Cons — None.

Executive Summary

The ddHiFi MFi06 and TC03 are digital cables that are well conducting, well insulated, built rugged and priced right. And they add optical appeal to our devices.

Introduction

ddHiFi have been favourites of our blog for quite some time. They produce very well designed, functional AND optically appealing audio accessories and even earphones.

I have tested their TC25i and TC28i adapters, their Carrying Case C-2020 as well as their Janus E2020A and Janus E2020B earphones. And I purchased a few of their audio adapters. For their accessories, the whole company is attached to our Wall of Excellence.

In this article, I am analyzing the MFi06 and TC03, two USB cables in the broadest sense. Both have a USB-C connector on one and, the MFi06 has a lightning plug on the other, and the TC03 a micro USB plug.

And all USB cables are equal, right? Zeros and ones transfer the sound, the stock cable is as good as the snake oil ones at $$$.

Erm, stop. Not always. The signal carried by the cable is not only zeros and ones (which are actually transmitted as voltage fluctuations), there may be some noise riding along the lines that affects sound quality. Two kinds of noise exist, “Electromagentic Interference” (EMI) and “Radio-Frequency Interference” (RFI).

If the data line is not effectively shielded, nearby electrical components (e.g., switching power supplies, other fluctuating electrical/magnetic fields from computer circuitry) can contribute to EMI that might pollute the USB data.”

Running power and data lines (from a phone or computer) through a single USB cable can cause additional interference and exacerbate the issue. Decrapifiers such as the AudioQuest JitterBug FMJ act as filters to reduce such pollution, but a “good” USB cable adds to this effect, too.

“Good” does not refer to the wire (that’s where the snake oil is) but to the insulation of the power and data lines against each other. In other words, a quality cable does not add anything, it makes sure that nothing is taken away from the signal quality.

A well-known example of the positive effects of insulation is the EarMen Sparrow dongle, that, when operated with a phone, can show strong interference in the shape of intermittent buzzing and clicking (subsides when switching the phone function off). The culprit is the stock cable, and a good third-party cable strongly reduces (but might not completely eliminate) the problem.

One measure of the shielding effectiveness of different cables, the resistance of shield terminations, was investigated in this thread.

Good-quality, well-shielded USB cables do not have to be expensive. USB audio pioneer Gordon Rankin reported very poor $$$ USB cables to me. It is all about the cable’s design, not the price.

ddHiFi are a company that offer a large range of imaginative, well designed, and well built accessories….and even a couple of earphones.

Physical Things

Both cables are 8 cm long. Wire material is high-purity silver-plated OCC copper.

Four strands of separately insulated wire serve as conductor. The inner insulation is teflon. The outer insulation is thermoplastic polyurethane imported from Germany. The aluminum alloy connector are cased in stainless steel to minimize external interference.

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is any of a class of polyurethane plastics with many properties, including elasticity, transparency, and resistance to oil, grease, and abrasion. Technically, they are thermoplastic elastomers consisting of linear segmented block copolymers composed of hard and soft segments.

As it appears, these cables are technically sound. They feature good conductors and sufficient internal and external insulation. Sonically, they are indistinguishable from the OEOTG cable and one other brand of which I could not identify (see photo at the bottom of this article).

Haptically, the MFi06 and TC03 are vastly superior over the typical stock cables and the Apple Camera Adapter. The connectors feel rugged, the cable is flexible and the shiny, pearly white TPU is dirt and grease resistant.

And, let’s face it, these cables also add a jewelry effect to our gear. Yep, they don’t just feel good between the fingers, they also look good.

All good so far, only one worry remains: the MFi06’s battery consumption.

MFi06’s Battery Consumption

The MFi06’s lightning connector features a decoding chip which draws current from the phone. The question is how much it contributes to the phone’s battery drain.

I measured battery consumption of different dongles (AudioQuest DragonFly Red, Shanling UA2 single ended, Hidisz S9 Pro single ended) with the Apple Camera Adapter vs. the MFi06. I then repeated these tests with two other Lightning to USB-C cables (OEOTG and an unknown brand) for comparison purposes. All tests were performed under identical conditions. The absolute values are meaningless, what is important are the relative values.

.

Results:

1) The Apple Camera Adapter has by far the lowest power consumption.

2) In my 3 h tests, the 3rd-party MFi chip in the ddHiFi MFi06 cable consumed between 130 and 220 mAh (23%-36%) more (for my specific test parameters) than the one in the Apple Camera Adapter.

3) All three tested 3rd-party cables appear to have the same MFi chip (approx. same battery consumption with Shanling UA2).

4) Battery consumption of the ddHiFi MFi06 cable varies vastly between dongles. It is much lower for the DragonFly Red that consumes by far the least battery with the Apple Camera Adapter.

In summary, the MFi06’s power consumption is acceptable for today’s ever increasing phone battery capacities.

Concluding Remarks

The ddHiFi TC03 and MFi cables do what they are supposed to do: they work as promised while adding appeal to our devices. And they don’t break our piggy banks.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

Disclaimer

THE MFi06 and TC03 cables were supplied by the ddHiFi for my review – and I thank them for that.

Get them from the DD Official Store

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

Gallery

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Gear of the Year: 2021 marks the blog’s third year and the second with 8 contributors. We collectively published almost 200 articles, mainly product reviews, but also technical information. Apart from receiving review units from manufacturers and sellers, we also purchased a lot…and we borrowed from audiophile friends and colleagues.

We are a heterogeneous bunch not pressed into templates by commercialism. Each of us enjoys maximum freedom. None of us gets paid. And it is this variety that makes this blog interesting. Two of us, Baskingshark and Kazi, have been drafted to also write for Headphonesty, which gives them more exposure and also access to very interesting gear.

We are currently experimenting with generic advertisements to recover our operating cost (Paypal does not work at all)…any money raised will go back into the blog. We remain non commercial.

Our main focus has traditionally been on earphones – we have reviewed almost 300 – but particularly DACs and amps also caught our attention this year.

As at the end of the previous years, we list our our personal favourites of 2021 – the portable audio we personally enjoyed most. There are no rules, we just tell you what we like. After all, the gear we use most is our best. And we attached some of this gear to our newly created Wall of Excellence, which averages all our opinions.

Enjoy this read and we wish you a happy and successful 2023!

We thank

Most of our reviews would have not been possible without our 2021 cooperating partners. We thank:

ADV, Allo, Apos Audio, Astell & Kern, AudioQuest, Azla, Blon, BQEYZ, Burson Audio, Campfire Audio, Cayin, CCA, Dekoni, Dunu, ddHiFi, EarMen, Easy Earphones, Fiil, Helm Audio, Hidizs, HifiGo, ifi Audio, IKKO Audio, KBEAR/TRI Audio, Keephifi, Khadas, Knowledge Zenith, Meze, Moondrop, Musicteck, NiceHCK, OneOdio, Penon Official Store, Pergear, Sennheiser, Shanling, Shenzhenaudio, Smabat, Snake Oil Sound, SpinFit, Tempotec, Tin Hifi, TRN Official Store, Unique Melody, Venture Electronics, Whizzer Official Store, Yaotiger Hifi Audio Store. Don’tkillusifweforgotyoujustsendusanotandwefixit. 

For the companies: you can check for your products/yourself in the search field on the right-hand side.

We also thank the private sources that supplied us with loaners.

And here we go…that’s what we enjoyed in 2021…

Alberto Pittaluga…Bologna, ITALY

I’ve come accross quite a few interesting pieces of gear in 2021, mixed / hidden amongst piles of shameful crap. Nothing new, is it ? I’ll try to make a succint list of the most significant stuff I auditioned here. Most of these devices are also now part of my operative audio gear.

IEMS

Dunu ZEN (discountinued, was $ 699,00) : beyond spectacular microdynamics, resolution, layering and technicalities in general. A masterpiece.

iBasso IT07 ($899) : the sole real “direct upgrade” to Ikko OH10 I encountered as of yet. Same presentation, twice the refinement, at more than four times the price.

Oriolus Isabellae ($ 599) : somewhat “more V-shaped” alternative to Zen, delivering very similar technical prowess.

Ikko OH1S ($143) : a potential new join into the our World of Excellence roster as a sub-200$ allrounder

Headphones

Final Sonorous-II  (€ 300) : arguably by far the best neutral-tuned closebacks in their price category, staging and imaging easily compete with many lower tier openback alternatives.

Sennheiser HD600 (€ 310) : not a novelty for anybody but me, I’m sure. Quite simply: I got my first HD600 pair in 2021 and that’s why I’m listing it here. I presume no one needs a description. Do you?

Earbuds

Rose Mojito ($259) : superbly neutral-tuned high end earbuds with strong bilateral extention, beyond spectacular mids and vivid, refined highs in a fully holographic stage, with plenty of resolution and dynamics.

K’s Earphone Bell-LBS (€ 59,25) : mid centric buds delivering superbly organic vocals – both male and female – and very good trebles

K’s Earphone K300 (€ 28,59) : unreal sub-bass extension for an earbud, they deliver a very nice V shaped presentation while drawing an incredibly sizeable 3D stage. Presentation remembers a bit Ikko OH10, but in earbud form.

DAC/AMPs

Ifi Micro iDSD Signature (€ 749) : top sub-$1K mobile dac-amp. Very high quality DAC reconstruction paired with superbly transparent amping stage with power to spare for the most demanding planars and power deflation options to optimise low impedance IEM biasing. Truly a full step ahead of the competitors’ pack.

DAPs

Cowon Plenue 2 MK-I (€ 835) : hopped on this recently when I found a impossible to turndown openbox deal. Starting from my direct experience proving that there’s pretty much no game between proprietary-OS DAPs vs commercial-OS (read Android) DAPs, the former being in by far better position to achieve superior output sound quality, Plenue 2 represents a great companion to my QP1R offering a different / alternative optimal pairing opportunity for a few of my preferred IEM drivers.

DAC/AMP Dongles

This year’s experience proved to me that exclusively higher-tier (and price) dongles are able to deliver sound qualities worth the comparison with battery-equipped alternatives. Simply put: pretty much nothing until an Apogee Groove ($200) is really worth the price difference compared to the super-cheap Apple Dongle ($9), and even on the Groove some caveats apply (power needs, amp stage competibility).  That said, I really had pick one device “in the midfield” I’d pick the :

Questyle M12 ($139,99): while still not worth an inclusion on our Wall of Excellence, yet M12 runs circles around pretty much all similar or lower priced competitors I assessed in terms of extension, note weight, clarity and technicalities.

Biodegraded…Vancouver, CANADA

Doesn’t have anything to report this year.

Durwood…Chicago, USA

Shozy Form 1.4 has still been my go to earphone due to it’s warm inviting nature, great technical abilities and it feels great in my ears.

7Hz Timeless is another good buy late in the year for me, it’s a little more sub-bass plus analytical counterpart to the Shozy that has nudged the BQEYZ Spring 2 out of the way. A more detailed review is coming.

I rediscovered the Senfer UES for a quick throw around set, was hoping the Senfer DT9 was a slight improvement, but alas the Senfer UES sticks around instead. Sony MH755 is also perfect for quick on the go usage where I don’t need the universal fit in-ears.

Tempotec impressed me enough to consider the Sonata E35 for when good phone DAP’s are finally dead. Other than that, dongles are not my thing, and I have issues with some of Sony’s GUI decisions on the NW-A55 mainly related to playlist creation and long text support.

Lastly, the Questyle CMA Twelve would be an awesome DAC/amp combo to have, but my needs are more mobile. Perhaps when life slows down, but there are other bucket list items such as the Burson Playmate 2, RebelAmp, the Ruebert Neve RNHP, or RME ADI-2 that look interesting as well. Maybe someone will loan me one in 2022?

Jürgen Kraus…Calgary, CANADA

Earphones have traditionally been our main trade and there’s not many that stuck with me this year. First and foremost, I was impressed by the immersive and engaging sound of the single DD Dunu Zen that further excel in microdynamics. They are still very popular within our team.

Moondrop finally got it right with their tuning in the smooth and very pleasant sounding Moondrop KATO single dynamic driver. This model is generally well received. The JVC HA-FDX1 are still my standard iems for equipment testing, and an honourable mention goes to the Unique Melody 3DT for the clean implementation of 3 (!) dynamic drivers.

Another iem that fascinated me is the Japanese Final E5000. On the market since 2018, and very source demanding, this iem can produce a bass texture beyond belief. I have become a bit of a Final fanboy, as their products are unpretentious and natural sounding…and they fit my ears very well. I also purchased the Final E1000, E3000, and A3000…which get a lot of usage. No surprise that our Wall of Excellence is decorated like a Christmas tree by quite a few of these Japanese earphones and headphones.

Expanding my horizon into other devices, the Sony NW-A55 is a user-friendly digital audio player with great sonic characteristics and signature-altering 3rd party firmware options. But, most of all, it updates its music library within a minute or two. For the ultimate portable enjoyment, I discovered the Questyle QP1R dap...sounds simply amazing with the Final E5000. Found the dap on Canuck Audio Mart.

Dongles, battery-less headphone DAC/amps that turn any cheap phone into a decent music player, were big in 2021. Around since 2016, the market caught on to these devices. But out of the mass of dongles tested, the 2019 AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt was the most musical to my ears. I also like the AudioQuest DragonFly Red and the EarMen Eagle (replacing the EarMen Sparrow which I sent to Biodegraded). For earphone testing (and bigger cans), I still use the excellent Earstudio HUD100.

For my full-sized headphone needs with my notebook, I discovered the powerful Apogee Groove, a current-hungry dongle DAC/amp that has been around since 2015. I am even portable around the house. As to headphones themselves, I am still happy with the Sennheiser HD 600 and HD 25, but also with the Koss Porta Pro.

For my desktop setup, I identified the EarMen Tradutto as being a fantastic DAC in combination with the Burson Funk amp. Currently testing the Tradutto with my big stereo system.

In summary, I learnt a lot in 2021…

My Take Home this Year

• The latest is barely the greatest…many old brooms get better into the corners
• Influencers are not always right (…to say it nicely)
• Measurements are overrated
• Timbre (degree of naturalness of sound) is underrated
• Source is super important and also underrated
• Group pressure through hype may become a sobering experience
• That groomed YouTube stuff is boring

Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir…Munich, GERMANY

This year was very educational for me when it came to audiophilia. I got the chance to try out truly summit-fi setups and realized how good a system can sound. This also resulted in a sense of yearning where you keep comparing the gears you own with the ones you cannot own, at least not yet. Nonetheless, without further ado.

Headphones: The one headphone that has stuck with me throughout the year is the Hifiman Susvara. They won’t flatter anyone with the build quality but when paired with the right amp they sound astonishing. One of the most natural sounding headphones out there with exceptional timbre. A must listen.

Honorable mention goes to the Final D8000. Supreme bass that’s pretty much unmatched. On the budget side, I really liked the Final Sonorous-III. They are underrated and under-appreciated.

IEMs: When it comes to in-ear monitors, I have a hard time picking any single one of them as all of them fall short in one area or another. Nonetheless, the one IEM I’ve used the most throughout the year is the Dunu Zen. There is something truly addicting about their sound that makes me come back to them time and again.

However, the Zen is not the best IEM that I have heard throughout the year. That would probably be the Sony IER-Z1R or the 64Audio U12t. In the relatively budget realm, the 7Hz Timeless took me by surprise with their planar speed and excellent bass slam.

Source: Instead of going with separate sections for amps, DACs and such, I will just consolidate them into one.

Best desktop amp I’ve tried: Accuphase E380. One of those rare speaker amps that sound great with headphones.

Best portable amp I’ve tried: Cayin C9. It is the only review loaner in the past year that I have wanted to buy with my own money. I probably will, soon, budget permitting.

Best DAP: Lotoo PAW 6000, even though it can’t power difficult loads.

Best dongle: L&P W2. The only dongle that I found to be good enough to replace some DAPs.

Best DAC: Holo May L2. The price is extremely high but so is the sound quality. Exceptionally natural and neutral tuning. Another must listen.

And that’s a wrap. Have a great Christmas, and see you on the other side!

KopiOkaya…SINGAPORE

Too many lists…I focus on eartips…

Best EARTIPS of 2021

Most versatile eartips: SpinFit CP-100+
Best budget eartips: Audiosense S400
Best eartips for bass: FAudio “Instrument” Premium Silicone Earphone Tips
Best eartips for vocal: Azla SednaEarFit Crystal (Standard)
Best eartips for treble: BGVP S01
Best eartips for soundstage: Whizzer Easytips SS20
Most comfortable eartips: EarrBond New Hybrid Design

Loomis Johnson…Chicago, USA

Gear of the Year (and other Favorite Things)

SMSL SU-9 DAC/Preamp—one of those pieces that makes you seriously question why anyone would spend more. A seriously good DAC which is even better as digital preamp.

