Aune Yuki

Gazing upon the AUNE Yuki headphone amplifier is akin to stepping into a realm where sound and aesthetics converge in a symphony of sensory delight

This isn't just another audio device — it's a testament to the boundless creativity and ingenuity of its creators, a masterpiece that transcends mere functionality to become a work of art in its own right

Let's start with the design. The AUNE Yuki is a sight to behold, with its sleek, minimalist form and pristine white finish exuding an air of sophistication and elegance

Every curve, every detail has been meticulously crafted to perfection, resulting in a piece of audio equipment that not only sounds phenomenal but looks like a sculptural masterpiece adorning your audio setup

It's not just a device, it's a statement piece — a conversation starter that demands attention and admiration

But the AUNE Yuki isn't just about looks, it's about performance too. And in that regard, it doesn't disappoint. The sound quality is simply sublime, rivaling that of top-tier amplifiers from industry giants

From the crisp highs to the deep, rumbling lows, every note is rendered with breathtaking clarity and precision, allowing you to rediscover your favorite tracks with a newfound sense of depth and detail

Whether you're a die-hard audiophile or a casual music lover, the AUNE Yuki promises to elevate your listening experience to new heights

What truly sets the AUNE Yuki apart, however, is its exceptional build quality. From the moment you lay eyes on it, you can tell that this is a device built to last

The sturdy chassis, premium-grade components, and impeccable attention to detail speak volumes about the craftsmanship that went into its creation

It's not just a piece of equipment, it's a testament to the dedication and passion of the people behind it — a promise of reliability and longevity that instills confidence in its performance

And let's not forget about the specifications. With its ample power output, wide frequency response, and low distortion, the AUNE Yuki is a powerhouse of audio performance

It's capable of driving even the most demanding headphones with ease, ensuring that you get the best possible sound quality no matter what you're listening to

Whether you're rocking out to your favorite tunes or immersing yourself in a cinematic masterpiece, the AUNE Yuki delivers an audio experience that's second to none

In conclusion, if you're in the market for a headphone amplifier that not only sounds incredible but looks stunning and is built to last, look no further than the AUNE Yuki

It's a triumph of design and engineering — a true masterpiece that will enhance your audio experience in ways you never thought possible. With the AUNE Yuki, the world of high-fidelity audio is yours to explore, and the journey is bound to be nothing short of extraordinary

Great work AUNE!

#AUNE #AuneYuki #DACs

TLDR version on YouTube: TDLR - Aune Yuki

The Aune Yuki has been sent to me directly by Aune for me to try it out and share my opinions in this review. Aune have not made any requests and I will do my usual best to be as unbiased as possible in my review.

You can find the official page for the Yuki here: https://www.aune-store.com/en/aune-yuki-dongle-dac_110207_1236/

Also available on Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Headphone-Smartphone-Earphones-Headphones/dp/B0CJXYNNTH

As always, the above are non-affiliate links.



Intro…

The Yuki is, I believe, the first dongle from the Aune and I have to say that they certainly went all in on this. It is not the cheapest of dongles but it is far from being the most expensive, coming in at 169€ on the official Aune store here in Europe (at the time of puting together this review).

The device features dual CS43198 DAC chips which have been used in decent performing desktop solutions before and Aune seem to have done a good job implementing them in this device.

In fact, Aune seem to have done a good job in general with this device, seemingly spending time and effort on everything involved, but before I get ahead of myself, let’s go through the usual process and start off with the presentation.



Presentation…

Starting off with the packaging, we already see that Aune has aimed to be different. Rather than a box we get a circular tub which is white with the Aune logo in gold on the top, together with “for music we design”, along with Yuki in gold on the side. This has a dark blue card ring around it that shows some artwork and “Yuki” in white letters.

Removing the top reveals a small circular card with two QR codes, one to download the user manual PDF in Chinese and the other in English. Obviously I didn’t do this as a first step (why break tradition?) but looking at it I have to say that, for such a simple device, the user manual is complete and well written.

Under this top card we find the dongle sitting vertically in one section, with the USB-C to USB-C cable, along with a USB-A to USB-C adapter, sitting in another vertical section. There is plenty of foam surrounding them, of the high density type in white, meaning that the device is more than protected for shipping. On top of this, it was packaged in a brown cardboard box surrounding the tub, protecting it even more.

Although there is really not a lot to get excited about with the packaging, I have to say that I really like it when companies go that extra step and do something original. Here Aune have made something different without the need for additional materials other than simple card and foam.



Build and aesthetics…

The first impression of the device is that it looks beautiful. Of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder but, again, Aune have done something different that sets the device apart from the masses of dongles out there.

The clear top is obviously the first thing to catch the eye, which allows you to see the internals of the device. This is not something new, as one of my favourite dongles (the M15) already has this, however, other than the shape and the clear top, that is where the similarities end.

Aune have opted for a bright white finish to the Yuki, with gold lettering without it being overdone. I find there is a fine line between gold on white being elegant or blingy, with Aune seeming to manage to keep it in the first category. I have always said that I am not a fan of gold but the lettering is discrete and looks good on the white base.

The PCB inside the device, which is visible through the top window, is also a break from the usual green PCB. In this case, the board is red and creme, which, in my opinion, adds even more to the modern yet elegant look of the device.

On the back we get the Yuki logo in gold, with the two buttons above it featuring a single gold dot on one of them to differentiate it. This dot is also recessed so it can be identified, to some extent, by touch.

The included USB cable matches the device in colour, as does the adapter, and the cable is a very nice white braid. Once again, this just gives the sensation of them putting thought and effort into each little component.

In general, I have to praise the Yuki as I think that it is built well, with an aluminium body, and looks different to all the other dongles out there, without being too “off the wall”.



Functionality…

There is not a lot going on with the Yuki, so there is not much to discuss in the functionality side of things, however it does feature volume control and gain levels.

On the bottom of the device there is a 3.5mm unbalanced headphone output, together with a 4.4mm balanced output. At the top we get a single USB-C connector for power and data. That is it as far as connectivity is concerned.

As far as controls, we get the two buttons located on the back of the device. I have to say that I find the location of the buttons to be a strange choice. Once again they have done something different, which I applaud, but in this case I can’t help feeling that it is form over function. I find the buttons to be more difficult to access than if they were on the front or side but it is not the end of the world and I did get used to them pretty quickly.

The buttons are used to control the volume and gain level of the device. Pressing either of the buttons independently will raise or lower the volume, while pressing both of them simultaneously for 2 seconds will change the gain level.

The volume of the Yuki is independent to the device, meaning that the amplification in controlled on the Yuki and that there is no control of the device volume from the dongle. It has a nice small increment with each press and I really find it to work well (once you get used to the buttons on the back).

As far as devices, I have used it with a selection of Android and Windows devices (Win10) and have experienced absolutely no issues with any of them. It has always connected very fast and just worked without hiccup. I’m afraid I don’t have any iOS devices.



Sound…

Now, if I have praised Aune so far in the review for doing something different, in the sound section they have done something different by not doing anything different. Let me explain...

The majority of the Aune devices that I have tested in the past, those that I have reviewed and those that I haven’t, all managed to offer a clean and neutral sound without becoming sterile or cold. In the case of the Yuki they have done the same.

While there are portable devices that I enjoy because they have a little warmth to them, I have to say that I really enjoy the Yuki because of its neutrality. It manages to give you a very transparent sound that does not lose its musicality, something that is not always the case with many portable devices (or even desktop devices).

It may not be the most powerful dongle out there, I wouldn’t really suggest it for difficult to drive headphones, yet it does a very good job with over ears that are easy to drive. For example, although I didn’t really mention it in my review, it works very well with the AR5000 headphones from Aune.

However, my main use case has been with IEMs, both those that I have currently awaiting review and those that I usually grab when I get a chance, and it has been a very pleasurable experience.

From things that are more detail focused, such as the Quintet, through to more warmer options, such as the IE600, I feel that it pairs remarkably well. With the Hifiman Svanar, which is a set that I enjoy a lot but find that it does perform very differently on different sources, it is one of my preferred portable pairings so far. The Svanar maintains that warmth that it is natural to it while presenting the details that it is capable of, without seemingly any additional flavouring from the dongle.

The sound signature of the Yuki does remind me a lot of the S9c Pro that I reviewed from Aune not too long ago, which is a large desktop device. Of course it is not as powerful but the presentation is very similar, which is in turn very similar to my desktop set up of choice for general listening.

Honestly, I can’t find anything to complain about with the sound signature of the Yuki, it is another Aune device that I just enjoy listening to, or rather, not listening to, as it lets the music and the transducers do the work.



Conclusion…

The Aune Yuki has easily become one of my favourite dongle style devices. I have kept it with me almost all the time and have enjoyed using it with IEMs each time I have had a chance. Yes, there are times when I feel like a smoother more relaxed sound, which is the same sort of mood that I am in when I choose a tube amp for home listening, but for 90% of my listening time, I just can’t fault the device.

As I said at the beginning, it is certainly not the cheapest dongle out there but it is far from being the most expensive and I really came away with the feeling that the money spent on this device gives you something that has had a lot of thought and work put into it.

