USB-C to 3.5mm adapters (DAC) - Let's find the best

[PixelSquish]

The Sennheiser Momentum is better than your Meze ?

Not better just much more convenient and still sound very lively and fun. The lack of wires is just great. Touch controls on each bud make changing and pausing tracks a breeze. Ambient hearing makes talking to neighbors easier when I walk my dog, or I can just take a bud out and the music stops. They are just better on the go - now that I will start taking the subway again they will also be more convenient there too and add in some ANC when on mass transit too. I mostly always listen to my IEM's when on the move, and use my over the ear cans when at home so there you go.

But I'd like to start using the Meze more again, and step one would be to get a dongle that really works for me.

 

[Sunstealer]

Hi everyone. Just stumbled on this thread looking for ideas. Just pulled the trigger on an iBasso DC01 for my Oneplus 6 running Neutron. I have a pair of CA Solaris.

I settled on the DC01 as it was the only dongle DAC that I could see that natively decoded DSD256 (most of my music). I am also looking at the Fiio BTR5 (in wired mode). Are there any other dongles that will natively decode DSD256 AND have a balanced (2.5mm or 4.4mm) output?

Many thanks.

 

[artpiggo]

Hi everyone. Just stumbled on this thread looking for ideas. Just pulled the trigger on an iBasso DC01 for my Oneplus 6 running Neutron. I have a pair of CA Solaris.

I settled on the DC01 as it was the only dongle DAC that I could see that natively decoded DSD256 (most of my music). I am also looking at the Fiio BTR5 (in wired mode). Are there any other dongles that will natively decode DSD256 AND have a balanced (2.5mm or 4.4mm) output?

Many thanks.

Lotoo paw s1?

 

[baskingshark]

Hi everyone. Just stumbled on this thread looking for ideas. Just pulled the trigger on an iBasso DC01 for my Oneplus 6 running Neutron. I have a pair of CA Solaris.

I settled on the DC01 as it was the only dongle DAC that I could see that natively decoded DSD256 (most of my music). I am also looking at the Fiio BTR5 (in wired mode). Are there any other dongles that will natively decode DSD256 AND have a balanced (2.5mm or 4.4mm) output?

Many thanks.

There's a newly released Tempotec Sonata BHD. $70 USD on aliexpress, but seems they have some promotion for discount for early adopters. 2.5 mm output, natively decodes DSD 256.
I haven't tried it, but specs look quite good, and I had a good experience with their Tempotec Sonata HD and HD Pro.



Specifications
DAC chip: Two CS43131
SNR: 129dB
HP Out : 120MW/32ohms 20MW/600ohms
Level: 2VRMS
THD+N: -113dB
Crosstalk: greater than 118dB (32 ohms)
PCM : up to 32bit/384kHz
DSD : to DSD256 (NATIVE) DSD128 (DOP)
Hiby Music APP: Support exclusive
PC: Exclusive ASIO driver
Volume control: independent hardware volume control

 

[Sunstealer]

Lotoo paw s1?

DSD128 only. Shame, it would have been a good choice for me as I was thinking about a PAW6000 but have now decided to downscale.

There's a newly released Tempotec Sonata BHD. $70 USD on aliexpress, but seems they have some promotion for discount for early adopters. 2.5 mm output, natively decodes DSD 256.
I haven't tried it, but specs look quite good, and I had a good experience with their Tempotec Sonata HD and HD Pro.



Specifications
DAC chip: Two CS43131
SNR: 129dB
HP Out : 120MW/32ohms 20MW/600ohms
Level: 2VRMS
THD+N: -113dB
Crosstalk: greater than 118dB (32 ohms)
PCM : up to 32bit/384kHz
DSD : to DSD256 (NATIVE) DSD128 (DOP)
Hiby Music APP: Support exclusive
PC: Exclusive ASIO driver
Volume control: independent hardware volume control

I will look into this one, thank you very much. What does it mean by Hiby Music App support exclusive?

EDIT: Had a look, very tempting but I'll wait for some reviews. I'll probably pick up a BTR5 anyway as soon as some USB C cables arrive.

 

[baskingshark]

DSD128 only. Shame, it would have been a good choice for me as I was thinking about a PAW6000 but have now decided to downscale.



