Reviews by Ichos
SMSL D6S
SMSL is a well-known audio brand from China that specializes in designing amplifiers, headphone amplifiers, and DACs. They are known for being fast and among the first in the industry to use the newest DAC chips in their products. One of their products, the SMSL D6S, is a standalone DAC that features the brand new ESS ES9039Q2M DAC chip. This chip is an updated version of the widely used ES9038Q2M found in many DACs worldwide.
The upgraded ES9039Q2M chip utilizes the HyperStream IV architecture, which improves performance compared to the previous HyperStream II. It boasts improved measurements, with a dynamic range (DNR) of 130dB and total harmonic distortion (THD) of -126dB.
In addition to the advanced DAC chip, the SMSL D6S incorporates four high-end OPA1612 op-amps in the balanced analog stage. It also features a third-generation XMOS XU-316 receiver, which supports PCM up to 32 bit/768 Hz, DSD 512, and full MQA decoding.
Furthermore, the circuit includes a separate audio clock and a built-in low-noise switching power supply with separate rails for the analog and digital stages. These features contribute to the overall performance and audio quality of the SMSL D6S DAC.
Non audio stuff
The SMSL D6S is a versatile audio device with three digital inputs (USB type-C, Coaxial, and optical) and two analogue outputs (XLR and RCA). It also supports wireless Bluetooth connectivity with high-resolution codecs.
In terms of design and build quality, the SMSL D6S features a modern and contemporary look, distinguishing itself from previous generation products. The device has a rectangular panel that houses the LCD display, giving it a unique appearance. The full aluminum chassis is well-made and finished, ensuring excellent build quality.
Operation of the SMSL D6S is user-friendly, with options to control the device using the multifunction knob or the included remote control. The analogue output signal is variable and can be adjusted from 0 to 99 for the full scale. This allows for compatibility with various power amplifiers and active monitors.
Additionally, users can select the desired digital input or Bluetooth reception, adjust the brightness of the LCD display, and choose the digital filter and DPLL level. During playback, the LCD screen only displays the input sampling rate, providing a clear and focused interface.
Audio stuff
The SMSL D6S was tested with various headphone amplifiers including the DROP + SMSL HO150X, Aune S17 Pro, and Violectric V222. The headphones used for testing were the Focal Clear Mg, iBasso SR3, and HIFIMAN Edition XS. All headphone cables used were made by Lavricables. Prior to the listening evaluation, the device was left playing music for approximately 80 hours.
The SMSL D6S is a highly neutral and transparent DAC with excellent fidelity. It converts digital signals to analog without any coloration or intervention. The device has a black and silent background, providing crystal clear sound with detailed retrieval and definition across the frequency range. While slightly analytical and lean in texture, it is not clinical or sterile sounding. The dynamic range is impressive, with impactful and contrasted bass, linear frequency response, and energetic treble. The sound is neutral, bright, and bold with rapid transients, but not harsh or fatiguing. The soundstage is wide and spacious with pinpoint imaging, although depth and holography may not be as pronounced. The SMSL D6S is ideal for studio production and can easily be integrated into various audio chains without altering the sound.
The Bluetooth connection provided by the SMSL D6S is not only fast, reliable, and stable, but it also maintains its performance within a working distance of 5-6 meters. The sound quality of this device is exceptional, although it does exhibit some common Bluetooth issues such as a slight lack of refinement and resolution, a slightly harsher and grainier treble, and a touch of artificiality.
When comparing the SMSL D6S to previous generation SMSL DACs that utilized the ES9038Q2M chip, like the SMSL DO100, it must be noted that there are no significant sonic differences. However, the D6S does offer a slight improvement in transparency, dynamic contrast, cleanliness, and technical proficiency. Apart from these minor enhancements, the sound signature remains largely unchanged. Therefore, if you already own the SMSL DO100 or another ES9038Q2M DAC by SMSL, upgrading to the D6S may not be worth it. However, if you are in the market for a new DAC, the D6S is a worthwhile purchase as it offers marginal improvements and incorporates the latest DAC chip.
Conclusion
The SMSL D6S offers exceptional transparency and linearity at an affordable price, along with an enhanced dynamic range compared to its predecessors. If you are in search of a DAC that delivers impeccable technical performance, a completely neutral sound signature, and a wide range of connectivity options, the SMSL D6S is the perfect choice.
The SMSL D6S is available from Shenzhen Audio
SMSL is a well-known audio brand from China that specializes in designing amplifiers, headphone amplifiers, and DACs. They are known for being fast and among the first in the industry to use the newest DAC chips in their products. One of their products, the SMSL D6S, is a standalone DAC that features the brand new ESS ES9039Q2M DAC chip. This chip is an updated version of the widely used ES9038Q2M found in many DACs worldwide.
The upgraded ES9039Q2M chip utilizes the HyperStream IV architecture, which improves performance compared to the previous HyperStream II. It boasts improved measurements, with a dynamic range (DNR) of 130dB and total harmonic distortion (THD) of -126dB.
In addition to the advanced DAC chip, the SMSL D6S incorporates four high-end OPA1612 op-amps in the balanced analog stage. It also features a third-generation XMOS XU-316 receiver, which supports PCM up to 32 bit/768 Hz, DSD 512, and full MQA decoding.
Furthermore, the circuit includes a separate audio clock and a built-in low-noise switching power supply with separate rails for the analog and digital stages. These features contribute to the overall performance and audio quality of the SMSL D6S DAC.
Non audio stuff
The SMSL D6S is a versatile audio device with three digital inputs (USB type-C, Coaxial, and optical) and two analogue outputs (XLR and RCA). It also supports wireless Bluetooth connectivity with high-resolution codecs.
In terms of design and build quality, the SMSL D6S features a modern and contemporary look, distinguishing itself from previous generation products. The device has a rectangular panel that houses the LCD display, giving it a unique appearance. The full aluminum chassis is well-made and finished, ensuring excellent build quality.
Operation of the SMSL D6S is user-friendly, with options to control the device using the multifunction knob or the included remote control. The analogue output signal is variable and can be adjusted from 0 to 99 for the full scale. This allows for compatibility with various power amplifiers and active monitors.
Additionally, users can select the desired digital input or Bluetooth reception, adjust the brightness of the LCD display, and choose the digital filter and DPLL level. During playback, the LCD screen only displays the input sampling rate, providing a clear and focused interface.
Audio stuff
The SMSL D6S was tested with various headphone amplifiers including the DROP + SMSL HO150X, Aune S17 Pro, and Violectric V222. The headphones used for testing were the Focal Clear Mg, iBasso SR3, and HIFIMAN Edition XS. All headphone cables used were made by Lavricables. Prior to the listening evaluation, the device was left playing music for approximately 80 hours.
The SMSL D6S is a highly neutral and transparent DAC with excellent fidelity. It converts digital signals to analog without any coloration or intervention. The device has a black and silent background, providing crystal clear sound with detailed retrieval and definition across the frequency range. While slightly analytical and lean in texture, it is not clinical or sterile sounding. The dynamic range is impressive, with impactful and contrasted bass, linear frequency response, and energetic treble. The sound is neutral, bright, and bold with rapid transients, but not harsh or fatiguing. The soundstage is wide and spacious with pinpoint imaging, although depth and holography may not be as pronounced. The SMSL D6S is ideal for studio production and can easily be integrated into various audio chains without altering the sound.
The Bluetooth connection provided by the SMSL D6S is not only fast, reliable, and stable, but it also maintains its performance within a working distance of 5-6 meters. The sound quality of this device is exceptional, although it does exhibit some common Bluetooth issues such as a slight lack of refinement and resolution, a slightly harsher and grainier treble, and a touch of artificiality.
When comparing the SMSL D6S to previous generation SMSL DACs that utilized the ES9038Q2M chip, like the SMSL DO100, it must be noted that there are no significant sonic differences. However, the D6S does offer a slight improvement in transparency, dynamic contrast, cleanliness, and technical proficiency. Apart from these minor enhancements, the sound signature remains largely unchanged. Therefore, if you already own the SMSL DO100 or another ES9038Q2M DAC by SMSL, upgrading to the D6S may not be worth it. However, if you are in the market for a new DAC, the D6S is a worthwhile purchase as it offers marginal improvements and incorporates the latest DAC chip.
Conclusion
The SMSL D6S offers exceptional transparency and linearity at an affordable price, along with an enhanced dynamic range compared to its predecessors. If you are in search of a DAC that delivers impeccable technical performance, a completely neutral sound signature, and a wide range of connectivity options, the SMSL D6S is the perfect choice.
The SMSL D6S is available from Shenzhen Audio
The UA1 Plus is the third generation of Shanling’s entry level USB DAC dongle after the original UA1 and the UA1 Pro. Both the original and the Pro models came with a single ESS DAC chip, the ES9281P in the former and the ES9219C in the later. Instead, the new model is now equipped with dual CS43131 DAC chips and a separate CT7601 USB receiver that supports decoding up to 768kHz/32bit PCM and DSD256. The new UA1 Plus also features a detachable cable design and has one 3.5mm headphone output that can provide 80mW/32Ω of maximum power. The UA1 Plus is shielded and optimized for ultra low noise output and extremely clean background.
Appearance
The Shanling UA1 Plus is one of the most compact and lightweight USB DAC dongles, it weighs 9.5g only and measures 40×17.7×8.2mm, it is so small and thin that there is always the risk of losing it. This is why Shanling have implemented a tiny hole at the upper corner of the chassis where you can attach the supplied lanyard and have the UA1 Plus hanging from your bag. The UA1 Plus has a durable aluminum construction with a smooth finish, it is absolutely well made and is available in two colors, pure black and titanium gray. The new UA1 Plus is much better designed and looking than the previous generations. Next to the headphone output there is a tiny RGB light that will display the current playing sampling rate in various colors.
Accessories
The Shanling UA1 Plus comes equipped with a lanyard, a high quality USB type C to C cable and a USB C to A adapter. A Lightning cable is also available but is sold separately.
The Eddict player application
The Shanling UA1 Plus is compatible with the Eddict player application which is available for Android OS. You can use it to bypass Android internal volume control and fine tune the volume in 100 steps, select between the five available digital filters, set the gain to low or high and adjust channel balance. The best part is that the UA1 Plus has embedded an EPROM chip that permanently stores the user settings. So you can use an Android phone to configure the UA1 Plus and then it will remember the settings no matter what device it will be connected to.
Single multifunction button
The Shanling UA1 Plus comes equipped with a single tiny button that is located at the side of the chassis and can perform various tasks. Single press during playback will function as play/pause. You can press down the button while connecting the UA1 Plus to the host device to enable UAC 1.0 mode. There is also an extra feature that allows for volume adjustment but it needs a lot of practice in order to master it. Double clicking the button will enable the switch volume control mode. At first action a red color will light up indicating that you can now press the button to increase the volume on the phone. Double click again and the color will become cyan meaning that you can now press the button to decrease the volume. Wait for two seconds to end volume control mode. To be honest the button is so tiny and the actions must be performed so fast that I found the whole thing pretty unusable and rather useless but you may be more skilful than I am.
Power output and efficiency
Shanling informs us that it has implemented a specialized DAC circuit that takes advantage of all the latest advancements in USB DAC power management and made the UA1 Plus 60% more efficient in standby mode and 40% during playback.
I have performed my own measurements with a generic USB power measuring tool and got the following numbers: Shanling UA1 Plus standby consumption 0.03A (0.17W) – iBasso DC03PRO 0.06A (0.34W). Shanling UA1 Plus playing 24/96 file with the FiiO FA7 at moderate listening volume 0.05A (0.26W) – iBasso DC03PRO 0.07A (0.35W).
A few words first about the power output of the Shanling UA1 Plus which is one of the most powerful USB DAC dongles with a single ended output. With 80mW/32Ω on tap, it will drive most of your earphones plus some sensitive headphones, like the Sivga Luan while it is hiss free and dead silent without audible noise or any kind of clicking sounds.
