The ddHiFi TC09BC is a well-made 50/100 cm long USB-C to USB-B Hifi Audio USB cable for connecting your computer to a DAC. Haptic and functionality are premium…and whether it sounds better than ??? (as claimed), well you have to read the whole article...

Introduction

I recently published an article on ddHiFi’s Mfi09S cable. It features a Lightning plug on one end, and a USB-C plug on the other, connecting an iOS device with a DAC. In my writeup I went way beyond my target – characterizing that cable – by reflecting on the general physics evolving around the question whether digital cables can make a sonic difference. After all, ddHiFi claim theirs do.

The answer is not that easy – and not as clear cut as you think. A cable is just one piece in the puzzle – and the best cable you can get is…no cable at all. But whilst there are incredible claims by some cable manufacturers, there are also wild couterclaims of “snake oil”. In reality, one cannot generalize, and the truth is somewhere in between.

I have no issues claiming that analog cables make a difference, that this is not expressed by any measurements (except perhaps impedance), and that there is no link between measurements and audible result by means of a physics equation. Such a link does not exist, although some opinionated claim it does because the measurements are “objective”. And at night it is darker than outside?

The discussion is getting even more polarized when it comes to digital cables. Proponents of the “snake oil” dismissal argue that digital cables only transport zeros and ones, hence there is no difference in quality (because it can’t happen), which also is a circular argument. That’s because none of these can tell you what the zeros and ones actually mean…which shifts the snake oil claims into the territory of the crazy company claims, that is urban myths.

If you belong to one side of the discussion, just enjoy that you save money. And if you belong to the other, enjoy the fact that you have something beautiful in your hands. But please, all of you, don’t lecture the rest of us.

Spoiler alert: bit perfect does not mean perfect data transmission, there can be contaminants in these bits. You better read my Mfi09S article. One thing for sure: a cable cannot improve sound as it cannot clean up a data stream. A cable can can only minimize deterioration of the signal. Whether that’s enough to justify its purchased is in the eye of the beholder.

The TC09BC belongs to the same series as the Mfi09S, both are technically identical, just the plugs are different. and the latter comes in shorter versions. This one is used to connect a computer with a DAC for transferring music (it can also be used as a printer cable, but only if you are a star lawyer, heart surgeon, or oligarch).

The cable comes from ddHiFi, a company y that has been on our Wall of Excellence for their combination of ingenuity and quality.

Specifications ddHiFi TC09BC

Physical Things/Technology

The materials used are in the specs above. Power line and data line are made with different wires that are well shielded against each other. The USB-C connector is rather large, therefore easy to grip, and bother connectors are made of metal and very sturdy. Fit is very snug. You find technical details on ddHiFi’s USB-data cables product page. Overall, this cable is haptically and visually very attractive.

Price wise, the TC09BC is placed between AudioQuest’s Forest and Cinnamon models.

Company Claims

ddHifi claims that the TC09BC offers a “noticeable sound quality improvement“. They fail to specify over what the improvement would be, but it appears obvious that it must be any other such cable. I therefore compare the ddHiFi TC09BC with a well-regarded USB cable.

Physical Theory

I have discussed the theoretic benefits in great detail in my ddHiFi Mfi09S article, which you find repeated behind this spoiler. TL;DR: not all digital cables a equal although they may “sound” the same in some cases…well cables don’t have a sound per se…

Listening Test

Please have a good look at the equipment. I used three different DAPs as sources, the Hidizs and TempoTec connected to the DACs by alternating USB cables (1m ddHiFi TC09BC and 3 m Belkin Gold). The Questyle connected via optical was my reference. I played the same music on all three sources.

The Belkin Gold is a discontinued USB cable that used to be Stereophile’s reference before the fancy USB cables were introduced. Audio pioneer Gordon Rankin confirmed that it is a decent cable. Today, it trades 2nd hand for horrendous prices.

The Questyle/optical combo was my test standard (as it sounded best). I used it to A/B with the other two DAPS. With the Belkin, these Hidizs and TempoTec sounded less dynamic and more subdued compared to the Questyle — independent of the DAC used.

The ddHifi TC09B really made quite a difference — and to the better. Using it, the music sounded crisper with better transparency, which resulted in better resolution and accentuation, but it still could not beat the Questyle/optical combo. In comparison, the Belkin contributed to a less clear, less nuanced sound.

This was evident when flipping (A/B-ing) between USB and optical inputs (my testing standard), which saved me comparing the USB cables against each other from memory (which is inaccurate). The quality difference between optical and ddHiF was simply smaller than with the Belkin. This indirect testing worked well.

A cable (digital or analog) cannot improve sound, it can only minimize signal deterioration.

One has to interpret this with caution, as the sound differences may also rely on other factors such as cable length (maybe the Belkin was too long). Testing the lightning version of the ddHiFi cable, the MFi9S, a while ago, I found zero difference between USB cables. This may relate to the garble/noise, that comes out of the iPhone to begin with, since it has all sorts of clocked non-audio components (cellular, Wifi etc.) — whereas the DAPS are dedicated music players. After all, a cable cannot fix a contaminated signal, it can only minimize signal deterioration.

Concluding Remarks

If you think, USB cables make no difference, then either test them, or just get them from the dollar store — and save your money.

My analysis showed that the ddHiFi TC09BC is a good USB cable that does justice to a >$2000 desktop stack (plus source). With my setup, it does sound better than the popular Belkin Gold cable I tested it against — and I therefore still use it in this application. How it fares with other setups and against really pricey cables, I don’t know. But I would not lose much sleep over it either.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

THE MFi09S cable weather supplied by the ddHiFi for my review upon my request – and I thank them for that. I also thank Alberto for his input to this article.

Get them it from the DD Official Store

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

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

Gallery

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The $80 Moondrop Joker headphone was kindly provided by SHENZHENZAUDIO for my review – and I thank them for that. You can get them here.

Introduction

Moondrop, the ever rising Chengdu company have earned their stripes mainly with earphones since 2015, some of which are remarkable. They lately expanded their catalogue into TWS and portable DACs. Their most recently addition were headphones, one in the premium segment, and the other in the mid tier category. Their $200 Moondrop Void received rather unfavourable reviews, mainly because of its poor build and mushy sound.

The current $80 Moondrop Joker appears to be exactly the opposite of the Moondrop Void: an articulate, analytical sounding headphone tuned for monitoring. It is distinctly different from most of their competitor’s warmer tonalities. The Joker has been designed for its technicalities.

Specifications Moondrop Joker

Physical Things and Usability

In the box are the headphones with detachable cable, one 3.5 mm to 6.3 mm adapter, and the usual paperwork. The fabric-coated cable uses standard 3.5 mm connectors on all three ends and can be easily replaced – though there is no need to do so.

The headphone itself appears a bit rickety, as the earpieces tend to bang against the frame, though both are separated by a rubber pad. The design is plastic and rather light. The headband padding is soft but the fabric appears somewhat cheap. The around-ear pads are spacious even for my monster flabbers and offer good comfort. They can just be pulled off and replaced if needed. Clamp pressure is comfortable for my large head. Overall fit and wearing comfort is very good for me.

The Joker can be driven by a phone but benefits from amplification.

Tonality and Technicalities

The Moondrop Joker was designed for monitoring – as a production tool: it therefore has an analytical tilt with an elevated brilliance region, far away from the warmish sounding Sennheiser or Koss-Porta-Pro-type models. It offers excellent note definition and great spatial reconstruction but can sound a bit lean and “cool” with some sources.

The Joker excels in his technicalities: separation, layering, and note definition are very good, staging is three-dimensional. Imaging is also one of the strong points. Note weight (above sub bass) is on the lean side, probably somewhat sacrificed for the technicalities. The degree of richness varies with source with analog players and warm digital DAPs delivering the thickest sound. Note decay is actually quite realistic: the Joker passes the “cello test” and aligns itself well for even monitoring acoustic sets.

In summary, I’d characterize the sonic presentation as AAA: analytical, accurate, and articulate. Don’t forget, the Joker’s purpose is not casual recreational listening.

The prominent bass really benefits from the technicalities: it is impactful and as tight as my wallet with some sources and thicker/rubbery with others. But there is always a good rumble down there, which can ad warmth. The low-end focus is clearly on the sub bass. A solid foundation.

The mids are rather lean, but very nuanced and well sculptured. Midrange has decent clarity. Accuracy rules! With some sources and tracks, there can be a degree of harshness in the upper midrange.

Treble has a good presence and is well resolving. Let’s call it “sweet” as there is no graininess above the upper mids.

As you see, the Joker is a bit of a chameleon in that its signature varies a lot with source, which makes its sonic characterization difficult.

In comparison, the Koss Porta Pro is warmer with a mushier bass but has inferior technicalities, particularly its spatial reconstruction lags far behind. Different purpose, though. The Teufel Massive is a bass bomb in comparison, and the discontinued Sennheiser HD471 is warmer but also lags in terms of note definition. The Moondrop Joker appears to be lonely in its own class – and hard to compare.

Concluding Remarks

The Joker is Moondrop’s third headphone model, and the first below $100. It has been designed as a monitoring tool for DJs and studio engineers placing tonal accuracy and articulation over richness and “musicality”. It is not meant to be someone’ primary playback device. And it performs its job very well. The price is certainly right.

Comparing the Joker to $80 iem models, it probably beats most.

Goal achieved!

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

Get the Moondrop Joker from SHENZHENAUDIO.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Moondrop Joker Review (1) – Remarkable Accuracy appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The CCA Duo is a dual dynamic-driver $40 iem characterized by excellent sub-bass extension, subdued mid bass but middling technicalities, and a good wearing comfort.

The CCA Duo were provided unsolicited by the company for my review. And I thank them for that. You can get them here.

Introduction

CCA is a sub-brand of Knowledge Zenith (“KZ”). The latter have been known to western customers since 2014, and have generated an incredible number of models since (I stopped counting at 50…which was a while ago). My co-bloggers have analyzed a few CCAs, the Duo is my first encounter with the brand.

Since KZ and their affiliate brands have been in the headlines all “storm in a teapot” lately for allegedly offering $1000 for a review, I was not one of the lucky ones, and have done this review for free – as all my previous ones, too. And because I don’t like having money, we also do not do affiliate links or even sell earphones – we remain entirely independent. The company claims that their low price stems from not handing out commissions to influencers. Here you go!

The CCA Duo is yet another dynamic driver in the budget realm with a dual magnetic cavity technology claiming to be superior over single DDs in terms of detail resolution. In the company’s own words the CCA Duo offers “unstoppable performance advantages” whereas I am unstoppable in analyzing the iem’s performance.

Specifications CCA Duo

Physical Things and Usability

In the box are the earpieces, a cable, 3 pairs of silicone eartips (S/M/L), one set of foam eartips, and the userguide.

Tonality and Technicalities

You’d expect a dual dynamic driver to be bass heavy, but the CCA Duo is more on the brightish side. Call it bright-neutral or bright-slightly warm. And that’s although the pinna gain between 1 and 2 kHz has been tamed to 10 dB (earlier KZs offered 13 dB). Add the very moderate mid bass and the only slightly elevated sub bass, hear the whole mix in context, and you arrive at this perception.

The Duo’s main distinguishing feature is its subdued mid bass. Rolling tips, I got the beefiest low end with the SpinFit CP145. Paradoxically, the Duo’s sub-bass extension is excellent (with TempoTec V6 only), it is one of the deepest reaching iems I have ever tested. This low end combination could be tighter as sub-bass is naturally fuzzier than mid bass it dominates. And it could have more kick and definition. Bass lines are generally somewhat rubbery and sloppy.

But the low end brings out vocals: they are rather natural and intimate, with decent richness. Note definition and resolution are middling in the midrange, but there is decent clarity. I’d like to hear better sculptured vocals.

The rolloff in the uppermost midrange and lower treble keeps the presentation away from shoutiness. The warm fuzzy bass and the more neutral midrange result in a lack of cohesion, accentuation, and fluidity to my ears. I find the recently analyzed $25 Moondrop Space Travel TWS much better in this department.

There is lots of upper treble energy. Cymbals are surprisingly present, crisp, and nuanced, but can also be tizzy. The upper treble energy adds quite a bit of liveliness and sparkle to the sound image.

Stage is wide with average depth (owing to the lack of mid bass). Spatial cues is quite good, imaging is not bad either. Separation is also good, layering is a bit on the shallow side. Attack and overall dynamics are also pretty decent.

In comparison, the highly hyped Truthear Zero x Crinacle: RED is on the bassier side with a more subdued, less forward midrange. It has more depth and cohesion than the Duo but also less sparkle. Two different types catering to different preferences.

Concluding Remarks

The CCA Duo is a dual-dynamic driver earphone with a decent sound that has no obvious flaws, but it also does not stick out of the large body of competitors. It biggest advantage, in my opinion, is its small and light earpieces that make for a comfortable wear. The manufacturer’s claim that the CCA Duo offers unstoppable performance advantages turn out to be a marketing gimmick.

Until next time…keep on listening!

The post CCA Duo Review (1) – Brighter Now appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The $139 TempoTec IM05 is a 4+1 iem with fabulous imaging qualities that may have a tad too much bass for some.

