Dethonray Clarinet - Portable DAC/Amp Discussion + Impression thread

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Would this cable work?
https://a.aliexpress.com/_Ew9scik

This one might end up working?

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807968290477.html

I have it incoming, so we'll see?

There's also this one...

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832733994619.html

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@Hnd1710 - Yes! It's my default fw now, and it works fantastically for instrumental music (in my case jazz), and rock music.

 

[BS5711]

This one might end up working?

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807968290477.html

I have it incoming, so we'll see?

There's also this one...

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832733994619.html

---

@Hnd1710 - Yes! It's my default fw now, and it works fantastically for instrumental music (in my case jazz), and rock music.

Thanks @FreeWheelinAudioLuv2

Those two cables would certainly work but need the adapter on the RCA end which I understand @jonmbarlow was trying to avoid.

I bought that first FiiO brand cable in 80cm length, it is very stiff which I didn't like at all, I don't imagine it would be very manageable at only 20cm and presumably the same stiffness.

 

[Hnd1710]

Would this cable work?
https://a.aliexpress.com/_Ew9scik

I think this will work
I just found this on AliExpress:
₫407,732 | 3.5mm To RCA SPDIF Coaxial Digital Audio Cable For iBasso DX160 DX200 xDuoo X20 AIGO EROS H06 HiBY R6 SOUNDAWARE MR1 Fiio M23
https://a.aliexpress.com/_oDboxum

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

I think this will work
I just found this on AliExpress:
₫407,732 | 3.5mm To RCA SPDIF Coaxial Digital Audio Cable For iBasso DX160 DX200 xDuoo X20 AIGO EROS H06 HiBY R6 SOUNDAWARE MR1 Fiio M23
https://a.aliexpress.com/_oDboxum

Nice find.

 

[Hnd1710]

Did somebody connect а Clarinet to a Cayin N7 by coaxial?
Will this bundle sound better than a separate player or just different?

With the level of Cayin N7, I think it is difficult to combine, if you love the sound signature of N7 you can combine 1 more pure amp than Clarinet.

 

[jonmbarlow]

I think this will work
I just found this on AliExpress:
₫407,732 | 3.5mm To RCA SPDIF Coaxial Digital Audio Cable For iBasso DX160 DX200 xDuoo X20 AIGO EROS H06 HiBY R6 SOUNDAWARE MR1 Fiio M23
https://a.aliexpress.com/_oDboxum

Legend, thankyou

 

[mathe0]

I plan on using my Tempotec V6 DAP or even better my OnePlus 12R phone (snappy and updated Android version) to feed Dethonray Clarinet via Coax input. Would this Type C to RCA Coaxial Cable work? I already have one. Would it also work from my Desktop with USB-C port?

Also, would a SMSL PO100 be even more useful?

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[BS5711]

I plan on using my Tempotec V6 DAP or even better my OnePlus 12R phone (snappy and updated Android version) to feed Dethonray Clarinet via Coax input. Would this Type C to RCA Coaxial Cable work? I already have one. Would it also work from my Desktop with USB-C port?

Also, would a SMSL PO100 be even more useful?

Thanks a lot in advance!

That Hiby cable you linked might only work with Hiby DAPs in the same way their USB-C to 3.5mm coaxial cable only works with Hiby DAPs.

Perhaps you can test that cable from one of your source devices into the coaxial input of another device to check since you have the cable already. If that works it will work with the Clarinet using the supplied RCA to 3.5mm adapter.

If it doesn’t work the PO100 would be a versatile option.

There are a number of USB-C to RCA coaxial cables available of the same general configuration that are intended for general use and probably do as good a job as the PO100. However, I like the PO100 because you can change the cables in and out to suit a variety of use cases while an adapter cable can only ever have one input and one output and will always be the same length.

The PO100 can have a C or A input of whatever length you want and can have any length coaxial cable you want of RCA or 3.5mm output and any length optical output cable to 3.5mm or full size.

 

[Hnd1710]

I saw this product for sale on Dethonray store, has anyone used it? and can it be compared to po100

 

[Echalon]

I saw this product for sale on Dethonray store, has anyone used it? and can it be compared to po100

I only have the PO100. My understanding is that the PO100 has better build quality, but the Dethonray converter has better compatibility. Certainly the PO100 has problems connecting to some of my Android devices, and it seems to relate to MQA. Turning off MQA querying helps a lot (but isn’t possible on every app/device).

 

[Hnd1710]

I only have the PO100. My understanding is that the PO100 has better build quality, but the Dethonray converter has better compatibility. Certainly the PO100 has problems connecting to some of my Android devices, and it seems to relate to MQA. Turning off MQA querying helps a lot (but isn’t possible on every app/device).

I have consulted the audiosciencereview forum about PO100 and found some problems that are not really good. The product sold with the Clarinet above comes with a pretty good c to c and coaxial 3.5 to 3.5 cable, probably most suitable for Clarinet.

