FOREWORD:
- The keyword here is "Subjective Impressions". Not objective professional reviews
- These are my own items purchased with my own money. No sponsorship. I do this because it is fun, and I love trying out gadgets and discover things. However thanks to HiFiGo for the merciful discounts they gave me for subsequent repeat purchases (because I can't stop buying). My wallet already went south to die.....
- I would like to credit my online buddy Yannick Khong for his valuable insights and contributions on the subject of USB Dongles. Yannick helped me with sanity checks on my assessments as he did similar research a year ago. Also Jeffrey Fries for some insights on some of the dongles tested. Both of them longtime and active members of ChiFi Audio Reviews FB group.
- Dongles usage on my tests are for IEMs and Headphones NOT exceeding 250 Ohm, minimum sensitivity of 96db.
- The results and rating done are heavily influenced by the nature of the IEMs/Headphones used. A dongle will score high if they exhibit great technical ability while remaining smooth sounding at the same time - the most technically competent ones does not necessarily mean they will be superior in my POV. I will rate a dongle more points if they exhibit great flexibility with different type of IEMs/Headphones – meaning they are easier to establish synergy.
- My preferred sound and timbre signature = DF Neutral, Natural Flat - Analogue and Organic tonality.
- I describe what I hear, no more no less. No techie measurements involved. There will be no FR measurements or anything like that as I have no access to such tool, nor do I know how to operate them even if I have one in front of me.
- Please excuse my haphazard format, I am not a professional reviewer, and I wrote things as I heard them. Also, I will use non-conventional analogies to describe what I hear, sometime I describe them as if I am savoring some food
- Agree to disagree, what is beautiful to my senses could be utter crap to you.
- I NEVER use software EQ. So don’t expect my writings to include FR range because I am not proficient in pinpointing those numbers.
- My tests do not include anything above 44.1/16bit. I am an Oldschool FLAC Junkie.
- I don’t use UAPP to bypass Android SRC since I have no need for Bit Perfect beyond Android stock 48Khz limit.
Ovidius B1
Hidizs S9 Pro
Astell & Kern PEE51
Lotoo Paw S1 (V3)
Xnyocn X1
Questyle M12
THX Onyx
½
Hidizs S9
Shanling UA2
Tempotec Sonata BHD
Hilidac Audirect BEAM 2SE
HiBy FC3
JCally JM04Pro
JCally JM20
CYBERDRIVE XMOS+ CS4398
CS-PRO CS46L41
JCally JM01
JCally JA04
JCally JA05
JCally JA06
JCally JM08C (Faulty)
JCally JA02
IN PROGRESS:
Listening Audition (14-20 June 2021)
- Hilidac Audirect ATOM2
- XtremPro X1
- Creative Sound BlasterX G1 7.1
- Monolith Savitech SA922
- E1DA 9038D
- E1DA Susumu3000 9038SG3
- iBasso DC03
- iBasso DC04
- Tanchjim Stargate iOS
- Hilidac Audirect BEAM 2S
- xDuoo Link2
- ES-Pro ES9318
- Conexant CX31993
- SigmaTel 7523 CQ
- Nillkin Type-C
- Hillaudio ALC4042
- HillAudio ALC4050
- HillAudio WSH9415
Incoming (Shipped/Ordered): All units are expected to arrive between 16 to 30th June 2021
- Meizu HD Pro
- PLEXTONE GS1 MKii Type C
- UGREEN Soundcard1
- UGREEN Soundcard2
- UGREEN USB-C
- JSAUX Type-C
- Apple USB-C
- Vention Type-C
- Vention 2 in 1 Soundcard
- Vention Type A
- ORICO SC2
- ORICO SKT2
- Musiland MU3
- Lusya PCM1794 XMOS XU208
- Dosmix WSH94xx
- HAA FEE AK4493
- IKKO Zerda ITM03
- Kuang Pai AK4493
- Unbranded PCM2706+ES9023
- SoundMAGIC A30
- GGMM WM8533
- Venture Electronics Odyssey
TEST EQUIPMENT:
DD IEM: ETYMÒTIC ER2XR, HZSOUND Heart Mirror, TRN-MT1
BA IEM: ETYMÒTIC ER4SR (92 Ohm/98db)
Electrostatic IEM: Shure KSE1500 (200vdc)
Magnetic Planar HP: Monolith M565c (66 Ohm/96db)
DD HP: Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250 Ohm
Reference DAP: Cayin N6ii E02 (ES9038Q2M Discrete 2X Balanced)
Reference DAC/AMP: Topping D10s/A50s (ES9038Q2M/XU208)
Impedance Adapters: Custom 47 Ohm
Source Transport: LG V35 ThinQ & Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
Source Media: Lossless Deezer Offline FLAC 44.1/16Bit
TEST METHOD:
To rate a dongle, I run them through this playlist of songs:
https://deezer.page.link/Ts87DLAzFJ2thicq9
It is lengthy and various enough to cover all element of sounds. Critical listening sessions will continue all the way to the final songs in the list.
My fist cycle of critical listening always start with the use of Etymotic ER2XR, a canalphone that I regard as very natural sounding that does not emphasize any specific frequencies. Then 2/3 through the session I will usually switch to my Planar Magnetic Monolith M565c or Beyerdynamic DT990. With the first complete pass done, I will usually conduct a second pass after some break and run them through with my Shure KSE1500 and Etymotic ER4SR alternately and this will give me better perspective on the maximum capability of the dongle in question - KSE1500 and ER4SR being ultra resolving will reveal anything that can be revealed.
If the dongle impressed me enough I will do a third session where I will focus on A/B comparison with those that I have already rated - usually trying to compare between the ones that seems to share similar traits and I will try to discern what makes them different (this stage can be quite taxing and painful to do)
And lastly, I actually use the dongles regularly and casually as much as possible, running shuffled songs and observe how they behave, sometimes these random sessions prompted me to revise my impressions and I will reflect it on what I have wrote earlier.
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JCally JM01 ($9.00)
DAC Chip: Conexant CX21988 (Single)
PCM 24bit - 96khz, SNR: -95dB, Power: 1 Vrms, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Yes), 12cm, Aluminum Chassis OFC Cable
Strengths:
- Neutral sparkly signature, airy timbre, “slender” tonality
- Intimate mids, neutral sounding vocals, moderate textures
- Great Treble textures with smooth decay
- Solid guitar, piano, cello and bass guitar tones, soft edged percussions
- Bass exhibit acceptable texture definition, so does the Mids
- Commendable details retrieval, amply nuanced
- Separation lines are clear, moderate imaging, not as sharp.
- Great speed handling, able to resolve 250BPM adeptly.
- For some reasons, JM01 sounds beautiful with Alison Krauss
Weaknesses:
- Non-organic timbre deposition, digital-ish
- Slightly boxed in Soundstage lacking depth
- Weak output maxed out at 70Ω.
- Thin sounding dynamics, lacking weight.
- Mid-Bass exhibited tamed impact and slam.
- Unlike JA21 which uses the same DAC chip, JM01 can be sibilant.
- Flat percussions sound, weak vibrancy, and bite
- Spatial imaging less precise and less holographic
VERDICT:
JCally JM01. I will make this one quick. It is a sparkier version of JCally JA21, with better treble extensions and slightly more transparent. A little bit dryer sounding too. Otherwise, they are similar sounding in many ways. Between JM01 and JA21 – the most important lesson I have learnt was that the same DAC chip can sound very different, determined by how they are tuned especially with the Opamp they are paired with.