Hidisz S3 Pro DAC/Dongle—lacks the juice to power challenging loads, but has an uncanny knack for enlivening and improving more efficient phones. Very refined, with impeccable bass control.

Cambridge Melomania TWS—ancient by TWS standards, and its rivals have more features and tech, but this may still be the best-sounding TWS you can buy.

Shozy Rouge IEM—like a really hot girl you get smitten by the beauty before you even delve into the substance. Properly driven, however, these sound just as good as they look, with estimable staging and clarity.

The Beatles, “Get Back” Documentary—as probably the only person on earth who hasn’t seen Lord of the Rings I was gobsmacked by how brilliant this film looked and sounded. The real surprise for me, however, was how natural  a musician John was—unburdened by technique, but soulful and  exploratory.  Poor George invokes your pity—a good writer forced to compete with two great ones– while Ringo wins the award for Best Attitude.

Bob Dylan, “Desolation Row”—I always found the lyrics impenetrable and a bit sophomoric, but the Spanish-influenced lead guitar part is incredible, with scarcely a phrase repeated throughout the full 11 minutes. I’d always assumed it was Mike Bloomfield, but it’s actually the harmonica virtuoso Charlie McCoy, who also plays the trumpet part of “Rainy Day Women”.

Reds, Pinks and Purples, “Uncommon Weather” In hope of finding something genuinely fresh I dutifully listened to the most-touted 2021 releases before fixating on this one, which (predictably) sounds exactly like 80s Flying Nun and Sarah bands.

And This Was The Previous Year:

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Cons — Fixed cable.

Executive Summary

The Helm Bolt is a very small and light MQA certified portable DAC/amp that excels in terms of its organic/natural reproduction.

Introduction

The source-operated dongle dac-amp has experienced a huge upsurge recently. Originally designed in 2012 to convert your phone into a high-quality digital analog player (dap) and first able to do so in 2016, the market is currently flooded with tens to hundreds of such devices – which makes it is essentially impossible for a single person to keep the overview.

Prices range from a handful of dollars to $400 with a crowding in the $80 to $150 range. The Helm Bolt fits into this sweet spot.

Helm is a young British-American company that specializes in portable devices from headphones/earphones to amplification.

The Bolt is the company’s sole portable DAC/amp that works with a phone, either alone or in combination with the Helm DB12 AAAMP amp. It appears to be a popular item as it is always sold out. Many favourable reviews of the unit exist already, so I would like to put it to my ultimate test.

Specifications

Visit mqa.co.uk for more information.

Physical Things and Usability

The box/s content is rather spartan: Helm Bold, USB-A adapter, and pleather storage case.

The dongle comes with a fixed USB-C cable, which is great for connecting to an Android device or a newer Mac, and, with the USB-A adapter, to a Windows computer. But using the Bolt with an iPhone requires the Apple camera adapter, which doubles the “snake” in length. Since the enclosure of this 8 g dongle is very small, the whole construct is effectively just an extension of the earphone/headphone cable.

The housing is made of metal and feels premium. The cable is cotton-shielded against outside interference and the strain reliefs on both ends could be a bit longer and sturdier.

The Bolt has no physical controls and is operated through its host device. It is completely plug-n-play, and does not even need a Windows driver.

The enclosure features a small LED that changes colour with playback rate/type: Blue SD Audio <= 48kHz – Red HD Audio > 48kHz – Magenta For MQA.

Headphone output level automatically detects headphone impedance and sets level accordingly: 1V for < 150 ohms, 2V for >= 150 ohms, which corresponds to low gain and high gain. The device is plug and play, there are no Windows 10 drivers needed. 

Amplification and Power Consumption

The Helm Bolt drives all iems I have thrown at it, but it reached its limits with the 300 Ω  Sennheiser HD 600. For large cans, Helm offers the Helm DB12 amp [product page],which can be used in series with the Bolt. The DB12 adds a constant 12 dB gain, and a 6 dB bass boost (if selected).

I my 3h battery drain test of several dongles, the Dragonfly Black and Red had the lowest consumption on my iPhone 5S, the Helmo Bolt consumed about a third more, which placed it in the midfield. But it could have done far worse than that….see the detailed results. I would call the Bolt’s battery consumption ok but not outstanding.

Power Consumption Test: Parameters and Raw Results

I tested the power consumption of several portable headphone amps connected to my iPhone 5S. The conditions were as identical as possible: 3 h test, volume calibrated to 85 dB  ± 0.5 dB white noise with Dayton microphone, no sim card, BT off, no other apps open; network on, 32 ohm Blon BL-03 iem, Genesis’s Supper’s Ready (from the Seconds Out album) played in an endless loop.

The iPhone’s battery was fully charged at the start of the test and the remaining charge was measured thereafter. The result is shown in the table below. Since the tests were performed at different times and considering the ongoing battery deterioration, the results have to be seen with a grain of salt.

[collapse]

Sound

Equipment used: Macbook Air/iPhone SE first generation; Sennheiser IE 400 PRO, Meze Rai Solo, JVC HA-FDX1; Sennheiser HD 600.

The Helm Bolt has an organic sound with a good tonal colour. It is not warm and not neutral, that is not dark and not analytical, but it strikes a balance between the them. The presentation is clean and lean (in a positive way), think of slimline – as opposed to fat and congested.

The Bolt is not the bassiest dongle, which keeps the vocals up front. Midrange is clean and clear with a tinge of warmth. One of its biggest qualities is the very pleasant, well-rounded, smooth, appealing top end. It works well with most earphone/headphone signatures and, in particular, helps taming shouty ones.

Compared to the $10 Apple audio adapter or the $10 VE Odyssey HD, the Bolt sounds much more refined and it is more powerful. The $50 Shanling UA1 features the same SoC and almost identical specs. Both therefore feature principally the same sound signature with one big difference at the top end: the Shanling is much scratchier/grainier in the upper midrange and lower treble. Helm must have applied effective filtering.

The Shanling UA1 is also a tad bassier which pushes the vocals back. The Bolt’s bass is tighter and cleaner, it has a more open sound with a wider stage, and it is a tad more dynamic.

Scaling up to the $200 AudioQuest DragonFly Red. The Red is punchier, bassier, fuller bodied with bigger staging and more midrange clarity and depth. Bolt is more relaxed, softer on the attack and has the lesser separation, but is sweeter in the treble.

Using the Bolt as a preamp and adding the Helm DB12 as an amp opens up the stage substantially, however takes away from the note weight. The sound is fluffier, bigger, “inflated” like a balloon. But since both devices have fixed cables, this combination can create some cable chaos in your pocket.

Concluding Remarks

The Helm Bolt is a fine sounding dongle which I like a lot. It may not have the strongest amplification but it has a very refined sound. It sticks out of the crowd by its small size and weight and convinces by its natural sonic reproduction. The Bolt has played any iem well for me I had thrown at it. It is a quality product and I am not surprised it is always sold out. It is a serious contender in the $100 segment.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

Disclaimer

The Helm Bolt was supplied by Helm Audio for my review – and I thank them for that.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

Gallery

The post Helm Bolt DAC/Amp Review – Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Of course, there are other solutions, such as USB galvanic isolators (either electrical or optical) and analog devices such as ADUM-chip based isolators but we are not going there… we shall focus on both iSilencer+ and JitterBug FMJ in this discussion. 

DISCLAIMER: I bought both devices AT FULL RETAIL PRICE with my own money. Thus, my verdicts are not affected or influenced by their manufacturers in any way.

Many folks approach this type of accessory with utmost skepticism. There are a few technical forums that have tested these devices with precision audio analysers proving they do nothing, thus labeling them “snake oil”… We are not going to debate that either.

To me, without actual listening, measurements, diagrams, and graphs tell us nothing about sound. Superior technical performance does not equate to musicality.

Both devices do what they advertised… That is to clean up noise and improve sound.

We shall focus mainly on their SONIC PERFORMANCE. 

Equipment used:

• AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt
• AudioQuest DragonFly Red
• E1DA 9038S G3
• Asus Xonar Essence STU DAC
• Topping E30/L30 stack
• KBEAR BElieve
• Etymotic ER4SR
• TRN MT1 (modded)
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon + Foobar2000
• Self-assembled Intel i7/Asus-based desktop PC + Foobar2000
• Redmi Note 9 Pro + UAPP
• Raspberry Pi 4 Model B + Volumio

Both devices are connected at the host end. As Gordon Rankin, designer of JitterBug FMJ, puts it:

“I put the JitterBug at the host side because I want all that EMI/RFI and other BS that the computer is spitting out to stay there and not get to the endpoint.” 

iFi iSilencer+

When I bought the iSilencer+, it was US$10 cheaper than JitterBug FMJ but this has changed since July 2021. Both are priced at US$59.95 now.

iSilencer+ has a plastic housing with a layer of soft rubber-coating. During installation and removal, this housing slides back and forth, which some folks may find annoying.

Compared to JitterBug FMJ, iSilencer+:

• sounds crisp with upper-midrange glare
• more open and airy
• mid-forward but rest of the frequency spectrum are thrown backward
• less bass impact, drab dynamics
• soundstage is one-dimensional
• USB noise reduction not as thorough (just a bit)

AudioQuest JitterBug FMJ

FMJ is the latest JitterBug from AudioQuest. The original had the same circuitry but no shielded enclosure. JitterBug FMJ housing is made of aluminium, feels solid and sturdy. Nothing is loose or wobbly. Size-wise, JitterBug FMJ is thicker and a slightly longer than iSilencer+.

Compared to iSilencer, JitterBug FMJ:

• overall sounds fuller and more 3D
• better dynamics and bass punch
• better depth and instrument separation
• better sense of PRAT
• cleaner, darker background

Out of curiosity and fun, I piggybacked both devices to create the “ultimate USB decrapifier”…

Host > (iSilencer+ / JitterBug FMJ) > Endpoint

Guess what happened? It actually made the sound worse. Everything sounded constricted and bone dry. I also detected slightly lowered volume gain.

So which one do I choose? Well, it depends. Ultimately, it all boils down to synergy. If your equipment is bright and cool-neutral, I suggest you go for JitterBug FMJ. If you own iFi gears, iSilencer+ does improve clarity and make the “iFi sound” less warm (or wooly).

JitterBug FMJ sounds more 3D in comparison, thus instruments and vocals are more distinctive and bodied. iSliencer+ sounds flatter in comparison. Ironically, AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt matches the iSilencer+ better to me. Both devices filter USB VBUS/GND noise. JitterBug FMJ does it more thoroughly than iSilencer+.

Verdict

Since both devices are priced the same, it depends on availability. To many of us living in Southeast Asia, iFi products are more common and widely available. Those living in North America may find AudioQuest products easier to access.

If I have to rate both devices, I will give iFi iSilencer+ a 7 out of 10 and JitterBug FMJ an 8 out of 10. I prefer the synergy JitterBug FMJ gives to my audio gears.

USB filters are nothing new. Both iFi and AudioQuest have been making them for years. Some may find this kind of accessory unnecessary… To me, these are good to have… They DO affect sound and enhance music enjoyment to some extent. Whether or not you believe in their effects, I will leave it up to you to decide.

Contact us!

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post iSilencer+ And JitterBug FMJ Review/Comparison – Silence Of The Jitterbug appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Cons — No balanced circuit; limited Hi Res decoding; no “DragonTail” adapter included. 

Executive Summary

The AudioQuest DragonFly Red is a dynamic and natural sounding miniature headphone amp (dac/pre-amp). As the more vivid sibling of the relaxed DragonFly Cobalt, it is sourced by phones or computers with minimal battery drain.

Introduction

AudioQuest is primarily a cable company, established in 1980, but they also invented this type of small, source-powered portable dac-amp. The concept goes back to a meeting at the 2010 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest between DragonFly’s designer Gordon Rankin, Joe Harley (AQ’s former Senior Vice President of Marketing and Product Development), Steve Silberman (AQ’s former VP of Marketing), and Bill Low (AQ’s founder and CEO). Steve had asked to create a USB cable with an in-line converter with RCA cables coming out of one end.

Looking at a USB stick, Gordon said, “You know, we can make it like this. It could have a USB-A plug at one end and a 3.5mm output jack at the other.” Gordon Rankin had a lot of experience to offer. He had designed his first dac (the Cosecant) in 2003 and simultaneously started working on asynchronous code. He is one of the pioneers of computer audio.

In 2012, the first DragonFly was released, with the “Red” following in 2016. My analysis of the DragonFly Red obviously comes 5 years late so that there has been ample time for reviewers and audio enthusiasts to establish its place in the audio community.

What was new as of 2016, is that all DragonFlys had small enough power consumption to be operated by a phone’s battery. Not having a battery of their own increases their lifespan quasi infinitely over the bulkier transportable dac-amps with non-serviceable batteries (facing planned obsolescence).

I only received the “Red” recently, but had purchased the $99 DragonFly Black v1.5 back in 2016, which has been my goto until now. And I recently reviewed the $299 DragonFly Cobalt, released in 2019, that features very similar (but not quite the same) specs as the “Red” (which can be a bit confusing for the potential buyer).

In the last 2-3 years, Gordon Rankin’s idea of small portable dac-amps has been adapted by many manufacturers, mainly from the Far East, who are currently flooding the market with countless models priced between $10 and $400, with the sweet spot between $80 and $150.

Two main questions arise and will be addressed in this review. First, how do the DragonFlys Red and Cobalt compare? Second, is the 2016 DragonFly Red still current or have the competitors overtaken Gordon Rankin’s innovation?

Specifications

Physical Things and Usability

Just like the other DragonFly models, the “Red” comes with AudioQuest’s obligatory storage sheath and the “flight manual“. And, like the Cobalt, the Red is lacquered with car varnish. Guess its colour!

The DragonFly Red has a nominal output of 2.1 V (like the DragonFly Cobalt). This is no more than average in its category. Hobbyist Archimago measured a very low output impedance of 0.53 Ω. You find other detailed measurements by Stereophile and ASR (beware of overinterpretations).

Measurements, even if performed unbiased and correctly, cannot characterize a dac-amp sufficiently. They only give us half the story as there is no linear correlation between graphs and musical enjoyment/listening pleasure, sonic character/appeal, synergy, soundstage, separation, timbre, sense of ease etc. A correlation between electromagnetic and acoustic waves does not exist in physics. We need to deploy our ears for the ultimate test. There are plenty of examples where a “well-measuring device” does not impress sonically. Measurements are more important for product design than for practical testing. Alarm bells may only go up if measurements are “really bad”.

The DragonFly Red streams Tidal masters (MQA) and Qobuz, and works with all the non-audiophile streaming services such as Spotify, Bandcamp, Soundcloud etc. And it is firmware upgradeable.

For DragonFly Red, the status indicator produces the following colors: standby (Red), 44.1kHz (Green), 48kHz (Blue), 88.2kHz (Amber), 96kHz (Magenta), MQA (Purple).

All DragonFlys can be sourced by a computer (no Windows driver required) or Android/iOS devices…and used as dac-amp with headphones/earphones, or as pre-amp with a dedicated amplifier. Their functionality is described in detail in my Cobalt review.

Amplification and Power Management

There is enough power to drive my 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600 headphone. The Red also operated all my iems and the mid-sized 70 Ω Sennheiser HD 25 or 60 Ω Koss Porta Pro with ease.

In my 3h battery drain test of several dongles, the DragonFly Red (and Black) had the lowest consumption on my iPhone 5S, the DragonFly Cobalt consumed about a third more, which placed it in the midfield. All DragonFlys stayed pretty cool during operation. But it could have done far worse than that….see the detailed results. In this respect, the DragonFly Red/Black are the clear winners and therefore most useful on the road.

Power Consumption Test: Parameters and Raw Results

I tested the power consumption of several portable headphone amps connected to my iPhone 5S. The conditions were as identical as possible: 3 h test, volume calibrated to 85 dB  ± 0.5 dB white noise with Dayton microphone, no sim card, BT off, no other apps open; network on, 32 ohm Blon BL-03 iem, Genesis’s Supper’s Ready (from the Seconds Out album) played in an endless loop.

