I tested the V3 in my office system, which presently consists of a 100w  Acurus A100 amp/L10 preamp driving PSB Synchrony 1B speakers, which have moderate sensitivity at 88dB and 4 ohm impedance; I also swapped in my (seriously great), 92dB ADS L520s and, for laughs, my notoriously power-hungry Revel M20 bookshelves. 

Fosi’s nonsensical claims of 300-600w output notwithstanding, Durwood guesstimated the power of the V3 (with the stock 32v power supply) at 30-50w@ 8oHm, which sounds about right (ASR measured it at 38W). The results in listening tests were quite predictable, which is to say the V3 fared best with the very efficient ADS and worst with the tough-to-drive Revels, which sounded clean and undistorted but almost bassless.

In contrast to comparable, cheap Class D amps like the SMSL A300 (review here), the V3 is fairly neutral and uncolored—it eschews the bright, “digital” quality of its peers, while retaining surprising high end detail and extension. Channel separation is clean and there’s no audible distortion, even at high volumes.

The conventional Acurus amp, however, shows substantially more body and warmth; notes on the Acurus are thicker-textures and the presentation is smoother (if somewhat less resolving). Most significantly, bass on the Acurus sounds much deeper and fuller; the little V3 sounds comparatively flat and lacking in dynamics and drive. Comparison to the Parasound HCA 1500 in my main system yielded the same outcome. Of course, the Acurus and Parasound are significantly more powerful, expensive and physically larger.

To some extent, the V3 exemplifies the intrinsic differences between Class D and conventional amps, which is to say it trades a beefier, more forgiving tone for clarity and resolution. It’s wholly inoffensive and, especially considering the $89 pricetag, a very credible entrant in the small-form factor amp segment. Truth be told, though, unless you’re driving very efficient speakers and desk space is a priority, you’re better off with a more robust amp.

Disclaimer: borrowed from Durwood.

Specifications Hidizs Fosi Audio V3

Contact us!

The post Fosi Audio V3 Amplifier Review (2) – Second Opinion appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRODUCTION

Courting green audio aficionados and perhaps some seasoned folks, the Fosi Audio ZA3 desktop amp has the allure of affordable yet buzz worthy tech. They have built an arsenal of small but mighty desktop power amplifier solutions, from 2 channel, 3 channel and now a select-able two channel/monoblock built around the Texas Instruments TPA3255 class D amp chip. 

By scaling back maximum power, they are able to also run it in a lower signal to noise ratio region that makes it clean and resolving at the same time and delivering plenty of power for a desktop or even room filling output. However we need to be realistic about the 300W max power output as the power supply is not large enough to deliver true 300W continuous power output with the 32V maxing out at 160W or 240W for the 48V version.

Having experimented with the TB10D, and V3 amplifiers from Fosi Audio, the ZA3 is the next generation or third iteration of this design, each one improving on the next as it should. The TB10D/BT20A Pro were Gen1 using the TPA3255 and were the most powerful version…until they launched the V3 with a 48V 5A power supply option.

Technically you can order the 48V 5A power supply and use it with the TB10D Pro for more power with reduced signal to noise specifications. Fosi Audio offers it with 32V/5A. 48V/5A or no power supply options priced at $129, $149 and $99 respectively.

FEATURE COMMENTARY

Ideally though the V3 was fairly well received minus some caveats, and the Fosi Audio ZA3 is a more mature version with the stylistic elements of a burnt orange volume knob, balanced inputs, a usable preamp and a mono mode to boost power output, or wastefully use it to power a small subwoofer.

New features not available on their other models include the switchable RCA or XLR balanced input that accepts ¼” TRS/XLR. With these two unbalanced and balanced connections you get two inputs. We are still stuck with the tiny binding posts found on their other models, I tend to use banana jacks for easy switching anyway.

Other new features include the subwoofer output, and 12V trigger input to automatically turn it on/off with a preamp or AVR? Another more diy approach for desktop PC users would be to run a 12v out from your desktop PC and trigger it that way. There are most likely some DACs out there with 12 trigger outputs to turn it on as well. I did test this with my ancient Denon AVR-3806 and it comes in handy, let me explain.

The Fosi Audio ZA3 powers on or off with a long press on the volume knob, it seems sensitive to where you push on it, or it did not always recognize that I had tried to turn it on. Maybe I was impatient, but sometimes I just did not have the magic touch to turn it on. I would prefer a standalone power switch if the knob is going to be touchy. The knob itself is smooth and the indentation is prominent enough to see the position of it from across the room.

With the 48V 5A power supply almost as big as the amp itself, I felt comfortable taking this thing for a spin as the main room amplifier and freeing it from pure desktop usage. While it fits more at home there, it has plenty of output to be the focal point of a serious sound system.

The manual is not entirely clear about loading the amp, it states 2-8 ohm speaker systems, I imagine this is for stereo operation. To be safe, I would not recommend using a 2 ohm load in mono mode unless Fosi Audio explicitly states it.

SOUND COMPARISONS

Pairing the Fosi Audio ZA3 with my Amrita Audio Elan 8 inch 2 way floor standers, the SMSL DO100 DAC, and Sony DVP-SS7700 it performed rather exceptionally for a Class D chip amp. Imaging separation and clarity were quite noteworthy. Bass control was tight,  yet perhaps a little restrained. This was not a lack of power as I was running it at a decent listening level about 50% maximum clean output, instead there was  some richness missing.

Swapping in a Parasound HCA800 II set to the same level, it sounded more enveloping and the bass had more texture and warmth. More meaty and visceral sounding, I swapped in the Adcom GFA-545 again doing some level matching and noticed it too had more drive behind the bass.

Between these two amps, they both gave the impression of stronger depth and more envelopment. The Fosi Audio ZA3 had a defined stage width with less front to back range, and the Parasound felt more like an arcing stage as opposed to a flat stage.

To be fair, these are some well regarded 2 channel amps with plenty of power supply and output current to power the vast majority of 2 channel sound systems into blissful happiness. Next I put it up against the Denon AVR-3806, a decently powerful home theater receiver and it did not have the same clarity or resolution of the Fosi Audio ZA3. 

My final test of the Fosi Audio ZA3 was to incorporate the subwoofer pre-out. The addition of the subwoofer pre-out helps with the new wave of small bookshelf plus subwoofer setups. It is much easier in a smaller room or desktop setup to make room for a bookshelf and offload the heavy lifting to the subwoofer on bass duty.

The pre-out has a 200Hz low pass filter and is controlled via the volume knob. The V3 pre-out was not a true pre-out, so Fosi implemented a proper and useful feature. Note it can be used to supplement the natural roll-off of your main speakers, there is no high pass filter for the main channels and you would need to use the built in crossover of your subwoofer to adjust it down to a proper cut-off frequency.

MODDING AND HOT-RODDING

Op-amp swapping carries over from the V3 to the Fosi Audio ZA3. Removing four 2mm hex screws (two on the back panel, two underneath), prying off the volume knob with a plastic cooking spatula, and loosening the 10mm nut gives you access to the internals, which construction shows are miles and miles better than a Dayton Audio DTA-100a I have from over a decade ago.

The op-amps are used in the pre-amplification stages and provide gain and feedback control to minimize distortion. There are a total of five op-amps that can be swapped, one for each Left/Right, two for the subwoofer pre-out (one is used for the filter), and one for the XLR.

They come stock with TI NE5532 which is vintage by audio standards, but an extremely stable, inexpensive, noise free op-amp found in millions of audio devices including professional audio gear.

Other boutique op-amps can be swapped in, but adding new ones may not always be a great idea or guarantee “better” performance. It is fairly easy for some faster op-amps to become unstable and oscillate in the wrong situation, or perhaps they cannot drive the load, or the gain is not structured correctly to minimize distortion.

 The high price tags of other op-amps might be a result of low use so it does not benefit from economy of scale, or just flat out because they can. I happen to have 4 BB ones ranging from the OPA2134PA, 2227P, 2228P and 2107AP from an Audiotrak Prodigy soundcard experiment.

I might investigate in a separate review if I find it interesting enough, some of them might add noise or cause instability and I would like to measure the effects if possible using my limited measurement equipment. The heatsink + power resistors would most likely overheat when looking at distortion components, I really need to bring out my water heater element load to handle the power better.

Bipolar, FET and discrete op-amps can behave differently as well so without proper testing equipment, you might introduce some coloration into your audio chain. There used to be great information by Douglas Self over a decade ago, but there are also many other great resources (59+ op amps tested ) found throughout the internet or in books.

You can also just take the religious route and just believe. I can fully appreciate how hard it is to remove sighted bias from testing, and how short our memory is if not performing quick changes to compare.

FINAL REMARKS

I did test it in mono mode while I did some housework, and it never got too warm or shut down. I was not stress testing, but I feel confident that the Fosi Audio ZA3 handles mono loads just fine and they boost a 240W power rating into a 4 ohm load. Get two and run them as monoblocks and have ultimate channel separation.

Channel separation is the noise of one channel bleeding into the other channel if you were unaware. One missing feature is a volume control bypass for the dual mono folks, but max them out and let it rip through another pre-amp device, DAC or streamer.

One feature missing is perhaps a phono input for the resurgence of vinyl. It’s not a must have feature, as those really into vinyl might prefer to use a standalone phono preamp of their choosing anyway. Other people might prefer bluetooth input instead, a good DAC or preamp might include those features separately, I enjoy this as just an amp.

Class D is essentially a motor control circuit design tailored to meet the audible audio frequency spectrum requirements, and speakers share similarities to motors in that a coil of wire is excited through a magnetic field. There should be no fear in using modern Class D amps and losing fidelity. While differences were noted between full fledged larger brethren, I have minor qualms in recommending the Fosi Audio ZA3 amplifier.

While the V3 is on loan to Loomis I am unable to directly compare, I believe the ZA3 stages closer to the Adcom and Parasound than the V3 did. It does a better amplification job than an AVR and it looks sleek on a desktop being plenty powerful in a nearfield setup.

Disclaimer: Fosi Audio thankfully provided this gratis and this review was not written by robots.

FOSI AUDIO ZA3 SPECIFICATIONS

Chip Set Texas Instruments TPA3255
Output Power With 48V/5A PSU
Stereo: 155Wx2 @4Ω
Mono: 235Wx1 @4Ω
With 32V/5A PSU
Stereo: 95Wx2 @4Ω
Mono: 110Wx1 @4Ω
Terminating Impedance 2-8Ω
Input Mode RCA, XLR, 1/4″ TRS
Output Mode Speaker Output (supports banana plug or bare wire connection), Active Subwoofer Output
Frequency Range 20Hz – 20KHz(±0.1dB)
SINAD 89dB
THD ＜0.006%
SNR ≥106dB
Dynamic Range ≥106dB
Device Dimension 15.49 x 18.39 x 5.08 cm; 1.78 Kilograms
DC Input Range 24-48V
Power Supply 32V/5A, 48V/5A

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Get it from Following Stores:

Fosi Audio Direct

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Fosi Audio ZA3 Stereo/Mono Amp Review – Making New Friends appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Unlike the stubby, cable-less SD2, the bespoke aluminum-and-glass S9 Pro Plus utilizes the same traditional cabled design as its S9 forbearers, but adds volume buttons which allow for much finer adjustments than most source’s volume control and which double as selectors for six different digital filters (fast roll-off, linear phase slow roll-off etc.).

Both sampling rate and filter effects are indicated by colored lighting, which is a nice aesthetic bonus. As with most such gimmicks, the filters on the S9 Pro Plus have a very small (but audible) effect on the presentation, with the “slow” settings showing less ringing and more rounded treble. Ultra hirez PCM and DSD support is provided, though curiously no MQA, which seems to be a dying breed.

Prior reviews of the S9 Pro Plus have stressed its considerable driving power and inclusion of a balanced (4.4m) out, and it certainly is a lusty beast—even through the single-ended out IEMs of average sensitivity sounded loud at 33% of my Pixel 6’s volume, while (other than losing a little subbass depth and  tightness) the 300 ohm/97dB Senn HD 600 didn’t break a sweat when played through the balanced out.

For all that, careful pairing is advised—unlike the S3, the S9 Pro Plus did not match well with very sensitive IEMs like the BGVP DM8 or the KZ ZS10 Pro, which sounded edgy/strident at the high end, especially at higher volumes. In general, the S9 Pro Plus seemed to play better with higher impedance (>50 ohm) phones. Note, too, that if battery life is a priority, the Plus is very power-hungry and will get warm with use. 

The Plus uses an ESS DAC chip which imparts a very different signature to the Plus—in contrast to the brightness, forwardness and lean note texture of the its progeny, the S9 is less adrenalized (though not exactly laid-back), with a neutral-to-slightly warm timbre and a thick, but still-crisp note texture. Bass has considerable depth and emphasis, mainly in the subbass region, but remains tight.

Where the SD2, which image very well and present a lot of space between performers, imparted a “bigness” to the music, the S9 Pro Plus sounds simply massive—upright bass has a resonance and body you won’t hear with lesser pieces, while snare drums have a booming-but-realistic snap. Unlike, say, the Moondrop Dawn, overall coloration isn’t wholly absent, but is considerably less on the Plus and there’s little of the digital sheen you’ll hear on the S9 or SD2.

