The discovery thread!

[Leonarfd]

Just coincidence, my perfect solution for dongle dingling has arrived.
Late discovery for me but I'm impressed!


1 Hour impressions out of the box :

Wasting my first 10 minutes to figure out connecting it via LDAC codec, turned out that Fiio app can manage all the fiio products

Pros :
+Sound Quality is on par with dongles / mid class DAP, im really impressed with the details, technicalities and sound quality. I heard the BTR5 before and this is a huge leap from that.
Sound characteristic is following Fiio recent flagships products, neutral with some dynamics, just like my big M17 rather than my M11 plus ESS. Not cold, but neither warm, just really on neutral with just little hints of analytical that helps technicalities.

+4.4mm balanced jack really useful, a rarety on similar Bluetooth dac devices

+drive power is great for the size, using high gain, it can drive Mest without problem, with still plenty of headroom

+LDAC supports, connected to apple music lossless make a chain of great source

+relatively small (even it is bigger than competitors), still very pocketable, easily grabbed on palm, or using clip to shirts or lanyard.

+good bluetooth chip.

Some cons i found :

-price is more expensive than competitors

-battery life is "only" 6 hours on paper (haven't measure it myself)

-have to buy separate clip case (or mod it). The default case doesn't have clip on it




Overall I'm very happy with the purchase. And as a bonus, I tried streaming services like netflix and youtube, with balanced connection to the Mest, while lifting up my phone, without anything attached, but at the same time hearing 3D detailed great imaging with very minimum lag. Almost lag free experience.

Nice, was annoyed with the build quality, 2.5mm and to soft buttons on Quidelix 5k.
Use it at work so it's not acceptable for me.

Sold the 5k and ordered the BTR7 during the sale, should arrive this week. Bluetooth at work is also very helpsome as its less strain on phone usb c port.

Also got a nice belt clip case, that arrived already.

 

[o0genesis0o]

but at the same time hearing 3D detailed great imaging with very minimum lag. Almost lag free experience.

Did you say 3D soundstage

FiiO is very good with bluetooth latency. My shanling UP4 can have more than 1 sec delay sometimes. The M6U does not even have AAC, so unusual with apple devices. Have been thinking about the btr7

 

[hongky]

Just coincidence, my perfect solution for dongle dingling has arrived.
Late discovery for me but I'm impressed!

Overall I'm very happy with the purchase. And as a bonus, I tried streaming services like netflix and youtube, with balanced connection to the Mest, while lifting up my phone, without anything attached, but at the same time hearing 3D detailed great imaging with very minimum lag. Almost lag free experience.

If your phone support Aptx Adaptive, you should try it
Lower power consumption & latency, also I can't hear difference in sound quality compare to LDAC

 

[Laleo]

Any 3D print genius, please make a universal case

1: holds most of DAC dongles
2: holds high capacity replaceable mobile battery which is wirelessly chargeable
3: make the case easily detachable
4: make it sleek and stylish, maybe with leather skin
5: make it breathable as dongles generally heats up while operating, need a proper ventilation, maybe consider air cooling structure

Make it a cloud funding and I surely will invest!

This is why I wait for a kind of RU7 + bluetooth+ clip/case with clip. Much more portable way to use iem daily..
You don't need a TWS in addition.
And you can always use usb-c connection when you use train commute as such or in the living room (not near the stack dac+amp)
And with such quality product you won't loose very much to SQ vs portability.

 

[WILLJS]

Any 3D print genius, please make a universal case

1: holds most of DAC dongles
2: holds high capacity replaceable mobile battery which is wirelessly chargeable
3: make the case easily detachable
4: make it sleek and stylish, maybe with leather skin
5: make it breathable as dongles generally heats up while operating, need a proper ventilation, maybe consider air cooling structure

Make it a cloud funding and I surely will invest!

i made this one for fiio btr3k, maybe some thing similar
https://www.tinkercad.com/things/bYzSjusj9JI-btr3k-stacking-bracket-mk-5

 

[PhonoPhi]

does it lag badly when using it as laptop dongle?

and that warmth is often repeated impression. how is it compared to things like BTR5 (or Fiio sound) if you have one

The "warmth" of BHD pro is relatively to a neutral Cirrus, and then graceful there.
ESS warmth is much more prominent in general.
I have not used BTR5 for quite long somehow, so it was nice to revisit. I grabbed TangZu Princess Le for comparison. BTR5 warmth is with ESS mid thinkness/density - much more prominent (I had a warm ESS-based DAP before, after which HD Pro felt dead plain).
BHD pro is still airy and spacious with the treble still fully there (whichever this simple DD can give) - both are nice to my ears. with thicker more prominent warmth of BTR5 still working for me after airy Cirrus.

I do not expect any delay problems of dongles with laptops compared to wireless (I do not use much laptops for music). I will ask my son to check with games larer today and let you know, if any unlikely problems.

Just ordered this. DD hifi product so at least that’s for audio!

As Dac dongle sucks battery so fast on already half-dead iphone that I’m using, and I recently got motivated from Cayin RU6 to invest further effort into a practical portable solution for dac dongle with portability.