The iPhone’s battery was fully charged at the start of the test and the remaining charge was measured thereafter. The result is shown in the table below. Since the tests were performed at different times and considering the ongoing battery deterioration, the results have to be seen with a grain of salt.

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Sound Comparisons

Equipment used: Macbook Air/iPhone SE first generation; Sennheiser HD 600, Sennheiser HD 25, Koss Porta Pro; Cayin Fantasy, JVA HA-FDX1, Sennheiser IE 300, Sennheiser IE 400 PRO, BQEYZ Summer, Meze RAI Solo, Moondrop Aria, Shozy Form 1.4.

The AudioQuest DragonFly Red’s sonic qualities have been known for the last 5 years. But how does it hold up against its competition today?

In my perception, the DragonFly Red offers a rather vivid, organic sound with good extensions at both ends resulting in a marginally warm, immersive listening being off strictly linear. The slightly elevated bass contributes to a good depth but takes a bit away from the stage width, which results in a good three-dimensionality.

The Red is the most dynamic dongle I have tested. It has superb separation of good note weight, and is a bit edgy at the top end. The presentation is rather musical (as opposed to analytical) with good PRAT.

The DragonFlys are musical… The rest just gives you sound. Co-blogger and Red/Cobalt owner KopiOkaya.

The DragonFly Red is ahead of its immediate (external) competition listed here in terms of dynamics, microdynamics, and microdetail.

The equally priced and also natural sounding EarMen Sparrow offers an additional balanced circuit. The Sparrow is flatter, less vivid and less (micro)detailed than the DragonFly Red with a shallower but wider and taller soundstage (balanced circuit only). It is more powerful, and has a much higher battery draw.

The $129 EarMen Eagle was hailed by some reviewers to best the DragonFly Red. Eagle is more linear, less bassy, has a wider but flatter stage. Most importantly, it is leaner sounding not quite reaching the Red’s midrange body, dynamics, and resolution. But it has the DragonFly’s USB-A plug.

The $119 Earstudio HUD100 is the flattest/most linear of the lot, and also the least lively, which qualifies it for earphone testing and for use with very thick sounding (bassy) iems. The $119 Hizids S9 PRO is sonically almost indistinguishable from the HUD100. The $85 Shanling UA2 has rather warm and bassy signature. These three models lack midrange body and note weight, and vocals are rather thin compared to the Red.

DragonFly Red’s real challenger is the $299 DragonFly Cobalt. Most specs are identical between the two models. But the Cobalt has a more expensive dac chip, a different receiver chip, and some JitterBug USB-cleaning technology.

Both have different sonic signatures that broadly correspond to their shapes and colour: smoothly rounded in subtle blue vs. edgier in the louder red.

It is the exuberance and the lively treble that distinguishes the DragonFly Red from the smoother, more relaxed sounding, more composed and mature Cobalt. The Cobalt’s notes are more rounded and weightier, vocals have an unparalleled richness, smoothness, and naturalness in the dongle world.

The Red is more spectacular, more forward into your face/ears especially at the top end, where the Cobalt is easing off a bit. The Red’s liveliness works particularly well with powerful music such as rock, pop, EDM, anything that needs a good punch. The Cobalt plays its strength out in acoustic and jazzy music with emphasis on detail, microdynamics, and timbre.

You experience the principal differences between the two models best when having hightened sensitivity be it through a cold or hangover, or simply early in the morning.

JitterBug FMJ adds body and depth to the Red’s presentation, and it rounds the top off. Separate review of the “Bug” is here.

Is the DragonFly Red still relevant?

This question is frequently discussed in audio forums. The Red is very relevant to me. It depends how you look at it.

The present trends are: maxed out Hi RES (PCM: support up to 768kHz/32Bit; DSD: native DSD64/128/256/512), swappable sound profiles, maximum power, an additional balanced circuit, and perfect measurements. All that at a low price. If that’s what you are after, all DragonFlys are outdated.

If you don’t want to handle Windows drivers, they are not. And if you judge by sound quality, the Red has yet to find a challenger (beside the Cobalt).

The competing devices I have tested do not match the Red in terms of note weight, dynamics, and detail resolution. You may get more sound but not more musicality from the competition. There is still catching up to do with dac chip implementation, which is particularly evident in lean vocals reproduction and timbre.

So, what is the point of decoding super HI RES with a mediocre dac – and/or pairing it with a premium earphone?

The DragonFly Red also clearly leads the pack in power management: its low battery drain results an always cool (as opposed to hot) device.

And whereas the Red has had a long shelf life without any necessary re-issues (though it is software upgradable), the competition keeps pushing improved “Pro” versions of their products.

Another advantage of all DragonFlys is the USB-A plug, which makes it equally practical for Android and iOS devices. The new dongle generations mainly feature USB-C plugs or fixed USB-C cables, which result in cumbersome snakes when combined with the Apple camera adapter.

Sure, there are third-party lightning cables to connect to a USB-C socket, but their MFI chips are not optimized for Apple’s power management, which results in unreasonably high additional battery drains.

There are a few products that incorporate such ingenuity that they remain current and relevant over many years. Other examples are the Apogee Groove and Chord Mojo dac-amps, both unmatched since 2015. Gordon Rankin’s experience must have made this sustained difference in the DragonFlys’ case.

Vorsprung durch Technik?

What I use

Ok ok, everybody has different preferences. I am a phone guy who does not want to carry a second device (“dap”) around – and who wants to use the dac-amp between different devices. I don’t listen on my desktop computer so that my stack is catching dust. And my Shanling M0 dap, too.

Since 2016, my go-to has been the DragonFly Black, but in the last 4-5 months, it has been replaced by: the DragonFly Cobalt for acoustic/classical/jazzy music, the DragonFly Red for Rock/Pop and for on the road (low battery drain), and the EarMen Eagle for thick sounding/bassy earphones and headphones. And I am very happy with this.

On top of that, I am having a lot of fun experimenting with the AudioQuest JitterBug FMJ (I also had purchased the original JitterBug upon its release in 2016) and the ifi Audio iSilencer. More about these USB cleaners is coming soon.

Concluding Remarks

Considering its organic timbre and its rich midrange, the Red could be the best-sounding portable dac-amp I have tested. But it is not as the DragonFly Cobalt is one step ahead and takes over the title “Lord of the Flies” (apologies to William Golding). The DragonFly Red comes in second best, but it is also $100 cheaper.

My investigations have shown that the external competitors (I have tested) have yet to match the DragonFly Red in terms of sound quality, which, quite frankly, surprises me, too. They may impress with added features, balanced circuits, and amplification, but there is obviously still some room to catch up with the experience in asynchronous coding and the other nitty gritty that make your earphone/headphone sound “good”.

So, yes, the old “Lady in Red” is sonically still on top of the $200 class imo.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

The DragonFly Red was kindly provided by AudioQuest up my request and I thank them for that.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

Gallery

The post AudioQuest DragonFly Red USB DAC + Preamp + Headphone Amp Review – Still Lord Of The Flies? appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Cons — No storage case.

Executive Summary

The $129 EarMen Eagle is a rather refined sounding dac & amp that beats it immediate peers in terms of sound quality. It is the lowest priced dongle offering premium sound quality (of all the ones I have tested) imo.

Introduction

EarMen may be a rather young company that released their first products in 2020, but they have the very experienced premium manufacturer Auris Audio behind them. They are registered in Chicago but produce in Serbia, so you get an American-European product. Their first releases into the world of combined dac-amps were the excellent $199 Sparrow dongle and the $249 TR-amp, both receiving undeservedly little attention by consumers on our YouTube channel (You find the Sparrow video here and the TR-amp video there). But both products received high praises by reviewers.

The Sparrow is special in that it features a balanced circuit on top of the single-ended one, which appears to put the Eagle in its shadow, but undeservedly so, as we will find out. EarMen asked me to compare their Eagle to the AudioQuest DragonFly Red – which some reviewers have done already.

In this review, I will demonstrate that a comparison with the DragonFly Red is somewhat irrelevant and why I prefer the Eagle over the Sparrow. The Eagle simply has its very own merits and deserves to fly high above the radar of the dongle universe.

As mentioned before, I have written an extensive review of the EarMen Sparrow and both are overlapping in terms of functionality. I will therefore focus on my new findings with my experience in “dongle-itis” gained and rather focus on how the EarMen Eagle fits into the big picture.

Specifications

Download Manual: EarMen Eagle

Purchase Link: EarMen Shop

Tested at: $129

Visit mqa.co.uk for more information.

Physical Things and Usability

In the box are the EarMen Eagle, the warranty card, and a USB-A female to USB-C male adapter cable. This allows the Eagle to connect to Apple and Android phones/tablets, and any Windows/Mac computers. It features the ESS Sabre ESS ES9280 C PRO dac chip – which is well implemented.

As you may be well aware, the chip does not matter much for the sound as it is only one of many components. More important are its implementation (including filtering), the analog output stage, as well as the amp design and amp implementation. Therefore, devices with the same das chip may sound totally differently. One ingredient does not make a great meal, experienced chefs are needed. Luckily, they have good cooks at EarMen.

In contrast to its Sparrow sibling, the Eagle features a USB-A connector, a rarity outside the AudioQuest models. The EarMen Eagle therefore works with iOS devices (but requires the Apple Camera Adapter) without creating a “monster dongle snake”. And that’s why I prefer the Eagle over the Sparrow.

The actual EarMen Eagle is as sturdy and filigree CnC machined aluminium construction with top and bottom covered by glass…although I wished it had come with a sheath to protect it from being scratched. It has the same build and dimensions as the Sparrow.

The EarMen logo is illuminated depending on input:

• White – Connected
• Green – PCM/DXD/DSD
• Magenta – MQA
• Red – Not Connected

Functionality and Operation

A Summary Of What It Does

• Can be connected to Windows/Mac computers or Android/iOS sources
• USB-A connector works well with iPhone and Android alike (with included OTG cable)
• Works as a pre-amplifier or dac when connected to a dedicated headphone amplifier
• Drives small loudspeakers through its 3.5 mm output

AND Of What It Does Not

• …has no physical controls
• …needs no battery; draws power from source…and lots of it
• …is not driverless: needs a USB driver for Window computer
• …needs an Apple camera adapter or other third-party lightning cable for connecting to an iOS device
• …does not like driving power-hungry headphones, let’s say my 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600, is pushing it

Well, the first fail of most dongle manufacturers (imo) is the choice of a USB-C connector, be it a socket or a fixed cable. While this is mildly beneficial for Android users, it adds inconvenience to iOS users as they need to chain two cables together: an OTG one and the Apple Camera adapter, which results in a cumbersome “snake”. Yes, you can get third party lightning cables to connect to a USB-C socket, but their MFI chips are not optimized for Apple’s power management, which results in unreasonably high additional battery drains.

The EarMen Eagle contains no battery and is powered by the source device. It works plug ‘n’ play with computers, tablets, and phones (Windows/Mac/Android/iOS). And it requires adjusting the respective sound panel settings in Mac and Windows computers (and a Windows driver).

Volume is controlled from the source device – there are no buttons on the EarMen Sparrow. It is as easy as that. The EarMen Eagle decodes all 32bit/384kHz formats: PCM, DoP, DSD64, DSD128 and MQA. 

Amplification and Power Consumption

You have to give it to EarMen that they disclose detailed power ratings (see specifications above). The Eagle drives any iem and mid-sized headphone such as the 70 Ω Sennheiser HD 25 very well, but starts losing heft at the more power-hungry, full-sized cans such as the 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600.

In my 3h battery drain test of several dongles, the Dragonfly Black and Red had the lowest consumption on my iPhone 5S, the EarMen consumed about a third more, which placed it in the midfield. But it could have done far worse than that….see the detailed results. I would call the Eagle’s battery consumption acceptable but not outstanding.

Power Consumption Test: Parameters and Raw Results

I tested the power consumption of several portable headphone amps connected to my iPhone 5S. The conditions were as identical as possible: 3 h test, volume calibrated to 85 dB  ± 0.5 dB white noise with Dayton microphone, no sim card, BT off, no other apps open; network on, 32 ohm Blon BL-03 iem, Genesis’s Supper’s Ready (from the Seconds Out album) played in an endless loop.

The iPhone’s battery was fully charged at the start of the test and the remaining charge was measured thereafter. The result is shown in the table below. Since the tests were performed at different times and considering the ongoing battery deterioration, the results have to be seen with a grain of salt.

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Sound

Equipment used: MaBook Air/iPhone Se (1st gen.); Sennheiser HD 25; Cayin Fantasy, Sennheiser IE 300, Sennheiser IE 400 PRO, Moondrop Aria, Shozy Form 1.4.

The EarMen Eagle sounds essentially like the single-ended circuit of its sibling EarMen Sparrow. It is marginally off neutral with a bit of warmth added. Warm enough to work well with natural earphones, and neutral enough to work with warm sounding earphones. This makes it flexible with earphone/headphone pairings. It has a rather wide soundstage and a very pleasant, natural timbre, without any harshness or grain.

Voices are smooth, the imaging has some sense of ease, timbre is organic, transparency and clarity are good. The overall presentation is very musical, nothing is analytical or sterile. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Eagle, sonically, but rather everything right.

EarMen Eagle Compared

With tens of dongles on the market, it has become impossible for a single reviewer to keep the overview. As a rule of thumb, pricier models do NOT have necessarily more amplification but a better dac (implementation) in my experience, which translates to better sound. The Eagle’s money is not so much in the amplification but in the sound quality.

“Better sound” in this context means richer/fuller, with better microdynamics (“the small things”) and macrodynamics. It also means more organic/natural as opposed to digital. These improvements result in better musicality. This is not different with your desktop stacks.

I was asked to compare the EarMen Eagle with the $199 AudioQuest DragonFly Red. And the Red shows the Eagle’s limits, which is no surprise as it is 50% more expensive. The Red is bassier, punchier, and more agile & dynamic, it has more note weight and better note definition, and better detail retrieval. It is a bit fuller, richer, and smoother sounding. Vocals are more forward.

The Eagle has a wider but flatter stage. It is overall leaner sounding than the Red but also a bit clearer in the midrange. The Eagle is overall more polite. These differences are only obvious when A/B-ing. What plays into the Eagle’s hands is its more linear signature: the Red does not pair as well with thick sounding/bassy earphones, that’s where the Eagle excels.

Compared to the $85 Shanling UA2 and $109 Hidizs S9 PRO, the Eagle is ahead in terms of timbre. It sounds more natural and even, and it is fuller in the midrange. UA2 is the bassiest and warmest of the three. The UA2/S9 PRO feature an additional balanced circuit and more power. You have the choice: features or sound quality. Quantity vs. quality.

The Eagle’s closest competitor, sound wise, could be the $119 Earstudio HUD100, which is less dynamic but more linear than the Eagle. I prefer the HUD100 for earphone analyses and the Eagle for recreational listening.

In summary, I would draw a line in the sand and claim that the Eagle is the lowest-priced dongle with true premium sound. This is, of course, subjective.

Concluding Remarks

The EarMen Eagle (and the Sparrow) are the company’s first foray into source-powered portable amp/DACs. And it is a very good one. The Eagle sounds great without any major weakness, has excellent build, and it is practical with its USB-A connector. And that’s why I personally prefer it over the more expensive Sparrow. Of all the dongles I have tested, the Eagle is the lowest-priced one that offers premium sound quality imo, and it is worth pairing with the most expensive iems.

In the meantime, I have mailed the EarMen Sparrow to Biodegraded for a second opinion/review.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

The EarMen Eagle was provided by EarMen for my review and I thank them for that. You can get the Eagle at the EarMen shop.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post EarMen Eagle Review – Most Affordable Premium Sound appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Introduction

The world of portable music changed forever with the arrival of the first iPod in 2001. But it took earphone manufacturers beyond the 2008 release of the first iPhone to offer some premium alternatives to the stock buds at a grand scale. And where are we today in terms of iems? Yes, more or less saturated.

With the advent of the AudioQuest DragonFly Black v1.5 portable headphone amp/dac in 2016, any smartphone could be upgraded to a premium music player (albeit some dap fans may disagree). v1.5 was the first “dongle” to draw so little current that it could be sourced by a phone’s battery (and it still leads the pack in this respect, jointly with the Dragonfly Red).

Again, it took a while for manufacturers catch on, but the market is currently flooded with tens of models so that it is difficult to keep the overview.

Purpose of this Guide

This writeup is foremost a small encyclopedia for my own comparison purposes and will always be work in progress. Feel free to bookmark this page and come back from time to time. I do not claim that it offers complete information – and it is highly subjective as it caters to my personal preferences.