Sound performance
Sound quality is really impressive without anything negative to remark. Regular readers will know that I am quite fond of the CS43131 DAC chip, especially with the NOS digital filter and the Shanling UA1 Plus features one of the best implementations so far. The overall sound signature is focused on timbre realism and musicality while keeping the excellent technicalities hidden at the background. This is a hell of a musical and engaging DAC that pairs well with various earphones, it has a linear frequency response with accurate tonality and great transparency. It is slightly warm and very organic and displays an excellent fidelity without further coloring the sound. It has the ability to reproduce the music by imbuing a natural timbre without never sounding artificial or treble forward but neither dark or overly saturated. This is a fast and impactful DAC with punchy bass, good resolution for the category, natural sounding mids and plenty of energy in the treble without overdoing it. Definition, layering and detailed retrieval are more than satisfying and nicely bonded together to add to the overall musical realism without making the DAC sound sterile or clinical. The UA1 Plus sounds quite weighty and not dry while it does a great job presenting a wide and spacious soundstage that enhances the imaging properties of the earphones used. This is an all-round DAC that matches well with all kinds of music and the only thing you have to do is to pick the right earphone for each. Choose the 7Hz Legato for your favorite bass tunes or switch to the LETSHUOER DZ4 for some classical music listening.
Compared to the iBasso DC03PRO ($69)
The iBasso DC03PRO is another compact sized USB DAC dongle that features dual CS43131 DAC chips combined in a single ended output. The main differences between these two USB DAC dongles are more physical and functional related rather than actual sound differences.
Both devices support DSD256 but the UA1 Plus maxes at 768kHz/32bit PCM instead of 384kHz. On the other hand the DC03PRO is just a bit more powerful with 98mW/32Ω instead of 80mW/32Ω but it also consumes a little more power and gets warmer during use. The iBasso DC03PRO has two dedicated buttons for adjusting the volume but you cannot play/pause and is also a bit larger and 1g heavier. The iBasso DC03PRO is compatible with the iBasso UAC application that allows roughly the same adjustments as the Shanling Eddict player app but the notable difference is that it doesn’t have an EPROM chip so user settings are not permanently stored in the memory. The iBasso DC03PRO retail package includes an additional Lighting cable.
Sonic differences are pretty minimal and can be summarized into the following sentence: The iBasso is just slightly more impactful and dynamic, a bit more transparent and technical but not as organic and natural sounding as the UA1 Plus. The audible differences are really so subtle to the point that I would firstly consider all other non sonic attributes for choosing the one over the other.
Verdict
Simply put, for just $49.99 the Shanling UA1 Plus is maybe the best USB DAC dongle with a single ended output. Not only for the flawless sonic performance but also the excellent power management, compact size, great build quality, app connectivity and EPROM memory. There is no way that you can go wrong with the Shanling UA1 Plus, no matter your listening preferences and favorite earphones.
The price of the Shanling UA1 Plus is $49.99 and the review unit was kindly provided free of charge.
Appearance
The Shanling UA1 Plus is one of the most compact and lightweight USB DAC dongles, it weighs 9.5g only and measures 40×17.7×8.2mm, it is so small and thin that there is always the risk of losing it. This is why Shanling have implemented a tiny hole at the upper corner of the chassis where you can attach the supplied lanyard and have the UA1 Plus hanging from your bag. The UA1 Plus has a durable aluminum construction with a smooth finish, it is absolutely well made and is available in two colors, pure black and titanium gray. The new UA1 Plus is much better designed and looking than the previous generations. Next to the headphone output there is a tiny RGB light that will display the current playing sampling rate in various colors.
Accessories
The Shanling UA1 Plus comes equipped with a lanyard, a high quality USB type C to C cable and a USB C to A adapter. A Lightning cable is also available but is sold separately.
The Eddict player application
The Shanling UA1 Plus is compatible with the Eddict player application which is available for Android OS. You can use it to bypass Android internal volume control and fine tune the volume in 100 steps, select between the five available digital filters, set the gain to low or high and adjust channel balance. The best part is that the UA1 Plus has embedded an EPROM chip that permanently stores the user settings. So you can use an Android phone to configure the UA1 Plus and then it will remember the settings no matter what device it will be connected to.
Single multifunction button
The Shanling UA1 Plus comes equipped with a single tiny button that is located at the side of the chassis and can perform various tasks. Single press during playback will function as play/pause. You can press down the button while connecting the UA1 Plus to the host device to enable UAC 1.0 mode. There is also an extra feature that allows for volume adjustment but it needs a lot of practice in order to master it. Double clicking the button will enable the switch volume control mode. At first action a red color will light up indicating that you can now press the button to increase the volume on the phone. Double click again and the color will become cyan meaning that you can now press the button to decrease the volume. Wait for two seconds to end volume control mode. To be honest the button is so tiny and the actions must be performed so fast that I found the whole thing pretty unusable and rather useless but you may be more skilful than I am.
Power output and efficiency
Shanling informs us that it has implemented a specialized DAC circuit that takes advantage of all the latest advancements in USB DAC power management and made the UA1 Plus 60% more efficient in standby mode and 40% during playback.
I have performed my own measurements with a generic USB power measuring tool and got the following numbers: Shanling UA1 Plus standby consumption 0.03A (0.17W) – iBasso DC03PRO 0.06A (0.34W). Shanling UA1 Plus playing 24/96 file with the FiiO FA7 at moderate listening volume 0.05A (0.26W) – iBasso DC03PRO 0.07A (0.35W).
A few words first about the power output of the Shanling UA1 Plus which is one of the most powerful USB DAC dongles with a single ended output. With 80mW/32Ω on tap, it will drive most of your earphones plus some sensitive headphones, like the Sivga Luan while it is hiss free and dead silent without audible noise or any kind of clicking sounds.
Sound performance
Sound quality is really impressive without anything negative to remark. Regular readers will know that I am quite fond of the CS43131 DAC chip, especially with the NOS digital filter and the Shanling UA1 Plus features one of the best implementations so far. The overall sound signature is focused on timbre realism and musicality while keeping the excellent technicalities hidden at the background. This is a hell of a musical and engaging DAC that pairs well with various earphones, it has a linear frequency response with accurate tonality and great transparency. It is slightly warm and very organic and displays an excellent fidelity without further coloring the sound. It has the ability to reproduce the music by imbuing a natural timbre without never sounding artificial or treble forward but neither dark or overly saturated. This is a fast and impactful DAC with punchy bass, good resolution for the category, natural sounding mids and plenty of energy in the treble without overdoing it. Definition, layering and detailed retrieval are more than satisfying and nicely bonded together to add to the overall musical realism without making the DAC sound sterile or clinical. The UA1 Plus sounds quite weighty and not dry while it does a great job presenting a wide and spacious soundstage that enhances the imaging properties of the earphones used. This is an all-round DAC that matches well with all kinds of music and the only thing you have to do is to pick the right earphone for each. Choose the 7Hz Legato for your favorite bass tunes or switch to the LETSHUOER DZ4 for some classical music listening.
Compared to the iBasso DC03PRO ($69)
The iBasso DC03PRO is another compact sized USB DAC dongle that features dual CS43131 DAC chips combined in a single ended output. The main differences between these two USB DAC dongles are more physical and functional related rather than actual sound differences.
Both devices support DSD256 but the UA1 Plus maxes at 768kHz/32bit PCM instead of 384kHz. On the other hand the DC03PRO is just a bit more powerful with 98mW/32Ω instead of 80mW/32Ω but it also consumes a little more power and gets warmer during use. The iBasso DC03PRO has two dedicated buttons for adjusting the volume but you cannot play/pause and is also a bit larger and 1g heavier. The iBasso DC03PRO is compatible with the iBasso UAC application that allows roughly the same adjustments as the Shanling Eddict player app but the notable difference is that it doesn’t have an EPROM chip so user settings are not permanently stored in the memory. The iBasso DC03PRO retail package includes an additional Lighting cable.
Sonic differences are pretty minimal and can be summarized into the following sentence: The iBasso is just slightly more impactful and dynamic, a bit more transparent and technical but not as organic and natural sounding as the UA1 Plus. The audible differences are really so subtle to the point that I would firstly consider all other non sonic attributes for choosing the one over the other.
Verdict
Simply put, for just $49.99 the Shanling UA1 Plus is maybe the best USB DAC dongle with a single ended output. Not only for the flawless sonic performance but also the excellent power management, compact size, great build quality, app connectivity and EPROM memory. There is no way that you can go wrong with the Shanling UA1 Plus, no matter your listening preferences and favorite earphones.
The price of the Shanling UA1 Plus is $49.99 and the review unit was kindly provided free of charge.
Ichos
Thank you. The iFi is slightly warmer and less crystal clear. A bit more organic sounding but also a little more "bloomy". The iFi is more analogue timbre but the Shanling is more transparent. Other non sonic differences are more or less obvious.
This is a brief review of the Aune S9c Pro, all-in-one DAC and headphones amplifier. You can read the full review in my website.
Build quality and appearance
The Aune S9c Pro is quite compact and suitable for desktop use. The chassis is made from aluminum that helps to further isolate the circuit from electromagnetic interference. The unit is sturdy and very well made with a fine sand-blasted finish that is available in black and silver.
The S9c Pro adopts the Aune trademark arc-shape design which is classic, simplistic and beautiful looking. The only disadvantage is that when you stack two units together, like the S9c Pro and the S17 Pro headphone amplifier, there is a visible gap at both sides and the top device is not so stable.
Sound performance
Musical, engaging and captivating is the Aune S9c Pro and you don’t have to listen a lot in order to understand how much effort was put into fine-tuning the device. This is not the usual, mass produced Chinese DAC/amp with the latest chips and the same topology that is used again and again without much inspiration and thought just to measure well in the lab. The S9c Pro is an “old fashioned” audiophile design where the engineer cares about sound and timbre realism and it is pretty obvious that has spent hundreds of hours to commit his vision into actual music.
And don’t even think that the Aune S9c Pro is not technically skillful or lacking in what we call “technicalities”. Frequency response is absolutely linear, the sound is transparent and crystalline with excellent clarity and definition throughout the whole frequency range. The bass is tight and controlled, full bodied, weighty and visceral with ample dynamics and physical impact. The mid-range is spacious and open sounding with surplus of resolution and refinement as is also the treble which is extended, energetic and detailed but without the usual ESS shrillness, brightness and analytical character. The soundstage is spacious and extended with sharp imaging and a well organized and impressively holographic relief.
I have lately reviewed many audio devices with the ES9068AS DAC chip (or even the ES9038PRO) and I must admit that the Aune S9c Pro is one of the least digital sounding while it has the most natural and smooth treble among many of them. This is not a coincidence though because Aune have gone into the effort to write their own low-pass algorithms and design a discrete headphone amplifier, specifically for making the S9c Pro to sound natural and realistic. This is the kind of audio device where you start listening to music and forget about everything else, you don’t have to think why the sound is bright, unnatural or artificial, the S9c Pro is about pure music and nothing else.
The Aune S9c Pro is extremely colorful and harmonious, expressive, organic and musical, almost analog sounding like there is a tube stuffed inside or using some class A topology. The S9c Pro is versatile when it comes to headphone matching and the only thing you have to do is to choose the right one according to the music you are planning to enjoy. With the Meze Empyrean (angled pads) they made a match made in heaven and produced extra realistic and natural sounding instruments with stunning vocals. Classical music is the forte of this combination and the Aune S9c Pro is highly recommended as one of the least expensive audio devices that can offer a taste of the high-end sound.
Verdict
With an audio performance that far exceeds the asking price, the Aune S9c Pro represents an outstanding value because it is the most affordable DAC/amp in the market that can give you a taste of real “high-end” sound.