1: I need an external battery to supplement
2: Maybe a better performance on DAC dongle than weak iphone BUS-power? I don’t know so I’m gonna try it myself.




for iphone folks(iphone is moving to USB-C as well maybe from next model?)
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mLAIyeC

for android folks:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_m0mpxnq

Anyway, I ordered one for lightning.

Let‘s see a myth of “external power source mixed to DAC dongle” would do any job to the sound output.

That’s a hope, but at least half of my problem “ battery drain” shall be solved

The "myth" (and the awful one) is of the cables attenuating the sound, as per many sh...ers here seducing the gullibles... though an amazing "lithmus test" for the credibility of the reviewers.

The external power is recommended by the engineer behind E1DA, they even provide the cable splitter. The difference externally powering the dongle like E1DA SG3 compared to a weaker phone, like my S10, is substantial. The simple physics of it is the powerful capacitor rail.

As for the $30 DD splitter, $5-$20 splitters are easily available - with or without wires - the choice is paying for aesthetics or audiophilicity.

 

[awacs7n]

maybe not in resolution, but with tuning it may be one of my best iems under $100, maybe the best. ivipq 100, only 47 euros. a really well-tuned iems, warm and light tiring. it performs most things above the average for its price, I was very surprised when I first heard it. I didn't expect such a smooth tuning from a small company. The fact that the iems I ordered in the $200 band are good does not affect me, but this impressed me and I can only experience this feeling a few times a year in this budget segment.

I retract my claim of the best dynamic driver I've heard for under $100. I don't know why, but I listened to the iems with a graphene cable for a long time, and I wrote the review text yesterday. When I listened to it with a standard cable in the evening, there were serious differences. When I switched to standard cable, the treble extension success dropped and the bass started to roll slightly. I don't think anyone would order a $50 graphene cable to continue hearing the detailed highs, even though the mid frequencies are still emerging with the silver cable. It's still one of the best in the budget segment, but for $100, it would be too ambitious to call it the best dynamic driver iems I've heard, so I'm undecided between replacing the review text entirely or adding to it. I didn't know the cable changed the sound that much. Graphene cable has very bright and detailed highs, I'm still undecided. The bass is average quality with the standard cable plugged in, I guess I need to seriously edit the review.

 

[o0genesis0o]

I retract my claim of the best dynamic driver I've heard for under $100. I don't know why, but I listened to the iems with a graphene cable for a long time, and I wrote the review text yesterday. When I listened to it with a standard cable in the evening, there were serious differences. When I switched to standard cable, the treble extension success dropped and the bass started to roll slightly. I don't think anyone would order a $50 graphene cable to continue hearing the detailed highs, even though the mid frequencies are still emerging with the silver cable. It's still one of the best in the budget segment, but for $100, it would be too ambitious to call it the best dynamic driver iems I've heard, so I'm undecided between replacing the review text entirely or adding to it. I didn't know the cable changed the sound that much. Graphene cable has very bright and detailed highs, I'm still undecided. The bass is average quality with the standard cable plugged in, I guess I need to seriously edit the review.

I don’t know about whether/how material can impact sound, but I have borrowed a DIY cable based on some sorts of speaker or headphone cable recently. The change in tonality is very obvious, but not always in a positive way. It messed up the midrange and treble of U12t, but its wonkiness works with the P8 positively. Unfortunately I was not able to measure FR and impedance of the cable before sending back. Still, a curious and rare phenomenon. My experience with cables so far have been negligible at best and negative at worse.

 

[shez.]

compared to a weaker phone, like my S10, is substantial.

S10 has a weak output power from its USB Type-C 3.1?

 

[awacs7n]

I don’t know about whether/how material can impact sound, but I have borrowed a DIY cable based on some sorts of speaker or headphone cable recently. The change in tonality is very obvious, but not always in a positive way. It messed up the midrange and treble of U12t, but its wonkiness works with the P8 positively. Unfortunately I was not able to measure FR and impedance of the cable before sending back. Still, a curious and rare phenomenon. My experience with cables so far have been negligible at best and negative at worse.

until yesterday I thought the cable had very little effect on the sound and I probably wouldn't even notice the difference. maybe the standard cable was showing too much resistance, I've tried various cable replacements before but haven't heard any difference in sound.

It's hard to say if it's the same, but I only experienced a similar one when I upgraded the blon bl 03 cable, and I knew it was because of the blon's crappy cable. so I still don't think the cable works very well in a positive way. in my personal opinion there is no good cable, old is bad

 

[shez.]

I don’t know about whether/how material can impact sound, but I have borrowed a DIY cable based on some sorts of speaker or headphone cable recently. The change in tonality is very obvious, but not always in a positive way.

This is what cables do. I do all my cables myself, and in every cable the secret sauce is not a cable material, it is a solder that does most changes in the sound.
There are old-school Russian audiophile forums that exist, names Shabad. People there try to make a research of every solder for it's chemical and material structure, in order to find ideal solder that do not makes any changes to the sound.

