Venture Electronics Megatron

[Revised] Venture Electronics Megatron
I've made some changes to the VE Megatron review that I previously had on here. The previous review was using this as a DAC to feed into other audio components such as a Schitt Lokius, ifi Zen Air Can and ifi Zen Can.

Pros
Powerful, effortless presentation with high impedance headphones like the HD600. Works well with my Sony MDR-Z7 too
Completely silent, static free, pitch black background noise with headphones
Audibly ZERO difference between the VE Megatron's sound presentation and that of the FiiO K7, which costs 6 times the Megatron's price
Impedance adapter available if you want to use this as your AIO desktop setup
Exactly the same size as a HDD, making it portable
Lineout is free of noise and background hiss/buzz when using a 3.5mm to RCA cable into RCA speakers
useful for A/B testing between headphones as all 3 audio outs work. I used this to A/B the HD600 and MDR-Z7 when enjoying an album.

Cons
not very good as a phone dongle, as a loose cable means sound cuts in and out. I generally hate dongles with phones anyways.
very unfair nitpick but no volume wheel
need Peace Equalizer to use with PC. Need impedance adapter to use with phone.

Desktop gear:
Headphones: HD600, R70x, MDR-Z7
Speakers: Edifier R1700B
Cable used: Generic uGreen USB A to C cable plugged into the back of PC case.

I recently gave the Megatron a second look, using it for about a full month to power all my desktop gear. To cut the long story short, I did not miss my FiiO K7 in terms of SQ while using the Megatron as my desktop companion.

The Megatron is a wonderfully competent, powerful and noise free DAC/amp that helps high impedance dynamic driver headphones sing. I do not have any planar magnetic headphones to use with the Megatron.

If you want a cheap, powerful, reliable desktop AIO for say a HD560S, HD600, HE400SE, I doubt you will be able to go lower than this price point to get this level of workmanship and SQ.

This is a easy, zero questions asked recommendation from me. It looks great, it sings great and it's easy to carry around.


The Details
While this is a very strong offering as a DAC/amp, sounding equally as good as the FiiO K7 and better than my ifi Zen DAC v1 into Zen Air Can, there are some things you'll need to take note off before using with your PC or phone.

You NEED Peace Equalizer or something like it to apply a negative pre-amp value. The Megatron without this negative pre-amp value will just be too loud through any headphone. It is unusable without Peace due to how high the volume is.

Basically, if you do not know how to, or have no access to any software to apply negative pre-amp or to lower volume, I would give the Megatron a miss.

While I understand the annoyance of having to learn to use Peace, you are getting $300 DAC/amp performance in a $50 product. The tinkering is well worth the effort, I promise. If you have no interest in using Peace, I also understand, but you will have to spend quite a bit more to get something that sounds approximately as good as the Megatron or the K7.

Peace is also very useful to help tweak certain annoyances in your gear. You can bring down higher frequencies if things are too shouty, or give a bit of bass bump to help an album's overall presentation in your headphones. Do give it a shot if it is new to you.

Concluding Thoughts
My one month experiment with the Megatron has given me a great appreciation for how it sounds, it's tiny annoyances and for it's value proposition. I love the Megatron. It is cheap enough to blind buy, powerful enough to be a mainstay on my desk, and convenient enough to bring overseas if I am bringing headphones.

I will suggest the Megatron to any of the "all you need is a iPhone dongle to get good SQ from a HD600" camp. It's 50 bucks, and it'll change your mind pretty quickly on the subject of powering a high impedance headphones adequately.

The Megatron is also very useful as a 2nd DAC/amp for people with more gear. For context, I use the Zen Air Blue connected to the FiiO K7 to receive a bluetooth signal from my phone. I use the FiiO K7 for IEMs and the HD600, and then switch the output to also power the Edifier speakers.

When it gets too messy or too much to handle, I can just add the Megatron on my table with 1 neat cable, and use lineout to push a signal into the desktop speakers. Leaving the K7 to do it's job as a smooth volume knob and headphone DAC/amp with 2 outputs. Anyone with a ton of gear can appreciate using more audio outs or an easier way to switch sound output from Windows.

Potential solution for the Megatron lacking a volume wheel, FiiO KB1 keyboard remote with volume wheel.