The TempoTec IM05 was kindly supplied by the manufacturer for my review – and I thank them for that. You can purchase it from TempoTec Official Store .

Introduction

TempoTec’s claim to small fame came with their budget dongle DACs that were unbeatable at their price. For example, their $40 Sonata HD Pro came with all accessories to even work with iPhone.

Recently, the company has expanded gear wise and simultaneously moved out of the budget realm. They now feature the excellent V6 dap, the great Serenade X desktop streamer, and the March III M3 desktop DAC/amp. One device per category, all mid-fi, and all surprisingly good.

With the IM05 (IM stands for “Impromptu”, 05 for the number of drivers), TempoTec enters yet another category: earphones. And TL;DR, they do another good job. No rookie mistakes, the IM05 is a mature product. It was actually designed to harmonize with the V6 DAP.

Specifications TempoTec IM05

Physical Things and Usability

In the box are the earpieces with plenty of silicone tips, a fancy cable, a very roomy storage case, and the paperwork. The earpieces are large but light, they are comfortable, fit me well, and they isolate well, too. The cable is gorgoeous both haptically and functionally (“pliable”).

Tonality and Technicalities

The TempoTec IM05 is warmish sounding with a good depth and headroom and a decent timbre (considering it has 4 BAs), but with a “broad” lower mid bass that smears into the lower midrange. It sounds nothing like the graph implies, paradoxically.

Yep, the bass is the polarizing feature, with its strong cat buckle (in the graph) that culminates at the transition mid-bass/sub-bass. This makes for a thick and somewhat punchy midbass, but with a rather subtle impact and intensity that does not torture my eardrums. The Azul Performer 5 does the opposite.

TempoTec offer this kind of bass lift also in their V6 DAP and March III M3 DAC/amp. It appears to be part of their house sound. In fact, the $4000 Fir Audio iems offer a similar bass impact.

Bass lines are generally on the rich side. Extension into the sub-bass is average but, paradoxically, the lowest frequencies are leaner than the mid bass. There is always a subtle but never annoying rumble down there.

The bass smears into the midrange which has the positive effect that it re-inforces male and female voices alike, but it also cuts into the midrange transparency. Strangely enough, vocals are not recessed but rather intimate, despite the mickey mouse ears in the upper midrange’s graph segment.

There is also no shoutiness. I can only explain this by the balance between elevated bass and upper midrange in combination with the recessed treble.

Somebody tuned these iems by ear and not by graph, obviously. And it works. Vocals are very well rendered and nicely layered, they have a 3D effect and are almost holographic. They are neither thick or thin but are nicely intimate and rather articulate.

Treble is subtle overall, the extension is..well..not well extended. The high notes are somewhat swept under the carpet. Older listeners like me won’t probably care that much.

That combination of modest treble and extension and bass lift make for a deep but not too wide (but wide enough) stage. Midrange resolution is excellent as long as there is no strong bass superimposed. Separation and layering are also very good, not to forget the outstanding imaging. When listening to concerts with interaction of musicians and audience, I always feel I am in the building or stadium.

In comparison, the $150 single DD Sennheiser IE 150 are more fluid with a more emphasized midrange, but they have flatter staging and less resolution. The LETSHUOER S12 is less holographic with lesser imaging but somewhat smoother (after micropore tape mod).

The IKKO OH10 on our Wall of Fame plays vocals leaner, sharper, and more recessed, at similar imaging qualities. The Dunu Talos has a wider stage but lacks depth in comparison, and the notes are leaner. The first model in my collection to beat the I M05 is the $650 LETSHUOER EJ07 in that its sonic presentation is somewhat smoother with better rounded notes, but the IM05 is still better imaging.

The discontinued $699 Dunu Zen is better resolving but has an upper midrange glare. I prefer the IM05 over the lesser imaging and resolving Moondrop KATO. In summary, the IM05 are also head and shoulders above most $150-200 ChiFi fare I have tested, at least in terms of imaging.

Concluding Remarks

The TempoTec IM05 is an enjoyable 4+1 iem with an agreeable sonic signature. I have auditioned way more than 500 iems, but never had exactly this listening experience, so it is somewhat mainstream with new features, particularly the bass (though it may be considered being too boosted by some).

Since it is the company’s first iem, many analysts may “laud a good initial effort” while tacitly recommending the reader to wait for the “Pro” version. This is not necessary for the IM05, TempoTec got it right on the first try, as is the case with their V6 dap, Serenade X streamer, and March III M3 DAC/amp.

It was a pleasure testing the IEM05, an outright inspiration following my bundle of 10 Chifi iems that landed on my desk just before Christmas. TempoTec keep surprising.

Until next time…keep on listening!

The post TempoTec IM05 Review – Uniquely Mainstream appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The latest Mac generation features a relatively good audio circuit that makes many budget dongles and headphone amps obsolete.

Introduction

Apple computers, unlike the company’s mobile devices, have traditionally delivered poor audio quality through their 3.5 mm headphone socket. And most Windows machines are not any better.

Plugging an earphone or headphone into my 2012 MacBook Air and listening to iTunes/Apple Music creates a dull and blunt listening experience. This low quality is a contradiction to the capabilities of digital audio, which goes back at least 20 years. Even the 2013 iPhone 5S had stunning audio quality. Similarly, Apple’s “Lightning to 3.5 mm Audio Adapter” delivers excellent sound quality.

In order to make computers sound better, digital audio pioneer Gordon Rankin of Wavelength Audio (and contractor to AudioQuest), invented the dongle DAC back in 2012, the DragonFly Black. A tiny device without its own battery, it drew power from the host. The DragonFly was restricted to use with a computer as it drew more than 100 mA, too much for iPhone to handle.

As of 2016, the next version of the “Black” was within the iPhone’s current draw tolerance. Many companies jumped on the bandwagon flooding the market with such devices. But not all dongles are equal and ALL of them are a compromise. Such that draw little current (and therefore drain your phone company slowly) have limited power, and the powerful ones empty your phone’s battery fast.

When it comes to dongle-DAC use with computers, current drain is largely irrelevant considering that desktop machines don’t have a battery at all, and notebooks have high battery capacities compared to a phone. Power is therefore no problem with computer application, sound quality has foremost priority.

Dongle DACs typically have 1 to 2 V, depending on impedance. Some, such as the Helm Bolt, automatically switch voltage depending on detected headphone impedance.

Apple introduced a new integrated audio circuit in their latest models:

• MacBook Air introduced in 2022
• MacBook Pro introduced in 2021 or later
• Mac mini introduced in 2023
• Mac Studio introduced in 2022

These models contain an audio circuit that is power wise very similar to dongles such as the Helm Bolt, ifi Audio GO Link, DragonFly Red and Cobalt. Below 150 ohm headphone impedance, the circuit provides a voltage of 1.25 V RMS, above 150 ohm and up to 1000 ohm, the headphone jack delivers 3 V RMS. You find Apple’s respective support article here.

Apple’s integrated DAC supports sample rates up to 96 kHz (just like the AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt).

I calculated the resulting power and current drain as displayed in the following table:

What we have learnt so far is that Apple’s new audio circuit is as powerful as a standard dongle DAC of the kind that also works with a phone. Yes, there are more powerful dongles on the market such as the Apogee Groove, Questyle M15, or ifi Audio Go bar, which will work better with insensitive headphones.

The 2022 MacBook Air with the M2 processor has its headphone jack on the right-hand side.

Amplification and Sound Quality

Playing in-ears with 32 ohm impedance is a piece of cake, even the 70 ohm Sennheiser HD 25 headphones (on the title photo) get lots of volume. Just like many “standard dongle DACs”, the 300 ohm Sennheiser HD 600 brings the Mac audio to its limits. Yes, it principally works, but it lacks pizazz.

The current-hungry Final E5000 iems are a special case in that they do not run well with most current-conserving dongle DACs and daps, for example the ifi Go link, Helm Bolt or TempoTec V6. They play loud enough but lack bass control, an indication that hey don’t receive enough current.

My testing confirms the tech data comparison with comparable dongles.

And here comes the surprise: the sound quality of Apple’s new audio quality is…astonishingly good for what it is: crisp, transparent, clear. Very surprising. It sounds very similar (in terms of quality) to the ifi Go link or Helm Bolt.

Concluding Remarks

Apple’s new adaptive audio circuit finally sounds quite decent. Poor audio circuits in computers were the reason for the invention of the dongle DAC. The idea was to keep it small, down to the size of a thumb drive.

Some basic $50-100 dongle DACs have now become obsolete for modern Macs, which makes these devices even more compact. Where Apple are exaggerating is with the compatibility with high-impedance headphones. It principally works, but you are better off with a dedicated, powerful, headphone DAC/amp such as the ifi GO bar or the Questyle M15 on the go.

Testing this is easy: if you have a new Mac, try it out. If you don’t have one, don’t bother as you won’t buy one for this purpose anyway.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

Disclaimer

Our generic standard disclaimer.

The post Using Headphones With Your New Mac [Without An External DAC/Amp] – A Review 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!

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Disclaimer

Our generic standard disclaimer.

Gallery

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

As per our standard in such cases I’ll keep my piece a bit less descriptive as most of the general product information is already well covered by the original article. I’ll of course fill the pros&cons table, and I will add personal notes and considerations that might – hopefully – add something new to the reader’s benefit.

At-a-glance Card

What’s good for me

Sound

First a foremost, when judged vs its reference price V6 sounds good. Imaging (microdynamics) in particular is very nice. Extension is more than acceptable, and there is no significant sign of shoutyness or other “overdoings” from the 3KHz up. Well done.

The general device timbre, furthermore, is pleasant. It transmits a sense of silkyness – notes are well defined yet rounded. As a consequence V6 pairs best with bright / analythical drives.

On the flip side V6 is not the most resolving or microdynamical source you can get for the money – although quite likely the best one in form of a standalone DAP. On such regards it must honestly be kept in mind that miracles not being allowed, limited resources imply compromises. Cutting it with an hatchet, but not going far from reality, experience tells us that you “either” get good imaging with limited resolution, “or” a shaper accent on details but a fuzzier imaging, and fatigue on the midterm. Getting both at the same time requires different hardware (starting from the power module), therefore – by the way – higher budgets.

Power

V6’s balanced output delivers some very nice power, which turns into a lot of good flexibility. I find its almost 4V voltage swing OK for my HD600 in most if not all occasions, and 610mW on 32ohm are a great reservoir of power vs the overwhelming majority of IEMs out there, solely barred uncommon cases like Final E5000 or RHA CL2 – and fullsize hard planars, of course (more on this below).

Audio-specific system foundations

In exchange for being stuck with Andoid 8 (more on this below), V6 can adopt the full suite of audio-specific Android customisations originally developed by HiBy.

The most important of those is no doubt the bypass to Android’s stock audio driver, which “locks” all standard Android devices onto max 48KHz sample rate output – barred aposteriori interventions by clever apps e.g. UAPP, or, more recently, Roon ARC. On custom Android 8 there is a sort of “direct path” available between audio hardware and any higher-level apps, allowing the latter to fully exploit the former’s potential.

Another extremely interesting feature available at system level on these custom Android 8 distros is HiBy’s own user-friendly parametric EQ system called MSEB (as in “Magic Sound Eight Ball”)

The same feature is indeed included with HiBy’s music player app (“HiBy music”) – yet having it implemented down low at system level means you can exploit it also when using any other player app. Not a small thing at all.

Other nice audio features

V6 offers full access to its DAC chips’ 6 (six!) different built in filters: Sharp Roll-off, Slow Roll-off, Short Delay Sharp Roll-off, Short Delay Slow Roll-off, Super Slow Roll-off and Low Dispersion Short Delay.

By the way: for an explanation of what reconstruction fiters are you may want to grab a coffee, then go read my article on the subject (I recommend: in the listed order…). Full AKM AK4493SEQ specs are instead available here, after some registration.

V6 has 4 (four) separate analog audio outputs: 3.5 and 4.4 headphone out, and 3.5 and 4.4 line out.

It’s worth noting that unlike other devices V6 does not offer S/PDIF (digital) coax output from its 3.5 jack port. To get S/PDIF out from V6 you need to pick it from the USB-C port, via an adapter.

While talking about digital ouputs (and inputs), V6 offers them both on Bluetooth and USB channels.

Bluetooth in particular is at level 5.0 and supports most advanced codecs including LDAP and APTX-HD. No APTX-LL however. BT in general is well implemented and I could get good connection stability both in and out on LDAP.

And good battery support

V6 carries a 4500mAh battery, which taken per se is one of those pieces of info that really mean nothing.

It becomes good news when we consider that

• The battery itself supports QC3 fast charging : with the right charger in just 1 hour you get up tp 70%
• The device consumption is quite modest. Based on my typical usage I could get more than 12-13h effective play time.
• Android’s deep sleep is correctly implemented: you can leave V6 “on, but sleeping” (like your phone) and it will last weeks
• Last but not least, 4000mAh are enough to cope with powering a not particularly hungry dongle (e.g. E1DA 9038SG3, Dragonfly Cobalt) in case you want to use one to sensibly upgrade V6’s internal sound quality

What’s not

Android

In spite of the audio-specific customisations – one above all: the proprietary patch allowing for bypassing of Android’s own audio drivers – Android still impacts negatively on sound quality.