Aune Audio is a Chinese audio brand that deserves a great applause for not following the easy path and taking great effort to design and tune the S9c Pro in order to produce music full of sentiments and emotions backed by some strong technical performance.
Build quality and appearance
The Aune S9c Pro is quite compact and suitable for desktop use. The chassis is made from aluminum that helps to further isolate the circuit from electromagnetic interference. The unit is sturdy and very well made with a fine sand-blasted finish that is available in black and silver.
The S9c Pro adopts the Aune trademark arc-shape design which is classic, simplistic and beautiful looking. The only disadvantage is that when you stack two units together, like the S9c Pro and the S17 Pro headphone amplifier, there is a visible gap at both sides and the top device is not so stable.
Sound performance
Musical, engaging and captivating is the Aune S9c Pro and you don’t have to listen a lot in order to understand how much effort was put into fine-tuning the device. This is not the usual, mass produced Chinese DAC/amp with the latest chips and the same topology that is used again and again without much inspiration and thought just to measure well in the lab. The S9c Pro is an “old fashioned” audiophile design where the engineer cares about sound and timbre realism and it is pretty obvious that has spent hundreds of hours to commit his vision into actual music.
And don’t even think that the Aune S9c Pro is not technically skillful or lacking in what we call “technicalities”. Frequency response is absolutely linear, the sound is transparent and crystalline with excellent clarity and definition throughout the whole frequency range. The bass is tight and controlled, full bodied, weighty and visceral with ample dynamics and physical impact. The mid-range is spacious and open sounding with surplus of resolution and refinement as is also the treble which is extended, energetic and detailed but without the usual ESS shrillness, brightness and analytical character. The soundstage is spacious and extended with sharp imaging and a well organized and impressively holographic relief.
I have lately reviewed many audio devices with the ES9068AS DAC chip (or even the ES9038PRO) and I must admit that the Aune S9c Pro is one of the least digital sounding while it has the most natural and smooth treble among many of them. This is not a coincidence though because Aune have gone into the effort to write their own low-pass algorithms and design a discrete headphone amplifier, specifically for making the S9c Pro to sound natural and realistic. This is the kind of audio device where you start listening to music and forget about everything else, you don’t have to think why the sound is bright, unnatural or artificial, the S9c Pro is about pure music and nothing else.
The Aune S9c Pro is extremely colorful and harmonious, expressive, organic and musical, almost analog sounding like there is a tube stuffed inside or using some class A topology. The S9c Pro is versatile when it comes to headphone matching and the only thing you have to do is to choose the right one according to the music you are planning to enjoy. With the Meze Empyrean (angled pads) they made a match made in heaven and produced extra realistic and natural sounding instruments with stunning vocals. Classical music is the forte of this combination and the Aune S9c Pro is highly recommended as one of the least expensive audio devices that can offer a taste of the high-end sound.
Verdict
With an audio performance that far exceeds the asking price, the Aune S9c Pro represents an outstanding value because it is the most affordable DAC/amp in the market that can give you a taste of real “high-end” sound.
Aune Audio is a Chinese audio brand that deserves a great applause for not following the easy path and taking great effort to design and tune the S9c Pro in order to produce music full of sentiments and emotions backed by some strong technical performance.
Ichos
Thank you. There is a much longer version in my website.
This is a brief review of the Jade Audio JW1 - open principle ear-buds. You can access the full review in my website.
Build quality and fit
The earbuds together with the ear-hooks are entirely made from hard plastic. Build quality is very good for the category and the JW1 is available in black and white.
The Jade Audio JW1 is very comfortable to wear but only if you have small ears. The main drawback of the JW1 design is that the size of the earbuds together with the ear-hooks is really small, the main body of the earbud has 3.5cm of length and there is no way to bend or adjust the length of the ear-hooks. This translates that the JW1 will actually fit only small ears making it unusable with larger ears because the length of the earbud is not enough for the driver to reach and be properly placed against the ear canal. Not only is it uncomfortable to wear but also negatively affects sound quality with complete loss of bass and sound level pressure. It seems that the Jade Audio JW1 was designed with the Asian market in mind because it is too small and there is no way to fit a normal sized ear of a Caucasian adult.
Sound performance
Given that the JW1 is well fitted as intended then and only then the sound quality is pretty good. The large dynamic driver makes sure that the low-end gets sufficiently present for an open-back earbud, of course mid-bass is actually more prominent but still you can listen to most kinds of music without the feeling that there is much lack of bass. Dynamics are pretty good but control, layering and definition are average. The JW1 has a very open and spacious character with well defined, naturally tuned and engaging mid-range. Clarity is very good and voices are well reproduced, making the JW1 not only suitable for music listening but also for voice calls, web meetings and listening to podcasts. The treble is a touch sharp, but not too bright, with plenty of energy and bite. The absence of the higher resolution codecs doesn’t help much with resolution and refinement or detail retrieval and definition. What we should remember though is that the Jade Audio JW1 is intended for casual and generic use and as such it should be considered as successfully designed and tuned.
Verdict
If you have small ears then the Jade Audio JW1 is a very comfortable pair of TWS earbuds with good sound quality and the benefit of letting you be aware of your surroundings. It is also waterproof , has good battery duration and is dirt cheap, an excellent choice for everyone looking for a pair of open back TWS earbuds for everyday use.
Build quality and fit
The earbuds together with the ear-hooks are entirely made from hard plastic. Build quality is very good for the category and the JW1 is available in black and white.
The Jade Audio JW1 is very comfortable to wear but only if you have small ears. The main drawback of the JW1 design is that the size of the earbuds together with the ear-hooks is really small, the main body of the earbud has 3.5cm of length and there is no way to bend or adjust the length of the ear-hooks. This translates that the JW1 will actually fit only small ears making it unusable with larger ears because the length of the earbud is not enough for the driver to reach and be properly placed against the ear canal. Not only is it uncomfortable to wear but also negatively affects sound quality with complete loss of bass and sound level pressure. It seems that the Jade Audio JW1 was designed with the Asian market in mind because it is too small and there is no way to fit a normal sized ear of a Caucasian adult.
Sound performance
Given that the JW1 is well fitted as intended then and only then the sound quality is pretty good. The large dynamic driver makes sure that the low-end gets sufficiently present for an open-back earbud, of course mid-bass is actually more prominent but still you can listen to most kinds of music without the feeling that there is much lack of bass. Dynamics are pretty good but control, layering and definition are average. The JW1 has a very open and spacious character with well defined, naturally tuned and engaging mid-range. Clarity is very good and voices are well reproduced, making the JW1 not only suitable for music listening but also for voice calls, web meetings and listening to podcasts. The treble is a touch sharp, but not too bright, with plenty of energy and bite. The absence of the higher resolution codecs doesn’t help much with resolution and refinement or detail retrieval and definition. What we should remember though is that the Jade Audio JW1 is intended for casual and generic use and as such it should be considered as successfully designed and tuned.
Verdict
If you have small ears then the Jade Audio JW1 is a very comfortable pair of TWS earbuds with good sound quality and the benefit of letting you be aware of your surroundings. It is also waterproof , has good battery duration and is dirt cheap, an excellent choice for everyone looking for a pair of open back TWS earbuds for everyday use.
This is a review of the Hidizs MS3 which retails for $119 and you can buy it from Hidizs online shop.
The Hidizs MS3 is a hybrid in-ear monitor with two BA and a single dynamic driver. It also features the replaceable pneumatic sound tuning filter design that allows the user to experience three slightly different sound profiles by just changing the nozzle filters.
Build quality and fit
The Hidizs MS3 design resembles that of the Hidizs MS5. It is a beautiful, stylish and extremely well made earphone. The ear-shells are anatomically shaped and help to achieve a comfortable and stable fit that doesn't cause fatigue even after prolonged time of use. Passive noise attenuation is also very good.
Technical performance
With 18Ω impedance and 112dB of sensitivity, the Hidizs MS3 is pretty easy to drive and also immune to source noise. The use of a high quality USB DAC dongle like the Hidizs XO or S9 pro is highly recommended because the MS3 can follow source upgrades up to a certain level.
Sound performance
The Hidizs MS3 is not just a cheaper version of the MS5 with the same kind of tuning and lesser technicalities but a totally different sounding earphone with its own unique personality. The MS3 is more balanced and naturally tuned when compared to the MS5 which has a low-end prominence and a darker sound profile. Actually the Hidizs MS3 is one of the most natural and balanced sounding earphones of the category while it has a great technical foundation that makes it suitable for both casual and critical listening.
With the balanced filter attached, the low-end has plenty of presence and extension to satisfy with bass intense music without becoming dominant while it can reproduce all the low pitched instruments of the symphony orchestra with accurate tonality and without further coloration of their timbre. The mid-bass that follows a natural tuning curve, is well defined and crystal clear without bleeding into the mids. The technicalities are impressive for the category, the bass is resolving, tight and controlled with great clarity and excellent layering. The dynamic driver is very agile with fast recovery time so it can pass from silence to climax instantaneously without producing undesirable echoes or loss of control. The MS3 is very dynamic but not as impactful and visceral as the MS5, it is slightly lacking in weight and the texture is a touch leaner but thankfully not dry or thin.
The mid-range is rather balanced with a touch of upper-mids emphasis but not that pronounced to add sibilance or cause some kind of listener fatigue. It does give some extra presence and clarity but without making the instruments sound too thin or out of tune. The overall timbre is natural, the MS3 is musical, engaging and organic with plenty of colorful harmonies to display. The mids have a striking realism that punches well above the category and they are surprisingly resolving and finely articulated. Note weight is also good, the texture retains the same kind of intensity together with the low-end without the usual loss of body that a lot of hybrid earphones exhibit when the frequency transitions from the dynamic to the BA drivers.
The treble is energetic and exciting, luminous and brilliant but without sounding bright, harsh or aggressive. The MS3 is again more transparent and resolving that someone would expect from the category with great clarity and detail retrieval. The transition from the mids to the treble is even, there is no loss of texture intensity or any weird tonal shifts. The timbre is kept quite natural in accordance with the other parts of the frequency range while artificiality is kept quite low even at higher listening levels.
The soundstage is a real treat, wide and spacious with surprisingly good positioning accuracy and imaging. There is plenty of space around the performers and the overall presentation is grand with lots of ambient information.
You can use the interchangeable filters to fine tune the sound. The bass fitter enhances the low-end up to the mid-range but it also subdues a part of the upper mid-range, drastically changing the stock tuning of the Hidizs MS3 to the point that we can talk about a totally different sounding earphone. Now you have an MS3 with a considerably more prominent low-end which also sounds darker, warmer and less present in the upper-mid range. The overall clarity and transparency are reduced a little and the MS3 becomes smoother and more forgiving with plenty of bass.
The silver filter has a more minimal impact on the frequency response of the MS3, the only thing it does is to just add a bit of extra brilliance and bite to the upper mids, giving a touch of a brighter and sharper character to the earphone.
Conclusion
The Hidizs MS3 represents one of the best values in the market right now and an excellent choice for everyone looking for a balanced tuned IEM that can be further customized with the tuning filters.
(The review sample was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review)
Visit my website in my signature for the full review.
The Hidizs MS3 is a hybrid in-ear monitor with two BA and a single dynamic driver. It also features the replaceable pneumatic sound tuning filter design that allows the user to experience three slightly different sound profiles by just changing the nozzle filters.
Build quality and fit
The Hidizs MS3 design resembles that of the Hidizs MS5. It is a beautiful, stylish and extremely well made earphone. The ear-shells are anatomically shaped and help to achieve a comfortable and stable fit that doesn't cause fatigue even after prolonged time of use. Passive noise attenuation is also very good.
Technical performance
With 18Ω impedance and 112dB of sensitivity, the Hidizs MS3 is pretty easy to drive and also immune to source noise. The use of a high quality USB DAC dongle like the Hidizs XO or S9 pro is highly recommended because the MS3 can follow source upgrades up to a certain level.