OVERALL RATING: 75/100
Recommended Pairing: Flexible
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JCally JA02 ($4.00)
DAC Chip: Unspecified DAC Chip (Single)
PCM 24bit - 96khz, SNR: -105dB, Power: 1 Vrms, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Yes), 5gm 25x138x0.68mm, Aluminum Chassis
Strengths:
- Neutral timbre and tone, balanced.
- Natural sounding guitars, drums, and instruments
- Short smooth Treble decay
- Forward focused Mids, vocals sounded realistic.
- Strong Sub-Bass response
- Surprisingly good with Lo-Fi music
- The tamed nature makes JA02 non fatiguing.
- Good for Pop and modern music
Weaknesses:
- Everything sounded recessed and veiled.
- Dynamics does not exhibit coherence; it is loose as it is weak-ish and compressed.
- Among the weakest 1 Vrms output in the entire tested dongles
- Dull sounding Mid-Bass
VERDICT:
JCally JA02. I have no idea what’s inside. The sound is as average at most as the price suggests. It is simply dull sounding overall even by JCally standard. It sounds like your average laptop headphone out. The usage for this JA02 is when you need ultra-compact and cheap on the go solution that allows for the use of built in Microphone. The uninspiring overall sound makes it difficult for me to conduct further test, the recessed presentation killed my interest in this one.
OVERALL RATING: 60/100
Recommended Pairing: Anything easy to drive below 50Ω
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JCally JA04 ($6.00)
DAC Chip: Realtek ALC5686 (Single)
PCM 24bit - 384khz, SNR: 125dB/-113dB, Power: 65mW 32Ω, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Supported), Ultra Compact, 3.6g, Aluminum Chassis, No Cable
Strengths:
- Clean neutral, with slight hump on low Mids, analogue tonality
- Neat Treble textures with sweet decays, velvety airiness
- Mid-Bass emphasis with decent decays, thick bodied
- Bass exhibit decent texture definition, so does the Mids
- Realistic but slightly soft edged guitars and stringed instruments tone
- Above average speed and transients handling
- Forward, and lush male/female vocals, good depth
- Surprisingly, audible micro details, despite being faint.
- Polite, realistic Piano, Violin and Cello tones, attack, and tones
- Impressive sibilance resistance almost all the time
- Excellent black background with very minimal floor noise
Weaknesses:
- EXTREME Dependency on IEMs/Headphones compatibility
- Pair it wrong, it will sound outright crappy, pair it right, blissful.
- Stable fidelity only up to 100Ω, struggling beyond that.
- Slightly grainy technicality and transparency
- Recessed upper Treble, distant sounding in background.
- Treble and Bass extensions rolled off short of being great.
- Honky tonality on Mid-Bass on some songs
- Sub-Bass imaging somewhat recessed and weak-ish vibe.
- Overall dynamic falls short of being outright vibrant, slightly.
- Weak bodied sub-Bass, anemic seismic sensation and impact
- Soft edged layering separation, sometimes it gets blurry.
- Less than spectacular headstage, soundstage moderate at best
- Soft edged percussions sound, mild vibrancy, and bite
- Spatial imaging slightly vague and less holographic
VERDICT:
JCally JA04, if you are wondering how a premium Aiwa portable cassette player sounds like? This is it. That analogue (slightly honky Mid-Bass) timbre is what I remember during the days when I was a hardcore cassette + earbuds user between 1993-1997. The dynamic vibe of JA04 is so old school and one can appreciate it especially if you come from the similar grassroots as me. However, Hi-Fidelity standards has been heightened considerably within the last 10 years, this sort of sound signature may not appeal to the newer generation of Audio Enthusiasts who normally prefer high level of technicality and at the same time still being able to provide organic musicality. JA04 don’t quite fit in comfortably in the technical section. JA04 will serve the purpose for very casual listening due to the organic non sibilant nature of the timbre and tonality. I can understand that it is easy to dismiss this Realtek range of DAC/Amp especially you hit it with wrong synergy, but I am a half-full glass type of person and not my habit to dismiss anything easily. The extensive tests that I have performed on this unit, I gave it chances to shine even with TOTL flagship reference of Shure KSE1500 Electrostatics and Monolith M565c Magnetic Planar – the results did not disappoint. While not particularly mind blowing, it is not shabby most definitely.
OVERALL RATING: 75/100
Recommended Pairing: Natively bright, sparkly, and dynamic BA/DD
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JCally JM04Pro ($12.00)
DAC Chip: Realtek ALC5686 (Single)
PCM 24bit - 384khz, SNR: -125dB, Power: 65mW 32Ω, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Yes), 12mm, 6g, Aluminum Chassis with SPC Cable
Strengths:
- Neutral smooth timbre with Mids focus, smooth
- Vibrant dynamics, fun and groovy, very musical
- Neat Treble textures with sweet decays, velvety airiness
- Commanding Mid-Bass with great textures, great extensions, and decay
- Sub-Bass exhibit decent texture definition, Mids as well
- Forward, and lush male/female vocals, good depth
- Great micro details retrieval, nicely nuanced
- Realistic Piano, Violin, Sax and Cello attack and tones
- Realistic mild edged guitars and stringed instruments tone
- Sweet percussion tone, chimes and bells sounded vivid.
- Stellar speed and attack handling, 250BPM effortlessly, no congestion
- Impressive sibilance resistance all the time
- Good imaging, not razor sharp but spatial projection is holographic.
- Excellent black background with zero floor noise
- Stellar adaptability to warm or bright IEMs/Headphones
- Able to drive 69Ω 96db Magnetic Planar with ease! (80/100)
- PERFECT for EBM and Pop music
Weaknesses:
- Not as powerful – limited up to 70Ω for full fidelity.
- Slight coarseness in the extreme extensions of Treble
- Lacking a bit of transparency to make it genuinely great unit.
- Less forgiving on Lo-Fi recordings, can exhibit some harshness.
- Not an outright technical sounding unit
- Soundstage narrower than ideal
VERDICT:
JCally JM04Pro. I am surprised! This thing is nothing like the non pro JA04 version. I daresay I like this JM04Pro better than JM20 and CS-Pro 46L41! What makes this JM04Pro great in my POV is the fact it offered the quality of JM20 minus the sheen and glare to the tone that could make intensive listening session fatiguing. In fact, this JM04Pro is sniffing at Lotoo PAW S1/A&K PEE51 territory with its smoothness and musical expression. Yes, it is not as sparkly as JM20, but this also mean it is not as dry analytical as the former – to me it is a BIG plus!. Yes, I know you may think I have lost my mind, what insanity is this to say a $12 Realtek sniffing S1/PEE51 territory? I am just describing what I hear - I harbour no biasedness towards anything, and I love what I heard. IF this JM04Pro would only offer a bit more sharpness and technical competency, a bit more soundstage width and depth, a little more razor-edged imaging, some more driving power up to 150Ω, I say it would probably equal S1 and PEE51. I will no longer recommend JM20, not after hearing JM04Pro which cost half the price of JM20 now.
PS: Just to make sure I have not lost my sanity yet. A buddy of mine is getting one too, checking if I am making any sense here
OVERALL RATING: 85/100
Recommended Pairing: With anything below 70Ω.
