[Xinlisupreme]

Also, with the dongle and cable I have, I can use the same cable to connect the W2 to my Hiby R6 2020 which has a USB-C port. If I bought the one you suggest, then I need to purchase 2 cables.

Right, the combo definitely would be a good choice and cable looks the same but dunno if cable + adaptors sounds better than lighting-> USB-c cable.
I have DD 2.5->4.4 and I can hear sligh degrading in SQ.
I’d buy 2 cable, maybe starting from USB-c to USB-c and if work better than stock W2 cable I’ll buy also lighting model.
Strange on W2 is usbc/usbc there isn’t marked right verse.

 

[musicday]

Let's hope the L&P haven't forgotten us with the firmware after the massive success with the W2.

 

[mico1964]

As far as I have been able to verify, the cause of the distortion and poor high volume quality of the W2 connected to an iPhone are the stock lightning cables (both the white one and the new black one).

For some unknown reason they power the W2 with a voltage of 3.2-3.5 volts, while all the other five cables I have tried (two from DD, one from Penon, one from Ali and the Apple CCK) supply the correct voltage of 4.95-5.05 volts.

All measured using an iPhone 11 Pro Max playing white noise at 0 dB, connected to the W2 set to "High Gain" and Volume 75, and connected to my IER-Z1Rs via the balanced 4.4 output.

If anyone is interested, with these settings the W2 draws about 130 mA (at 5 volts) and the Lotoo S1 about 80 mA.

 

[Xinlisupreme]

As far as I have been able to verify, the cause of the distortion and poor high volume quality of the W2 connected to an iPhone are the stock lightning cables (both the white one and the new black one).

For some unknown reason they power the W2 with a voltage of 3.2-3.5 volts, while all the other five cables I have tried (two from DD, one from Penon, one from Ali and the Apple CCK) supply the correct voltage of 4.95-5.05 volts.

All measured using an iPhone 11 Pro Max playing white noise at 0 dB, connected to the W2 set to "High Gain" and Volume 75, and connected to my IER-Z1Rs via the balanced 4.4 output.

If anyone is interested, with these settings the W2 draws about 130 mA (at 5 volts) and the Lotoo S1 about 80 mA.

@mico1964 Great Job, thanks!
Did you notice different sound from DD to Penon lightning cables?

 

[FooFighter]

Maybe also a reason why I couldn't recognize volume differences in my last test using ddhifi cables or Apple Camera kit vs Android phone.
With my 2nd W2 I haven't even unpacked the stock cables - I left them in the box right from the start
@Xinlisupreme M6pro / M8 was just better or also louder than IPhone in your tests?
As far as I remember Macbook Pro was still louder even with better cables on IPhone...
Guess voltage is even higher there...

I just did a quick test
- M8/IPhone11Pro/Macbook Pro as digital transport
- Amazon Music HD
-Traillii High Gain, volume 40
- Ddhifi cable with ddhifi lightning adapter
- Qudelix 5k usb-c to usb-c cable

-> M8 vs iPhone: cannot recognize volume differences
-> Macbook vs IPhone, exclusive mode, volume in app set to maximum: cannot recognize volume differences

Didn't have time to look after SQ differences but as I posted before: Amazon Music HD is for me like the better benchmark for IPhone as it's sending full uncoded flac and no MQA etc involved and also no "enhancer" like UApp involved but also not necessary in comparison...
To me it sounds for now equally good!

Will unpack stock cable later at night and re-listen...

Edit: guess I will use IPhone more often now...

 

[Xinlisupreme]

Both dap sound far better than iPhone that miss in mids area compared to Shanling dap
I had Best performances with M8 but I didn’t pay attention to volume differences, maybe yes with daps sounded louder

 

[FooFighter]

Both dap sound far better than iPhone that miss in mids area compared to Shanling dap
I had Best performances with M8 but I didn’t keep attention to differences with volume, maybe yes with daps sounded louder

What I am wondering about is the fact that there are differences reported for different digital sources whereas in theory the difference should happen on end device level and not source device level.
We assumed that the source voltage is causing this.
A few months ago with different IEMs and also different cables I remember that I heard volume differences between Macbook and iPhone.
That's why I assumed that the volume difference (W2 being set static to some volume value) was a symptom of the voltage difference.
Now that the cables are in the discussion (and seem to be measured too) I can imagine that the right USB-cables are now mitigating the before voltage constraints.