Also, hilariously, look at this setup. A 20,000mah power bank to power the Megatron, and 2 USB C cables. 1 for power delivery to charge the S20FE, and 1 to connect the phone to Megatron. You are not getting through airport security without a few weird looks.

Disclaimer:

• I bought this unit with my own money via Shopee. Rest assured that this review will try its best to devoid from any bias/es.
• 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, so there won’t be any inputs here about the Megatron paired with headphones as I have not experienced or tested it in person.
• I only used the 3.5SE throughout my tests with the Megatron and my gears. This is to achieve uniformity as well.
• Your mileage may (and always, will) vary.

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

IEMs/Earbuds/Source used:

• VE Monk Plus “Black Espresso” Edition
• VE Monk Plus 5th Edition (recabled)
• VE Monk Slim Metal (V1 “pre-order” version)
• Earbuds Anonymous EA Buds
• Shaytan Customs’ Mr. Stark V2
• Shaytan Customs’ Lilith V1
• DIY LCP 80 Ohms
• DIY 150 Ohms (“Blue Glue”)
• QIGOM “Black Lotus” S300 300 Ohms
• BQEYZ Autumn
• KZ EDX Ultra
• Whizzer BS1
• Audiosense AQ0
• NF Audio NM2
• Astrotec Vesna
• Non-HiFi smartphone (realme 5i, Samsung Galaxy On7, Vivo Y11, Samsung Galaxy S8, Cherry Mobile Aqua S9, Samsung Galaxy A6, Xiaomi Redmi 9)
• Local Files via Foobar and Roon, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.

Setup configuration: Megatron paired with phones/laptop/pc. There are times that I paired it with the Lepy LP-A1 Class D Amplifier, for science.

Essential Product Specifications:
● ESS9018K2M DAC
● Supports 24bit/96khz PCM
● USB-Type C input
● 3.5SE/2.5TRRS/4.4TRRS/Line out output
● SE Output power: 170mW @32 ohms, 10mw @300 ohms
● Balanced Output power: 300mW @32 ohms, 40mW @300 ohms.

Sound signature:
● “Neutral”, uncolored sound signature. The sound reminded me of how Aune M1s sounded, but with a more powerful driving capability and less blacker background. The perceivable soundstage depends on what gear or setup you are using. The VE Megatron aims to sound “transparent” as much as possible.

Build Quality:
● The Megatron’s build quality is robust and very durable as it is made of metal. It isn’t too heavy or even too big compared to its renders seen on the internet. It is smaller than a modern-day smartphone but has double thickness when compared. Its design is very minimal and straightforward with a simple logo placed on the top part of the case for you to see.

Device Compatibility:
● The Megatron is literally plug-and-play on windows and linux based laptops and desktops (I haven’t tried it with Macs and Chromebooks so I can’t say the same for it), no proprietary drivers needed. However, on smartphones, it is a different story. It technically works on most recent smartphones, or smartphones that supports PD/Fast charging as it worked on my Realme 5i (which does not support fast charging but is a modern smartphone), Vivo Y11 (does not also support fast charging but relatively modern) and Samsung Galaxy S8 (flagship,relatively modern, supports fast charging 15w and QC 2.0). The supplied cable is also good enough, but using aftermarket cables may or may not work with the Megatron. My recommendations for aftermarket cables would be the fast-charging and data-capable cables from Ugreen and Kuulaa as it is the two aftermarket cables I use as of now.

Battery Consumption:
● It does consume a chunk amount of battery charge due to its powerful nature and lack of battery. On my tests, it usually consumes 10-15% on average per hour. That’s why it has a separate charging port for you to charge and use the DAC at the same time.

Power and volume:
Here are some IEMs and earbuds I have tried with their respective listenable/ enough volumes: (Note: 100 = 100 volume steps).