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JCally JA05 (Type-C $7) & JA06 (Type-A $7)
DAC Chip: JCally Custom Chip (Single)
PCM 24bit - 96khz, SNR: -103dB, Power: 1 Vrms, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Yes), 5-6.5gm, Aluminum Chassis
Strengths:
- Neutral sparkly signature, with moderately energetic dynamics
- Intimate mids, neutral sounding vocals, moderate textures
- Great Treble textures with smooth decay
- Vivid guitar, piano, cello and bass guitar tones, soft edged percussions
- Bass exhibit good body mass, so does the Mids
- Commanding Mid-Bass impact and slam
- Good details retrieval, amply nuanced
- Separation lines are clear, moderate imaging, not as sharp.
- Great speed handling, able to resolve 250BPM adeptly.
- Yet another DAC/Amp seemingly great for Pop and modern music
Weaknesses:
- Weak output maxed out at 70Ω.
- Non-organic timbre deposition, somewhat compressed sounding
- Two-dimensional closed-in Soundstage lacking depth, hazy transparency.
- Upper-Mids/Treble may exhibit coarse edgy sound for stringed instruments and percussions.
- Sub-Bass lacking finesse, somewhat loose.
- Flat percussions sound, weak vibrancy, and bite
- Spatial imaging less precise and less holographic
- The body longer than JA21 and JA04, more likely to get snapped accidentally.
VERDICT:
JCally JA05 and JA06 – both are the same unit inside, 05 with USB-Type C and 06 with USB-Type A. Overall quality pretty much similar to JM01, JA04 and JA21, some pros here and there with as equally cons here and there too. It is apparent JA05 and JA06 are meant to provide for simple yet effective solution for those requiring adaptable Audio and Microphone functionality for their phones or laptop (lack of 3.5mm jacks on most phones nowadays) or a scenario you need something better than the stock laptop 3.5mm output. The Achilles Heel for this 05 and 06, two-dimensional Soundstage making it difficult to fully enjoy the positive elements, other than that is actually quite decent for casual listening.
OVERALL RATING: 70/100
Recommended Pairing: Natively resolving and bright IEMs/Headphones.
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JCally JM08c ($5.00)
DAC Chip: JCally Custom DAC Chip (Single)
PCM 24bit - 96khz, SNR: -103dB, Power: 1 Vrms, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Yes), 12mm, 5g, Aluminum chassis with SPC Cable
Strengths:
Early out of the box impressions, sparkly and bright.
Weaknesses:
It’s already faulty with unknown reasons.
VERDICT:
JCally JM08c. I was only able to give it a quick listen for 10-15 minutes before putting it away for listening sessions later. Connected it to my laptop to burn in some hours. But when I took it for my impression’s examination, everything sounded odd and anemic. So, this is a case of faulty unit that I would not be able to accurately assess for now. Will try to get another unit later.
OVERALL RATING: 00/100
Recommended Pairing: Unknown
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JCally JM20 ($20)
DAC Chip: Cirrus Logic CS43131 (Single)
32bits/384KHz, DSD64, DSD128, DSD256. SNR: 120dB, Distortion=0.0003% (32Ω load, 1.2vrms), Power: 0.95 Vrms@32Ω, 2 Vrms@600Ω, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: NO), Compact, Braided SPC Cable 120mm, Painted Aluminum Chassis
Strengths:
- Exceedingly crisp, coherent timbre – sparkly neutral and natural
- Clean Treble textures with graceful decays, mild airiness
- Excellent Treble extensions, comparable to Cayin N6ii and Topping D10s
- Commendable Bass extensions and details with tasty textures
- Strong, commanding Mid-Bass with lush decays.
- Bass exhibit solid texture definition, Mids moderately rich
- Moderately strong sounding sub-Bass seismic sensation and impact
- Lively guitars and stringed instruments attack
- Reference grade speed and transients handling
- Neutral, slightly forward, and clear male/female vocals, good depth
- Excellent micro details, almost reference grade
- Great Piano, Violin and Cello tones, attack, and decays
- Commendable sibilance resistance despite being sparkly bright.
- Clean background with zero floor noise
Weaknesses:
- Slightly dry overall timbre tonality, sometimes barren (sterile)
- Average dynamic vibe overall, mild visceral bite and groove
- Less-organic, less-analogue timbre disposition
- Bass rolls off slightly shorter compared on reference grade comparison.
- Can be unforgiving on some songs, dependent on recording quality.
- Moderate layering, instruments sounded spaced closer together.
- Less than spectacular headstage, soundstage cramped in slightly.
- Spatial imaging is precise but less holographic compared to reference samples.
VERDICT:
JCally JM20 turned out to be adeptly capable to stand proud among the two reference DAP/DAC/Amp of Cayin N6ii and Topping D10s/A50s,
on a condition that the other two runs on Single Ended mode and in low gain settings, with limit set to 100 Ohm and below. Switch the other two to High Gain Mode and Balanced, then admittedly there’s slight superiority in heightened sense of fidelity, layers and separation. What they all do share very similarly are the exceedingly clean and coherent attributes as DAC/Amp, even if I must nit-pick then I would say D10s/A50s being the most articulate sounding. I regard all three of them as similarly fashioned in overall timbre and tonality – with subtle nuances separating them. D10s/A50s being pristine clear, N6ii being euphonic and dynamic – JM20 exhibiting a
bit of both, proudly. Small and powerful, what is there not to like about this little wonder?
OVERALL RATING: 85/100
Recommended Pairing: Flexible choices (100Ω max)
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JCally JA21 ($7.00)
DAC Chip: Conexant CX21988 (Single)
PCM 24bits 96kHz, SNR: 95dB, Power: 1Vrms@32Ω, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Supported), Ultra Compact, 3g, Acrylic Chassis, No Cable
Strengths:
- Clean neutral and uncolored timbre, analogue tonality
- Neat Treble textures with smooth decays, moderate airiness
- Prompt Mid-Bass with fast decays, fast attack
- Bass exhibit acceptable texture definition, so does the Mids
- Snappy but slightly soft edged guitars and stringed instruments tone
- Great speed and transients handling
- Forward, and clear male/female vocals, good depth
- Commendable micro details, naturally nuanced.
- Realistic Piano, Violin and Cello tones, attack, and decays
- Great sibilance resistance almost all the time
- Good background with very minimal floor noise
Weaknesses:
- Stable fidelity only up to 100Ω, struggling beyond that.
- Treble and Bass extensions fall short of being great.
- Too polite dynamic overall, soft visceral bite and groove
- Weak bodied sub-Bass, flat sounding seismic sensation and impact
- Short snappy Bass decays could use a few milliseconds more.
- Slightly soft layering separation, instruments are well spaced but less vivid.
- Less than spectacular headstage, soundstage moderate at best
- Flat percussions sound, weak vibrancy, and bite
- Spatial imaging less precise and less holographic
VERDICT:
JCally JA21 is a very polite version of JM20 if I am to draw a comparison. You can listen to this DAC/Amp for hours on end and will not be fatigued. The biggest strength for JA21 is the analogue tonality even when paired with highly analytical headphones/IEMs like the ER4SR and KSE1500 – of being realistic/musical sounding reminiscent of the Burrbrown and Wolfson Hi-Fi era. Additionally, the form factor of JA21, being the most compact is hard to ignore. However, the modest theme applied in almost every area can be regarded as uninspiring and dull especially if paired with natively slow or warm sounding headphones/IEMs. Power is just enough if you keep it below 100 Ohm. On the other hand, the SNR wasn’t as great to qualify as a suitable AUX feed for piggyback amplifiers. I gladly recommend JA21 for those wanting polite and musical sonic indulgence.