 

[BS5711]

I have consulted the audiosciencereview forum about PO100 and found some problems that are not really good. The product sold with the Clarinet above comes with a pretty good c to c and coaxial 3.5 to 3.5 cable, probably most suitable for Clarinet.

I have a PO100 and ran into a minor issue (for want of a better word) from my Windows 11 laptop running Qobuz when a 24/192 file was encountered. There was heavily garbled content at the very start of the song. However, that was easily fixed by changing the settings to use a 1 or 2 second buffer so that the transition from one file to the other was better managed or limiting the output to 24/96.

That situation does not happen on other source devices and I suspect it is a Qobuz app compatibility issue rather than a PO100 issue. Also it is very much an isolated situation that was a slight technical hurdle more than a genuine problem because 24/192 content isn’t prolific and there was an easy solution.

Running off an Android DAP, iPhone 15 or an iPad Mini 6 the PO100 works flawlessly, very simple plug and play.

I understand the PO100 has limitations with MQA content but with Tidal ditching MQA that isn’t likely to be a problem for many.

The tests indicate the version of the PO100 with a built in DAC has some problems but that was peculiar to that model only and only with the DAC output. The standard base model PO100 measured very well with the outputs being a perfect replication of the USB input.

I would suggest that the one sold through the Dethonray site might well have it’s own foibles or compatibility issues.

Once both are successfully outputting an optical or coaxial signal they will work with the Clarinet but there is no guarantee the Dethonray marketed one will be flawless with every source device.

Dethonray has no way to be able to test it with all device types. I suspect SMSL possibly has better resources to assess device compatibility than the manufacturer of that somewhat no name one.

What source device and music source do you want to use ?

 

[Hnd1710]

I have a PO100 and ran into a minor issue (for want of a better word) from my Windows 11 laptop running Qobuz when a 24/192 file was encountered. There was heavily garbled content at the very start of the song. However, that was easily fixed by changing the settings to use a 1 or 2 second buffer so that the transition from one file to the other was better managed or limiting the output to 24/96.

That situation does not happen on other source devices and I suspect it is a Qobuz app compatibility issue rather than a PO100 issue. Also it is very much an isolated situation that was a slight technical hurdle more than a genuine problem because 24/192 content isn’t prolific and there was an easy solution.

Running off an Android DAP, iPhone 15 or an iPad Mini 6 the PO100 works flawlessly, very simple plug and play.

I understand the PO100 has limitations with MQA content but with Tidal ditching MQA that isn’t likely to be a problem for many.

The tests indicate the version of the PO100 with a built in DAC has some problems but that was peculiar to that model only and only with the DAC output. The standard base model PO100 measured very well with the outputs being a perfect replication of the USB input.

I would suggest that the one sold through the Dethonray site might well have it’s own foibles or compatibility issues.

Once both are successfully outputting an optical or coaxial signal they will work with the Clarinet but there is no guarantee the Dethonray marketed one will be flawless with every source device.

Dethonray has no way to be able to test it with all device types. I suspect SMSL possibly has better resources to assess device compatibility than the manufacturer of that somewhat no name one.

What source device and music source do you want to use ?

In terms of compatibility with many devices, maybe smsl po100 is built with a reputable and better brand, and the device recommended by Dethonray, except for Clarinet it also connects quite well with some other devices. The only problem is that it is built by a domestic china diy brand. So recommended here if anyone needs it for Clarinet alone and likes the cable that comes with it, the retail price of the cable as far as I know is 19.31u for both cables

 

[BS5711]

In terms of compatibility with many devices, maybe smsl po100 is built with a reputable and better brand, and the device recommended by Dethonray, except for Clarinet it also connects quite well with some other devices. The only problem is that it is built by a domestic china diy brand. So recommended here if anyone needs it for Clarinet alone and likes the cable that comes with it, the retail price of the cable as far as I know is 19.31u for both cables

I am sure the Dethonray marketed one works fine in general, it is probably very similar to the SMSL from a technical perspective.

What I would suggest is that despite the big range of devices they show compatibility with that is unlikely to be absolutely correct for every single device and for every app on that device. That diagram can only be indicative, it doesn't even show an Android phone which I imagine would work fine.

No different to the SMSL, for me there was a glitch with Qobuz on Windows 11 but it works very well with Qobuz and Apple Music on several other devices.

I agree that the biggest recommendation is it includes cables. If that matters it saves a few dollars. I didn't need cables and I preferred to buy the SMSL for which test data was available on ASR that indicated it worked technically extremely well, the DAC version and MQA considerations aside that don't matter to me.

 

[tuetamnhu]

Somebody help me, please.
My Clarinet cannot play file DSD256. It just plays the files under DSD256. How can I set up in foobar2000?
And when I play video on Youtube, FB, or any website, software (e.g., dictionary)..., there is a noise background (like an izzz sound), which is really annoying. How can I fix it?
Thank you very much.