I will look into this one, thank you very much. What does it mean by Hiby Music App support exclusive?

EDIT: Had a look, very tempting but I'll wait for some reviews. I'll probably pick up a BTR5 anyway as soon as some USB C cables arrive.

I think it works especially well with the Hiby Music app. This app is free, I actually use it on my smartphone, pretty good stuff.

I'll also wait for some reviews, but if anyone gets it do let us know how it sounds!

 

[Sunstealer]

I got the tempotec down to £51 with coupons, almost pulled the trigger but I think I want the btr5 more. I need to listen to the dc01 first! First world problems.

I used hiby music on the Cayin n5ii and N6ii. A frustrating experience, especially in layout and playlist creation.

 

[Arion128]

More DD Hifi adapters for those using phones

 

[paulwasabii]

What does the latest firmware actually do? I have older firmware on my Sonata HD Pro and works fine?

If it ain't broke, don't fix it lol

Found out today it is a bit broken on my new LG Velvet. No audio and similar UAPP buffers but time never increments.

Tried the new firmware but no luck yet. I sent them an email.

 

[TheVortex]

Found out today it is a bit broken on my new LG Velvet. No audio and similar UAPP buffers but time never increments.

Tried the new firmware but no luck yet. I sent them an email.

Best of luck to you and with my old Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 it works fine surprisingly.

 

[zbyte]

Looking for a USB C to 3.5mm dongle for my Samsung phone, good quality sound if possible but I wouldn't mind a simpler device. My main concern is the battery and size of the dongle. Dongle dacs are usually larger and would like to avoid that. I have a PDv2 and waiting anxiously on 9038D but these are power hungry so for casual exercising, running etc looking for the best possible sound in a simpler low energy format. Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[baskingshark]

Looking for a USB C to 3.5mm dongle for my Samsung phone, good quality sound if possible but I wouldn't mind a simpler device. My main concern is the battery and size of the dongle. Dongle dacs are usually larger and would like to avoid that. I have a PDv2 and waiting anxiously on 9038D but these are power hungry so for casual exercising, running etc looking for the best possible sound in a simpler low energy format. Thanks in advance for your comments.

I would rec the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro. It only has non balanced output, but it doesn't suck that much battery on my Samsung Note 5. Very good neutralish sound with low output impedance (good for highly sensitive finicky type multi BA IEMs). But you might need to check with the rest on compatibility with smartphones, as some models may not be compatible.

 

[zbyte]

Have a note 20 with KZ ZSX, the simpler dongles will pass through the sound of the phone's internal dac correct? My note 9 with these iems sounded just fine considering

 

[baskingshark]

Have a note 20 with KZ ZSX, the simpler dongles will pass through the sound of the phone's internal dac correct? My note 9 with these iems sounded just fine considering

Not sure about Note 20, but for my Note 5, I must use an app such as Hiby Music app (it is free), and go inside the app's settings to allow "exclusive HQ USB audio access" and put USB audio perfomance mode on.

If u are using your set for purely exercise, I gave up on cables cause they tend to snag stuff during gym stuff. I usually use TWS or some BT adapters like TRN BT20/BT20S for exercise, sound isn't that far away from wired gear actually, and the convenience it brings outweighs the cables I feel. There's some roll off at the higher treble and subbass but most of the time it ain't noticable during outdoor exercise anyway.

 

[niyonsv]

Only now I found this comment. My Sonata HD Pro was shipped on 24th June and got delivered on 29th July. So it is less likely it have that firmware already installed. Did you flash this firmware? What difference did it make after flashing? At present I don't have my PC near me, most probably I could flash this only after two weeks. ☹

Though I do have an issue with this DAC that I've to unplug and replug it everytime my music is stopped or played anything outside from the playlist, while using it with my Lenovo ZUK Z2 Plus phone. Also it doesn't work with my OnePlus 7T at present, don't know what's the issue.

Just updated the firmware and it's working flawlessly on my OnePlus 7T. There was issue with it before that it doesn't start playback and another issue that the audio of the phone just stops entirely even after removing the DAC and needed a reboot to get it worked. Everything is fixed now.