EPZ TP50

Introduction:

EPZ is one of many chifi companies that focus on bringing the best value audio product into the market. They have a wide range of products in their catalog, from cheap to expensive iems and tws to accessories like eartips and cables, as well as different dac/amp dongles.

They have released a few good dongles before this, which are called the TP20, TP30. The TP20 was one of the cheapest dongles at the time to have a dual CS43131 DAC chip, while the TP30 is known to be a high performance dongle with an ESS DAC chip.

And now, after a continuous effort to improve their product, they have released two new dongles, the TP20 Pro - an upgrade to the TP20, and their new flagship - the TP50. In this review, I'll be talking about the TP50.

Disclaimer: EPZ has sent the TP50 as a touring reviewing unit in Vietnam in exchange for an honest review and feedback. I did not receive any financial benefit as well as influences on how to do this review. Everything I said in this review is my subjective opinion only.

Unboxing:

The unboxing of the EPZ TP50 is relatively straightforward. The TP50 arrived in a very modest and simple box. You just need to pull the tab out and it’ll reveal the dongle and the otg cable inside, along with a certificate note and a note that has some technical details regarding the TP50 on it.


The TP50 is the first dongle from EPZ to be equipped with a dual CS43198 DAC chip.

Design:

The TP50 is made out of an aluminum chasis in a purple colorway, with a carbon fiber patterned faceplate on both sides. There’s a small oled screen on one side that lets you see some of the settings. More on those settings later

On the side, there are 3 buttons, 2 of which let you control the volume (+ to turn up the volume and – to turn down the volume) and the “M” button, which stands for “Mode”, lets you control the settings for the TP50.

There’s not much I'd like to comment about the design of the TP50. I have no problem with it, although objectively, the TP50 is on a bigger side of the dongle world.

The TP50 weighs around 28 grams in real life. So not too heavy, but not too light either.

Features

Press the M key twice to light up the screen, long press the M key to enter function switching, click +/- to increase or decrease the volume by 1 (0-100), and long press +/- to continuously increase or decrease the volume.

In the setting menus, here are all the options:

Sound impression:

Now of course, I can’t exactly describe the sound of a dac/amp on its own, without using some sound transducers as well as comparing it with many other sources to have a better sense of referencing.

For that reason, during this review, i’ve paired the EPZ with some of these iems:

- Simgot EA1000 – My benchmark iem for under 200$

- Penon Serial – Relatively hard to drive, use it to also check bass texture along with timbre

- Michael Bruce’s Glamdring – A modded S12, used to check stage

- BQEYZ Cloud – A vocal and treble centrice iem

- TGXears Totem – A very hard to drive earbuds

As for comparison and to make some points of reference, I’ll compare the TP50 with

- Ibasso DC04 Pro

- Hiby FC6

- Chord Mojo.

I would describe the sound of the EPZ TP50 as neutral, natural and with a slight analytical feeling to it. The bass of the TP50 is very fast, tight and well controlled. The subbass and midbass seems to be equally spread out with no emphasis. Midrange is also very neutral with a high degree of transparency (dare I say “digital”) to it. It's a bit on a dryer side. There’s no sense of pinna glare that I can spot on TP50. Treble is well extended, pronounced yet smooth.

Technicalities wise, the TP50 gives me a decently wide sense of stage with great imaging. The TP50 is an overall very resolving dongle.

For a more relative context on how the TP50 performs compared to the others, please continue reading for the comparison parts

Synergy wise, the TP50 can synergize with almost any gears due to how neutral it was. However, if you want some heavy dose of coloration or warmth, substances to the timbre and noteweight, the TP50 is definitely not for you.

Playing with filters: One of the many features of the TP50 is the option for you to pick what filter you’d want for the DAC. There are 5 filter options for the TP50. They are: Fast LL, Fast PC, Slow LL, Slow PC and NOS. After my thorough listening sessions and to the best of my abilities, here’s what I found about the filters:

Between all 5, I'd consider the Slow PC and the Fast LL to have the most differences between each other. As the name would suggest, both of these filters affect the attack and the decay of the notes as well as the note density and the rhythm of the songs. The Slow PC sounds just a bit warmer to me, whereas the Fast LL sounds a bit colder, more analytical. The NOS stands in the middle ground with its neutrality while the Slow LL and Fast PC are too small of a difference to the rest for me to truly notice it. Slow PC and Slow LL just sounds too identical, same thing for Fast PC and Fast LL

Even after all that, I'd still think the differences between the filters are very minute. If I switch the filters in a quick interval then sure, it’s easier for me to spot some difference. But most of the time, I don't even remember which filter I'm using. So it’s safe to say that for most folks out there, just pick a filter setting that you like and then leave it be.