Resolution and transparency are very, very good—little nuances like the quiet guitar echoes and cymbal taps on INXS’s “Need You Tonight” are revealed in a way I’ve never heard before, while the unadorned piano on Keith Jarrett’s “Koln Concert” sounds eerily lifelike. Other than some hiss on very sensitive phones, background noise is wholly absent.

Yet unlike the similarly revealing SD2, the S9 Pro Plus avoids sounding clinical or excessively detailed, and coherence is almost flawless, and you can pick out different performers without losing focus on the musical whole. Which is not to say they’re particularly smooth or mellow—they still retain a hint of Hidizs’s characteristic sharpness/metallic edge at the highest frequencies, and treble-averse listeners might find it slightly hot, but for most of us it’s an appealing, very detailed presentation.

Nominally $139, the S9 Pro Plus is selling for $89 on the Hidizs website, which is only a few sou more than Hidizs’ less powerful models and actually cheaper than the (non-Plus) S9. Especially considering its build quality, flashing lights and fancy tech specs, this seems like good value. Again, it doesn’t achieve the purist’s audiophile-neutral ideal, and you’ll need to be careful with impedance matching, but the S9 Pro Plus plays at a significantly higher level than its cheaper peers and gets my gushing praise.

Disclaimer—yet another freebie from Hidizs—get one here: https://www.hidizs.net/

Specifications Hidizs S9 Pro Plus Martha

Contact us!

The post Hidizs S9 Pro Plus Martha Balanced & Single-ended Dac/Amp Review – Metal Machine Music, Vol 2 appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Cons — Neo iDSD2’s Amp section is not powerful enough to drive inefficient headphones
– aptX Adaptive performance can be device dependent
– iPower X could be included in the packaging given the asking price
– Background hiss at the highest gain setting

INTRODUCTION

It is update season again, with iFi overhauling parts of its lineup. First up was the hip-dac 3, then the Diablo2 — and Neo iDSD2 arrived in tandem.

I reviewed the original Neo iDSD almost 3 years ago, and found it to be lacking in the amp section. The DAC performance was excellent, but the meek amp output held it back from being a universal recommendation. iFi has taken the sweet time to refine all “controversial” aspects of the original.

The amp section is noticeably improved with better power delivery into high impedance loads. Meanwhile, the noise issue with sensitive loads has been taken care of by the inclusion of IEMatch. Moreover, the general build and finish has become further refined, with a new UI and display, extra buttons on the front for easier control, and external app support for OTA updates and more.

Sounds like a winner so far, but then you look at the… upgraded price tag, which is almost $150 extra over the OG version, placing the Neo iDSD2 near the kilobuck range. In the days of measurement-topping budget gear, the Neo iDSD2 needs to have a few unique trick up its sleeve to justify the extra dough.

Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. IFi Audio was kind enough to send the Neo iDSD2 for evaluation.

IEMs and headphones used: Symphonium Crimson, Campfire Holocene, Sennheiser IE 900, Sennheiser HD 800, Hifiman HE-6se V2
Price, while reviewed: $900. Can be bought from Amazon.

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES

iFi Audio bundles practically everything you will need to get the Neo iDSD2 up and running. Aside from a 12V iPower V2 power adapter, you get a pair of RCA Cables, a USB cable, a handy remote control, and a stand to vertically orient the Neo IDSD2.

The only thing I’d change about the packaging is the supplied power adapter. The iPower X is noticeably “quieter” than the entry-level iPower adapter that’s bundled with the Neo iDSD2, and given the premium pricing, I’d have preferred the more “upscale” adapter.

BUILD QUALITY

The basic design language is similar to the OG Neo iDSD, with a sleek, sandblasted aluminum frame; a large, multi-functional rotary encoder placed in the center, while the display and the headphone outputs flank it on both sides.

One of the key elements of the design is the vertical orientation capability. With the supplied stand you can easily prop up the Neo iDSD2 on your desk, leaving horizontal space to place your speakers or other amps. There’s a built-in accelerometer as well that automatically rotates the display.

The central rotary encoder stands out with its knurled finish and excellent tactile feedback. There is still some wobble when you try to press it inwards. Frankly, only way to avoid that would be to use a more complex setup where the outer ring and the inner “button” needs to be separated. iFi tried to keep things simpler here I guess.

The buttons have been improved from the OG Neo iDSD it seems, with a more defined feedback and less wobble than before. They are still a bit stiff so the remote is better for most operations. Do note that you have to aim the remote directly at the Neo iDSD, otherwise the infrared signals are not picked up well.

The sides now have an opaque acrylic “cut-out” for better RF signal transparency, which should improve BT reception and transmission performance. Another readily noticeable aspect over the first version is the weight of the unit, which feels more substantial. The OG Neo iDSD feels somewhat hollow and less rigid in comparison.

Overall, excellent build quality and industrial design, as expected from iFi.

INPUTS AND OUTPUTS

The Neo iDSD2 does not skimp on the input options at all. In fact, there are a few surprises here.

First of all, you have the power input that accepts 9V to 15V AC-DC adapters. The USB 3.0 type-B port is there, alongside the coax and optical inputs. Then there is a 10 MHz external clock input (via BNC) which is somewhat rare in the under USD$1000 range of sources. On paper, it should provide even better jitter performance when combined with an external clock.

Lastly, there are the analog/pre-amp line-outs in the form of both single-ended RCA and balanced 4-pin XLR. Strangely enough, there is only a single-ended 3.5mm line-in and not the usual 4.4mm analog input that iFi tends to have in their amps.

It’s a strange omission given the amp section is marketed as fully balanced internally, so there needs to be an additional single-ended to balanced conversion in the signal path if iDSD2 is used in amp only mode.

The headphone outs are all placed in front, with both 6.35mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced outputs available. They have auto “IEMatch” enabled at the lowest gain setting, taking care of hiss with sensitive IEMs.

TECH SPECS AND INTERNALS

Let’s get the spec sheet out of the way first:

The iFi Neo iDSD2 uses a Burr-Brown chip as per tradition. The BT5.4 is one of the highlights of the product and has both LDAC and the newest aptX Lossless codec support.

iFi also uses a new proprietary PureWave topology where they go for a dual-mono setup with shorter signal paths than their previous designs. The default firmware is GTO-enabled by default. I am happy to see that iFi has brought back the xBass and xSpace features, both of which work exceptionally well here.

The internal components are all high quality as expected: TDK/Murata caps, FET-based switching to mute those annoying “pops” you encounter on some DAC/Amps, and native MQA full-rendering support. I confirmed the latter by setting up Tidal on Windows in exclusive mode and playing MQA Master files, which were seamlessly handled by the Neo iDSD2 (indicated by displaying MQA on the display). At this juncture I should mention that it’s advised to install the iFi Neo iDSD driver package if you’re on Windows (Mac version coming soon). You can get it here.

The Bluetooth performance in LDAC was excellent. I did not notice any dropouts and not much fidelity was lost over wired USB connection. However, aptX support was a bit iffy with Samsung phones, likely due to Samsung’s somewhat poor implementation of the codec over other manufacturers.

One last note regarding amp specifications: the power rated is likely “peak” power, as I do not find the balanced output to provide 620mW of current into a 600 ohms load. The very high rated current delivery into lower impedance loads (max of 5.5W into 32 ohms) also did not really translate to real world usage, as certain planar magnetic headphones needed the 3rd gain setting to be driven properly. iFi’s FAQ section is also somewhat vague about the exact methodology used.

Speaking of gain, there are 4 different gain levels, with the first one being for sensitive IEMs, the second and third one for most headphones and IEMs out there, and the last one for very difficult to drive loads. The last gain level has audible hiss with even somewhat sensitive IEMs and headphones, so caution is advised while using that one.

IFI NEO IDSD2 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS

It’s always difficult to describe the sound of a source in isolation because, well, you are going to use it with a pair of IEMs, headphones, or speakers in the end, which have their own “coloration”. Moreover, the additional effects like xBass, xSpace, and even the IEMatch can affect the sound somewhat.

Nonetheless, I would describe the general tuning of the Neo iDSD2 as neutral with a hint of warmth. Notes are slightly rounded off, resulting in a softer presentation that works well with somewhat “edgier” sounding headphones and IEMs. Staging is not intimate or claustrophobic, rather the instruments are naturally spread apart.

The filters have subtle sonic changes, but in the end I preferred the DXD filter for the most part which is a sort of “oversampling” filter that sounds engaging with my Tidal library. You can also try the Bitperfect filter for a slightly different flavor.

PAIRING NOTES

Sennheiser HD 800

The Sennheiser HD 800 are extremely “amp-picky”, with the wrong pairing often verging on unlistenable as the treble peak tends to be too distracting. Fortunately, the Neo iDSD2 displays no such issues, with the HD 800 showing their usual transparency without veering into “analytical” or “sterile” territory.

The xBass switch helps here as well, since the HD 800 has a linear bass response with sub-bass roll-off. The driver performance is still one of the best around, so pushing the sub-bass a bit with the xBass does not hurt performance and fidelity at all. The xSpace makes things too airy for me, however.

In general, the Neo iDSD2’s amp section pairs well with high impedance dynamic driver headphones, so if you primarily plan to drive such headphones, this one is a great fit.

Hifiman HE-6se V2

The Hifiman HE-6se V2 proved to be a difficult challenge for the Neo iDSD2. These notoriously difficult to power headphones have a sensitivity of about 83 dB/mW at 50 ohms of impedance. Some even use speaker amps to drive these, which is bordering on the absurd.

Even at the highest gain level, the HE-6se V2 do not show the bass slam and macrodynamics they are capable of displaying. The volume got loud enough for me, but the subtler details felt missing.

The modern Hifiman planars like the Arya or the Ananda tend to fare much better, however, as they have relatively efficient drivers. The Arya Stealth especially was phenomenal on the Neo iDSD2, so try to audition them together if possible.

Campfire Audio Holocene

The Campfire Holocene magnify the slightest amount of source hiss and as such, most desktop amps are a no-go to drive them. The auto IEMatch and the dedicated low-gain IEM mode on the Neo IDSD2 comes to the rescue. There is no noticeable hiss with the Holocene, and the FR did not skew noticeably.

On the other, the Symphonium Crimson are another pair of difficult to drive IEMs, with an astoundingly low 6 ohms of impedance and a sensitivity of only 84dB/mW. These factors combine to somewhat “choke” the amp section of the Neo IDSD2 which is not designed to handle such low impedance loads it seems.

The Crimson, just like the aforementioned HE-6se V2, are anomalies, so it’s not an inherent “con” if an amp is not designed around their specific needs. As a reviewer, I yearn for that true “all-in-one” solution though, and it’s always a bit of a letdown when that doesn’t happen. Ah well.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The Neo iDSD2 is still unique in the market, three years after the first version came out. I cannot think of another DAC-Amp combo with such a sleek design and rich connectivity options. The amp section is much improved over the first version, and the already excellent DAC section makes this sequel a great upgrade all around.

The market has not sat still in the meanwhile, with the likes of Topping DX7 Pro+ offering higher output power, better “measurements”, and a cheaper price tag. The Neo iDSD2 have the latest BT codec and version to offer, alongside handy extras like xBass, xSpace, IEMatch, a nicer display, and an analog line-in for amp-only usage.

Most of all, the Neo IDSD2 got the looks and the vertical orientation may be preferred by those with small desk space. All these considered, I can recommend the Neo iDSD2 for desk usage if space is a premium and you need an all-in-one solution with exceptional BT connectivity. Just keep in mind that this is not an amp you use with power hungry planars, as there are other options for that particular use case.

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Get it from Amazon or WODAudio

Our generic standard disclaimer.

PHOTOGRAPHY

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

The post iFi Neo iDSD2 Review – A Proper Upgrade appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

The Colorfly CDA-M1P is a force to be reckoned with in terms of shear weight for a portable USB DAC dongle. Sometimes making things heavy to appease those that equate heavy with quality does not improve the experience. Something this heavy jammed into a pocket with a phone gives me a moment of worry in terms of damage to screens and such.

The predecessor to the Colorfly CDA-M1, the CDA-M1P utilizes the AKM DAC chips over ESS, different opamps and adds some more power. The bass presents strength, the treble is gentle, and the overall package is a mixed bag in features.

FEATURES

The detachable ribbon cable is the same as the fixed cable on the Moondrop Dawn 4.4. I particularly do not enjoy the rigidity of the cable, but again maybe the designers had concerns of a more flexible cable not holding up to the forces a heavier dongle may weigh onto the cable connections.

One final concern involves the 130ma current draw regardless of gain setting. While not the highest I have seen from other dongles, it will drain your battery faster than other dongles such as the Truthears Shio that clock in around 50ma. It is quite interesting that the high/low gain settings do not impact current draw. This seems to be the case on all USB dongle DACs I have tested so far. It does however generate significant heat in the high gain setting mode.