Sound performance
The Hidizs MS3 is not just a cheaper version of the MS5 with the same kind of tuning and lesser technicalities but a totally different sounding earphone with its own unique personality. The MS3 is more balanced and naturally tuned when compared to the MS5 which has a low-end prominence and a darker sound profile. Actually the Hidizs MS3 is one of the most natural and balanced sounding earphones of the category while it has a great technical foundation that makes it suitable for both casual and critical listening.
With the balanced filter attached, the low-end has plenty of presence and extension to satisfy with bass intense music without becoming dominant while it can reproduce all the low pitched instruments of the symphony orchestra with accurate tonality and without further coloration of their timbre. The mid-bass that follows a natural tuning curve, is well defined and crystal clear without bleeding into the mids. The technicalities are impressive for the category, the bass is resolving, tight and controlled with great clarity and excellent layering. The dynamic driver is very agile with fast recovery time so it can pass from silence to climax instantaneously without producing undesirable echoes or loss of control. The MS3 is very dynamic but not as impactful and visceral as the MS5, it is slightly lacking in weight and the texture is a touch leaner but thankfully not dry or thin.
The mid-range is rather balanced with a touch of upper-mids emphasis but not that pronounced to add sibilance or cause some kind of listener fatigue. It does give some extra presence and clarity but without making the instruments sound too thin or out of tune. The overall timbre is natural, the MS3 is musical, engaging and organic with plenty of colorful harmonies to display. The mids have a striking realism that punches well above the category and they are surprisingly resolving and finely articulated. Note weight is also good, the texture retains the same kind of intensity together with the low-end without the usual loss of body that a lot of hybrid earphones exhibit when the frequency transitions from the dynamic to the BA drivers.
The treble is energetic and exciting, luminous and brilliant but without sounding bright, harsh or aggressive. The MS3 is again more transparent and resolving that someone would expect from the category with great clarity and detail retrieval. The transition from the mids to the treble is even, there is no loss of texture intensity or any weird tonal shifts. The timbre is kept quite natural in accordance with the other parts of the frequency range while artificiality is kept quite low even at higher listening levels.
The soundstage is a real treat, wide and spacious with surprisingly good positioning accuracy and imaging. There is plenty of space around the performers and the overall presentation is grand with lots of ambient information.
You can use the interchangeable filters to fine tune the sound. The bass fitter enhances the low-end up to the mid-range but it also subdues a part of the upper mid-range, drastically changing the stock tuning of the Hidizs MS3 to the point that we can talk about a totally different sounding earphone. Now you have an MS3 with a considerably more prominent low-end which also sounds darker, warmer and less present in the upper-mid range. The overall clarity and transparency are reduced a little and the MS3 becomes smoother and more forgiving with plenty of bass.
The silver filter has a more minimal impact on the frequency response of the MS3, the only thing it does is to just add a bit of extra brilliance and bite to the upper mids, giving a touch of a brighter and sharper character to the earphone.
Conclusion
The Hidizs MS3 represents one of the best values in the market right now and an excellent choice for everyone looking for a balanced tuned IEM that can be further customized with the tuning filters.
(The review sample was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review)
Visit my website in my signature for the full review.
This is a review of the Penon Tail USB DAC dongle that retails for $74.90 for the version without a cable.
The Penon Tail is a USB DAC dongle with dual CS43131 DAC chips and two headphone outputs that supports PCM up to 384KHz/32bit and DSD256.
To read the full technical documentation please follow this link.
Accessories
The Tail comes with a small carrying pouch made from real leather and a high quality detachable cable which is slightly longer than usual. Upon placing your order you can select between a USB type C to C or type C to Lighting cables or buy both or even order the Tail without a cable to use your own and save some money.
Build quality
The Penon Tail has a rectangular shape and the aluminum chassis that measures 53x20x10mm and weights 20g, is lightweight and compact suitable for everyday carry. It has a nice orange color except for the main surface which is painted white with blue printed letters. It is beautiful looking but I would have liked it more if it had a full orange chassis without the white surface.
Build quality and finish are excellent with only two remarks. The gain switch is a little stiff and the white surface looks prone to scratching and wear over time.
Technical performance
The Penon Tail has two headphone outputs, one 3.5mm single ended and one 4.4mm balanced. The maximum power delivery is 1.2V, 45mW/32Ω or 2.2V, 8.07mW/600Ω from the 3.5mm and 2.2V, 151.25mW/32Ω or 4.2V, 29.4mW/600Ω from the 4.4mm jack. These are the typical numbers for dual CS43131 DAC chips that run in a balanced configuration and use their own embedded headphone amplifiers. Plenty of power to run your earphones, like the ISN Audio EST50 and a lot of efficient headphones. The Penon Tail is totally silent without producing internal noise and it doesn’t get affected by phone EMI. The Tail is also power efficient and it doesn’t produce heat. As per usual practice the Penon Tail was left playing music for about 50 hours before listening evaluation.
Audio performance
The Penon Tail is surprisingly crystal clear and transparent with excellent linearity while not lacking in musicality. The sound signature is close to the typical CS house sound which is pretty engaging and musical while pushing the technicalities of the chip configuration to the maximum possible amount. In this regard the the Penon Tail has more common sound characteristics with the iBasso DC04PRO rather than the warmer sounding Truthear SHIO. People who are fond of the CS43131 NOS filter are going to be disappointed because there is no option to select it.
The sound quality of the Penon Tail is really great with a tight and controlled bass which is punchy, impactful and dynamic. The mid-range sounds crystal clear and resolving while the treble is airy and energetic without sounding bright. Layering and overall definition are more than satisfying as is detail retrieval and micro-dynamics.
The timbre is natural and realistic with just a bit of artificiality in the treble while the sound is full bodied and by no means dry or sterile. The neutrality of the Penon Tail helps it to match well with all kinds of earphones, even brighter ones, and feels at home with all kinds of music. The Penon Vortex made an excellent match for listening to classical music while I switched to the Hidizs MP145 to enjoy some classic rock songs.
The soundstage has excellent width and the presentation is airy and spacious with good imaging albeit lacking in depth and holography.
Vs the competition
I am not going into detailed comparisons because there are so many USB DAC dongles with the same chip configuration that sound more or less the same with some minor and subtle differences. As an example the Truthear Shio is just a bit warmer and less transparent. Additionally most of them have similar features and price tags. So whether you are going to prefer one over another it has to do more with brand preferences and design rather than anything else.
Conclusion
The Penon Tail has great sound quality, it includes useful features like hardware buttons and the price is right so it has nothing to fear from the competition although it doesn’t break new ground.
(The review sample was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review.)
The Penon Tail is a USB DAC dongle with dual CS43131 DAC chips and two headphone outputs that supports PCM up to 384KHz/32bit and DSD256.
To read the full technical documentation please follow this link.
Accessories
The Tail comes with a small carrying pouch made from real leather and a high quality detachable cable which is slightly longer than usual. Upon placing your order you can select between a USB type C to C or type C to Lighting cables or buy both or even order the Tail without a cable to use your own and save some money.
Build quality
The Penon Tail has a rectangular shape and the aluminum chassis that measures 53x20x10mm and weights 20g, is lightweight and compact suitable for everyday carry. It has a nice orange color except for the main surface which is painted white with blue printed letters. It is beautiful looking but I would have liked it more if it had a full orange chassis without the white surface.
Build quality and finish are excellent with only two remarks. The gain switch is a little stiff and the white surface looks prone to scratching and wear over time.
Technical performance
The Penon Tail has two headphone outputs, one 3.5mm single ended and one 4.4mm balanced. The maximum power delivery is 1.2V, 45mW/32Ω or 2.2V, 8.07mW/600Ω from the 3.5mm and 2.2V, 151.25mW/32Ω or 4.2V, 29.4mW/600Ω from the 4.4mm jack. These are the typical numbers for dual CS43131 DAC chips that run in a balanced configuration and use their own embedded headphone amplifiers. Plenty of power to run your earphones, like the ISN Audio EST50 and a lot of efficient headphones. The Penon Tail is totally silent without producing internal noise and it doesn’t get affected by phone EMI. The Tail is also power efficient and it doesn’t produce heat. As per usual practice the Penon Tail was left playing music for about 50 hours before listening evaluation.
Audio performance
The Penon Tail is surprisingly crystal clear and transparent with excellent linearity while not lacking in musicality. The sound signature is close to the typical CS house sound which is pretty engaging and musical while pushing the technicalities of the chip configuration to the maximum possible amount. In this regard the the Penon Tail has more common sound characteristics with the iBasso DC04PRO rather than the warmer sounding Truthear SHIO. People who are fond of the CS43131 NOS filter are going to be disappointed because there is no option to select it.
The sound quality of the Penon Tail is really great with a tight and controlled bass which is punchy, impactful and dynamic. The mid-range sounds crystal clear and resolving while the treble is airy and energetic without sounding bright. Layering and overall definition are more than satisfying as is detail retrieval and micro-dynamics.
The timbre is natural and realistic with just a bit of artificiality in the treble while the sound is full bodied and by no means dry or sterile. The neutrality of the Penon Tail helps it to match well with all kinds of earphones, even brighter ones, and feels at home with all kinds of music. The Penon Vortex made an excellent match for listening to classical music while I switched to the Hidizs MP145 to enjoy some classic rock songs.
The soundstage has excellent width and the presentation is airy and spacious with good imaging albeit lacking in depth and holography.
Vs the competition
I am not going into detailed comparisons because there are so many USB DAC dongles with the same chip configuration that sound more or less the same with some minor and subtle differences. As an example the Truthear Shio is just a bit warmer and less transparent. Additionally most of them have similar features and price tags. So whether you are going to prefer one over another it has to do more with brand preferences and design rather than anything else.
Conclusion
The Penon Tail has great sound quality, it includes useful features like hardware buttons and the price is right so it has nothing to fear from the competition although it doesn’t break new ground.
(The review sample was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review.)
This is a brief summary of my Soundz Avant review. Click the link to read the full review.
Executive summary
Soundz is an in-ear monitors manufacturer based in Greece where all earphones are handmade in their own private facilities. Soundz is well known both in the domestic and international pro-markets where some of the best singers and musicians are using their in-ear monitors.
The company is now expanding their line to reach deeper into the audiophile community. Two such products are the brand new, 8-driver Flame and their flagship, the 10-driver Avant.
All earphones can be made with both a universal and custom fit.
The Avant is Soundz’s flagship in-ear monitor that features 10 balanced armature drivers per side together with an advanced 4-way crossover.
4BA drivers for the lows and mid-bass, 2 BA drivers for the upper mids and 4 BA drivers to handle the high and ultra high frequencies. All drivers are made by Sonion.
One unique feature of the custom edition is the Flex Fit Pro™ technology that employs a revolutionary flexible resin material in each custom in-ear monitor stem. This unique resin is fully adjustable to ear canal temperature within a few minutes of use.
The Avant comes equipped with the newly-developed Immersive Mode, a feature that alters the internal impedance of the circuit and acts as an analog bass boost. The function is engaged by a micro-switch at the faceplate.
The Avant is lightweight, well made and extremely comfortable. The appearance of the Avant is fully customizable through Soundz website where you can choose colors, engrave your favorite logo etc.
The high quality cable that comes with the Avant is the Ethos MKV premium upgrade cable from the famous manufacturer Null Audio.
The Avant is very easy to drive but is also very sensitive to source noise and it scales incredibly well so it should be only matched with high quality sources.
The sound signature of the Avant is neutral - balanced with reference bass, engaging and highly resolving mids and the most refined treble which is just slightly sharp. But you can the treble smoother and the bass to sound fuller by just using the immersive switch. Technicalities, transparency, fidelity and clarity are class leading and among the best in the market.