Objectively speaking, the NOS filter seems to lower the amplitude of the upper midrange and the treble region by less than 1db. In real life hearing, I still find it very hard to spot those differences.

NOS is the red line. Every other filter measures relatively the same.

I’m using the Glamdring/Modded S12 to measure it. I just insert the iem into the coupler, leave it to stay still and change the filter on the dongle.

Driving power: The EPZ TP50 is a decently powered dongle, enough to bring many iem of choices to a desireable loudness level and sound quality.

With the Simgot EA1000 and the BQEYZ Cloud, the TP50 has done justice for both of these iem in terms of dynamic rendering, stage presentation and stays true to its original DNA. Even if the TP50 is not a perfect source, I didn't find myself actively searching for any improvement for the 2 iems when using the TP50.

With the Penon Serial, the timbre sounds acceptably good, it’s just that I wished for the midrange to have more life, more coloration to it. For it to sound more “musical” you’d say. The bass texture on this iem is also in an acceptable range. It’s neutral, natural but not very dense and velvety.

For Glamdring – a magnetic planar iem, the TP50 can drive it with no problem. Listening to it with a 4.4 balanced cable, i have to set it at vol 77 to have a 75db range of listening level. So there is still a lot of headroom’s left.

Using TGXear Totem, I have to use the TP50 at high gain with 100/100 of volume to get my desired volume level, although I do like to listen at around 75-80 db. At this volume, it sounds quite decent, but the bass dynamic was not there yet for me. Before, I was using the Chord Mojo with the Cypher Labs Duet amp, so I know the upper limit of the Totem, that it can still be improved, source synergy wise.

Still, if your using cases are mostly with iem, i do think you can yield quite a satisfied result with the TP50.

Sound comparison:

1/ Ibasso DC04 Pro.

These dongles are at the same price range. The TP50 is selling for 110$ on EPZ Store on Aliexpress, whereas the DC04 Pro is selling for 119$ Linsoul. But a long time has passed since its release so there are many other stores on Aliexpress that sell the DC04 Pro at a lower price.

So what are the differences between these two?

First, outside of the sound perspective, the DC04 Pro is a bit smaller. The DC04 Pro has glass panels on both sides, which means that the DC04 Pro is more prone to micro scratches. The EPZ TP50 also has wayyy many more features than the Ibasso DC04 Pro. The TP50 now has an oled screen and the M button to let you control the settings of the TP50. And in that setting menu, there are a lot more options for you to play with.

Of course the Ibasso DC04Pro does have its own app to adjust the settings, but still. Since i mainly use dongles with my laptop instead of my phone, i found the ability to adjust the settings of the TP50 through M button and its screen a way more appealing option than to disconnect the DC04 Pro, connect it to an Android phone (did i mention that you can’t have that Ibasso app on Iphone?), change the settings, disconnect it and then connect it to the laptop to use it again. That’s way too much of a hassle.

Sound wise, the EPZ sounds a touch fuller in note definition with even better technicalities. Both of the dongles have a relatively similar sound profile, having neutral-ish tonality with not much coloration. However, dynamically, I felt the EPZ TP50 is better than the DC04 Pro because when using the DC04 Pro, I felt that something was amiss with the Serial, like the string plucking sensation was not fully captivated. I felt less of that on the TP50. Midrange sounds a bit fuller (very minute) and more musical on the TP50 due to that little bit more of note definition. The treble sounds sharper/harsher on the DC04 Pro. More piercing, but just a little.

Both of these dongles have great staging and imaging capabilities already, but the TP50 still edges over the DC04 Pro from my testing. The stage size of the EPZ TP50 sits between the DC04 Pro and the Cayin RU7 (which is a dongle that has the widest stage size I've ever heard). Imaging was just a touch sharper, but that’s basically it.

2/ Hiby FC6.

Ah yes. The legendary R2R dongle, one that reigned top 1 along with Centrance DACPort HD on Dongle Madness. How are the Hiby FC6 different from the TP50?