The heavy zinc alloy electroplated case is smooth, extremely solid, and the fit and finish is most excellent. The beef of the case helps to dissipate the extra heat generated from the higher power consumption. The detachable USB-C cable fits tight and snug. The user can change out the cable in case of failure, general preference, or for something longer if using at home.

Airing out my grievances of the Colorfly CDA-M1P we can focus more on what it aims to achieve in terms of sound. Packed inside is the AKM4493SEQ DAC chip allowing 6 filter changes. It also includes dual opamp gain stages powered by the XR2001 opamp. I am not familiar with this opamp and trying to find a datasheet was difficult. The opamp allows higher output power than relying solely on the DAC chip itself.

We get a powerful 125mW single ended and 240mW 4.4mm balanced output at 32 ohms. There are more powerful options for single ended, but balanced output is near the top of other DACs in the same class. It’s not going to be equivalent to a dedicated desktop dac/amp, but it will provide increased power and control for moderately high impedance headphones doing justice for loads 150 ohms or less 300 ohm is the ultimate ceiling for me.

Low and High Gain modes are selected by pressing both volume buttons at the same time, with the red light indicating low and yellow high gain. Colorfly recommends low gain for anything under 120 ohms, and high impedance/gain mode for greater than 120 ohms.

The Colorfly CDA-M1P is a direct competitor and shares almost all the same features as the Shanling UA3 previously reviewed. As DAC’s are trending downward in price, the Colorfly CDA-MP1 shaves off $40 coming in at $79. The Shanling UA3 can be used with their Eddict Player app which allows control of assigning buttons and changing filter settings. The Colorfly CDA-MP1 is only controlled via the buttons.

Due to only hardware control, I could not tell what filter mode the Colorfly CDA-M1P was set in easily without the help of the manual. Only mode 6 flashes the white light twice when pressing both volume buttons long enough. Once you know it is in mode 6 you can cycle back to the other modes by keeping track of how many times you switch it. This has an impact since I wanted to match the filter of the Shanling to that of the Colorfly.

DSD fans with have several options offering 512 native decoding or 256 DoP decoding with sampling frequencies up to 768khz. For simpler connections there is a UAC1.0 mode to connect with legacy connection devices such as the Nintendo Switch.

SOUND

Tested with LG G8 Sennheiser IE200 Single-ended, and Sivga Nightingale, BGVP DM9 Balanced

I notice it sounds fuller and balanced compared to the thinner in the lower mids and brighter Shanling UA3. The UA3 sounds more V shaped with slightly more sculpted bass with longer decay and impact. They will both measure flat, so this likely comes from noise shaping and distortion handling. We are talking about tiny differences here though. 

Cymbals sound smoothed and cleaner on the Colorfly CDA- M1P overall. There is some increased naturalness when paired with the Sivga Nightingale in balanced mode in comparison to the UA3. I don’t know if the UA3 struggles to control the planar driver but it also sounds compressed and tinny.

Now against the Moondrop Dawn 4.4, the Colorfly sounds cleaner and bass has more low end grunt. The Moondrop Dawn is less exciting and focuses on the lower treble enhancement and midbass impact. I would clearly pick the Colorfly CDA-M1P as it sounds cleaner and more resolving.

FINAL REMARKS

Taking dings in the power consumption, weight and user settings categories, the Colorfly CDA-M1P is a strong contender for clean transparent sound. If you are not one to tinker too much and don’t mind a pocket weight heater, the Colorfly CDA-M1P performs well.

Disclaimer: I am grateful ShenzhenAudio.com sent this free of charge no strings attached. That is how we like our relationships.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

DAC
Cable USB-C to USB-C
Instruction manual

SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: 562214.5mm
Weight: 46g
USB Interface: Type C
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 125dB
Frequency Response: 20Hz~20kHz
Dynamic Range: 122dB
Decoding Formats:
PCM 32Bit / 768kHz
DSD 512 / Native
DSD 256 / Dop

THD+N:
-104dB@RL=600Ω，0dB/Balanced
-100dB@RL=32Ω，100mW/Balanced
-104dB@RL=600Ω，0dB/Unbalanced
-100dB@RL=32Ω，100mW/Unbalanced

Headphone Jack:
3.5mm Unbalanced / 4.4mm Balanced

Output Level:
2Vrms @RL=600Ω Unbalanced Output
4Vrms @RL=600Ω Balanced Output

Maximum Output Power:
125mW@RL=32Ω Unbalanced Output
240mW@RL=32Ω Balanced Output

Firmware Upgrade: Support for future upgrades

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Get it from ShenzhenAudio.com Store

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Colorfly CDA-M1P DAC Review – Whoa This is Heavy Doc appeared first on Music For The Masses.

It’s not like I needed more bad habits, but in anticipation of democracy ending this year, I’ve recently gotten into Tequila, which has a number of analogues to DAC/dongles, i.e.:

• Price is a (very) imperfect measure of quality (although $50-60 seems to be sweet spot);
• Larger, established brands are typically trumped by the smaller boutique stuff; and
• It’s a hard commodity to write about—descriptions of aroma/taste etc. rarely do justice to the actual drinking experience.

Try Siete Leguas or Marcame Anejo, which wholly outclass the Don Julios and Patrons of the world.

Which, in an admittedly roundabout way brings me to Hidizs’ latest the $39.99 SD2. Straight up, I don’t really like the SD2’s stubby, hexagonal form factor, which seems more inclined to get snagged in a pocket than a conventional cabled dongle (and also looks funny). Build quality, however, is excellent—machining is impeccable and the jewel-like alloy casing exudes quality. 

The SD2 does PCM 384/32 DSD 128 as opposed to the ostensibly higher-rez PCM 768/32 and DSD 512 on Hidisz’s pricier models; whether or not you can hear the difference is an open question. In case anyone still cares, the SD2 is MQA-capable. Tiny blue/red sample rate indicator will surely please obsessives. 

 Output power on the SD2 is spec’d at 70mw, which renders it beefier than prior Hidisz house favorite S3 but less robust than the Hidizs S9, which, unlike the SD2 also has balanced outs for more juice. As such, I found the SD2 to pair well with efficient (16-32 ohm) IEMs and fully capable of driving fairly tough loads like the Koss KSC75.

With more challenging phones like the 300 ohm Sennheiser HD 600, the SD was adequate but slightly underpowered, which is audible mainly at the low end, which sounds more billowy and slow than with the SD2 than through the balance out of the S9.  I did observe that compared to my current go-tos like the Truthear Shio, the SD2 is quite a power hog, although it remains cool to the touch.

So how does it sound? Quite a bit like the S9 actually, with a ballsy, bright tonality that accentuates midrange and imparts a lot of sparkle and crispness at the high end. As with the S9, there is considerable coloration to the proceedings—voices and percussion have a hyper-pixilated quality that can sound analytical or overly-energetic on some material, although micro-details are very cleanly presented. Background is very quiet and at least on more sensitive phones, bass is speedy and tight and soundstage is expansive and three-dimensional, with a lot of air between instruments. 

Where the SD2 really stands out is in its stereo imaging, which is as precise as I’ve heard at this price point. The position of each performer is immediately discernible, and there’s no recognizable bleed between frequencies. Large-scale orchestral works are impressively sorted out, as are dense rock tracks (you can actually hear Ian Stewart’s piano on the Stone’s “Shake Your Hips”).

Now, among its peers the Truthear Shio or Cozoy Tact have a more natural/neutral presentation, but are notably less resolving and extended—your preference will likely be source-dependent. Hidisz’s own S3 (orig. $69, now discounted to $39) trails the SD2 in dynamic slam and high-end detail, but sounds a tad smoother and has a similarly wide soundstage and much of the same forward, energetic character.

Ultimately, even when the effects of my Tequila binge have subsided, the SD2 earns a thumbs up—it’s a very big-sounding piece which throws off a lot of sonic information. 

Disclaimer: per past practice the SD2 was sent to us unsolicited by Hidisz. You can buy one here: https://www.hidizs.net/products/hidizs-sd2-hifi-type-c-to-3-5mm-adapter-dongle-dac. It’s your money, after all.

Specifications Hidizs SD2

Contact us!

The post Hidizs SD2 Hifi Type-C to 3.5mm Dongle DAC Review – Of Gods, Generals And Agave appeared first on Music For The Masses.

We already have had a complete review piece about DragonFly Cobalt for almost three years now at audioreviews.org, and based on shared appreciation within our team we decided to stick it onto our Wall of Excellence. As AudioQuest sent me a sample too, I am now sharing my own take on the device.

Very interestingly, AudioQuest recently repositioned Cobalt’s price to € 199,95 in EU (down from € 299,95) – and I can anticipate this is a KO move vs much of its direct competition. Cobalt is widely distributed, and can be purchased from multiple channels including Amazon and many other online platforms.

At-a-glance Card

Features and description

Externals

DragonFly Cobalt is the size of an old-school “USB pen drive”, with is encasing painted of a nice blue – or well, cobalt – color.

There are no controls, wheels or buttons whatsoever on the structure. Only after plugging it into a host PC (or Mac, or mobile device) one realises that the stylised dragonfly logo on the top side is indeed backlit by a colored LED, which color changes depending on the input stream digital sample rate:

Internals

The DragonFly product range is based on technology developed by a mr Gordon Rankin, a gentleman busy with seriously innovative digital and analog audio technology and products for the past almost 4 decades.

Gordon’s own company Wavelength Audio Ltd still holds the rights to the registered trademarks and of course the intellectual property at the very heart of AudioQuest’s DragonFl(ies), including DragonFly Cobalt of course.

Just for the sake of historical curiosity – and give Caesar his own, of course – StreamLength® is the given name of Gordon’s original setup which for the first time allowed for a plug-in device to take control of USB communication timing, which was normally exclusively managed by the host (the PC) until then. Such flip of perspective is the crux to the nowadays ubiquitous “Asynchronous USB mode”, the very base to start from and achieve adequate control over jitter when it comes to digital audio communications.

Once put the plug-in device in a control position over communications timing, the other step Gordon took was that of giving the device itself a high precision clock generator, which in DragonFly Cobalt case happens by taking it out of the very ESS ES9038Q2M chip at its core. Such setup was originally named “monoClock® technology” by Gordon.

Another fundamental architectural choice taken inside DragonFly Cobalt is to adopt separate chips for digital reconstruction (DAC) and amplification – as opposed to most of the direct competition relying on “all-in-one” chips doing both things on the same piece of silicon and – which is most significant to our discussion – without offering integrators and users any significant flexibility to change, fine tune, let alone customise the overall system behaviour. That’s why DragonFly Cobalt’s voicing, dynamic range and SNR won’t be apriori similar to that of other dongle devices relying on ES9038-line chips’ internal amping features.

Exploiting another feature on ES9038Q2M, DragonFly Cobalt comes with a custom designed minimum-phase slow roll-off FIR filter.

While I have no complaints about such choice, considering the hardware offers support for it I would welcome the chance to apply different filters, via good ol’ firmware flashing or even better via some sort of mobile app. Maybe there’s a chance this would come in the future?

USB communications are carried out via the good deeds of a Microchip’s PIC32MX274 IC, featuring extremely low power needs, also vis-a-vis its programming for support only USB-1on DragonFly Cobalt.

All such choices – the DAC chip, the AMP chip, and the USB processor chip – contribute to DragonFly Cobalt being amongst the lowest-power-demanding dongles on the market when it comes to host supply needs, which is why it is one of the very few to offer full compatibility with iPhone/iPad hosts, notoriously unable to deliver other than very low power off of their Lightning sockets.

Mind you though: free meals not being a part of real life, nor any divinity existing taking care of creating energy from nothing no matter how hard you pray, low input power draw means a few things that you do need to keep in mind to set the correct expectations about DragonFly Cobalt’s performance.

One: the USB-1 protocol drains much less power at the cost of a limited maximum transfer speed, which in terms of digital audio values turns into a 24 bit / 96 KHz digital resolution cap. And… PCM only! No DSD support.

Two: the ESS 9601 amp will prove limited in terms of maximum output power, with particular regards to current . So while it will reliably deliver a nice 2.1 V max swing on high impedance loads, DragonFly Cobalt will not (as it can not) adequately power low(er) sensitivity drivers, especially if featuring low impedances too.

So in practical terms you should not rely on DragonFly Cobalt to properly driver the likes of final E5000, or final B1, or final A3000, let alone pretty much any planar driver. 

And, no surprise should arise when Cobalt will seem to “struggle” (e.g. in terms of loss of treble control) with “mid-hard” loads. All that will be due to the device’s internal power circuitry “running out of current” in some situations, having it apriori been set up not to request more than a certain, very limited power from the host device to begin with.

Input

Like all pure “dongles”, DragonFly Cobalt only accepts USB input.

Very “classically” the device carries a USB-A male plug, so in itself it’s ready to plug onto any common PC or Mac USB port.

A USB-A to USB-C short cable adapter is supplied too, to facilitate connectivity with more recent smartphones. More on the adapter under Package, here below.