The Avant might be crystal clear, resolving and detailed but is not analytical, clinical or boring. It manages to combine state-of-the-art technicalities and transparency with a musical and engaging nature. Of course the high revealing nature means that you should be careful with source matching and recording quality.
The soundstage is wide, expanded and spacious with excellent imaging and pinpoint positioning. The soundstage is immersive and holographic with plenty of ambience.
The Avant is an earphone with flagship sound quality and technicalities that has nothing to fear from the competition. It is also very lightweight, well made, extremely comfortable and so right priced that it should be considered as a TOTL bargain.
Give it a try and, trust me, you will not be disappointed.
Executive summary
Soundz is an in-ear monitors manufacturer based in Greece where all earphones are handmade in their own private facilities. Soundz is well known both in the domestic and international pro-markets where some of the best singers and musicians are using their in-ear monitors.
The company is now expanding their line to reach deeper into the audiophile community. Two such products are the brand new, 8-driver Flame and their flagship, the 10-driver Avant.
All earphones can be made with both a universal and custom fit.
The Avant is Soundz’s flagship in-ear monitor that features 10 balanced armature drivers per side together with an advanced 4-way crossover.
4BA drivers for the lows and mid-bass, 2 BA drivers for the upper mids and 4 BA drivers to handle the high and ultra high frequencies. All drivers are made by Sonion.
One unique feature of the custom edition is the Flex Fit Pro™ technology that employs a revolutionary flexible resin material in each custom in-ear monitor stem. This unique resin is fully adjustable to ear canal temperature within a few minutes of use.
The Avant comes equipped with the newly-developed Immersive Mode, a feature that alters the internal impedance of the circuit and acts as an analog bass boost. The function is engaged by a micro-switch at the faceplate.
The Avant is lightweight, well made and extremely comfortable. The appearance of the Avant is fully customizable through Soundz website where you can choose colors, engrave your favorite logo etc.
The high quality cable that comes with the Avant is the Ethos MKV premium upgrade cable from the famous manufacturer Null Audio.
The Avant is very easy to drive but is also very sensitive to source noise and it scales incredibly well so it should be only matched with high quality sources.
The sound signature of the Avant is neutral - balanced with reference bass, engaging and highly resolving mids and the most refined treble which is just slightly sharp. But you can the treble smoother and the bass to sound fuller by just using the immersive switch. Technicalities, transparency, fidelity and clarity are class leading and among the best in the market.
The Avant might be crystal clear, resolving and detailed but is not analytical, clinical or boring. It manages to combine state-of-the-art technicalities and transparency with a musical and engaging nature. Of course the high revealing nature means that you should be careful with source matching and recording quality.
The soundstage is wide, expanded and spacious with excellent imaging and pinpoint positioning. The soundstage is immersive and holographic with plenty of ambience.
The Avant is an earphone with flagship sound quality and technicalities that has nothing to fear from the competition. It is also very lightweight, well made, extremely comfortable and so right priced that it should be considered as a TOTL bargain.
Give it a try and, trust me, you will not be disappointed.
This is a brief version of my LETSHUOER Cadenza review.
Executive summary
The LETSHUOER Cadenza is hybrid IEM 12 drivers, a six-way electronic crossover and five acoustic bores. It uses a 10mm LSS Kevlar dome driver for the bass, Sonion composite mid-woofer drivers, Sonion composite mid-tweeter drivers, Knowles composite tweeter drivers and Sonion composite super tweeter drivers. The actual number of the drivers used per each frequency range is not disclosed to the public.
The Cadenza is lightweight and compact sized for an earphone that houses 12 drivers. It is very comfortable as it fits like a glove and after a while you forget that you are wearing it.
The Cadenza is luxuriously designed like jewel, it is minimalistic, gorgeous and beautiful looking. Build quality is absolutely stellar, the surface is meticulously finished with a technique that doesn’t attract fingerprints or stains while the material is hard enough as not to be scratched.
The modular stock cable utilizes 204 strands of 6N mono-crystalline copper and silver in a hybrid weave construction. The cable comes with three, high quality, interchangeable plugs (4.4mm, 2.5mm and 3.5mm). The cable has excellent quality and is very durable but it is quite stiff and heavy for portable use.
The accessories include three types of silicone ear-tips in three sizes each (vocal, balanced, bass), a luxurious carrying case made with real leather, a cleaning cloth and a copper plate which has the LETSHUOER mascot engraved at it. You can also convert the wooden package into a luxurious storage box with four equally divided spaces where you can store your gear.
The Cadenza is very easy to drive but also mildly sensitive to source noise. It scales great and will reveal its potential only with a high quality source.
The Cadenza has a very balanced and musical tuning that pairs well with all sources and types of music. The Cadenza is not a flagship made to impress with extreme technicalities and analytical sound but rather an earphone that communicates the music in the most natural manner. The overall sound performance and presentation reminds more of a high quality full sized headphone rather than an IEM and this is a great achievement on its own. It is rather difficult to summarize the sound performance in a few words so readers are encouraged to visit my website and read the full LETSHUOER Cadenza review.
Executive summary
The LETSHUOER Cadenza is hybrid IEM 12 drivers, a six-way electronic crossover and five acoustic bores. It uses a 10mm LSS Kevlar dome driver for the bass, Sonion composite mid-woofer drivers, Sonion composite mid-tweeter drivers, Knowles composite tweeter drivers and Sonion composite super tweeter drivers. The actual number of the drivers used per each frequency range is not disclosed to the public.
The Cadenza is lightweight and compact sized for an earphone that houses 12 drivers. It is very comfortable as it fits like a glove and after a while you forget that you are wearing it.
The Cadenza is luxuriously designed like jewel, it is minimalistic, gorgeous and beautiful looking. Build quality is absolutely stellar, the surface is meticulously finished with a technique that doesn’t attract fingerprints or stains while the material is hard enough as not to be scratched.
The modular stock cable utilizes 204 strands of 6N mono-crystalline copper and silver in a hybrid weave construction. The cable comes with three, high quality, interchangeable plugs (4.4mm, 2.5mm and 3.5mm). The cable has excellent quality and is very durable but it is quite stiff and heavy for portable use.
The accessories include three types of silicone ear-tips in three sizes each (vocal, balanced, bass), a luxurious carrying case made with real leather, a cleaning cloth and a copper plate which has the LETSHUOER mascot engraved at it. You can also convert the wooden package into a luxurious storage box with four equally divided spaces where you can store your gear.
The Cadenza is very easy to drive but also mildly sensitive to source noise. It scales great and will reveal its potential only with a high quality source.
The Cadenza has a very balanced and musical tuning that pairs well with all sources and types of music. The Cadenza is not a flagship made to impress with extreme technicalities and analytical sound but rather an earphone that communicates the music in the most natural manner. The overall sound performance and presentation reminds more of a high quality full sized headphone rather than an IEM and this is a great achievement on its own. It is rather difficult to summarize the sound performance in a few words so readers are encouraged to visit my website and read the full LETSHUOER Cadenza review.
You can read the full 7Hz Legato review by clicking the link.
Executive summary
The 7Hz Legato is a dual-driver in-ear monitor featuring two high-performance dynamic drivers on each side. The pair houses a 12mm and another 6mm dynamic driver where the 12mm one acts as a woofer and the 6mm driver is kept responsible for the midrange and treble response. The 7Hz Legato includes a unique crossover design along with 8 Japan-made audio-grade Tantalum capacitors to provide high precision and stable performance. The unique crossover is specially-developed in accordance with the characteristics of the dynamic drivers.
The 7Hz legato is lightweight and very comfortable albeit the ear-shells being a little bulky and protruding outside the ear. Sound isolation is not bad but not great either. The appearance is modern semi-industrial and the build quality is excellent.
The 2-pin detachable cable is well made, it is soft, it doesn’t get tangled and it doesn't induce microphonic noise.
The package includes plenty of ear-tips, spare wax filters for the nozzle and a very well made and luxurious carrying case which is too big for portable use.
The 7Hz Legato has plenty of emphasized bass and great sub-bass extension, reaching bass-head levels, but at the same time it manages to sound present and clear in the higher frequencies. The tuning is made to offer a bass-heavy listening experience without carrying too much about correct tonality and balance. The low end is too colored and mostly out of tune but it will greatly satisfy with all kinds of bass music.
The mid-range is darkish and warm with enough presence and acceptable clarity but not that well defined. The treble is smooth, a little subdued and forgiving. Not the last word in clarity and definition but suitable for easy listening and fatigue free sessions. The treble doesn’t sound artificial or too metallic and instrumental timbre is quite natural. The soundstage is spacious and wide enough with good positioning traces and without exhibiting congestion.
The 7Hz legato is going to satisfy everyone looking for plenty of shaking bass without overpowering too much the rest of the frequencies.
Executive summary
The 7Hz Legato is a dual-driver in-ear monitor featuring two high-performance dynamic drivers on each side. The pair houses a 12mm and another 6mm dynamic driver where the 12mm one acts as a woofer and the 6mm driver is kept responsible for the midrange and treble response. The 7Hz Legato includes a unique crossover design along with 8 Japan-made audio-grade Tantalum capacitors to provide high precision and stable performance. The unique crossover is specially-developed in accordance with the characteristics of the dynamic drivers.
The 7Hz legato is lightweight and very comfortable albeit the ear-shells being a little bulky and protruding outside the ear. Sound isolation is not bad but not great either. The appearance is modern semi-industrial and the build quality is excellent.
The 2-pin detachable cable is well made, it is soft, it doesn’t get tangled and it doesn't induce microphonic noise.
The package includes plenty of ear-tips, spare wax filters for the nozzle and a very well made and luxurious carrying case which is too big for portable use.
The 7Hz Legato has plenty of emphasized bass and great sub-bass extension, reaching bass-head levels, but at the same time it manages to sound present and clear in the higher frequencies. The tuning is made to offer a bass-heavy listening experience without carrying too much about correct tonality and balance. The low end is too colored and mostly out of tune but it will greatly satisfy with all kinds of bass music.
The mid-range is darkish and warm with enough presence and acceptable clarity but not that well defined. The treble is smooth, a little subdued and forgiving. Not the last word in clarity and definition but suitable for easy listening and fatigue free sessions. The treble doesn’t sound artificial or too metallic and instrumental timbre is quite natural. The soundstage is spacious and wide enough with good positioning traces and without exhibiting congestion.
The 7Hz legato is going to satisfy everyone looking for plenty of shaking bass without overpowering too much the rest of the frequencies.
This is a brief summary of the FiiO M15S review as published in ichos-reviews website.
Executive summary
The FiiO M15S ($999) is the successor of the FiiO M15 which used to be the company’s flagship. The sweet spot in their catalogue since the M17 is $1799 and the M11 Plus ESS is $699.
The FiiO M15S uses one piece of the flagship ES9038PRO DAC chip from ESS and dual OPA927 for I/V conversion paired with dual OP1612 for low-pass filtering and dual OPA926 for current amplification. The power output of the M15S is as high as 1200mW+1200mW/32Ω from the balanced output in ultra high gain which is exclusive to DC power and 990mW+990mW/32Ω when running from the battery.
In contrast to the FiiO M17 and Q7 where an external DC power adapter is needed to unlock the DC desktop mode, for the FiiO M15S the only thing you need is a fast USB charger with a USB type-C cable. When DC mode is enabled, the M15S will stop charging to preserve battery life.
The M15S inherits the classic, minimalistic FiiO design with the rounded edges and the slim chassis while it is relatively compact and lightweight enough for a flagship DAP which supports DC mode. Build quality, finish and assembly are excellent.
The FiiO M15S uses a snapdragon 660 SoC which is paired with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of ROM that effortlessly run a heavily customized Android 10 OS. The M15S is fast and responsive while the 5.5″ display has vibrant colors and excellent visibility.