How do you know? Just try. Take the very same track and play it once on the DAP, and another time from a good quality transport after connecting that DAP as an external USB DAC: the latter will transit through at a “lower” level, and will be audibly cleaner, airier, livelier. Do the same with a non-Android DAP and the differences, if any, will be much less evident.

That being said, Android brings a lot of additional convenience to a mobile audio player. Sure! So does the smartphone I already carry with me everywhere however. So why should I use carry dedicated mobile audio player (DAP) ?

Long story short the sole valid fundamental rationale is: because I want better sound quality. Correct.

Just be warned: a) on even price conditions you can and will find non-Android DAPs sounding significantly better than same-priced Android ones, so much so that b) there is no Android-based DAP seriously rivalling top sound quality DAPs (Questyle QPM, Lotoo Paw Gold Touch).

Android 8.1

Amonsgt the few really interesting possibilities opened by adopting Android (or iOS) is using the device as a mobile Roon terminal via the recently released Roon ARC app. Very true, very important. Too bad that Roon ARC requires Android 9 (or iOS 12)

Why is the overwhelming majority of the existing Android-based DAP still adopting Android 9 ? Quite simple if you think about it : no one wants (is able / can budget-justify) to develop new audio-specific kernel modifications. Everyone is forking / licensing the same original patches – hence they are stuck on that kernel version.

Limited system resources leading to limited system performances

As mentioned above, Android is supposed to bring flexibility as its main advantage. Key to that is the possibility to use multiple different applications to run different tasks, and do that concurrently, read: at the same time.

To reach such target a certain amount of system resources (computing power and RAM) are required. And that’s what V6 sadly falls short of. The Snapdragon 425 SOC is a 6 year old model – which is a loooong time span in the mobile gear CPU chips market. Furthermore, it’s equipped with just 2GB of RAM. By comparison my everything-but-TOTL Samsung A52 phone runs a 2020 SOC (Snapdragon 720G) on 8GB RAM.

Surely choosing an outdated SOC and very little RAM contributes keeping market price down – no question about it – however it also hampers applicative performances especially in terms of multitasking.

Long story short: V6 works OK when you launch one music player, and use it to its full extent (including some EQ etc), but it starts showing “fatigue” (slow UI responsiveness) or “serious fatigue” (sluggish UI, stuttering etc) when you keep more than one music player and/or other (e.g. messaging, video etc) apps up together.

Other (common) shortcomings

From some point of view V6 is a genuine son of its time – so I guess we should be mild on its main shortcomings as they are common to most if not all the rest of the market offering at the same prices, and sadly at higher prices too.

Much like most of its peers, V6’s Single ended output should be considered “there just in case you can’t but use it”. Sound quality with some meaning exclusively comes out the Balanced output line, really.

Additionally, while V6 is able to deliver some very significant output power onto high impedance (almost 4V swing on 300ohm) and mid impedance (610mW on 32ohm) loads, its architecture quickly drops the battleaxe as load goes down: current output vs sub-16ohm drivers is seriously limited, so much so that it does not pass the E5000 acid test. Again: V6 is in great company ! It would then be too severe to point this out as a shameful limitation or such. Just be warned that – as always – money matters, and “there ain’t such thing as a giant killer”^(tm).

A couple of significant comparisons

Sony NW-A55

Simply put, NW-A55’s worst defect is that… it was recently discontinued. Until a year ago it was still on sale as new and, while already good in itself, thanks to a great humanity benefactor anyone could (and still can) even upgrade its internal operating system adopting more sophisticated versions Sony normally dedicates on their higher tier DAP models, turning A55 into a real sound quality masterpiece for a very modest budget (a bit less than 200€ retail).

A55 is worth mentioning as a part of our discussion today as it’s a glowing example of how a much lower priced device, free from the Android “burden” (see above), in terms of sound quality, audio features and UI/UX can closely rival a (good!) Android DAP like the V6 costing more than twice as much. Indeed in my opinion A55 still surpasses V6 in terms of sound definition and UI, while is succumbs as for sound extension, sheer output power, flexibility and compatibility.

HiBy R5

Also recently discontinued to be replaced by the much more expensive “R5 II Gen-2”, R5 was HiBy’s lower end Android-based DAP.

Lastly priced at the exact same ex works price as V6 ($369), the original R5 is extremely similar to its Tempotec competitor in terms of internal system hardware (same Snapdragon SOC, same system resources, same Android distro, same standard mods and apps), the meaningful differences consisting essentially in the audio section, whereon R5 is equipped by two CS43198 instead of V6’s more modern 2 x AK4493SEQ, complemented by 2 x ADP8397 opamps vs V6’s OPA1688.

R5 also has a smaller form factor (and screen), BT 4.2 instead of 5, and is minorly less powerful in terms of output wattage… details, really.

What’s most important: V6 sounds better. Not like day / night better, no, still very much audibly better. R5 sounds edgier, grainier, less refined.

Again, what matters to our discussion today is that the two devices are very similar under multiple design aspects, and they mainly differ insofar as V6 adopts a more modern DAC chipset. The existing although not excessive differences I find correspond quite exactly to my apriori expectation.

Wish I had a chance to audition HiBy’s latest R5 iteration, the R5 II GEN-2. I’m ready to bet it will be… very similar to V6 again – this time the gap being even smaller between the two, and it will be a close call wether one or the other can be called “better”.

Why do I reckon so ? Because R5 II is… pretty much again the same piece of base hardware (same Snapdragon SOC, same Android 8.1, same sw suite, same… etc), this time complemented with a more modern DAC chip set (2 x ESS9219C) and a Class-A output stage which will likely provide a tad better (cleaner, livelier) sound at the cost of a much higher power consumption.

How much difference will such more modern componentry make? Tough to say – as the burden represented by the antique (!) underlying hw and sw architecture will surely drain part of their good deeds…

Considerations and conclusions

Taking solely output audio quality in consideration the DAP market offers better quality for the dollar on proprietary-OS DAPs vs Android-based DAPs.

That said, for many adding more applicative flexibility to their pocket audio player device is a priority, and that’s where a general-purpose OS like Android comes into the equation.

Android DAP lovers don’t seem to really care about compromises in terms of sheer sound quality, or in terms of higher price budget, or both. Their (legit) mindset calls for Android-based DAPs to be considered (paraphrasing you-know-which movie line…) a separated ballpark, if even the same sport compared to custom OS ones.

All that recalled as a crucial preamble, as I tried to outline today Tempotec V6 clearly represents a solid staple in the sub-1K€ Android-based DAP panorama.

Its original introductory price of $280 made it into an absolute no brainer to be honest. At that price V6 was “the” budget Android DAP to own – full stop.

Now that the launch campaign is over V6 retails for $369 ex works, converting into a whiff less than €450 including EU VAT – which means stiffer competition, which however won’t likely significantly outrun V6 in terms of overall quality, leaving it as a still solid choice in its category and price segment.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

The post Tempotec V6 Review (2) – Second Opinion appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The EarMen CH-Amp was supplied by the company and I thank them for that – and for their patience (I tested critically for over 2 months). You can purchase it for $1480 (at the time of writing) from the EarMen shop.

Introduction

EarMen are designers and manufacturers of premium audio products from Europe. They are registered in Chicago however develop and produce in Serbia. They are a young company, but with lots of experience as they are an offshoot of premium manufacturer Auris Audio.

EarMen are confident. They do not offer umpteen models of the same at similar prices. No, one model fits all. And they don’t hand the responsibility of a good sound to the user through countless tweaking options. Their devices sound as good as they should out of the box.

EarMen products have long shelf lives: they are well designed so that the buyer does not have to fear their purchase will be superseded by an “upgrade” anytime soon.

EarMen like puns in their product names: Donald DAC, ST-Amp, and TR-Amp. And now the CH-Amp.

EarMen impressed us first with their dongles, the $129 Eagle and the $199 Sparrow. The former is still the lowest-priced dongle with premium sound on the market in my opinion. And the Sparrow is Biodegraded’s daily driver. It is not only the sound that is impressive but also the design and premium build.

Next, EarMen delighted us with their portable headphone amps, the affordable TR-Amp and the pricier Angel. And then came the Tradutto, their premium DAC designed to go with the CH-Amp. And, boy, does this synergy work.

Specifications CH-Amp

Physical Things

In the box are the actual Ch-Amp, the PSU-3 linear power supply, one 5-pin cable to connect both, and three more standard power cables to connect three more 12 V devices, for example the EarMen Tradutto (which has the same dimensions as the CH-Amp for perfect stacking), a combo remote for CH-Amp and Tradutto, and the manual. These are more accessories than listed in the manual (which you can download here).

A power cord is not included as EarMen are of the opinion that audio enthusiasts have their own preference, worldwide plug standards vary – and everybody has a spare in their drawer anyway. While such a cord is easy to get, a 4.4 mm balanced Pentaconn cable is still a rare thing – and EarMen are advised to offer one in their online shop.

PSU-3, CH-Amp (and even the remote) have appealing, minimalistic industrial designs with clear, straight lines. And they continue EarMen’s tradition of EXCEPTIONAL build quality.

The units are very heavy (3.5 kg combined) and sturdy. The CH-Amp’s printed circuit board is sitting in a one-piece aluminum enclosure with galvanized steel bottom (the same accounts for the PSU-3). Button and dial mechanisms are precise and rugged. Of all devices I have tested, only Burson products have a comparable build quality.

Like the Tradutto, the CH-Amp features an OLED display that indicates the settings.

The CH-Amp is shape wise and technically matched with the Tradutto DAC and essentially relies on this DAC to form the EarMen stack. The CH-Amp’s remote operates both devices.

Features

The CH-Amp is a fully balanced amplifier that comes with a sophisticated linear power supply that handles an additional three devices. The CH-Amp features 2 circuits, a single-ended 6.35 mm one and a more powerful 4.4 mm balanced one. It deploys German quality WIMA capacitors, audio electrolytes in combination with MELF low noise resistors and SoundPlus OPA1642 operational amplifiers.

For balanced operation, the CH-Amp needs to be connected to a balanced DAC such as the EarMen Tradutto. EarMen are forward looking in their choice of 4.4 mm connectivity between DAC and amp for balanced sound…you also need a balanced cable for your headphone or earphone.

The CH-Amp features a safety mechanism to protect the attached equipment and our ears – as described below.

Operation

The CH-Amp features all its controlling features (buttons, knobs, display) in the front, and all its connectivity in the back.

Front Panel

The CH-Amp’s front panel is cleanly laid out and complements the overall shape. It features a 6.35 mm socket for the single-ended circuit, and a 4.4 mm socket for the balanced circuit.

The small OLED indicates the selected input (BAL, L1, L2) and the gain (high, low). If no headphone is connected, it indicates its pre-amp setting “PRE”. It also contains a nifty VU meter. The display is always on and cannot be dimmed, but it is subtle.

The tiny buttons to the right of the display let you select gain and line in. The on-off/volume knob can also be used as a mute button.

Back Panel

The CH-Amp’s back panel contains a 5-pin power input from the PSU-3 power supply, a 4.4 mm balanced socket, and 2 RCA inputs. This means you can connect 3 source devices simultaneously.

For use a pre-amp, the CH-Amp features a 4.4 mm balanced line out and RCA pre-outs. The 4.4 mm circuit is required to keep the stack’s dimensions down (XLR requires a much bigger chassis). The power supply’s back pane is discussed in detail below.

Switching the power supply on welcomes you with a loud “zong”…which is normal. You still have to switch the CH-Amp on individually (and the Tradutto) by pushing its volume knob.

By default, the CH-Amp is on volume level 0/low gain. After selecting the input and gain, you are ready to listen.

In the case you pull the headphone out of the socket, the volume automatically resets to 0. The knob physically moves back into this position under a clicking noise. It is a safety mechanism for protecting your equipment and your ears.

While this can be a cool effect, the gain also resets to low. I would prefer if the gain stayed on the previously chosen setting as it is not a safety requirement (zero volume is zero volume). It would be more convenient if gain selection was included in the remote’s functionality – which it is not.

The Remote

It is actually double remote for controlling the CH-Amp and the Tradutto DAC – and it also switches both devices on and off (but not the PSU-3). The remote is made entirely of metal with quality button mechanisms – and it contains a battery. It charges through any 5V power supply/computer outlet through its USB-C socket. Charger and cable are not included…less clutter.

The haptic is great, certainly much better than my drawer full of flimsy plastic remotes for operating my TV, some DACS, and even my premium Marantz SA8005 SACD player.

What one needs to get used to is the ergonomics (it is just a rectangular box with rounded corners) and the operational challenges. If you stack the Tradutto DAC on top of the CH-Amp/PSU-3, you may find it counterintuitive to have the CH-Amp’s buttons above the Tradutto’s buttons…and may as well sandwich the Tradutto between CH-Amp and PSU-3.

But, obviously, the CH-Amp has priority on the remote, as you may not own a Tradutto at all.

The other challenge is that the selection buttons of the CH-Amp (line ins: BAL, L1, L2) and the selection buttons of the Tradutto (inputs: USB, TOS, COAX, BT) are on opposing sides. All this in the context that the buttons are very close together. As mentioned, a gain control button is not included.