Output

DragonFly Cobalt’s sole output is its analog 3.5mm connector, of course accepting any 3.5mm single-ended terminated load.

Those who (also) own balanced-ended sources will most likely have a few or many of their drivers equipped with balanced terminated cables, and will need a balanced-to-single-ended adapter to plug them onto the Cobalt.

Host power requirements

DragonFly Cobalt requires very low power from the host (i.e., the PC, the phone or the dap it is connected to and therefor powered from). I’m talking about just 60mA when idle (i.e. when connected but “doing nothing”), and between 150 and 200mA when playing out on good volume on a mid-impedance driver.

This is of course very good news, but grounds for some caveats too.

Starting on the good side: DragonFly Cobalt will not suck your phone battery dry in no time like so many direct competitors and (!) it will perfectly work with iPhones and iPads, known picky fellas when it comes to the powering requirements of the devices you plug onto them. It will also not more than vaguely warm during operation.

On the flip side there are two important notes to make – which I indeed already mentioned above under “Internals”.

One: DragonFly Cobalt exclusively supports the USB 1 protocol speeds (USB 2 would require more power), which translates into a maximum supported input resolution 24 bit, 96Khz PCM (and no DSD).

Two: DragonFly Cobalt’s maximum output power will be, of course, limited, too: expect it to be good for powering high impedance (300 ohm) dynamic drivers (e.g. Sennheiser HD-series cans) and mid-impedance (20-30 ohm) not particularly demanding IEMs – which are, combined, probably >95% of the drivers out there anyway.

Volume and gain control

DragonFly Cobalt offers no physical control options so there’s no way to set the gain, and the sole way to manage its volume is via the host’s digital volume control.

On such latter front a point, as you may or may not know, the Android operating system divides the USB device volume range in only 40 steps (or even 25 for the latest Android releases…). When operating a device like DragonFly Cobalt this results in the last ticks of the volume control range converting into way too big SPL variations.

So if you are planning on using DragonFly Cobalt on a Android-based host just keep in mind that the way to “fix” this is using a better featured music player app e.g. UAPP or others – which is what you would normally do anyway for a number of other reasons one above all bypassing standard Android audio drivers – re-defining the number of steps Volume control is divided into (up to 250, on UAPP).

Other features

MQA Rendering

I won’t spend a word on what MQA itself is, of course. Google around if you wish and you’ll be overflooded with info.

What matters here is: DragonFly Cobalt is a “MQA Renderer”, so it can fully unfold MQA tracks on its own hardware, which is an upgrade vs the default represented by having the music player host do the unfolding, and only limited to the first 2 folds.

Firmware

For their DragonFly product line AudioQuest offers free software for users to autonomously carry on firmware upgrade operations when needed.

For DragonFly Cobalt no updated firmware version was (yet) ever released, however.

DragonTail

DragonFly Cobalt ships together with two complementary accessories: a leather sleeve, and a USB-A to USB-C short adapter cable – which, as always in AudioQuest’s standards, got its own given name: “DragonTail Extender”.

The DragonTail appear as nothing else than a digital plug format adapter, much needed of course to facilitate connecting the Cobalt to mobile devices like smartphones, or dap/transports. The version bundled with Cobalt is called DragonTail-C as it features a USB-C male plug at its end. AudioQuest also carries a DragonTail-Micro alternative.

What’s probably most interesting about DragonTail is its quality. I won’t take a digital audio cabling detour here, but I think it’s worth to share a very simple experience I had with Cobalt. When I first put it to work I connected Cobalt to my PC, where there’s only a USB-C port available, so I used a “nameless” USB-A to USB-C adapter cable I had laying around on my desk. No surprises: it just worked as I was expecting it to, and Cobalt sounded “right” off the bat.

One day for whatever reason I needed a USB-A to USB-C adapter for another application. Where do I have one? Meh… who knows. While watching around I noticed the one hooked to the Cobalt so I just took that one off, leaving the Cobalt disconnected for a while.

A few days later I wanted to use the Cobalt again, and did not want to “undo” the other cabling involving the other adapter. Time to think harder and try to devine where could I have another one – and that’s when I remembered there must have been one left inside the Cobalt box. Took it. Plugged it. It worked (of course). But… Cobalt seemed to be sounding different.

Mmmh – I thought – that’s very likely my wrong memory. So I carried on, for a day or two. Then, I decided to check it. Undid the other cable chain, recuped the “nameless” adapter cable, and organised a quick A/B test. And yes, there is a difference. When using DragonTail to connect it to my PC the Cobalt delivers fuller notes, and a darker background.

As I mentioned en-passant within my article regarding AudioQuest’s JitterBug, a passive cable cannot possibly “improve” a digital signal. However, it can deplete it. So what is actually happening on my case is that DragonTail revealed that the other cable was introducing noise…

DragonFly Cobalt sound

DragonFly Cobalt sounds detailed, dynamic and most of all clean, yet significantly musical.

In terms of cleanness in particular it trades (hard!) blows with the E1DA’s 9038SG3 and 9038D, arguably the “cleanest” – in the sense of most distortion-free – dongle-class devices one can find.

Which leads me right to articulate about the true crucial point of Cobalt’s sound: its stunningly spot-on compromise between resolving power, transparency and musicality.

I can name other more musical (“gracefully colored”) dongles. I can name more transparent ones, too. Very often, if not invariably, auditioning one of either group makes you soon want one from the other. Cobalt is not that. When listening to Cobalt’s clean notes you can’t fail noticing how expressive they also are, and, while going with Cobalt’s musical flow you’ll never feel you are really missing tiny beats, or soft nuances.

Cobalt’s output is masterfully “balanced”, not in the meaning we most commonly give to the word, regarding properly reciprocally calibrating lows mids and highs, rather is the sense of delivering as much of both – transparency and musicality, clean timbre and personal tonality – one can realistically hope to have at the same time.

Considerations & conclusions

DragonFly Cobalt is an absolutely remarkable piece of gear offering high quality reconstruction, reference-level amping transparency and delicious tonality, all near-magically mixed together at a unique mixture spot.

With its minuscule input power demands Cobalt is possibly the easiest in its class to pair with any mobile transport, iPhones and their (in)famous interfacing standards and power-out limitations. And, its single-ended output fully supports all those stock wires you may have a drawer full of, without leaving a balanced alternative to be desired.

Some may consider its modest maximum output power a limitation, and technically right so. However, in practical terms they translate into letting out possibly less than 5% of the IEMs on our Wall of Excellence.

DragonFly Cobalt was stuck onto our Wall of Excellence long ago, when its price was € 299,95. Now it’s been repositioned to € 199,95. Enough said, I guess.

The Editor: I have been using the Cobalt daily for the last three years...despite a drawer full of dongles: sounds great, has low power consumption, is small and light, and easy to use. The (monetary) value is mainly in its DAC part.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

The post AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt Review (2) – Knowledge Is Power appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The Colorfly CDA-M2 is a powerful dongle with excellent imaging and an organic sound that drives current-hungry low-impedance iems well as well as 300 ohm headphones at the cost of a “healthy” battery draw from the source.

The $159 Colorfly CDA-M2 was provided unsolicited for my review by SHENZHENAUDIO, and I thank them for that. You can purchase it from SHENZHENAUDIO.COM.

Introduction

Ever since audio pioneer Gordon Rankin produced a dongle (“a DAC/amp without battery sourced by the host device”) with a current drain small enough to work with a mobile phone, a plethora of companies has released countless models following this concept. We may remember “Dongle Madness” and other sensationalist (but rather unorderly) ranking lists. /

These dongles can be put into two end member categories: such with power, and such with low battery drain (AudioQuest DragonFly series). The powerful ones drive low-impedance earphones/headphones well but drain your phone’s battery fast (e.g. ifi Audio Go bar). The battery conserving ones may not be used for earphone/headphone with impedances below 24 ohm (bass would be mushy as it needs the most power).

The art is to produce a dongle with the best compromise between the two. A successful example is the $250 Questyle M15. The ColorFly CDA-M2 (another “Fly”) balances this fine line relatively well with lots of power and an acceptable battery drain.

Colorfly is not as new a company as one might think, they are subsidiary of Colorful, the graphic card manufacturer. The founder of Luxury & Precision (Mr Wan) was the former engineer for Colorfly. He designed the very first digital Chi-Fi audio player that is able to decode 24 bit files. He also designed the circuitry of the CDA-M2, which follows the highly acclaimed M1 model.

Specifications Colorfly CDA-M2

Physical Things and Functionality

In the box are the CDA-M2, a ribbon USB-C cable, and the manual. The CNC machined chassis is made of zinc alloy with a glass covered OLED screen (with 10 brightness levels). The device works plug-and-play with Apple, Android, and Windows devices (from version 10; a Windows driver for earlier version can be downloaded from the company site). A lightning cable for iPhone is not included.

The body may be relatively small but I find it slightly heavy at 27 g. Also, I’d like to see a soft case to protect it from crashing with the phone or computer it is attached to.

The device is hardware controlled by its three buttons. You will have to set the output on your host device to near 100% (I usually do 80%). You can adjust volume, gain, L and R balance, you have the choice between 5 digital filters (make essentially no difference), and you can switch on an overvoltage suppression (useful when accidentally disconnecting the device).

You can select screen brightness, rotate the display, and select the time it switches itself off. You also have the option to toggle a voltage overflow protection on/off, check the current voltage, and run the CDA-M2 in gaming mode (with presumably lower latency).

As to the technology under the hood, you find a lot of information in the specs above. The core is a dual Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chip that tells you absolutely nothing about the sound quality – in contrary to the internet’s echo chamber. All it indicatesis that a dual DAC may have a better channel separation and cross talk than a single one. But, rest assured, the chips are well implemented so that resulting sound quality is actually very good. Details below.

Amplification and Power Management

The CDA-M2 provides enough current to drive the notorious thirsty final E5000 earphones – not many dongles can do that. It also handles 300 ohm headphones such as my Sennheiser HD 600 well. Providing a relatively high current comes at a price: it drains your source faster than, let’s say, the even more powerful Questyle M15.

The CDA-M2 is accepted even by older iPhones, despite Apple’s limitation to a current draw of 100 mA. The Colorfly engineers must have found a way to circumvent this barrier.

This may not play a role with a computer source or a modern phone, but will be a challenge for an older model with a smaller battery. The champions in terms of power management are still the AudioQuest DragonFlys, which, as a downside, don’t drive current-hungry, that is low-impedance earphones well (<24 ohm).

If you want to read up on these particularities around “Ohm’s Law”, I can offer this article as a guide.

Sound

After having tested umpteen dongles, the CDA-M2 blew me somewhat out of my socks. Sound quality is incredible (considering its $159 price tag). It can be characterized as neutral, possibly with the corners rounded a bit by the slightest temperature, but very agreeable (“musical”) and not analytical like the ifi Audio Go Bar, for example. Very appealing to my ears.

Imaging is absolutely outstanding, beating even my beloved Questyle QP1R ($950 in 2015). I started testing with the easy-to-drive final Sonorous III closed-back headphones and the very difficult-to-drive final E5000 earphones. The CDA-M2 mastered both with ease: luscious, crisp, transparent yet rich. Wonderful dynamics. Biiiiiiig staging. Everything so homogenous and organic.

I am increasingly wondering why we need desktop stacks, at least for transducers that do not need excessive current.

In comparison, the $250 Questyle M15 is slightly more powerful [better for 300 ohm headphones] and has less current draw. While is also handles the notorious final E5000, it drains your phone slower than the CDA-M2. In terms of sound, the CDA-2 may sound a bit crisper and forward, and the M15 a bit thicker and laid back. But these differences are small – both devices are excellent. The most important differences are in power and price.

Concluding Remarks

Not only did the Colorfly CDA-M2 surprise me, it also completely convinced me: tons of features, super sound. What a great dongle that raises the bar in the $150 region.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

Disclaimer

Our generic standard disclaimer.

The post Colorfly CDA-M2 Review – With Flying Colors appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

Fosi Audio has been pumping out desktop audio gear like mad and the new Fosi Audio P3 preamp is designed to fit with many of their desktop amplifiers like the TB10D, or their well received V3 amp.

It is a bit of a conundrum to pair the P3 with the V3 given the V3 was marked an audiophile piece, but there are audiophiles that also believe only the best sound comes from tubes. There is room for all types in this hobby, and priced at $79 this is a low entry fee for hybrid tube preamps.

THE EVALUATION

The Fosi Audio P3 is not a tube only design relying on solid state to drive the output. The tubes are only injecting colorful fun. Despite the Fosi Audio P3 measuring flat, it does impart a sonic signature due to harmonic distortion components.

Low end is warm, and the treble becomes vivid. The midrange has some additional tone weight and separates from the homogeneous exactness of a solid state amplifier. Some staging separation is condensed, but at the expense of drawing out some depth components. 

Analyzing the features of the Fosi Audio P3 I appreciate the tone controls have detents for the zero position. This was something that bothered me on the TB10D and BT30 Pro. The tone controls allow a 10dB boost in the bass, and 6dB in the treble.