In the future, I will not only add more models but also update and refine the individual entries. I hope it will grow into a representative database with time.

In Q1 2020, mostly by coincidence, I started having a closer look at dongles – and analyzed some. I focused on listening while ignoring tech specs and chip models as manufacturers report amplification power inconsistently…and not always correctly. All of the models tested work even with my power hungry 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600 headphones, so the details are irrelevant for my daily usage.

In this guide, I also do not worry about special features offered in the individual models, build, drivers, digital filters, Hi Res decoding, or operation…which is your homework. All I focus on in my descriptions is perceived sound quality. But I care about battery consumption – we don’t want to run out of “juice” on the road – which is listed independently below.

Note: when looking at a dongle, don’t forget one of its main purposes: preserving portability. Fixed cables (typically with USB-c connector) can be awkward for use with iPhones and may result in cable snakes. And good adapters are pricey and cumbersome. I am hesitant with dongles featuring fixed cables – and for good reasons.

If you have tested these models and arrive at a different opinion, please drop a line in the comments section.

Spoiler alert: I identified clear trends in my results that are not surprising:

• The pricier models sound better, sorry for the lack of fantasy. No, they may not have stronger amplification or better features but they sound better.
• It is the other way round with value: the cheaper models offer better bang for the buck.

But to keep you happy: all of the models currently tested are very good in their own way and and each one of them is worthy to be used even with premium iems. Yep, I am mainly evaluating these dongles with iems (and not headphones): both are most portable.

When it comes to value, I intuitively compare to what you get in terms of iem for your money…and feel the dongles fare generally better. Nevertheless do many believe, a good dongle should not cost more than $100.

Equipment used: MacBook Air; BQEYZ Summer (32 Ω), Sennnheiser IE300/400 (16Ω)…this list will also grow to consolidate my findings.

The Lineup

I have no humour and arrange my list according to price from high to low.

AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt ($300)

US design. The smoothie of the dongle world and the dongle with the best sound quality by a long shot. Has simply the biggest note weight, most natural/organic sonic reproduction, and best musicality. It is not its power or resolution or staging that puts it ahead (by $100), it just sounds better. Voices are richer and fuller compared to the other models below.

For people who do not want to make compromises. Received criticism for being overpriced by people looking at the specs/measurements only. You pay for the sound quality, not sound quantity. Output is the same as in the DragonFly Red. Review.

AudioQuest DragonFly Red ($200)

Is somewhat more dynamic and edgier than the Cobalt. In fact, it is the most dynamic dongle I have tested. The most visceral of this lineup. Both DragonFlys have a slight bass boost compared to the other models. Vocals are still richer and fuller than in the Sparrow and HUD 100, but not as smooth as in the Cobalt, which is simply richer sounding. Has by far the smallest battery draw of the lineup. Review.

EarMen Sparrow ($200)

European design. Features two circuits (3.5 mm single ended and 2.5 mm balanced) of which the balanced excels and offers the widest staging and biggest headroom of the competition, beating both DragonFlys in this respect (you need a balanced cable to use this circuit). But the midrange reproduction is not quite a rich as in the DragonFly Red…though pretty impressive. Natural sound.

The Sparrow is more linear, less bassy, and less punchy than the Red and cleaner through the whole frequency range. Review.

EarMen Eagle ($130)

Features essentially the same sound as the Sparrow’s single-ended circuit. Less bassy and with slightly leaner vocals department than the DragonFly Red. Comes close to the “Red” in terms of sound quality, but has a substantially higher battery drain. Natural sound. The lowest-price premium sounding dongle imo. Review.

Earstudio HUD100 ($120)

Korean design. Offers two single-ended circuits with different output powers and three digital filters (I used the “bypass” filter for testing). A bit less dynamic than the Sparrow but very linear with no elevations and a nice wide, stage.

The HUD100 is the most polite of the lot, which is a good thing for taming punchy iems. Received a lot of flack on drop.com for being overpriced, which is simply not warranted. It is the best deal of this selection and worth every penny imo.

Gains richness and depth with the AudioQuest Jitterbug FMJ. HUD100 Review.

This is only a start. There are some upscale favourites that were highly recommended to me such as the Luxury & Precision W2 and the Lotoo Paw S1…but I have yet to get my hands on these. Co-blogger KopiOkaya auditioned these and let me know that they sound technically good but not musically good , and that the DragonFly Cobalt (he bought one in Q1 2021) sounds more natural.

Power Consumption

This is an important aspect when using the dongle on the go. The DragonFly Red wins the “power saving” contest comfortably.

Power Consumption Test: Parameters and Results

I tested the power consumption of several portable headphone amps connected to my iPhone 5S. The conditions were as identical as possible: 3 h test, volume calibrated to 85 dB  ± 0.5 dB white noise with Dayton microphone, no sim card, BT off, no other apps open; network on, 32 ohm Blon BL-03 iem, Genesis’s Supper’s Ready (from the Seconds Out album) played in an endless loop.

The iPhone’s battery was fully charged at the start of the test and the remaining charge was measured thereafter. The result is shown in the table below. Since the tests were performed at different times and considering the ongoing battery deterioration, the results have to be seen with a grain of salt.

[collapse]

Sneak Peak into the <$100 Realm

That’s where the biggest crowding is, currently, although it appears to shift toward the $150 – $200 category with the recent releases by interesting companies (Astell & Kern, Razer…). Of the sub-$100 dongles I can really only offer the Shanling UA2 right now, which is not any less powerful than the >$100 models listed above, sounds natural, features a second balanced circuit and the same dac chip as the DragonFly Cobalt (and even more power).

But where it falls short in comparison even to the (admittedly much pricier) Earstudio HUD 100 is its less linear response, particularly its leaner, sharper midrange and elevated bass.

This is in line with my observations that the more expensive models offer a richer, thicker, fuller, smoother sound. That said the Shanling UA2 offers tremendous value alone for its natural sound. Review.

Concluding Remarks

My preliminary observations (based on the few available data points) appear to correlate somewhat with desktop equipment: more money buys you a better sounding dac. But where it does not compare well is the amp part, at least in terms of power. You can get a lot for less in this respect. Your choice will depend on your budget and personal preference.

Oh, and the EarMen Eagle is about to arrive for analysis. And the Helm Bolt is also somewhere in limbo.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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The post A Simplified Personal Guide To Small Portable Headphone DAC/Amps ($100-300) v0.9 appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Cons — Effect depending on individual system setup: requires trial and error; additional USB line-cleaning may be needed to show positive effects; inconsistently priced (cost prohibitive in Canada); fixed cable; no on-off switch.

Executive Summary

The $49 iPower and the $99 iPower X are low-noise switching mode power (SMPS) supplies that filter out electromagnetic and radio-frequency noise which deteriorate sound quality. In my rigorous tests, the ifi Power X delivered better sonic results than the iPower, which was approximately on par with my budget linear power supply; and all of them were far superior over two generic power supplies.

Introduction

You are in for an interesting read. When I signed up for this experiment, that is testing these “audiophile” power supplies against snake oil claims by others, I didn’t know what I was getting into. At the time, I was not considering that the audio signal can be deteriorated by SEVERAL noise sources, including power supply and computer USB. I had to isolate the effect of the power supply. Improving the digital-audio signal through the power supply alone is insufficient.

Before offering fixes, we will have to talk about the noise sources individually.

Kinds Of Power Supplies

A power supply is a transformer that connects the AC grid with the low voltage circuit of a device, let’s say a dac or an amp. The electricity coming out of your mains contains electromagnetic interference (RMI) and radio-frequency (RFI) interference, the amount of which depends on where you live. It will be worse in a city apartment building than in a house in the country.

There are two kinds of power supplies, switching more power supplies (SMPS) and linear power supplies (LPS). Both kinds principally work with your audio device.

The power supplies that come with your phone or notebook computer are SMPS. These are generally cheaper and (be it directly or indirectly) “noisier” than LPS in that they switch on and off very fast, which causes serious noise in the audio band – unless sophisticated filtering is used. Basic SPS will deteriorate the audio signal.

An LPS is typically less noisy as it provides constant signal and voltage power. However, bigger transformers are better than smaller ones (although they may measure the same), and they can be very expensive (and bulky). Such big LPS are probably only economic for very expensive gear.

That said, not all LPS are better than an SMPS. A “Maserati” SPS will be performing better than a “Fiat” LPS. ifi Audio claims to have produced “low noise” SMPS in their $49 iPower and their even “quieter” $99 iPower X. Although these devices appear expensive, their pricing is small compared to a big LPS, and they are a relatively cheap solution for power-line noise. Sonic improvements depend on the connected audio device. It appears that quality improvements are also correlated with price. And you can spend $$$$ on a good LPS.

USB Noise Explained

Let’s assume for a moment, your dac is powered by your computer’s USB port. The computer delivers “noisy power” and a poorly timed data stream (“jitter”; a dac wants well-timed data stream) caused by EMI and RFI through its VBUS and data line, respectively. A computer’s power supply is not designed with noise reduction in mind and the various computer internals are noisy, for example a hard drive (SSD is quieter).

Both jitter and noisy power contribute to the deterioration of the audio signal. And if both are transferred into the dac via an inferior USB cable, there is additional interference between power and data lines…which exacerbates the problem. That’s why you need a well-made, well-shielded, well-isolating USB cable, too.

A dongle dac-amp is exposed to all these noises whereas most designated dacs have the option of a separate power supply. Separating power and data lines improve dac behaviour and there is no need to clean the computer’s VBUS noise.

In any case should be dac’s power cable be as far away from interconnects as possible. Because of its relative high voltage, it creates a stray electromagnetic field that is picked up by the lower-voltage interconnects and audio cables, which can also effect sound adversely.

The data line can be cleaned by using an asynchronous audio transport: the data packets from the computer are timed/clocked in the dac. As a rule of thumb, the more powerful a computer is (that is the more internal components is has) the more noise it will make. Simpler computers will be quieter. On the other hand, if you already have a clean LPS, you only have to clean the USB data line. For this purpose, I have the Audioquest Jitterbug. Co-blogger Alberto Pittaluga uses the ifi Audio nano iUSB 3.0 and reports good success.

In the end, the amount to noise and therefore the amount of required cleaning depends on the device. Some may not need much cleaning at all.

What Improvements Are Expected?

As a rule of thumb – call it a hypothesis for us to test: a headphone amplifier is more affected by the power supply (some claim 70% of sound quality depends on it) and a dac more by the data-line quality. Consequently, an amp benefits from a good PS whereas a dac benefits more from a clean USB source (but clean power is also important for proper clock detection). The effects of a high-quality power supply can be “overwritten” by a dac’s distortion (poor dejittering/resyncing/rebalancing).

This is a bit unfortunate for my testing as the borrowed iPower/iPower X supplies are laid out for 5 V and therefore for my dacs (integrated dac-amps), whereas my dedicated headphone amps need 12V.

Testimonies of the benefits of power supplies range from a “cleaner signal, better details, better transients” to improved stereo image and bass, better vocals quality” on the blogosphere. Co-blogger Biodegraded, reports better textured and more extended bass and a quieter background throughout in his headphone amp. Co-blogger KopiOkaya owns and tested several LPS and also reports differences in dynamics. Some cheap PS sound “uninspired”. Co-Blogger Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir tested the ifi Audio Zen can and had to purchase an iPower X to get the sonic results he expected from it.

The credibility of real listening experience [I believe my co-bloggers] is unfortunately contaminated by “expectation bias” and the usual bla bla by some YouTube “reviewers”, as well as by some “objectivists” who dismiss such devices on the grounds of measurements that are unrelated to sonic performance. Some people even report sound deterioration using clean-power supplies. Others describe dc leakage contamination when the iPower X shares mains with other devices – or perceive the sound change, but not necessarily to the better.

In summary, you really need to have patience and apply trial and error. If you are a black-and-white kind of person, dabbling in power supplies and usb cleaners is not for you.

Physicalities Of The ifi Audio Power Supplies

Both supplies are wall warts, the iPower more so an ordinary looking one than the fancier, illuminated iPower X. The Power X comes with all possible accessories (including worldwide adapters), as you see on the photo, whereas you have to purchase some of these for the iPower X. In both cases, the connecting cable is fixed to the body – and cannot be replaced.

What ifi Audio Claims

ifi Audio give little details on the technology of their two power supplies. It is claimed that the iPower X cancels all EMI and FMI coming in from the mains. Mid- to low-frequency noise is removed in the fashion of a noise cancelling headphone: it is countered with out-of-phase electrical noise so that both cancel each other out. High frequency noise is removed with passive filters.

The iPower is considered to be 20 times quieter than audiophile linear power supplies.

You may want to visit the respective product pages for further information:

Test Setup

In order to test the iPower and iPower X supplies effectively, the power supply noise has to be isolated from other noise sources. For this purpose a music source without significant or no USB noise is used. This can be a CD player (through the S/PDIF output), and to a lesser extent, my computer with a rudimentary USB data-line cleaner. My test setup was:

• Different 5V power supplies: iPower, iPower X, BRZHifi LPS, Apple 12V SMPS (from 2012 iPad), generic Baseus charger SMPS, Tzumi power bank (battery)
• Source NAD CD player with S/PDF connection
• Integrated dac/amp 1: Kadhas Tone2 Pro [S/PDIF input used]
• Receiving end: Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk:crinacle and Anew X One

This setup delivered uncompressed CD data and, obviously, zero USB noise.

Test Results

To take it away, the iPower X delivered the best results by far. Differences to the other power supplies were not only just audible or nuances, no the iPower X was way ahead of the pack.

I started with the Apple SMPS, a 12 V charger for my 2012 iPad. Apple power supplies have a very good reputation, but they do not regulate mains noise, but, to my knowledge there’s some filter inside – Apple are tight lipped about the details. After all, it is designed to charge and power gear. In terms of sound, there was lots of harshness and lack of coordination in the Moondrop. Spatial organization was all over the place. It sounded unruly and edgy and the sound did not do justice to the Khadas T2P and Crinacle’s impeccable tuning of the Moondrop.

The iPower X, in comparison, provided a true eye/ear-opening experience…and the difference to the Apple PS was BIIIIIG. The sonic image was much more organized, more balanced, not sharp anymore. The corners were rounded, the sound was smoother, more relaxed, more contained and rather homogenous. Bass kick was better, too, and so was spatial cues. Holistically speaking, the listening experience was much nicer and rounder sounding. Much nicer…

I then tested the BRZHiFi, a $40 LPS I had bought from China. The edges were not as round anymore as with the iPower X and homogeneity was not quite as good. But the listening experience was still decent and more than acceptable. And it beat the Apple SPS.

Moving to the regular iPower, there was not much difference to the BRZHifi, but it was not even close to the iPower X in terms of control and organization. Well, half price…iPower is a compromise.

I then connected a generic $14 Baseus “Frankenstein” charger, and it did full justice to this attribute. The sound was thin, dark, dull, and lifeless. Can’t help it. No filtering…you pay the price for not paying the price.

Last but not least, I ran the Khadas on the Tzumi 10,000 mAh powerbank – and it sounded quite good. I’d put it quality wise on one level with the iPower and BRZHifi. So, if you are on a budget, use your powerbank. It supplies constant linear power and does not suffer from RMI/RFI. Try it!

In summary, the iPower X helped generate the best sound by far in this test.

But…No Audible Difference Found With A Computer…

In my recent analysis of the Khadas Tone2 Pro, I used my MacBook Air as music source (instead of the CD player). I reported no sonic differences between the Apple and the two ifi power supplies, and the computer’s USB power source. Why? Well the simplest explanation is that the computer’s USB data noise was masking the benefits of the power supplies.

Generally, there are a plethora of reasons why one may not hear a difference with the iPower and iPower X supplies, principally because other sources cause even bigger pollution.

• The improvement of the PS of the low- noise power is masked by poor data quality (jitter)
• The equipment is not of the highest quality
• The test setup was not optimal (use sensible iems and high-quality headphones)

In this case, the whole setup needs improving.

Value

A contentious topic. In our internal blog discussion round, some found the ifi Power X totally overpriced, whereas others pointed to the fact that a decent LPS can offset you by hundreds of dollars. So the iPower X is probably worth its $99. The $49 iPower is a bit of a half-baked compromise with the advantage that it comes with all thinkable accessories, and it compares price wise with my cheap LPS.

