue once you connect to the source device and a very very very faint Red Led keeps showing that the Device is working (But you can also check that by connecting your earphones). One side is empty, and the other side has the Digital volume toggle (I would’ve loved a volume wheel but it’s still more than fine) on the front It has TANCHJIM written on it, and on the back, it has SPACE written. It’s a solid tiny and lightweight device at under 15 grams. On top/Right it has a type C input and on the other end, it has a 3.5mm Single-ended and 4.4mm Balanced Output. It has some sharp edges which could feel uncomfortable and can get tugged in your pocket but for the size, functionality, and power this tiny device has it’s just a small gripe. In the box, it comes with a Type C to Type C cable and a Type C to USB Converter.



Technical Specs
Weight: 14.8 Grams

Dimensions: 4.1cm X 2.1cm X 1.2cm

Headphone port: 3.5mm SE / 4.4mm Bal

Dac Chip: Dual CS43131

Input port: USB Type-C

Frequency response: 6hz-85Khz

Background noise: 1.3uV (BAL), l.1uV (SE)

Dynamic-Range | BAL: 132dB

THD+N: 0.00017% (BAL),0.00019% (UNBAL)

UNBAL: 127dB (AES17 20Khz, Awt)

Power Output: 230mw@32ohm and 54mw@300





IEMs & HPs I have tested with Space:-

I extensively used/tested Space over the time of almost 2 months, I tested it with IEMs from every range, be it the entry-level CCA CRA or the flagship 64audio Tia Fourth. Space implements Dual CS43131 and the implementation here is a little different than other Dongles with CS DAC chips. Space synergized well with almost everything I had given it, here are some short notes on my favorite pairings.


Etymotic ER2XR + Tanchjim Space:-

This is an absolute bliss, This pair is my daily driver and I use it every time I wanna listen to music, watch movies, youtube, etc. ER2XR on its own sounds a little boring but with Space the bass gets tighter and it makes the treble extended and gives new energy to my listening.

Kiwi Cadenza + Tanchjim Space:-

Cadenza is more of a warm Balanced IEM, with an overall top-tier tuning. With Space, it’s sounds dynamic, fast, and punchy but a little bit dry sounding.

Tangzu Shimin-Li + Tanchjim Space:-

Shimin-li is also a very well-tuning IEM which sounds mostly balanced but tilts a little toward brightish side. With Space it sounds pretty much the same but that added treble makes them a bit fatiguing for my taste.




Apart from these above-mentioned IEMs, I have also used Space with IEMs like UM Mext, 64 audio U12t Oriolas Isabella, and with most of these IEMs being fairly balanced this pairs well.

Sound Performance:-

How do I expect my sources to sound? IMO they should synergize well with my IEMs, they should have a transparent, clean sound that brings the true performance of any IEMs/HPs out there. Well, in my experience, this is what the Tanchjim Space sounds like. This little baby here has got a transparent sound signature with ultra-low distortion and clean, noise-free background in the output signal. Even with sensitive stuff it maintains its clean presentation. In particular, Space doesn’t push any specific frequency except some Upper Treble.

Tonally, Tanchjim Space gives a Detail oriented and rich tone to its output. Dynamics like note definition, staging, layering, and imaging, are reproduced beautifully with the Space. Let’s discuss a little about different frequency segments separately.




Lower-End/Bass Response: -

Space presents a clean and precise lower end. It doesn’t overly exaggerate the bass response for any given set. For the IEMs I tried, It makes the bass a bit tighter and more impactful with added control. Space allows IEMs to go deep into the lower end and deliver quality extensions.

Mid-range:-
Space greets the listeners with a lovely midrange. It’s spacious, airy, and has a clean texture. Vocals sound phenomenal, both the male and female vocals convey emotion with their well-textured clean presentation. Space maintains a good balance between lower mids and upper mids. You won’t notice vocals getting shouty even at louder volumes on vocal-focused tracks or instruments losing details in any given genre. But at times with some stuff, It can get a little dry.

High-Frequencies/Treble:-

Space maintains its agility in the treble region, with most of my IEMs sounding on the smoother side, its added treble makes them sound agile and detailed without losing control and smooth for most cases But with some IEMs with a little treble boost it can get a little harsh and fatiguing.

Dynamics:-

In terms of dynamics, Space handles dynamic swings pretty well, keeping a good control over and maintaining the agility.




A Few Things That Can Be Improved:-

Space is near perfect, It’s tiny, lightweight, and pushes loads of power. Sound-wise it’s dynamic, lively sound and usually synergizes well with almost everything I have given this beautiful DAC/AMP. But there are a few things that could be improved with the Space.

Firstly for some, the digital volume control could be a bummer as many want their volume control to be master control but here I believe the Digital volume gives you the ability to preciously control the volume.

Secondly, the treble is a tiny bit pushed for my liking which makes its sound tilt towards bright neutral and pairing with bright neutral stuff fatiguing. (But also pairing with dark neutral or dark sounding or harman tuned items like Tanchjim makes this dongle pair like a charm)

Apart from these two points, I can’t think of any other issue with the Tanchjim Space.




Short Comparison Against xDuoo Link2 Bal:-
Link2 Bal is a highly-capable DAC/AMP from xDuoo. It delivers a punchy sound performance that brings life to most of my earphones and headphones and it pairs especially well with Planar headphones. It is very much comparable to the Tanchjim Space in its presentation but I would say Xduoo with its more life-like and ear-pleasing sound. Space is not that far and in some cases exceeds the Link2 bal in some cases and with some IEMs. Space has better Bass, faster transients, and a tiny tiny bit more detailed presentation but with neutral to bright stuff its treble push makes them less comfortable for longer listening. The midrange is sweeter on Space but Xduoo gives life to your mids the primary difference comes in the treble with Link2 bal being smooth like butter but not at all vailed and Space is a little bit pushed but still neutral to its response. In terms of Power as well Link2 bal takes the cake with pushing 10-15 % more power and giving a little bit more functionality with its gain switch, USB switch, and play pause button.


Tracks used for testing
My playlist consists of Anime/jpop tracks, Hip-Hop, Jazz, R&B, and some Bollywood.

• Shinunoga E-Wa · Fujii Kaza
• 夜に駆ける · YOASOBI · Ayase
• KICK BACK · Kenshi Yonezu
• NIGHT DANCER · Imase
• Fire · Queen Bee
• Suzume (feat. Toaka) · RADWIMPS
• Royals · Lorde
• Low · SZA
• Sign of the Times · Harry Styles
• A glimpse of Us · Joji
• Until I Found You (Em Beihold Version) · Stephen Sanchez
• Under the Influence · Chris Brown
• Starboy · The Weeknd
• Creepin' · Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, 21 Savage
• Do It Again – Pia Mia feat. Chris Brown and Tyga
• Collide (feat. Tyga) · Justine Skye
• Don’t gamble with love – Paul Anka

Final Words:-
These new dongles especially with CS dac chips are pushing well above the price point and I won’t mind saying in terms of pure performance these dongle dacs are performing better than most mid-tier Digital players. I’ve tried multiple Dongle days but Space sounds special with its more detail oriented and dynamic sound signature, For the price of $90 it’s better than most of the Dongle dacs specially if you pair it with dark or dark neutral or harman tuned IEM. Tanchjim Space with its impressive performance gets a special place in my heart. I absolutely adore the impressive sound performance of the Space, it sounds phenomenal throughout the frequency band. Not to mention, the transparent glass window adds 100 points to its great design and looks!! Well, that’s about the Tanchjim Space and I’d gladly recommend it !!