These features are similar but not exactly the same as the Ampapa A1 that has detents for all positions. The knobs feel solid and are tapered to allow your fingers to turn the knobs without hitting the table. They are dainty in size, smooth and solid. The Ampapa A1 are more substantial and retro feeling.

The tubes used in the Fosi Audio P3 are the same GE JAN 6594 tubes, they both have a headphone output, but the secondary input is where they differ. The Ampapa A1 offers a phono input while the Fosi Audio P3 provides bluetooth.

There is also an Auxiliary output on the P3, but it is redundant to the RCA connection. This extra connection is tied to the volume control unlike the auxiliary output of the V3. Inside the Fosi Audio P3, the blueooth chipset supports up to AptXHD and AptX Low-latency but not LDAC. Range is good with the external antenna.

The headphone output is strong and capable or perhaps sufficient to power my Drop Sennheiser HD6XX however there is a limit where there could be more control. You can tell it poops out just as you get to the good stuff and the specs indicate why with only 32mW of power at 300ohms. The headphone output is not the star of the show, the SMSL HO100 and JDS Labs Atom have more bottom end control and the tube coloration also changes the treble and midrange clarity and separation.

Fosi Audio P3 uses a logarithmic taper volume POT for more even volume control. Linears POTs jump to fast in the low to mid volume section. Another potential downside is the use of the 3.5mm jack instead of the larger 6.35mm. While the majority of headphones use 3.5mm, a 6.35mm with an adapter can help improve longevity. If the adapter fails or gets worn, it is easier to replace.

Other observations, there is a 15 second turn on time most likely to allow the tubes to warm up. I also again appreciate the Fosi Audio P3 includes a UL listed external Nationally Recognized Test Lab 12V 1.5amp power adapter. For me this is important so as to not have self certified power adapters plugged into my home.

WHAT’S LEFT?

The compact size and form factor fits in line with their TB10D, and the V3 and their K5 DAC (not tested). The finish is more satin/matte than the TBD10D, but matches the V3 aesthetic. The tubes fit snugly into the sockets.

For someone looking for an inexpensive hybrid tube solid state preamp, with a semi-powerful headphone output and bluetooth support in place of a phono input, the Fosi Audio P3 is a good contender. It adds a little harmonic punch, midrange pop and treble glisten to butter up your music.

Disclaimer: Sent to me gratis for an evaluation. We appreciate Fosi Audio for allowing us to pick and poke at their products from time to time.

Purchase Links (non-affiliate/no commisions earned):

https://fosiaudio.com/products/fosi-audio-p3-tube-preamp
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_ok91hH7
https://fosiaudio.com/pages/preamp-p3#g-szpTrknv
https://www.ebay.com/itm/296013294697?nordt=true

SPECIFICATIONS

https://fosiaudio.com/pages/preamp-p3

Headphone Output Power:
250mw @16Ω；150mw @32Ω
32mw @250Ω；20mW @300Ω
Headphone Impedance: 16-300Ω
SNR: ≥103dB
Dynamic Range: 104dB
THD: ≤ 0.02%
Noise Floor: 64uV
Crosstalk: 95dB
Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-20kHz(±1dB)
Bluetooth Chip：QCC3031
Bluetooth Version：5.1
Bluetooth Range：≥10m
Bluetooth Codecs：SBC/AAC/aptX/aptX HD/aptX LL
Power Input：DC 12V/1.5A~3A

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER Fosi Audio P3

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Fosi Audio P3 Hybrid Tube Preamp Review – Let Your Soul Glow appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

How do I follow my fellow friend dishing out my take on the SMSL DO400? Sometimes I feel like a stand-up comedian that now has to follow an act that just knows how to nail it. Regardless, these DAC companies are in a space race back to the moon, and SMSL is much like the retail world in America tripping over itself to release two holiday displays at the same time…looking at you Costco with your Halloween and Christmas products out and it is only August.

There was an article that once said a DAC over $2 buys features, not performance however in this case the SMSL D0400 has pretty much all the features possible on a 2 channel DAC and knocks the performance off the chart. Originally discussed in our circle as a potential $1000 Swiss army black box, the SMSL DO400 is actually affordably priced at $500 given all the features and doodads.

IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE THAT COUNTS

The SMSL DO400 packs everything it can into the hardcover book-sized frame like my wife on a 3 day trip, everything except an analog input. I can see what Loomis is getting at, I am ok given the amount of digital features. It would be a waste to only use it as an analog preamp, but without a that feature it cannot claim the title of fledged preamp with one of every input.

SMSL DO400 includes state-of-the-art DAC chip from ESS, single-ended 6.35mm and both 4.4mm/ XLR balanced headphone outputs, remote control, optical, coax, USB, and I2S digital inputs, AES/EBU and RCA  XLR balanced outputs for use as a preamp. Avlaialbe in standard Black or Silver for something more visible.

Having tested several other SMSL devices and purchasing the SU-9 as my full-time desktop DAC, the DO400 is an upgrade in the DAC department and checking off all the SINAD, testing parameter boxes making it pretty boring in a numbers only game. It is a transparent DAC and powerful sounding headphone amp that easily drives my DROP Sennheiser HD6XX to full throttle.

The SMSL SU-9 was/is a great DAC. There were some quips about the ESS IMD hump, but sonically it was excellent. My nuisance conundrum was the lame 0-99 volume display. I really wanted to see 100 or at least a way to have the display turn off after a predetermined timeframe, both of which were resolved with the SMSL SU-10 and the SMSL DO400 carries the same heritage over. 

Now we get a -dB display for volume which is way more useful, and to add life to the display by offering auto turn-off times in the menu. Curiously they named it dimmer, I feel like display would have been a better menu category, it is not to be confused with brightness which is the next available menu setting.

You also get full access to the ESS Sabre ES9039MSPro features with sound color modes (slight EQ), the usual 7 low pass filters, DPLL settings for troublesome clocked digital inputs, and the XLR outputs have an adjustable +/- pin switch which is useful for goofballs like me that have some older Pro-amps like the Crest FA901 that use a reverse polarity XLR balanced input. I can use the SMSL DO400 as a digital preamp going into some powerful two channel goodness, even though some people forsaken fan noise as the devil.

The I2S setting also has reverse polarity settings. First time using it, so not sure how someone is supposed to know the I2S output type. For those utilizing DSD files, the SMSL D0400 is equipped with a third generation XMOS 316 chip.

That is not the only new addition to the SMSL DO400 as it is equipped with the TI TPA6120A2 current feedback integrated chip that provides a level of uniformity that rivals the art of a discrete design. The current feedback of the chips has a high slew rate that reduces odd-order distortion leaving the more favorable even order distortion that tube enthusiasts enjoy due to a rich warm aspect. From an electrical design standpoint it simplifies parts and provides a controlled and repeatable experience. 

COMPLAINTS AND CRITICISMS

At $500, there has to be some room for improvement and as things get more expensive so do the first world “problems”. The case cover is steel although quite solid still. The rotary knob has wobbles and the knobbies on the knob itself are a weird decoration. I would have preferred to have them on the outer edge so the knob has some grip. The knob is metal and not plastic, it’s the shaft of the rotary encoder that moves around. SMSL DO400 did plant itself firmly with four feet this time, I still have no idea why the SU-9 had only three.

Stylistic choices are purely individual taste, but overall the SMSL DO400 feels and looks like digital techno wizardry, rather than a symphonic masterpiece that pricey high-end devices tend to exude. There is no joy in clicking through menus, but I do appreciate all the features. SMSL needs to add a menu Exit that does not require the remote, waiting for the menu to go away to take back control of the volume knob is still a nuisance. Snobbery aside, I appreciate the value that everything the SMSL DO400 delivers because changes to this formula would most definitely hike up the price tag for little added value.

SOUND

Inputs tested were primarily the USB section, but also the optical via a Sony DVP-S7700 and Denon DVD-2200 and lastly the bluetooth for casual background chatter. Bluetooth connection was strong and worked at a fairly large distance.

Listening to the SMSL DO400 is everything you would expect of a high class DAC amp combo. It sounds extremely transparent and powerful. At -12dB on high gain, the Drop Sennheiser HD6XX is rocking hard, not something that I recommend long term. Switching over to low gain and pairing it with the awesome BGVP DM9, allows the SMSL DO400 to utilize its prowess. 

The BGVP DM10 has a very detailed upper end, and the SMSL DO400 can extract the nuances and microdynamics the DM10 is capable of recreating. Everything sounds hyped and lively leaving nothing to hide., it does not smooth or gloss over any detail.

Compared to the JDS Labs Atom with SMSL SU-9, the SMSL DO400 fleshed out the upper end by improving depth and black levels. Big band sounded large and lively as it should, cymbals and horns have natural sounding decay patterns. The Atom/SU-9 combo sounds overall smoothed out but still equally clean. The SMSL DO400 is well-rounded getting in all the corners and extracting out all the fine details. There is also double the power on tap for the DO400 over the Atom, so room for volume differences when comparing.

FINISH

While the JDS Labs Atom has served well to act not only as my headphone amp but also my preamp for the powered monitors, it will officially be replaced with the more solidly built SMSL DO400. The SU-9 is still a wonderfully built and excellent sounding DAC, the DO400 at only $100 more over the original price tag of the three footed SU-9, arrives with four feet, a larger footprint and a complete desktop solution with all features that is going to be hard to beat.

SMSL SU-9 will find a new home amongst my 2 channels setups. The absurdity of value the SMSL DO400 brings to the table is mind boggling, given that it’s essentially a D400ES ($550) plus a HO200 ($400) in one package. I still cannot fathom the value of the SMSL DO400, not sure where we go from here, but yeah this thing is cool.

DISCLAIMER

SMSL DO400 provided at no cost by Aoshida Audio. We thank them for that.

SPECIFICATIONS SMSL DO400

Product Page:

https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/843.html

Contact us!

Get it from AOSHIDA AUDIO

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post SMSL DO400 DAC/Headphone Amp Review (2) – Digital Wizardry Got Mojo Working appeared first on Music For The Masses.

$70 seems to be the sweet spot for good dongles, with ubiquitous exemplars like the Hidisz S3, iFi Go and Moondrop Dawn. The $70 Truthear Shio doesn’t  sound exponentially better than its peers but does offer a 4.4mm balanced jack, a useful volume control and good driving power, especially in high-gain mode—it drove my demanding Senn 650 capably while more sensitive (16-32 Ohm) IEMs maintained their composure and avoided sharpness or shrillness at high volumes.

Less forward and energized than the S3, the Shio hews closer to the neutral-sounding, uncolored Moondrop, perhaps with a somewhat tighter, more sculpted bass.  The Shio (like the Moondrop) is an  excellent choice for those who want to hear the music exactly as recorded.

The $90 UA2 Plus opts for a brighter, bolder presentation with more high end detail and sizzle; cymbals and high hats sound very crisp and attack transients are very quick. Quite mid-forward (bass is a bit restrained and vocals have a larger-than-life presence and emphasis), with a full-bodied, but well-sculpted note texture. Soundstage seems wider than the Shio’s, and resolution is very high.

It’s a gutsy, exciting signature but over-etched and unnatural at times—your ears get drawn to the individual elements rather than to the cohesive whole. These do pair well with and add some juice to warmer or more reference-tuned phones, though I prefer a less hopped-up dongle for daily use.

The $99 Hidizs XO takes the bright ballsy delivery of the UA2 Plus and amps it up to 11—this MFer plays LOUD, with a giant booming bass and a rich, larger-than-life tone. As with the UA2 Plus, it’s an ear-catching sound which places instruments very accurately across an expansive, 3-D stage. However, like Cerwin-Vega speakers, some refinement is lost amidst the sonic furor—everything sounds over-caffeinated and the low-end emphasis tends to blur some fine nuances.

I also struggle to understand the inclusion of the flashing lights (perhaps there are more Deadheads in Hong Kong than generally known?)—they are the DAC equivalent of spinning rims. Like the UA2 Pro, the XO can enliven flatter pieces, but  ultimately I characterize the XO as fun but inessential.

All of the above have their merits, and none registered as poor value, but the Truthear was the best-balanced of the lot and would be my pick for all but the most power-hungry phones. If nothing else, this little exercise should be irrefutable proof that not all dac/dongles sound the same.

Contact us!

The post Truthear Shio, Shanling UA2 Plus and Hidizs XO Dongle Shootout – ‘Cos You Can Never Have Enough Portable Audio Gear appeared first on Music For The Masses.

If nothing else, SMSL packs a ton of features into the DO400—a high quality DAC (ES9039MSPRO chip with w/MQA decoding), digital preamp, high powered headphone amp and LDAC/AptX Bluetooth streaming. Aesthetics, UI and build are standard SMSL, albeit with a slightly revised display window which shows input source, sampling rate, etc.

Connectivity is impressive, with balanced and unbalanced outs, and a panoply of digital inputs. Curiously, there are no analog inputs, which limits the sources you can pair it with. Stepped volume control is very sensitive and, as previously, the single control knob on the face is very intuitive and user-friendly.

