[j0p3Y]

It's a no brainer if you have a specific use in mind, sure.

It should work out of the box without any issues with the Poco F1, but then if you want higher res you will have to flash the pure music firmware. Be aware if you do that then you'll loose the capability of using the headset mic for calls and such.

I'm not sure how it would compare to the xDuoo tbh, never owned one.

Thank you; I read about the firmware, I certainly would flash to D firmware. What Android App would you advise that's most useful with this device (VOL, Mixer, 192kHz, 24bit etc)?

 

[Lifted Andreas]

Thank you; I read about the firmware, I certainly would flash to D firmware. What Android App would you advise that's most useful with this device (VOL, Mixer, 192kHz, 24bit etc)?

The general consensus seems to be either Neutrino, PowerAMP or the Hiby Music app. Always set output to 24bit/192khz.

 

[Nolbert0]

The general consensus seems to be either Neutrino, PowerAMP or the Hiby Music app. Always set output to 24bit/192khz.

why not keep it at the original sample rate of the recording? Seems a little unnecessary for anything 24/96 and below, no?
IIRC PowerAmp defaults at 192 which I found annoying for redbook when I plugged a Mojo into an Android a few years ago. Things may have changed by now but dunno.

 

[Lifted Andreas]

why not keep it at the original sample rate of the recording? Seems a little unnecessary for anything 24/96 and below, no?
IIRC PowerAmp defaults at 192 which I found annoying for redbook when I plugged a Mojo into an Android a few years ago. Things may have changed by now but dunno.

From my experience there is no harm to set it to max available, only really need to reduce it if you have issues with playback.

 

[j0p3Y]

The general consensus seems to be either Neutrino, PowerAMP or the Hiby Music app. Always set output to 24bit/192khz.

You mean Neutron Music Player I guess..
I read something about a risk of high pitched spikes through this kind of equipment. Any experience with that?

 

[DaniRojo]

No one else noticing obvious hiss/white noise while using the Sonata? I recently bought it and can't un-hear it. Whenever I start a Spotify track, the hiss hits me in the face like a noisy sledgehammer.

I received mine yesterday and updated it with the pure sound firmware. Neither Tidal in high quality nor FLAC files played through HiBy Player make me hear noise at all. I can notice a little less clarity with non-lossless files though, but it's a great little device anyway, specially for the price.

 

[j0p3Y]

I received mine yesterday and updated it with the pure sound firmware. Neither Tidal in high quality nor FLAC files played through HiBy Player make me hear noise at all. I can notice a little less clarity with non-lossless files though, but it's a great little device anyway, specially for the price.

Maybe he is on antihypertensive medication? That offers you free hiss

 

[129207]

I received mine yesterday and updated it with the pure sound firmware. Neither Tidal in high quality nor FLAC files played through HiBy Player make me hear noise at all. I can notice a little less clarity with non-lossless files though, but it's a great little device anyway, specially for the price.

This turned out to be an impedance issue. The Sonata has an output impedance of 32ohm, which is way too high for sensitive IEMs.

 

[phiemon]

This turned out to be an impedance issue. The Sonata has an output impedance of 32ohm, which is way too high for sensitive IEMs.

Just buy the IEMatch for this issue. I use it with the Campfire Andromeda and it works very good.

 

[129207]

Just buy the IEMatch for this issue. I use it with the Campfire Andromeda and it works very good.

Buying a $50 attenuator to make a $25 DAC cable work with cheap chi-fi IEMs makes no sense, to me. I have other DACs that work fine with every IEM I throw at it. The only reason I bought the Sonata was because it seemed like such a low-profile option for my phone.

I'm not saying it's a bad product. It just doesn't do what I need it to do, and that is making the audio coming out of my phone sound better through my IEMs.

 

[phiemon]

Buying a $50 attenuator to make a $25 DAC cable work with cheap chi-fi IEMs makes no sense, to me. I have other DACs that work fine with every IEM I throw at it. The only reason I bought the Sonata was because it seemed like such a low-profile option for my phone.

I'm not saying it's a bad product. It just doesn't do what I need it to do, and that is making the audio coming out of my phone sound better through my IEMs.

Which small DACs make the job of the IEMatch?
The NextDrive Spectra X has the same issue of the Sonata.

 

[129207]

Which small DACs make the job of the IEMatch?
The NextDrive Spectra X has the same issue of the Sonata.

If I would buy the IEM Match, hook it up to the Sonata and hook all that up to my phone, I wouldn't have a low-profile solution. It would be just a bunch adapters and cables attached to my phone's usb-c port. It might sound great, because the IEM Match would get rid of the hiss, but it wouldn't be an all-in-one, super low profile solution.

I have a Stoner Acoustics UD110, for example, that doesn't hiss with my IEMs on my phone, but it requires a USB-C to USB OTG adapter to work and looks ridiculous.

Ergo, the conclusion; there is currently no all-in-one solution as low profile and easy as the Sonata that works with most of my IEMs, and I have mostly very sensitive IEMs.

I'm not looking for a solution to this anymore, by the way. I bought a Shanling M0 and gave up on phone audio. Totally content now. When I feel like I HAVE TO use my phone for music, I just hook it up to my oDAC and Headstage Arrow amp. No hiss, super bulky, looks ridiculous but it sounds great.

EDIT: if you read through this entire thread, you'll see I'm not the only one that bumped into hiss/white noise issues with the Sonata. If you don't experience them, it means you either don't hear the hiss or your IEMs/headphones aren't too sensitive. This means the Sonata works great for you. I wish I could say the same.

 

[phiemon]

If I would buy the IEM Match, hook it up to the Sonata and hook all that up to my phone, I wouldn't have a low-profile solution. It would be just a bunch adapters and cables attached to my phone's usb-c port. It might sound great, because the IEM Match would get rid of the hiss, but it wouldn't be an all-in-one, super low profile solution.

I have a Stoner Acoustics UD110, for example, that doesn't hiss with my IEMs on my phone, but it requires a USB-C to USB OTG adapter to work and looks ridiculous.

Ergo, the conclusion; there is currently no all-in-one solution as low profile and easy as the Sonata that works with most of my IEMs, and I have mostly very sensitive IEMs.

I'm not looking for a solution to this anymore, by the way. I bought a Shanling M0 and gave up on phone audio. Totally content now. When I feel like I HAVE TO use my phone for music, I just hook it up to my oDAC and Headstage Arrow amp. No hiss, super bulky, looks ridiculous but it sounds great.

Do the Shanling M0 sounds better than the Sonata?
I would use a dedicated player IF it were small enough.

 

[129207]

Do the Shanling M0 sounds better than the Sonata?
I would use a dedicated player IF it were small enough.

It sounds A LOT better to me, because it doesn't hiss at all.

 

[phiemon]

It sounds A LOT better to me, because it doesn't hiss at all.

Here there is a review in which the Andromeda is mentioned: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/shanling-m0.23172/reviews

Now, I'm curious to try the Shanling M0.