I would generally assign a better value to the iPower X but also note the difference in pricing between US and Canada (way more expensive north of 64), which makes it cost prohibitive for me. ifi Audio should reconsider their local pricing variations, especially when it comes for free with the $229 drop.com version of their Zen Can.

Am I A Snake-Oil Merchant?

Going into this test, I was very skeptical of the sonic benefits of “audiophile” power supplies, galvanic isolators, line cleaners etc. After all, the Audio Science Forum keeps telling us that there cannot be any improvements because they would crystallize out in their measurements. This is a reverse argument and there is no reason whatsoever refusing to listen to the gear that’s right there on the measurement rig – and without expectation bias.

The question is whether these measurements are capable of characterizing perceived sound. As far as I know, there is no physical relationship (“formula”) between them. “Objectivists” equate quantity with quality, and not only that: their quantity of one thing (“some measurement”) is directly correlated with the quality of another (“sound”). So, in order to match them up, religious beliefs are required. Beliefs are handy as they don’t have to be proven. And that’s what objectivists refer to as science.

As to selling you snake oil, I only borrowed these two ifi power supplies – and would be extremely happy, if my own BRZHiFi LPS was better. It is not, unfortunately.

One point of this exercise is that my results are not 1:1 transferable to you as they apply only to my testing parameters. But you get the message. You have to find sonic progress by trial and error when dealing with so many unknowns simultaneously. And if you are not prepared to do so, then better leave your fingers of it.

Concluding Remarks

“Audiophile” power supplies such as the iPower and iPower X are no snake oil, although results vary with setup. I experienced major sonic improvements in my testing, particularly with the iPower X, against unfiltered power from generic supplies. This, unfortunately, opens a can of worms, as I would like to now tackle USB data-line noise with devices such as the iUSB 3.0, which can be expensive. I put a lot of effort into this exercise and learnt a lot by doing.

If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can’t be done – PETER USTINOV

The stubborn claims of self-acclaimed “objectivists” that there cannot be a sonic difference because the measurements do not indicate it, make as much sense as dismissing the necessity of elections on the grounds that we already have democracy.

In the end, you have to trust your ears.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

Disclaimer

The two power supplies were loaned to me for 60 days by ifi Audio upon my request. I thank them for that. I also thank my co-bloggers for intense discussion of this topic.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post ifi Audio iPower & iPower X Review – Noise Annoys appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Pros — Cheapest snake oil in audio; excellent build, haptic, and looks; rugged and attractive looking; reasonable price and shipping.

Cons — Shipping cost only calculated upon checkout.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Snake Oil Taipan are sturdy RCA connectors made from German Sommer cable and American premium Amphenol connectors, and they are assembled in the USA.

INTRODUCTION

We love snake oil. If you search our blog for these keywords, you get…just try it:

https://www.audioreviews.org/?s=snake+oil

Snake Oil Sound is a 2-men startup out of a garage in San Jose, CA. 2 guys? Garage? California? Sounds familiar?

That’s how he world’s most valuable company started. But whereas Apple have never had any self irony, Snake Oil have. The company specializes in after-market accessories for Schiit products (cables, connectors, even a streamer), and they certainly have come up with some good ideas. Check out their catalogue.

I came across Snake Oil when looking for RCA interconnects for the Khadas Tone2 Pro/Topping L30. There are tons of quality cables out there, which were either too pricey for me – or the extraordinary shipping cost higher than the product itself made them cost prohibitive.

Snake Oil sell directly without middlemen. They offer international shipping at cost – per USPS, which is about $12 to Canada. They obviously understand their customers. Unfortunately (for them) I had already submitted an order to some Chinese budget cables. And fortunately – for them – these were too short for my purposes, so that we agreed on me reviewing one of their cables. I opted for the Snake Oil Taipan, their TOTL model, which retail at a reasonable $33 per footlong pair.

SPECIFICATIONS

Product Name: Snake Oil Taipan
Length: 6 in to 1000 ft
Wire Material/Conductor: 0.5 mm² German SOMMER cable
RCA connectors: Premium Amphenol
Tested at: $33 for1 ft/pair
Purchase Link: Snake Oil Sound

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

There is really not much to say. The cables were hand assembled upon ordering and arrived in a simple plastic bag. The amphenol premium connectors are well known to and appreciated by audiophiles. They are sturdy and sit as snug in place as it gets. The rugged cable part is imported from Sommer Cable in Germany. Two quality items, brought together in California.

The overall construct is highly functional and therefore rather substantial and very sturdy. The cable is reasonably supple and rebranded with the Snake Oil label. And it is this visible irony that makes this product unique.

SOUND: REFINING SNAKE OIL

I have reviewed quite a few earphone cables in my life – but never dared to make broad statements that one cable sounded universally better than another. Differences in sound rely on a lot of factors and are always tied to the properties of the electronics the cable is used with, the source and the amp.

Now I have finally arrived at the Snake Oil itself. And yes, the Snake Oil Taipan sounds good. So good that I use it to connect the Khadas Tone Pro to the Schiit Magni 2 Uber and Topping L30. Yep, it works well, it connects well, and it looks good. And that’s all I need. I compared the Taipan with some well-made but older Radio Shack cables. The Taipan delivered a fuller sound at the bottom end, the Radio shack sound was less bassy and visceral – which only applies to this particulate setup. This does not mean it sounds better than the Radio Shack cable, it only means it transfers more of the lower frequencies. Depends which signature you prefer.

Snake Oil Taipan – The Movie

CONCLUDING REMARKS

I had done a few cable reviews before – and had mentioned the term “snake oil” in each of them. Yes, any two cables can sound different (with the same electronics), but this has, in many cases, little to do with price (or optics). A well-constructed, well-shielded cable with good connectors is all you need for decent sound transfer.

The Snake Oil Taipan incorporates German and American quality parts and does the job – and it does it well. It is assembled in the USA and affordable. I really liked the company’s “at a cost shipping” to Canada.

What else do you want?

You can have never enough Snake Oil in your audio…which is typically highly overpriced! But not in this case.

Oh, and I append a few images below that give you some idea of the Taipan’s physicalities – and an accompanying video is in the works.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

I received the Taipan cable from Snake Oil Sound for my review – and I thank them for that.

Get the Taipan directly from Snake Oil Sound.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

Gallery

The post Snake Oil Taipan RCA Cable Review – Sonic Poison Attack appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Cons — No gain switch; rather big; non-serviceable battery.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The EarMen TR-Amp is a powerful neutral but not sterile of generic sounding integrated headphone amp (dac/pre-amp) that drives headphones up to 300 Ω) with ease. Made in Europe.

INTRODUCTION

EarMen recently appeared big on our radar out of nowhere, with their two models the TR-Amp (“transportable amp”) and the Sparrow dongle. The company is a subdivision of premium manufacturer  Auris Audio. Earmen is registered in the US, where most of its stakeholders are from. The new Chicago warehouse has its focus on the North American market. The production is currently in Krusavec, Serbia [video of production facilities]. EarMen is “Made in Europe”.

I have used the EarMen TR-amp for 4-5 months, mainly with the 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600 headphones. This worked so well and the TR-amp so so easy to operate that I had real problems writing an actual review other than telling you that it “works well and is really good”.

I apologize to EarMen that it took me so long to write this article.

SPECIFICATIONS

ES9038Q2M SABRE dac chip

Inputs: USB C (DATA & charge)
Outputs: 6.3 mm/3.5mm (stereo)

Headphone Amp with Texas Instruments TPA6120 chip:
THD+N: (2.7V, 32R) <0.005% SNR: >114dB
Dynamic Range: >107 dB
Power: >2.5V/400 mW (16 Ω); >3.4V/350 mW (32 Ω)

Output Impedance: <1 Ω

Manual: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0250/1758/1634/files/TR-Amp_1_2_3_4.pdf?v=1593165092

Tested at: $249

Product page: https://earmen-shop.com/products/tr-amp

PHYSICAL THINGS

In the box are:

• TR-amp
• USB-C to USB-A cable, 1 m
• rubber ring (for strapping TR-amp to phone)
• storage meshbag
• manual/warranty card

The case is of sturdy aluminum, knob and switch are metal, there is nothing plastic. Rubber feet on the bottom prevent the metal chassis from being scratched/scratching the underlying surface such as a smartphone. The build is so sturdy that you can probably use it in self-defence – and it will still work thereafter.

The EarMen TR-amp features the TOTL ES9038Q2M SABRE dac chip and the Texas Instruments TPA6120 headphone amplifier chip. 

FUNCTIONALITY

The EarMen TR-amp connects to smartphones vial plug ‘n’ play, it needs a driver for Windows (download) and none for the Mac.

WHAT IT DOES

• Can be connected to phone or Windows/Mac computers or Android/iOS sources
• Works as a pre-amplifier or dac when connected to a dedicated headphone amplifier
• Plays two earphones/headphones simultaneously through its two outputs (3.5 mm/6.3 mm)
• Drives small loudspeakers through its RCA outputs
• Plays and charges simultaneously through its two USB-C ports (5V power supply/charger)
• …Or runs on its built-in 3700 mAh battery
• Handles even power-hungry headphones well, imo up to 300 Ω

WHAT IT DOES NOT

• There is no choice of different digital filters
• It has no gain switch
• The output impedance is fixed
• Cannot be used as an amp only as it has no analog inputs

The EarMen TR-amp is a rather large for use on the road – I’d store it in my pocket rather than strapping it onto my phone. I like using it in bed with my phone, where size does not matter…at least amp size does not.

OPERATION

Operation is straight forward. “The music plays” – as they say – in the front and back panels…

Front Panel

The front panel of the EarMen TR-Amp features 2 outputs: a 3.5 mm and a 6.3 mm, which points to its particular suitability for full-sized headphones. The “On-Off/Volume” is nicely protruding out and therefore convenient to handle. That little LED serves mainly as an audio format indicator, and less so than a battery indicator: EarMen TR-amp is on (“white”), connected/PCM (“green”), MQA (“magenta”), DSD (cyan), charging (“flashing blue”), and low battery (“flashing red”). It is well visible while inconspicuous.

Rear Panel

The back panel sports two USB-C ports, a Pre Out/Direct switch, and RCA outputs.

One of the UBS-C outputs is used for charging, the other for data transfer. Both can be deployed simultaneously. When the EarMen TR-amp is connected to a computer, it is running on battery by default. You have to connect the other USB-C port to a USB-charger or external battery pack for charging.

The EarMen TR-amp’s amplifier function can be bypassed when connecting it to a (more powerful desktop) amplifier through the 2 RCA outputs. The switch serves the purpose of specifying the volume control. in the “Direct” position, the EarMen TR-amp’s volume knob is being disabled and the full-strength signal is being transferred through the”Line Out” into the external amp, which requires its own volume control. In the “Pre Out” position, the TR-amp’s volume control is activated.

Independent of the switch position both headphone outputs are always operative and two people can listen simultaneously.

AMPLIFICATION

The EarMen TR-amp works well with the Sennheiser HD 300 Ω impedance headphone (and therefore most on the market), but its 350 mW into 32 Ω would probably not drive more exotic 600 Ω headphones well. Power details in the specs above.

POWER CONSUMPTION/PLAY TIME

Ear Men claims up to 10 hrs of play time but does not give you specifics on the setup. I tested with the power-hungry Sennheiser HD 600 and iPhone 5S at a “normal” but pretty healthy volume level. After 6 h and 15 minutes, the indicator light started blinking, which means the the battery level and dropped below 20%. This points to 7-8 h playtime with this setting.

I value this as being in line with the manufacturer’s claims.

SOUND

My tonal preference and testing practice

My test tracks explained

Equipment used: EarMen TR-amp; Macbook Air, iPhone SE 1st gen.; Apple camera adapter, ddHifi TC28i adapter; Schiit Magni 2U headphone amplifier with Audioquest Forest and Snake Oil Taipan RCA interconnects; 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600 headphone, 16 Ω Sennheiser IE 300 earphone.

The “ingredients” of the EarMen TR-amp are top notch, but how good is the “cooked meal”? Such a device works well with your phone on the go (if you like strapping it around it), but it can also be deployed as a desktop amp, and it can also be used as pre-amp or dac, when connected to a “bigger” dedicated headphone amplifier.

I tested the TR-amp in these scenarios:

1. …as dac-amp with MacBook plus headphones/earphones
2. …as dac-amp with phone
3. …as dac AND pre-amp with Schiit Magni 2 Uber, sourced by MacBook

The EarMen TR-amp, just like the Sparrow, produces a neutral sound with a tinge of warmth added to spare us from a clinical, lifeless, or overwhelming sonic reproduction. Straddling that thin line, it allows for harmonizing with both, neutral and warm headphones/earphones.

Extension towards both ends is very good and so are headroom, sense of space, and dynamics. The punch is natural and works with electronic, rock, and acoustic music such as symphony or jazz. The image has a good volume and body, it does neither sound lean or syrupy thick. The TR-amp preserves the music’s midrange clarity and brings vocals out intimately.

I also could never hear any noticeable hiss, not even with the sensitive 16 Ω Sennheiser IE 300. But it brought out the bassy side of these naturally bassy iems without muddying or congesting the sound.

It is really boring to report the sound of an amp that does not alter music and reproduces it as should be. The EarMen TR-amp simply works and has been for quite some time for me.

Using the EarMen TR-amp with as a pre-amp (“Pre-Out”) and dac (“Direct”) with the warmer Schiit amp adds a bit of colour and results in added power and heft. This is only valid for this particular setup . Sonic results will vary with different amps connected.

What I’d like to see is a gain switch for easier volume fine adjustments with sensitive earphones.

EARMEN TR-AMP COMPARED

I can only offer the $199 British nano iDSD Black Label (“BL”), which is a bit smaller and less powerful (285 mW vs. 350 mW @ 32Ω) – both feature a 3700 mAh battery. The BL does not drive the Sennheiser HD 600 as well as the TR-amp, but it has two 3.5 mm outputs, one of which (“IE Match“) offers increased output impedance for sensitive iems. The more powerful TR-amp is rather designed towards full-sized cans with its 6.3 mm output – whereas the BL caters more to the less power hungry peripherals…although both play both well.

The BL is warmer sounding and therefore more limited to the more neutral headphones/earphones, it may sound muffled with warm earphones/headphones. The EarMen TR-amp is more versatile in this respect. The BL has the choice of two audio filters, the TR-Amp does not. And the BL has a pseudo 3.5 mm balanced circuit.

In terms of connectivity, the EarMen TR-amp has a L and R line out, the BL has a single 3.5 mm line out. Both can be used as dacs, and only the EarMen as pre-amp. The TR-amp, with its separate UBC-C ports for charging and data can be charged while playing, the BL with its USB-A port can draw power from the source (“computer”) or run on battery, but it cannot play and charge simultaneously.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The Earmen TR-amp has been playing everything I threw at it in the last few months, from sensitive iems to the 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600. And it played them all very well. It is a robust classic design that feels and sounds good, that is powerful enough for almost anything, and that is reasonably priced. It simply works for me and don’t want to miss it.

What else can I say?

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

You find an INDEX of all our dac/amp reviews HERE.

DISCLAIMER

The Earmen TR-amp was provided by Earmen upon my request. I thank them and also the Audiofool who had established the contact. The Audiofool has reviewed the Earmen TR-amp here.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

GALLERY

The post EarMen (By Auris) TR-Amp DAC + Pre-Amp + Headphone Amp Review – Work Horse appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Cons — No (affordable) linear power supply offered as add-on; learning curve; awkward operation with 2 hands; bluetooth module not yet implemented.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Khadas Tone2 Pro is an innovative miniature desktop dac with integrated headphone amplifier that offers a ton of functionality qualifying it as a competent “Jack of All Trades”.

INTRODUCTION

Khadas is a Shenzen company run by a team of audio enthusiasts. Their first release was the infamous “Toneboard”, a $99 dac/amp that came “naked” without housing. Much of the company’s inventory caters to electronics junkies with soldering skills.

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF THE KHADAS TONE2 PRO

The Khadas Ton2 ProPro is a miniature integrated dac-amp that works with Window and Mac computers as well as with Android and iOS devices. It shares certain features with traditional dongles such as the EarMen Sparrow or DragonFly Cobalt in that it is connected to a phone or computer via USB. But a dongle relies entirely on the power of its source and only outputs into 2.5 mm/3.5 mm/4.4 mm audio. The Khadas Tone2 Pro can be powered by its audio source or independently, and has more output options/possibilities than a dongle. It shows, however, less flexibility when connected to a phone because it needs an external power supply in this setup.