Again, this organization benefits the remote’s size, which is much smaller than any other remote for desktop devices I have – and which is in line with the small-size concept of the EarMen stack.

You may use the remote a lot if your arms are shorter than your headphone cable.

The PSU-3 Power Supply

It is evident that the device advertised as CH-Amp comes in two parts, the bigger and heavier of which is not an amplifier at all: the PSU-3 power supply. It features four power outlets (cables included) and therefore can supply three additional 12V devices other than the CH-Amp (such as the Tradutto DAC, EarMen’s Staccato Streamer, and another device of your choice).

The input voltage can be switched between 115 and 230 V. While it may look bulky, it actually saves a lot of space as discussed in the next chapter.

Power supplies are a very important and frequently underestimated part of our stereo systems. I have tested a few, and in my experience, they make a huge sonic difference – and I mean huge: not by adding sound quality but by minimizing its decay.

Examples are the Tradutto’s stock supply, the ifi Audio iPowerX and the Burson Super Charger, all of which are switching mode power supplies (like our phone/notebook chargers). They are smaller than the PSU-3 unit, which is a linear power supply (LPS).

An LPS is relatively bulky (up to microwave size) and heavy because it contains a big transformer, but it has a great price to performance ratio delivering a cleaner DC through a more stable voltage.

The smaller SMPS are generally noisier and deteriorate the signal more, unless you move into the super premium segment. But even a decent LPS can setup you back several hundred dollars. Easily!

EarMen’s engineers have obviously put a lot of thought into clean power.

If you also own the Tradutto, you can use its stock SMPS for other devices. The PSU-3 is a better power supply that upgrades the Tradutto’s sound, too.

Amplification

The CH-Amp has a maximum power of 3.8 W for its balanced output on high gain @ 32 Ω. See the two tables below for details at other representative headphone impedances. EarMen does not recommend load impedance of 8 Ω (you can work around this by using the IE Match).

Balanced Output (4.4 mm)

Single-ended Output (6.35 mm)

I tested the CH-Amp with the EarMen Tradutto DAC, sourced my a MacBook Air. I mainly used two headphones, the power-hungry 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600 and the easy-to-drive 16 Ω Final Sonorous III, both with 4.4 mm balanced cables. The CH-Amp’s volume scale ranges from 0 to 30.

With the Senns, I turned the volume to 15 (on high gain) for a “healthy” sound, and to about 20 for loud music. 25 was hurting my eardrums. The Sonorous played already really loud at 9 on the dial (on low gain). 6 was enough for normal listening.

Driving the 32 Ω Beyerdynamic Custom Pro and the 70 Ω Sennheiser HD25 on the single-ended circuit on low gain also was a piece of cake for the CH-Amp.

The CH-Amp will drive any headphone sufficiently (except, perhaps some rare, particularly “hungry” planars).

Sound

I tested with the EarMen Tradutto DAC sourced by a MacBook Air.

The CH-Amp’s sound is essentially uncoloured, maybe with a very slight lift at the low end (depending on source and interconnects). Transparency is excellent, staging and extension vary with transducer: the Sennheiser HD 600 play way more open than the Final Sonorous III.

There is obviously a sonic difference between the balanced and single-ended circuits (apart from power). The balanced circuit adds more depth to the sonic image – and produces an overall more “balanced” sound. It is the 4.4 mm circuit that makes the CH-Amp shine.

I have been listening over 2 months with headphones of impedances as low as 16 Ω and do not register any hiss. One recording I am getting back to again and again is Miles Davis’ classic 1959 Kind of Blue album (in the 2007 digital hybrid SACD SICP 10083 version from Sony Japan), in combination with the Sennheiser HD 600 (with balanced cable). In my experience, it feels like being in the studio: excellent transparency, crispness, resolution, and control. The sound is vivid yet natural and balanced. An addictive experience.

In comparison, the Tradutto with the similarly powerful Burson Funk (with the V6 Classic opamps and the Super Charger power supply) creates a warmer and flatter sound (as it lacks a balanced circuit).

The CH-Amp, in combination with the EarMen Tradutto produces the best sound I have experienced with my headphones. It is a truly complete (balanced) package!

Does Size Matter?

On my desk, space is sparse – and size matters a lot. The Marie Kondo in me wants a setup with the best possible sound and yet the smallest possible footprint — and as little (cable) clutter as possible.

The EarMen stack (Tradutto, CH-Amp, and Staccato streamer) occupies the smallest possible area of any stack in its category. It is building up rather than out, just like skyscrapers in mega cities – and it occupies barely more area than a CD.

Its footprint is further minimized by the lack of cable clutter: the single, short 4.4 mm Pentaconn cables takes way less space than the two bulky XLR ones it replaces. I ordered my megumi copper cable from Hart Audio, who also consider the less cumbersome 4.4 mm cables as convenient.

The third space saving takes place underneath our desks. Instead of needing four wall outlets or a power bar with three additional external power supplies dangling around our feet (which may introduce potential interference issues), the PSU-3 needs only a single power cord/power outlet for supplying the CH-Amp and another three 12 V devices.

If you, let’s say, only use the PSU-3 for the CH-Amp and Tradutto, you can connect any other two 12 V device to it. For example, it works for the TempoTec Serenade X player – and it improves its sound substantially compared to its stock supply (even the Tradutto’s stock power supply makes the Serenade X sound much better).

In summary, “less is more” and the EarMen stack’s size is very handy. With one less problem, I can leave the desk clutter intermittently to books and papers.

Concluding Remarks

In summary, the CH-Amp is characterized by a clean industrial design, clean power, clean sound, and clean cable organization with the smallest possible footprint.

Both CH-Amp and Tradutto make for a fantastic stack, a complete package that made it well worth re-equipping my favourite headphones with 4.4 mm balanced cables (check the “Gallery” below for details.

The EarMen stack is the best best desktop combo I have tested. Period. And it is more than enough for my sonic needs. It is not often that such a great device hits my test bench.

In the end, “We are the CH-Ampions” applies…please excuse the pun.

For best results, pair the CH-Amp with the Tradutto.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

Disclaimer

Our generic standard disclaimer.

Gallery

The post EarMen CH-Amp Review – Complete Control appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Der EarMen CH-Amp wurde von der Firma bereit gestellt und ich danke ihnen dafür – und für ihre Geduld (ich habe über 2 Monate lang kritisch getestet). Sie können ihn für 1480 $ (zum Zeitpunkt des Schreibens) im EarMen Shop erwerben.

Dieser Artikel wurde vom Author aus dem kanadischen Englisch übersetzt. Das Original findet sich hier.

Einführung

EarMen sind Designer und Hersteller von Premium-Audioprodukten aus Europa. Sie sind in Chicago registriert, entwickeln und produzieren jedoch in Serbien. Sie sind ein junges Unternehmen, aber mit viel Erfahrung, da sie ein Ableger des Premium-Herstellers Auris Audio sind.

EarMen sind selbstbewusst. Sie bieten nicht zig Modelle desselben zu ähnlichen Preisen an. Nein, ein Modell pro Kategorie reicht. Und sie geben dem Benutzer nicht die Verantwortung für einen guten Klang durch unzählige Optimierungsoptionen. Ihre Geräte klingen so gut, wie sie es aus der Packung heraus sollten.

EarMen-Produkte haben eine lange Haltbarkeit: Sie sind gut durchdacht, sodass der Käufer nicht befürchten muss, dass sein Kauf in absehbarer Zeit durch ein “Upgrade” ersetzt wird.

EarMen mögen Wortspiele in ihren Produktnamen: Donald DAC, ST-Amp und TR-Amp.

EarMen beeindruckte uns zuerst mit ihren Dongles, dem 129 $ Eagle und dem 199 $ Sparrow. Ersteres ist meiner Meinung nach immer noch der preisgünstigste Dongle mit Premium-Sound auf dem Markt. Und der Sparrow ist der tägliche “Driver” von Co-Blogger Biodegraded. Es ist nicht nur der Klang, der beeindruckend ist, sondern auch das Design und der Premium-Build.

Als nächstes begeisterte uns EarMen mit ihren tragbaren Kopfhörerverstärkern, dem erschwinglichen TR-Amp und dem teureren Angel. Und dann kam der Tradutto, ihr Premium-DAC, der für den CH- Amp entwickelt wurde. Und, Boy, funktioniert diese Synergie gut.

Spezificationen des CH-Amp

Physische Dinge

In der Box befinden sich der eigentliche CH-Amp, das lineare Netzteil PSU-3, ein 5-poliges Kabel zum Anschließen beider, sowie drei weitere Kabel zum Anschluss von drei weiteren 12-V- Geräten, zum Beispiel das EarMen Tradutto (das die gleichen Abmessungen wie der CH-Amp für perfektes “Stapeln” hat), und eine Kombi-Fernbedienung für CH-Aamp und Tradutto. Dies ist mehr Zubehör als in der Bedienungsanleitung aufgeführt (welche Sie hier herunterladen können).

Ein Netzkabel ist nicht im Lieferumfang enthalten, da EarMen der Meinung sind, dass Audio-Enthusiasten ihre eigene Präferenz haben, die weltweiten Steckerstandards variieren – und jeder hat sowieso ein Ersatzkabel in seiner Schublade.

Während ein solches Kabel leicht zu bekommen ist, ist ein 4,4-mm symmetrisches Pentaconn-Kabel immer noch eine seltene Sache – und EarMen wird empfohlen, eines in ihrem Online-Shop anzubieten.

PSU-3, CH-Amp (und sogar die Fernbedienung) haben ansprechende, minimalistische Industriedesigns mit klaren, geraden Linien. Und sie setzen die Tradition von EarMen von AUSSERGEWÖHNLICHER Verarbeitungsqualität fort.

Die beiden Einheiten sind relativ schwer (3.5 kg zusammen) und robust. Die Leiterplatte des CH-Amp befindet sich in einem einteiligen Aluminiumgehäuse mit verzinktem Stahlboden (die gleichen Rechnungen für das Netzteil-3). Knopf- und Wählmechanismen sind präzise und robust. Von allen Geräten, die ich getestet habe, haben nur Burson Produkte eine vergleichbare Verarbeitungsqualität.

Wie der Tradutto verfügt auch der CH-Amp über ein OLED-Display, das die Einstellungen anzeigt.

Der CH-Amp ist von der Form und technisch auf den Tradutto DAC abgestimmt und verlässt sich im wesentlichen auf diesen DAC, um den EarMen-Stack zu bilden. Die Fernbedienung des CH-Amp bedient beide Geräte.

EIGENSCHAFTEN

Der CH-Amp ist ein “balanced/symmetrischer” Verstärker, der mit einer ausgeklügelten linearen Stromversorgung ausgestattet ist, die drei zusätzliche Geräte betreiben kann. Der CH-Amp verfügt über 2 Schaltkreise (asymmetrisch/single-ended 6.35 mm und eine leistungsstärkere 4.4 mm balanced/asymmetrisch). Es sind WIMA-Kondensatoren in deutscher Qualität, Audioelektrolyte in Kombination mit MELF-Rauscharmen Widerständen und SoundPlus OPA1642 Opamps verbaut.

Für den “balanced” Betrieb muss der CH-Amp an einen ausgewogenen Digitalwandler wie den EarMen Tradutto angeschlossen werden. EarMen freuen sich auf ihre Wahl der 4.4-mm Konnektivität zwischen DAC und Verstärker für ausgewogenen Klang… Sie benötigen auch ein “balanced” Kabel für Ihren Kopfhörer.

Der CH-Amp verfügt über einen Sicherheitsmechanismus, um die angeschlossenen Geräte und unsere Ohren zu schützen – wie unten beschrieben.

Bedienung

Der CH-Amp verfügt über alle seine Steuerfunktionen (Tasten, Knöpfe, Display) auf der Vorderseite und alle seine Konnektivität auf der Rückseite.

Vorderseite

Die Frontplatte des CH-Amp ist sauber angeordnet und ergänzt die Gesamtform. Es verfügt über eine 6.35-mm-Buchse für den Single-End-Schaltkreis und einen 4.4-mm Anschluss für den Balanced-Circuit.

Das kleine OLED Display zeigt den ausgewählten Eingang (BAL, L1, L2) und die Verstärkung (hoch, niedrig) an. Wenn kein Kopfhörer angeschlossen ist, zeigt er seine Vorverstärkereinstellung “PRE” an. Es enthält auch ein raffiniertes VU-Meter. Das Display ist immer eingeschaltet und kann nicht gedimmt werden, aber es ist subtil.

Die winzigen Tasten rechts vom Display lassen Sie Gain und Line-In auswählen. Der Ein-Aus- /Lautstärkeregler kann auch als Stummschalttaste verwendet werden.

Rückseite

Die Rückwand des CH-Amp enthält einen 5-poligen Stromeingang aus dem Netzteil PSU-3, eine 4.4 mm Balanced-Buchse und 2 RCA-Eingänge. Das bedeutet, dass Sie 3 weitere Quellgeräte gleichzeitig anschliessen können.

