[Qazi Shehryar]

Hey guys seeing the response and love for this tiny champ, i've ordered the sonata dac cable .... now upon receiving it, should i firstly flash update it to 2.0 firmware and then flash the "D" mode firmware which i intend to use OR should i just directly flash "D" mode firmware OR just the 2.0??? i am confused in this regards ....

 

[malalol]

You just need to flash the "D" firmware if that's what you want to use. The 2.0 version had optimizations for the "A" version only which works through Android kernel.


So I've been using my Sonata with iBasso IT01 and I'm very pleased. I cannot use higher end IEMs to compare, but it feels comparable or better than my previous setup (Rockboxed Sansa Clip + with Fischer Audio DBA-02). The DBA-02 is very treble oriented with some sibilance and weak bass. The IT01 is very different, less analytical and with a very nice bass, but overall I can say the Sonata is definitely an improvement over my cellphone sound. It shines specially with well produced, hi res recordings, as expected.

I've read one or maybe a few comments saying the mids or vocals are a recessed and the treble is very forward, which I can understand. However it seems to me that this effect is very noticeable in some recordings, while completely imperceptible in others. Here are some examples:

"Opeth - Wilde Flowers" has male vocals produced with a compressed, distant sound, and such effect sounds very emphasized with the Hidizs and Ibasso combo, making it very hard to listen clearly to some of the lyrics.
Now "Vuur - In this moment we are free (cities)" record has a very good and clean production on Anneke's voice and it sounds superb with this setup, with rich detail and a very forward presentation of vocals an other instruments.

I listen mostly to metal and instrumental jazz so I cannot comment how well it goes with other music genres.

In the end, I'm very pleased with the Hidizs sonata and I consider it a very good "bang for the buck" DAC. If you want to improve your smartphone sound, without spending too much and with good portability, the Sonata is a no-brainer.

Regards

 

[parthabhatta]

Received the HIDIZs SONATA DAC AMP cable today. Flashed "PURE SOUND" firmware and the DAC sounds awesome and better than VE Odyssey and KZ USB C DAC cable in my Xperia XA1 Plus. I am very satisfied. Will also test with Leagoo KIICAA MIX. When played with LG V20, I feel V20 sounds better. Extensive listening is required for further opinion and comments.
My first shipment was perhaps lost in transit and this one is a replacement shipped by the company. Thanks to @kenloveme who intervened and expedited the replacement.

Moreover, also received my Covia Zeal Edge DAC AMP which is also good sounding but not in the league of Sonata although it's HiRes certified. It has a Micro USB cable and connects to phones with Micro USB port. It also enhances the sound quality of my Redmi 4X.

 

[Navanod]

Glad you finally got your Sonata 2 parthabhatta.
I've been enjoying mine for quite some time now.

 

[mohsin9221]

Hey guys seeing the response and love for this tiny champ, i've ordered the sonata dac cable .... now upon receiving it, should i firstly flash update it to 2.0 firmware and then flash the "D" mode firmware which i intend to use OR should i just directly flash "D" mode firmware OR just the 2.0??? i am confused in this regards ....

Did you order from aliexpress? I have heard about tech products disappearing during shipping in local post office.

 

[parthabhatta]

There are few queries regarding upgradation of firmware. I can share my experiences in this regard
One can download required firmware files from hidizs site. Link given in one of my earlier posts which is couple of posts before. There are three firmwares. it's better to download all three in case anyone wishes to try all or anyone of them. The details of firmwares are also mentioned in the hidizs site as also in a review whose link is given above. Thanks to the reviewer who has already detailed the process.
After dowoading firmwares, download the windows driver 1 and 2 file.
Unzip all of them and find out the word file with detailed guidelines of HOW TO FLASH.
Put the DAC in the USB of the laptop with the provided adapter. If the DAC is recognized as SONATA its ok but in all likelihood it won't be. I use windows 7 and it didn't identify. in that case run the windows 1 and 2 driver exe installer file with USB DAC inserted in the port. The drivers will be installed and SONATA DAC will be recognised. On being prompted restart laptop.
After restart go to DEVICE MANAGER and find out SONATA HD AUDIO from Audio devices. Right click and open properties. Go to last tab named DETAILS. From the drop down box there choose HARDWARE IDs. Note down VID and PID They will be alphanumeric 4 letter/digit. Note all letters in CAPS.
Open the flasher (exe) from the unzipped folder of the firmware which you want to flash. Do as guided in the HOW TO FLASH page. Only change VID and PID at the right menu screen. After a few seconds flashing will be completed.
Hope this helps.

 

[drag0nslayer]

Did you order from aliexpress? I have heard about tech products disappearing during shipping in local post office.

They do disappear usually for parcels with no tracking but not for trackable parcels. In every case post office people are culprits if item lost.