Build wise, I like the build of the TP50 more. The FC6 has a smaller form factor than the TP50, yes. But the TP50 felt way sturdier, the buttons are easier to touch (compared to the FC6 with its leather case on). The setting button on the FC6 felt way cheaper than the TP50’s.

Feature wise, the TP50 now has an additional 4.4 balance port, so it can deliver way more power than the FC6 with its 3.5mm port alone. In the menu settings, both the FC6 and TP50 let you choose many different filters. The filters on the FC6 have more of an impact when switching from NOS and OS. For the sake of this review, I'll keep the FC6 at NOS mode, comparing it against TP50’s Slow PC filter.

The FC6 sounds way warmer than the TP50. Stage size is the easiest thing to notice, because the stage on the FC6 is very intimate, vocals and midrange takes more of a frontal stage. The bass sounds denser, more sluggish on the FC6, pairing it with a softer, less crisp treble and it gives you that warmer sensation. The midrange on the TP50 is a bit dryer and more analytical than the FC6.

Imaging is a bit sharper on the TP50 as well, layering between instruments is better due to having a bit more breathing room.

3/Chord Mojo

Last but not least, the Chord Mojo. Chord Mojo was not even in the same price bracket as the TP50. The Mojo wasn’t even a dongle. However, the Chord Mojo was my best source at the time of this review, as well as the source that I used the most for my audio sessions, so I felt like I should compare the Mojo against the TP50.

Normally, I'd say the Chord Mojo is just the Hiby FC6 on steroids, sound and power wise. So if i have to comment about the sound quality of Mojo vs TP50, i would say the Mojo is definitely also warmer than the TP50. The bass region packs more authority and vibrancy to it, more so in the texture and less in the quantity. It’s more well controlled than the FC6’s. Midrange sounds a bit more natural, more organic as opposed to a bit colder, analytical leaning midrange of the TP50. This is not a bad thing per se, just something to be noticed.

The treble sounds a bit smoother, more fluid as well. Sound stage wise, I think the TP50 sounds wider than the Chord Mojo with an edge sharper layering. The Chord Mojo stage is a bit more rounded or more holographic. Safe to say, i enjoy both the stage presentation on these 2 sources.

Power wise, the Mojo is immensely more powerful. It can drive the TGXear Totem on its own way better, which is to be expected.

Conclusion:

Even with all the cons i may have mentioned, the EPZ TP50 is one of the most bang for buck dongles i’ve ever used. For such a long time, the Ibasso DC04 Pro has been my benchmark for what a dongle should bring to the table and how much a good dac/amp should cost. But now, with the arrival of the TP50, the bar has been raised yet again because now you can expect even more from a dongle with your hard earned money. Good dongles are getting cheap and cheap dongles are getting good.

I highly recommend this dongle.

That’s it for my review and thank you for reading.

★ Introduction :-


EPZ Audio is a new Chinese company specializing in audio equipment and accessories, known for their innovative designs and budget friendly high quality products.They offer a variety of items including earphones and audio cables. EPZ Audio has focused on providing exceptional sound performance and they also consider things like comfort, durability and stylish so they often incorporate the technologies and materials into their products to ensure an immersive audio experience for their customers. They committed to being at the forefront of audio innovation and meeting the evolving needs of customers in the audio industry. Although they have not been able to create a large space in the audio market yet, their budget offerings are increasingly attracting music lovers.



★ Disclaimer :-

I purchased EPZ TP50 dongle dac from Ali express store (EPZ) at discount price. I had no financial agreement with them to promote their product.The entire opinion of this review is my personal.



★ Box Content at a Glance :-


1. TP50 dongle dac x1

2. Type-C to type c cable x1

3. User manual card x1

The unboxing experience of the device was similar to the other budget dongles. However, as necessary accessories, Type c to type c cable is available, cable quality not the best but what is given cannot be said to be bad in any way, but there is no type c to type A adapter, which can be called a downside, and no extra type c to lightning cable is available out of box, If you want to get the benefits of lightning cable, you have to purchase a separate lightning cable version.