Für die Verwendung eines Vorverstärkers verfügt der CH-Amp über einen .,4-mm symmetrische Line-Out und RCA-Pre-Outs. Der 4.4-mm Schaltungkreis ist erforderlich, um die Abmessungen des Stacks niedrig zu halten (XLR erfordert ein viel größeres Chassis). Die Hinterseite des Netzteils wird im Folgenden ausführlich besprochen.

Das Einschalten der Stromversorgung begrüßt Sie mit einem lauten “Zong” … was normal ist. Sie müssen den CH-Amp immer noch einzeln (und den Tradutto) einschalten, indem Sie den Lautstärkeregler drücken..

Standardmäßig befindet sich der CH-Amp auf Lautstärkestufe 0/niedrige Verstärkung. Nachdem Sie die Eingabe und den Gain ausgewählt haben, kann man Musik hören.

Wenn Sie den Kopfhörer aus der Buchse ziehen, wird die Lautstärke automatisch auf 0 zurückgesetzt. Der Knopf bewegt sich unter einem Klickgeräusch physisch zurück in diese Position. Es ist ein Sicherheitsmechanismus zum Schutz Ihrer Ausrüstung und Ihrer Ohren.

Während dies ein cooler Effekt sein kann, wird der Gain auch auf niedrig zurückgesetzt. Ich würde es vorziehen, wenn der Gain auf der zuvor gewählten Einstellung bleibt, da es sich nicht um eine Sicherheitsanforderung handelt (Nullvolumen ist Nullvolumen). Es wäre bequemer, wenn die Gainwahl in die Funktionalität der Fernbedienung einbezogen würde – was nicht der Fall ist.

Die Fernbedienung

Es ist eigentlich eine doppelte Fernbedienung zur Steuerung des CH-Amp und des Tradutto DAC – und es schaltet auch beide Geräte ein und aus (aber nicht das Netzteil). Die Fernbedienung besteht vollständig aus Metall mit hochwertigen Tastenmechanismen – und sie enthält eine verbaute Batterie. Es lädt über jedes 5V-Netzteil/Computersteckdose über seine USB-C-Buchse auf. Ladegerät und Kabel sind nicht im Lieferumfang enthalten… weniger Unordnung.

Die Haptik ist großartig, sicherlich viel besser als meine Schublade voller billig anmutenden Kunststofffernbedienungen für den Betrieb meines Fernsehers, einiger DACS und sogar meines Premium-Marantz SA8005 SACD-Players.

Woran man sich gewöhnen muss, ist die Ergonomie (es ist nur eine rechteckige Box mit abgerundeten Ecken) und die betrieblichen Herausforderungen. Wenn Sie den Tradutto DAC auf den CH-Amp/PSU-3 stapeln, können Sie es kontra-intuitiv finden, die Tasten des CH-Amp oberhalb der Tasten des Tradutto zu haben… und können den Tradutto auch zwischen CH-Amp und PSU-3 stellen.

Aber offensichtlich hat der CH-Amp Vorrang in der Fernbedienung, da Sie möglicherweise überhaupt keinen Tradutto besitzen.

Die andere Herausforderung besteht darin, dass sich die Auswahltasten des CH-Amp (Line-Ins: BAL, L1, L2) und die Auswahltasten des Tradutto (Eingänge: USB, TOS, COAX, BT) auf gegenüberliegenden Seiten befinden. All dies in dem Kontext, dass die Tasten sehr nah beieinander liegen. Wie bereits erwähnt, ist eine Gain Control-Taste nicht enthalten.

Auch hier kommt diese Organisation der Größe der Fernbedienung zugute, die viel kleiner ist als jede andere Fernbedienung für Desktop-Geräte, die ich habe – und die dem kleinen Konzept des EarMen- Stacks entspricht.

Sie werden die Fernbedienung viel verwenden, wenn Ihre Arme kürzer sind als Ihr Kopfhörerkabel.

Das PSU-3 Netzteil

Es ist offensichtlich, dass das als CH-Amp beworbene Gerät aus zwei Teilen besteht, von denen der größere und schwerer überhaupt kein Verstärker ist: das Netzteil PSU-3. Es verfügt über vier Anschlüsse (einschließlich beigelegte Kabel) und kann daher drei zusätzliche 12-V-Geräte außer dem CH-Amp (wie den Tradutto DAC, EarMen’s Staccato Streamer und ein anderes Gerät Ihrer Wahl) liefern.

Die Eingangsspannung kann zwischen 115 und 230 V geschaltet werden. Obwohl das Netzteil sperrig aussehen mag, spart es tatsächlich viel Platz, wie im nächsten Kapitel besprochen.

Netzteile sind ein sehr wichtiger und häufig unterschätzter Teil unserer Stereoanlagen. Ich habe einige getestet, und nach meiner Erfahrung machen sie einen großen klanglichen Unterschied – und ich meine enorm: nicht durch Hinzufügen von Klangqualität, sondern durch Minimierung der Erosion derselben .

Beispiele sind das Netzteil des Tradutto, das ifi Audio iPowerX und das Burson Super Charger, die alle Schaltmodus Netzteile sind (wie unsere Telefon-/Notebook-Ladegeräte). Sie sind kleiner als die PSU-3 Einheit, die eine lineare Stromversorgung (LPS) ist.

Ein LPS ist relativ sperrig (bis zur Mikrowellengröße) und schwer, weil es einen großen Transformator enthält, aber es hat ein gutes Preis-Leistungs Verhältnis, das eine sauberere Gleichstromspannung durch eine stabilere Spannung liefert.

Die kleineren SMPS sind im Allgemeinen lauter und verschlechtern das Signal mehr, es sei denn, Sie wechseln in das Super-Premium-Segment. Aber selbst ein anständiger LPS kann Sie mehrere hundert Dollar kosten.

Die Ingenieure von EarMen haben offensichtlich viel über saubere Energie nachgedacht.

Wenn Sie auch den Tradutto besitzen, können Sie seinen Standard SMPS für andere Geräte verwenden. Das PSU-3 ist ein besseres Netzteil, das auch den Klang des Tradutto verbessert.

Verstärkerleistung

Der CH-Amp hat eine maximale Leistung von 3.8 W für seine ausgeglichene Leistung bei hoher Verstärkung @ 32 Ω. In den beiden folgenden Tabellen finden Sie weitere Informationen zu anderen repräsentativen Kopfhörerimpedanzen. EarMen empfiehlt keine Lastimpedanz von 8 Ω (Sie können dies mit dem IE Match umgehen).

Balanced Output (4.4 mm)

Single-ended Output (6.35 mm)

Ich habe den CH-Amp mit dem EarMen Tradutto DAC getestet, mit Musik von meinem MacBook Air. Ich habe hauptsächlich zwei Kopfhörer verwendet, den energiehungrigen 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600 und den weniger anspruchsvollen 16 Ω Final Sonorous III, beide mit 4,.4 mm symmetrischen Kopfhörerkabeln. Die Lautstärkeskala des CH-Amp reicht von 0 bis 30.

Mit den Sennheisern drehte ich die Lautstärke auf 15 (bei “High Gain”) für einen “gesunden” Klang und auf etwa 20 für laute Musik. 25 war für mein Trommelfell zuviel. Der Sonorous spielte bereits sehr laut bei 9 auf der Skala (bei “Low Gain”). 6 war genug für normales Hören.

Das Fahren des 32 Ω Beyerdynamic Custom Pro und des 70 Ω Sennheiser HD25 auf der Single-End- Schaltung mit geringer Verstärkung war auch ein Kinderspiel für den CH-Amp.

Der CH-Amp treibt jeden Kopfhörer ausreichend an (mit Ausnahme einiger seltener, besonders “hungriger” Planare).

Klang

Ich habe mit dem EarMen Tradutto DAC getestet, der von einem MacBook Air mit Musik versorgt wurde.

Der Klang des CH-Amp ist im wesentlichen unverfärbt, vielleicht mit einem sehr leichten Boost am unteren Ende (abhängig von Quelle und Verbindungen). Die Transparenz ist ausgezeichnet, die Inszenierung und die Erweiterung variieren je nach Wandler: Der Sennheiser HD 600 spielt viel offener als der Final Sonorous III.

Es gibt offensichtlich einen klanglichen Unterschied zwischen den symmetrischen und den asymmetrischen Ausgängen (abgesehen von der Leistung). Der symmetrische Schaltkreis verleiht dem Klangbild mehr Tiefe – und erzeugt einen insgesamt “ausgeglicheneren” Klang. Es ist die .,4-mm-Schaltung, die den CH-Amp zum Strahlen bringt.

Ich testete über 2 Monate mit Kopfhörern mit Impedanzen von nur 16 Ω und registrierte kein Zischen. Eine Aufnahme, zu der ich immer wieder zurückkomme, ist Miles Davis’ klassisches 1959 Kind of Blue Album (in der digitalen Hybrid-Version SACD SICP 10083 2007 von Sony Japan), in Kombination mit dem Sennheiser HD 600 (mit symmetrischem Kopfhörerkabel). Meiner Erfahrung nach fühlt es sich an, als wäre man im Studio: ausgezeichnete Transparenz, Schärfe, Auflösung und Kontrolle. Der Klang ist lebendig, aber natürlich und ausgewogen. Eine süchtig machende Erfahrung.

Im Vergleich dazu erzeugt der Tradutto mit dem ähnlich leistungsstarken Burson Funk (mit den V6 Classic Opamps und dem Super Charger-Netzteil) einen wärmeren und flacheren Klang (da ihm ein symmetrische Schaltkreis fehlt).

Der CH-Amp erzeugt in Kombination mit dem EarMen Tradutto den besten Sound, den ich mit meinen Kopfhörern erlebt habe. Es ist ein wirklich komplettes (ausgewogene) Paket!

Spielt die Größe eine Rolle?

Auf meinem Schreibtisch ist der Platz knapp – und Größe daher sehr wichtig. Die Marie Kondo in mir will ein Setup mit dem bestmöglichen Klang und doch dem kleinstmöglichen Platzbedarf – und so wenig (Kabel-) Unordnung wie möglich.

Der EarMen Stack (Tradutto, CH-Amp und Staccato-Streamer) nimmt die kleinstmögliche Fläche eines Stapels in seiner Kategorie ein. Es baut sich eher auf als draußen, genau wie Wolkenkratzer in Metropolen – und er nimmt kaum mehr Fläche ein als eine CD.

Sein Platzbedarf wird durch den Mangel an Kabelsalat weiter minimiert: Die einzelnen, kurzen 4.4- mm-Pentaconn-Kabel nehmen viel weniger Platz ein als die beiden sperrigen XLR-Kabel, die es ersetzt. Ich habe mein Megumi-Kupferkabel bei Hart Audio bestellt, das auch die weniger umständlichen 4.4-mm-Kabel für praktisch hält.

Die dritte Platzersparnis findet unter unseren Schreibtischen statt. Anstatt vier Steckdosen oder eine Netzleiste mit drei zusätzlichen externen Netzteilen zu benötigen, die um unsere Füße baumeln (was zu potenziellen Interferenzproblemen führen kann), benötigt das PSU-3 Netzteil nur ein einziges Netzkabel/eine Steckdose für die Versorgung des CH-Amp und weitere drei 12-V-Geräte.

Wenn Sie beispielsweise nur das PSU-3 für den CH-Amp und Tradutto verwenden, können Sie zwei weitere 12-V-Geräte daran anschließen. Zum Beispiel funktioniert es für den TempoTec Serenade X- Player – und es verbessert dessen Klang im Vergleich zu seinem eigenen Netzteil erheblich (sogar das Standardstromversorgung des Tradutto lässt den Serenade X viel besser klingen).

Zusammenfassend ist “weniger mehr” und die Größe des EarMen Stacks ist sehr praktisch. Mit einem Problem weniger kann ich meine Bürounordnung den Büchern und Papierkram überlassen.

Abschließende Bemerkungen

Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, dass sich der CH-Amp durch ein sauberes Industriedesign, saubere Leistung, sauberen Klang und saubere Kabelorganisation mit dem kleinstmöglichen Platzbedarf auszeichnet.

Sowohl CH-Amp als auch Tradutto sorgen für einen fantastischen Stack, ein Komplettpaket, das es sich gelohnt hat, meine Lieblingskopfhörer mit 4.4-mm “symmetrischen” Kabeln neu auszurüsten (siehe die “Galerie” unten für Details.

Der EarMen-Stack ist die beste Desktop-Combo, die ich getestet habe. Basta! Und es ist mehr als genug für meine klanglichen Bedürfnisse. Es kommt nicht oft vor, dass ein so großartiges Gerät auf meinen Schreibtisch kommt.

Am Ende gilt “Wir sind die CH-Ampions”… bitte entschuldigen Sie den Kalauer.

Für beste Ergebnisse kombinieren Sie den CH-Amp mit dem Tradutto.

Bis zum nächsten Mal…keep on listening!

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Impressum

Our generic standard disclaimer.

Gallerie

The post EarMen CH-Amp Kopfhörerverstärker – Testbericht aus Kanada appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The $265 TempoTec Serenade X “Full Balance Designed Integrated Network Streaming Music Player” is a fabulous all-in-one mid-fi player that successfully marries functionality and sound. A complete package and a true pleasure on all fronts using it. Plays even lossless via Apple AirPlay 2...