 

[DynamicEars]

I'm also thinking of moving away from dongles. Using dongles with iPhones is not a solution. Even with more energy-efficient dongles like Penon Tail or LP W4, the battery of my iPhone 12 still dies fast. I have a friend with a FiiO BTR7, and I must borrow it for a test. Thanks for the impressions!

With dongles, I really have problem to keep my battery life for the day, and when attached, lifting up my phone with cables and dongle connected is a hassle, especially when watching videos.
Thats the main cons with dongles.

Nice, was annoyed with the build quality, 2.5mm and to soft buttons on Quidelix 5k.
Use it at work so it's not acceptable for me.

Sold the 5k and ordered the BTR7 during the sale, should arrive this week. Bluetooth at work is also very helpsome as its less strain on phone usb c port.

Also got a nice belt clip case, that arrived already.

Nice mate, can't wait for your thoughts about it too.

Did you say 3D soundstage

FiiO is very good with bluetooth latency. My shanling UP4 can have more than 1 sec delay sometimes. The M6U does not even have AAC, so unusual with apple devices. Have been thinking about the btr7

Well the 3D soundstage actually was the benefit of using the Mest to watch movie
But yeah the BTR7 made it possible. Fiio restricted the M17 to watch streaming app.
With dongles, it is possible but with strain from the usb port and the dongles hanging around surely isn't best solution for it.
The bluetooth receiver with 4.4mm balanced port will be great solution.

 

[PhonoPhi]

S10 has a weak output power from its USB Type-C 3.1?

I am not sure about 3.1, but that would be relevant for the input. The output is weak, the battery alone is quite limited.
Even using Dattery battery (quite old now), with the claimed output of 1.0 A, I was surprised of the difference compared to using a Samsung charger powering E1DA SG3.
I use externally powered E1DA as a reference, since I do not have any desktop amps.

This is what cables do. I do all my cables myself, and in every cable the secret sauce is not a cable material, it is a solder that does most changes in the sound.
There are old-school Russian audiophile forums that exist, names Shabad. People there try to make a research of every solder for it's chemical and material structure, in order to find ideal solder that do not makes any changes to the sound.

OK. Here is the new word, new magic sauce
Not capacitance, and inductance, not even palladium and graphene - solder!

Surely, solders should matter significantly as a potential weak link for otherwise good low-resistance cables.
Your context reminded me of a story about astronauts and pens and pencil
Why not just use solderless joints or the least make sure that you have a good metal-metal contact instead of metal-solder-metal to eliminate direct heterojunctions and thus avoiding most of potential problems. (OK, that was a boring technical point; I am all for the great self-empowering DIY compared to just gullibly buying those "magic" graphene and palladium cables promoted in free-sample ads).

P. S. Edited for typos

 

[AmericanSpirit]

The "warmth" of BHD pro is relatively to a neutral Cirrus, and then graceful there.
ESS warmth is much more prominent in general.
I have not used BTR5 for quite long somehow, so it was nice to revisit. I grabbed TangZu Princess Le for comparison. BTR5 warmth is with ESS mid thinkness/density - much more prominent (I had a warm ESS-based DAP before, after which HD Pro felt dead plain).
BHD pro is still airy and spacious with the treble still fully there (whichever this simple DD can give) - both are nice to my ears. with thicker more prominent warmth of BTR5 still working for me after airy Cirrus.

I do not expect any delay problems of dongles with laptops compared to wireless (I do not use much laptops for music). I will ask my son to check with games larer today and let you know, if any unlikely problems.

The "myth" (and the awful one) is of the cables attenuating the sound, as per many sh...ers here seducing the gullibles... though an amazing "lithmus test" for the credibility of the reviewers.

The external power is recommended by the engineer behind E1DA, they even provide the cable splitter. The difference externally powering the dongle like E1DA SG3 compared to a weaker phone, like my S10, is substantial. The simple physics of it is the powerful capacitor rail.

As for the $30 DD splitter, $5-$20 splitters are easily available - with or without wires - the choice is paying for aesthetics or audiophilicity.

Thanks, very comprehensive summary

 

[shez.]

I am not sure about 3.1, but that would be relevant for the input. The output is weak, the battery alone is quite limited.
Even using Dattery battery (quite old now), with the claimed output of 1.0 A, I was surprised of the difference compared to using a Samsung charger powering E1DA SG3.
I use externally powered E1DA as a reference, since I do not have any desktop amps.

OK. Here is the new word, new magic sauce
Not capacitance, and inductance, not even palladium and graphene - solder!

Surely, solders should matter significantly as a potential weak link for otherwise good low-resistance cables.
Your context reminded me of a story about astronauts and pens and pencil
Why not just use solderless joints or the least make sure that you have a good metal-metal contact instead of metal-solder-metal to eliminate direct heterojunctions and thus avoiding most of potential problems. (OK, that was a boring technical point; I am all for the great self-empowering DIY compared to just gullibly buying those "magic" graphene and palladium cables promoted in free-sample ads).

P. S. Edited for typos

Because solderless joints negatively affect the sound quality.
We all hear differently, there are a well know reviewers that do not hear the difference in the sound by changing the cable, and I know enough people that make a DIY audio staff, and they can easily describe a house sound of SS-47, Mundorf or WBT solders.