IKKO Zerda ITM01 Review (1) – Swiss Army Knife

Pros

• Small and light, good build.
• 3 modes for more versatility – music, gaming and movie modes.
• Innovative detachable magnetic cable system.
• Plug and playable, compatible with desktops/laptops, apple and android phones (there is an option to get Lightning versus USB C connectors).
• Very low output impedance, suitable for low impedance IEMs. No hiss.
• Neutralish, with a slight bass boost to add some fun.
• Volume controller.

Cons

• Gets slightly warm.
• Volume may jump when switching between modes – best to mute device/lower volume first.

Executive Summary

The IKKO Zerda ITM01 is a swiss army knife of the budget dongle DAC/AMP arena. It has a music, gaming and movie mode, making it quite versatile. It also has volume controls and boasts a very innovative magnetic cable system. There is good power on tap, yet this set can still drive low impedance type IEMs because of its low output impedance.

Specifications

• DAC uses ESS’s high-performance ESS9298 chip
• PCM supports up to 16Bit/384kHz
• DSD supports up to DoP128
• Adopts ikko’s custom anti-interference magnet thread connection method
• SNR: 118dB@32Ω (A-weight)
• Frequency response range: 20Hz-40kHz (-0.5dB)
• Output impedance: <0.8Ω
• Adaptation impedance: adaptive 16ohm – 600ohm
• Output level: 2V @ 32Ω (125mW @ 32Ω)
• Distortion: < 0.001%
• Decoding ability: Simulation (multiple sound optimizations)
• Size: 58x22x11mm
• Output: 3.5 mm
• Tested at $59 USD

Accessories

• 1x Ikko ITM01 Dongle
• 1x USB A cable
• 1x Type C or lightning cable (you can choose either option at order).

The USB A cable is very long, so no worries of a too short cable limiting your usage. In fact I found it too long and dangly, and had to tie up the cable when using it with my laptop. This cable is cloth braided and there is an included faux leather strap to tie the USB A cable.

A second cable is included, this is either a Lightning or USB Type C connector, depending on which one you choose at ordering. Well that depends if you are of the Apple or Android persuasion, but this cable is very much shorter.

These 2 included cables feature a very nifty and innovative magnetic connector to attach the cable to the DAC/AMP device. The magnetic end of the cable locks on easily and can be used in either direction; this may lessen wear and tear for frequent cable changing.

Contrary to the impressions that a magnetic connector can cause an easy dislodgement of the cable from the DAC/AMP, it is actually not easy to remove this magnetic clamp once the cable is inside, and I had no issues with dislodging the cable on the go.

This cable is unfortunately proprietary. I do appreciate that this DAC/AMP dongle’s cable is detachable, as a non-detachable one may be a point of failure down the line. In this current year of 2021, it is really not excusable to have a non-detachable cable for these dongles (unless we are talking about an ultra-budget set), as a non-detachable cable is one awkward yank away from being a white elephant.

Build

The ITM01 is made of plastic, but is sturdy yet light. As mentioned above, the detachable cable definitely should prolong its lifespan.

Measuring in at 58 x 22 x 11 mm, this set can easily fit into a jeans pocket on the go.

This set has a 3.5 mm output (single ended) and has no balanced option.

Functionality

The IKKO Zerda ITM01 is a plug and play set, and is compatible with desktops/laptops, apple and android phones (depending on the cable type you order), without any need to install drivers.

Disclaimer: I am not an Apple fanboy and do not own any Apple products, so I opted for the USB C version and tested this set on Android phones and a Windows laptop. Please check with others who have bought the Lightning version if they have any issues with Apple products.

The volume buttons work as advertised on the IKKO Zerda ITM01, they can be pressed down with a satisfactory click. I appreciate that the volume steps in the ITM01 are quite fine, unlike the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro, which have huge volume levels in between each volume step.

Pressing the middle button once (short press) pauses or starts the music. This middle button also controls the mode if pressed for 3 seconds: music (yellow LED), movie (blue LED) and game mode (purple LED).