The TempoTec Serenade X was kindly provided by the manufacturer, and I thank them for that. You find more information on the TempoTec website.

Introduction

TempoTec are a Chinese company that have come a long way recently. Previously best known for their budget DACs, they stepped into the limelight with their excellent V6 Digital Analog Player, a wonderfully tuned device at around a (very attractive) $329.

I became interested in the TempoTec Serenade X because I wanted to find out what it could do for us. After all, it is an unusually looking device. In short, it can do A LOT…it streams…per internet from the usual subscription services (Tidal, Qobuz etc.), per Bluetooth from your tablet/phone, per USB from the computer, external hard drive, or simply a USB stick…and per coax or Toslink (or USB) from your CD player. Did I forget anything?

The Serenade X excels through its functionality while having a decent however standardized, prefabricated sound through 2 standard SoCs.

Specifications TempoTec Serenade X

Physical Things

In the package are the device, a screw-on Bluetooth antenna, the 12V power supply, a USB-A to USB-C cable, 1 HiBy 4.4 mm (female) to 3.5 mm (male) adapter, 1 GB USB-thumb drive, a microfibre cleaning cloth, and the usual paperwork.

The TempoTec Serenade X is an unusually shaped device and appears like the love child of a tablet computer and a RC Battery Charger.

The chassis is made of metal and the whole top is reflective glass. The latter contains a relatively small 3.2″ touch screen of intermediate resolution – which does the job for me. The build quality is fine. What may be confusing, initially, is that most functionality is handled by the touch screen, but some (for example volume) by a set of physical buttons.

The Serenade’s X footprint is rather small (12 x 10 x 4.5 cm) and all you need is a wall socket. This makes it attractive for small desks and even hotel rooms.

Technology/Architecture

The Serenade X sports a dual ESS9219C chipset (“System on Chip” or “SoC”) for a fully balanced design. This means DAC and amp are on the same chip. This saves space however creates a somewhat prefabricated sound and amplification.

And since DAC and amp cannot be separated, it is not possible to create a digital output. All outputs are therefore analog.

All functionality is controlled by a FPGA digital management circuit. Volume is controlled digitally by hardware button and by the HiByLink mobile app.

Firmware can be downloaded from the TempoTec website and easily updated via a USB stick.

Interface

Top Panel

Contains all control functions via the touch screen and a button panel. Operation is intuitive.

Back Panel: I/O

All inputs are digital, the outputs are analog. You can connect CD players, daps, DACs, and computer via S/PDIF (coax, optical), USB-A and USB-C. On the receiving end you can connect 4.4 mm plugs (headphone or amp) for balanced operation, and RCA interconnects for single-ended amplifiers.

Functionality and Operation

The Tempotec Serenade X is an incredibly versatile device.

It does

• play music through balanced headphone circuits and balanced or single ended external amplifier
• play music from wireless sources: Tidal & Qobuz (Wifi), Apple AirPlay 2 (“Apple Music”) & Bluetooth (“Spotify”) etc. (from computer, phone)
• play music from wired sources: coaxial & S/PDIF (CD player, DAC, dap), USB-A & USB-C (computer, dap, internal HiBy player)
• feature the HiBy player that can be controlled from your phone via the free HiByLink app
• let you tweak the sound with HiBy’s very smart MSEB parametric equalizer
• let you update the Firmware through a set of files downloaded directly or through a computer from the TempoTec website.

It does not have

• integrated Spotify (can be mitigated by streaming from phone/computer via Bluetooth)
• Roon capabilities
• digital outputs (cannot connect to an external DAC)
• a microSD card slot (can be mitigated by a USB adapter)

Whilst this list is somewhat overwhelming, the menu is intuitive and self explanatory. I will explain the most important features and workarounds as follows.

Menu System

The touch screen displays a compact menu that lets you access and choose the various inputs including streaming services, wireless connectivities, settings, the HiBy music player, and the MSEB (which stands for “Mage Sound 8-ball”). MSEB is a parametric, very intuitive EQ.

Wireless Options

Apple AirPlay 2 vs. Bluetooth 5.0 vs. Wifi

The Serenade offers these three wireless input possibilities.

Wifi: does not allow for direct streaming, it just transfers data to a connected drive.

Bluetooth & Apple AirPlay 2: you can play music from your computer/phone via Bluetooth (all current codecs) or Apple AirPlay 2. Both work differently.

Bluetooth uses a direct connection whereas AirPlay 2 connects via the network. This allows for bigger data streams including images so that AirPlay 2 can play lossless, Bluetooth cannot. Apple users frolic.

Streaming Services

Tidal, Qobuz: you can connect to and control Tidal and Qobuz via Wifi through the Serenade’s interface.

Apple Music: streams lossless from your phone or Mac with Apple AirPlay 2. Album art shows on Serenade X’s screen.

Spotify: There is no Spotify option in the menu, which you can stream via Bluetooth from your phone or computer. The downside is “no cover art”, just a generic screen on the Serenade X’s display.

Wired Options

Toslink/optical: CD-players, DACs, and my old Questyle QP1R dap have optical line outs.

Coaxial: works with most DACs and CD players.

USB-A, USB-C: connect your thumb drive, SSD, or similar with your music library on it.

No micro-SD card slot? Not a problem. Use a USB memory-card reader.

Integrated Option: The HiBy 3.0 Music Player with HiBy Link Remote

The Serenade X features a built-in HiBy music player which you also find in many digital analog players. It is sourced by an external drive. I use a 128 GB thumb drive. The free HiByLink app turns your phone into a remote (if your headphone cord is longer than your arms).

The HiBy music player is also on the TempoTec V6 and the Hidisz AP80 Pro-X (and many more). It is intuitive, offers lots of tweaks (for example an MSEB), and it sounds better than Apple’s Music player on my iPhone.

Sound and Amplification

As mentioned, the Serenade X features 2 standard SoCs, that is DAC and amp are on the same ESS chip. This creates a standard sound and output power as experienced, for example, in the Qudelix-5K, Hidizs XO, FiiO BTR5, a few Shanlings, and the Hidizs AP80 Pro-X dap. The amplification (see specs) is powerful enough to drive my 300 Ω  Sennheiser HD 600 with ease.

The audio engineer cannot manipulate the analog output stage and the amp, and only has the option to put fllters and/or components at the end of it, as done in the Questyle M15. I assume the latter was the case as the Serenade X sounds livelier and faster than other devices using these SoCs.

As with the peers, the sound is still off analyical-neutral into very slight colour, with good extension at both ends. What’s improved over the standard sound is better transparency and a more vivid, crisper presentation. The balanced circuit makes for an especially large headroom. I also find the resolution very good. There is no hint of stridency and the timbre is very good. I picked the finest details out of a transcribed Mozart oboe concerto.

So whilst audio snobs may role their eyes, the combination of balanced and AirPlay 2 make for a well-rounded, enjoyable listening experience.

Serenade X vs. Dongles and DAPS

After we have explored all input and out options, a compact functionality comparison with DAPs and phones with dongles is warranted.

Concluding Remarks

I usually don’t give recommendations, but this is an easy one if the special funcionality and “balanced sound quality” fits your needs. I really enjoy using the Serenade X simply because of its versatility and have done so for hours and hours: it is a small, intelligent, and reasonably powerful all-in-one device.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

Our generic standard disclaimer.

Gallery

The post TempoTec Serenade X Digital Desktop Player Review – Rocking The Jukebox appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Gear of the Year: 2022 marks the blog’s fourth year. We collectively published 100-150 articles, mainly product reviews, but also technical information (such as earphone modding). Apart from receiving review units from manufacturers and sellers, we also purchased a lot…and we borrowed from audiophile friends and colleagues.

Our list of earphone reviews is going towards 400, which is a very useful database. And one of the world’s biggest. In the DAC and amplification department we have also reached a respectable 70.

While we shrank from 8 to 6 authors, we essentially doubled our viewer numbers and currently record well over 1000 daily individual blog visitors (1377 on Black Friday 2022). But we remain humble, continue viewing our hobby as labour of love and focus on information for you, the reader, while not selling out.

Another very popular list is our Wall of Excellence, which hosts gear not approved by one of us, but by the whole team. This is a useful filter for you and should give you confidence in your buying decisions.

And yes, we searched for and found an exclusive sponsor in HiFiGo, who help us with our basic operating cost (web hosting). We still chip a lot of our own money in for mailing between us reviewers, import charges etc.

By having a single sponsor (and not Google ads) paying us a moderate flat fee, we don’t rely on viewer numbers. For you, this means no popups and no ads between paragraphs, nothing in your way when reading our articles. All advertisement takes place in the top toolbar and the sidebar. Feel free to check it out.

We also continue refraining from affiliate links as it still leaves a bad taste in our mouths.

As at the end of the previous years, we list our our personal favourites of 2022 – the portable audio we personally enjoyed most. There are no rules, we just tell you what we like. It does not have to be the latest. After all, the gear we use most is the best for us. Between us, the Dunu Zen, 7Hz Timeless, Final ZE3000, and Questyle M15 received the most mentionings. The Questyle M15 appears to be the most highly acclaimed dongle in the blogosphere period and may as well be the “Product of the Year” all around.

We don’t publish any “best of” lists as we have not tested all competitors in each category.

Enjoy this read and we wish you a happy and successful 2023!

We thank

And here we go…that’s what we enjoyed in 2022…

Alberto Pittaluga… Bologna, ITALY

My 18 readers know that I’m much more into enjoying better sound than into getting excited about sidegrades or other small changes from my existing preferences. I am the polar opposite of a marketing hype target individual – on pretty much any topic by the way. I mean: try and sell me a “better” (?) Moka coffee machine…

With that in mind, and considering that I’m not into this since yesterday evening, it’s quite logical that the list of the really significant items out of all those I come across over a year’s time is short. Here’s what I found in 2022 which is worth recommending.

IEMS

Intime Miyabi – a great piece of engineering ticking most if not all boxes for my tastes. Beyond details, one of the absolute best sound delivery experiences one can buy (well… some personal initiative is required to fetch it from Japan) below 500$… spending less than half of it. My report here.

RHA CL2 – I heard quite a few planar IEMs, and not a single one “closes the door” for me. Long story short, none offers me a well-articulated-enough sound experience out of the box, and none carries a driver good enough to be equalised into something I really like. The sole exception I ever came across yet is this RHA CL2 – a dated model indeed, which I had the venture to audition this year for my first time. More on this on my piece about it.

DAC/AMP Dongles

Questyle M15 – no doubt the “best overall quality” battery-less DAC/AMP (“dongle”) at any price. Paired with a small transport easily makes all sub-800$, and most sub-2K$ DAPs pointless in terms of sound quality delivery (some may still prefer “some” DAP for better pocketability convenience or specific features). Firstly reviewed in depth by Jurgen here, you can read my incremental notes here.

E1DA 9038SG3 and 9038D – the M15 is what it is, but it also is relatively expensive (almost 300€ once delivered to Italy). My previous experience taught that me that exclusively higher-tier (and price) dongles are able to deliver sound qualities worth investing in more money than the 9$ price tag asked for an Apple Dongle ($9). Then I found these two gems which fulfill the need for incredibly clean and powerful sound for less than half M15’s price, and 90% of its proficiency.

Biodegraded…Vancouver, CANADA

7Hz Timeless:
Despite a somewhat elevated and loose midbass, these have great overall tonal balance, smooth mids, excellent instrument separation and layering, and speed. Macrodynamics are on the soft side, which might not be for everybody; and the fit will be problematic for people with concha bowls on the smaller side. They work best with warmer, dynamic sources.

Durwood…Chicago, USA

Swimming in dongles I don’t have a favorite, Moodrop Dawn has the selectable gain, others like the Shanling UP3 have single and balanced outputs and controls. Take your pick. I would like selectable gain AND single ended/balanced outputs.

Desktop DAC goes to the SMSL C200 for best value and sound that hangs near the top dogs. I personally prefer separate pieces for the ability to have more connection options and swapping but for near double the price I don’t see double the performance. The SMSL SU-9 is excellent for me I ended up buying one on the second hand market. The SMSL DO100/HO100 is great too and bit more user friendly for the size.

For earphones I still love my Shozy Form 1.4 for the bass tuning, warm signature and superb fitment YMMV. There are lots of excellent performers if just factoring in sound and technical merits including the 7Hz Timeless and Moondrop Kato, but I struggle keeping them in place. For those starting out or not a lot to spend, my budget pick for what is available would be the CCA Lyra.

For TWS, I only have 3 pairs to compare-but if I don’t need ANC, I would pick the Moondrop Alice all day everyday. Review coming soon, they are a wireless Kato and they nailed all the important features (sound, battery life, control, fitment), form follows function.

Jürgen Kraus…Calgary, CANADA

In terms of earphones, I continue liking the JVC HA-FDX1, the Dunu Zen, and the Final E5000. The Zen remain my go-tos. New on my list are the LETSHUOER EJ7M (great allrounders), the Final A3000 & E3000, and the very articulate Dunu Talos. But the earphone I used most in 2022 is the superb Final ZE3000 TWS.

As to headphones, my Sennheiser HD 600 have received company by the Final Sonorous III. On the budget side, I added the excellent KTXPro1 to my Koss selection (Porta Pros, KPHi-30, and KSC75).

