Recent usb c dac products: Consider Realtek ‘crab’ sound, Cirrus Logic, Sony S-Master or Sigmatel/IDT (VAIO 2005-08)
Smartphone dongle usb c dac products
Obviously I would buy a
SONY usb c DAC if it existed, but these DAP makers like Hiby FC3, Hidizs
S9/ Tempotec E35, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA2 are interesting. I have no particular attachment to Chi-fi, but
no other companies can create the same quality and variety at a low cost
overseas.
My criteria:
1. ASR has to show really
good measurements (some DACs don’t get measured, like Hidizs S1, so I won’t buy
them – although Archimago measured that ALC4042 https://archimago.blogspot.com/2020/04/measurements-soditer-fourth-generation.html)
Now I use Apple with
EX150 for its mic, SHDP with M30x, S1 with ZX110, instead of plugging
headphones into various places all the time. Because Meizu Hifi will be
affected by the quality of the 5V USB rail, it’s a hit or miss. Apple or Meizu
with my A21s phone seems a good way. I intend Meizu Hifi to be used with
S-Master for my speakers. The reason is because I believe the CS43131 is
directly used to amplify the signal, meaning there is no analog in between
until I have to send it over to S-Master via AUX IN. There, it is turned
back into digital and then amplified. Quality is degraded but not too much.
Indeed, sound may improve, just like some people record video and audio of
their theatre systems playing back, which actually sounds better than the
original because the various speakers ‘naturalise’ the sound, making it easier
to hear discrete instruments. Or analogy with recording PCM as DSD and then
SBMDing it, to get rid of harshness of digital shrill sounds.
Meizu Hifi Filtering of USB noise seems to be absent causing such variations. So who
knows what performance you get from your device. As it is, the Meizu Hifi lands
near the bottom when it comes to driving sensitive IEMs with least amount of
noise, but for 100% volume into amp, it’s ok? Filter noise out and test linearity and results are
excellent! Sad. The heart of the Meizu Hifi is good but implementation not.
So I am a proponent of Realtek ‘crab’ sound (every
PC!) and Cirrus (CS46Lxx or Wolfson CS431xx series) or Sony
S-Master (Walkman etc) or Sigmatel/IDT (VAIO 2005-08) ‘natural’ sound. None of that AKM, ESS, (旭化成エレクトロニクスの「AK4499」とかESS Technologyの「ES9038」) and Qualcomm Aqstic pricey crap.
Each of these brands do DSD
differently, and little is known about the process. Personally I prefer
IDT/Sony DSD, but S-Master originally did not work well with DSD due to a lack
of PDM amplification until ZX500 series arrived. Even NW-A55 doesn’t do native
DSD. S-Master as a standalone amp was historically combined with PCM1795 or
ALC889DSD, and other analog amps. Recent Realtek chips do DSD ever since
ALC1220, but it’s likely not good quality. Cirrus DSD sounds just like PCM, so
a Cirrus user tends towards PCM instead. AKM’s DSD has good reputation … sound
wise, there is little need for improvement. Specs can only get better.
There is the electrical/sound
engineer division and the mastering engineer faction. Designers want the
best specs and lowest noise, but mastering engineers know that good sound is
subjective – this is the majority and exemplified by Sony products’ terrible
specs and measurements. Overall, mastering engineers always prevail. Good sound
is a mystery and this is what drives walkman sales as opposed to SHDP and Apple
which focus solely on specs and functionality, not sound. Even S1 with ALC4042
is quite well designed, thanks to its focus on sound. A balancing act between
subjective fun sound and balanced flat objective sound is necessary for every
product.
My second criteria is that it
has to be below $100 AUD, and preferably somewhere like Apple’s $9-15 or $25-30
like Meizu/Hidizs or on taobao $35 or so with tempotec SHDP…
note that ALC4042 may do DSD, just not on S1… note also that ALC stuff is usually just for USB bridge, like CS46L06 (which is 24/48 simply because usually you have to add a DAC to it!), and this is apparent if you see the USB CS46L41 chip in Meizu Hifi. For me, DoP DSD128 is enough … yet PCM 32/768 attracts me to Shanling UA2.
