[glivano]

Hellooo again, Thanks to everyone in here who gives me recommendation to purchase moondrop starfield and i'm so impressed with this IEM!!. Right now im looking for a DAC to enhance the sound of my moondrop starfield. I'm using Samsung galaxy S10+ & laptop HP omen 15 as my main device. for the DAC im interested in Ibasso DC02 & tempotech sonata HD pro but i can't decide which one should i pick or is there another DAC brand that suits the iem and device ?

 

[baskingshark]

Hellooo again, Thanks to everyone in here who gives me recommendation to purchase moondrop starfield and i'm so impressed with this IEM!!. Right now im looking for a DAC to enhance the sound of my moondrop starfield. I'm using Samsung galaxy S10+ & laptop HP omen 15 as my main device. for the DAC im interested in Ibasso DC02 & tempotech sonata HD pro but i can't decide which one should i pick or is there another DAC brand that suits the iem and device ?

You can check out Audioscience review for objective measurements on most of the current DACs. Here's a table of comparisons:

IBasso DC-02 is in the orange zone of the above table.

The Hidizs S8 is actually the same internally as the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro, which is rated very high in the blue zone, just that the Sonata HD Pro is an OEM version of it at half the price. Audioscience review is quite impressed by it: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...dizs-s8-usb-c-headphone-adapter-review.10823/
Though at the end of the day, measurements as above may not correlate with what we're able to hear.

I wrote a small review here: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/tempotec-sonata-hd-pro.24181/reviews#item-review-23794

I'm very happy with the Sonata HD Pro, it can hit almost the same standard of sound as my desktop rig, though at only $40 USD! But it can't drive higher powered gear like high impedance cans, but for most IEMs it is very good.

Good luck in your search friend! Hope the others can advise too!

 

[glivano]

You can check out Audioscience review for objective measurements on most of the current DACs. Here's a table of comparisons:




IBasso DC-02 is in the orange zone of the above table.

The Hidizs S8 is actually the same internally as the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro, which is rated very high in the blue zone, just that the Sonata HD Pro is an OEM version of it at half the price. Audioscience review is quite impressed by it: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...dizs-s8-usb-c-headphone-adapter-review.10823/
Though at the end of the day, measurements as above may not correlate with what we're able to hear.

I wrote a small review here: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/tempotec-sonata-hd-pro.24181/reviews#item-review-23794

I'm very happy with the Sonata HD Pro, it can hit almost the same standard of sound as my desktop rig, though at only $40 USD! But it can't drive higher powered gear like high impedance cans, but for most IEMs it is very good.

Good luck in your search friend! Hope the others can advise too!

Ahhh i see, for an IEM with 32 ohm impedance like moondrop starfield can sonata drive it easily?

 

[baskingshark]

Ahhh i see, for an IEM with 32 ohm impedance like moondrop starfield can sonata drive it easily?

Definitely it can. U can check a comparison of Sonata HD Pro vs Ibasso DC02 here: https://www.audioglorye.com/tempotec-sonata-hd-pro/

U might need to buy an OTG adaptor or cable for the Samsung note 10 depending on whether the Note 10 uses USB C or micro USB. And u need some apps like Hiby on the phone so it can play "high res' music.

 

[glivano]

Definitely it can. U can check a comparison of Sonata HD Pro vs Ibasso DC02 here: https://www.audioglorye.com/tempotec-sonata-hd-pro/

U might need to buy an OTG adaptor or cable for the Samsung note 10 depending on whether the Note 10 uses USB C or micro USB. And u need some apps like Hiby on the phone so it can play "high res' music.

Ohh im using galaxy S10+ not note 10. Do i still need to buy that?

 

[baskingshark]

Ohh im using galaxy S10+ not note 10. Do i still need to buy that?

I don't use the S10+, but the normal sonata HD Pro needs a OTG adaptor to be used if the phone uses a micro USB connector instead of USB type C.

Best to check with the rest who do have the S10+ on performance too.

 

[glivano]

Definitely it can. U can check a comparison of Sonata HD Pro vs Ibasso DC02 here: https://www.audioglorye.com/tempotec-sonata-hd-pro/

U might need to buy an OTG adaptor or cable for the Samsung note 10 depending on whether the Note 10 uses USB C or micro USB. And u need some apps like Hiby on the phone so it can play "high res' music.

If i use DAC for listening music like in spotify or youtube. Is there any improvement or do i need to have a Flac files?

 

[baskingshark]

If i use DAC for listening music like in spotify or youtube. Is there any improvement or do i need to have a Flac files?

This is a big big controversy in audiophile world. Read this thread for more details: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/flac-vs-320-mp3.570621/

There'll be a camp that says they can hear difference between 320 mp3 and FLAC. While another camp doing objective tests can't tell the difference.
My opinion is that the mastering and mixing is more important than the format. If a FLAC file is mastered badly, nothing is gonna help that.

Whatever the case, with the same lossless file or same mp3 file, I can hear a substantial difference in details and dynamics with the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro vs normal android smart phone. YMMV.

 

[glivano]

This is a big big controversy in audiophile world. Read this thread for more details: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/flac-vs-320-mp3.570621/

There'll be a camp that says they can hear difference between 320 mp3 and FLAC. While another camp doing objective tests can't tell the difference.
My opinion is that the mastering and mixing is more important than the format. If a FLAC file is mastered badly, nothing is gonna help that.

Whatever the case, with the same lossless file or same mp3 file, I can hear a substantial difference in details and dynamics with the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro vs normal android smart phone. YMMV.

Oh yeaa one more thing. How you compare this tempotech with meizu DAC product? Is it the same or different?

 

[baskingshark]

Oh yeaa one more thing. How you compare this tempotech with meizu DAC product? Is it the same or different?

You are referring to the Meizu Hifi Pro? U can check this review: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/fxps77/tempotec_sonata_hd_pro_review/


See the graph i sent above. Meizu is found there too under the green section (not as good as blue section where Tempotec Sonata HD Pro aka Hidizs S8 is), so meizu has poorer sound quality based on measurements. Though i think meizu can power higher impedance stuff compared to tempotec sonata HD pro.

I haven't heard meizu but like the above review, my friends who have it says it has bad electromagnetic interference with some phones, so beware of that possibility. Over wifi/desktop it seems to be ok.

 

[glivano]

You are referring to the Meizu Hifi Pro? U can check this review: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/fxps77/tempotec_sonata_hd_pro_review/


See the graph i sent above. Meizu is found there too under the green section (not as good as blue section where Tempotec Sonata HD Pro aka Hidizs S8 is), so meizu has poorer sound quality based on measurements. Though i think meizu can power higher impedance stuff compared to tempotec sonata HD pro.

I haven't heard meizu but like the above review, my friends who have it says it has bad electromagnetic interference with some phones, so beware of that possibility. Over wifi/desktop it seems to be ok.

THANK YOU SO MUCH :,))