★ Specifications :-


> Dac section : CS43198*2
> Amp section : RT6863*2
> Output type : 3.5mm Single-End & 4.4mm Bal
> Input interface : USB - Type C
> Frequency response : 20Hz-80kHz
> Supports : PCM(32 Bit/768kHz) and Native DSD256
> SNR : 125dB (SE) & 130dB (BAL)
> Dynamic-Range : 125dB (SE) & 130dB (BAL)
> Output Power : 121mw@32Ω (SE) & 240mw@32Ω (BAL)
> Output level : SE - 2Vrms & BAL- 4Vrms
> Harmonic Distortion THD+N : SE 0.0005% & BAL 0.0005%




★ Design, Build Quality & Functionality :-


The EPZ TP50 dongle DAC is constructed by using materials such as durable CNC metal and carbon fiber for its casing.These materials provide a balance between lightweight design and sturdy construction, making the device suitable for portable use while maintaining good durability.The side frame of the device is made of CNC metal and the front-back part is completely surrounded by carbon fiber panel. These materials provide a balance between lightweight design and sturdy construction, while maintaining good durability, making the device suitable for portable use.The use of carbon fiber as the construction material of such a budget DAC dongle is really commendable. It has a small led display on the front where you can find facilities like volume level, sound filter and gain option. Although the display is not so bright, As a result, some problems have to be faced to operate outdoors.






★ IEMS Used :-

~ Tanchjim Origin
~ Dunu Falcon Ultra
~ Simgot EA1000
~ Hidizs Mp145
~ KiwiEars Quintet
~ Kinera Celest Phoenixcall



★ Sound Aspects :-


TP50 is basically a dongle dac with neutral to slightly bright tonality. However, many may find it analytical as its sound filter is not that effective. Its two filters are the "Slow PC" and the Slow "LL" which create some variation in the sub-bass region, while the rest of the filters are not so handy but the "Non Os" filter tends to make the overall sound more analytical.The tonality then shifts towards colder and the notes of music seem very thin and lifeless as a result the musicality is lost. But the interesting part of it is its output power as it is capable of delivering (240mw@32Ω) power from its Bal port which is really remarkable from such a budget dongle dac. I've been able to drive all the IEMs I've used with this dongle to full potential during my review, never feeling like the power output was lacking. I believe it can even drive moderately demanding headphones. Although there is no chance of getting full dynamics. However, it does not add much coloration to the sound, it is completely clean and neutral. Talking about its Bass, I can say that it can maintain very good control from sub bass to mid bass section at the same time Bass texture, speed & decay was fast enough.However, I expected a little better depth of bass region, which could have been enjoyed a little more. Although moving to "Slow PC" filter gives a slight boost to the sub bass region, then the appearance of the lower mids is slightly disturbed. On the other hand, the mids section was very clean & forward.The male and female artist's vocal can be represented very well but the vocal section is not very engaging because the presentation of the mids has lost its naturalness while ensuring more transparency there. Although the mids don't feel recessed, if the mids section adds a bit more warmth, then all genres seemed to sound more enjoyable.



After that the treble region was more resolving & well extended. Where there are detailed and well-texured high frequency offerings. This can improve the overall listening experience, especially for all genres that rely on complex treble detail, such as classical or jazz music. If all the instruments that are usually played in the treble section are thicker and rounded, the treble part would regain its fullness.

It has given solid performance in technical aspect . I got a lot of micro and macro details from here. The height of its sound stage was a little intimate but the depth was good and at the same time I was able to locate the placement & positioning of the instruments very well.Those who think about critical listening will definitely benefited from here.





★ Comparison :-


~ EPZ TP50 (109$) vs Fosi Audio DS2 - Cirrus Logic Edition (59$) ~


DS2's tonality was neutral to slightly warm with minimal coloration. The positive side of its sound is thick and rounded note weight and there was no roll-off in the bass & treble region. The sound stage seems to be a big strength of it. Because the height is quite big and the depth is good. At the same time, the imaging is also quite good. But its sound is not so resolving. Although Fosi audio claims that its Bal output is 510mw, but in my testing this does not seem fully justified. Because I got noticeable distortion from here when I turned up the volume level. If the sound could be refined a little more, this would be a killer deal for many undoubtedly, but I don't have any big complaints about the $60 dongle dac.



On the other hand, the TP50 is completely opposite in terms of sound signature, its sound is neutral-bright although it has some inbuilt sound filters which change the sound slightly, but it will be considered as flat neutral sounding. Where the musicality is less but the sound seems highly technical and somewhat thinner. There is no distortion, clean & clear back ground floor with descent power output, it has managed to hold a good position. Its main differences with DS2 are in these areas, because DS2's sound is not so resolving as it is. In terms of staging, DS2 has shown better performance compared to TP50 and imaging is not too far behind. I believe the DS2 will hold up well enough for its price. All in all, DS2 is a solid choice for those who prefer fun musical sound and have a low budget. Moreover, TP50 is an ideal choice for flat neutral lovers .