Honestly, I feel that the AR5000 and the Aune Yuki may be the 2 products from Aune that I have enjoyed the most to date. I do not mean that they are the best devices that Aune makes, they make some seriously good stuff, but they are products that make you feel like you are getting something special.

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As usual, this review is also available in Spanish, both on my blog (www.achoreviews.com) and on YouTube (www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

TONALITY: 8.5/10
TECHNICALITIES: 9/10
TIMBRE: 8.5/10
SPATIALITY: 8.2/10
IMAGING: 8.5/10
MUSICALITY (subjective): 7.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 7.5/10
ACCESSORIES: 7.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 7.5/10


INTRO

The Aune Yuki might be very first dongle release from this company, but Aune is very experience with DAC and AMP engineering so this isn’t your normal entry level dongle using cheap OPamp or DAC amping section.
Nope, the big selling point of this dongle is the 4-way discrete amplifier that has 16 transistors distributed in a 4x4 pattern that you can contemplate thru dongle glasses.
You can count it too.
As well, it use the flagship cirrus DAC 43198 in dual balanced mode, this DAC can achieve very high signal-to-noise and has extremely low harmonic distortion, promising a clean and highly resolved sound restitution.
As well, it can decode any bitrate up to skyhigh 768khz and DSD256, in 32bit format.

Priced 169$, the Yuki promise an high end audio experience on the go, so let see in this review if it fullfill this promise!

SPECS:
DAC: Dual CS43198 from Cirrus Logic.
Playback formats: PCM 32Bits 768kHz, DSD256.
Headphone output: SE 3.5mm and BAL 4.4mm both gold-plated.
Headphone amplifier output noise SE: 2.6μV.
SE output voltage: 2.0V RMS.
THD+N SE: 0.00036%.
SE output power: 90mW 30Ω.
Headphone amplifier output noise BAL: 2.9μV.
BAL output voltage: 4.0V RMS.
THD+N BAL: 0.00033%.
BAL output power: 160mW 30Ω.
Input interface: USB Type C.
Dimensions: 53.5x24x13mm.
Weight: 230g.

Extra info, thanks to Aune for their transparency:
Output impedance: 1Ω
Crosstalk:
3.5mm: 71dB @32Ω
4.4mm: 106dB @32Ω



CONSTRUCTION&FEATURES


The construction is very elegant, this is no surprise since Aune always offer sober but luxurious design, even their IEM Jasper was pure eye candy, the Yuki is no exception.The finish is all white with a ceramic like texture, it have a big glass that show internal architecture which is fascinating to contemplate, the lettering are in gold and their fine line detailing that magnify overall elegance.At the back their 2 volume control button, one with a gold dot for + and other one full white for -. I find it lacking the click pression that underline volume step selection. With the protective case, it’s hard to even find the button blindly, which is a con for me.

Then we have two jack in front. I’m sensitive about quality of dongles jacks so I was very happy to see it’s no plastic but all gold plated metal, which promise long durability and thigh connection.

If this dongle is slightly expensive, at least the craftsmanship and material choice is on par with high end expectation.

All in all, apart volume button that i would prefer thicker and bigger as well as more clicky, construction and design are delightful.

Ok, in term of feature, it would have been nice to have a gain switch, this would permit surely lower impedance for balanced output and even more versatile performance.


Pass 100$, it’s normal to be nitpicky for a dongle.



In term of packaging and accessories, the dongle come in small cylindric box that can be use as carrying case and look quite good. Alas the protective case isn't included and will cost you an extra 15$. It's a real leather that look good but seem to make volume botton control less easy to find and press.
The USB-C to USB-C cable is excellent, it's SPC braided and gold plated, it feel durable as well.
We have a USB-A to USB C adapter too, but i would prefer a good quality cable that is longer to hook on laptop.
All in all, good quality accessories but quite minimalist too.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS



To my ears, the Yuki tonality is bright neutral, it’s one of few truely neutral dongle I own. This is the kinda dongle that will extract secret sound info effortlessly, this is even more evident when I compare it again other dongle, including pricier Questyle M15 which is warmer, bassier and darker.

Sure, saying it’s neutral is a bit vague, so i would say it’s treble centric before of being bass or mids focus, it tend to magnify presence of instrument and vocal and render texture richness and details in HD like level.

It’s an highly resolved restitution but don’t sound cold or thin, even if transparency and imaging is very good it’s not over boosting brilliance of percussion or loudness of upper mids.

The bass is less dynamic part of spectrum, it’s lean in punch but very well define in presence, drum have this ultra realist rendering but don’t gain in impact weight. I personally need more dynamism in bass but this is the kind of dongle that can ‘’heal’’ basshead IEM, cleaning the warmth and taming resonance of impact to some extend.
In fact, we are in smooth U shape bass territory here, this mean we have a slight sub bass boost that help to extract bass line which are more bodied than mid bass and kick drum. Those bass line can be incredibly detailed both in density and texture, Yuki help adding bite to their attack too, all this in a balanced way since it’s no euphonic boom here.This isn’t the kind of low end that add warmth or muddy boom boost to IEM, this mean it pair well with already bassy IEM.

The mids are open and clean sounding, gently bright without excited boost in upper mids that can boost sibilance of already brights IEM. Texture is rich with detail which permit to have well define presence of diversify instruments cohabiting in same space. This presence isn’t widen, it’s centered and static. Transparency is clean enough, what interfer with it’s translucidity will be texture details, not harmonic distortion added noise. This is a refined and focused mid range that permit to improve definition of vocalist and instruments but will not boost the dynamics or note impact of it’s rendering, overall presentation is refined and delicate, just slightly polished in attack edge to avoid a cold or clinical rendering thast favor too much the sharpness of resolution, yet, resolution is very high here.

This mean the treble is crisp and clean as well as organically balanced within other frequencies, it's not the sparkliest or airiest, it have more crunch than brilliance to attack lead and the release is smoothed, it doesn't gain loudness in sustain nor boost in percussions resonance. It's a safe but informative treble.
You don't struggle to find micro details or percussions cue with the Yuki, but it's not force on you too since it balanced in a mature and neutral way, the amping section seem to cream the timbre a bit, which avoid a blend or too clinical representation of high pitch instrument and sounds. While not the most airy on top, highs are still holographic and stereo sounding, but has said, it's a bit soften in definition edge wich inflict on sharpness of acoustic guitar or metallic percussions, this make them less agressive in attack.

Spatiality is wide and deep, yet intimate and focused on center stage which isn't too recessed. It's not the kind of dongle that suddenly expend soundstage of your IEMs.

Imaging is great, thanks to spacious layering and high resolution, from bass line to vocal to percussion the Yuki offer neutral monitor like rendering that don't forget mid range instrument positioning, which is well focused and not recessed.

POWER OUTPUT

The Yuki isn't the most powerfull dongle out there, but 160mW@32ohm is plenty for most IEMs including planar IEM like the Letshuoer S12 or S15 which pair well with this dongle and don't have distortion in bass due to lack of power.

When I pair it with very capricious IEM like the FInal E5000 it was less convincing, the bass gain was lacking and soundstage didn't sound as open as it should.

The balanced output impedance is low enough for most sensitive IEM apart 9ohm with high sensitivity like the Audiosense T800 that doesn't sound as clean and articulate in macro dynamic as im used too and can encounter harmonic distortion in bass region, so it gain unwanted euphony. Low gain choice would has been welcome since 4vrms is too much for the T800.

Nonetheless, i've heard more excited gain and T800 don't go distortant mess at all, it just gain in warmth so it don't scale up in resolution which with IEMs like Oriveti OH700VB is exact case with Yuki pairing.

As for headphones, it drive the Sivga Luan easily even if its sensitivity is 100db and impedance 38ohm, but don't expect a 160mW dongle to drive planar headphones like Hifiman Sundara or Arya properly, it will sound boxy and limited in dynamic push even if it can achieve loud volume.


COMPARISONS


VS FIIO KA17

The KA17 is plenty more powerful than the Yuki, it pack about 3times more power balanced way with desktop mode reaching 650mW again 180mW for the Yuki.
As well, we have more features control like low or high gain choice, digital filters choice as well as a EQ preset. This not only mean the KA17 can drive more demanding IEMs and headphones like planar or high impedance one, but that due to gain and amping mode it can be more versatile for sensitive IEMs too since at low gain it seem to have blacker background than Yuki.

Sound wise, the KA17 is notably more spacious and open sounding, it’s more lively in dynamic which feel W shape in energy with more punchy low end, more edgy and transparent mids and more lively and airy treble. It mean it’s a notch less neutral and lean than Yuki too, resolution wise the Yuki has more detailed texture and fuller presence and mids, but the instrument are more centralized on the stage, intimate in spatiality and restrain in dynamic energy.
Timbre is a hint warmer and more euphonic with the KA17 while more boosted in presence texture with the Yuki.

Overall musicality is colder and less holographic and multi layered with the Yuki, it’s more reference sounding and serious in musicality.

All in all, sound value is unbeatable with KA17 since its more powerful and has gain control as well as lower impedance. Sound wise, it's more lively and bassy too, more colored than leaner sounding Yuki which offer richer timbre texture too.

