[econaut]

Trying some critical listening here. It seems I need to crank up the volume to better hear the differences. Normally I don't listen that loud with headphones.

The S2 has more present treble than the Cobalt and my Jotunheim 2 (DAC is Bifrost 2 in this case). While there is more sparkle, there is also more fatigue.
The Cobalt and Jot are more relaxed in comparison. The S2 seems more forward, vocals and cymbals are more in your face.
Bass is more precise on the S2.
Cobalt sounds dark in comparison (maybe this is the minimum phase slow roll-off filter).

Listening with CFA Cascade (cloth pads and >250 hours burned in, 1T filters) and Tool - Fear Inoculum (Hi Res DR restored version):

EDIT: It's easier to follow the different instruments in the mix with the S2 over the Cobalt. Cymbals also sound more natural because of the mentioned sparkle.

 

[DaKing]

I also consider upgrading to the S2 from a Cobalt / Chord Mojo Poly. How would this pair with CFA Solaris IEM‘s and is there a recommended ios app to play all my hi-res flac files bit perfect? Would MQA work with the ios Tidal app? Apologies for all those questions!

 

[dgjl]

Another day in and I've done some (non-blind) a/b testing against the W2. There's very little in it and they are very similar in my set up (both S20 orWindows driving W80s). It might be new buyer's placebo, but I'd give the edge to the S2 - just a touch more open, musical, warmer, and more full-bodied (e.g., things that are micro details on the W2 are more present on the S2). As to the above Tidal app vs UAPP debate (when both are bit perfect), the edge clearly goes to UAAP. Unfortunately the Tidal app sounds a little 'digital' and lacks the fullness/sweetness of the UAPP presentation - which is a real shame. Qobuz is a shade better again. All of this is pretty marginal, mind you. Will test against the A&K PEE51, which has been my daily go to for the last few weeks, over the weekend. My guess is it will be pretty close - the wider soundstage of the S2 may take the laurels.

Following on from this after a few days more listening...

The S2 is certainly very different from the PEE51. On the plus side, it's much more efficient (8% per hour rather than 12%), the soundstage is wider, instrumentation is extraordinarily well separated, detail retrieval is best in class from my experience of these portable DACs. The S2 could, as another user has posted, be a little fatiguing when compared with something like the W2 - which sounds relatively flat compared to the sweeter tuning of the S2 - though I've got more used to it over the week. My 50 year old ears are hearing sounds I've never heard before (or at least, not for a long time!). The PEE51 has a much more cohesive sound, bringing the instrumentation together in the middle, losing that wide soundstage, but creating a pleasing organic and complete presentation. The PEE51 is also quite coloured when compared to the S2 (the comparison to the W2 is much more striking as the S2 is 'sweeter', as said). This is probably what brings everything together on the PEE51, like a high quality filter. In sum, the S2 and the PEE51 are very different beasts and really quite hard to compare. May well end up being a both/and for me rather than an either/or. Will keep the S2 as daily go to for a while longer...

 

[econaut]

Can you please describe what you mean by "sweet" sounding?

To me warm and full bodied are kind of antagonists to fatiguing which is normally caused by upper mids/treble emphasis or spikes and / or "digititus" or too much dynamics (e.g. Focal Utopia) - from my limited experience that is.

 

[dgjl]

Can you please describe what you mean by "sweet" sounding?

To me warm and full bodied are kind of antagonists to fatiguing which is normally caused by upper mids/treble emphasis or spikes and / or "digititus" or too much dynamics (e.g. Focal Utopia) - from my limited experience that is.

I suppose I mean the timbre, especially in the mids and highs is 'nice' or even 'pretty' - it's hard not to just chase metaphors when describing music. The fatigue doesn't come from the quality of the sound, so much as from the way it demands your attention as the little stuff that's in the back ground on other DACs I've tried (DFC, W2, PEE51, S1) is much more forward and present on the S2. I'm getting used to it...

