[baskingshark]

Here's a review of the Aune Yuki dongle: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/aune-yuki.26866/reviews#review-33038

Pros:
Portable and compact
Elegant and well constructed
Independent volume control, finely tuned steps
Decent power on tap, with single-ended and balanced outputs, with high and low gain settings
No hiss with sensitive IEMs
Good soundstage and imaging
Natural timbre
Has UAC 1.0 mode for gaming devices
Gets slightly warm during usage but not hot
No "pop" sound when disconnecting transducers


Cons:
Volume buttons are located in an awkward position
No EQ, DAC filter or app options
No LED screen
Can't drive very demanding transducers (some rival dongles may output more power)
Not the most resolving dongle at this price range

 

[ClintonL]

Looking to get something to run 3.5 only for my blessing 3 looking at
PD4 Plus
Moondrop Dawn Pro
Fiio KA11
JM60

Or something in that price range, what would you guys reccomend?

 

[Takeda`1537]

Looking to get something to run 3.5 only for my blessing 3 looking at
PD4 Plus
Moondrop Dawn Pro
Fiio KA11
JM60

Or something in that price range, what would you guys reccomend?

I would mention: Shanling UA1 Plus
(have Fiio and had Moondrop .... personally Shanling had better projection / space and balance throughout the whole frequency range)

 

[superuser1]

PulWtop - Lotoo PAW S2 (line out) - RA2BFE - PULA PA02
You have no idea what this synergy is... just one word to describe it: Music

Inspired by your positive results i got something a little different to use with Shanling UA3 and H2 and DC04 Pro

 

[Polky74]

Inspired by your positive results i got something a little different to use with Shanling UA3 and H2 and DC04 Pro

...and I don't think the result is disappointing you...

 

[superuser1]

...and I don't think the result is disappointing you...

Absolutely not

 

[Ichos]

New entry from Hidizs.

The SD2

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/hidizs-sd2.27003/review/33081/

Or Hidizs SD2 review

 

[SweetCans928]

New entry from Hidizs.

The SD2

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/hidizs-sd2.27003/review/33081/

What kind of Tetris have you been playing? lol jk, nice review!

 

[Ichos]

What kind of Tetris have you been playing? lol jk, nice review!

 

[Old_Snake]

Does anyone have any comments on these Amazon dongles:
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CCVC2NFF?psc=1&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwy
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B087CP2F37
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B087CP2F37
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0CDTYZTKW?psc=1

 

[Polky74]

I was looking for news on the Astell & Kern HC4... but it's as if this dongle had never been released. No reviews, no one has bought it and tried it and no one talks about it... despite it being from a prestigious brand and at an affordable cost... strange...

 

[XTF1]

Does anyone have any comments on these Amazon dongles:
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CCVC2NFF?psc=1&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwy
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B087CP2F37
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B087CP2F37
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0CDTYZTKW?psc=1

No specific comment except they all look like generic Realtek / KTmicro / Other? integrated DAC/Amp dongles… The key missing information is what chip they use…
Doesn’t mean they’re bad, but more a lottery…But at that cost…

 

[NexusOne]

Does anyone of you know other dongles with independent volume control for iphones? These ones should be fine: Cayin Ru-6 / 7, Ifi Go Bar, Aune Yuki and Moondrop Dawn Pro. Do you know more?

 

[someyoungguy]

I was looking for news on the Astell & Kern HC4... but it's as if this dongle had never been released. No reviews, no one has bought it and tried it and no one talks about it... despite it being from a prestigious brand and at an affordable cost... strange...

I have one, been listening for a few weeks although still haven’t clocked up that many hours yet.

The only reviews I’ve seen have been in MajorHifi:
https://majorhifi.com/astell-kern-hc4-review/
https://majorhifi.com/astell-kern-ak-hc4-vs-questyle-m15-comparison-review/

My thoughts largely agree with their impressions. Nice soundstage, very detailed, definitely has a touch of that AKM Velvet Sound style - slight smoothness throughout the spectrum with perhaps a smidge of bass emphasis. Pity I no longer have the HC3 to compare it to, which was one of my favorite A&K dongles so far. The DAR switch does alter the sound somewhat, a little smoother with blacker background, but does feel a bit more “processed” sounding at times.

One interesting feature is the treble. I remember seeing a review where the reviewer described the sound of the device they were testing as like a crisp winter morning, and that’s how I feel about the treble of the HC4: sharp and fresh, although not so much it’s harsh. There’s either a bit more treble than some of my other gear (Chronos, Mojo) or the way the treble is presented on the HC4 draws my attention in more.

I haven’t been able to test the 4.4mm output yet, just the 3.5mm. All in all it’s good and worth giving a try. I’m also stumped as to why there’s so little interest in it: it’s the first A&K dongle with single-ended and balanced outputs and has a detachable cable too, you’d think there would be more enthusiasm around.

 

[Polky74]

I have one, been listening for a few weeks although still haven’t clocked up that many hours yet.

The only reviews I’ve seen have been in MajorHifi:
https://majorhifi.com/astell-kern-hc4-review/
https://majorhifi.com/astell-kern-ak-hc4-vs-questyle-m15-comparison-review/

My thoughts largely agree with their impressions. Nice soundstage, very detailed, definitely has a touch of that AKM Velvet Sound style - slight smoothness throughout the spectrum with perhaps a smidge of bass emphasis. Pity I no longer have the HC3 to compare it to, which was one of my favorite A&K dongles so far. The DAR switch does alter the sound somewhat, a little smoother with blacker background, but does feel a bit more “processed” sounding at times.

One interesting feature is the treble. I remember seeing a review where the reviewer described the sound of the device they were testing as like a crisp winter morning, and that’s how I feel about the treble of the HC4: sharp and fresh, although not so much it’s harsh. There’s either a bit more treble than some of my other gear (Chronos, Mojo) or the way the treble is presented on the HC4 draws my attention in more.

I haven’t been able to test the 4.4mm output yet, just the 3.5mm. All in all it’s good and worth giving a try. I’m also stumped as to why there’s so little interest in it: it’s the first A&K dongle with single-ended and balanced outputs and has a detachable cable too, you’d think there would be more enthusiasm around.

I read about problems with the Type C connector... but I didn't understand if the problem concerns the connector itself or the cable which they define as poor and which I wouldn't use anyway because I have a cable dedicated to dongles which is certainly better and I use it with all of them . And I couldn't find anywhere the maximum output power in mw for the 3.5mm and especially for the 4.4mm, do you know anything about it?