If that is true, what is left?
- Source device FEMTO CLOCK receiving the bitstream before handing over to W2 -> does it matter so much???
- Source device applying its system eq signature before handing over to W2
-> that's usually a symptom happening when connecting over LO to external Amps like C9 etc. but not in USB-mode!
-> that's not supposed to happen in bit perfect mode (which can be set in UApp but not in other apps as I am aware of)

I will test later at night again but remember that when playing through Q1 as digital source and applying EQ it could be heard on W2!
That's why I am wondering if that can be the reason for perceived better SQ when connecting a better DAP as digital source ...

 

[Xinlisupreme]

In my desktop experiences i had many test with streamer connected to same dac and every streamer sounded different, i thouhgt depends on software/firmware or maybe to different power supply.
Anyway M6 and M8 has same android, maybe, but different firmware, different soc, different battery and clock, any difference in hardware affects sound performances.
Use M8 with W2 is utopic but if you own both.... why not?
Mest Mk2 sounds far better plugged to M8 but with Land i'm not sure there is a big difference between M8 and M8+W2...

 

[FooFighter]

As I am planning to sell my other TOTL DAP brick if it ever comes back from repair in China I consider using exactly that setup with M8 and W2 for home usage.
I got W2 not only for mobility but for a different flavour compared to the M8.
When they are now mating to something even better, that's great for desktop usage Imho.
Besides TOTL DAPs I found the most striking difference to perceived SQ using UApp with my Moto G6 and W2.
That was a clear step up from IPhone.
With Amazon Music HD I found the difference not so much and I think superior to stock Tidal for my ears.
Will at some point need to compare UApp vs Amazon...

 

[Xinlisupreme]

As I am planning to sell my other TOTL DAP brick if it ever comes back from repair in China I consider using exactly that setup with M8 and W2 for home usage.
I got W2 not only for mobility but for a different flavour compared to the M8.
When they are now mating to something even better, that's great for desktop usage Imho.
Besides TOTL DAPs I found the most striking difference to perceived SQ using UApp with my Moto G6 and W2.
That was a clear step up from IPhone.
With Amazon Music HD I found the difference not so much and I think superior to stock Tidal for my ears.
Will at some point need to compare UApp vs Amazon...

Totallly agree with you.
I think TOTL IEMs with M8 scale with a good margin.

 

[docked seaman]

As far as I have been able to verify, the cause of the distortion and poor high volume quality of the W2 connected to an iPhone are the stock lightning cables (both the white one and the new black one).

For some unknown reason they power the W2 with a voltage of 3.2-3.5 volts, while all the other five cables I have tried (two from DD, one from Penon, one from Ali and the Apple CCK) supply the correct voltage of 4.95-5.05 volts.

All measured using an iPhone 11 Pro Max playing white noise at 0 dB, connected to the W2 set to "High Gain" and Volume 75, and connected to my IER-Z1Rs via the balanced 4.4 output.

If anyone is interested, with these settings the W2 draws about 130 mA (at 5 volts) and the Lotoo S1 about 80 mA.

Could you link the Ali cable?

 

[jeffhawke]

As I am planning to sell my other TOTL DAP brick if it ever comes back from repair in China I consider using exactly that setup with M8 and W2 for home usage.
I got W2 not only for mobility but for a different flavour compared to the M8.
When they are now mating to something even better, that's great for desktop usage Imho.
Besides TOTL DAPs I found the most striking difference to perceived SQ using UApp with my Moto G6 and W2.
That was a clear step up from IPhone.
With Amazon Music HD I found the difference not so much and I think superior to stock Tidal for my ears.
Will at some point need to compare UApp vs Amazon...

I'm considering the W2 mainly for mobile streaming, using my LG V30 as a source, while I will keep using my LPGT as a mobile source to play my library.

 

[mico1964]

Could you link the Ali cable?

This one: https://aliexpress.com/item/1005002015389662.html

 

[jeffhawke]

I have noticed the market being flooded with DAC/amp dongles in the recent months and even weeks. The W2 is certainly the main contender for the top spot in an ideal ranking. What are in the opinion of the followers of this thread the other challengers, in terms of overall performance/sound?

 

[abitdeef]

Going to be putting mine on the classifieds for 220.00 if anyone is interested PM me. I'm having phone troubles right now, and The phone is the way I intended to use it- but can't get android phone without buying one outright and dap as transport doesn't sound as good imo.

I just sent 700 dollars on iPhone but they're not letting me return or exchange it