USB-C to 3.5mm adapters (DAC) - Let's find the best
May 2, 2024 at 6:11 AM Post #6,436 of 6,766
This is my personal ranking...

1) DC-Elite
2) FC6
3) EPZ TP50

The first for general performance, the second for the "magical" R2R sound and the third for the very high quality/price ratio and its versatility. Having said that, in my opinion, all three should also be taken calmly and finding the right price, because each of the three offers performance well beyond their cost.
I was considering w4 but is it not better than dc elite and fc6?
 
May 2, 2024 at 6:17 AM Post #6,437 of 6,766
I was considering w4 but is it not better than dc elite and fc6?
If you don't have power problems (iphone) if I were you I would take the Dc-Elite with my eyes closed, in case even with a Y cable like the iBasso CB19 or better yet the L&P WY1 (I have both and the L&P is of a completely different level and cost) and a power bank.
 
May 2, 2024 at 6:55 AM Post #6,438 of 6,766
If you don't have power problems (iphone) if I were you I would take the Dc-Elite with my eyes closed, in case even with a Y cable like the iBasso CB19 or better yet the L&P WY1 (I have both and the L&P is of a completely different level and cost) and a power bank.
I already have the dc elite and fc6 i think i will try tp50 first. Thank you.
 
May 2, 2024 at 7:47 AM Post #6,439 of 6,766
I already have the dc elite and fc6 i think i will try tp50 first. Thank you.
The TP50 (despite costing almost a quarter of the W4) isn't that far off in performance. But it has one thing that the W4 doesn't have... and that is the ability to go from a very detailed and technical sound by setting the filter to Fast LL to a very musical and analogue one using other filters (Slow LL / NOS). Unlike all other dongles, when the filters are changed the sound changes completely and in an easily noticeable way... practically the TP50 completely changes skin.
 
May 2, 2024 at 8:28 AM Post #6,440 of 6,766
The TP50 (despite costing almost a quarter of the W4) isn't that far off in performance. But it has one thing that the W4 doesn't have... and that is the ability to go from a very detailed and technical sound by setting the filter to Fast LL to a very musical and analogue one using other filters (Slow LL / NOS). Unlike all other dongles, when the filters are changed the sound changes completely and in an easily noticeable way... practically the TP50 completely changes skin.
Interesting from my experience usually the filter doesnt change a lot of the sound. Is it that noticable? In nature is it bright or neutral? Or you can make it warm by changing the filter?
 
May 2, 2024 at 9:02 AM Post #6,441 of 6,766
Interesting from my experience usually the filter doesnt change a lot of the sound. Is it that noticable? In nature is it bright or neutral? Or you can make it warm by changing the filter?
In fact, this was my experience with all other dongles but the TP50 made me realize that it can be done. It tends to have a very technical and detailed sound (like W4) but by setting the SLOW LL or NOS filter it becomes much more analogue and musical. After all, these are two reviewers who affirm what I then noticed, especially Andy (Donglemadness) who loves the analogue and musical sound (RU6/RU7/FC6/CDAM1P) in the end places it in third place in the ranking among all the dongles that he tried... and not by chance.



and Tone Deaf Monk also notes the same situation.

 
May 2, 2024 at 9:16 AM Post #6,442 of 6,766
In fact, this was my experience with all other dongles but the TP50 made me realize that it can be done. It tends to have a very technical and detailed sound (like W4) but by setting the SLOW LL or NOS filter it becomes much more analogue and musical. After all, these are two reviewers who affirm what I then noticed, especially Andy (Donglemadness) who loves the analogue and musical sound (RU6/RU7/FC6/CDAM1P) in the end places it in third place in the ranking among all the dongles that he tried... and not by chance.



and Tone Deaf Monk also notes the same situation.


Does this device require firmware update when first using it? Any bug so far?
 
May 2, 2024 at 10:04 AM Post #6,443 of 6,766
Does this device require firmware update when first using it? Any bug so far?
Nothing at all... it's a music machine... when you listen to it and think about how much you paid for it you will say to yourself "it's not possible"
 
May 2, 2024 at 1:37 PM Post #6,446 of 6,766
Yes today I listened to it exactly like this at work... connected to the laptop and powered by the powerbank with the CB19.
 
May 2, 2024 at 1:49 PM Post #6,448 of 6,766
The thing that the TP50 really has (besides the stellar price-performance ratio) compared to all other dongles is that you can set the sound from more analogue/musical to detailed/technical on three levels based on the filter (Slow LL / NOS / Fast LL).
 
May 2, 2024 at 2:01 PM Post #6,449 of 6,766
I put a link to a detailed description of what filters do and do not do and I made a post, fact based, on what filters do and do not do and where they are located but it seems to have gone completely unnoticed so I went ahead and deleted them
 
May 2, 2024 at 2:14 PM Post #6,450 of 6,766
I think each dongle behaves differently... but in general the slow filters soften the sound while the fast ones make it sharper... but it all boils down to the speed in changing frequencies... obviously they don't cut anything. Very often we refer to golden ears to say that it is very difficult to fully understand what they do. The only dongle with which you notice a substantial difference (among those I've tried) is the TP50.
 

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