OVERALL RATING: 75/100
Recommended Pairing: Natively resolving, bright, sparkly, and dynamic BA/DD.
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Astell & Kern PEE51 ($170.00)
DAC Chip: Cirrus Logic CS43198 (Dual)
Decoder: 32-bit/384 kHz, DSD256, SNR: 118dB @ 1kHz, THD+N 0.0004%, Power: 2 Vrms, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: NO), 17mm x 50mm x 10.3mm, 25g, All Metal Chassis, SPC Cable
Strengths:
- Phenomenally crisp, rich articulate timbre, hint of warmth, lush yet neutral
- Pristine Treble textures with breath-taking decays, gorgeous airiness
- Vibrant and engaging dynamics all over
- Reference grade Treble extensions, slightly superior to Cayin N6ii and Topping D10s
- Commanding and wholesome Mid-Bass with realistic decays
- Bass exhibit exemplary textures and extensions, Mids richly defined with depth.
- Succulent guitars and stringed instruments attack, addictive riffs, and tremolos
- Reference grade speed and transients handling
- Balanced, and coherent male/female vocals, realistic imaging
- Flagship grade micro details, exceptionally nuanced, great finesse
- Very realistic Piano, Violin and Cello tones, attack, and decays
- Great sibilance resistance throughout, never fatiguing.
- Exemplary clean background with zero floor noise
- Extremely forgiving on Lo-Fi recordings, shines brightly on excellent Hi-Fi
- Bleeding edge sharpness in imaging and spatial projection, not cramped.
Weaknesses:
- The construction is the 2nd heaviest of all the dongles, edged shape.
- Single Ended output, possibly limiting its true potential.
- Fidelity and stability untested beyond 250Ω
- A step short of being fully analogue sounding.
- “Normal” headstage and soundstage width and depth
- No hardware volume adjuster
VERDICT:
Astell & Kern PEE51. This thing is phenomenal. This is Astell & Kern being Astell & Kern justifying the reasons why they are pricy. The irony is, PEE51 is their cheapest product to date. The great thing, it is in no way being cheaply built or compromised to produce a small form factor – in fact, A&K pushed it quite a bit to squeeze in as much exquisite contents as possible with specially built tantalum components meant just for PEE51. I believe the long legacy and expertise carried from the days of iRiver of old flow strongly in the veins on A&K. I was a hardcore iRiver user between 2008-2010. iRiver H140 and H130 being my preferred DAPs. PEE51 greatest strength, being able to harness such articulate finesse and technical prowess without being dry or sterile sounding – of being able to retain some semblance of warmth and organic element to the pristine output. It makes my ER4SR sounded like an Electrostatic instead of a BA, simply euphonic. I joke you not, PEE51 outclassed the N6ii and Topping duo in almost every areas. I have no other reason to state otherwise because I personally own all these devices and it would have been consoling to me to say that my $1300 DAP and $400 Laptop rig is superior – but that will not be stating the truth. The truth is, PEE51 trumped them a step or two in the capabilities of presenting contents limited to 44.1/16bit and up to 250Ω as tested. I have no idea how far this would stretch but I believe that the N6ii and Toppings would regain their dignity at the mark of over 250Ω all the way to 600Ω.
OVERALL RATING: 98/100
Recommended Pairing: Anything (below 250Ω)
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CS-Pro Audio CS46L41 ($13.00)
DAC Chip: Cirrus Logic CS46L41 & SA9302L
PCM 24bit - 384khz, SNR: 125dB/-113dB, Power: 70mWx2 32Ω, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Supported), Compact, 10mm, Aluminum Chassis, SPC Cable
Strengths:
- Neutral organic timbre, natural and nicely bodied
- Commanding Mid-Bass vibe and texture
- Strong Sub-Bass seismic response, delicious
- Great Treble and Bass extensions, on par with CS43131
- Excellent micro details with audible nuances
- Fast swishy treble decay, airy, rolls off fast.
- Nicely positioned Mids with very slight forward vocals
- Very realistic, organic, and engaging cello, piano, and strings tone
- Super clean noise free background
- While not razor sharp, imaging, and spatial is holographic.
- Surprisingly light and nimble build
- Microphone support!
- Beautiful Blue RGB Light!
Weaknesses:
- Hint of grainy upper treble textures
- Slightly soft edged male and female vocals
- Very marginally less coherent compared to CS43131.
- Very “ordinary” soundstage, nothing to be wow-ed about
VERDICT:
CS-Pro Audio CS46L41, I chucked this Dongle with hesitation into my Shopee cart, not knowing exactly what to expect. The very reasonable price of $13 does seem tempting. Ah well it is here now with me. While not being outright stellar and mind blowing, CS-Pro CS46L41 proved to be a very solid USB Dongle DAC, my ears liking it a lot for the overall organic and mildly “warm” timbre. I would use the word warm sparingly and only do so because I have listened to many other sources that are brighter and sparkier, JM20 and FC3 for example are audibly “brighter” in contrast. There is no avoiding comparing this CS46L41 against JM20, for they are essentially from the same Cirrus Logic family and thus carried the CS DNA in them. In fact, I must confess I am beginning to develop a fondness for CS sound signature, and it is already tilting my personal favoritism from ESS Sabre that I adored so much. I was already wow-ed by the JM20, then the dual PEE51 and now this – it nailed a convincing note on my mind that the CS have a knack for balance between analytics vs musicality. I would regard CS-Pro CS46L41 as the more organic sounding version of JM20, it trades off some dry technicalities for body and dynamics. This is an extremely healthy option for users. It is not about which one is the best, it is about preference and choice.
CS-Pro VS JM20
CS46L41 offers stronger Mid-Bass and Sub-Bass
JM20 offers slightly better/tighter bass texture and body.
CS46L41 tilted towards organic timbre, JM20 less so
CS46L41 offers slightly livelier dynamics, JM20 colder finesse.
JM20 slightly refined on Treble edge cleanliness and texture.
CS46L41 more likely to be less sibilant compared to JM20.
OVERALL RATING: 80/100
Recommended Pairing: Natively bright, sparkly, and dynamic BA/DD.
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CYBERDRIVE XMOS+ CS4398 ($16.00)
DAC Chip: Cirrus Logic CS4398 with XMOS (Single)
PCM 24bit - 192khz DSD256, SNR: -129dB, Power: 40-110mW, USB Type-A Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: No), Solid Plastic Chassis
Strengths:
- Neutral and natural sound with great coherence level, organic & analogue timbre
- Classic sounding tonality all around, airy and no hint of overemphasis
- Dynamics exhibited matured vibrancy, not trying to overdo it needlessly.
- Velvety smooth mids with natural texture. Realistic male/female vocals
- Fast and snappy Mid-Bass and with decent Sub-Bass presence
- Smooth edged treble and upper mids, natural sounding decays
- Great spatial projection with realistic imaging, spacious
- Great soundstage that offers depth and width
- Flagship grade speed and transients, fast attack, handles 250BPM effortlessly.
- Impressive driving power, runs Planar Magnetic HP with ease
Weaknesses:
- Limited to 192khz, this standard is archaic now.
- Treble and bass extensions fall a bit short of reference grade.
- A little laid-back dynamic for CS standards. May not appeal to everyone.
