[noplsestar]

Everyone who has the M15 seems to like it really well. I only, and can only, use the 3.5mm out as I'm going into an unbalanced RCA tube preamp and all my use is 100% home stereo like next to my record player, home stereo....
I've heard that the M12 and m15 are different but similar I could save a hundred bucks by getting the 12 unless it's lesser... Someone responded that it's different maybe grainier but not lesser. questyle themselves responded to me that they're the same through the 3.5 out but they cited numbers - that weren't the same - for output to show me that they are the same

I had the M12 and then the M15 and only used the SE out, too. All I can say: there is no night and day difference. But the M15 seemed to be the one with a bit more mature tuning. Also, as @TheFritz mentioned, the manual gain is better with the M15.
Of course you could also wait for the CMA18P that will be released in the next months, but that one is quite bigger and also will probably cost between $ 500-800. So I would get the M15 … maybe used, so you won’t give out more money than for a new M12

 

[InvisibleInk]

Everyone who has the M15 seems to like it really well. I only, and can only, use the 3.5mm out as I'm going into an unbalanced RCA tube preamp and all my use is 100% home stereo like next to my record player, home stereo....
I've heard that the M12 and m15 are different but similar I could save a hundred bucks by getting the 12 unless it's lesser... Someone responded that it's different maybe grainier but not lesser. questyle themselves responded to me that they're the same through the 3.5 out but they cited numbers - that weren't the same - for output to show me that they are the same

Have you considered this guy?

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/lotoo-paw-s2.25665/reviews

An optional AUX line out mode to your preamp's RCA connectors seems like a good idea.

 

[brjoon1021]

Thank You for that recommendation. Yes it is one that I am checking out along with the new Aune Yuki, M15 and especially the iBasso DC-elite that should be out pretty soon I think.
The DC elite is supposed to have a great output / gain stage - they are calling it the first but isnt that what the questyle have ? see attacged

 

[brjoon1021]

Hidizs S9 Pro Plus Martha looks interesting.

After a few hours of listening my phone battery drained almost entirely while the brick remains 100 percent charged. Is that what you guys who are using the brick / hub mod are experiencing ? Wouldn't that suggest that the phone battery is doing more than just powering the hub internals ?

 

[brjoon1021]

Thanks again

 

[Fourier transformer]

Coming Soon : Hidizs S9 Pro Plus Martha - HiFi Balanced Dongle DAC

We've named Hidizs S9 Pro Plus "Martha" because "Martha" was the name of the last surviving female Passenger Pigeon, the largest flocking bird species ever to have existed on Earth. After 109 years since the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon, in commemoration of this magnificent species, the professional acoustic brand, Hidizs, has chosen to name their third-generation HiFi Balanced Dongle DAC , the S9 Pro Plus, as "Martha."

This “Martha” choice serves as a reminder that our world is one of diversity, where we cherish nature and life. Through this unique naming approach, we hope to encourage more people to remember these beautiful creatures. If this is your first encounter with the Passenger Pigeon through Hidizs, then we've truly achieved our purpose.

https://www.hidizs.net/products/hidizs-s9-pro-plus-martha-hifi-balanced-dongle-dac

 

[TheFritz]

A small add-on for those who want to use the USB-Hub-"mod" in a pure desk-setup. You can also connect one of these media-keyboards (e.g. Fiio KB1 or KB1k for about 15 EUR/USD) to the hub to give you remote functionalities (play/pause/skip/back, mute, volume ...) for those dongles which don't have (software-)volume keys. For other dongles with remote control keys there may be a conflict which keys (those on the dongle or on KB1) are valid. It works with most of my android devices and even the iPhone/iPad.
However this defeats a bit the purpose of having "exclusive" and clean power delivery to the dongle alone... but I did not notice any difference. Does not make so much sense in my "portable" setup but may be very convenient for desk use.

 

[haiI]

Check AliExpress I bought the DC04 Pro from them for 85 US

Link?

 

[povidlo]

Hub tweak looks interesting, but it's not for me. I use dongles with my s23 phone, when moving around and not being stationary. There's another tweak that can be tried, I'm using isilencer+ (usb c to c). Adding it to the chain definitely makes things more cumbersome, but is still manageable on the move. And it's not day and night difference in terms of sound quality. But isilencer+ does seem to slightly improve sq with most dongles I've tried it with in this scenario. With ru7, I noticed somewhat of a dynamic range improvement through better perceived vertical extension, high and low. Depth of field seems to have slightly increased as well.

 

[Ichos]

Forgot to post here, the FiiO KA13 Review.
Plenty of power for a USB DAC dongle with neutral tuning.

 

[Hal Rockwell]

I use those kind of stacks all the time in order to keep my phone's battery from depleting.

 

[TheFritz]

I use those kind of stacks all the time in order to keep my phone's battery from depleting.

Same here. I also add sometimes some super capacitors - the Douk U5 really benefits from it (much better dynamics for power hungry headphones). However this goes a bit in the direction of the Chinese audiophile in the subway meme and I use this monster only at home.

The hub "mod" is however an improvement to simple y-split-USB-wires because it allows clean and exclusive power supply without preventing the detection of DACs by the host in some cases.

Edit: Nice knob on the U5 BTW.

 

[Hal Rockwell]

Same here. I also add sometimes some super capacitors - the Douk U5 really benefits from it (much better dynamics for power hungry headphones). However this goes a bit in the direction of the Chinese audiophile in the subway meme and I use this monster only at home.

The hub "mod" is however an improvement to simple y-split-USB-wires because it allows clean and exclusive power supply without preventing the detection of DACs by the host in some cases.

Edit: Nice knob on the U5 BTW.

What's that supercap supposed to filter out?

 

[TheFritz]

What's that supercap supposed to filter out?

In this specific case it does not "filter" much (battery power is clean anyway) - but it delivers DC current much faster than a battery or a power supply (not as fast as a "normal capacitor") and is a reservoir of quickly available peak power. You will immediately notice it when connecting really demanding headphones (like HE6se) to the U5 (not the best combination but feasible) where a "chemical" battery can not cope with the peak demands from the U5/HE6 and the bass heavily distorts without it (becomes also visible when the U5 LED flickers). The super cap dynamically pumps some charge into the amp in these situations but is quickly re-charged from the constant (!) flow from the battery.
The same is valid for other amps like my Zen Can (there is a thread about its power supply and super caps somewhere here by the designer of the Zen Can).
This may be however less relevant if you only want to drive dynamic IEMs.

 

[Comrade Penguin]

Is anyone else struggling to get hold of the Moondrop Dawn Pro? I've had an order in with Shenzen Audio for nearly 4 weeks now and still no sign of it even dispatching :/