The Khadas Tone2 Pro’s distinctive features are:

• Unique encoder knob
• Flexible power supply options (source device or linear power supply)
• Balanced RCA connectors (cable available from Khadas; backwards compatible for connecting a single-ended headphone amp)
• Reversible S/PDIF coaxial input/output (for connecting a CD player or use as USB to coax converter)
• 4.4 mm balanced headphone socket (plus single-ended 3.5 mm socket)
• Add-on bluetooth module (still being developed)

SPECIFICATIONS

Khadas lists the Tone2 Pro’s full specs in every detail; they can be downloaded here. The most important ones are:

DAC chipset: ESS ES9038Q2M 32-Bit Stereo Mobile Audio DAC
Amplifier chipsets: I/V Stage: TI OPA1612 x2, LPF Stage: TI OPA1612 x2, Buffer Stage: RT6863D x3
Output Impedance: <0.3 Ω
SNR: 119-121 dB (depending on output)
Up to 32bit 384KHz sample rate, bit-perfect DSD512, and -118dB THD+N (line-out).
MQA decoding
Compatibility: Windows/Mac, Android, iOS

Maximum output, single-ended circuit (3.5 mm socket):

• 35.3 mW @ 150 Ω (2.0 Vrms)
• 125 mW @ 32 Ω (2.3 Vrms)
• 114 mW @ 16 Ω (1.35 Vrms)

Maximum output, balanced circuit (4.4 mm socket):

• 83 mW @ 300 Ω (5.0 Vrms)
• 167 mW @ 150 Ω (5.0 Vrms)
• 211 mW @ 32 Ω (2.6 Vrms)
• 123 mW @ 16 Ω (1.4 Vrms)

Full Specifications: https://dl.khadas.com/products/tone2/specs/Khadas_Tone2_Pro_Specs.pdf
Product Page: https://www.khadas.com/tone2pro
Purchase Links: hifigo or amazon
Tested at $199.90

PHYSICAL THINGS AND FUNCTIONALITY

In the box are the actual device, a USB-C to USB-C cable, and the manual. The very small Khadas Tone2 Pro ‘s enclosure and the encoder knob are made of aircraft grade aluminium, with a polycarbonate bottom cover on a soft silicone pad – in order not to scratch the underlying surface.

The manual is pretty confusing when it comes to setup with a computer (Mac is not mentioned at all but it worked just upon plugin), firmware update, and operation, but there are excellent videos available that offer all necessary solutions.

User Manual: https://dl.khadas.com/products/tone2/manual/tone2pro_user_manual.pdf

Firmware Upgrade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRswdL1HPZU

Balanced RCA: https://www.khadas.com/balanced-rca

Khadas Discussion Forum: https://forum.khadas.com

Khadas Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/khadas.official

CONNECTIVITY: THE SKY’S YOUR LIMIT

The Khadas Tone2 Pro offers a variety of connections – and therefore a variety of usages.

Inputs: USB-C (computer/phone/raspberry-type single-board computer), I2S (linear power supply, bluetooth module), coaxial (CD-player).

Outputs: 3.5 mm and .4 mm “balanced” headphone sockets (can be used simultaneously), balanced RCA (backward compatible), and the coaxial can be reversed with a firmware change.

INTRODUCING BALANCED RCA

Khadas developed “balanced” RCA connectors which they implemented in their Tone2 Pro. You can connect balanced RCA cables and stream to a balanced amp. While this is a great idea, such cables do not exist yet, and other manufacturers have yet to embrace the balanced RCA technology (but Kadhas sell you a $40 balanced RCA to XLR adapter). No third-party amp with balanced RCA connectors exists presently. Good that these connectors are backward compatible – you can use your old RCA cables.

However, balance amps exist and in order to connete them with the Tone2 Pro, Khadas are selling RCA to XLR adapter. Problem solved…for now. But other manufacturers will have to embrace the balanced RCA technology for the technology to survive.

THE CRAZY VOLUME KNOB IS ALSO A JOYSTICK

Khadas introduce a hybrid digital/analog volume control knob that works like both a normal rotary knob and joystick.

You can turn it like a standard volume knob but also push it sideways…but you need to hold the light device with the other hand during operation…awkward when it is sitting on an amp. Typically each two lateral pushes cycle you through the different modes from volume through track forward/backward, gain, input selection, and digital filter. Here the overview of all modes (from the user manual):

In each mode, you rotate the knob to change the functions as indicated in this graphic. Any setting is visualized by a colour combination in the RGB ring light at the base of the knob. While it is painful to read is, you just watch these two videos to get the details:

PRACTICAL USE OF THE KHADAS TONE2 PRO

In real life, you can use the Khadas Tone2 Pro as follows, for example:

CD player/streamer/computer/tablet/phone –> Khadas Tone2 Pro –> headphone

CD player/streamer/computer/tablet/phone –> Khadas Tone2 Pro –> headphone amp –> headphone

CD player/streamer/computer/table/phone –> Khadas Tone2 Pro –> stereo amp –> loudspeakers

To give you some idea: I first connected the Khadas Tone2 Pro to my computer via USB-C and also used the computer as power source. This was just fine for listening to iems and even the 300 ohm Sennheiser HD 600. I then added power by connecting the Schiit Magni 2 Uber headphone amp via RCA cables. The Khadas Tone2 Pro now served as pre-amp.

I then moved to my stereo system and connected the Khadas Tone2 Pro to my CD player via coaxial RCA. I also connected my phone to the Khadas Tone2 Pro’s USB-C port…and had two music input sources to choose from. I switched between the sources using the rotary function of the dial after having it set to “Input” mode….and listened to CDs with my Sennheiser HD 600 connected to the Khadas Tone2 Pro 3.5 mm socket. I now had to option to use the RCA out to connect the Khadas Tone2 Pro either to a headphone amp or to the stereo’s power amp.

Streaming music from your phone to the Khadas Tone2 Pro via Bluetooth would be an interesting asset. This functionality has not been implemented yet – a add-on Bluetooth module is presently being developed.

SUPPLIED POWER VS POWER SUPPLY

The Khadas Tone2 Pro is driven from the USB-port of your computer without problems. I was told that a notebook is an electrical firestorm and that there is some electrical noise associated with Mains power at 20, 60, and 180 Hz on laptop USB.

The Khadas Tone2 Pro features a second USB-C port (labelled I2S), designed for input from a Linear [Voltage] Power Supply (“LPS”). An LPS supplies a constant current, which minimizes electrical noise and generates ultra-clean signal-to-noise ratios. But I was warned that the “wrong” LPS could make the Khadas Tone2 Pro (and similare devices) “dull and uninspiring” sounding. When in use, I2S prioritizes the LPS over the USB source. Separating data flow and power, and supplying power from a “clean” LPS serves the purpose of improving sound quality. This is particularly important when the Khadas Tone2 Pro is used as dac. Any distortion/impurity in the signal will be exaggerated by the attached power amplifier.

And while an LPS may feed the Khadas Tone2 Pro with “clean” power, this also opens a can or worms.

First, an LPS is expensive. At a minimum, you spend 40% of the Khadas Tone2 Pro’s purchasing price – when you live in North America. In Europe, a quality LPS sets you back 120 EUR. And even if you convert your old microwave into an LPS, it takes $50 in parts. This is cost prohibitive.

Second, these LPS are bulky and heavy, which is contradicting the idea of the Khadas Tone2 Pro’s lightweight and small dimensions. This is less of an issue when don’t locate the LPS on your desk but use it as a kick plate underneath.

Third, the music coming out of the computer’s USB port will still carry impurities.

Khadas failed to design an affordable LPS as an add-on, which I consider a flaw considering all the good ideas that went into the Tone2 Pro. After all, the buyer wants a perfectly functional device out of the box.

So, what are the alternatives? After all, any dac or amp comes with its own power supply – and you don’t have to worry about it – and therefore not pay extra through your nose. I tested a $15 powerbank (stable power supply), Apple stock 5 V chargers for iPhone and ipad (all switched-mode power supplies but of good quality), and two low-noise power supplies provided by ifi Audio (for a separate review). The potential issue with switching currents is electrical noise being introduced to the signal.

First of all, all of the above principally powered the Khadas Tone2 Pro. So the question is whether LPSs are overkill. We will answer this question below.

SOUND IN DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS

My tonal preference and testing practice

My test tracks explained

Equipment used: MacBook Air, iPhone SE (first generation), Marantz SACD8005; Khadas Tone2 Pro, Schiit Magni 2U; KBEAR TRI I3, Shozy Form 1.4, Sennheiser HD 25 and HD 600; ddHifi adapters DJ35AG/DJ44AG; diverse power supplies (ifi Audio iPower & iPower X, Apple iPad 12 W switching power supply, Tzumi 10,000 mAh power bank); Snake Oil Taipan and Radio Shack RCA interconnects; Amazon basics coaxial RCA cable.

Setup 1: Khadas Tone2 Pro with MacBook Air and TRI3 and Shozy Form 1.4 earphones with DJ35AG/DJ44AG adapters

This test served the purpose of comparing the single-ended and balanced circuits using 2.5 mm balanced cables and the DJ35AG/DJ44AG adapters. I used the easily driven Shozy Form 1.4 and the harder-to-drive planar magnetic TRI3 earphones, both on low gain.

The balanced circuit was much superior over the single-ended one in that the sonic experience was much more three dimensional and atmospheric, with a much better spatial cues, more note weight…and it was simply louder. The technicalities were all quite good with one downside: the timbre was rather digital and a bit edgy for the cello sonatas I had started my test off with…and the sound was lively and crisp with rock music, though the bass could have been a bit meatier.

I mentioned it above: both outputs work simultaneously…two can listen.

Setup 2: MacBookAir with Khadas Tone2 Pro and Sennheiser HD 600 headphones

I could only test the “weaker” 3.5 mm single-ended output with the 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600 headphones…and I was pushing the Khadas Tone2 PRO’s limits (on high gain). I achieved an astounding headroom considering this small device, although the dynamics stayed on the “polite” side. This combination principally worked, but it had reached its limit. I would not push any harder-to-drive headphones.

Setup 3: Marantz SACD8005 with Khadas Tone2 Pro and Sennheiser HD 600 headphone

This experiment served testing the coaxial input from the CD player with uncompressed music. I used a $12 CAD amazon basics coaxial cable that is surprisingly well made. The SACD has its own integrated headphone amplifier so I could A/B from the same source.

This combination sounded quite impressive with lots of headroom and transparency. In comparison, the integrated Marantz headphone amplifier (with unknown but probably high output impedance) sounded somewhat muffled with less extension.

Setup 4: MacBook Air with Khadas Pro into Schiit Magni 2 Uber and Sennheiser HD 600/HD25 headphones

In this setup, the Khadas Tone2 Pro was only used as a dac, with the Schiit as the amp. And it literally rocked. The punch returned to the Senns and so did naturalness. Yes, this combination sounded more natural than the Khadas’s integrated amplifier. Switching from the 300 Ω HD 600 to the 70 Ω HD 25 added some lightness and ease…but this probably has to do with the Schiit’s limited output rather than the T2 Pro.

I also played with cables and compared the sturdy Snake Oil Taipan interconnects (with their German Sommer wire) with some 20-year-old Radio Shack ones. And, compared to the Radio Shack ones, the Snake Oil added…no, not snake oil, but bass, as if a subwoofer had been added. Which one is better comes down to personal taste.

I then replaced the Khadas Tone2 Pro with the Dragonfly Cobalt as dac, which also sounded great but slightly less substantial. This probably lies in the quality of Khadas’s dedicated RCA outputs.

And what did the different power supplies contribute?

I tested the Khadas Pro with the different power supplies (ifi Audio iPower/iPower X, Apple iPad 12W switching supply, Tzumi power bank, Macbook’s USB power), musically sourced by the MacBook. Since the Khadas prioritizes the I2P port (it switches automatically when an external power source is connected), A/B-ing was easy.

What did I expect between Mac power and external power? From discussions and company advertisements/claims, the electric noises should should have been decreased – and the sonic impact should have increased with an external low-noise supply.

What differences did I hear? Absolutely none, zero, zilch. This relates to the Mac as the music source while using the Khadas as amp and as dac in combination with the Schiit amp. I would have expected this for integrated amp, but additionally amplifying the signal with the Schiit should also have further amplified the noise.

I also alternated the external power supplies when playing music from the Marantz SACD player…and could also not hear any differences between them. But I noticed an excellent clarity and headroom, which probably reflected the uncompressed nature of the music compared to the compressed formats on the Mac.

In the end, there were too many unknowns to allow for a conclusive answer on the LPS question other than that an external power supply likely does not make the world or a difference. The cheap compromise would be the power bank.

Talking to audio engineer Amir from Audio Science Reviews (who had also reviewed the Khadas Tone2 Pro), he told me that different power supplies can make a small measurable difference, which are not significant enough to justify their purchase. The Khadas Tone2 Pro’s performance is superb without.

I don’t object.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The Khadas Tone2 Pro is not only a “Jack of all trades”, it is also a master of many. It incorporates a lot interesting concepts and innovations – and it works by itself or in combination with essentially anything. It has come a long way from the original “naked” Toneboard for the DIY person to this turnkey device that will provide users with lots of fun…after an initial learning curve. A unique product that is uniquely good.

Recommended.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

You find an INDEX of all our dac/amp reviews HERE.

DISCLAIMER

The Khadas Tone2 Pro was kindly provided by hifigo for my review. Thank you very much.

You can get the Khadas Tone2 Pro from hifigo or amazon.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

GALLERY

The post Khadas Tone2 Pro Review – Impossible Is Nothing appeared first on Audio Reviews.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The EarMen Sparrow is a $200 battery-less warm-neutral sounding dac/amp with dual output: single ended 3.5mm and the more powerful 2.5 mm balanced. It is class leading in terms of both power and sound quality. The EarMen Sparrow supports playback from iPhones, Android smartphones, MacOS and Windows computers. It also plays all 32bit/384kHz formats: PCM, DoP, DSD64, DSD128 and MQA. It is the best dongle I have come across (in the $200 category) and was on my personal favourite gear list of 2020.

INTRODUCTION

Do all dongles sound equal? Are most dongles just ornaments? Should we rather go for a desktop dac/amp instead to get more value for money? All of the above have been mentioned in discussions lately. For years I have had a single dongle dac/amp, the Audioquest Dragonfly Black. I mainly used it with my iPhone and life was good. Until…

To make this clear a priori: the EarMen Sparrow is the best-sounding dongle I have tested too far…but also the most expensive one. And it is not an ornament.

EarMen is a company registered in in the US, where most of its stakeholders are located – and from where they focus on the North American market. EarMen are a subdivision of premium audio gear producer Auris Audio. The production is in Krusavec, Serbia [video of production facilities]: Made in Europe.

SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: 42*22*8 mm

Purchase Link: EarMen Shop

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

In the box is the EarMen Sparrow, the warranty card, and two cables: USB-C to USB-C, and USB-C to USB-A. This allows the Sparrow to connect to Android phones/tablets, and any Windows/Mac computer. It features the ESS Sabre ES9281PRO dac chip – which is well implemented.

The EarMen Sparrow also works with iOS devices but requires the Apple Camera Adapter, which adds to a “monster snake”. The $30 ddHifi TC28i adapter offers the same funcionality but cuts the snake’s length enormously.

The actual EarMen Sparrow is a sturdy and filigree CnC machined aluminium construction with top and bottom covered by glass…although I wished it had come with a sheath to protect it from being scratched.

In contrast to most other dongles does the EarMen Sparrow offers two different circuits and sockets: a single-ended output through a standard 3.5 mm socket and a balanced output through a 2.5 mm socket. Both outputs/sockets work simultaneously. And it is the balanced output that makes the EarMen Sparrow particularly attractive.

The logo is illuminated depending on input:

• White – Connected
• Green – PCM/DXD/DSD
• Magenta – MQA
• Red – Not Connected

THE IDEA OF BALANCED AUDIO 

Balanced audio is a method of connecting audio equipment using balanced lines [Wikipedia]. Such lines reduce susceptibility to external noise caused by electromagnetic interference. This is particularly beneficial for recording studios, which use kilometres of lines. For our purpose of portable audio, reduced interference results in a clearer, cleaner signal. Headphonesty compared “balanced and unbalanced” audio connections in this article. And yes, it works.