- Piano and cello tone not as vivid, natural but somewhat soft edged
- Detail’s retrievals fall short of being reference grade.
- USB-A Jack will require adapter for portable use.
- Separation layers are clustered a bit too close together, the lines slightly hazy.
- The hardware volume adjuster not as tactile, need to press a few times.
- May not sound the best with already warm sounding IEMs or Headphones.
VERDICT:
CYBERDRIVE XMOS+ CS4398. Not many CS4398 DAC/Amps can be found in the market in this compact USB form factor. In fact, I came across only 2 units offered in AliExpress. This CS4396 DAC is old and was popular for implementation on desktop DAC/Amps. It is limited up to 192khz which is quite basic by today’s standard. Sound wise, this CYBERDRIVE I classified as matured and smooth with natural and neutral timbre, no hint of being digital-ish sounding – it is organic and analogue for sure. What stand out the most for this unit is how spacious and wide the soundstage is. Even with my close quartered Etymotic ER2XR, the staging gave me the impression of space – never a moment I felt confined in. However, the laid-back nature is a two-edged sword, it allows for long listening sessions with no over emphasis on the highs or lows, but also it means things gets dampened or rolled off short for those preferring deep extensions and long decays.
It is also observed, this CYBERDRIVE synergize best with an already bright and resolving IEMs/Headphones, pair it with a warm-ish type and it will not be as stellar. The value of this unit is when you want to have a classic feel to the sound, great coherence with smooth deposition – but don’t expect razor edge precision as you would find in the newer offering of current DAC/Amps.
OVERALL RATING: 80/100
Recommended Pairing: Pairs best with already bright and sparkly IEMs/Headphones.
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HiBy FC3 ($69.00)
DAC Chip: ESS Sabre ES9281PRO (Single)
32-bit, 384kHz PCM, DSD128 (DoP) & MQA, DNR: 124dB, -112dB THD+N, Power: 70 mW x2 32Ω (Fixed Gain), Connectors: USB Type-C, Female, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Supported), Volume Buttons & Status Indicator, 45*13*9 mm, 9.1g, Aluminum Chassis
Strengths:
- Exceptionally crisp, articulate timbre – faithfully neutral and uncolored
- Clean Treble textures with graceful decays, beautiful airiness
- Excellent Treble extensions, comparable to Cayin N6ii and Topping D10s
- Strong and tight Mid-Bass with short decays
- Bass exhibit solid texture definition, so does the Mids
- Snappy guitars and stringed instruments attack
- Reference grade speed and transients handling
- Cozy, forward, and clear male/female vocals, good depth
- Excellent micro details, beautifully nuanced
- Great Piano, Violin and Cello tones, attack, and decays
- Great sibilance resistance despite being sparkly bright.
- Exemplary clean background with zero floor noise
Weaknesses:
- Dry overall timbre tonality, somewhat barren (sterile)
- Moderate dynamic vibe overall, soft visceral bite and groove
- Non-organic, non-analogue timbre disposition
- Lean bodied sub-Bass, flat sounding seismic sensation and impact
- Bass rolled off shorter compared on reference grade comparison.
- Short snappy Bass decays could use a few milliseconds more.
- Can be too flat on some songs, dependent on recording quality.
- Moderate layering, instruments sounded spaced too close together.
- Less than spectacular headstage, soundstage cramped in slightly.
- Flat percussions sound, vibrancy, and bite less than stellar
- Spatial imaging is precise but less holographic.
- Hardware volume control could use a bit refinement between levels.
VERDICT:
HiBy FC3. A mixed bag highly DEPENDENT on pairing options. However, I am keeping FC3 because it pairs blissfully great with my beloved ETYMÒTIC ER2XR and Meze 99 Classics, these two are the saving grace for it. The weaknesses as noted above are mitigated when synergy is struck beautifully. Will NOT recommend FC3 for an already bright/analytical sounding IEMs or Headphones like the ETYMÒTIC ER4SR, Grado, Knowles BA or Beyerdynamic. It is worth noting that FC3 is among the cleanest sounding DAC compared to the rest, great overall finesse and for those who like their sound being sparkly, well behaved, and tidy, they will love FC3, practically free of any graininess. And IMPRESSIVE speed too. I would regard FC3 being the dongle version of Topping D10s/A50s with less outright power beyond 250Ω.
OVERALL RATING: 88/100
Recommended Pairing: Natively warm and dynamic headphones/earphones/planars.
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Hidizs S9 ($109.00)
DAC Chip: AKM AK4493EQ (Single)
PCM 24bit - 768khz DSD512, SNR: -117/-119dB, Power: 125mWx2 @32Ω (BAL) 90mWx2 @32Ω (SE), USB Type-C Female, 2.5mm BAL & 3.5mm SE (Microphone: No), Aluminum CNC Chassis
Strengths:
- Natural and neutral timbre, slight analogue tonality, tilted towards Mids focus.
- IMMENSELY powerful 125x2mW Balanced output, effortless driving capability
- Smooth commanding dynamics, smooth, vibrant, and effortless
- Stellar, sharp imaging with excellent spatial staging
- Beautifully nuanced details retrieval. Macro and Micro
- Smooth Treble, well extended and with smooth decay
- Mid-Bass, commanding visceral impact and slam with rich texture and decay.
- Lush and deep Sub-Bass with strong seismic sensation
- Forward tilted Mids, rich texture, lush Male/Female vocals
- Vivid and crisp tonality for cello, guitars, piano, and stringed instruments
- Great speed and transients handling, no congestion
- Excellent sibilance resistance, always smooth, forgiving on Lo-Fi recordings.
- Zero floor noises with black background
- Stellar synergy with Magnetic Planar at 20Ω 96db (35/100 Volume!), Electrostatics & sparkly BAs
Weaknesses:
- Tall but slightly caved in Soundstage, depth could be slightly better.
- Timbre and dynamics not as airy as the top contenders
- No hardware volume adjusters
- The luxury build may show messy fingerprints (I know I am nit-picking here)
VERDICT:
Hidizs S9. The overall sound is classic intimate, smooth AKM signature. Very vibrant and visceral dynamics that’s meaty yet coherent. Among all of the top contenders tested, S9 is the “warmest” sounding, not surprising at all since the tuning stayed true to AKM native timbre. If I may draw conclusion with the previous AK4493EQ (Cayin N3 Pro Dual DAC) which I have used very extensively, S9 does offer better technical capabilities and better extensions – so that’s a BIG plus considering how dull edged this chip can be if not tuned as adeptly as how Hidizs did it. And I do agree wholeheartedly of other users describing this S9 being velvety smooth and powerful. S9 is quite comparable to Shanling UA2 in almost every area, perhaps the difference that separate them being one with tall soundstage and the other with slightly narrow staging – and S9 being warmer, UA2 being a tiny bit sparkier. But both will offer lush velvety timbre nonetheless – so pick your poison
(if you love bass pick S9)
OVERALL RATING: 95/100
Recommended Pairing: Best synergy with natively bright sounding IEMs/HPs
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Hilidac Audirect BEAM 2SE ($90.00)
DAC Chip: ES9281C PRO (Single)
PCM 24bit - 384khz DSD128 MQA, SNR: 118 dB SNR, Power: 120 mW 32Ω, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Supported), Compact, 53x15x10mm, 23g, Metal Chassis, No Cable
** Extensive comparison done with HiBy FC3 which uses the same DAC Chip, the two of them practically sounded the SAME – with minor nuances that separate them. So, I will only list what I heard different between the two. Refer to my HiBy FC3 impressions for the rest **
Strengths:
- Commanding dynamics that is slightly meatier than FC3
- Mildly better sense of spaciousness, airiness, and imaging
- A hair better bass decay than FC3, by a few milliseconds
- Slightly better speed handling for amazingly fast BPM songs
- Mildly sharper edged percussions vs FC3
- Mildly richer texture and tone for Cello and Piano vs FC3
- User selectable Low, Mid and High Gain
- Out of the box support for USB C and Apple Lightning cables
- Beautifully made braided cables + USB-A Adaptor
Weaknesses:
- No dedicated hardware volume control
- Timbre articulation level just a hair lower than FC3
- Slightly weaker SE output compared to FC3 (both High Gain)
- Heavier built and slightly larger
VERDICT:
Hilidac Audirect BEAM 2SE. It was a pain for me to compare this one with HiBy FC3. They really do sound very similar – timbre and tonality are exactly similar. Only with very critical listening I was able to pick up the differences. On a very miniscule difference, FC3 remained the cleaner sounding of the two while BEAM 2SE slightly richly bodied – again VERY miniscule difference that I was able to pick up with the use of ultra-resolving Shure KSE1500. I am not surprised by this as the implementation were done with such limited real estate meaning that the core DAC will impart 90% of the sound characteristics. I believe, had them been full sized DAC/Amps, they would sound differently with different tuning (utilizing larger capacitors, power stage, Opamp etc.)