I am principally a “portable guy” who used to operate his iPhone with a dongle, mainly the AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt. Whilst the Cobalt remains a standard staple of mine, the excellent Questyle M15 (and here too) is a great alternative for my higher current-drawing headphones/earphones – and my personal product of the year 2022.

For driving full-sized headphones and single DD items, nothing beats the Apogee Groove. For Bluetooth DAC/amp, I exclusively use the very mature Qudelix-5K. And for earphone testing, I am still holding on to the totally underappreciated Earstudio HUD100.

The Hidizs AP80 Pro-X has proven a great dap for me, no matter if used alone or as transport with a dongle. The Sony NW-A55 with Mr Walkman firmware also remains in my collection of favourites. And the very crisp sounding Questyle QP1R remains my flagship dap. The biggest surprise for me was the Tempotec V6 dap…essentially a $500 device at half price.

For my desktop setup, I am holding on to EarMen Tradutto DAC in combination with the Burson Funk amp and AudioQuest analog and digital interconnects.

Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir…Munich, GERMANY

Just like that, another year went by. This year was special for me as I got to visit High End Munich 2021 (which happened after a 3-year hiatus) and also got to meet some great reviewers and legends of the industry in person.

Best Headphones: This year, I have slowly transitioned from portable audio into desktop audio. A knock-on effect of that has been my growing headphone collection. What used to be a mere 4 headphones last year, has grown into a whooping 25 now.

Yup, I need another shelf.

Speaking of the best headphones, Hifiman HE-6se V2 got the most use this year from me. I still use the Sennheiser HD650 whenever I feel like relaxing, but for my playlist – the Hifimans absolutely slap!

That being said, they aren’t the best headphones that I’ve tried this year. That recognition goes to the venerable Stax SR-X9000. Still underrated in the summit-fi segment, these overtook Susvara for me in almost every aspect. They are build better, has better sense of space, bass is better defined and slams a bit harder, and of course – the ethereal treble is an absolute joy.

Too bad that the price tag (with energizer) makes these nigh-unobtainable for me. Doesn’t make them any less awesome, though.

Best IEMs: Dunu Zen remains my daily driver, and they scale tremendously with desk sources, so I am a happy camper.

Speaking of camps, Campfire Audio Holocene has sneaked their way into my daily rotation. Probably my most favorite Campfire Audio IEMs, ever. They deserve a lengthy, long-term review, which is in the pipeline.

This year I also had to wade through loads of “meh” IEMs, each mimicking a certain “scientifically perfect” (lol) curve in one way or another, and each sounding boring and unremarkable. But the one IEMs that kept the fire alive was the Softears Turii.

Exceptional in almost every sense, their fit is the biggest concern, but with Spinfit W1 tips (excellent tips btw, recommended) I found them stable enough to enjoy outdoors. Too bad that they’re discontinued.

The Softears Twilight is a spiritual successor of sorts. Doesn’t have the crazy sense of space that the Turii portray, but pretty much beats every other single dynamic I’ve tried under USD $1000 (and I have tried nearly all of the hyped ones by now). So yeah, Softears, take a bow!

Desktop DAC and Amp: Questyle CMA Fifteen takes the cake for the best all-in-one system that I’ve heard. Near-endgame for 99% out there I’d say. Drives almost everything with authority. What’s not to like? Oh yes, the price. Something’s gotta give after all.

As for standalone units, the best solid-state amp I’ve tried: Zaehl HM1. As for the best tube amp: Feliks Envy, or the Feliks Euforia AE. Two very different price-points, but both about the best tube amps you can buy right now.

DACs are a bit difficult for me to judge, and the ones I’ve tried this year couldn’t replace the Holo May L3 I tried last year, so that one still reigns supreme.

Portable DAC/Amp: Questyle came outta nowhere with the M15 (and here too) and seized the day. Nothing else comes close, really. On the higher side of the price, Chord Mojo 2 is an excellent device. For using with IEMs and moderately efficient headphones – that’s all you’ll ever need. The DAC section is kilobuck-level as well.

Surprise of the Year: Final ZE3000.

I do not like wireless stuff at all, mostly because of how poor and compressed 99% of them sound. This one caught be off-guard. I bought them only to review them, fully expecting to put them up for sale once the review is done.

Now, three months later, I carry them everywhere and despite the finicky touch controls, I keep coming back to them. Only the Sony WH-1000XM4 sound as good as them, and they cost 2x the price. To think that Final would come up with one of the best TWS IEMs around – didn’t see that one coming.

Then again, who else would be that methodical?

Loomis Johnson…Chicago, USA

IEMs:

Moondrop Starfield—my default rec to folks who ask me which <$100 phone to buy…big-sounding, with seamless coherence and as lot of PRAT.

7Hz Timeless—polarizing and imperfect (there’s some stridency at the highest frequencies), but technically very accomplished and highly resolving. The more I hear ‘em the more I dig ‘em.

Tin HiFi TWS Buds 3—light on features (no app, no ANC) but beautifully built and a really engaging listen, with very good imaging and instrument placement.

AXS Audio Professional Wireless Earbuds—generic-looking, with a modest soundstage, but probably the best-sounding TWS I’ve heard to date. 

Portable DAC/Dongles:

Xumee USB-C—lots of power and surprising finesse for less than the price of a six pack.

Hidisz S3Pro—a really refined performer which synergizes well with anything under 150 oHm.

Headphones:

1More Sonoflow Wireless ANC—you can pay a lot more for punchier sound or more tech features, but these are an awful lot of headphone for the money, with good noise-cancelling, an unforced natural tonality and fantastic battery life.

Koss KTXPro1—uber-comfortable and musical as hell; for $19 there’s no reason everyone shouldn’t own a pair.

Bluetooth Speakers:

Oontz Angle 3—diminutive, seemingly indestructible cheapo with surprisingly good bass output and an enveloping 3D soundstage.

Edifier R1280DB Bookshelf Speakers—I gave a set of these to the owner of a cannabis dispensary, whose customers rave incessantly about how good they sound even before imbibing.

Desktop DAC:

SMSL SU-6—a more than capable DAC, with excellent bass control and a very detailed (if occasionally overbright) high end; digital preamp and Bluetooth functionality are big plusses. Outstanding value.

KopiOkaya…SINGAPORE

The editor: although KopiOkaya retired a year ago (on his own terms), he keeps his eartips compendium up to date. His list has been a cornerstone of this block and its most successful article. It currently records somewhere between 80,000 and 100,000 views.

Best under $50 IEM:

7HZ SALNOTES ZERO

Best under $100 IEM:

DUNU KIMA

Best IEM of 2022:

SOFTEARS TURII Ti

Best dongle DAC/AMP of 2022:

QUESTYLE M15 (here and here)

Best portable DAP of 2022:

TEMPOTEC V6

Best budget DAC/AMP combo:

SMSL SH-9 THX AAA-888

Best desktop DAC of the 2022:

HOLO MAY KTE (KITSUNE EDITION)

Best desktop headphone amp of 2022:

QUESTYLE CMA FIFTEEN

Best eartips of the 2022

SPINFIT W1

Most outstanding audio product of 2022:

QUESTYLE M15 (here and here)

And This Was The Previous Year:

The post Gear Of The Year 2022 – Our Personal Favourites appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The Final UX3000 is an articulate sounding and well resolving headphone with a very agreeable tuning that also features an effective Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). The headphone also works wired without being switched on. ANC works independently with and without Bluetooth or wired use.

Introduction

Final are a premium headphone/earphone manufacturer out of Japan that focus on technical progress mainly for their domestic market. Their distinction from most of their competitors is that their products have shelf lives of several years. The company prefers substance over style – it does not subscribe to sensationalist marketing – and therefore hands out samples sparsely, and to credible sources only.

At least three of us are Final fanboys in that we have purchased many of their products, which includes painful ordering from Japan through shipping agencies. Alberto has reviewed the Sonorous II & III headphones and Kazi has lined up the Final E-series…and more.

Specifications Final UX3000

The Final UX3000 plays with Bluetooth and wired (without power), and the ANC works completely independently of the audio functionality. This means, the headphone can be used for suppressing ambient noise (“your neighbour’s leaf blower”) without listening to music. Or one can listen to music without noise cancelling.

What the Final UX3000 does specifically you find in the user manual and on the product page.

Physical Things and Usability

In the box are:

The headphone’s frame is made out of hard, rigid polycarbonate coated with Final’s own soft-textured SHIBO シボ finish that gives the surface a speckled look. シボ is an old Japanese word for wrinkled paper! The coating gives it the optical appearance of ruggedness.

The headband is steplessly adjustable according to head size. Its top is mantled by soft pleather…and the earcups, which go around the ears, feature pads made of the same material.

On the back of each earpiece are the operational panels. The right one features a small, subtle LED indicator and three buttons (on/of/pause, volume up/down) and a 3.5 mm socket for the headphone cable (“wired use”).

The panel on the back of the left earcup features a single button (ANC on/off) and a USB-C charging port. Operation is straight forward. As said, both panels operate independently of each other.

Comfort is good for, but may vary individually. I have a large head with large ears and get a snug fit with good seal. Clamp pressure is relatively big for me. I have used the Final UX3000 for hours several times. It may ge a bit sweaty around the ears in a hot climate, though.

Active Noise Cancellation

I tested the ANC listening to a Mozart violin sonata while vacuuming with a noisy older Dyson ball vacuum – a talk radio at normal room volume was running in the background. No issues. The Dyson was still audible but did not interfere much with the music – and, even when the Dyson was off, the radio was effectively shut out.

Another representative test came when comparing the ANCs of the UX3000 and my old Bose QC15. The class-leading Boses did a marginally better job on the Dyson’s noise (without being perfect), but they were twice the price even in 2010. And they run wired only. The UX3000’s noise cancellation does no miracles but is solid and fully sufficient. I look forward to taking it with me on my next intercontinental flight.

A real test was me cutting down trees with a noisy jigsaw while listening to the orchestral music of John Ireland. It worked just fine.

Then winter came and crazy neighbours cleared snow with noisy motorized leaf blowers. Again, the Final UX3000 performed well – even without music.

Tonality and Technicalities

The Final UX3000 features a gentle V-shape mainstream tuning, on the neutral-warm side, but its technicalities make it stick out nevertheless, particularly the good accentuation/articulation and imaging, layering, and separation.

I have listened to Sennheiser and AKG Bluetooth Bluetooth headphones in the past, and both had a completely overcooked bass: overwhelmingly strong and not very controlled. The Final UX3000 are nothing like that. They feature a composed, well-dosed low end that digs deep and provides some rumble. Kick is plenty and surprisingly firm, the dosage is just right for my gusto. There is a mild mid bass boom in some music, but nothing to worry about.

As you’d expect, the vocals are slightly recessed but very nicely sculptured and of decent richness. Also typical for Final’s tuning is the lack of shoutineess which contributes to a other natural music reproduction. Treble, as typical for Bluetooth headphones, is slightly rolled off but nevertheless of good definition. So far fairly standard.

Technically, the Final UX3000 offer great articulation across the frequency spectrum, notes are generally well defined, attack and decay are within normal margins. Headroom is big although stage is only of average width and depth but good spatial cues. Resolution is ok with a bit of stage crowding in busy tracks. Layering, separation, and spatial cues are very good.

What makes it interesting for me to use the Final UX3000 over longer periods is its articulation. It is tight without being sharp/strident. If my old Sennheisers are the equivalent of a soft truck suspension, the Final UX300 is a sporty BMW.

Concluding Remarks

The UX3000 may be Final’s first wireless headphone, but it is a mature and complete product. Not one of sorts “a good first effort, can’t await the pro version”. It sounds great, handles great and has great operational specs (codecs, battery life, charge times). There is not much more I can say other than that I enjoy it – and that I use it (despite all my choices including the Sonorous III).

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

Disclaimer

I received the Final UX3000 from the manufacturer upon request. And I thank them for that. You find the product page here.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Final UX3000 Review – Mainstream Against The Stream appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Final UX3000は、明瞭なサウンドと解像度の高いヘッドホンであり、効果的なアクティブノイズキャンセリングも搭載した、非常に好感の持てるチューニングになっています。このヘッドホンは、電源を入れずに有線で使用することもできます。ノイズキャンセリングは、Bluetoothまたは有線での使用の有無にかかわらず独立して機能します。

はじめに

ファイナルは、日本発の高級ヘッドホン・イヤホンメーカーで、主に国内市場向けに技術的な進歩を追求しています。競合他社との違いは、製品に数年の賞味期限があることだ。同社はスタイルよりも実質を重視し、センセーショナルなマーケティングを行わないため、信頼できる筋にのみサンプルを配布しています。

私たちのうち少なくとも3人はファイナルのファンボーイで、日本から代理店を通して苦労して取り寄せた同社の製品を数多く購入しています。アルベルトはSonorous IIとIIIのヘッドホンをレビューし、カジはFinal E-seriesをラインナップしています…他にもあります。

仕様 Final UX3000

Final UX3000は、Bluetoothと有線（電源なし）で再生し、アクティブノイズキャンセラーはオーディオ機能とは完全に独立して動作します。つまり、音楽を聴かずに周囲の騒音（「近所の人の葉っぱの吹き飛ばし」）を抑えるためにヘッドホンを使用することができます。また、ノイズキャンセリング機能を使わずに音楽を聴くこともできます。

What the Final UX3000 does specifically you find in the user manual and on the product page.