I road-tested the DO400 with an old Sony ES CD player and my desktop PC; I also used it as a preamp with my trusty Parasound HCA power amp as well as SMSL’s pocketbook-sized, Class D A300. I tested its headphone section with the 300 Ohm Sennheiser 650, the 60 Ohm Koss KSC75 and a gamut of sensitive (16-32 Ohm) IEMs, including the fantastic new BGVP DM9.

As a DAC, the DO400 epitomizes SMSL’s house sound—wide soundstage, prominent, well-controlled bass, a forward, driving midrange and very crisp, detailed high end. Notes are weightier than on SMSL’s cheaper offerings like the SMSL SU-6 or C100, although compared to SMSL’s fantastic, comparably priced SMSL SU-9 the DO400 sounds slightly brighter and less-smoothed over; there’s an analytical quality to the treble end which gives a hyper-pixilated sheen to piano keys and cymbal hits.

Tonality is nonetheless quite live-sounding, if occasionally exhausting. Like the SU-9, the various sound colors and DSD filters have a very subtle effect (more pronounced through the headphone section), though technoids will enjoy. 

Background is dead quiet and instrument separation is very clean. Largely because of these qualities, it’s really excellent as a preamp—transparent yet energetic, with considerable presence and drive even at lower volume.  It sounds like an expensive piece. (Note that Bluetooth sounds fine, though not transcendent; esp. when contrasted to the hi-res and even CD material I used for testing, I felt little urge to return to it).

I compared the DO400’s  DAC to my audio chum’s Chord Mojo  ($500ish), which has a similarly dynamic, open-sounding presentation. The Mojo sounds somewhat bassier and fuller, perhaps truer to source, but doesn’t present some the very fine detail you’ll hear on the SMSL. Sonically, we could not pick a clear winner between the two (the Mojo being better matched to heavy rock and the SMSL to subtler fare), though the SMSL has much superior UI and more functions.

As a headphone amp, the DO400 is characterized by its power, clarity, and precise instrument separation—every note is cleanly articulated and there’s no bunching of performers. There is a bit of unnatural adrenalized quality to the presentation—drums in particular have a loud, hyped-up quality even on quieter passages.

This effect is, predictably, less of a factor on less sensitive phones—the Senn HD 650 (which can sound lethargic without sufficient power) took on a palpably physical, toe-tapping presence while the cheap, tough-to-drive Koss presented much better bass control and sounded bigger-than-usual.

More efficient phones, however, tended to lose some composure, especially at the low end—the BGVP DM9, which are meticulously sculpted and accurate through my mobile and a dongle, sounded overdriven and billowy through the DO400 even without the HPA mode engaged.

In contrast, my cheaper headphone amps like the (tube) Aune T1 and the Pro-Ject Head Box presented significantly less detail, a thinner note presentation and a narrower stage, but were actually a better match for the DM9—warmer and more coherent, with less unruly bass, However, the DO400 has a noticeably quieter background–the difference is like being live in the studio vs. listening to a vinyl rig. 

So the DO400 is not a paragon of neutrality, and as a headphone amp it pairs better with higher impedance headphones. It does however have a lot of that elusive PRAT and is a clear step above SMSL’s very credible entry level DACs; especially considering its preamp functionality, registers as a lot of machine for the money. Another winner for the relentless SMSL machine.

Disclaimer: This unit was provided to me by Aoshida for review purposes and can be purchased here (tested at $499):

https://aoshida-audio.com/products/smsl-do400

I have passed this on to Durwood for his (generally better-informed) take; what he does with it is entirely up to him.

Specifications SMSL DO400

Contact us!

The post SMSL DO400 DAC And Headphone Amplifier Review (1) – Will The Circle Be Unbroken? appeared first on Music For The Masses.

HERE WE ARE

There is something enticing and comforting about big chunks of aluminum, copper and steel that emit heat while pushing electrically charged particles around and with these small black box amplifiers, Fosi Audio V3 shifts the goal posts and somehow invites curiosity from the opposite of excess.

Cramming it full of all the audiophile buzz word components and features at an affordable starting price of $89, or unlocking more power at $109, what us power hogs identify as an amp might be slowly shifting.

Fosi Audio appears to be active listening and have taken part in the forum communities to pluck what drives reliability and credibility to an audio product. What we get in return is a well thought out desktop amplifier for those chained to a desk, or that could also serve as the anchor in a nice 2 channel setup as long as power expectations are kept in check with the included power supply.

LET’S TALK DESIGN CHOICES

With these small black box amplifiers, Fosi Audio V3 shifts the goal posts and crams it full of all the audiophile buzz word components and features at an affordable starting price of $89, or unlocking more power at $109. They appear to be active listening and have taken part in the forum communities to pluck what drives reliability and credibility to an audio product.

What we get in return is a well thought out desktop amplifier for those chained to a desk, or that could also serve as the anchor in a nice 2 channel setup as long as power expectations are kept in check with the included power supply.

Apart from the very obvious marketing blurbs about Japanese Elna and German Wima capacitors, along with Japanese Sumida inductors, we get a UL certified power supply included with the Fosi Audio V3 when selecting the 32V option. Seems like a small win, but that means it passes all safety requirements.

That is not to say the original power supply provided with the TB10D or the BT30D Pro were dangerous, it just means they are willing to go the extra mile. There are actually two options when purchasing the Fosi Audio V3 direct from their store, the one supplied with a 32V power supply ($89) or the one with a 48V supply ($109). The power supply by itself sells for $59, so a much better value choosing the 48V. This is also another win.

However, I wish they would cut it out with the 300W irrelevant text pulled from the Texas instruments data sheet. Hopefully they are not fooling anyone, but I am sure there are true believers. To reach those levels, it requires a 51-53V supply and those power ratings are with 10% distortion, and most likely poor SINAD numbers.

Coming back to the parts used, they designed it using reputable parts and swap-able op-amps that pays homage to the days of tube swappers. It does come supplied with the workhorse NE5532 which is a solid choice and rather inexpensive these days (~$0.67 non-bulk pricing).

Of course those with tweaking hands will definitely open it up and probably swap in MUSE op-amps or some Burr Brown. What I would like to see from brands that offer this flexibility is actual verification that certain op-amps are compatible. With the wrong circuit design, a “better” op-amp can actually invite instability and oscillations.

Fosi Audio does appear to consider recommendations and also made sure to capitalize on that by actually offering the MUSE02, OPA2134PA, and OPA2604PA. I have dabbled in op-amp swaps with one of my Audiotrak Prodigy soundcards using the OPA2227, OPA2134 and am familiar with Douglas Self testing from over a decade ago, but the NE5532 is a fine op-amp to stick with.

Other features or rather non-features of the Fosi Audio V3 include only a tapered logarithmic on/off volume knob and the subtraction of any tone controls that might detract from a purist experience. Logarithmic volume controls give the user better control to find the volume sweat spot without large jumps in the output power.

There is also a 3.5mm pre-out connection however not sure what purpose it serves other than to daisy chain a headphone amp to it. The pre-out works whether the amp is on or not so therefore it is not tied to the volume control. If it were, then we would have a proper preamp for a subwoofer.

The Fosi Audio V3 does exhibit a small blip (not a pop) when turning on. It would not even remotely damage anything I am only pointing it out because Fosi claims noise free turn off-but they are clever by not mentioning turn ON noise.

Cooling did not seem to be a problem on the TB10D, but the Fosi Audio V3 adds ventilation holes on the top and bottom. The size of the case is the same as the TB10D and about the size of a computer mechanical hard drive. If anything it would aid in any heat buildup in the filter inductors. Regardless, it stays cool to the touch even during spirited listening sessions.

HOW DOES THE FOSI AUDIO V3 SOUND?

Several of my friends gave the Fosi Audio V3 a listen paired with an Adcom GCD-600 CD player and vintage Kef 103.2 speakers (8 ohm)- a far stretch for bookshelf speakers. I also paired it with a SMSL C200 DAC and Behringer Truth B2030 (4 ohm) nearfield monitors.

Volume was plentiful, bass was tight and controlled but not given a chance to blossom as it did with an Nelson Pass designed Adcom GFA-545. Probably not fair given the highly regulated power supply of the Fosi compared to the linear power supply of the Adcom with its ample capacitor power reserve and more power for dynamics.

Also keep in mind the Adcom can easily supply 100W at 8 ohms and the V3 is closer to 30-50W. An unfair advantage for sure until you remember one can take up minimal space on a desktop, and the other is geared for equipment rack usage.

The Fosi Audio V3 had quick transients almost to the point of sounding too clean, we all seemed to prefer the more organic nature of the Adcom although I admit we did have sighted bias going on. Also due to depth reproduction, layering was crunched giving a flatter stage presence.

I think our biggest take away was there was something going on in the treble mostly noticeable on cymbal hit-hats making them sound over-damped and trimmed. The Adcom let them ride a bit. Like biting into an apple that has been stored too long, the essence is there but the flavor and juice are missing. Surprisingly, I felt the Fosi Audio TB10D fell somewhere between the GFA-545 and the Fosi Audio V3 in cymbal reproduction, but delivered a boxed in stereo image.

I did notice the Fosi Audio V3 does not have the same power output as the TB10D despite the same power supply and amp chip. This was noticeable by turning both volume knobs as high as possible and using the DAC as the volume. Based on some sleuthing over at AudioScienceReview (ASR), it appears they might have opted to improve some measurement figures in lew of power output. This is how you can play numbers gains with amps.

TB10D = 29db gain at 76 SINAD
V3 = 26dB gain at 88 SINAD

In a desktop near field situation, staging is excellent and there is plenty of depth and width at play. The Adcom sounds more spacious, wider, and deeper as a result of the more expressive low end, while the Fosi Audio V3 sounded more even with less front to back definition and more focus. Timbre is a touch towards uncanny valley syndrome, sounding less wholesome otherwise sounds clean and transparent. Compared to their TB10D, the V3 improves upon stage width and stereo image.

FINAL POINTS

The Fosi Audio V3 is a great desktop amp, but is not going to replace a full fledged well designed two channel amp. As with all class D designs using a passive filter on the output we end up with load dependent frequency response on the Fosi Audio V3. Fosi made the right decision to reduce output power and go for a cleaner transparent amp with no tone controls.

In a desktop near-field situation the extra power is not needed, and extra cleanliness is applauded, however the treble sounds thinned out and has room for improvement in resolution. The V3 improves on stage width and does sound cleaner over the TB10D. I would have preferred a pre-out controlled via the volume control.

I hope to revisit with the larger power supply, to see if that helps unleash more potential, but as it stands there is plenty of juice for a near field application to reach reference decibel levels with ample dynamic headroom in an affordable package. Keep an eye out for sales, they tend to run promotional discount codes. The Fosi Audio V3 is a great recommendation around the $100 price point for a straight-forward no nonsense desktop amp.

Disclaimer: I am grateful that Fosi Audio provided the V3 despite my poor response time. Had I been more aware of my surroundings, I would have requested the 48V power supply. If I can get the 48V supply, I will update my review or have a secondary review if I can also locate my op-amp stash.

Get it from Fosi Audio, Amazon or Aliexpress

Fosi Audio Store (where you can select 48V power supply option currently): https://fosiaudioshop.com/products/fosi-audio-v3-300w-x2-2-0-channel-hi-fi-stereo-audio-amplifier-with-tpa3255-chip

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fosi-Audio-V3-Amplifier-Component/dp/B0C36S8DCT

Aliexpress: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805418717043.html

SPECIFICATIONS

Chip Set TI TPA3255
Output Power 300Wx2 @4Ω
Terminating Impedance 2-8Ω
Input Mode RCA
Output Mode Speaker Output + Pre-out
Frequency Range 20Hz-20kHz(±0.1dB)
SINAD 88dB
THD 0.003%
SNR ≥110dB
Control Knob Built-in Logarithmic Taper A pot
Device Dimension 6.5×4.1×1.4 inches
DC Input Range 24-48V
Power Supply 32V/5A, 48V/5A

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Fosi Audio V3 Amp Review (1) – Palm Sized Punch? appeared first on Music For The Masses.

I haven’t heard the earlier iteration of the AO200MKII (which sports the same dual Infeon MA12070 chips but is rated at only 50w/ch). I did, however, review the A300 (review here), which uses only one chip but has equal power and, unlike the AO200MKII, can be bridged to mono.

I tested the AO200MKII as an integrated with both  my efficient Energy Connoisseur C-1 or my inefficient (87db) Revel M-20 speakers  using an Oppo 105 universal player or my Dell PC as a source. I also compared to my current desktop power amp, an old, Curl-designed Parasound HCA, which is rated at 75w/ch but has particularly strong high-current delivery.

The AO200MKII had plenty of volume and headroom, and maintained composure even with the notoriously current-hungry Revels. Subjectively, it sounded more powerful than the similarly-spec’d A300 (though more restrained than the Parasound)—the engine on this little thing is impressive. 