VS SIMGOT DEW4X

The 4X is crisper, spikier, more aggressive and vivid in brightness and more U shape and less neutral in balance than warmer, leaner and smoother sounding Yuki.

In term of amping power, both feel as loud with max power at balanced output, specs wise Yuki offer 10mW more balanced way which is very negligible. Unlike the DEW4X, Yuki don’t have amping gain switch. Again, noise floor seem cleaner with DEW4X.

Sound wise, these 2 are very similar and this is perhaps due to the fact both use same dual CS43198 dac chip, but amping chain of Yuki act like tube for DAC-AMP and had some lushness coloring and tonal smoothness cohesion to overal tone, it soften the attack edge a bit more too making the DEW4X sharper and more vivid in rendering as well as more lively and energetic in macro dynamic.

Yet the bass is weaker with DEW4X, it’s thinner and less dense in sub bass extension, bass line are dryer and more boxy than Yuki.
Then mids are more transparent, thinner and crisper with DEW4X, mids feel a bit more compressed and centered, less lush and natural in timbre. Simply put, Yuki feel more mid centric and offer wider mid range presence with less upper mids brightness.

The treble is more spiky and analytical with DEW4X, it will put forwards percussions and some micro details in a more aggressive and unbalanced way then more organic sounding Yuki, for ex in folk or country music the singer can get over shadow more with guitar or percussions with the DEW4X than more creamy and balanced sounding Yuki.

Spatiality is wider and taller with Yuki but deeper with DEW4X.

Imaging is on par with both which are very good in crisp positioning, bass line being more textured and well define with Yuki, as well as macro dynamic being more balanced and neutral, it’s just slightly superior in term of accuracy.

All in all, sound value go to the Simgot since it’s as powerful, it have gain button as well as optical out and the price is 2 times cheaper even if it use very same dual CS43198 DACs, but in term of pure sound quality, the Yuki is more refined and less energetic and excited in tonal balance.

CONCLUSION



The Yuki might arrive late in the dongle game but it offer the most neutral and smooth audio experience from all dongle i own and I own more than 30 of them.

It's not meant for those seeking lush, bassy or colored musicality, and will please the purist seeking versatile but uncolored yet natural musicality because we aren't in plain cold neutral territory here, the Yuki offer rich and life like instrument and vocal timbre with a focused presence that don't jump at you in an agressive way, with effortlessly high resolution.

Unlike lot of dongles that use very same DAC-AMP circuit board and sound the same, Aune has achieve it's own music rendering ideal which is refined and different than all other dongles I own, for this alone, the Yuki worth consideration.

Recommended.




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PS: I want to thanks Aune for sending me this review sample.

You can order the Yuki directly from their official store here:
https://www.aune-store.com/en/aune-yuki-dongle-dac_110207_1236/

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank Aune for providing this review unit.
It can be gotten here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJXYNNTH (no affiliate links).





SPECIFICATIONS/COMPATIBILITY

DAC Chip: Dual Cirrus CS43198
Maximum supported bitrate: 32-bit/768kHz PCM, DSD 256
Output ports: 3.5 mm (single-ended) and 4.4 mm (balanced)
Dimensions: 24 mm x 13 mm x 53.5 mm
Output power: single-ended: 2.0 Vrms, 90 mW @ 32 ohms; balanced: 4.0 Vrms, 160 mW at 32 ohms
Noise floor: single-ended: 2.6 uV; balanced: 2.9 uV
THD + N: single-ended 0.00036%; balanced 0.00033%
Tested at: $169 USD


The Yuki is a plug-and-play dongle, and it does not require additional drivers for Windows 10 systems and above. The Yuki was readily recognized by multiple Android and Windows devices I paired it to; apologies, I am not an Apple user and cannot vouch for the compatibility here.

The Yuki does not have any app, DAC filters or EQ options. However, it has a UAC 1.0 mode for gaming devices such as the PS5 and Switch. The dongle operates in UAC 2.0 mode by default, but long holding the volume "+" button while the dongle is connected to a gaming device will trigger it in UAC 1.0 mode.


ACCESSORIES




Aune has included a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A adapter. The former is gold-plated on both terminals, and has a pretty well-braided cable that is supple.




For Apple users, you might need to source for an aftermarket lightning adapter as this is not included.

For those interested, there is an option to separately purchase a leather case for the Yuki (at $15 USD), in either an orange or green hue: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CN165RWR




DESIGN/FUNCTION



The Yuki is arguably the most beautiful-looking of around 20 dongles that I own. The external chassis is fashioned from aluminum alloy, and this is coated by a white baked enamel. The top of the dongle has a glass panel to visualize the inner circuit board, which should please the tech geeks amongst us.

It is rather compact at 24 mm x 13 mm x 53.5 mm, and is easily pocketable.

The Yuki does not have any LED screen display. On one end of the fuselage, we have the 3.5 mm (single-ended) and 4.4 mm (balanced) ports, with both reinforced by gold-plating.




On the opposite end, we have the USB-C port for power and data transfer.




While most dongles place the volume buttons at the lateral sides of the dongle, the Yuki's volume "+" and "-" buttons are located at a very unconventional location - at the base of the dongle! When the dongle is for example inside a jeans pocket, users might face issues accessing the buttons, or end up accidentally toggling them.



Thankfully, these volume controls are independent, with 100 finely-tuned volume steps. Indeed, some high-end dongles like the Questyle M15 do not have independent volume controls, so Aune including it here is a plus point.

Long-pressing these 2 buttons simultaneously will toggle between the high and low gain modes.


INTERNALS

This DAC/Amp houses dual CS43198 DAC chips, and can support up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and native DSD256 playback.

The Yuki incorporates a dual layer design, which independently separates the DAC from the analogue headphone amp. This 4-way balanced amp has 16 transistors to power it. This is mounted on a hybrid ceramic PCB, which is marketed to have better thermal conductivity and insulation, in addition being physically robust.




SOUND/PERFORMANCE

I tested the Yuki with Android phones and on Windows laptops and PCs. TAKE NOTE: No Apple devices were tested as I am not an Apple ecosystem user.

The Yuki is quite neutral, and lets the connected transducer do the colouration. End-to-end extension is good, with no roll-off at either end. Bass is textured with a transparent midrange and pretty well extended treble. The keyword to describe the Yuki would be "clean", with notes painted on a dark background.

In technicalities, the Yuki has a wide soundstage with quite accurate imaging and nice layering. However, it has a tinge blunted edge definition, which adds some smoothness to note edges. As such, there is some dampening of micro-details and clarity, but this adds some musicality to the equation. Timbre is natural, no complaints here.

This DAC/AMP has 3.5 mm (single-ended) and 4.4 mm (balanced) ports, with the latter providing more power. On high gain, with the 4.4 mm output, Aune markets that the Yuki can hit 4.0 Vrms, 160 mW at 32 ohms.

My crucibles for source testing include 3 of my hardest to drive gear:
1) Final Audio E5000 (low sensitivity at 93dB/mW)
2) Sennheiser HD650 (high impedance at 300ohm)
3) Yinman 600 ohm (600 ohm impedance and 87db/mW sensitivity)

The above were tested with the 4.4 mm (balanced) port, on high gain.

The E5000 was juiced sufficiently well for dynamics and volume, though bass could do with better texturing and speed. The Senn HD650 could hit solid volume levels, but sounded a bit undynamic, with a smallish stage. Bass was pretty well-controlled though.

The final boss, the Yinman 600 ohm, with a crazy low sensitivity and high impedance, was unsurprisingly not driven well. It is not a matter of volume, but the bass was flabby and one-noted, with dynamics not up to par. No shame though - not many portable sources - dongles in particular - can drive the Yinmans properly, so it is usually reserved for desktop grade amps.

The Yuki doesn't hiss even with fastidious high sensitivity IEMs, which hints at good noise floor control. Unfortunately, no output impedance (OI) specs are provided on the product insert. To my ears, the OI should be relatively low on both balanced and single-ended ports, as the low impedance IEMs I plugged in sounded similar tonal-wise (i.e. not skewed by too high OI).

The Yuki gets a hair warm during usage, but not scalding, unlike some other dongle rivals. There is no "pop" sound when disconnecting transducers, which is something very much appreciated.


COMPARISONS

The Yuki will be compared against some other $100ish USD dongles.




AFUL Snowy Night

The Snowy Night packs a similar dual CS43198 DAC. On high gain, with the 4.4 mm output, the Snowy Night can provide 300 mW, which is almost double that of the Yuki.

Tonally, the Snowy Night is also neutralish, but the Snowy Night lags behind in soundstage, imaging, micro-detailing and instrument separation.


EPZ TP50

The TP50 also contains dual C43198 Cirrus chips. This dongle is however, cold and sterile sounding, with a thinner note weight.

The TP50 has a smaller soundstage, but superior micro-detailing and imaging. In terms of power output, the TP50 pushes out 240 mW on the 4.4 mm port, which shades that of the Yuki.

The TP50 has hissing with sensitive IEMs, though it has an LED screen and DAC filters and other settings to play with.


Fiio KA17

The KA17 sports a dual ES9069Q chip, and is neutral in stock form. However, it can access PEQ from a Fiio app on Android devices, which unlocks greater versatility in terms of tonality.