Random sellers also stock DACs with CS46L41(not L06 of Apple)+SA9302L to do 384kHz/DSD128. Meizu has that chip CS46L41but still uses 43131…why?
also discovered that
ALC4042+SSMS Filter is limited to 32/96 otherwise EQ doesn’t apply
Annotations:
Shanling UA2
- Advanced model of UA line
- Interchangeable cables, using USB-C connector
- Special mode offering compatibility with Nintendo Switch (compatible with 2nd
version of Nintendo Switch).
- 3.5mm Single ended & 2.5mm Balanced output
- ESS ES9038Q2M DAC & Ricore RT6863
amplifier (ES9038Q2M is used in E1DA’s DAC but no PCM 32/768)
- Up to 195mW@32 output power
- Hi-Res support up to PCM 32/768 and
DSD512
- Advanced settings available in companion app
Available in April
MSRP 85 USD / Euro
Shanling UA1
- Basic model of UA line
- Fixed USB-C cable
- Compatible with Android, Windows and MacOs
- Adapting same ESS Sabre ES9218P Hi-Fi
chip as our M0/Q1/UP2
- Hi-Res support up to PCM 32/384 and DSD256
- Gain, filters and channel balance adjustable via Shanling Music app
- MSRP 45 USD/Euro
- Available in November
Having said this, going forward, I think it's worth
considering that it is in fact more interesting to measure and listen to these
"cheap" DACs to see how well the "low end" advances over
the years! Imagine if in 5 years we might see inexpensive devices like these
performing at 20-bits resolution - now that would be fantastic
advancement in high fidelity!
Generally we don't see devices like the Soditer reviewed or measured in the
mainstream audiophile media as this is not where advertising dollars are
derived. At this point in history, those flagship ESS ES90X8 and AKM AK4X9X
DACs are already performing at levels of fidelity well beyond the limits of
human perception. Other than new features added or a company messing up a
design based on those DACs such that reviewers might want to steer consumers
away, I suspect there's little new or interesting to be added by measuring yet
another technically "perfect" converter!
You're right, it is amazing how far the technology has
come. We are so blessed these days not just with playback but also audio
capturing as consumers...
Hi-res capable playback for consumers started around 2000 with the first
generation SACD and DVD-A devices but still >$1000. I would say that by
2005, we saw this playback quality achieved for <$1000 with good devices.
After 2010, with the rise of the Chinese "Chi-Fi" DACs, we easily
achieved high quality for <$500 especially after asynchronous USB became
widely available around 2012-2013. And these days, for ~$500 we can get reference
quality balanced output DACs and with a simple adaptor like this, we can
enter the hi-res arena for <$50 using our phones (although room to improve
of course!). The "golden age" of "ultra high-fidelity" as
we witness better-than-human-hearing technology ubiquitous for all!
Notice also the improvement in size. From full-sized hi-res components in 2000
with the Sony SCD-1 and Panasonic DVD-A10 disk spinners to these miniature
devices played off solid-state storage. Great stuff and undeniable progress.
Likewise the improvement in ADC technology for consumers followed basically a
few years behind the playback resolution. By around 2008 we had devices like my
first hi-res capable USB ADC - the Creative E-MU 0404USB which was a real
bargain for what it does - and since then things have just become even more
reliable and even more accurate on the hardware side.
Yeah, things have come a long way since AM radio was cool. However, having
witness all that has transpired, I think it is unfortunate some of the changes
in the recording quality over the years. I think it is rather tragic/humorous
that the Loudness Wars became so common by 2000 just when hi-res playback
became available!
Also, these days, which is cooler among audiophiles - streaming lossless hi-res
or vinyl???
USB-C to headphone adaptors are cheap these days and
you can easily get both Apple and Google-branded
devices that perform well based on
the tests here even if they might not
advertise stuff like 24/96+ samplerates like this unit. Also back in 2018, I
tested the Apple
Lightning to 3.5mm adaptor which performed reasonably
well for 16/48 playback.
Audio Science (US A2049 version):
1.039 Vrms, 98dB SINAD
|
Load |
Power |
|
33 ohm |
13 mW |
|
300 ohm |
3.6 mW |
Output Impedance: 0.9 ohm
On Windows 10, there are 4 audio
modes supported: 16/24 bit, and 44.1/48 kHz. 24 bit is neat for those who are
anal about their bits. (The dongle is 98dB SINAD which is ≈16 bit resolution.