The preamp section on the AO200MKII sounds clean, without the background noise of cheaper units, and it images very well, with good instrument separation and a nice rounded stage.  However, as with the A300 its tone was somewhat colored– lacking in body and warmth, particularly in the midrange, while high end sounded very detailed but a tad digital-bright. (Note that toying with the numerous EQ and tone control features on the AO200MKII does significantly enhance or attenuate the different frequencies, but doesn’t radically change its lean, brightish timbral quality).

Swapping in the Oppo or a Schiit passive as a preamp (using the AO200MKII as a stereo amp)  improved the presentation—notes sounded thicker and treble seemed smoother and better-resolved, although it wasn’t a night-and-day difference. Most folks would be more-than-contented with just the SMSL.

Bass is the standout here—its low end is deep, agile and fast, without bloom or thumpiness. It doesn’t have as much quantity as the Parasound’s, but actually sounded less billowy and better-suited for jazz and complex arrangements. Acoustic bass and low guitar notes in particular have a sculpted quality which reveals previously-unheard nuances.

The AO200MKII doesn’t sound quite as engaging at low volumes as my conventional A/B amps, but neither is it anemic (note further that the AO200MKII has an “SDP” setting—sort of a loudness control—which does fatten the bottom at lower volumes but sounds a tad artificial and somewhat veils the rest).

Unlike the A300, the AO200MKII sports balanced inputs, which is supposed to reduce distortion from signal transmission—I did hear a small but discernable improvement (mostly in the form of slightly fuller-sounding output) when I compared the balanced vs. RCA outputs on my Oppo 105 universal player. It’s a nice bonus feature.

As a Bluetooth streamer (AAC/SBC only), it’s okay—output is undistorted, but compressed/flat and Bluetoothy; by comparison the Bluetooth on the ($450) SMSL SU-9 sounds much more dimensional and full-bodied. The AO200MKII’s  USB DAC is likewise more-than- serviceable, if not necessarily a step up from the stock soundcard on my PC—SMSL’s cheap and excellent C100 sounded more energetic and detailed with the same source.

Not wishing to add more boxes (which would undermine the whole size advantage of the AO200MKII I randomly plugged my Audirect Atom dongle (review here) into the chain. Big improvement—the Atom imparted some warmth and brawniness to the proceedings, which tamed the slightly sharp edges of the unadorned AO200MKII.

The AO200MKII isn’t an audiophile tool—you can obviously spend a grand or so on say, a Musical Fidelity or Rega integrated-with-DAC and get a higher level of resolution. As a value proposition, though, the SMSL is unrivalled—for $250 you get a more-than-passable pre, a dead-quiet backdrop and enough juice to power your big passive speakers, while add-ons like the aforesaid dongle provide a cheap upgrade path. That it all comes in such a tiny package is all the more impressive. Well done and highly recommended within its price parmeters, especially if desk space is at a premium.

The AO200MKII was provided to us as a review sample by Aoshida:

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCVBZS9R
Aoshida official website: https://aoshida-audio.com/products/smsl-ao200-mkii

Other than asking us to provide the above purchase links, Aoshida (in addition to providing us with free stuff to review) have never requested any editorial favors or made other unseemly demands. We like Aoshida.

Contact us!

The post SMSL AO200MKII Power Amplifier 160W*2 Review – Tiny Dancer In My Hand appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Cons — Questyle M15 drains the host’s battery when in high gain
– Somewhat narrow staging
– Unforgiving nature might not suit the bright or peaky IEMs
– Slight upper-midrange glare when driven from phones
– No volume or playback controls
– Prone to RF interference

INTRODUCTION

Had I been a YouTube reviewer, I would have littered a ton of “fire” emojis across this review title. The thumbnail would allude to something akin to “shut-up and buy it”, while a somewhat disturbing image of my agape face would round-up the level of bewilderment and bemusement that the M15 has evoked.

Sadly, in the written form, I am but slave to the words.

Questyle M15 is the flagship dongle in the brand’s lineup, and overall, perhaps the best dongle one can buy. Sadly, such sweeping generalizations do not favor anyone, and everything is reliant upon context.

So, this review is to contextualize the reasons why the Questyle M15 might be the best dongle ever, or why it may not be the right dongle for certain use-cases. Read on.

Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. Thanks to Questyle for sending the M15 for evaluation.

Price, while reviewed: $250. Can be bought from Questyle’s Official Website.

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES

The packaging is minimal, while the accessories are basic. You get a type-C to type-C cable by default. For Apple users, the lightning cable is sold as a separate bundle for USD$20 premium. There is also a nice leather case that you can purchase separately.

BUILD QUALITY

Questyle opts for a CNC-milled aluminum chassis with a see-through acrylic window for the M15’s design. It’s a simple yet effective design decision to go for a see-through top, as it makes the M15 stand out without going overboard. Questyle is not new to this, as many of its desktop products offer an acrylic top for those so inclined.

In terms of inputs and outputs, things are decidedly simple. The type-C port allows USB connection while the 3.5mm and 4.4mm jacks offer unbalanced and balanced connections respectively. The balanced output sounds markedly better as an aside, but that is the case for nearly every dongle that offers a balanced output.

There is a button on the side for gain control, and that’s about it. No volume or playback buttons are there which might be an issue for some. There are two LEDs on the PCB that shines through the acrylic, one for gain level and another is the file type indicator.

Overall, a very simple yet elegant design that panders to my inner-geek thanks to that PCB that’s been laid bare.

HANDLING

At 61.8mm X 27.2mm X 12mm dimensions, the M15 is not the most innocuous of dongles in terms of size. However, I find it to be fairly practical on the desk and the low 25g of weight makes carrying it around easy enough. Even after prolonged usage, the M15 does not get hot which is another plus.

QUESTYLE M15 INTERNALS

Questyle has a knack for making pretty PCBs. Even the desktop DAC or amps have exceptionally clean PCB layout, and the M15 is no exception. Thanks to the acrylic window, all of it is in plain view. Apart from the ES9281AC DAC chip and the aforementioned status LEDs, you can also see the two SIP (system-in-package) current mode amp modules. Each module handles one channel.

There is also a TOREX power management unit that keeps the M15 inactive when no music is playing. In terms of specs, you get a really respectable 0.0003% THD and <-130dB SNR. Then you notice the output power specs and things just do not add up. A measly 22mW into 300ohms? Surely that cannot be right?

In terms of the actual “sound pressure” produced, that indeed seems to be misleading. The M15 can drive most dynamic driver headphones and nearly every single IEMs out there. Only issue is that for best performance, you need to use a laptop as the source. The higher current from the USB ports enable greater dynamic swings.

Speaking of dynamic swings, the SE out can have almost 2Vrms voltage swing from the single-ended out, and about 3.8Vrms from the balanced out. You can connect the M15 to a pair of powered monitors in a pinch and use it as a DAC/pre-amp combo. Just make sure to put the volume at max on the DAC side.

All in all, respectable measured performance, except for the amp specifications which do not really add up to real world experience.

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

As always, it’s difficult to simply talk about the “tonality” of a source gear rather than specific pairing notes. That being said, the M15 has certain “characteristics” that shine through no matter which IEMs or headphones you connect on the other end.

The first thing you notice is the resolution, and how easily the M15 delineates between instruments. Rest assured, the amount of perceived details on the M15 eclipses any other dongle under USD$300. Minute details are pushed to the forefront, making it easier to analyze and dissect tracks. If it’s resolution and precision you want, M15 is practically peerless.

Such hyper-realistic rendition comes at the cost of two things: spatial qualities, and a tendency to be ruthless with poorly mastered tracks or bright/shouty gear. The M15 is unforgiving, though the lack of “etchiness” in the treble and upper-mids make it a potent option for borderline bright IEMs and headphones. The staging won’t be engulfing or stretched outwards, like it can be on some of M15’s peers.

Dynamics are good in terms of macrodynamic punch, though microdynamics are not as evident as they are on certain desktop sources (or even Questyle’s higher-tier DAPs).

Finally, the power output is ample for practically any IEMs out there. When connected to a laptop or desktop, the M15 is too powerful for most IEMs, in fact. I routinely found myself lowering the gain and/or lowering the volume on the desktop side. This is still not enough for power hungry monsters like Hifiman’s HE-6, for example, so for the pesky planars, you still need a more substantial setup.

PAIRING NOTES

I’ll try to keep this section short and sweet.

IEMs that paired well with the M15: most of them, but highlights include Sennheiser IE 900/200/300, SoftEars Turii, Final E3000/A5000/E4000, JVC FW1800/FW10000/FDX1, Campfire Holocene/Andromeda 2020/Solaris.

Headphones that paired well with the M15: not the absurdly power hungry planars, including the likes of HE-6 (and Susvara, by extension, though I fail to understand why anyone would try to run Susvaras off of a dongle), Sennheiser HD800S (too bright), and Beyers (same issues as the Senns). The HD650 had a good pairing though it lacked the liquid smoothness you get off of tubes or high output impedance sources.

Hifiman HE-400i and Arya sounded exceptional through the M15, and if you own the Arya Stealth (or even the newer Arya Organic), the M15 will be more than enough to do justice to their resolving prowess.

SELECT COMPARISONS

I have pitted the Questyle M15 against every single “hyped” or well-regarded dongle that has been released so far. None of them are as resolving, period.

Quloos MC01 gets close at the cost of sounding edgy in the treble and artificial throughout. Apogee Groove has better rendition (and sense) of space, but it sounds a bit veiled in the bass and treble comparatively. The Cayin RU6 are too smoothed out, while the Cayin RU7 opt for a more relaxed, engulfing, and timbrally-accurate presentation than going after raw details.

Lastly, the L&P dongles (W2 and W4) do better in terms of microdynamics but fall flat in every other aspect. The output power is lacking compared to the M15, and once again – not as resolving.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

I received the Questyle M15 back in November, 2022. At the time of writing this review (end of July, 2023) the M15 managed to ward off every single competition by the wayside.

It’s a remarkable achievement in the age of rapid-fire chi-fi releases, where even the parent brand makes its 6 months old “flagship” redundant by releasing something new and “improved”. The M15 is here to stay, and shall remain one of the best, if not the best DAC-Amp dongles out there for the foreseeable future.

The only caveat is the nature of the sound itself – it may become “information overload” for those accustomed to relaxed and laid-back tuning. With certain IEMs, the treble region can sound exaggerated and become bothersome in the long run.

These caveats apply to most, if not all products though, and the M15 achieves the one thing it set out to accomplish: the crown for the most “effortlessly resolving” DAC-Amp dongle out there. Questyle captured lightning in a bottle with the M15, and I hope the spark does not go out anytime soon.

MY VERDICT

4.5/5
THE dongle to beat.

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Get it from Questyle Shop.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

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

The post Questyle M15 Mobile DAC Review (3) – Dongle Par Excellence appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

The Shanling UA2 Plus is the successor to the obvious UA2 and the upgrade piece to the UA1s with the additional balanced 4.4mm output jack and further DSD support. It joins a plethora of other great USB DACs like the UA3, and entry level small portable DAPS like the M0 Pro and M1s.

With its straightforward plug and play capabilities combined with tweaking capabilities when paired with their Eddict Player app, there is something for everyone at a reasonable MSRP of $89. Based on the literature and the singular “mode” button to pop it into legacy UAC 1.0 connection protocol, it appears aimed towards Nintendo Switch users who want improved sound, but in truth it can be for anyone.

Jacked up with the top of the line portable ESS DAC chip ES9038Q2M, Shanling pairs it with their choice of Dual RICORE RT6863 opamps to provide additional output power and 4.4mm balanced outputs for improved stereo separation. The addition of the opamps takes the ES9038Q2M single-on-chip (SoC) DAC amp from 80mW to 125mW of output power in standard 3.5mm jack connection or 195mW when utilizing the robust 4.4mm balanced jack.

These RICORE opamps are found in many of their DAC’s and portable DAPs to carve out the signature Shanling sound. I have not really seen them used elsewhere besides the Khadas Tone Board as the NE5532 is still an amazing clean and precise opamp going on for decades. I am curious as to the choice to utilize a rather less popular opamp.

FEATURES

Shanling was smart to equip the UA2 Plus with a detachable USB-C to USB-C cable while also offering the L3 USB-C to Apple Lightning connector as an optional accessory for an additonal $20. This keeps it versatile and helps prevent cable failures from dooming it to the landfill. Inside the package is an included USB-C to USB-A adapter.

Shanling UA2 Plus boasts about a power efficient strategy in which it uses 60% less energy than previous generations in standby mode and 40% less during actual use. I measured about a 40-50mA power draw dubbing itself on the lower end of the scale for power consumption of similar USB DACs. My fellow cohort Jurgen stressed the UA2 was a battery hog, so this was another area Shanling improved upon.

So why would you buy the Shanling UA2 Plus is the bigger question. The SoC devices are ok in terms of your basic device that should be part of any smart phone that cares about sound quality. Unfortunately those are few and far between these days. Instead it makes sense to look at the DAC/Amp dongles that use additional opamps to boost the power output, but hopefully not at the expense of battery consumption. The Shanling UA2 Plus meets this criteria. The only other additional nice to have feature is the 4.4mm balanced jack that everyone might not require.