★ Conclusion :-


EPZ TP50 dongle dac will be far ahead due to its sound, build & compact size. It has managed to maintain a strong position in the 100$ price category. If someone likes highly technical & analytical sound in such a budget then I can easily recommend it for them. But those who are used to fun & colored sound signature will keep it away from their choice list.




I've provided link to buy at discount price for everyone's convenience

EPZ TP50 (33% off) purchase link

Overall rating: 4/5

Aesthetic:
Build Quality: 4/5
Design: 3/5
Accessories: 3/5

Sound Rating:
Timbre: 4/5
Bass: 4/5
Midrange: 4/5
Treble: 3.5/5
Technicalities: 4/5

DISCLAIMER
- This is a self-purchased unit with a discounted price by EPZ official. Regardless, all opinions remain original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
Sound evaluations are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 24 hours prior to review.



Introduction:
Recently I have too many backlogs going on, but there a few things that caught my attention. One is IEMs are getting better and better tuned, and the dongle DAC market is getting heated with competitions. In the midst of the highly competitive CS43198 market, the brand new EPZ TP50 stood out with its unbeatable US$108 price tag and great build quality. So, other than the price, is there anything the EPZ TP50 can do to convince my Asian’s cheapskate sense?

Unboxing and Accessories:
If you have read my recent reviews on the EPZ TP20 Pro, you should know that the unboxing routine is similar to it. EPZ has said to minimize the budget, they have to take consideration and sacrifice some unboxing experience, just to ensure that customer will be pleased with the actual product itself.
The packaging box is designed with the similar carbon-fiber like appearance as the TP50, and it is embossed with the product model and illustration. Slide open the box, you can find the EPZ TP50 lies within the foam cut-outs.

What is inside the box?
- EPZ TP50 dongle DAC
- 1x copper & silver mix braided type – c cable.
- Paperworks.

Still no USB-C to USB-A unfortunately. Whoever wants to connect to PC or laptop will have to purchase one elsewhere. Hopefully EPZ will consider about it and include one adapter to enhance the versatility of the dongle DAC.

Design & Build Quality:
Overall housing is made of metal alloy and has black matte textures, all the way from top to bottom. The front face of the TP50 is finished with the carbon-fiber like panels and has a small LED screen that shows all the information once the DAC is connected. The overall DAC feels very comfortable on hand, which EPZ claimed that the housing undergoes CNC carving to make rounded edges for better handling.

The buttons of the TP50 are very solid with no pre/post travel and has a tactile sound. On the rear side, you can find a slab of carbon-fiber panels. EPZ has implemented the carbon-fiber to make sure the TP50 is light enough to hold, and their efforts paid off. The TP50 is weighted 28 grams, and its surface is more durable than glass panel surfaces. If you don’t want your DAC to have scratch marks, then the TP50 is worth your consideration.

Specifications:
- DAC chip: Dual - CS43198
- Amplifier: 2x RT6863
- Supports up to PCM 32bit/768khz & DSD256
- Output: 3.5 single ended: 2vrms (121mW @32 ohms)/ 4.4 balanced: 4vrms [240mW @32 ohms)
- SNR: 3.5- +/-125db 4.4- +/-130db
- THD+N: +/- 0.0005%
- Dynamic Range: 3.5- +/-125db 4.4- +/-130db
- Frequency Response: 20hz to 80khz

Functionality:
EPZ TP50 has 3 buttons on the left side, which are the volume control buttons and a mode button, which is functioned to do minor adjustment inside the DAC.
Modes that can be adjusted according to order:
- Gain level: Low/High
- Left/Right adjustment.
- Filter mode.
- DAC OM (digital signal mode to change from digital into analog.)
- S/PDIF.
- H-Depop to eliminate crackles/pops.
- Display Brightness (0-10)
- Display Rotation.
- Display time off.
- Hide Key.
- UAD FW
- Reset to default.


There are also a few filter modes that can be adjusted to suit IEMs with different sound signatures.
- Slow LL: Slightly warmer sub-bass, and lesser pronounced upper mids.
- Slow PC: The sub-bass is boosted by a small margin; the rest remained neutral.
- Fast PC: The upper mids are slightly elevated, with good level of transparency.
- Fast LL: Similar to Fast PC, but with a tinge of elevated treble snappiness.
- Non-OS: Probably the most neutral filter yet, which I adore.