• VE Monk Plus 5th Edition, Black Espresso Edition - 15/100
• VE Monk SM - 6-8/100
• DIY LCP 80 Ohms - 15-17/100
• DIY 150 Ohms - 20/100
• QIGOM Black Lotus S300 300 Ohms - 24-30/100
• BQEYZ Autumn - 4/100
• Whizzer BS1 - 2-4/100
• KZ EDX Ultra - 2/100
• KZ EDA - 2/100
• NF Audio NM2 - 2/100

Pros:
● Powerful for it to be called a “dongle”.
● “Neutral”, uncolored sound signature.
● Works plug and play on laptops and desktop computers, no drivers needed.
● Has all the ports you need for its price (2.5,4.4,3.5)
● Durable metal housing.
● Supports PD Fast charging for fast-charging capable devices for you to charge while use the Megatron at the same time.
● Has a dedicated lineout port.
● Supports mic function of the gear used with it.
● Comes with a freebie Monk Plus for you to test its “scaling capabilities”.
● Lack of an integrated battery improves the Megatron’s usability and longevity.

Cons:
● Smartphone compatibility will differ from device model, but most recent phones will have no problem based on my tests and observations.
● LO port may sound “weak” in terms of power.
● Can be picky with aftermarket usb-c cables, but works most with those cables that support fast charging during my tests (Ex., Ugreen, Kuulaa, etc.)
● There is an audible hiss/floor noise when paired with very sensitive gears (e.g., KZs, CCAs, TRNs, TFZs, CA Andromeda) but it is too far from being intolerable.
● Megatron only supports up to 24-bit 96Khz FLAC. For most people it won’t be a problem but I do see those people who enjoy higher bitrates may nitpick this.
● A basic pouch will be a good treat to lessen the chances of visible wear and tear of the Megatron during the long run (my nitpick).
● There are rare instances where the Megatron switches gain back and for a exhibits a “clicking” sound on certain IEMs (In my case it is the BQEYZ Autumn out of all my units that experiences this out of all my units. However, this case might only be present on my unit and may not exist on other setups).

The Venture Electronics MEGATRON is one of those “insanely” powered USB DAC that is under 60 USD as most USB DACs in this price do not even have the amount of this power, jam-packed in a technically portable package. Despite it having some caveats, such as the audible floor noise on very sensitive gears, I enjoy using it and it is my daily desktop USB DAC due to its convenience on desktops and its uncolored sound which made some of my gears less peaky than before. I recommend the VE Megatron for those people who seeks power more than enough for their gears who might be needing that extra juice to “shine”.

What VE Megatron needs to work properly:
● A healthy amount of power. The Megatron requires at least 150mA from the source/powerbank/outlet to do the “handshake”.
● A compatible smartphone or device. Generally, it requires devices that are USB-OTG, Fast charging or Qualcomm quick charge compatible devices. Fortunately, most recent phones have that.
● USB Selective suspend setting disabled (on Windows devices). This is to ensure that there are no instances of Megatron lacking any power. On Linux devices, just simply plug and play.
● A PD/Fast charging compatible cable, aside from the stock cable included.
● Hi-Res Audio files, online or offline, not exceeding 96kHz.

Who is the VE Megatron for?
● For those people who want their earbuds, harder to drive IEMs, or some headphones to sound to its full potential without worrying about any lack of power.
● For those people who seek for an “uncolored” neutral sounding DAC.
● For those people who want a minimal desktop or even portable setup.
● For those people who do not want to worry about a deteriorating battery life cycle in the long run.

Why should you not buy the VE Megatron?
● If you have a very sensitive audio gear that is prone to hiss/floor noise.
● If you find the floor noise/hiss in general, intolerable.
● If you enjoy your DSDs and higher than 96Khz audio files more.
● If you prefer smaller sized DACs.
● If you want the bleeding edge/latest product specifications more than the sound.
● If you want to use it with a Campfire Andromeda.

Thank you for reading!

Additional Photos here!

If you know Lee, you know Venture Electronics, and vice versa (if you know Venture Electronics, you know Lee). Everything about the company and the way it does may seem odd if you aren’t in the private Facebook group. From the way Lee talks and freely expresses himself, to the price-to-performance ratio of VE’s products. It is very easy to misunderstand Lee, he appears to be quite a character if you don’t know him personally. I think many will get the wrong idea when they hear that the private group is called VE Clan and that Lee refers to his customers as “clansman”. Or, perhaps I got it wrong, and a clansman is only someone who is a part of this small close-knit community. Either way, the Facebook group is where Lee is constantly active, giving people a look behind the scenes, product announcements, progress updates, and much, much more.