The FiiO M15S has plenty of power to run most full sized headphones both from the battery and DC modes while the noise free background makes it suitable for very sensitive IEMs.
The sound signature of the FiiO M15S successfully combines the famous ES9038PRO technicalities with plenty of musicality and an excellent tonal balance. The M15S is the warmer and most musical sounding player ever made by FiiO.
Simply put, the FiiO M15S is the best player ever made by the brand and easily ranks as one of the best digital audio players in the market with an outstanding value for money.
To read the full review with detailed sound impressions and comparisons please follow the link at the beginning.
Executive summary
The FiiO M15S ($999) is the successor of the FiiO M15 which used to be the company’s flagship. The sweet spot in their catalogue since the M17 is $1799 and the M11 Plus ESS is $699.
The FiiO M15S uses one piece of the flagship ES9038PRO DAC chip from ESS and dual OPA927 for I/V conversion paired with dual OP1612 for low-pass filtering and dual OPA926 for current amplification. The power output of the M15S is as high as 1200mW+1200mW/32Ω from the balanced output in ultra high gain which is exclusive to DC power and 990mW+990mW/32Ω when running from the battery.
In contrast to the FiiO M17 and Q7 where an external DC power adapter is needed to unlock the DC desktop mode, for the FiiO M15S the only thing you need is a fast USB charger with a USB type-C cable. When DC mode is enabled, the M15S will stop charging to preserve battery life.
The M15S inherits the classic, minimalistic FiiO design with the rounded edges and the slim chassis while it is relatively compact and lightweight enough for a flagship DAP which supports DC mode. Build quality, finish and assembly are excellent.
The FiiO M15S uses a snapdragon 660 SoC which is paired with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of ROM that effortlessly run a heavily customized Android 10 OS. The M15S is fast and responsive while the 5.5″ display has vibrant colors and excellent visibility.
The FiiO M15S has plenty of power to run most full sized headphones both from the battery and DC modes while the noise free background makes it suitable for very sensitive IEMs.
The sound signature of the FiiO M15S successfully combines the famous ES9038PRO technicalities with plenty of musicality and an excellent tonal balance. The M15S is the warmer and most musical sounding player ever made by FiiO.
Simply put, the FiiO M15S is the best player ever made by the brand and easily ranks as one of the best digital audio players in the market with an outstanding value for money.
To read the full review with detailed sound impressions and comparisons please follow the link at the beginning.
This is a review of the ISN Audio EST50 which retails for $449 and you can buy it from Penon Audio.
The ISN EST50 is a hybrid earphone that uses 2 Sonion Electrostatic drivers for the ultra-high frequencies, 1BA Knowles for high frequencies, 1BA Sonion for the mids and a 10mm dynamic for the bass.
Appearance and fit
The lightweight ear-shells have a design that is pretty much identical to that of the ISN H30. They feature an anatomical shape and are made from a skin friendly resin compound. They are a little bulky when compared to single driver earphones but the mildly extending sound tube and the semi-custom design helps a lot with the fit which is stable and comfortable even after prolonged time of use while they effectively block environmental noise. The faceplate has a beautiful wood grain pattern with the ISN logo engraved at the center of it and is available in two colors, stabilized wood orange and green. Build quality is simply excellent.
Accessories
The ISN EST50 comes with two sets of silicone ear-tips in three sizes each, two pairs of memory foam ear-tips, a cleaning brush, a shirt clip and a premium looking, high quality, hard carrying case with a magnetic lid. The presentation box is a little bare bones and not as luxurious as someone would have expected.
Cable
The ISN EST50 features a 1.2m detachable cable with 2-pin 0.78mm connectors and you have the option to order it with either 3.5mm, 2.5mm or 4.4mm termination plugs. The truth is that at this price point a modular cable would be a better and more competitive offering. Thus said, the braided cable is of good quality, it is super lightweight and soft without microphonic noise and it doesn’t get tangled.
Technical performance
The ISN EST50 is rated at 18Ω/100dB so it doesn’t have much requirements for power but it really responds well to higher quality gear. I have mainly used the iBasso DC04PRO, the Cayin RU7 the FiiO M11S and Penon Tail. As per usual practice the ISN EST50 was left playing music for about 100 hours before listening evaluation.
Audio performance
Fun and exciting, the ISN EST50 has a tuning with a tasteful bass emphasis without letting down the rest of the frequencies. The dynamic driver can reach deep enough to the lowest notes, rewarding the listener with a subwoofer experience. The sub-bass isn’t overpowering so the mid-range and treble stay clear and defined enough. The bass is emphasized, especially in the upper part of it, as a result is not that well suited for critical listening. Timpani will sound more overpowering than they should and double basses or cello are rendered slightly out of tune. Of course there is much more than classical and the tuning of the ISN EST50 low-end is perfect for listening to rock, metal, electronic and other kinds of similar music where a hefty, but not dominating, bass is desirable and adds plenty of excitement. The ISN EST50 is very dynamic and impactful, the bass is visceral and weighty although not that well controlled. Definition and layering are satisfying but the bass is slightly on the slow and relaxed side.
The mid-range is superb, tonally balanced and accurate, articulated, well defined and crystal clear. The timbre is natural and realistic with plenty of harmonic variety, everything sounds lifelike and engaging. Voices, female especially, are heavenly good. The ISN EST50 has a musical and present mid-range which sounds good with everything. The transition to the treble is smooth without any fatiguing upper-mids emphasis, making the ISN EST50 the ideal choice for people with sensitivity to this particular area.
The treble is easy to the ear with an aristocratic politeness but without lacking in extension and excitement. The EST50 is not the most brilliant or sparkling sounding earphone but still there is plenty of light and enough energy to keep things moving and well contrasted to the low-end so the sound is not excessively warm or dark. The Sonion drivers add a great portion of resolution and refinement, the treble is of the highest quality, it is full bodied and decays in a relaxed manner. Tonality is quite accurate so all instruments sound realistic without artificiality while electronic tunes are not piercing or fatiguing.
The five drivers are really well integrated so the overall sound signature is very cohesive without any weird tonal shifts or audible frequency discontinuities. The ISN EST50 is quite open sounding with a solid center image and excellent stereophonic panning. The truth is that it doesn’t sound too holographic or proportionally layered but it offers sharp imaging and plenty of air around the performers.
The ISN EST50 wouldn’t be my first choice for critical listening to classical music but it gave really great moments and much enjoyment with classic rock and metal bands like Guns N’ Roses.
Vs Dunu EST 112
The Dunu EST 112 has a rather balanced tuning with more neutrality in the bass, great presence of the mid-range and a treble that is definitely more emphasized, sharp and less forgiving than the ISN EST50. If the ISN EST50 represents the casual and fun oriented earphone then the Dunu EST 112 is it’s reference and critical sounding counterpart. The bass is more imposing and impactful, the larger driver moves more air while it manages to stay fast, tight and controlled albeit not as visceral and full bodied as in the EST50. The mid-range is lusher and warmer in the ISN EST50, a little more musical, with a weightier texture and less biting in the upper mid-range. The treble is smoother and more forgiving in the ISN EST50 while maintaining excellent resolution and refinement. Equally refined and resolving is also the Dunu EST 112 in the higher frequencies but it is slightly sharper, brighter and more energetic sounding than the EST50 with faster transient response. Two good sounding earphones of the mid-range category with slightly different sound profiles to cater for individual listening habits.
Conclusion
The ISN EST50 has a deliberately casual tuning with plenty of well realized bass, present mid-range, well defined treble and great technicalities so it is well suited for listening to all kinds of music as long as there are no critical requirements. It is musical, exciting, engaging and responds well to upstream gear. Well made and very comfortable, it is highly recommended but it would be a much better value if it had a modular cable.
(The review sample was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review)
The ISN EST50 is a hybrid earphone that uses 2 Sonion Electrostatic drivers for the ultra-high frequencies, 1BA Knowles for high frequencies, 1BA Sonion for the mids and a 10mm dynamic for the bass.
Appearance and fit
The lightweight ear-shells have a design that is pretty much identical to that of the ISN H30. They feature an anatomical shape and are made from a skin friendly resin compound. They are a little bulky when compared to single driver earphones but the mildly extending sound tube and the semi-custom design helps a lot with the fit which is stable and comfortable even after prolonged time of use while they effectively block environmental noise. The faceplate has a beautiful wood grain pattern with the ISN logo engraved at the center of it and is available in two colors, stabilized wood orange and green. Build quality is simply excellent.
Accessories
The ISN EST50 comes with two sets of silicone ear-tips in three sizes each, two pairs of memory foam ear-tips, a cleaning brush, a shirt clip and a premium looking, high quality, hard carrying case with a magnetic lid. The presentation box is a little bare bones and not as luxurious as someone would have expected.
Cable
The ISN EST50 features a 1.2m detachable cable with 2-pin 0.78mm connectors and you have the option to order it with either 3.5mm, 2.5mm or 4.4mm termination plugs. The truth is that at this price point a modular cable would be a better and more competitive offering. Thus said, the braided cable is of good quality, it is super lightweight and soft without microphonic noise and it doesn’t get tangled.
Technical performance
The ISN EST50 is rated at 18Ω/100dB so it doesn’t have much requirements for power but it really responds well to higher quality gear. I have mainly used the iBasso DC04PRO, the Cayin RU7 the FiiO M11S and Penon Tail. As per usual practice the ISN EST50 was left playing music for about 100 hours before listening evaluation.
Audio performance
Fun and exciting, the ISN EST50 has a tuning with a tasteful bass emphasis without letting down the rest of the frequencies. The dynamic driver can reach deep enough to the lowest notes, rewarding the listener with a subwoofer experience. The sub-bass isn’t overpowering so the mid-range and treble stay clear and defined enough. The bass is emphasized, especially in the upper part of it, as a result is not that well suited for critical listening. Timpani will sound more overpowering than they should and double basses or cello are rendered slightly out of tune. Of course there is much more than classical and the tuning of the ISN EST50 low-end is perfect for listening to rock, metal, electronic and other kinds of similar music where a hefty, but not dominating, bass is desirable and adds plenty of excitement. The ISN EST50 is very dynamic and impactful, the bass is visceral and weighty although not that well controlled. Definition and layering are satisfying but the bass is slightly on the slow and relaxed side.
The mid-range is superb, tonally balanced and accurate, articulated, well defined and crystal clear. The timbre is natural and realistic with plenty of harmonic variety, everything sounds lifelike and engaging. Voices, female especially, are heavenly good. The ISN EST50 has a musical and present mid-range which sounds good with everything. The transition to the treble is smooth without any fatiguing upper-mids emphasis, making the ISN EST50 the ideal choice for people with sensitivity to this particular area.
The treble is easy to the ear with an aristocratic politeness but without lacking in extension and excitement. The EST50 is not the most brilliant or sparkling sounding earphone but still there is plenty of light and enough energy to keep things moving and well contrasted to the low-end so the sound is not excessively warm or dark. The Sonion drivers add a great portion of resolution and refinement, the treble is of the highest quality, it is full bodied and decays in a relaxed manner. Tonality is quite accurate so all instruments sound realistic without artificiality while electronic tunes are not piercing or fatiguing.
The five drivers are really well integrated so the overall sound signature is very cohesive without any weird tonal shifts or audible frequency discontinuities. The ISN EST50 is quite open sounding with a solid center image and excellent stereophonic panning. The truth is that it doesn’t sound too holographic or proportionally layered but it offers sharp imaging and plenty of air around the performers.
The ISN EST50 wouldn’t be my first choice for critical listening to classical music but it gave really great moments and much enjoyment with classic rock and metal bands like Guns N’ Roses.