The KA17 has 650 mW output on its desktop mode (4.4 mm), which is the most powerful dongle at the time of writing, easily trumping the Yuki in this department. However, the KA17 gets much hotter and drains more battery than the Yuki, so we can't game physics.

The KA17 has better soundstage depth and height, though it sounds a bit more metallic in timbre. The KA17 has improved imaging and micro-detailing.


CONCLUSIONS



The Aune Yuki is a decent entrant amongst the dual C43198 Cirrus mid-priced dongles. It brings refined aesthetics, portability and a neutral soundscape to the table, with soundstage and imaging a highlight. This is not at the expense of veering to an overly analytical dongle, as note edges are sweetened a bit to add some musicality.

Timbre is quite natural, with no hiss with high sensitivity gear. The volume steps are finely tuned - with independent controls - though they are strangely located at a less ergonomic position. This device has a UAC 1.0 mode for our gaming friends too, and does not get hot during usage.

The Yuki lacks some functional elements, such as no LED screen, EQ or DAC filter options. Neither is it isn't the most resolving or powerful dongle at its price point, though one can think of it as doing well in most other departments, and perhaps surpassing some others in soundstage.

All-in-all, the Yuki is a potential sidegrade to consider in the conversation amongst the usual C43198 dongle contenders, for folks wanting something neutralish with a non-claustrophobic and "clean" soundscape.

Introduction:-

Love that transparent glass window it has. Its the Aune yuki today we will be looking at today. Its a beautiful dongle dac from Aune which looks really beautiful does it sound beautiful? Well lets find out.

I have also shared a video version of the review at YouTube any support there in form of a view, A like or A subscribe is greatly appreciated. But if you so wish to read the written version you can read this.



This is a review unit sent by Aune but all the thoughts and opinions you are about to hear are my own.

Buy it here (Unaffiliated Link) :-

Aune Amazon USA store :-

Case - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CN168TQD

DAC - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJXYNNTH


Aune Audio Store :- https://www.aune-store.com/en/aune-yuki-dongle-dac_110207_1236/


I will be as usual following my bullet style format for better readability for those who are dyslexic and in general find it hard to read long paragraphs. I follow this guide in general from the British Dyslexia Association.

Lets start!

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Review:-



1. Well the packaging is really good as it is a bit unique. It comes with the dongle dac a beautiful cable and the USB c to a converter. I really love the accessories they provide.



2. The price of the yuki is $169



3. The looks of the yuki is really good! The entire body has this enamel finish which makes feel it premium and hefty in a good way. Love the feel of it, the entire build quality just screams quality.



4. It has two separate layer one for the dac and other for the amp and the layer you see through the window is coated in ceramic.



5. The aune yuki is probably the most high quality dongle I have seen in terms of pure looks



6. Sadly the button placement for volume is a bit weird as they are on the back as opposed to them being on sides. I mean saw this as a positive too, but I guess it depends on what floats your boat



7. It has a high and low gain button but no lights or anything to indicate, while I personally like this minimal beautiful approach some might be a bit lost when using it daily. Having a small led light with an option to turn it of would have been nice.



8. The cable supplied is very supple and is really good, love the colour matching of the cable and the dongle dac aune has done. Very good job aune!



9. It has the dual CS43198 dacs and supports 32bit/768k DSD256 and has 3.5 and 4.4 output.





10. The power output is 90mw via 3.5 and 160mw via 4.4 also there is no floor noise when I tried it with the most sensitive iems.



11. Now talking about the sound, oof! What can I say.



12. Lets say I am so happy I got it test it, generally I have to do a A-b test to find the difference between the dacs even the fc6 went through this test. But when listening to yuki for first time I immediately felt something different



13. First thing you will notice is the super wide soundstage like listening with the timeless ae the soundstage becomes even wider. The overall sound is very analog sounding and the is a very warm sounding dongle while not compromising on technicalities or details.



14. When listening to the casiopea 1985 album specially the galactic funk and asayake live, it was such a treat. It has this great sense of depth and width



15. The separation of the instruments and the over technicalities is just so good!



16. It has a maybe a teeny tiny bump in the sub-bass region which can be barely noticeable in some tracks, and a great emphasis on vocals.



17. the overall treble is a bit smoothened out and this attributes pairs so well with the planar like 7hz timeless ae. Although that doesn’t mean that the all the treble detail is lost it does a great job on softening the treble while sounding lively.



18. When listening to any live songs aune yuki was my choice, the yuki also performs exceptionally well with both male and female vocals (baring you have a good iem to pair it with)



19. Now I was listening to the Song “Konnayuki” by Remioromen which feels like an apt song for this dongle both because of the name and how beautiful the song sounds overall with this dongle. (Konnayuki Means powdered snow)


The song (Also the title of the review) :-


20. I know I might be exaggerating but it just sounds so good and full, by any means this isn't a neutral sounding dongle but listening to any song specially a song which makes use of a wide soundstage this sounds just simple awesome!



21. The volume is independent and it has 100 volume steps.



22. Talking about the battery the aune yuki scored very well, I paired it with the moondrop chu 2 at 30% volume via the 3.5mm and I got around 14 hours and some change. My smartphone has 5000mah of battery



23. One more thing I would like to add is the glass window, is a bit scary to use daily and I am quite scared of breaking it when using it daily. Now I know it looks beautiful but it is something I still thought of mentioning.



24. It does get a bit warm when using it for a long time but nothing to uncomfortable.





25. It has a support uac 1.0



26. Now comparing it with the fc6 I think so the fc6 slightly edges over the yuki a bit in terms of overall sound, but the soundstage is much better on the yuki in my opinion. Also the screen helps a lot in the fc6 a single led light which could be switched off or on would have been really nice for yuki.



27. Now generally every product gets a critique from me telling something to be added or removed for the next iteration. Even the fc6 got one from me.



28. Maybe a single led light, which could be switched on or off according to use needs would be my only suggestion to aune. Because I sure as hell wouldn't want aune to change the sound of the yuki in next iteration.



29. Now if you are someone who wants a warm sounding ,beautiful looking and a simple dongle and are ok with not too much power to power your 600ohms headphone the yuki makes a great choice! Its kinda crazy how good this sounds for its price. The fc6 seems only marginally better than the yuki for its almost double the msrp. Although recently the fc6 has been available for 200.



30. BTW I forgot to speak about the case, the case is not included in the box but rather a separate buy and they cost about $15. The case is of very good quality and it is very easy to get on and off from the dongle dac. I suggest getting the case if possible it will protect that enamel finish of the dac on the long run




31. That is my review of the yuki, when I first saw it I really loved the way it looked. But never really thought it would sound this good too. Thanks for stopping by for my review, I hope you have a great day! Bye!

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Thanks for stopping by and have a great day ahead! Bye!


If you have any questions please feel free to ask me and also if you have any issues regarding this format of review please do comment I will try to mend it. Also sorry to those who are used to reading long paragraphs of review in headfi. I hope my review was upto the mark, I appreciate any feedback.

Again a big thanks to Aune for making this review happen.

Have a great day ahead

AUNE Yuki

The Aune Yuki is a portable USB DAC/amp with a detachable type-C cable and two headphone outputs, one 3.5mm and one 4.4mm balanced. The Yuki is equipped with dual CS43198 DAC chips in a balanced configuration with two independent channels for better dynamics and separation.

The uniqueness of the Yuki is that Aune has opted for a discrete headphone amplifier instead of using ready made op-amps. It is a 4-way balanced, headphone amplifier circuit with 4x4 transistors to drive the output. A total of 16 transistors that require a specially designed ±5V power supply.

Moreover, the Yuki utilizes a special, dual layer structure with independent PCBs for the digital and analog circuits. The PCBs are of hybrid ceramic compound that combines excellent thermal conductivity, low dielectric loss and high strength.

Non Audio Stuff

The Yuki is UAC 1.0/2.0 compatible and “plug ‘n play” for Mac, Android smartphones and DAPs. For Windows 10 or higher you can use it directly without installing any drivers but for high resolution bit-rate native PCM or DSD files playback on Windows, a driver and foobar 2000
are needed. The Yuki supports high resolution decoding up to 769kHz/32bit PCM and DSD256.

The Yuki has independent volume control and two gain settings, low and high, that can be selected by simultaneously pressing the two volume buttons for 2 seconds. A notification LED is missing so there is no way to display the selected gain or the input sampling rate.

The chassis is made from CNC aluminum alloy with a fine, baked painting, white finish. The front face has a glass window insert that allows a view of the PCB board with the transistors while at the back there are two small buttons for the volume adjustment. The Yuki has a unique appearance that is aesthetically pleasing and is also exceptionally well made.

The outer dimensions of the Yuki are 53.5x24x13mm, so it is not bigger than competitive devices, like the iBasso DC04PRO, while the weight is 26g, so it is just a little heavier.

Inside the package you are going to find a high quality USB type-C cable and a USB type-A adapter. A synthetic leather case in a green or orange color is available as an optional accessory for $15.