FUNCTIONALITY

The EarMen Sparrow contains no battery and is powered by the source device. It works plug ‘n’ play with computers, tablets, and phones (Windows/Mac/Android/iOS). And it requires adjusting the respective sound panel settings in Mac and Windows computers. Volume is controlled from the source device – there are no buttons on the EarMen Sparrow. It is as easy as that. The EarMen Sparrow decodes all 32bit/384kHz formats: PCM, DoP, DSD64, DSD128 and MQA. 

AMPLIFICATION

The EarMen Sparrow is one of the most powerful dongle dac/amps on the market according to AudioScienceReviews.com. Its 2.5 mm balanced output delivers 2.0 Vrms into 32 Ω and 4.0 Vrms into 600 Ω. This results in a power of 125 mW and 20 mW, respectively. The 3.5 mm single-ended output is 1.4 Vrms into 32 Ω and 2.0 Vrms into 600 Ω, which translates to 61 mW and 7 mW, respectively.

I don’t have a balanced cable for my 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600 Pro, however the single-ended output drives them “ok”. The balanced circuit delivers enough power to drive the 70 Ω Sennheiser HD 25 on my Mac, which indicates that this is good enough for any iem. In fact, imo the EarMen Sparrow drives even the most power-hungry earphones very well with my Mac.

A bit of an enigma is the dependency of the EarMen Sparrow on my sources: it provides way more power when sourced by my Mac, but appears to be throttled by my iPhones 5s and SE (1st generation). I speculate this is caused by the Sparrow’s power consumption. Sound quality is not compromised and power-hungry earphones such as the TRI I3 are still driven sufficiently well. Newer phones and Android devices may not throttle the EarMen Sparrow’s power. The Sparrow, like most powerful dongles, appears to be a bit of a battery drain on phones.

UPDATE June 2021: Power Consumption Test: Parameters and Raw Results

I tested the power consumption of several portable headphone amps connected to my iPhone 5S. The conditions were as identical as possible: 3 h test, volume calibrated to 85 dB  ± 0.5 dB white noise with Dayton microphone, no sim card, BT off, no other apps open; network on, 32 ohm Blon BL-03 iem, Genesis’s Supper’s Ready (from the Seconds Out album) played in an endless loop.

The iPhone’s battery was fully charged at the start of the test and the remaining charge was measured thereafter. The result is shown in the table below. Since the tests were performed at different times and considering the ongoing battery deterioration, the results have to be seen with a grain of salt.

[collapse]

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

My tonal preference and testing practice

My test tracks explained

The EarMen Sparrow is a neutral-warm sounding dac/amp (more neutral than warm), and therefore offers the best of both worlds. Whereas a warm dac/amp (such as ifi Audio products) harmonizes best with neutral earphones/headphones (e.g. JVC HA-FDX1, neutral amps (e.g. Earstudio HUD 100) pair best with warm iems (e.g. Sennheiser IE PRO series). Neutral amp with neutral iem may sound like metal on metal – and warm with warm may come across as thick and syrupy lacking clarity and transparency. The EarMen Sparrow appears to strike the right temperature balance to harmonize with most kinds of earphones. The other trait is its good extension in both directions and its full body and natural dynamics. The Sparrow has this quasi-analog sound.

And while the sound through the single-ended output is good, it is fantastic through the balanced output. The difference in sound quality is mindboggling (I A/B-ed a balanced cable between both sockets – with a 2.5 mm female to 3.5 mm male adapter for single ended). Apart from the power gain in the balanced circuit, headroom and clarity opens up substantially…the midrange comes out nicely…this worked even for the ~$3000 Vision Ears Elysium. After several months of using the EarMen Sparrow on my Mac, I conclude that the balanced output is as good as a desktop amp for iems – on a computer.

EARMEN SPARROW COMPARED

The neutral sounding $70 Tempotec Sonata BHD dac/amp with its balanced output is an impressive sounding device. The EarMen Sparrow, however, offers a richer, more analog sound, a larger headroom, and more power. It is also more versatile with its additional 3.5 mm single-ended output. The less powerful Sonata BHD has a leaner, sleeker but less creamy/soft/weighty sound with more clarity.

VALUE – IS THE EARMEN SPARROW FOR YOU?

Is the EarMen Sparrow worth its $200? Any answer has to be subjective. For people who regularly deal with >$300 earphones without blinking: yes, no questions asked. Simply makes them sound better.

For the rest of us: yes, but for any or all of these three specific purposes – from my perspective: for the balanced output that sets the EarMen Sparrow sonically and power wise apart from its competition. Second, it is best used with iems or less power-demanding headphones. And third, for use mainly with a computer, where the Sparrow flexes its muscles best.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

I have used the EarMen Sparrow for a few months now. It took me so long to publish my review because I didn’t know what to write – it just worked great for me, and I used it a lot for earphone testing. The Sparrow is the best sounding dongle I have listened to so far (up to $200), albeit also the most expensive.

What sets it apart from the competition are sound quality and power of its balanced circuit. I don’t think one needs anything “bigger” to drive earphones – it was good enough for the $3000 Vision Ears Elysium. And since it does not have a battery, there is no planned obsolescence – the Sparrow will last for a long long time.

It is the balanced output that makes the Sparrow fly high: first it opens up the headroom and then it makes it a most powerful dongle – ahead of the competition. The EarMen Sparrow is just a very fine dac/amp. One of my favourite devices of 2020…and likely 2021, also. Basta!

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

The EarMen Sparrow was provided by EarMen upon my request. I thank them and also the audiofool who had established the contact. The audiofool has reviewed the Earmen Sparrow here.

You can purchase the EarMen Sparrow from the Earmen Shop.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

PHOTOS…

The post EarMen Sparrow USB DAC + Preamp + Headphone Amp, Review – Super Trouper appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Cons — Not the most pliable design.

INTRODUCTION

NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable: in the last few years, third-party earphone cables have been a desirable asset for listeners and sellers (!) alike. I was recently talked into reviewing a few budget cables – and will retire from this duty in the near future as it is difficult to make universally valid statements on cable sound. there is no established physical relationship between wire material/structure and sound. Sonic quality is not measurable. Sonic differences between cables vary between earphones and it takes some cable rolling to find the right one in each case. I have always recommended a selection of budget cables of different materials (silver, silver-plated copper, pure copper etc.) for everybody’s toolbox. This NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable: cable can be a budget addition to your cable collection.

SPECIFICATIONS

Product Name: NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable 
Wire Material/Conductor: 4N Litz UPOCC copper (purity 99.99%)
Internal Core Structure: Litz
Number Of Cores: 0.1*10 each strand
Skin Material: PVC
Insulating Material: Polyurethane
Length: 1.25 m ± 3 cm
Solder: WBT containing silver
Impedance:< Ω
Inductance: 0.4 uG/ft
Propagation Delay: 80% speed of light
Plug Types: straight 3.5 /2.5 /4.4mm
Plug Material: aluminum alloy
Spitter Material: aluminum alloy
Connector: MMCX/0.78mm 2Pin/QDC 2Pin
Tested at: $17-19
Purchase Link: NiceHCK Audio Store

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

TECHNOLOGY

The important technologies used in the NiceHCK Blocc 4N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable are UPOCC (material) and Litz (internal cable structure). You may have come across these terms before, but, like me, do not remember the details. OCC stands for “Ohno Continuous Casting”. It refers to a method of copper refining developed and patented by Professor Ohno of the Chiba Institute of Technology in Japan. UP stands for “Ultra Pure”. The process results in essentially oxygen free pure copper, which has ultra-low impedance that results in rapid signal transmission. And the lack of impurities makes the material corrosion resistant. 

The “N” number in 4N refers to degree of copper purity. 4 refers to four nines as in 99.99% pure copper (5N would mean 99.999% and so on). 

Litz is a special type of multistrand cable designed to reduce skin and proximity effect losses in conducturs below 1 MHz. It consists of many thin wire strands, individually insulated and twisted or woven together, following one of several carefully prescribed patterns frequently involving several levels (groups of twisted wires are twisted together, etc.). The result of these winding patterns is to equalize the proportion of the overall length over which each strand is at the outside of the conductor. This has the effect of distributing the current equally among the wire strands, reducing the resistance.

HAPTIC & BUILD

The NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable  is exceptionally light in comparison to others. It is also comparatively (PVC)) stiff when bending and of medium hardness between my fingers. And it is rather loosely braided. Certainly not the most pliable one – but extremely resistant/less prone to tangling. The connectors are of good quality and pretty much standard across companies in this price class.

COMFORT

The NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable is reasonably comfortable. The tension of the memory wires is again standard in this class, and the cable itself is a bit lighter but also stiffer than the budget competition.

NOISE TRANSMISSION

None. Very good.

COMPATIBILITY

The NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable is available with all possible connectors: 3.5mm/2.5mm/4.4mm MMCX/NX7/QDC/0.78 2Pin

JEWELRY EFFECT/LOOKS

The loose braiding and shiny copper appearance makes this cable look a bit inconspicuous in comparison. The PVC is rather “ordinary” and probably not the. The PVC material is extremely dirt and greaseresistant.

SOUND: REFINING SNAKE OIL

Try it out yourself.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The NICEHCK LitzOCC 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable: another budget cable that presumably works as well for you as it did for me. It is just another stone in the wall of anyone’s cable collection. I advise to spend money on a number of budget cables rather than on a single expensive one – at least in the early stages of this hobby. There is always time to upgrade based on experience gained with these.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Get this cable from NiceHCK Store

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

RELATED…

The post NICEHCK 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable Review – Another Brick In The Wall appeared first on Audio Reviews.

ALL OUR REVIEWS (headphones, earphones, dacs/amps, daps, bluetooth, clean power & USB, microphones, cables/adapters, eartips, earpads, noise insulation): here

Apple Audio Adapter (Jürgen Kraus)

ddHiFi MFi06 and TC03 Digital Cables  (Jürgen Kraus)

ddHifi TC25i and TC28i Adapters for iPhone (Jürgen Kraus)

Kinera Leyding OFC + Alloy Copper with 5N Silver Plated (Loomis Johnson)

NICEHCK LitzOCC 4N Litz OCC Copper Earphone Cable (Jürgen Kraus)

NICEHCK C16-5 16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Earphone Cable (Jürgen Kraus) 

NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Earphone Cable (Jürgen Kraus)

NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Earphone Cable (Jürgen Kraus)

Inasmile Cable Protector…find of the year 2020 (Jürgen Kraus)

Rode SC3 TRRS to TRS Adapter (Jürgen Kraus)

Snake Oil Sound Taipan RCA Interconnect (Jürgen Kraus)

TRN T1 “Tiger Cable” Dissection (KopiOkaya)

The post Cables & Adapters appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Cons — None.

INTRODUCTION

The NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable is the company’s budget offering in terms of pure silver Litz wire at around $20. In this price category, most earphone cables are either pure copper, occ copper, or silver-plated copper. Since different materials harmonize differently with different earphones in some (but not all) cases, it is always good to have a cable of each material in your modding box.

SPECIFICATIONS

Product Name: NiceHCK 4N Litz pure silver cable
Material: 4N pure silver
Internal Core Structure: 0.08*10, 4 Strands 40 Cores; 1.2m±3cm, Internal Core 0.092mm with Litz
Cable Diameter: 28AWG（Inside Diameter 0.33mm，Cross Sectional Area 0.0553mm²）
Outer Material: American PVC
Insulation Material: Litz
Length: 1.2 m ± 3cm
Impedance: < 0.3ohm
Inudctance: 0.4uF/ft
Solder : WTB Solder Silver Solder
Plug Types: straight 3.5 /2.5 /4.4mm
Connector: MMCX/0.78mm 2Pin/QDC 2Pin/NX7 2Pin
Plug material: Carbon Fiber & Stainless Steel
Splitter Material: Carbon Fiber & Stainless Steel
Tested at: $20
Purchase Link: Nice HCK Store

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

TECHNOLOGY

The important technologies used in the NiceHCK 4N cable are “Pure Silver” (material) and Litz (internal cable structure).

Litz is a special type of multistrand cable designed to reduce skin and proximity effect losses in conducturs at below 1 MHz. It consists of many thin wire strands, individually insulated and twisted or woven together, following one of several carefully prescribed patterns frequently involving several levels (groups of twisted wires are twisted together, etc.). The result of these winding patterns is to equalize the proportion of the overall length over which each strand is at the outside of the conductor. This has the effect of distributing the current equally among the wire strands, reducing the resistance.

The “N” number in 4N refers to degree of copper purity. 4 refers to four nines as in 99.99% pure copper (5N would mean 99.999% and so on). 

HAPTIC & BUILD

NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable is rather filigree: it is thin, light, and inconspicuous. The braid is rather loose. The wire is is covered with PVC, which makes the cable soft and pliable, and that shiny outer material appears to be dirt and grease repellent. The MMCX connectors are of good quality…they clicked in snug wherever I tried. The memory wire is also thin and of intermediate tension. The wires were comfortable around my ears. The headphone plug is also robust and the chin slider comes in handy. I underline my description with some photos below.

COMFORT

The memory wire fits snug around the ears without pressure and the cable is as light as it gets so that the NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable is as comfortable as it gets – it is also comfortable against the skin. The chin slider helps holding the cable in place.

NOISE TRANSMISSION

There is zero microphonics. Very good.

COMPATIBILITY

The NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable comes with a variety of connectors to fit any conventional earphone shells: MMCX/0.78mm 2Pin/QDC 2Pin. You can also choose the plug: 3.5 /2.5 /4.4mm.

JEWELRY EFFECT/LOOKS

The NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable – as said – is on the subtle, inconspicuous side. The silver-and-black connectors are neutral enough looking to fit any earphone.

SOUND?

I had expressed my informed opinion on cable sound differences in my recent NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable review [HERE]. My main points are summarized as follows:

1. Cables can make a sonic difference, mainly with multi-driver earphones
2. This difference possibly relates to impedance, wire material, and wire structure
3. Impedance differences may in some cases be large enough to result in different sound volumes and can also alter the earphone’s frequency response; such changes in the frequency response can be calculated
4. Cables may not make any difference with some earphones
5. Listeners often mistake volume increase due to lower impedance for sonic improvement
6. The sonic differences between cables are largely independent of price
7. If sonic differences between cables exist, they are not universally valid but only relate to that particular earphone and the cables used in that particular comparison
8. Eartips are the cheaper alternative to achieve a different sound
9. Expensive upgrade cables may sound worse with your favourite earphone than stock cable
10. One may be better off spending the upgrade cable’s price on better earphones

From my experience, a silver-plated copper or an occ copper cable may add brightness, and therefore some sparkle to a warm sounding earphone, and a pure-copper cable helps taming boosted, piercing upper midrange peaks. This is just a rule of thumb that needs to be re-confirmed for every earphone. But these sonic differences are independent of price. The NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable works very well with the rather polite KBEAR TRI I3 earphone that requires amplification and has an early treble rolloff – and I just kept this cable on as my go to. With this earphone, the pure silver cable works equally well or better than the NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable at 5 times the price (but was certainly not worse sounding) – but this is only valid for this particular earphone. 

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The main characteristic of this cable is its pure silver conductive material at a relatively low price. Pure silver may have – but not always – favourable sonic effects on certain earphones. It is therefore good to have a pure silver cable in the toolbox, along with pure copper, occ copper, and silver-plated copper. With any given earphone, cable materials may make no difference at all or they make a big difference — but potential sonic improvements are mostly not correlated with price. What makes no difference is price — and looks are not correlated with sonic quality either. Don’t get carried away by snake oil, buy responsibly, look for deals, and be aware that your earphone and “upgrade” cable don’t harmonize or that the cable is pure jewelry. And why not.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

The NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable was provided unsolicited by NiceHCK store – and I thank them for that.

Get it from NiceHCK Audio Store

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Cable Review – Well Well Well appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Cons — Some microphonics.

INTRODUCTION

Third-party “upgrade” cables with prices up to the sky have always played a role in the premium earphone segment. But in the last few years, with the uprise of budget/mid tier Chi-Fi, such cables have become standard staples even at the very low end. In fact, fixed cables are a deal breaker for many potential buyers even of $20 earphones. Some Chi-Fi earphone brands have their own line of cables that range from a few $ to the price of a mid-tier earphone.

NiceHCK are such a company. They have impressed us with more or less good sounding but always well-built earphones, and I have purchased quite a few of their $10-15 pure copper or silver- plated copper cables, which have been always to my satisfaction. Now I am in the situation where I hold a $110 cable in my hands for the first time. Is it any better than the cheap fare – and if so – is the “NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable” worth the “upgrade”?