Vs Dunu EST 112
The Dunu EST 112 has a rather balanced tuning with more neutrality in the bass, great presence of the mid-range and a treble that is definitely more emphasized, sharp and less forgiving than the ISN EST50. If the ISN EST50 represents the casual and fun oriented earphone then the Dunu EST 112 is it’s reference and critical sounding counterpart. The bass is more imposing and impactful, the larger driver moves more air while it manages to stay fast, tight and controlled albeit not as visceral and full bodied as in the EST50. The mid-range is lusher and warmer in the ISN EST50, a little more musical, with a weightier texture and less biting in the upper mid-range. The treble is smoother and more forgiving in the ISN EST50 while maintaining excellent resolution and refinement. Equally refined and resolving is also the Dunu EST 112 in the higher frequencies but it is slightly sharper, brighter and more energetic sounding than the EST50 with faster transient response. Two good sounding earphones of the mid-range category with slightly different sound profiles to cater for individual listening habits.
Conclusion
The ISN EST50 has a deliberately casual tuning with plenty of well realized bass, present mid-range, well defined treble and great technicalities so it is well suited for listening to all kinds of music as long as there are no critical requirements. It is musical, exciting, engaging and responds well to upstream gear. Well made and very comfortable, it is highly recommended but it would be a much better value if it had a modular cable.
(The review sample was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review)
This is a brief summary of my Violectric V222 review.
Executive summary
The Violectric V222 is a headphone amplifier with four symmetrical output stages. It uses the same base circuit and amplifying principle as the legendary V280 but with some extra improvements.
The unit features both balanced and unbalanced inputs that are now selectable via the front switch. There are three headphone outputs, two balanced (4-pin XLR and 4.4mm) and one unbalanced (3.5mm). The V222 is a pure headphone amplifier without any digital inputs or preamplifier function.
You can adjust the internal gain of the amplifier with the famous Violectric pre-gain system. Eight dip switches are located at the back of the unit and adjust the gain separately for the left and right channels.
The chassis is entirely made of thick aluminum and the V222 is more compact than the V280 so it fits nearly everywhere.
The amplifier is extremely powerful and has the power to run almost every headphone on the planet no matter if it is a high or low impedance. At the same time it is noise free and the gain system that can be lowered as -18dB makes it suitable even for sensitive earphones.
The Violectric V222 is very musical, organic and analogue sounding and at the same time it has excellent technicallities and transparency. It is super dynamic and impactful at the low end, especially harmonious in the mid-range and extended yet smooth at the treble.
The V222 is a very powerful amplifier that blends excellent solid state technicalities with a musical and analogue sound signature more reminiscent of tubes. This is one of the best solid state amplifiers that you can buy without breaking the bank, an end game solution, especially if you value timbre realism and natural tonality.
Please read the full review which is very analytical and includes comparisons.
Executive summary
The Violectric V222 is a headphone amplifier with four symmetrical output stages. It uses the same base circuit and amplifying principle as the legendary V280 but with some extra improvements.
The unit features both balanced and unbalanced inputs that are now selectable via the front switch. There are three headphone outputs, two balanced (4-pin XLR and 4.4mm) and one unbalanced (3.5mm). The V222 is a pure headphone amplifier without any digital inputs or preamplifier function.
You can adjust the internal gain of the amplifier with the famous Violectric pre-gain system. Eight dip switches are located at the back of the unit and adjust the gain separately for the left and right channels.
The chassis is entirely made of thick aluminum and the V222 is more compact than the V280 so it fits nearly everywhere.
The amplifier is extremely powerful and has the power to run almost every headphone on the planet no matter if it is a high or low impedance. At the same time it is noise free and the gain system that can be lowered as -18dB makes it suitable even for sensitive earphones.
The Violectric V222 is very musical, organic and analogue sounding and at the same time it has excellent technicallities and transparency. It is super dynamic and impactful at the low end, especially harmonious in the mid-range and extended yet smooth at the treble.
The V222 is a very powerful amplifier that blends excellent solid state technicalities with a musical and analogue sound signature more reminiscent of tubes. This is one of the best solid state amplifiers that you can buy without breaking the bank, an end game solution, especially if you value timbre realism and natural tonality.
Please read the full review which is very analytical and includes comparisons.
This is a brief summary of my FiiO SP3 review.
Executive summary
The FiiO SP3 is a compact sized, active desktop speaker featuring a 3.5″ carbon fiber mid-woofer and an 1″, in-house developed, silk dome tweeter that are powered by two-channel class-D amplifiers from TI, outputting 10W for the highs and 30W for the lows with 100W of total peak power.
They are very compact sized but also sturdy and well dampened against vibrations and resonances. Premium materials are used throughout and build quality is excellent.
At the back of the main speakers you are going to find a volume control knob, a knob to adjust the bass amplitude between -8dB to 0dB, stereo RCA and 3.5mm inputs, an input selector, an RGB led light selector and a toggle switch to invert left and right speaker. No digital or wireless inputs are included.
The FiiO SP3 comes with an external power adapter, a high quality 3.5mm to RCA cable, an interconnect cable between the two speakers and two sets of rubber isolation pads.
This is a small volume speaker with a tiny mid-woofer so you have to understand that it can't produce real bass, just harmonics. Under this scope and for the size, the sound is really good with a balanced, resolving and very expressive mid-range. The speaker is flat and linear without producing any unnecessary coloring to the sound. The treble is crisp, lively, energetic and crystal clear without brightness or harshness. The overall tonality is quite realistic and the timbre natural without artificiality. The FiiO SP3 disappears from the listener and draws a spacious soundstage with good information cues.
If small size is a prerequisite but you don't want to compromise in sound quality too much then the FiiO SP3 is an excellent option.
Executive summary
The FiiO SP3 is a compact sized, active desktop speaker featuring a 3.5″ carbon fiber mid-woofer and an 1″, in-house developed, silk dome tweeter that are powered by two-channel class-D amplifiers from TI, outputting 10W for the highs and 30W for the lows with 100W of total peak power.
They are very compact sized but also sturdy and well dampened against vibrations and resonances. Premium materials are used throughout and build quality is excellent.
At the back of the main speakers you are going to find a volume control knob, a knob to adjust the bass amplitude between -8dB to 0dB, stereo RCA and 3.5mm inputs, an input selector, an RGB led light selector and a toggle switch to invert left and right speaker. No digital or wireless inputs are included.
The FiiO SP3 comes with an external power adapter, a high quality 3.5mm to RCA cable, an interconnect cable between the two speakers and two sets of rubber isolation pads.
This is a small volume speaker with a tiny mid-woofer so you have to understand that it can't produce real bass, just harmonics. Under this scope and for the size, the sound is really good with a balanced, resolving and very expressive mid-range. The speaker is flat and linear without producing any unnecessary coloring to the sound. The treble is crisp, lively, energetic and crystal clear without brightness or harshness. The overall tonality is quite realistic and the timbre natural without artificiality. The FiiO SP3 disappears from the listener and draws a spacious soundstage with good information cues.
If small size is a prerequisite but you don't want to compromise in sound quality too much then the FiiO SP3 is an excellent option.
Ichos
Edifier R2000DB has 5" driver
This is a summary of the full HIFIMAN Svanar Wireless review which is available in my website.
Executive summary
The HIFIMAN Svanar Wireless is the first TWS earphone ever made to feature a discrete R-2R DAC in each earpiece. A DAC based on the Himalaya R2R module by HIFIMAN. Also separate headphone amplifiers are used in each earpiece to drive the topology diaphragm of the earphones which is a scaled down version of their flagship IEM the Svanar.
The Svanar Wireless also features active noise cancellation with three different working modes: ANC ON, Transparency and High fidelity mode that disables ANC.
The ANC mode of the Svanar Wireless is actually very effective. It successfully blocks a great amount of environmental noise without degrading too much the sound quality.
The Svanar Wireless supports AAC, SBC and LDAC for high fidelity sound. The aptX codec is not supported so if your phone doesn’t support LDAC then you are stuck with plain SBC.
The earshells of the Svanar Wireless are quite bulky but relatively lightweight and they are very well made. The fit is mostly comfortable and stress free but because of the swallow nozzle you might need triple flanged eartips that are not included.
The Svanar Wireless supports full touch interface at both earbuds. You can control pretty much everything except for the volume which unfortunately is only adjusted through the host device. The Svanar Wireless doesn't support a software application so it is not further customizable by the user.
The charging case is bulkier and heavier than most competitive products but in exchange it houses a large capacity battery that offers three full additional charges. The case supports wireless charging, it is well made and seems very durable.
The sound quality is really excellent but surprisingly for a HIFIMAN product, the tuning deviates from the house sound by emphasizing bass for a more fun and casual sound signature. Technicalities are great so we have a TWS earphone that is made to please both casual and critical listeners alike with most kinds of music. There is plenty of high quality bass which might not be that tonically correct but it doesn't cloud the mid-range and is very impactful, dynamic and technically skilful. Mid-range is present and very engaging while the treble is the strongest point of the Svanar Wireless. It combines transparency and plenty of energy without a single trace of artificiality. The R-2R DAC does miracles and this is the first wireless earphone to exhibit a so natural and realistic sounding treble. The soundstage is open and spacious with good imaging and a pretty grand presentation.
The Svanar Wireless is rather expensive but not without a reason because it combines excellent sound quality with an extremely natural timbre and a very effective noise cancelling. A TWS earphone addressed to all people who value sound quality over anything else.
Executive summary
The HIFIMAN Svanar Wireless is the first TWS earphone ever made to feature a discrete R-2R DAC in each earpiece. A DAC based on the Himalaya R2R module by HIFIMAN. Also separate headphone amplifiers are used in each earpiece to drive the topology diaphragm of the earphones which is a scaled down version of their flagship IEM the Svanar.
The Svanar Wireless also features active noise cancellation with three different working modes: ANC ON, Transparency and High fidelity mode that disables ANC.
The ANC mode of the Svanar Wireless is actually very effective. It successfully blocks a great amount of environmental noise without degrading too much the sound quality.
The Svanar Wireless supports AAC, SBC and LDAC for high fidelity sound. The aptX codec is not supported so if your phone doesn’t support LDAC then you are stuck with plain SBC.
The earshells of the Svanar Wireless are quite bulky but relatively lightweight and they are very well made. The fit is mostly comfortable and stress free but because of the swallow nozzle you might need triple flanged eartips that are not included.
The Svanar Wireless supports full touch interface at both earbuds. You can control pretty much everything except for the volume which unfortunately is only adjusted through the host device. The Svanar Wireless doesn't support a software application so it is not further customizable by the user.
The charging case is bulkier and heavier than most competitive products but in exchange it houses a large capacity battery that offers three full additional charges. The case supports wireless charging, it is well made and seems very durable.
The sound quality is really excellent but surprisingly for a HIFIMAN product, the tuning deviates from the house sound by emphasizing bass for a more fun and casual sound signature. Technicalities are great so we have a TWS earphone that is made to please both casual and critical listeners alike with most kinds of music. There is plenty of high quality bass which might not be that tonically correct but it doesn't cloud the mid-range and is very impactful, dynamic and technically skilful. Mid-range is present and very engaging while the treble is the strongest point of the Svanar Wireless. It combines transparency and plenty of energy without a single trace of artificiality. The R-2R DAC does miracles and this is the first wireless earphone to exhibit a so natural and realistic sounding treble. The soundstage is open and spacious with good imaging and a pretty grand presentation.
The Svanar Wireless is rather expensive but not without a reason because it combines excellent sound quality with an extremely natural timbre and a very effective noise cancelling. A TWS earphone addressed to all people who value sound quality over anything else.
This is a brief summary of the full iBasso DC04PRO review.
Executive summary
The iBasso DC04PRO is a USB DAC dongle with a detachable type-C cable and two headphone outputs, balanced 4.4mm and single ended 3.5mm.
It uses dual CS43131 DAC chips and separate dual RT6863 high current amplifiers. The advanced circuit also employs a synchronous DC-DC converter, ultra-low noise LDO, FPGA and KDS Femto second oscillator.