Audio Stuff

The maximum power output of the Aune Yuki is 2Vrms or 90mW/30Ω from the 3.5mm jack and 4Vrms or 160mW/30Ω from the 4.4mm. Lower gain will half the output voltage to 1V and 2V for each jack. Nothing too spectacular if we consider that the iBasso DC04PRO can do 280mW/32Ω and the FiiO KA5 265mW/32Ω. The positive is that the Yuki is dead silent and noise free in both gain settings.

The Yuki is more suitable for earphones or very sensitive headphones like the Aune AR5000 (28Ω/108dB) or the SIVGA Luan (38Ω/100dB). Driving other headphones is a bit challenging for Yuki. The sound is lacking in dynamics and it can become harsh and bright if you push the amplifier to its clipping limits.

The Yuki is the most analog and organic sounding DAC/amp of everything else I have reviewed with the same DAC chip configuration. Aune has designed a device that takes the crystal clear and transparent output of the DAC chip and transforms it into a feast of colorful harmonies and melodious notes that blend together to make the most musical and engaging sounding DAC of the category. The Yuki is pleasant, smooth and polite with a touch of warmness but it is not syrupy sweet or dark and it is definitely not lacking in extension and clarity, not in energy, airiness and sparkle.

Timbre realism is really impressive, the sound signature is extremely natural and lifelike without a hint of digital glare or treble harshness while it still remains technically competitive without loss of fidelity.

Give the Yuki some respect and use easy to drive earphones to discover that it is one of the most impactful and dynamic USB DAC dongles with a desktop-like performance. The bass is really amazing, thundering and imposing, also fast, tight and controlled with excellent layering and definition. The low-end is weighty, visceral and full bodied when most other competitive DACs sound rather lean and dry.

The same textural qualities also apply to the mid-range and the treble where the sound still remains full bodied and rounded without exhibiting any loss of weight while climbing higher at the frequency ladder. The Yuki is resolving and refined with great detail retrieval and although some of the competition fares better in these departments, with a more hi-fi sound, none of them can match the natural and spring-like music flow of the Yuki.

What is really more impressive than the amazing low-end performance and the unique timbral qualities of the Yuki is its vast soundstage that expands both horizontally and vertically to make for a very holographic soundscape never produced before from a USB DAC dongle of this category. The Yuki made all my earphones sound extremely open and spacious, the soundstage was grand and magnificent with great ambience information while imaging was kept solid and precise.

Conclusion

The Aune Yuki is really special, it is the most analog and organic sounding portable DAC of the category with a timbre realism that is usually reserved for more sophisticated desktop gear. Extremely musical and engaging with very competitive technicalities, it is highly recommended if you want a DAC that can make your music sound like real music but the recommendation applies only if you plan to use it with sensitive earphones.

The review sample was kindly provided free of charge.

You can buy it from Amazon

AUNE YUKI: A CHILLING SOUND EXPERIENCE​

Introduction: -

Dongles seem to be the flavour of the season and more and more brands are coming up with their take on dongles. While Audioquest and Fiio were the first to enter this product segment, big brands such as Questyle, Tanchjim, Luxury and Precision, and Shanling etc. have launched versatile dongles in different price segments to cater to the never-ending needs of audiophiles.

Before we review Aune Audio's new dongle Yuki let's talk a bit about Aune. Aune as Wuhan Ao Lai Er Technology Co. Ltd.'s Hi-Fi brand was founded in 2004 in Wuhan China by six die-hard audio fans who are experts in various audio-related fields such as hardware design, electro-acoustic design and tuning. The concept of Yin-Yang inspired the logo of aune - the Chinese philosophy of balance. The rounded design of the letters conveys a message of peace and gentleness. The openings on four sides indicate inclusiveness.

Now coming to Aune Yuki it is Aune Audio's fifth product offering in their portable hi-fi items lineup. The first four successful products in this long span of 20 years are Aune B1s, BU1, BU2, and the very recent M1p which we have the honour to review at Aural Cafe. Aune Yuki is Aune Audio's take on portable dongles and retails for US$ 169.00.



Specifications: -

• DAC Used: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43198auto
• Output Power: 4Vrms (BAL) – 160mW @32Ω
• 2Vrms (UNBAL) – 90mW @32Ω
• Impedance: 1Ω (Low impedance sources help with sensitive IEMs)
• Crosstalk: 71 dB @32Ω(UNBAL)
• 106 dB @3 Ω(BAL)
• THD+N: 0.00033% (BAL), 0.00036 % (UNBAL)
• Noise floor :2.9uV (BAL), 2.6uV (UNBAL)
• Headphone Out: 3.5mm SE / 4.4mm BAL
• Size: 5.3x2.4x1.3cm Weight: 25.9g

Disclaimer: -

The Aune Yuki was sent to us free of charge by Aune. We are thankful to Aune Audio for the same. However, the review reflects our honest opinion.

Packaging & Accessories: -

Aune Yuki comes in a simple white round shape box with a USB Type-C to C cable and a USB-C to USB-A adapter to use with various sources like personal computers. You can check out our unboxing video in the below link to have a better idea of the packaging accessories and design of Aune Yuki.
-




Build & Design: -

Aune Yuki comes in a sturdy aluminium alloy rectangular structure with a fine baked snowy white painting finish and a small clear glass window on top to show off its solid discrete amp structure. On the back of the glass panel, there are separate volume buttons in round shapes one “all white”, which represents the volume down, and another with a “golden dot” in the centre, which represents the volume up, to increase and decrease the volume and vice versa and acts a mode to move from low gain to high gain when both volume buttons are pressed simultaneously. Aune Yuki surprisingly has compatibility mode in UAC 2.0 and UAC 1.0. The UAC is the type of protocol used by USB ports to run high-resolution files, UAC 1.0 can run PCM files up to 24bits/96kHz and UAC 2.0 can run larger files, like PCM 32bits/384kHz or DSD256 files. For example, by default, the Yuki already comes in UAC 2.0 mode, so if you need to change to UAC 1.0, just hold the volume + button for a few seconds (the device needs to be connected, ex: Nintendo Switch). The bottom of Aune Yuki consists of solidly built 3.5mm and 4.4mm ports. The built quality is top-notch which can last for a longer period.

Aune Audio makes use of high-quality and expensive hybrid ceramic PCB in Yuki which leads to high strength and clean-sounding unit. Aune Audio with its Yuki has adopted a special dual-layer Structure in which DAC and Amp are Completely Separated, One layer for the digital DAC circuit, and one for the analogue headphone amp circuit. While the DAC section uses a double CS43198 chip for better separation and dynamics, the amp section is where the real magic happens with the discrete headphone amp board which has a +5V power supply along with 16 transistors to form the 4-way headphone amp. The unique power supply with a discrete amp helps in a clean, ultra-low noise floor which in turn helps in more resolving sound. The Yuki is a unique sound-focussing “dongle” that’s great for Smartphones, Tabs, computers, laptops and handheld gaming stations like Nintendo Switch. One can enjoy high resolution up to 32 bit/768k and DSD 256 with the help of Aune Yuki any place at any time.



Sound Analysis: -

Now coming to the most important part of the review, and there is no point in guessing, the sound analysis of Aune Yuki. After spending numerous days and hours listening to various IEMs with Aune Yuki we at Aural Cafe can confidently state that Aune Yuki is a very transparent and clean sounding source. The tonality of the Yuki is borderline neutral and clean. The timbre is very balanced and natural, thanks to the dual Cirrus Logic CS43198 DACs which are also used in hi-fi DAPs such as Ibasso DX-300 and Ibasso DX-160 and have recently been used in Xduoo Poke II portable DAC/Amp. The use of CS43198 DAC also results in low power consumption. The timbre is one of the highlights of this dongle. While listening to Indian classical songs such as Indian Summer by Anoushka Shankar the timbre is very natural and balanced. The transient response is above average when we compare it to the other dongles in the same price range thanks to its discrete and powerful amp being supported with its unique power supply where we believe the real magic happens. The same can also be experienced while listening to “False Alarm” by the Weekend. We also loved the lower impedance of the Aune Yuki, which helps listen to sensitive IEMs such as Campfire Andromeda and such as Lark Studio LSX in our case. When it comes to the resolving capability of the Yuki it is again at the level of mid-fi daps thanks to the discrete amp section of the Yuki, the sound is natural and clean across the frequency. The details retrieval capability is a tad bit better on the 4.4mm port in comparison to the 3.5mm port. The vocals sound natural and solid. The soundstage is intimate and real with better width than depth. The layering on Yuki is average and could have been better. The imaging is above average when in comparison to other dongles in this price range. The imaging is also a bit better on the 4.4mm port in comparison which can be felt when critically listening to songs on Rhapsodio Little Eden in our case. There is also a unique airy feel all across the frequency which is helpful while listening to rock numbers. With a solid powerful amp section, the Aune Yuki is capable of driving most of the IEMs in the market and less demanding headphones like Aune’s new AR5000.