SPECIFICATIONS

Product Name: NiceHCK 5N UPOCC copper cable
Model name: NiceHCK Blocc
Material: 5N UPOCC copper (purity 99.999%)
Internal core structure: Litz
Outer material: black nylon
Length:
Plug Types: straight 3.5 /2.5 /4.4mm
Connector: MMCX/0.78mm 2Pin/QDC 2Pin
Number of Cores: 982 {(980.06mm)*2}
Conductor Core: 26AWG
Outer diameter of internal single core: 0.06 mm
Single Outer Skin Diameter: 2.7 mm
Tested at: $110
Purchase Link: NiceHCK Audio Store

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

TECHNOLOGY

The important technologies used in the NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable are UPOCC (material) and Litz (internal cable structure). You may have come across these terms before, but, like me, do not remember the details. OCC stands for “Ohno Continuous Casting”. It refers to a method of copper refining developed and patented by Professor Ohno of the Chiba Institute of Technology in Japan. UP stands for “Ultra Pure”. The process results in essentially oxygen free pure copper, which has ultra-low impedance that results in rapid signal transmission. And the lack of impurities makes the material corrosion resistant.

The “N” number in 5N refers to degree of copper purity. 5 refers to five nines as in 99.999% pure copper (4N would mean 99.99% and so on).

Litz is a special type of multistrand cable designed to reduce skin and proximity effect losses in conducturs below 1 MHz. It consists of many thin wire strands, individually insulated and twisted or woven together, following one of several carefully prescribed patterns frequently involving several levels (groups of twisted wires are twisted together, etc.). The result of these winding patterns is to equalize the proportion of the overall length over which each strand is at the outside of the conductor. This has the effect of distributing the current equally among the wire strands, reducing the resistance.

HAPTIC & BUILD

With four words: this cable feels very substantial. I have never had a more substantial cable in my hands. The coating is of thick nylon and the metal pieces at the ends and the splitter are made of shiny, sturdy metal alloy. All metal parts are plain cylindrical in shape – the design is minimalistic and pragmatic and would fit the German Bauhaus school of design “Die Form folgt der Funktion” (the shape should reflect the functionality). The actual nylon coating feels pleasant, sturdy/robust yet very pliable, and water repellent. It is certainly not a dust and dirt attractor. Despite being thick, the cable is very light and does not drag you down. The ear hooks are mantled with some sturdy however reasonably flexible pvc. This cable is way more substantial than any of the $10-15 plastic cables I own and could easily be used to strangle someone – please don’t try this at home. I underline my description with photos below.

The MMCX connectors are very sturdy. I swapped the cable around more than 10 times between different earphones – and the connectors clicked in with precision. Unplugging also has never been a problem.

COMFORT

The stiffness of the memory wire is ok, and their thickness distribute the weight evenly so that this cable is very comfortable around the ears. In fact, I don’t feel it at all – in contrast to the silicone tips inside my ear canals. The cable is – as said- light, and does not pull my ears or head down. In any case is the cable comfortable against the skins.

NOISE TRANSMISSION

The two cables strands between the ear hooks and the splitter are audible when rubbing against my designer beard near the jaws. While there is some microphonics, I am not sure whether this is also the case for the shaven individual.

COMPATIBILITY

The Blocc cable comes with a variety of connectors to fit any conventional earphone shells: MMCX/0.78mm 2Pin/QDC 2Pin. You can also choose the straight plug: 3.5 /2.5 /4.4mm.

JEWELRY EFFECT/LOOKS

Because of its universal design and black colour with shiny silvery metal parts, the NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable looks great on most earphones. It looks particularly good on the KBEAR TRI I3 (see photo) as the connectors fit seamlessly to the brushed metal shells. The simple cylindrical shapes of the metal parts generate this appeal of plain beauty, something I have always liked. Call it a designer cable.

SOUND: REFINING SNAKE OIL

I did a listening comparison using the $250 Kinboofi MK4 earphone [reviewed HERE] (the only MMCX-connected earphone I can offer to be worthy for a $100 cable). I did compare it to the $10 silver-plated copper stock cable and also to the $10 Yinyoo 8-core pure copper cable. If my perception was correct, the pure copper had less life than the other two (in combination with the MK4 earphone only) – and I retired it prematurely. When A/B-ing the stock and the BLOCC, I could not find any noticeable difference considering the error of slightly different insertion depth, my lack of auditory memory, and variation in impedance…the latter would have resulted in a slight volume difference which most reviewers would interpret as sound change. Different eartips would very likely result in a much bigger sonic difference than swapping between these two cables. If people go for the sound of an upgrade cable, there should be a HUGE sonic improvement over the stock cable at 10 times the price. But for the $100 extra you would probably get a much better sounding earphone – even with its stock cable. So, the reason for purchasing this or any other expensive cable cannot be sound.

And that’s where the snake oil dries out. Yes, cables can make and do make a sonic difference, but in my experience, this does not at all rely on price and the effect is different between earphones – and therefore not universal. The sonic differences – where they exist – are mainly in the wire materials (and to some extent in the structure) used. From experience, a silver-plated copper or an occ copper cable CAN add brightness, and therefore some sheen and sparkle to a dark sounding earphone, and a pure-copper cable helps taming boosted, piercing upper midrange peaks. This is just a rule of thumb, a hypothesis that needs to be re-tested for every earphone. But these sonic difference are already evident in $10-15 cables. A good example is the very sensitive KBEAR Diamond earphone, which sounds awful with an occ cable but great with cheap pure copper. KopyOkaya and I recorded the cable-material issue of the KBEAR Diamond earphone ad nauseam.

And what does the physics say? Cables may differ in their impedance and this difference affects most multi-driver earphone. Depending on the earphone’s impedance profile, different-impedance cables can change their frequency response [albeit these differences are small in most cases – they are more important when comparing iems with amplifiers]. This most often does not apply to single DDs, which typically have a flat impedance profile. The frequency response can be calculated and co-blogger Biodegraded offers a spreadsheet for this HERE. Again, impedance does not rely on price. In fact, expensive cable that don’t match well, impedance wise, will compromise sound quality, and constitute a downgrade rather than an upgrade.

Some reviewers describe cable tonality at great length, typically relative to the stock cable (and the upgrade cable is always better – audio engineers alway appear to fork out great premium earphones but then always fail with the cable? C’mon!). While any such cable-sound review cannot be universally valid – it only works for that particular comparison AND that particular earphone (minus the fantasies applied) – the differences in sonic quality perception may simply be generated by impedance differences and therefore by sonic quantity. If somebody wants to claim that a certain cable is a universally valid upgrade for any earphone, this has to be established by comparing the upgrade cable vs. stock for many earphones. Another alarm bell should ring when the BETTER LOOKING upgrade cable (nicer outer materials and fancier connectors) ALWAYS sounds better.

It also needs to be established that it is the pricier materials that make the difference. Good luck. Most cable reviews that touch sound should therefore be digested with caution.

So, why bother with this NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable? Well, a good cable is like a nice watch: the latter also just tells you the time – and probably not more accurately than your Timex, but a Rolex on your wrist looks and feels nicer – and it is a status symbol. So, the you spend $$$$ on a sports car, pardon earphone, you may want some nice tires and hubs, pardon cable with it. Get it? A nice cable is mainly jewelry, it is the looks and feel, and it may have some improved functionality (microphonic, weight etc.), but this is probably filed under “diminishing returns”.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

I was new to fancy cables and this one is impressive, but for the wrong reasons! It is simply a well working and optically/haptically appealing accessory that upgrades your setup in terms of looks and feel. It feels substantial and sturdy, the thick ear hooks are comfortable, and it has some microphonics. The NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable is simply a nice piece of jewelry.

Let’s put it like that. Someone’s wife could do with a cheap handbag, it doesn’t work any better than a Louis Vuitton. However, every time she picks up her Louis Vuitton, she gets this wow feeling – and one of gratefulness for her husband’s generous Valentine’s day gift. And if you are the wife, you know what I am talking about. So, gentlemen, why not getting your own hand bag in the shape of a nice cable. Just for pleasure.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable was provided unsolicited by NiceHCK store – and I thank them for that.

Get it from NiceHCK Audio Store

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

RELATED…

The post NiceHCK Blocc 5N UPOCC Copper Litz Cable Review – Die Form Folgt Der Funktion… appeared first on Audio Reviews.

KBEAR TRI I3 has been around since the 3rd quarter of 2019. It was launched at the same time together with KBEAR Diamond, which received all the attention while the elder sibling was largely neglected. TRI I3 rose to fame slowly but gradually. It gained recognition in Japan after very successful sales. Ever since, the I3 has always been on backorder because the Japanese are buying them faster than TRI can churn them out.

In the West, similarly TRI I3 gained fame and recognition slowly among the head-phile community, especially the tri-brid earphone enthusiasts. A few of them even prefer it over the very popular BQEYZ Spring (first version). A quick search on Google reveals not many reviews of TRI I3 on English websites, at least not as common as on either Japanese or Korean websites. 

In May 2020, KBEAR sent me a TRI I3 in exchange for my honest review. Personally, I am not a fan of doing reviews however I could sense the potential in this earphone. After receiving the I3, I took a quick listen. It has a luscious and fluid sound that many Chi-Fi earphones lack. At that time I was also testing the KBEAR KS2, so having the TRI I3 around is like taking a short break from work. The I3 was an instant relief from the aggressive tonality of KS2. 

Subsequently, my colleague Baskingshark wrote a definitive review on Audioreviews, titled “TRI I3 Review – Smooth Operator”. From his review we know the TRI I3 has a balanced and coherent sound. It excels in staging and is good for non-fatigue listening. Also, it needs a headphone amp to shine.

My listening impressions largely coincides with Baskingshark’s. In addition, I would like to add that TRI I3 has a “grand” presentation. Everything sounds bigger, taller, bolder… As if your set lunch has been “super-sized”. My only nitpick is its mid-bass is a bit too much (slight bloat). It gives warmth but it also adds a layer of haze. Upper-mids and treble are fine except it is a tad less detailed than what many people would consider good resolution, and it does lack some top-end extension and air.

My apology to KBEAR… I don’t want to do a review. Instead I will do a tweaking blog, just like the one I did for KBEAR TRI I4. It will be a very simple tweak. Nothing fancy… No 3M Micropore tape mod… No poking holes on filters, and definitely no dismantling.

Let’s look at the two basic components that affect sound in an IEM – mainly the cable and eartips. I am sure some of you will start crying “snake oil” when I mention the word “cable”, but like it or not, cables do affect tonality to a certain extent. The logic behind may not be scientifically-proven but the effects are obvious enough to be heard.

– Let’s look at the first component: cable.

The stock cable that comes with TRI I3 is a 4-core 4N OCC copper cable. OCC copper has a tendency to elevate bass and midrange, so this copper material isn’t ideal for the I3.
To establish a baseline, I hooked up my trusty Yinyoo 8-core tin-plated copper cable to the I3. With this cable, bass tightened slightly (but not reduced) and midrange clarity improved. Still not the results I wanted.

My past experience with stereo hifi systems tells me that pure silver cable helps suppress, tighten bass and lower-midrange. At the same time adds sparkle and clarity to treble and open up treble regions. Immediately, I contacted Yinyoo if they have a high-purity silver cable which they can suggest to me. They recommended the 4-core 7N pure silver cable at $62. Well, it is a small price to pay for big improvement.

– The second component to consider are eartips. The stock eartips that come with I3 are “loudness” eartips. How so? Similar to the loudness switch on many vintage amplifiers, this eartip lifts both bass and treble (yes, a V-shaped boost)… Which again, isn’t a good choice for I3.

I am looking for eartips that will reduce bass and midbass yet leaving upper-midrange and treble mostly untouched. For this task, I have Ortofon silicone eartips (€11 for 3 pairs) in mind. I had these eartips with me for a while but I hardly use them because they thin out low frequencies, sometimes a bit too much. It looks like I can make good use of them in this project. Alternatively, Tennmak Whirlwind has similar effect but tonality and comfort-wise, I still prefer Ortofon.

With both components in place, here is how the synergy goes… 
Overall tonality is so much more coherent with upper-midrange and treble “open-up”. Yinyoo 7N pure silver cable helps clean up treble, tighten bass and mid-bass, improves overall clarity, as well as solidify stereo imaging and instrument placement. Ortofon silicone eartips help suppress mid-bass, reducing a bit of that woolly-warmth that plagues the stock I3.

Further adjustment of 5 to 6 dB gain at 5KHz at a Q-factor of between 1.5 to 2 on parametric equaliser (PEQ) helps improve resolution and adds sparkle. Resulted in a sound that is both buttery-smooth and crystal-clear at the same time.

These executions are straightforward, simple and can be performed in a few minutes. Of course, you will still have to fork out your hard-earned money for the silver cable and eartips before you can experience any improvement.

The basic sound characteristics of TRI I3 that everybody loves and enjoy largely remain with this tweak. What you gain is clarity, a balanced tonality and richer music texture. You do get a slight increase in resolution but don’t expect to hear more micro-details than it has, unless you are prepared to remove the filter behind the nozzle screen. Then again, tri-brid earphones are tricky to tune. Even I have trouble making them sound right. Therefore, I prefer to keep the innards of the I3 intact to retain its silky-smooth signature.

TRI I3 proves that a tri-brid earphone, when done right, can sound magnificent. Once tweaked, I3 owners will be able to ascent their beloved earphone to the next level. A grandiose makeover for this Grandioso is definitely worth a try!

The post Tweaking the KBEAR TRI I3 : Redefining The Grandioso appeared first on Audio Reviews.

I have mentioned on Audioreviews.org Facebook group that I do not wish to do a full review on the TRN-VX. Instead, I will let my sharp-eared colleagues do the honours. The reasons are… First, being one of the tuner of this 7-driver hybrid earphone, I don’t want to contradict myself in any way possible. Secondly, it isn’t to anybody’s interest if I proclaimed it to be the next best thing since sliced bread. And finally, if I do pass any negative remarks, it makes me look like I am trying to bail myself out with lame excuses. Therefore, I will just highlight some of its deficiencies and how they can be overcome and improved without complicated modifications.

The idea of taming upper midrange/treble peaks with 3M micropore tape goes back to super best audio friend/head-fier james444. We have covered it in detail in our modding 101 section.

1. Harsh treble

This characteristic is nothing new to many TRN aficionados. Almost every V-series flagship earphone since V80 has inherited this 8KHz peak! This peak can be lowered using parametric equaliser or PEQ app at 8Khz with a Q-factor of between 2.5-3.0. I use Toneboosters EQ (an auxiliary add-on for USB Audio Player Pro app) on Android and Peace EQ on Windows.

2. Brittle or ‘glassy” upper-midrange

I have introduced the 3M Micropore tape mod to our Facebook group, and I will reiterate it again. The logic behind this is simple. Out of the VX’s 7 BAs, 2 of them are located inside the nozzle. These two BAs are aiming directly into your eardrums. 3M Micropore tape acts like a filter and damping material that reduces sound energy to your ears by couple of decibels.

3. Tip tips

Most IEM benefits from rolling eartips, VX is no exception. I was experimenting with various silicone eartips and I have good success with Final Audio Type E, JVC Spiral Dot, Azla Sedna EarFits Light, Canal Works CW dual nozzle and SpinFit CP-145. Reversed KZ Starlight eartips thin midrange further so I don’t recommend using it.

4. Traditional snake oil remedy – cable

TRN-VX seems to be more cable sensitive than its predecessors, thus I have added this section to make all the cable skeptics scream in protest. When TRN sent out their samples, they have included their latest T4 OCC copper cable in the bundle. Frankly, this cable brings out the worst of the VX. It is both lean and harsh. Jurgen and I have good success with the $8 Yinyoo 8-core OFC copper cable. Just avoid any cable made of OCC, silver-plated or pure silver that tends to add glare to the already-bright earphone.

De-toxification?
The tuning of TRN-VX isn’t completely toxic. If you could overlook the harsh and willing to do a bit of DIY mods, experiment with eartips and cables, it is actually quite a good IEM for US$70. Bass is responsive, textured and clean. Resolution is exceptional at this price point. Spatial perception is open, airy with good extension. Its timbre is probably the best of all the TRN models, thanks to the new 10mm dynamic drivers.

Thus, when Vannak Pech claimed that “TRN- VX can spoil your hearing”… Inside my little mind, I told myself “Yeah… Literally!”

Enjoy the music!

OUR TRN-VX REVIEWS

RELATED…

You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post TRN-VX Modding: Antidote to the Venom appeared first on Audio Reviews.