The chassis is made from CNC aluminium with tempered glass panels that add a luxurious feeling. Build quality and finish are excellent.
The iBasso DC04PRO has various power saving modes that helps it to consume less power depending on the use conditions. Using the single ended output will automatically disable the unused half of the amplifier. The user can also disable the extra amplification stage and use the embedded headphone amplifiers of the DAC chips to lower power consumption. This function is available through the iBasso UAC application which is only available for Android. User settings are not stored in the device memory so it is configurable only when it is connected to an Android host.
The audio performance is truly excellent and punches well above the modest asking price making the iBasso DC04PRO one of the best value USB DAC dongles in the market. Punchy and dynamic with plenty of power to drive a lot of full sized headphones. Musical, natural and engaging with realistic timbre and excellent transparency. Open sounding, spacious and expanded with sharp imaging and a grand presentation.
The iBasso DC04PRO offers excellent sound quality, plenty of power output and great efficiency in a small form factor and a very modest asking price making it one of the best values in the USB DAC dongle scene.
Executive summary
The iBasso DC04PRO is a USB DAC dongle with a detachable type-C cable and two headphone outputs, balanced 4.4mm and single ended 3.5mm.
It uses dual CS43131 DAC chips and separate dual RT6863 high current amplifiers. The advanced circuit also employs a synchronous DC-DC converter, ultra-low noise LDO, FPGA and KDS Femto second oscillator.
The chassis is made from CNC aluminium with tempered glass panels that add a luxurious feeling. Build quality and finish are excellent.
The iBasso DC04PRO has various power saving modes that helps it to consume less power depending on the use conditions. Using the single ended output will automatically disable the unused half of the amplifier. The user can also disable the extra amplification stage and use the embedded headphone amplifiers of the DAC chips to lower power consumption. This function is available through the iBasso UAC application which is only available for Android. User settings are not stored in the device memory so it is configurable only when it is connected to an Android host.
The audio performance is truly excellent and punches well above the modest asking price making the iBasso DC04PRO one of the best value USB DAC dongles in the market. Punchy and dynamic with plenty of power to drive a lot of full sized headphones. Musical, natural and engaging with realistic timbre and excellent transparency. Open sounding, spacious and expanded with sharp imaging and a grand presentation.
The iBasso DC04PRO offers excellent sound quality, plenty of power output and great efficiency in a small form factor and a very modest asking price making it one of the best values in the USB DAC dongle scene.
HeavenM
Thanks to review
aravaioli
Bought this, compared to Cayin RU7, returned with no regrets.
Cayin can also drive my HE1000 Stealth, the iBasso could also get some respectable volume but pulled a much less satisfying performance from them. Almost the same story with the Fiio FT5, although the gap between the 2 was less evident with that.
Cayin can also drive my HE1000 Stealth, the iBasso could also get some respectable volume but pulled a much less satisfying performance from them. Almost the same story with the Fiio FT5, although the gap between the 2 was less evident with that.
Ichos
@aravaioli , the Cayin RU-7 is better sounding and more powerful but also double the price. Since you could afford it, you made a right choice.
This is a summary of the full Lavricables Grand review which is available in ichos-reviews.com.
Executive summary
The Grand is Lavricables top of the line cable. A premium awg-20 multi-strand litz cable with some of the best components available on the market made from 6n purity silver and Mundorf 10% silver solder.
A beautiful and well made cable which is very soft, it never gets tangled and it doesn't induce any microphonic noise. Someone could buy the Grand only for the great looks and the excellent build quality which are miles ahead than most stock cables.
The Grand is going to enhance all the sonic qualities of a high-end headphone system, given that you have one, or else you shouldn't bother and better seek the entry level Lavricables cables. The Grand cable is not some kind of a passive equalizer and please remember that all sound improvements are really audible but in a subtle manner. The Grand is not going to transform your system into something else but rather help extract every last bit of it's character and performance , something not necessarily positive if it is not up to the task.
A highly revealing cable with ultimate transparency that greatly improves resolution and refinement, extracts every last bit of detail but in a polite manner without inducing brightness, harshness or artificiality. The Grand is so absent from the chain that greatly improves the dynamics of the system by passing all the information without holding back nothing. It improves timbre realism and musicality while it engraves the holographic relief of the soundtage.
The Lavricables Grand is an upgrade cable that will help your already well matched headphone system to reach the summit of its capabilities.
Executive summary
The Grand is Lavricables top of the line cable. A premium awg-20 multi-strand litz cable with some of the best components available on the market made from 6n purity silver and Mundorf 10% silver solder.
A beautiful and well made cable which is very soft, it never gets tangled and it doesn't induce any microphonic noise. Someone could buy the Grand only for the great looks and the excellent build quality which are miles ahead than most stock cables.
The Grand is going to enhance all the sonic qualities of a high-end headphone system, given that you have one, or else you shouldn't bother and better seek the entry level Lavricables cables. The Grand cable is not some kind of a passive equalizer and please remember that all sound improvements are really audible but in a subtle manner. The Grand is not going to transform your system into something else but rather help extract every last bit of it's character and performance , something not necessarily positive if it is not up to the task.
A highly revealing cable with ultimate transparency that greatly improves resolution and refinement, extracts every last bit of detail but in a polite manner without inducing brightness, harshness or artificiality. The Grand is so absent from the chain that greatly improves the dynamics of the system by passing all the information without holding back nothing. It improves timbre realism and musicality while it engraves the holographic relief of the soundtage.
The Lavricables Grand is an upgrade cable that will help your already well matched headphone system to reach the summit of its capabilities.
This is a brief summary of the Cayin RU7 review that is available in my website.
Executive summary
The Cayin RU7 is a portable USB DAC dongle that uses a fully balanced discrete 1-Bit DSD DAC to convert digital signals to analogue through a fully differential 4-ch DAC architecture. All incoming signals are converted to DSD before they get to the conversion circuit that is composed of 128 (4x32), high precision, thin film resistors. The RU7 supports PCM up to 32-Bit/384kHz and native DSD256 decoding.
The Cayin RU7 features a shared line output. This function will configure the 3.5mm or 4.4mm phone outputs into fixed voltage outputs, bypassing the volume control. The output voltage is 1.2Vrms for the 3.5mm output and 2.4Vrms for the 4.4mm, carefully selected to retain as much details and dynamics of the 1-Bit DAC with minimum noise and distortion.
The Cayin RU7 is very powerful, it can provide 400mW/32Ω of undistorted power from the balanced output when most USB DAC dongles will max at about 260mW/32Ω with a couple of exceptions like the iFi Go.
The Cayin RU7 is very well shielded against EMI and host internal noise. It offers a pitch black background that helps a lot with detail retrieval and lets you enjoy your music without noise.
The Cayin RU7 offers a class leading audio performance that combines timbre realism and musicality with great transparency and technicalities. The sound signature is very organic and analogue-like with complete absence of digital glare and treble artificiality. Smooth and musical yet extended and crystal clear, the Cayin RU7 will move your heart and connect you with your favorite tunes into a pure listening experience.
The Cayin RU7 is something special and one of the best USB DAC dongles you can buy right now. The audio performance is flawless and similar to that of high quality mid-range DAPs or even desktop DAC/amps. The Cayin RU7 is leading the USB DAC dongles race and competition will have a hard time to catch up with it.
Executive summary
The Cayin RU7 is a portable USB DAC dongle that uses a fully balanced discrete 1-Bit DSD DAC to convert digital signals to analogue through a fully differential 4-ch DAC architecture. All incoming signals are converted to DSD before they get to the conversion circuit that is composed of 128 (4x32), high precision, thin film resistors. The RU7 supports PCM up to 32-Bit/384kHz and native DSD256 decoding.
The Cayin RU7 features a shared line output. This function will configure the 3.5mm or 4.4mm phone outputs into fixed voltage outputs, bypassing the volume control. The output voltage is 1.2Vrms for the 3.5mm output and 2.4Vrms for the 4.4mm, carefully selected to retain as much details and dynamics of the 1-Bit DAC with minimum noise and distortion.
The Cayin RU7 is very powerful, it can provide 400mW/32Ω of undistorted power from the balanced output when most USB DAC dongles will max at about 260mW/32Ω with a couple of exceptions like the iFi Go.
The Cayin RU7 is very well shielded against EMI and host internal noise. It offers a pitch black background that helps a lot with detail retrieval and lets you enjoy your music without noise.
The Cayin RU7 offers a class leading audio performance that combines timbre realism and musicality with great transparency and technicalities. The sound signature is very organic and analogue-like with complete absence of digital glare and treble artificiality. Smooth and musical yet extended and crystal clear, the Cayin RU7 will move your heart and connect you with your favorite tunes into a pure listening experience.
The Cayin RU7 is something special and one of the best USB DAC dongles you can buy right now. The audio performance is flawless and similar to that of high quality mid-range DAPs or even desktop DAC/amps. The Cayin RU7 is leading the USB DAC dongles race and competition will have a hard time to catch up with it.
You can read the full FiiO FW5 review with photos and comparisons in my website.
Executive summary
The FiiO FW5 is a TWS earphone that is made with sound quality in mind and doesn't have ANC or any other features that could compromise it. Instead it features an independent audio architecture with a AK4332 high-performance DAC and separate amplifiers in each earpiece.
The FiiO FW5 has a popular, V-shaped tuning with some audiophile essence and good technicalities for the category. The sound is fun and entertaining with great bass that is tight, controlled, dynamic and physically impactful. The tuning is not that neutral but you can listen to classical music without much tonal inaccuracies. The mid-range is slightly recessed but is crystal clear and transparent while the treble is fast and energetic without sounding harsh.
The FiiO FW5 is surprisingly resolving and transparent for a TWS earphone with good detail retrieval. The soundstage is wide and spacious with good positioning accuracy. The overall timbre is quite natural and the sound is very homogeneous thanks for the good drivers implementation.
The FiiO FW5 is further customizable through the FiiO control application which supports a 10-band parametric equalizer. Bluetooth connection is stable and call quality is very good. The FW5 now supports the LDAC codec but no aptX HD.
The FiiO FW5 is well made, it is has physical buttons, it is lightweight and comfortable with good passive noise attenuation. The charging case is compact and lightweight but it feels plastic. Battery duration is average but will last you a day with mixed usage.
In the end, the FiiO FW5 offers exactly what it promises, excellent sound quality that you will rarely find in a TWS earphone, especially for such a competitive price.
Executive summary
The FiiO FW5 is a TWS earphone that is made with sound quality in mind and doesn't have ANC or any other features that could compromise it. Instead it features an independent audio architecture with a AK4332 high-performance DAC and separate amplifiers in each earpiece.
The FiiO FW5 has a popular, V-shaped tuning with some audiophile essence and good technicalities for the category. The sound is fun and entertaining with great bass that is tight, controlled, dynamic and physically impactful. The tuning is not that neutral but you can listen to classical music without much tonal inaccuracies. The mid-range is slightly recessed but is crystal clear and transparent while the treble is fast and energetic without sounding harsh.
The FiiO FW5 is surprisingly resolving and transparent for a TWS earphone with good detail retrieval. The soundstage is wide and spacious with good positioning accuracy. The overall timbre is quite natural and the sound is very homogeneous thanks for the good drivers implementation.
The FiiO FW5 is further customizable through the FiiO control application which supports a 10-band parametric equalizer. Bluetooth connection is stable and call quality is very good. The FW5 now supports the LDAC codec but no aptX HD.
The FiiO FW5 is well made, it is has physical buttons, it is lightweight and comfortable with good passive noise attenuation. The charging case is compact and lightweight but it feels plastic. Battery duration is average but will last you a day with mixed usage.
In the end, the FiiO FW5 offers exactly what it promises, excellent sound quality that you will rarely find in a TWS earphone, especially for such a competitive price.