In my eyes, Venture Electronics is bold, brave, and certainly has no merci
… and Lee, I would describe him in two words: “no filter” and “passionate”.

Unboxing Experience

At 50 bucks, I don’t blame Venture Electronics for not including any sort of special packaging. Lee gave me the word that while it’s in plan, it’s not a priority.

With the Megatron, you receive a USB-C to USB-C (short) cable along with a USB-C to USB-A adaptor.

Design & Build Quality

From a design point of view Megatron won’t knock your socks off. It looks like a refined chunk of metal, but I guarantee you it’s much more than that.

What’s important to me is that it’s built well and that it feels good in hand, and Megatron is just that.

It has slightly curvature on the sides, making it comfortable to hold in hand. It’s made of metal, making it long-lasting. And even the lettering is laser etched. It’s very clean and there is no glow around the edges, indicating quality. The cutouts for the ports are also clean with no indication of cut corners.

On the front, Megatron has the following outputs: 3.5mm, 2.5mm (TRRS), 4.4mm (TRRRS), and a 3.5mm. On the back, Megatron has a USB-C port for PD bridge charging, a USB-C port for connecting the Megatron to your device, and a 3.5mm AUX Line Out.

Features

While you have dongles with all sorts of features, Megatron is fairly straightforward. It doesn’t benefit from a built-in battery, it doesn’t benefit from Bluetooth, it doesn’t benefit from hardware volume control. All of these features are commonly found in both dongles and portable amp/dacs.

However, I strongly believe that Megatron is a prime example of “less is more”. Lee didn’t waste money on such features, which allowed him to focus on circuitry and performance.

For single-ended use (3.5mm), Megatron outputs 170mW @32Ω, and 10mW @300Ω (Single Ended), and has a maximum output voltage of 2.4V. For balanced use (2.5mm, 4.4mm), Megatron outputs 300mW @32Ω, and 40mW @300Ω, and has a maximum output voltage of whopping 4.9V!

Performance​

I will aim to keep it short and sweet.

As outlined by Lee, Megatron is NOT designed for high sensitivity stuff. It is specifically designed for hard to drive IEMs and headphones. For this reason, I used the Dekoni Audio Blue for the testing. I used the Dekoni Blue on the PC setup, while I used the Sivga P-II on the Mac setup.

Megatron provides a very clean and transparent performance. No distortions, weird tonalities, or any funky stuff of that nature happening.

There isn’t a whole lot of coloration going on, with the main differences in sound being related to separation, soundstage, and the overall feel.

I had the Megatron connected to my MacBook Pro (Early 2015), which I also used for comparing the sound performance. The comparison was a bit unfair since I made the decision to compare Megatron’s 4.4mm balanced output to my MacBook’s 3.5mm audio jack. Aside from the differences I mentioned above, Megatron’s sound performance is audibly more refined. In comparison, my MacBook’s SE output is peaky and very harsh. Not only that, but the whole sound presentation sounds suffocating compared to the Megatron.

The difference wasn’t that significant when I was doing the A/B test on my MacBook, but it was when I was doing an A/B comparison between Megatron + PC w/foobar2000 vs MacBook Pro 3.5mm audio jack w/VLC. It was a night and day difference. Mac sounded much harsher and less refined than the Megatron.

Technical qualities and things like that don’t really get affected, at least not to my ears and not with the headphones I used. What Megatron did do is provided a cleaner sound with no distortion, no harsh peaks, no crowded presentation — just an overall more refined sound performance. If you listen to music at louder listening levels, the difference is likely going to be even greater. I myself listen to music at the lower end of moderate listening levels.

Conclusion​

Megatron fills a space in the market that no other product (to my knowledge) in this price range does. It can have many uses, but the most obvious is for people who want something minimalist on their desk, perhaps to use for gaming purposes. It has a stupid amount of power!

Of course, the main audience who will want to get the Megatron are those who are looking to drive power hungry IEMs and headphones but not hurt their wallets. It’s a perfect match for anyone who travels a lot and is looking for a lot of power at a low price. To add to that, if your preference is a warmer sound signature, then the Megatron hits the bullseye.

At $50, with the specs and the performance it provides, it’s impossible not to recommend!