The EPZ TP50 has both 3.5mm and 4.5mm standard outputs to benefit audiophiles with different scenarios.



Drivability:
In this test, I will bring out the easiest to drive SoundRhyme SR5 to test if the TP50 will have any distortions or background noise, and the Philips SHP9500 to test out the output capability. Without a doubt, the TP50 passed all of my driving test without any weird hiss. My Dita Audio Perpetua sounds full when it is plugged into the balanced output.

The TP50 has 100 volume levels in both low and high gain level, to ensure the IEM and headphones have enough volumes for maneuver. The hardest to drive IEM I have is the KZ PR2, and that will have to drive up to 40/100 in high gain. On the headphone side, my Philips SHP9500 is able to be driven properly on 55/100 in high gain.

Sound Impression:
The EPZ TP50 is a very promising DAC, as it has an almost neutral sound compared to its little brother, TP20 Pro. All of my tested audio gears are true to its sound signature. The tonality is rendered exactly what can be expected and there is a slight hint of warmth in the vocals department.

Bass:
The bass is tight and full, comes with a good sense of presence. Mid-bass is accurate with good textures. However, when pair it with a warm tuned IEM and it will have a bit better bass quality, making the sub-bass to sound tight and rumbly. The lower end extension is deep enough to reproduce meaty bass.

Mids:
The vocals behave like pure water in almost every tracks. There is no colorization in the midrange, and everything sounds cohesive. Vocals is presented slightly forward and there are no changes in the timbre and tonality.

The instruments sounded full in the lower midrange, like the trumpet and the cello. The characteristic of brass and wood have a kind of resonance, and the TP50 has the ability to replicate that. The near neutral tuning benefits it to optimize for any music genre.

Treble:
Well, I have to say, the treble is accurate to ears without any glares or sudden peaks. On the other hand, I do find the treble response of the TP50 extends smoothly and adds a certain amount of airiness. There are some zings and snaps up top but it is still under controlled to avoid unwanted sibilance.

Soundstage & Technicalities:
The soundstage of TP50 is rather in the middle, which does not feel shallow in depth or width, but it is not expansive enough. The technicalities however, is decent. The separation and layering of the CS43198 is always handy especially when comes to listen to congested tracks like orchestra. Imaging of the TP50 is great too as I can pinpoint instruments easily. Transients are fast and tight, so the instruments are replicated as life-like.

Detail retrieval of the TP50 is also great, as I do not have to pay effort to find for subtle nuances in any test tracks. One downside of the technical part is the dynamics are rather not impressive, therefore people who demanded to have a fun and warm sounding DAC may have to look away.

Comparison:
Truthear Shio
The DAC that has been on hot topic throughout the year 2023. Its unbeatable sub-$150 price tag and solid build quality has been a hit since. I guess it is time for EPZ TP50 to dethrone the long reigning Shio in the budget DAC category.

Sonic performance wise, both having absolutely different style of tuning as the Shio has emphasis on mid-bass and warmer representation, while the TP50 has its own distinctive neutral tonality which can improve the technicalities. With the aid of the Slow LL filter mode that can be found in TP50, it can sound closer to Shio but comes with better separation, presence and soundstage. If you are not keen to find a relaxing sounding DAC, the TP50 is already a decent all-rounder that can completely outcompete the Shio.

Moondrop Moonriver 2:Ti
Another warm sounding DAC that has the same hardware configuration as the EPZ TP50. If you have owned the Moonriver 2 Ti, it is the best time to change a bit of the flavor with a neutral sounding DAC like TP50, as a compliment DAC. If you have not owned it, I guess you might have to choose one that suits you. Moonriver 2 Ti has dual CS43198 DAC chip, and it has a warm filter wrapped around the aural field. The TP50 on the other hand, sounds colder and more analytical. I will recommend the Moonriver 2:TI for audiophiles that likes to listen to vocal focused tracks, and TP50 for faster and congested tracks like ACG and K-pop.

Conclusion:
EPZ has did a good job, making their first flagship level dongle DAC to a very high standard for the other companies to catch up. The sturdy build quality with a lightweight chassis is favorable for every carry scenario, and the near neutral sound produced by the DAC chip allows the TP50 to fit in every music genre. With the aid of the filter modes, I think the EPZ TP50 is one of the best all rounder DAC in the sub US$150 market.