SOUND

The Shanling UA2 Plus has a clean and lean sound to it, trending towards a brighter signature with a upper midrange focus. The quad DAC of the LG G8 and the Truthears SHIO add additional warmth and meat to the midbass section given the less brighter nature.

Given that the frequency response is still flat, this difference in sound has to be attributed to other features of the system design as a whole and perhaps the noise shaping. The HIDIZS XO utilizing a dual ES9219C DAC chip sounds bolder, a tad less sharp but also doubles the current consumption. The Shanling UA2 plus presents a more open larger stage and unforgiving, with digital like timbre.

Shanling wins here with their proper detail to power consumption and a more robust 4.4mm balanced connection. Soft and smooth the Truthear SHIO is a less sharp DAC compared to the Shanling UA2 Plus. I would pair warmer sounding headphones with the Shanling UA2 Plus to help even out, or if you prefer a brighter sound pair it with your treble enhanced earphones for extra zing.

The Shanling UA2 Plus is also the smallest, rounded contours, most compact of the bunch, and the extremely flexible braided cable fits nicely into my pocket with the LG G8 and Iphone 13. To unlock the additional features of the DAC you need to use the Eddict Player. The app adds low and high gain control, as well as the typical 7 low-pass filters programmed by ESS. Out of this bunch the HIDIZS XO is the only DAC that includes MQA decoding.

Paired with full size cans, the Shanling UA2 Plus can power the Drop Sennheiser HD6XX, but you really need a real desktop solution to unlock more potential. The Shanling UA2 Plus is more at home powering 100ohm or less headphones.

FINAL REMARKS

The Shanling UA2 Plus is small yet powerful upgrade to the LG G8 quad DAC (basically a UA1), that is noise free and feature packed. Sharp, precise and open sounding, the small increase in price over the UA2 adds a 4.4mm jack and a dual Ricore opamp amplifier section. It is a nicely built portable DAC at a reasonable price given the feature set.

Something sporting these specs and features would have been in the $120+ price bracket a few years ago, but now you can find it for under $90 with less power consumption. Basically, like all these USB portable DACs, decide on the features you need and buy the one that fits your budget, the UA2 Plus neatly meets nearly all my personal requirements.

Disclaimer: Unit provided free of charge by Shanling .

SPECIFICATIONS

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Get it from the Shanling Amazon Store

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Shanling UA2 Plus DAC Review (1) – Sharp And Slick appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Though marketed as a power amp, the A300 is actually a full-featured integrated, with remote volume, a USB DAC, Bluetooth, a sub out and a host of EQ/DSP effects. As a standalone integrated, the A300 was quirky as best; its preamp section presented a lot of detail and weighty note texture, but sounded artificially bright (almost shrill) at the high end and quite boomy at the low end.

Tweaking the various EQ settings did mitigate (but not eliminate) the low end bloom. As a Bluetooth streamer, the SA300 was somewhat lacking in delicacy and compressed-sounding (apparently only the lower rez AAC codec is supported), while its USB DAC (no chip is specified) was serviceable—punchy and clean-sounding, but not necessarily better than the soundcard in my Dell PC.

The A300 functions best as a dedicated power amp, and for the most part I tested it in a desktop rig consisting of a passive Schiit Sys preamp, SMSL’s SU-6 DAC, a Sony 5400ES CD transport and either  PSB Synchrony One B or the Energy Connoisseur C-1 bookshelf speakers.

 The A300 amp has two noticeable virtues. First, its output is every bit as powerful as specified—the (92db) Energy positively roared even at low volume, while the PSB (which have average sensitivity but low impedance and require some current) likewise sounded full-bodied and loud; both sets of speakers remained undistorted at higher volumes.

Second, the A300 presents a very wide soundstage, with notably crisp, well-extended high-end and a lot of air between instruments. Attack transients on percussion are very fast. Low end is voluminous and deep but not especially well-controlled; both sets of speakers sounded bassier but more billowy than in other formulations.

For all that, the SSL is not an uncolored or neutral sounding piece—it has a bright tonality which can sound slightly metallic/aggressive. A lot of information is presented, but there’s an unnatural forwardness which places instruments closer than they were recorded; the overall effect is exciting but ultimately exhausting.

Compared to its predecessors in my rig, the (conventional A/B) 50w/ch Adcom 5200 and the 75w/ch Curl-designed Parasound HCA 750A, the SMSL sounded louder, considerably ballsier and more transparent at the high end, while the warmer Adcom and esp. the Parasound had significantly tauter bass and a less airy, more recessed stage.

The difference between the Class D SMSL and the traditional designs was, for lack of a better analogy, sorta like CD vs. vinyl, which is to say that the latter have less dynamic range and a more rounded, smoothed-over timbre which avoids the analytical, somewhat jagged quality of the SMSL.

The A300 packs a lot of features and impressive power for the <$200 tariff, and most would find it a good, compact centerpiece for low-volume desktop listening, especially with harder-to-drive speakers. However, its tonality is just a little off and for critical music listening you’re probably best served looking elsewhere.

Non-disclaimer: bought this myself.

Specifications SMSL A300

Contact us!

The post SMSL A300 Power Amplifier Review – Rum, Sodomy And The Lash appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The $129 TempoTec March III M3 is a versatile natural sounding and powerful balanced DAC/amp (wired, BT) that drives even 300 Ω headphones well. It runs on 5V from your computer, the stock power supply, or a fancy third party one.

The TempoTec March III M3 was kindly provided by the manufacturer for my analysis, and I thank them for that. You find more information on the TempoTec website.

Introduction

TempoTec are a Chinese company established by audiophiles. They claim to have a multinational team from China, Taiwan, Korea, and Germany. The company originally made a name for itself by budget dongle DACs…cheap, ok, great value, but not necessarily high end. This, unfortunately, stuck with them for the longest time.

Lately, the company left the starting blocks and released impressive “midfi” products that convinced by innovative quality features at attractive prices.

First was the TempoTec V6, a very good sounding digital analog player at an incredible $300. Next came their $269 Serenade X, a desktop streamer with essentially unlimited features. And last but not least, there is the forthcoming IM05 4+1 earphone, their first…but it is a good one.

The March III M3 is TempoTec’s first DAC/amp, which once again undercuts its competition in price, but not in quality.

TempoTec are becoming serious competitors to brands such as Topping, SMSL, and possibly FiiO. But in contrast to these companies, TempoTec are confident to score with one model of each: streamer, dap, DAC/amp…instead of offering us the same in multiple different flavours. A very positive sign.

Let’s have a good look at the March II M3’s specs. What makes the device special?

Specifications TempoTec March III M3

Physical Things

In the package are the unit, a 5V/2A power supply, 2 USB-A-C cables, and the paperwork. The device and all buttons are made of metal, the front is almost completely covered with glass. The March III M3 is rather small and relatively light – easy to be carried around on travel and to be used in hotel rooms or the office.

Technology

The March III M3 sports an Asahi Kasai DAC chip (most competitors use ES Tech Sabre chips) for decoding, and 4 OPA1688 operational amps by Texas Instruments for amplification. For readers who dwell on DAC chips making the sound: they don’t. This combination of quality DAC and opamps costs you and me around $15 USD, and is probably much cheaper in bulk [ES Tech chips are not much different]. TempoTec does not give us details on the other components.

The March III M3 comes with a 5V/2A power supply with USB-A port. Alternatively, you can power the device from your computer or a power bank, or a fancy third-party power supply such as the $99 ifi Audio iPowerX or the $59 Allo Nirvana or the $43 BRZ.

Replacing the stock power supply with the iPowerX enriches the sound, it adds body…though it may be a cost prohibitive upgrade. Just try all the 5V power supplies that came with your tablet or phone. The lowest current I used in my test was 1.2A for the BRZ.

Front Panel

The front contains all control and monitoring functions: the two headphone sockets (3.5 mm single ended and 4.4 mm balanced), the on/off/volume knob, an OLED screen (small but crisp) and three buttons: Mode (wired/BT), Gain (low/high), and Bass (on/off). Most of the front panel is glass. The brandname “TempoTec” is nowhere to be found.

Back Panel: I/O

In the back are two USB-C ports (one for 5 V power, the other for connecting a music source), analog RCA outputs (for powered speakers), and digital SPDIF out (coaxial, optical)

Functionality and Operation

The TempoTec March III M3 is an unusually versatile device.

It does

• play music into headphones from different sources (Phone/tablet, computer)
• accepts digital music wired or per BT
• output an analog signal through its balanced and single-ended circuits into headphones
• output an analog signal per RCA into powered loudspeakers
• output a digital signal into another DAC via SPDIF (coaxial, optical)
• works as a BT receiver

It does not

• drive most unpowered speakers
• power the hungriest planar magnetic headphones

The unit is switched on and off by pushing and holding down the volume knob. The Mode button toggles between wired and BT operations, the gain can be adjusted to low and high (use low gain as much as possible as any high gain compresses dynamics), and bass button adds…you got it…bass.

And the added bass totally contorts the timbre. It is awful and you better leave it off….unless you need some serious “boom boom”. Actually, even without the bass button, there is more than plenty of bass, naturally.

Wired

You can operate headphones through the two headphone jacks. The balanced 4.4 m circuit is much more powerful and provides an overall better sound. Only use the 3.5 mm one, if you don’t have a headphone with a 4.4 mm plug.

If you have powered near-field speakers, they are connected to the RCA ports in the back.

If you can’t be bothered with the DAC/amp functionality at all, you have the option to connect the March III M3 to an external amp. This is a truly rare feature in this price category.

Bluetooth

The March III M3 is also a Bluetooth receiver. It features the latest Bluetooth 5.2 and handles all common codecs (SBC 328 kbps, AAC 256 kbps, LDAC 990 kbps). It operates over a distance up to 30 m. This is useful when the unit is used with powered speakers when the headphone cable is longer than one’s arms. The M3 never lost reception while I was walking with my iPhone music source all over the two floors of my 2000 sq ft house.

It becomes really interesting when the March III M3 is connected via a different DAC to a room-filling stereo system. In this case, the device’s own DAC and amp are disabled and it works as a BT receiver only.

Amplification

Power is not measured but always calculated from voltage, current, and resistance. TempoTec list a power of 630 mW @ 4 V/32 Ω for the balanced circuit, and 310 mW @ 2 V/32 Ω. But 630 mW power require a voltage of 4.5 V, at 4 V, it is only 500 mW (accordingly, the SE power should be 250 mW). Therefore, either the given voltage or power are wrong…which does not matter in the end.

The March III M3’s volume scale goes from 0 to 100. In practical use, the device drives the 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600 on high gain at a volume of up to 95 (for quiet recordings); it needs a volume of 80 to be loud for average recordings, and 65 for moderate level on the balanced circuit. This is pretty impressive considering the headphone’s sound quality is not suffering at high volumes. The sensitive Final Sonorous III gets away with a volume of 30. The HD 600 don’t run well on the weaker single ended circuit.

Most iems need about 30 on balanced and 40 on single ended. Unless you have a hungry planar magnetic, the March III M3 handles the rest.

Sound

The March III M3’s sound quality is actually surprising(ly good): it is not harsh and analytical as many of its budget peers’, but rather…erm…”musical” with well rounded notes. Many would claim that the lack of “Sabre glare” is ascribed to the Asahi Kasai AK4493SEQ chip, but life ain’t that easy, friends.

The overall tonality is slightly warm with an elevated low end, similar to TempoTec’s V6 dap.

Bass is indeed lifted a bit and not the fastest. It may occasionally smear into the midrange, which is probably the M3’s weakest point – but it is not dramatic. Transparency is otherwise good. The stage is wide and tall but not very deep.

The balanced circuit adds power and also depth to the image. The single-ended image is more two dimensional…and BT operation removes a bit of richness and extension on both ends, but is overall still pretty good.

In order to characterize the March III M3 in more detail, let’s compare it to the $250 EarMen TR-Amp, a battery operated DAC/amp with a single-ended circuit only. The TR-Amp does not offer BT and has slightly weaker amplification. At twice the price, you’d expect better components in the EarMen, and therefore better sound quality.

Both do indeed sound different. The TR-Amp is less bassy, has a crisper attack, better note definition (“sounds sharper”), better resolution and transparency, and better 3-D reconstruction overall. The March III M3 has softer notes, a wider but shallower stage, and lags the TR-Amp in terms of separation and layering.

The TR-amp is technically and analytically better but the March III M3 is more soulful and sweeter sounding…at half the price. I enjoy both.

Concluding Remarks

With the March III M3, TempoTec has pulled another white rabbit out of their hat. It it a complete, good-sounding and attractive looking DAC/amp and BT receiver that works well with most full-sized headphones and essentially all iems. What sets is apart from its immediate competition are its low price and digital outputs.

I cannot think of a comparable competitive device below $200. I really like this little rascal a lot. It is right up my alley.

The March III M3 joins the V6 dap and the Serenade X as a great, enjoyable product at a reasonable price.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

Disclaimer

Our generic standard disclaimer.

Gallery

The post TempoTec March III M3 Review – Mach III appeared first on Music For The Masses.