Conclusion: -

Well, when we came to know that Aune was coming with a dongle, we thought Aune had been a little late to the game, but after using and listening to it we can say that this dongle is unique. The Aune Audio with its Yuki wants to offer a solid lasting dongle that is actually built like a tank both inside and out primarily because of the PCB without compromising on sound quality. What we loved most about the Aune Yuki is the clean natural sound across the frequency with good transient response and natural timbre which can be strongly felt when listening to Indian and Western classical music. While the layering is just average. We at Aural Cafe also believe that the pricing is a bit expensive but that can be due to the use of high-quality PCB and dual-layer structure which is rarely been seen on a portable dongle. It would have been better if Aune Audio could have priced it a bit lower comparing the cutthroat competition. The aim of Aune Audio with Yuki we presume was to make a product that can easily replace mid-fi DAPs and make our life easier by listening to music directly through our mobile phones. So if you are in the market in search of a simple no bull transparent neutral source that is built like a tank, then Aune Yuki is an easy recommendation.

Non-Affiliated Links: -
- https://www.aune-store.com/en/aune-yuki-dongle-dac_110207_1236/
- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJXYNNTH
- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CN168TQD (Leather Case for Yuki)

Introduction

Aune has been a long time coming, but it has been worth the wait. The Aune Yuki is the first dongle from Wuhan Ao Lai Er Technology Co., Ltd, founded in 2004. And it is not just any dongle. Aune has created a Hi-End dongle with a 4-way discrete balanced amplifier circuit, with 16 transistors distributed in a 4x4 pattern. As DAC it has used the new CS43198 from Cirrus Logic in dual format, with two completely independent channels. The DAC chip used has a dynamic range of 130dB and a THD+N of -115dB. This new dongle plays 32-bit formats up to 768kHz and DSD256. It also has a volume control and gain selector (low and high). However, one of the most striking features is the level of construction. For its internal circuitry, Aune has developed an innovative dual-layer structure, which separates the digital circuitry and the analogue headphone amplifier circuitry, using a hybrid ceramic printed circuit board. Such ceramic boards are characterised by high strength, excellent thermal conductivity and insulation, as well as low dielectric loss, which means improved high-frequency performance. The discrete headphone amplifier board contains the 16 transistors that make up the 4-way analogue headphone amplifier. The other contains the digital DAC circuitry. The Yuki has been designed with true high-fidelity reproduction in mind. The headphone amplifier section uses several dedicated chips with ±5V supplies to power the 4 independent headphone amplifiers. For the external construction Aune has used an aluminium alloy structure, with a fine baked enamel finish, with a glass window to reveal the excellent circuitry inside. Let's see what this great little dongle is all about and what it sounds like, of course, in the following review.



Specifications

• DAC: Dual CS43198 from Cirrus Logic.
• Playback formats: PCM 32Bits 768kHz, DSD256.
• Headphone output: SE 3.5mm and BAL 4.4mm both gold-plated.
• Headphone amplifier output noise SE: 2.6μV.
• SE output voltage: 2.0V RMS.
• THD+N SE: 0.00036%.
• SE output power: 90mW 30Ω.
• Headphone amplifier output noise BAL: 2.9μV.
• BAL output voltage: 4.0V RMS.
• THD+N BAL: 0.00033%.
• BAL output power: 160mW 30Ω.
• Input interface: USB Type C.
• Dimensions: 53.5x24x13mm.
• Weight: 230g.

Packaging

There is no doubt that the Aune Yuki is a special dongle. And you can see that from its packaging. Yes, Aune has succumbed to using an Anime Girl, albeit in a more subtle way. But, there it is, in the decorated paper that wraps the cylindrical package. On one side is her and on the other the model's name in hollow white letters on a background decorated like a sky with shooting stars. When this paper is removed, a white textured surface is revealed. On the side, only Yuki can be read in gold lettering. The brand name and its slogan are on the upper side of the cover. On the bottom side are the brand's logo and the Hi-Res logo. After removing the lid, a white template with two QRs leading to the user's manual in Chinese or English is visible. At the top, the Yuki protrudes from the side of the USB Type C connection. The dongle is embedded in a white foam base. Underneath this cardboard is a white pouch containing the rest of the accessories. Well, it's actually just a male-to-male USB cable with both Type C connectors. Both connections are protected by a translucent plastic cover. Also included is a Type C female to Type A male adapter. The connector sleeves are white and feature Yuki's own matte enamel finish and the brand name in gold lettering. The cable is short, 11cm counting both connectors. It is simple, but really beautiful, on a par with the dongle itself. The white is luminous, but the silver plating on the strand of wires used, which form a thick braided bundle, stands out.
Additionally, a beautiful leather case in orange or green is available. It fits perfectly and has an opening that matches the window to the Yuki's circuitry.
Admittedly, a dongle doesn't have much to offer in the way of accessories. But Aune has been imaginative in using very elegant and distinctive cylindrical packaging, matching the beauty of the Yuki's design. The cables and their connectors are on the same level, well above other accessory cables that come with other dongles. The only downside is that the leather case is a separate accessory. But many others don't even have that extra.



Construction and Design

The external design of the Yuki is dazzling. Made of an aluminium alloy structure with a fine baked enamel finish, it has a glass window to reveal the beautifully designed circuitry. Its interior is composed of two ceramic printed circuit boards. They are separated from each other, one incorporating the amplifier circuits and the other the DACs. From the window you can see the 16 transistors, resistors and other components on a creamy white base with red and yellow stripes, like a Chinese vase. It is worth enlarging the photo of the interior to see the quality of the construction and all the details, the perfect soldering of all the components.
Continuing with the external description the Yuki measures 53.5x24x13mm. On its main face is the large glass window to its interior, in the central part. It is divided into three regions separated by a thin slit. On the lower part is the mark inscribed in gold lettering. On the upper part there is nothing. It is a rectangular tablet whose edges have been very subtly bevelled. The back side follows the same pattern divided in three because the indentations go all the way round. There is nothing at the bottom. In the middle, at the bottom, is the Hi-Res logo and at the top is the model name and description, all written in the dongle's signature gold ink. At the top are two buttons. The button on the left has a hole that is filled with gold ink, to indicate that it is the volume + button. The volume - button is flat. On the right side are the logos of the certifications that the system complies with and a phrase indicating that the product is designed by Aune. On the top side is the USB Type C connection, while on the bottom side are the two headphone outputs SE 3.5mm and BAL 4.4mm, both gold-plated, as they should be.
Yes, the shape of the dongle is nothing more than a rectangular pickup with that subtle flat edge. But the white enamelling, the gold lettering and, above all, the window into the peculiar circuitry, elevate the beauty of a dongle whose sound is as promising as its design.



Connectivity

Well, there is not much in this section. The Yuki has a USB Type C connection. For Apple MacOS no driver is needed, neither for smartphones or DAPS. For Windows 10 or higher it can be used without driver, but ASIO drivers are available. Together with foobar2000, the ASIO proxy plugin and the SACD plugin allows DSD256 playback. The complete manual with these instructions can be downloaded here:

http://aune.hifidiy.net/aune_en/Yuki/DriverGuideEN.pdf

It’s also compatible with UAC1.0 devices and connection to the Nintendo Switch is possible.



Operativity

There is also not much mystery in the operation of the Aune Yuki dongle. It has two volume buttons that do not interact with the Windows volume control, but are internal. Their level is memorised. The most special thing is that it has a gain selector (low/high). To change gain it is necessary to press both VOLUME+ and VOLUME- buttons for 2 seconds.
To pair the Yuki with a UAC1.0 device, press the VOLUME+ button on the Yuki and do not release it until the two devices are connected by cable and the Yuki is switched on. Then it will work in UAC1.0 mode.
The manual can be downloaded from here:

http://aune.hifidiy.net/aune_en/Yuki/YukiSMSen.pdf

And the driver for Windows (ASIO) from here:

http://aune.hifidiy.net/driver/Yuki_Driver.zip



Measures

The Aune Yuki has analogue amplification, implemented with a 4-way discrete balanced amplifier circuit, with 16 transistors distributed 4x4. The SE output gives a maximum no-load value of 2V RMS and a power of 90mW at 30Ω. The BAL output gives a maximum no-load value of 4V RMS and a power of 160mW at 30Ω. But, in addition, it has a gain selector that allows you to get 1V RMS unloaded by SE and 2V RMS unloaded by BAL.
In the reality of my humble measurements, I have found that the power is not as great as specified. But let's look at the details below.
However, the output impedance values have been good, giving a value of less than 1Ω per SE and slightly more than 1Ω per BAL.

No Load SE

As I said, at low gain the output is almost 1V RMS, while at high gain it is 2V RMS. All good.




15 Ω SE

The maximum voltage achieved without visible distortion with this impedance was 855mV RMS, which implies a power of 49mW. Discrete.



33 Ω SE

For 33Ω the value grows to 1.4V RMS, giving a power of 60mW. The specifications indicate a power of 90mW at 30Ω. That would imply a voltage of 1.64V RMS. It falls one step short of that voltage.



100 Ω SE

All output voltage for this impedance. 2V RMS giving 40mW.



No Load BAL

At low gain the output is 2V RMS, while at high gain it is 4V RMS.




15 Ω BAL

It gets a little more power from the balanced output for this impedance: 0.92V and 56mW. Still a discrete value. The current is 61mA.



33 Ω BAL

Almost 2V for this impedance: 1.93V RMS which implies 110mW. This is not the 160mW declared. For that the voltage would have to reach 2.19V RMS. Again, it is 0.2V short of that value. In addition, the current delivery values are also discrete, around 60mA at most.