My conclusion, BEAM 2SE offer a slight advantage of being less sterile in overall contrast to the more coherent FC3 – which in turn making it more adaptable to wider pairing. However, BEAM 2SE will be better served with an already warm, organic sounding IEMs/Headphones. Pairing it with highly resolving and sparkly BA could make the overall sound less dynamic notwithstanding being exceedingly technical.
OVERALL RATING: 90/100
Recommended Pairing: Natively warm and dynamic headphones/earphones/magnetic planars.
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Lotoo PAW S1 ($169.00)
DAC Chip: AKM AK4377 (OPA1622) FW: 3rd Version 1.0.0.10 MQA
PCM 24bit - 384khz MQA, SNR: -118dB (SE), -114db (Bal), Power: 70mW SE 32 Ohm, 120mW BAL 32 Ohm, USB Type-C Female Socket, 4.4mm BAL & 3.5mm SE (Microphone: No), 27g, 66 x 22 x 13mm, Metal Chassis
Strengths:
- Sumptuous neutral and natural silky smooth organic timbre, beautifully bodied
- Astronomical technical prowess, reference grade for under 250Ω category
- Matured, controlled dynamics presentation, not overdoing it to impress.
- Reference grade Mids, Treble and Bass decays, so exceptionally smooth
- Flagship grade micro details, refined resolution, crisp
- Reference grade transparency, devoid of any hint of coloration
- Silky addictive Treble with matured finesse, depth, extension, and textures
- Sub-Bass exhibit stellar depth and richness, soothing seismic sensations
- Head pounding Mid-Bass impact when needed, silky rich textures.
- Lush realistic male and female vocals with rich silky body
- Realistic guitars, cello, percussions, piano, and stringed instruments tone
- WIDE expansive, open soundstage with great airiness
- Mind blowing speed and transients capabilities, zero congestion.
- Zero floor noise, totally black background
- Zero hint of graininess even on the most extended regions
- Spectacular sibilance resistances
- Exemplary synergy capabilities will match with wide variety of IEMs/HPs.
- Exemplary, very refined hardware volume adjuster
- Built like a Tank, very premium feel, and look.
- Informative LCD indicator
- User upgradeable Firmware
- Does not heat up easily.
Weaknesses:
- Not the most powerful even on balanced 4.4 circuit, 250Ω max for full fidelity at almost 85/10 volume (BAL)
- Imaging and spatial positioning could use a bit of razor-edged precision.
- Smooth characteristics could result in being less bite and groove on some songs.
- Trades off tiny bit of outright surgical and analytical prowess for musicality.
- The HEAVIEST Dongle tested at 27gm.
- Less forgiving on source quality, very revealing.
VERDICT:
Lotoo PAW S1 (Firmware Version 3), You can see how many times I use the word “silky” and “smooth” on this beauty. Because that’s what it is – the perfect analogy to describe this very analogue organic sounding DAC/Amp that handles everything with refined matured smoothness. Akin to exotic silks. S1 does not aim to be the outright champion on the technical front, what it does aim for is the even more difficult balance between analytics and musicality. In the battle for technical prowess, many examples that I have come across sacrificed some elements, that made them substantially less entertaining – somewhat dry or outright cold sounding in contrast.
Comparatively, there’s so many similarities between PAW S1 and A&K PEE51 – both focuses on organic and smooth (yet exceedingly technical) approach to sound reproduction. If PAW S1 being Silk, then PEE51 being Suede – both will please the senses with soothing neutral timbre. Perhaps PEE51 tilting a bit more towards vibrancy and S1 towards maturity. Great choice to pick any which way you want it, to suit individual preferences. One of these two strongest attributes, being able to synergize with pretty much anything – BA, DD, Hybrid, Electrostatic and Magnetic Planars.
PS: It is worth to mention that the update to FW version 3 (1.0.0.10) is mandatory. Without the FW update, S1 are not as stellar as how I described it above. If you haven’t done so – DO IT NOW!
OVERALL RATING: 98/100
Recommended Pairing: Highly adaptive and flexible.
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Ovidius B1 ($149.00)
DAC Chip: Undisclosed AKM (Custom Quad Channels, IAA)
PCM 24bit - 192khz, SNR: -108dB, Power: Adaptive up to 600Ω, 2.5mm DATA to USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: No), Aluminum Chassis
Strengths:
- Ethereal neutral and natural airy smooth timbre, uncolored tonality
- Realistic dynamics with well controlled vibrancy
- Reference grade coherence with pristine clarity all over, super transparent
- Intimate Mids with rich textures and definition, vivid Male/Female vocals
- Silky smooth Treble with matured finesse, depth, extension, and textures
- Richly textured Mid-Bass with commanding vibe and smooth decay
- Deep, richly textured Sub-Bass with realistic decay
- Excellent details retrieval, Macro and Micro. Realistically nuanced
- Lifelike guitar, piano, cello, and bass guitar tones, vivid yet smooth
- Sweet sounding percussions (chimes, bells) and realistic drums and taps
- Massive soundstage with great depth and spacing.
- Reference grade imaging, razor sharp precision with spacious spatial staging
- Reference grade speed and transients handling, no chance for congestion
- Completely black background, zero floor noises
- Zero signs of coarseness or grainy edges, at any frequency
- Great sibilance resistance
- Immensely powerful SE output with commanding drive
- Absolutely gorgeous sounding paired with DT990 250 Ohm, Monolith M565c (volume at 65/100), Etymotic ER4SR and Shure KSE1500 (as a lineout)
Weaknesses:
- Sub-Bass seismic impact could be a little bit stronger
- To some, the smooth dynamics could be regarded as a bit laid-back, lacking aggression.
- Being super transparent it exposes bad recording artifacts audibly.
- No hardware volume adjuster
- Proprietary 2.5mm to USB-C cable (DON’T lose it!)