The dongle has digital volume control. Windows 10 volume at 2/100 is -34dB
attenuation, thus at 24bit mode you essentially still have ≈18 bit
resolution??? IDK.)
One weird (but intended) behavior if
you're used to conventional DACs is that without headphones plugged in the
Apple dongle will disable itself. I though mine was defective until I
remembered that it is an Apple product and is probably idiot proofed that way.
Impressions
Note: A lot of my word choices are
exaggerated to emphasize the difference. If you are new to this hobby, you'd be
surprised how small the difference is. Budget conscious people should
understand that headphones make a greater difference than your DAC/AMP does as
long as it is not complete garbage.
The Apple USB-C to 3.5mm adaptor
(henceforth referred as the Apple dongle) is really quiet (low noise floor). I
don't hear any hiss with my FLC8S, which is a really good thing. For
comparison, my FLCs can hear CPU/GPU buzzing noises on my iPad, a constant white
noise floor on my S8, and a loud hiss on my XPS 15 (unusable).
For my FLC8S, Windows is about 2-6%
volume level. The dongle is very clean, and powered it very well. If you have a
sensitive IEM and want to use it on a Windows laptop, the Apple dongle in
probably the best cheap solution. I have a hard time imagining anything beating
it save for the higher end DAPs.
Similar story for my ER3XR, although
I can't hear CPU/GPU noises on my iPad, and my XPS 15 noise floor is low enough
to be tolerable. Volume level is about 6-12%.
Now the Etys with the 75 ohm
impedance adaptor is where it gets interesting. The sub-bass is weaker (due
to impedance adaptor), but it is slightly weaker than it should be compared to
the ES100. Instead of a quick and clean bass, it lacks a bit energy. We
can see that about this point is where the Apple dongle is reaching its limit
despite volume level is still at 20-30%.
The HD 6XX, while still surprisingly
listenable, is where the dongle begins to show its struggle. The dongle seems
to have a bit more distortion in the highs (a bit "harsh/bright"),
highs are still better than XPS internal headphone jack with slightly more
dynamics and sounding more clean. Bass impact is muddy/soft compared to
EarStudio. Windows volume is in the 30s to 50s range (huge variation due to
open back). The EarStudio had most dynamics, especially bass drum, toms and
timpani actually felt real with impact. (not apple dongle)
Now here's the more interesting uses:
Using it on a PC with USB C (as many PC internal chipset design sucks,
especially for IEMs)
The former is self explanatory. You
have an IEM and your device has terrible noise. Just grab this dongle and call
it a day, simple as that. Heck even if you needed to drive headphones, these
are perfectly fine as a cheap solution. Its max output is 1 Vrms (-6db to
standard 2 Vrms, basically 1/4 quieter).
|
Device |
SINAD (dB) |
SNR (dB) |
Vrms |
|
Apple USB-C to 3.5mm |
98 |
113 |
1.039 |
Takeaway: Assuming you don't push the
Apple dongle into distortion territory, it performs amazingly well, comparable
to many $100 devices. For any headphone <50 ohms, the Apple dongle will
probably work perfectly for most people.
The only real problem with this
dongle other than its power is the build quality. The cable is super thin and
not very confidence inspiring. Those confident in DIYing, you could try
re-cabling it. I might wrap the cable with Kapton tape and heat shrink in the
future.
Bottom line... The Soditer USB-C to headphone adaptor works well enough
for listening around town as a replacement headphone output for USB-C smartphones. It's
small, light, easy to tuck away on trips, and you probably won't lose it inside
the carry pouch. The adaptor appears to be well built and should be sturdy
enough for prolonged daily use. I don't have an easy way to measure the power
draw but I anticipate it to be very low (it gets very mildly warm after
prolonged use BTW). From the perspective of high fidelity sound, yeah, one
could say that it can take advantage of hi-res files, but the benefits are
certainly not by a large margin.
I see that there are other versions of this kind of Realtek ALC4042-based
adaptor such as this HIDIZS and
this KRIPT model;
likely similar performance and potentially better prices if you shop around.
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