100 Ω BAL

Not very understandably, it does not reach 4V RMS per BAL for 100Ω. It stays at 3.55V RMS giving a power of 130mW. I was expecting more.



Frequency Response

On the other hand, the frequency response is completely flat from 10Hz to 40kHz, with a non-existent difference between channels, all the lines of the graph of both channels are completely superimposed. Perfect.



Sound

The feeling that struck me when I tried the Aune Yuki for the first time was the three-dimensionality of its sound; but mainly from the low end. What I could perceive is as if the Yuki's bass was projected from the rear, as if coming from a subwoofer. That effect gives a lot of depth to the sound, and also a sense of surrounding that is not easily found in such small devices. As I say, there is a lot of space and volume in the lower area of the Yuki. In addition, the separation is also very evident. Thus, the recreation of layers and bass lines is very noticeable, as is the ease of following them.
Normally, when I try IEMS, I perform a test that has become a recurrent feature in all my reviews. It's to reproduce very low frequency pure tones (from 20Hz to 50Hz), with the intention of knowing the response of the headphones in this critical range. But I have also realised that not all sources are able to execute these tones in the same way. In the case of the Yuki I have found some differences when reproducing pure sub-bass tones with some IEMS with dynamic drivers and DD+BA. The sensation I have had is a slight colouration in those headphones that have behaved differently. It has not been with all of them and their price has not been significant. As I say, I have noticed these differences in dynamic drivers in some DD + BA hybrids, in the planar ones the change is negligible. I could define these differences when reproducing sub-bass tones as more coloured and less sensory, offering a more perceptible and audible vibration, slightly less natural and deep. The translation of this isolated behaviour when playing real music is not negative, it can make the bass more noticeable, less compact, a bit dirtier, losing a bit of smoothness, crispness and depth, in favour of a more marked and rougher texture, as well as a bit more presence. I insist that this reaction cannot be extrapolated to all headphones, but I must say that there are some exceptions that offer this different behaviour.
Why is this difference possible? Perhaps there is a reason. The Yuki has an analogue amplification, which consists of 16 transistors configured in 4x4 mode. It is possible that this configuration differs from the sound coming from an operational amplification. And, to a large extent, I think that is the virtue and difference that the Yuki offers.
When this subtle colouring does not affect, the result is precise, concise, technical, skilful and with that extra depth, volume and three-dimensionality. But when it does appear, that distinctive sonority is capable of lending it a nuance of roughness and positive differential texture. So it's not a pejorative nuance, far from it, but a somewhat different execution that can have better or somewhat more critical results, at the very least. But I still think that this difference can be peculiar, even virtuous and appreciable, something that distinguishes itself in the face of so much neutrality.
In the mid-range, it still has that sense of openness that makes the mids smoother and less congested. In that sense, the Yuki allows you to enjoy music at a higher volume because its sound is not sharp, hard, crushing, direct, or as clumpy as in other dongles. Such softness and grandeur in its sound becomes sweetness and musicality, enhanced by the breadth of its sonic extension. This allows the micro detail to be exposed with better definition, as its distance from the rest of the elements is greater. There is also a great sense of dynamics, as this separation deepens the sense of darkness in the background. On the other hand, this softness does not imply a slowdown in its transients. The Yuki is very adept in these respects and this is most noticeable in this midrange. Another virtue is its ability to separate planes. Where other dongles sound overlapping, the Yuki opens up the space, making the sound more volatile and spreading it out more clearly, adding extra transparency, clarity and light between the elements. In this way, the sound is perspicuous, diaphanous, but with a good sense of body that keeps it from being thin or analytical. In this sense, the Yuki's profile remains within that subtly warm, analogue and realistic neutrality that Aune proposes in the rest of the devices I have been able to review.
The Yuki's treble persists in that idea of sweetness and softness. It is not an abrupt dongle in this respect. The analogue feel of its sound is most evident in the high end. The treble may not appear as firmly in the foreground as on other dongles, but this is not to say that its importance or presence in the sound is less. There is a sense that the energy is more relaxed and feels more extended throughout the upper range, offering a perception of greater range, in conjunction with a more pronounced impression of delicacy. True, the treble doesn't feel crisp or close. But they are in keeping with the open and musical sound that characterises the Yuki. In this respect, it is commendable that a sweet, melodious sound is not lacking in detail, but that it is enhanced by the individual energy of the high notes. The result is a timbre that is natural and very pleasant, broad and harmonically rich, as well as euphonic and balanced. Of course, as seen in the frequency response, the Yuki has a Hi-Res extension without any dip in the high and very high frequencies, which gives an idea that its treble does not lack energy, but is expressed with a superior delicacy, something that accentuates the beauty of the sound in this range.
Perhaps, to talk about the Yuki's soundstage, image, separation and technical capabilities is redundant, given the number of references to these aspects I have made in this review. But suffice it to say that the stage is wide, expansive, three-dimensional and immersive. The sound has considerable volume, the sense of volatility of the notes is not at odds with a lack of definition or resolution of them. In this way, detail does not feel penalised. On the contrary, the Yuki's ability to distance elements and layers allows micro-level detail to be more easily discernible, but without offering a sense of a thin or analytical sound. Somehow, the Yuki manages to be very resolving without being harsh, abrupt or piercing - quite the opposite, in that it is sweet, melodious, musical, smooth and pleasing. The conjunction of these abilities in a single device in this range is indicative of its level and the great work done by the brand.



Comparisons

Hidizs S9 Pro Plus

Martha is the codename for Hidizs' latest dongle model and is great value for money. It has only recently been released and is priced at $89. The Yuki costs $169 so the difference is considerable. Both have volume control, 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL outputs. The Hidizs has an RGB LED indicator of the format played, plus 6 filters. The Yuki has no RGB LED, no filters, but is UAC1.0 compatible and has a gain selector. The Yuki is superior in terms of design beauty: the white exterior, the window inside, the ceramic printed circuit board, the colours and the visibility of the electronic components, elevates the Aune dongle above most of its competitors. However, its size, in width and height, is taller than the Hidizs. The Yuki's accessories are also more refined, and it is even possible to buy a leather case for protection.
The Hidizs has more power in all aspects. But in terms of sound, the Yuki is superior. It has a wider soundstage and more three-dimensionality. The detail is more obvious, the sound is smoother, softer and more musical. The Hidizs is comparatively more cushioned, narrow and tight. It feels more congested and the sound layers are closer together. The highs of the Hidizs are rougher, with more energy and presence. However, the Hidizs is more universal and all-rounder when it comes to reproducing sub-bass in combination with the headphones I tested.



EarMen Colibri

Perhaps, to put the Aune Yuki on the ropes, more expensive dongles such as the EarMen Colibri are needed. Currently priced at $249, the Colibri has an internal battery, is clearly larger, has volume control and bass boost. Although its maximum output is 1.5V per SE and 3V per BAL, it is more powerful for 16Ω and 32Ω headphones, though not for 100Ω as the Yuki goes up to 4V.
The sound of the Colibri is very refined, in line with the Yuki. This refinement allows it to offer a more universal and adequate behaviour in the low end, with all the headphones I have tested. As I said, the spaciousness of the soundstage is a strong point of the Yuki, but, even so, the Colibri is slightly more spacious, even somewhat softer, ethereal, vaporous and gauzy. The Yuki is slightly more concise and has a subtly more pronounced punch, something that seems to offer it a more eye-catching point of detail. But the Colibri doesn't shy away from describing detail and presents it very accurately, albeit more delicately and openly, if at all possible. To my mind, the Colibri extends the path that the Yuki opens up in its price range, increasing aspects such as softness, delicacy, separation, openness and scene. But it is also somewhat cooler and more analytical. Its profile is neutral, but it lacks that more analogue warmth that the Yuki does possess. True, the Colibri is superior in terms of refinement, but the Yuki has a more natural feel that some might value over the more aseptic, atmospheric and volatile ambience of the EarMen.



Conclusion

The Aune Yuki is a breath of fresh air in the $100-$200 range of dongles. It uses a Dual DAC CS43198, a 4-way discrete balanced amplifier circuit, with 16 transistors distributed in a 4x4 pattern, and uses a separate hybrid ceramic printed circuit board, one for the DAC circuit and one for the amplification. Externally, it has an aluminium alloy structure and is notable for its window that allows a view of the impressive interior. It has knobs for volume control, gain and USB mode. In addition, it is capable of playing 32-bit formats up to 768kHz and DSD256. All this helps to separate the Yuki from the direct competition, offering solutions from dongles in higher price ranges. This is how Aune achieves a very wide, spacious, delicate, smooth and musical sound, while at the same time very detailed, descriptive and resolute, at the level of very few at this price. The sound of the Aune Yuki is a true reflection of its external beauty.



Earphones and Sources Used During Analysis

• Hidizs AP80 PRO-X Red Copper LE.
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro.
• Hidizs MP145.
• Hidizs MS5.
• BQEYZ Wind.
• BQEYZ Winter.
• Kefine Klanar.
• KiiBOOM Evoke.
• Kiwi Ears Melody.
• Letshuoer S15.
• Letshuoer S12 Pro.
• Tanchjim Kara.
• Rose Martini.
• Rose QT9 MK2s.
• NiceHCK F1.