Technical Aspects

The IKKO Zerda ITM01 can support PCM up to 16Bit/384kHz and DSD up to DoP128.

I did not note any RF interference when putting the IKKO Zerda ITM01 through its paces. Neither did I hear any hiss nor clicking with changing tracks midway. There is a bit of a clicking noise however, when changing modes.

On the music mode (yellow LED), the IKKO Zerda ITM01 essentially is neutralish with a slight bass boost. This keeps it from sounding sterile and adds a little bit of fun to the equation. The background is pitch dark with highly sensitive IEMs.

In fact with the advertised <0.8Ω output impedance, this set is perfect for multi driver low impedance IEMs (rule of eights in audiophile teachings). I’ve tried some 9ish ohm low output impedance sets like the Audiosense T800 and TRI Starsea on this DAC/AMP without any issues.

With very high impedance earbuds and cans eg ~ 300 ohms, the IKKO Zerda ITM01 faired well and could drive such gear adequately. When paired with some power hungry IEMs, eg KBEAR BElieve/Final E3000 (low sensitivity) and TRI I3 (planar tribid), these all sounded good, with a lot more headroom to spare.

On the movie mode (blue LED), the soundstage was compressed a tinge, with a boost in the upper mids region, giving more clarity to voices. This gave a spherical blob of soundstage with the head as the reference point, and there was some loss in instrument separation.

I didn’t get a “surround sound” vibe with this mode though. The volume cap is also much higher here than on the music mode, and the volume levels may jump from the music mode when playing an equivalent track (so beware).

On the gaming mode (purple LED), the soundstage became unnaturally wide (it may not be suited for music listening as such), but this might aid in placement of gun shots and footsteps, especially for FPS players. Instrument separation does take a hit compared to the music mode.

Likewise, the volume cap here is also much more than on the music mode, and the volume can also jump suddenly compared to the music mode, while on the same test track.

Hence, when changing modes to the gaming/movie mode, as they have a different volume level/cap, my advise is to mute the volume of your device and put the source (eg phone/laptop) volume to zero, and slowly increase incrementally, in case of any sudden jumps in volume between the modes.

The IKKO Zerda ITM01 does get a bit warm with prolonged usage, but I’ve definitely had other dongle DAC/AMPs that go much hotter.

Comparisons

Compared to the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro, the ITM01 has about comparable sound quality, but the ITM01 is more fun sounding in view of a bass boost, compared to the rather neutral Sonata HD Pro; the Sonata HD Pro can sound a bit more boring as such.

The Sonata HD Pro also has weaker driving power, and can’t drive some more demanding gear, eg 300 ohm cans. Having said that, there are some mods (eg BHD firmware mod, or using a 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm adapter) to get the Sonata HD Pro to output more juice, but the volume steps on the Sonata HD Pro are also bigger, so fine tuning volume levels on the Sonata HD Pro isn’t as reliable.

Compared to the E1DA 9038D, the ITM01 has poorer soundstage and technicalities, but that is not surprising considering the E1DA 9038D is around double the price (the 9038D is not better by twice for sure).

Driving power on both sets are good for a single-ended dongle, but the E1DA 9038D drains more battery and gets noticeably warmer. The E1DA 9038D is also very neutral and may sound more boring and analytical than the ITM01.

Conclusions

The IKKO Zerda ITM01 is a swiss army knife of the budget dongle DAC/AMP arena. It has a music, gaming and movie mode, making it quite versatile. It also has volume controls and boasts a very innovative magnetic cable system. There is good power on tap, yet this set can still drive low impedance type IEMs because of its low output impedance.

This DAC/AMP dongle (on the music mode) features a neutral signature with some slight bass boost to add a bit of fun to the music. Soundwise, the ITM01 definitely holds its own at the budget segment, and at $59 USD, has really quite good price to performance ratio. Recommended!

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Disclaimer

I would like to thank Rebecca from IKKO for providing this review unit. It can be purchased here: https://www.ikkoaudio.com/products/ikko-zerda-itm01-portable-audio-dac-detachable-magnetic-cable-adapter

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