- Available only in 3.5mm Single Ended Audio Out
VERDICT:
Ovidius B1. Realistic, that’s how I would describe this mysterious DAC/Amp. The overall sound reproduction meticulously focused on presenting transparent and natural sound. It is properly organic as it is competently technical. This B1 will reveal the nature of the recordings, any imperfections will be audibly heard. There’s no hint of attempts to overdo anything. This thing is totally uncolored. The smoothness level is just about right, the highs extended naturally, the lows oozes matured finesse, Mids naturally vivid – it doesn’t feel out of place. What surprised me the most is how spacious and airy the sound is, the soundstage is wide as it is with proper depth – definitely among the best.
The greatest appeal for this Ovidius B1, is for those seeking perfectly balanced source – totally neutral and uncolored. In my book that’s a massive plus and I personally loved it. Because it sounded so great with Extreme Metal, this B1 is definitely is my personal favorite now.
PS: Would have received 100/100 score from me however I must factor in the cons as noted in Weaknesses – well nothing is perfect.
OVERALL RATING: 98/100
Recommended Pairing: Best synergy with technically competent IEMs and Headphones.
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Questyle M12 ($140.00)
DAC Chip: ESS Sabre ES9281AC (Single, Current Mode Amplification)
PCM 24bit - 384khz MQA, SNR: -118dB (SE), -114db (Bal), Power: Adaptive 2 Vrms up to 600Ω, USB Type-C Female Socket, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: No), 27g, 51×16.5×8.1mm, Metal Chassis
Strengths:
- Stellar neutral and natural timbre with exceptional coherence level
- VERY POWERFUL output, tested up to 250Ω with graceful dexterity.
- Very tight and controlled dynamics, never overbearing, effortless and airy.
- Reference grade Treble, Mids and Bass extensions, richly textured
- Reference grade Macro and Micro details, beautiful nuances
- Surgical technical prowess, exceedingly technical and resolving.
- Wonderfully crisp percussions, guitars, synth, piano, and cello
- Mildly intimate Mids, succulent Male and Female vocals
- Excellent Sub-Bass presence and textures, with great extensions
- Mind blowing speed and transients handling.
- Razor edged layer separation and spatial positioning, great imaging.
- Exemplary sibilance resistance despite being sparkly bright.
- Particularly useful indicators for source quality
- Very slimline build and lightweight
- Great heat management
- PHENOMENAL performance for instrumental, EBM and modern music
Weaknesses:
- Mid-Bas impact should be better. On par with JM20 and CS-Pro
- Not-too-impressive soundstage should be slightly wider at this level.
- Too much focus on technical prowess and surgical precision – slightly dry overall
- Very prone to picking up RF interferences from mobile phone signals.
VERDICT:
Questyle M12. Definitely is one the BEST among the ones tested so far with outright technical prowess and timbre coherence, outclassed Audirect BEAM 2SE and HiBy FC3 on this segment by a step or two. Can be overly pristine when paired with an already ultra-resolving IEMs like the Etymotic ER4SR, but it does not dry the timbre to cause for concerns. For transparency, M12 sets the bar really high for others to follow. However, the lack of velvety smoothness as observed in other TOTL dongles prevented this unit from scoring higher – but by no mean a deal breaker as some may hugely appreciate the stellar coherence especially when paired with warm signature headphones or IEMs.
OVERALL RATING: 96/100
Recommended Pairing: Flexible, stellar with warm IEMs/Headphones.
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Shanling UA2 ($85.00)
DAC Chip: ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M, Ricore RT6863 Amp (Single)
PCM 32bit - 768khz DSD512, SNR: -121/-116dB, Power: 2 Vrms, 125mW (SE), 2.5v 195mW (BAL) 32Ω, USB Type-C Female, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Yes) 2.5mm BAL, 54x18x9mm, 12.6g, Aluminum Chassis
Strengths:
- Natural and neutral timbre, with a touch of analogue tonality
- Commanding dynamics, vibrant and effortless
- Stellar, sharp imaging with excellent spatial staging
- Beautifully nuanced details retrieval. Macro and Micro
- Lush Treble, well extended and with smooth decay
- Very impactful Midbass with rich texture and decay
- Forward tilted Mids, rich texture, realistic Male/Female vocals
- Rich, lush tonality for cello, guitars, piano, and stringed instruments
- IMMENSELY powerful 2 Vrms High Gain output, effortlessly drive 96db Planar.
- Great speed and transients handling, no congestion
- Excellent sibilance resistance, always smooth
- Very solid and technically beautiful compact build
Weaknesses:
- Narrow soundstage despite being tall and with depth.
- Just a hair short of being reference grade overall, trailing the tails of PEE51 and PAW S1
- Just a tiny bit less airy to be regarded as reference grade.
- No adjustable hardware volume buttons
VERDICT:
Shanling UA2. This is my 3rd device equipped with ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M. The first one being Cayin N6ii E02 Dual ES9038Q2M ($1300) and Topping D10s/A50s ($300). This UA2 is the most analogue and organic sounding ESS Sabre DAC that I have listened to so far. In my book, this analogue tonality scores high automatically, being analogue means it does not sound digital and dry. There’s organic feel to it with the right touch of smoothness that makes listening pleasurable. I will not hesitate to say I prefer this UA2 presentation of the 9038 sounds over N6ii and D10s, those two while great in their technical and analytical approach to the sound, lacked soul while doing it. Of course, N6ii and D10s will regain superiority when it comes to driving anything beyond 250Ω and lower than 96db of sensitivity – they both will drive anything flawlessly up to 600Ω and maintain fidelity. But my usage does not go beyond 177Ω and UA2 provided me the fidelity I adore within that range. The most pleasant surprise is how easy this UA2 drives my power-hungry Monolith M565c Magnetic Planar (69Ω, 96db) and DT990 - does not sound like it was plugged to a tiny dongle at all. If you don't mind the narrow soundstage, this UA2 is indeed a gem to be reckoned with
OVERALL RATING: 95/100
Recommended Pairing: Flexible
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Tempotec Sonata BHD ($69.00)
DAC Chip: Cirrus Logic CS43141 (Dual)
PCM 24bit - 384khz, SNR: -129dB (BAL), Power: 120MW/32Ω 20MW/600Ω, USB Type-C Male Socket, 2.5mm BAL (Microphone: No), Solid Acrylic Chassis, Braided Cable
Strengths:
- Smooth neutral and natural timbre with great coherence level
- A hint of organic touch to the timbre without sounding too digital.
- Treble exhibited great depth and textures with normal decay.
- The smoothest edged CS43131 tested so far, soothing airy timbre.
- Adeptly controlled dynamics that are not overly vibrant
- Very slightly forward sounding mids and vocals, neutral texture, strong decay
- Impactful Mid-Bass with rich decay, tightly controlled.
- Natural bodied sub-bass with realistic overtones with crisp fast decay
- Natural tonality for cello, guitars, piano, and stringed instruments
- Less prone to sibilance compared to single CS43131.
- Exemplary clean and black background
- Great power to drive even power hungry 69Ω 96db Magnetic Planar.
- Great functionality with the easy-to-use independent volume adjuster
- Very lightweight compared to the rest of the competitors.
- Very stylish carrying bag included
Weaknesses:
- Separation layers are clustered a bit too close together, the lines slightly hazy.
- For a dual DAC setup, details retrieval is similar to the single version.
- Soundstage should be a little more spacious for a Dual DAC.
- Lack of dynamics aggression can be perceived as too relaxed for those preferring aggressive attack and groove.