 

[Galeonero]

Hello, I was wanting to acquire the AP80 Hidiz but they told me that they are just starting to send from November 20 and I'm staying until November 19 in the United States. Then I can not buy it, I'm seeing options and the truth is not convinced by any other Music Player. Remember this external DAC for smartphones and computer, can you say that it resembles a Music Player or is it better to buy me for example a Shanling M0 for 60 extras? I understand that it is not going to be the same but it is very far the quality of sound and power to say better to spend 60 more? My headphones with more impedance are the Audio Technica Ath-M40x, have about 35 ohm.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Hello, I was wanting to acquire the AP80 Hidiz but they told me that they are just starting to send from November 20 and I'm staying until November 19 in the United States. Then I can not buy it, I'm seeing options and the truth is not convinced by any other Music Player. Remember this external DAC for smartphones and computer, can you say that it resembles a Music Player or is it better to buy me for example a Shanling M0 for 60 extras? I understand that it is not going to be the same but it is very far the quality of sound and power to say better to spend 60 more? My headphones with more impedance are the Audio Technica Ath-M40x, have about 35 ohm.

AP80 and Shanling M0 are fairly equal, maybe AP80 is a tad better due to buttons on the side, although M0 is more portable all in all, and M0 has those really nice cases going on for it

 

[Galeonero]

AP80 and Shanling M0 are fairly equal, maybe AP80 is a tad better due to buttons on the side, although M0 is more portable all in all, and M0 has those really nice cases going on for it

So is not this Hidizs Sonata HD worth it?

 

[photosonic]

So is not this Hidizs Sonata HD worth it?

It's definitely worth the $30 I paid for it.

 

[IryxBRO]

AP80 and Shanling M0 are fairly equal, maybe AP80 is a tad better due to buttons on the side, although M0 is more portable all in all, and M0 has those really nice cases going on for it

I wouldn't agree, sorry. Soundwise they are different with AP80 showing more balanced sound with higher resolution on both ends. Other than that - M0 has far worse screen and strange UI interaction. Its strength is only in already implemented LDAC support which is finally going to come to AP80 (at least we hope so)

 

[Galeonero]

Well, in the end I decided to buy this HD sonata and an In Ear Fiio F9 Pro headphones to give me the pleasure and start walking in the world audiophile. I ask them a question, I see they are talking about a lot of Firmware A C D and version 2. I do not understand what they mean.
1. From what I understand the Sonata HD is updated by first downloading the update to a computer, then I pass it to Sonada HD? It is right?
2. What is that of A, C or D. Is it a kind of configuration that you place on your computer?
3. My idea is more than anything to use it with my Google Pixel 2, I have to touch something to make it work? Does the user experience change a lot if I bought the USB Audio Player PRO application in the play store?

 

[Dobrescu George]

So is not this Hidizs Sonata HD worth it?

HIDIZS Sonata HD is absolutely worth it in my opinion. It is their best product to date and a really solid one at that

I wouldn't agree, sorry. Soundwise they are different with AP80 showing more balanced sound with higher resolution on both ends. Other than that - M0 has far worse screen and strange UI interaction. Its strength is only in already implemented LDAC support which is finally going to come to AP80 (at least we hope so)

Hm... Interesting!

I didn't quite find that AP80 sounded quite that different from M0, besides a slightly warmer sound, but that could indeed cause the sensation that AP80 has better extension, especially with the right IEMs or Headphones.

As for the UI, AP80 is better becaue it tends to record my fingers more, M0 misses about 30% of my touches, and AP80 has buttons, which I found quite good. M0's song navigation without buttons means you need to touch the right touch spot, which doesn't register my fingers every single time, so again, I do this while driving, and here AP80 is indeed better.

To me, the display is not better on either objectively. They are different, and AP80 has better color, but M0 has better brightness, more easily readable when there's a lot of light. Both displays are too small to display band names - song names, so you can only pick songs, if you have formated it right, on both

Correct: 01 - The River, The Woods

Incorrect: 01 - Astronautalis - The River, The Woods

Basically, both displays are a bit small to display band names - song names, so this should be taken into account when considering either.

I think both are amazing little things for their price, and I think I'd be happy with both really, just different flavors of what they do and how.

 

[IryxBRO]

Well, in the end I decided to buy this HD sonata and an In Ear Fiio F9 Pro headphones to give me the pleasure and start walking in the world audiophile. I ask them a question, I see they are talking about a lot of Firmware A C D and version 2. I do not understand what they mean.
1. From what I understand the Sonata HD is updated by first downloading the update to a computer, then I pass it to Sonada HD? It is right?
2. What is that of A, C or D. Is it a kind of configuration that you place on your computer?
3. My idea is more than anything to use it with my Google Pixel 2, I have to touch something to make it work? Does the user experience change a lot if I bought the USB Audio Player PRO application in the play store?

1. A C D are different versions of firmware for Sonata HD (for the chip inside it). Let's say - the different profiles with different abilities and sound quality. Either one can be pushed inside. A and C are for using with other sounds and accepting calls while the music is playing, D is a pure music with max quality that takes the full control and won't let other sounds rather than music
2. Firmware to place inside Sonata HD chip
3. It would work out of the box with A mode as a default flashed to chip which would allow you to listen to music and hear other sounds and even to talk. But the sound quality would not be limited. If you'd still want to stay with this mode - you'd have to flash V2 firmware cause it addresses the issues of V1 mode A. But in order to get the max sound quality (forgetting about other sounds and calls) - you should flash mode D to Sonata HD (24bit|192kHz). As for the application you bought - you'd have to try. I am using Hiby music as one of the most capable app on Android in terms of sound quality and which has the mode of bit-perfect stream to USB OTG devices.