 

[Fred5ek]

Hello everyone, I'm new here from today 2021/12/03.
I want to know if the filters (PMEQ / ATE) of the Lotoo Paw S2 also work on the native sound stream in DSD,
because in Luxury & Precisioin W2 they do not act on the material in DSD.
Does EQ working on PCM also work on DSD.
Thank you and enjoy listening.
Translated using Google

 

[OspreyAndy]

I am impressed with the improvements offered by S2 over the old S1. No longer weak when driving stubborn magnetic planars. The biggest issue I had with the PAW S1 and L&P W2 was driving power - both borderline anemic when subjected to heavy loads. S2 seems to have richer density throughout the dynamic range and keeping fidelity at exceedingly high level with cleanly nuanced details and great sense of space, definitely a better unit than W2 IMO. Oh yes very efficient too with great battery drain so far

 

[vanez1985]

Did anyone have a chance to compare S2 with DX300 and (less likely) RU6 or RS6?

After staying with W2 (S1 is collecting the first since I bought W2) for half a year a have this itch again, mainly because of:
- constantly failing USB cables (could only be solved with DAP)
- high power drain (same, though S2 seems to be less hungry than W2)
- lack of physical FF/rewind/pause buttons (big win for S2)
- search for better, more solid and natural timbre with mellower yet detailed mids (could be addressed by RU6/S2 as well, also looking at RS6)
- desire to have more juice (currently listening at 60-75 volume high gain on W2 which is pushing its limits a bit too much and prevents me from buying planars like A2C).

DX300 and probably RS6 tick all the boxes though I'm a bit tight on budget and not actually ready to spend over $1k on this hobby again, so S2 could be a good compromise here.

 

[dgjl]

I am impressed with the improvements offered by S2 over the old S1. No longer weak when driving stubborn magnetic planars. The biggest issue I had with the PAW S1 and L&P W2 was driving power - both borderline anemic when subjected to heavy loads. S2 seems to have richer density throughout the dynamic range and keeping fidelity at exceedingly high level with cleanly nuanced details and great sense of space, definitely a better unit than W2 IMO. Oh yes very efficient too with great battery drain so far

Thanks, Andy. Did you try on phone and PC? I find I've no complaints when S2 is attached to the PC, but it's always a little off, just a touch shrill and demanding with the phone.

 

[Richiyaado]

I purchased an S2 for use with my iPhone and so far, so good. Having read about cable issues with iPhones, I also purchased a DDHiFi lightning/USB C adapter so I could use the USB C cables bundled with the S2... particularly the longer one. The long cable, along with the pause/play button added to the S2, makes it a more practical rig than I've had before, and it really sounds astonishingly good... at least on par with my mid-tier DAP.

 

[OspreyAndy]

Thanks, Andy. Did you try on phone and PC? I find I've no complaints when S2 is attached to the PC, but it's always a little off, just a touch shrill and demanding with the phone.

I tried both. And they work equally great. However I always run my dongles in USB Exclusive mode be it in HiBy Player or Tidal

 

[dgjl]

I tried both. And they work equally great. However I always run my dongles in USB Exclusive mode be it in HiBy Player or Tidal

Thanks. UAPP and Qobuz here. Tried Tidal exclusive on my S20 and didn't like that at all, which was a shame as that was why I wanted to try the S2.

 

[RSTA]

Hi,

Question re the optional Lotoo usb-c to lightning OTG cable.

Is this the same cable as for the S1? I thought along with the S2 an updated cable with better shielding was released? To those of you who ordered one of these, which one did you get? Can you tell from the box? Thanks.

 

[awolkoff]

Hi,

Question re the optional Lotoo usb-c to lightning OTG cable.

Is this the same cable as for the S1? I thought along with the S2 an updated cable with better shielding was released? To those of you who ordered one of these, which one did you get? Can you tell from the box? Thanks.

An updated cable was released but it requires a separate purchase and is not included with the S2 itself. I bought both and glad I did as the generic USB-C to lighting cable I had lying around here doesn't seem to work with the device.

 

[Richiyaado]

The ddHiFi lightning to usb c cable seems to work okay with my iPhone, too.