IKKO Zerda ITM02 Portable Headphone Amp Review – Talk About Mudflaps…
An $59 dac/dongle from up-and-comer iKKO, whose OH-10 IEM is much venerated in these parts. The iKKO Zerda ITM02 ITM02 is slightly larger than its peers, but well-machined and very lightweight; swappable lightning/USB C cables are a nice touch, as is the PCM/DSD indicator light.
So what does this $59 dongle do that my <$15 Xumee or CXPro don’t? Well, for one thing it’ll blast the doors off your more sensitive IEMs—its modest (70mw/32oHm) power spec notwithstanding, this thing gets really loud. It will also bring the bass—it has a highly augmented subwoofer-type low end which adds impact even to flatter-tuned phones like the Etymotic ER2, while substantially tightening and deepening the normally slow, bloomy bass of my Koss KSC-75.
The Ikko Zerda ITM02’s bass emphasis does, however, lend it a slightly detached quality (your ears are drawn to that big bottom) which somewhat overshadows the mids and veils the higher frequencies; cymbals, guitar strings and piano keys sound smoothed-over and missing some nuance and microdetail. The overall effect is to impart energy and to thicken note texture, which works well for techno and other heavier genres and less well for acoustic and orchestral fare. Tonality is wholly free of the shrillness or digital brightness of many cheaper units, but instruments are not well-separated.
Type-C to Type-C 0.1m*1
Type-C to Lighting 0.1m*1
ITM02*1
Warranty Card*2
Manual*1
The iKKO Zerda ITM02 remind me quite a bit of the iBasso DC-05, another brawny, bass heavy piece which favors dynamic slam over high-end detail. The DC-05 sounds a bit more seamless and coherent, however, with fewer audible dips and less rolloff. Both tend to work better with higher-impedance (>100 oHm) phones, while for easier loads the comparably priced Hidisz S3 is more refined, with much more high end transparency.
iKKO has previously shown the tuning chops to become a major player, and with careful pairing the ITM02 will have real appeal for fans of a bass-heavy signature. For me, however, it registers as inessential at this price point, with other cheaper, less-colored alternatives doing a better job at note definition.
Disclaimer: got free review unit from iKKO, which will be passed to other reviewers.
Specifications Ikko Zerda ITM02
| Chip: AK4377 Sampling rate: Up to 384 kHz Bit depth: Up to 32 bits SNR: 120 dB THD: <0.0004% Output power 70 mW at 32 ohms Input: USB-C Output: 3.5 mm Weight: 0.3 oz (9 g) Dimensions: 1.5 x 0.7 x 0.4 in (3.9 x 1.7 x 0.9 cm) Tested at: $59 Product Page: ikkoaudio.com |