Purchase Link



You can read the full review in Spanish here

DISCLAIMER

• I bought this unit from Taobao China as a retail unit. Therefore, this is not a review unit. All the evaluations are true to my intentions and no bias will be tolerate.
• All the impressions and evaluations will take measures according to my gears and equipment and format of tracks. Your experience may vary.

Introduction:
Aune is known for producing DACs and AMPs for the past few years. Most of their products are highly praised but not in the dongle DAC segment. Therefore, Aune saw the opportunity and released the latest Yuki dongle DAC, in response to today's highly competitive dongle DACs market.

Unboxing:
The unboxing experience is rather satisfying. Aune Yuki comes with a cylindrical shape box which is meant to be slide open. To make things pretty, they have added a waifu band wrapped around the box. Slide open the lid, Yuki is standing right in front of your eyesight. A few things are laying inside the box, which are the type C – type C OTG cable with gold-plated heads, and the type-C to USB adapter.

Design & Build Quality:
The dongle DAC is made of sturdy aluminium alloy structure, with fine baked painting finish to even out the coating. It has good touch on hand, without feeling slippery or harshness. No flex or bending which passed my bend test.

Aesthetic of design is subjective; I find it appealing and geeky. It is hard to find pure white dongle DAC as this, which is a plus for me. Yuki greets the users with a glass window, showing the PCB circuits to demonstrate the beauty of engineering and art.

Specification:

• Dual CS43198 DAC chip on both channels. (Dynamic and separation benefits)
• PCM 32/768k & DSD256 supported.
• Dual-layer circuit board design. (Headphone amp board separated with 5V power supply)
• Amp board with 16 transistors to form the 4-way headphone amp to feed power demanding headphones.
• 3.5mm supplies maximum 2.0 Vrms, 90mW@30 Ohm
• 4.4mm supplies maximum 4.0 Vrms, 160mW@30 Ohm
• Hybrid Ceramic PCB for better strengths and frequencies performance, but mostly efficient for thermal conductivity and insulation.
• Supports Switch UAC 1.0

Functionality:
Specs aside, the Yuki has the volume adjustment buttons at the back of the body. The color matching (+) and (–) buttons in my opinion is a bit tiny compared to the volume rockers on any other dongle DACs in the market. I personally do not like the button placement at the bottom of the body as I have to flip sides to access to the buttons easily, which ruined the glass window intention to show the aesthetic of Yuki.

On top you can find a USB-C connector, which is then connected to the source. On the bottom you can find a 3.5mm SE output and 4.4 balanced output. Both are equally powerful which have no issues with any of my audio gears (except speakers which I have none). I find the 4.4 balanced output has slightly cleaner sounding and no noise floor with pitch black background.

The Yuki has no RGB showing the source format (I do not really like RGB lol thanks Aune!) It further up shows that the dongle DAC is designed to serve 1 purpose, which is absolute focus on its sonic performance.

Source and Gears Used:

• Aune Yuki
• Android Phone
• PC, connected with type-C to USB adapter
• iPhone 15 Pro
• QOA Aviation
• Hidizs MP145 Planar IEM
• Philips SHP9500
• Letshuoer S12 Pro
• Sound rhyme SR5

Drivability:
The Yuki pairs with any of the sources flawlessly, as well as any audio gears listed. It can powers up planers IEM quite well, without any distortions when I switch up the volume. On low sens IEM like the SoundRhyme SR5, the 3.5mm has a bit of noise floor hissing while the 4.4mm balanced solves this issue. The Philips SHP9500 is a fairly easy headphone to power but it has no issue with both terminations. The volume of each gear may vary from 2-6 steps increase & decrease in order to get to my preferred volume.

Sonic Performance:
The main dish of the course, Yuki sounds pleasing and velvety without coloring the IEM or headphones sound signature. The overall sound of Yuki is smooth with a touch of warmth in the lower end, but that does not mean it is warm sounding. When pairing with S12 Pro, it retains the sparkly treble but does not get overly sharp in certain songs that I find it spicy.

Bass:
Lower End has deep extension but does not feel very punchy or rumbling, just a touch of fullness into the mid-bass region. Sub-bass has that delicious reverb that makes every tracks you throw to it sounds fuller and rich with informations.

Mids:
The mids are resolving yet musical, which is surprising to my ears. The Yuki sounds a bit familiar to me as it reminds me of my desktop DAC, the Aune Flamingo on the table. It has a bit of the atmospheric staging of Flamingo which I really like. The vocals are thick & energetic, but it does not shout into your head. Instead, it is more centered and slightly behind the head.

Transient of the tracks are fast, tonality of instruments lies between natural and artificial to put some magic into instruments. Brass sound metallic but at the same time has weight and engaging for example.

Treble:
The upper end extension to upper treble is soothing and swift. Cymbals and crash do not sound too spicy as the deeper bass extension to balanced out the sibilance. The upper end quality is overall good and polished. In brighter IEMs, it will smoothen out the peaks but remain the micro details, making it more pleasant to hear with higher volume.

Soundstage & technicalities:
Aune Yuki enhances the soundstage a hair better after I did an extensive A/B comparison with budget DACs but falls behind the flagships such as Cayin RU7. When it comes to technicals, the dynamics of tracks are interpreted easily, with adequate amount of nuances and note weights.
The separations work flawlessly with the double channel CS43198, thanks to the newly design circuit. Imaging and staging is aided by the strong dynamics. When listening to orchestra music, the instruments have presence and able to pinpoint the directions. The distortions are minimal to none.



Comparisons:

Ibasso DC04 Pro
Both of them does not sound equally, as the DC04 Pro has more warmth than Aune Yuki. DC04 Pro is natural sounding and synergies better with bright tuned IEMs but sounded dark when pairs with bassy IEMs. The Yuki on the other hand, pairs with anything else and does not interfere with sound signature of my IEMs.
Both trade blows with different technicalities strengths, with DC04 pro’s near accurate tonality and Yuki’s extensively dynamics. Micro details on the Yuki is slightly better than DC04 pro though.

Cayin RU7
The flagship that has the similar traits of Yuki, now comes face to face. I am so glad to say that the Yuki is closer to the RU7, but falls behind on some aspects. Both enhance liveliness and does not falls behind on technical chops. Cayin RU7 sounds warmer than the Ibasso DC04 Pro. Therefore, it should sound noticeably warmer than the Yuki. The Yuki has its own unique tuning, making it clean and natural.
When comes to its details and dynamics, compared to the Yuki, the RU7 is in its own league. For the users of Cayin RU7, I do not think you will need to consider this dongle DAC. But for the rest, you might need to pay attention to this.

Conclusion:
Aune pays a lot of effort to make the Yuki sound closer to its DAC AMP products, which I really like. The unique tuning makes it special and pairs well with anything in the market. The pure white design may satisfy the white purist out there and also most importantly, it sounded good, all genres work like a charm especially orchestra music. Definitely the no-brainer in the current market!

INTRO

Yuki is a popular gender-neutral name of Japanese origin. Depending on the characters used, Yuki can mean “snow,” “happiness,” or “snow flower.” In China it is simply used as a name. The dongle itself looks beautiful, it reminds me of a Chinese porcelain vase. The special ceramic PCB and the 16 transistors are clearly visible on the small glass window on it .



Packaging, Accessories and Design

The Yuki arrives in a nice and tasteful cylindrical paper box. It is also included in the package a good quality multi-strand braided copper based and silver-plated usb-c tail cable and an usb-a adapter. On the back are the volume control buttons, ( they look sturdy ) and the gain switching key. We can switch by long pressing the volume buttons together between the low and the high gain mode. The rest of the device is made of cnc'd aluminum and the chassis is the most beautiful dongle housing that I have ever seen.



Sound Quality
The audio quality of the Yuki is really high. The dual CS43198 chips do a very good job . I found the sound signature of the dongle somewhere between warm and neutral . It’s clean sounding with good clarity, resolution and stereo imaging. The unit is a bit warm in the bass and midrange, which is not surprising from a device from AUNE Audio . It does nothing in an aggressive manner though, it’s not too bright, but it’s not muffled or veiled either. It’s a well-balanced and well-controlled device, with excellent background blackness. The soundstage is reasonably good, with very good imaging and separation.
Because the incredible dynamics and powerful bass the Yuki can push the power hungry Hidizs mp145 planar iem so well like my xDuoo XD05 BAL2 half-brick with the ExtraBass on ! The bass is fast and well controlled which seems to surround the head. The midrange is slightly recessed in comparison to other ranges, but it doesn’t lose its qualities, vocals are clear and engaging. The highs are airy, detailed , but restrained, never fatiguing ,good for long listening sessions. The power draw of the Yuki is slightly above average,it's 8% per hour from a 5000mAh battery phone. I think this is tolerable.



Summary

If you need a premium quality compact mobile amplifer with musical and fun overall tuning and great driving power, the Yuki is your choice, it worth the price, especially if we consider that its sound quality is on par with a much more expensive mid-range DAP


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