- Only available in 2.5mm Balanced Output
- Speed and transients not much different from single CS43131. Should be better when handling high BPM music. Attack could use a bit more aggression.
VERDICT:
Tempotec Sonata BHD. Cultured and refined, that’s how I would describe this BHD. For those familiar with CS43131 single DACs, will immediately recognize the tone and timbre – the difference being this BHD I regard as well balanced to NOT exhibit pronounced brightness as compared to the likes of JM20. From my perspective this is a show of maturity, and it offers the smoothness which also making it less dry and digital-ish.
The value of BHD is most apparent for those loving the CS sound signature but want a bit more controlled discipline especially if you already have highly resolving and sparkly IEMs/HPs. For example, my ER4SR can exhibit peaky highs when used with JM20, but this will be tamed gracefully on the BHD. This cultured nature of BHD also mean it can synergize with many types of IEMs and Headphones. Great all-rounder.
PS: Worth to mention that this BHD sounded absolutely beautiful with my Monolith M565c Magnetic Planar. Like they are match made in heaven
OVERALL RATING: 90/100
Recommended Pairing: Flexible
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THX Onyx ($219.00)
DAC Chip: ESS ES9281PRO (Single) THX AAA-78 Amp
PCM 24bit MQA, THDN: -110dB, Power: 180mWx2, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Yes), Aluminum Chassis with SPC Cable
Strengths:
- Uncolored neutral and natural DAC/Amp with coherent timbre
- Balanced dynamics with mild airiness, exceptionally smooth
- Great Treble textures with fast decays, solid and vivid, great extensions
- Fast Mid-Bass response with rich textures and snappy decays
- Tightly controlled deep Sub-Bass with moderate seismic sensation
- Very natural tone for chimes, bells, taps and percussions, realistic.
- Rich Mids with solid body. Male/Female vocals exhibited great textures.
- Realistic, vivid guitars, bass guitars, piano & cello tone with solid bite
- Reference grade details retrieval, vivid details, Macro and Micro
- Stellar speed and transients handling, effortless
- Stellar sibilance resistance, very tolerant of Lo-Fi and shouty recordings
- The WIDEST Soundstage among them all, great depth, and headroom
- Very-very spacious separation with holographic imaging, 3D for sure
- Stellar pairing with sparkly Magnetic Planars, Single BA and Electrostatics
- Very futuristic build that is compact, lightweight and with RGB indicators
Weaknesses:
- Being THX AAA-78, should have been the strongest amp, but it is NOT. Ovidius, S9, M12 and PEE51 a step stronger and with similar fidelity
- THX Marketing claimed ability to drive up to 1000Ω, what I heard so far does not convince me that’s the case as my testing does not exceed 250Ω and yet it is already at 70-75/100 region.
- Not as organic sounding as the other forerunners, but not digital-ish either. It is no more transparent than the rest of top 3. PAW S1, PEE51 and Ovidius easily offer similar level of transparency.
- Not as WOW pairing with single DD IEMs despite stellar with Planars, BA and Electrostatics
- No mechanical volume adjuster
- The longest bodied dongle so far (at least it is thin and lightweight)
- No Balanced Output
VERDICT:
THX Onyx. The biggest factor to love THX Onyx is the super WIDE soundstage with stellar holographic imaging, akin to binaural experience. While not exactly razor sharp, the separation of layer is precise and with great depth. This is the most spacious presentation I have heard from a dongle so far – it is actually wider sounding than my Cayin N6ii E02 and Topping D10s/A50s (both in balanced mode). It made my Etymotic ER2XR sounded like a full-sized headphone! However, fidelity wise and coherence, THX Onyx is NO superior to the likes of PEE51, Ovidius B1, PAW S1 or even Shanling UA2/S9, but then again perhaps it is because the nature of being neutral is like that – it doesn’t particularly overdo anything in any area. So, for someone to expect THX Onyx to WOW them with jaw dropping dynamics or aggressive vibe, they would be disappointed. This Onyx is faithful at being natural sounding and will appeal to those preferring finesse over aggression (Questyle M12 capable of that aggressive dynamics).
Was about to rate it 100/100 but the cons as described in Weaknesses are too glaring to ignore.
OVERALL RATING: 96/100
Recommended Pairing: Stellar with Magnetic Planars, BA and Electrostatics
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Xnyocn X1 ($18.00)
DAC Chip: Texas Instrument PCM5100 (Single)
PCM 24bit - 192khz, SNR: -115dB, Power: 130mW, USB Micro Female, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: No), 9g, Aluminum Chassis. Compatible with iPhone/Android/PC
Strengths:
- Faithfully neutral and natural smooth timbre, uncolored tonality
- Realistic sparkly dynamics with well controlled vibrancy
- Reference grade coherence with pristine clarity all over, very transparent
- Intimate Mids with rich textures and definition, vivid Male/Female vocals
- Silky smooth Treble with matured finesse, depth, extension, and textures
- Richly textured Mid-Bass with commanding vibe and smooth decay
- Deep, richly textured Sub-Bass with great decay
- Excellent details retrieval, Macro and Micro. Well nuanced
- Realistic guitar, piano, cello, and bass guitar tones, vivid yet smooth
- Realistic sounding percussions (chimes, bells) and drums and taps
- Massive soundstage with great depth and spacing.
- Reference grade imaging, razor sharp precision with spacious spatial staging
- Reference grade speed and transients handling, no chance for congestion
- Completely black background, zero floor noises
- Zero signs of coarseness or grainy edges, at any frequency
- Great sibilance resistance even on shouty songs
- Powerful SE output with commanding drive (Volume at 80/100 driving 250Ω)
- Stellar synergy paired with DT990 250 Ohm, Etymotic ER4SR and Shure KSE1500 (as a lineout)
Weaknesses:
- Sub-Bass seismic impact not as strong as the top 3
- On some sparkly IEMs/Headphones, can be a bit sharp sounding in Mid-Treble.
- Volume adjustment gap on PC and Android a bit larger than the other dongles
- The dynamics could be regarded as a bit laid-back, not outright aggressive.
- No hardware volume adjuster
- Available only in 3.5mm Single Ended Audio Out
VERDICT:
Xnyocn X1. How this unit went almost unnoticed to the portable Audio Enthusiasts radar baffles me a lot. After extensive A/B with my personal favorite dongle, the Ovidius B1 – I am staggered by how similar the two of them performed! It is no secret Ovidius B1 is my firm personal No.1 among over 20 dongles that I have tested. So, the manner for me to describe the pros and cons of this X1 are similar in many ways.
So how do they actually compare? For starter I would say slightly meatier dynamics on Ovidius B1 otherwise similar timbre and tonality. Very slightly richer bass Bass/Mids/Treble decay textures on Ovidius B1 while X1 exhibited a leaner version – however with equal length and cut-off. X1 also seems to be very slightly less airy compared to Ovidius B1. On the perspective of transparency and resolution, Ovidius B1 remained superior among all of the dongles I tested – and this X1 just a step behind it. Which also mean X1 is not as punishing in revealing the artifacts of bad recordings or sources. But still best not to use Ovidius B1 and X1 on lossy MP3, you will hear all sort of imperfections. Lastly, X1 is just a tiny bit drier sounding compared to Ovidius B1.
It is mind boggling how a seemingly nondescript item can exhibit such finesse. This X1, Stellar!
OVERALL RATING: 96/100
Recommended Pairing: Stellar with almost anything that complement great resolution and transparency.