モノとユーザビリティ

箱の中身は

ヘッドホンのフレームは、硬質で剛性の高いポリカーボネートにファイナル独自の「SHIBOシボ」加工を施し、表面に斑点状の凹凸を表現しています。シボとは「しわくちゃな紙」という意味です。このコーティングにより、光学的に無骨な印象を与えることができます。

ヘッドバンドは頭の大きさに合わせて無段階に調節できます。耳にかけるイヤーカップにも同素材のパッドを採用しました。

イヤーピースの裏側には、操作パネルを配置。右側には小さく繊細なLEDインジケーターと3つのボタン（オン／オフ／ポーズ、ボリュームアップ／ダウン）、ヘッドホンケーブル用の3.5mmソケット（「ワイヤード使用」）が配置されています。

左のイヤーカップの背面のパネルには、1つのボタン（ANCのオン／オフ）とUSB-C充電ポートを備えています。操作はストレートに行えます。とあるように、両パネルはそれぞれ独立して動作する。

使い心地は、良好ですが、個人差があるかもしれません。私は耳が大きい頭で、密閉性の高いぴったりとした装着感を得ることができます。クランプ圧は私にとっては比較的大きいです。Final UX3000を何度か何時間も使用しました。暑いところでは耳の周りが少し汗ばむかもしれませんが。

アクティブノイズキャンセリング

ダイソンの旧型ボール掃除機で掃除機をかけながら、モーツアルトのバイオリンソナタを聴いてアクティブノイズキャンセリングをテストしてみました。問題ありませんでした。ダイソンの音は聞こえるものの、音楽の邪魔にはならず、ダイソンが停止しているときでも、ラジオは効果的にシャットアウトされました。

もう一つの代表的なテストは、UX3000と私の古いBose QC15のノイズキャンセリングを比較した時です。クラス最高のBoseは、ダイソンのノイズにわずかに良い仕事をしましたが（完璧ではありません）、2010年でさえ価格は2倍でした。しかも、有線のみで動作する。UX3000のノイズキャンセリングは、奇跡は起きないが、しっかりしていて、十分な効果がある。次回の大陸間飛行に持参するのが楽しみです。

ジョン・アイルランドのオーケストラ音楽を聴きながら、音の出るジグソーで木を切り倒すというテストをしてみました。うまくいきましたよ。

そして冬になると、狂った隣人たちが騒々しいモーター付きリーフブロワーで雪片付けをするようになりました。ここでも、Final UX3000は音楽なしでも問題なく動作しました。

音律と技巧

Final UX3000は、メインストリームを緩やかなV字型にチューニングした、ニュートラルウォームタイプですが、アクセントやアーティキュレーション、イメージング、レイヤー、セパレーションの良さが際立つ技術的な特徴を備えています。

過去にゼンハイザーやAKGのBluetoothヘッドホンを聴いたことがありますが、どちらも低音が圧倒的に強く、あまりコントロールされていないという、完全にオーバークックな感じでした。 Final UX3000はそのようなことはありません。このヘッドフォンの特徴は、構成された、よく効いたローエンドで、深く掘り下げられ、いくつかのランブルを提供します。キックも十分で、驚くほどしっかりしていて、その量感は私のガッツにちょうどいい。音楽によっては中低音のブームがありますが、気にならない程度です。

ヴォーカルは期待通り、やや引っ込んでいるが、非常にきれいな造形で、豊かさも十分だ。 また、Finalのチューニングの特徴として、シャウト感がなく、自然な音楽再生に寄与しています。高音域は、Bluetoothヘッドフォンの典型として、わずかにロールオフされていますが、それにもかかわらず、良好な解像度を有しています。これまでのところ、かなり標準的です。

技術的には、Final UX3000は周波数スペクトル全体にわたって素晴らしいアーティキュレーションを提供し、ノートは全体的によく定義されており、アタックとディケイは通常のマージンの範囲内です。ヘッドルームは大きいですが、ステージは平均的な幅と深さしかありませんが、良い空間的な合図があります。解像度はまずまずだが、忙しい曲ではステージが少し混雑する。レイヤー、セパレーション、空間的なキューは非常に良い。

Final UX3000を長く使っていて面白いのは、そのアーティキュレーションです。鋭さ・強さを感じさせないタイトさです。私の古いゼンハイザーが柔らかいトラックのサスペンションに相当するとすれば、Final UX300はスポーティなBMWです。

まとめ

UX3000はファイナル社初のワイヤレスヘッドホンですが、成熟した完成度の高い製品です。最初の取り組みとしては良いが、プロバージョンを待つことはできない」という類のものではありません。音もいいし、操作性もいいし、動作スペック（コーデック、バッテリー駆動時間、充電時間）も素晴らしい。私はこの製品を楽しんでおり、（Sonorous IIIを含むすべての選択肢にもかかわらず）これを使用しているということ以外に、私が言えることはあまりありません。

次回まで…聴き続けてください。

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免責事項

メーカーからの依頼でFinal UX3000を受け取りました。そして、そのことに感謝します。製品ページがあります をご覧ください。

The post Final UX3000レビュ appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The $149 Final ZE3000 are superb sounding TWS earphones that provide the utmost wearing comfort. They can easily compete with any wired iem in their price category.

Pros — Excellent sonic signature and technical performance; smooth Bluetooth operation; very good comfort and fit.

Cons — Possibly no punchy enough for non-audiophiles.

Introduction

“Big in Japan” was a huge international 1980s hit by German group “Alphaville”. It flopped in Japan itself because it closed on a…Chinese gong. In contrast, Final Audio Design are big in their native Japan. They have been around since 2007 and have sold their earphones since 2009. Their first wireless earphone was the E3000 in 2017, of which they allegedly sold hundreds of thousands – and won 10 gold medals at Japan’s biggest audio awards. The Final ZE3000 is the successor.

Final do not rely on blog/YouTube promoters. They typically do not provide “review samples” – and their products therefore do not show up on the usual “Best of” buying lists, a fact that disproves the general validity of such. Final products also don’t fare well with the “measurebators” (check Crinacle’s ranking list, for example). The company has enough self confidence not to care.

It is Final’s philosophy to provide natural sound, thereby not bothering with window dressing such as fancy faceplates or swanky packaging. The company’s concept is – and has been “the comprehensive pursuit of things that are fundamentally right”. And they back this with a competency based on their solid R&D. It is therefore not surprising that their product is sustainable; many of their current models have been around for more than 4 years (I just bought the Sonorous III, released in 2016).

Coincidentally, four of us at audioreviews.org purchased (and thoroughly analyzed) quite a few of Final’s models. For example, Alberto gave his detailed account of the Sonorous II & III headphones and Kazi characterized Final’s complete E-series. Quite a few of Final products decorate our Wall of Excellence. So you, the reader, have several qualified opinions on their products – which is more reliable than a single person’s rankings.

Having qualified through actively buying their gear and generating meaningful and thorough analyses, and Kazi talking to their reps in person, we could secure review units of the ZE3000 and UX3000 (their first wireless headphone).

Specifications Final ZE3000

Physicals

In the box are:

• Charging Case with earpieces
• Final “TYPE E Truly Wireless Exclusive Edition” eartips (5 sizes: SS / S / M / L / LL)
• USB Type C Charging Cable

Case and earpieces of the Final ZE3000 are coated with the soft-textured SHIBO シボ finish, that yields a speckled pattern reminiscent of classic SLRs, which makes them look rugged (my UX3000 and Sonorous III headphones also feature this coating). The case is handy and can be operated with one hand.

The earpieces are rather bulky (has to do with acoustics) but very light. They have minimal contact areas with the concha, which makes them comfortable. Final’s eartips provide a very good seal. I can wear these for hours without even feeling them. As to the technical details, Final provide extensive information on the ZE3000’s product page.

シボ is an old Japanese word for wrinkled paper!

Bluetooth Functionality

Once paired, the Final ZE3000 connect automatically to my iPhone or daps, upon taking the earpieces out of the case. Running around my 2000 sq ft home with the phone/dap on the kitchen counter, I don’t have any issues with transmission. It works! I am using the aptX codec.

Tonality and Technicalities

Admittedly, I generally don’t like TWS iems…what a waste considering their disposable batteries and therefore planned obsolescence. But I also have to blur it out: I LOVE THESE FINAL ZE3000! THEY SOUND INCREDIBLE! Their imaging is fantastic, their balance and cohesion are fantastic, staging is great, they make music sound like music. No piercing, nothing analytical or sterile, the music sounds as natural as it gets. And, isn’t that what we want? Their overall signature is marginally warm and silky smooth throughout.

The Final ZE3000 are another great example of the limitations of frequency-response graphing and opinions/ideologies built upon them. No need to follow the pied pipers that confuse you with their partial stories and incomplete accounts. The ZE3000 are just great all around and make for an immersive, engaging listening. I have been using these for weeks around the clock now. What makes them particularly appealing is their smooth leading edge: attack is just right for me without being boring. Headroom is big. You are in the studio with the band or orchestra, sir!

‘nough said? OK, let’s do the bean counting, you know that “bass, midrange, treble” thing everybody does. Bass, subbass, yep, great extension down there. No mid bass hump, therefore no danger to my sensitive eardrums. And the punch is also not deep enough for the low end to sound dry. It is well placed. Just right. And it is far enough away not to bleed into the midrange. OK, it could be a little bit tighter, but we are getting petty.

Midrange is where it should be: in the middle…no V-shape, voices are forward and of good weight and definition, more on the silky side. No screaming guitars. A $1000 wired iem would have better defined edges, the Final ZE3000 sound pleasant and agreeable. We know this smoothness from the Final A3000, for example.

Treble molds seamlessly around the mids (or rather tags onto them), extension is not the greatest (a TWS thing), cymbals are reasonably well sculptured but are a bit on the “light” side – and show natural decay.

If there is something such as a weak point it stems from the Bluetooth technology and not Final’s input: the punch/slam is not as hard as in a a wired premium iem with a good amp…the minature DAC/amps in the ZE3000’s earpieces, you know. But it is still hard enough.

We had the great headroom, and touched the great spatial reconstruction, stage is deep and wide and tall, separation is ok, layering is good. Dynamics and microdynamics are great. Accentuation and nuances in finely woven jazzy or classical passages are outstanding.

As a consequence of the tuning, you can turn the Final ZE3000 up to max without blowing your eardrums out. And despite what people say, I consider this typical Japanese tuning, considering the Japanese Hifi components I owned in the 1980s, which were designed to provide smooth sounds to small apartments….still own a Luxman L-410 amp…my workhorse since 1986.

Final ZE3000 compared

The 199 Euro Earsonics Aerø is another non-V shaped sounding TWS earphone that follows a different build philosophy. In contrast to the Final ZE3000’s bulbous shape, the Earsonics are elongate and slim. They need very deep insertion to seal my ear canals. The Aero have a harder slam and tighter bass than the more relaxed playing ZE3000 and are therefore better suited for aggressive, “heavy” music. They reproduce vocals much sharper and have an overall more “robust” sound. The Final ZE3000 offer a bigger and wider stage (more wide than deep) and have the softer leading edge. Both earphones are good, but I prefer the Final.

The $149 Final UX3000 (review pending) are headphones but could nevertheless be compared to the ZE3000 as both are TWS at the same price. The UX3000 beat the ZE3000 and Aero in terms of staging and imaging, including 3D rendering and headroom. They also have more volume and more pizazz and sound overall more substantial. And they offer 35 hr of battery life and a decent ANC. So, if you want to take any of these on an intercontinental flight you have the choice: ANC, battery life in a large device vs. convenience…as iems fit in your shirt pocket. You may as well get them both…or all three :).

Concluding Remarks

The Final ZE3000 are another winner for Final Audio Design. They score big and may sell like hotcakes in Japan while being ignored by most internet “experts” and influencers elsewhere. They are for people who listen to and enjoy music as authentically as should be. A fare for gourmets and not for gloutons.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Gallery

The post Final ZE3000 Review (1) – Big in Japan appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Final ZE3000は、最高の装着感を提供する優れたサウンドのTWSイヤホンです。この価格帯の有線イヤホンであれば、どんなものにも引けを取りません。

長所 – 優れた音質と技術的なパフォーマンス、スムーズなBluetooth操作、非常に優れた快適性とフィット感。

短所 – 非オーディオファンにはパンチが足りない可能性がある。

はじめに

“Big in Japan” はドイツのグループ “アルファヴィル “の1980年代の世界的大ヒット曲である。日本では、中国のゴングで幕を閉じたため、大失敗した。それに対して、ファイナルオーディオデザインは、母国日本ではビッグな存在です。2007年に設立され、2009年からイヤホンを販売しています。同社初のワイヤレスイヤホンは2017年の「E3000」で、その販売台数は数十万台–日本最大のオーディオアワードで金賞を10個受賞したと言われている。Final ZE3000は、その後継機となる。

Finalは、ブログやYouTubeのプロモーターに依存しません。彼らは通常、「レビューサンプル」を提供しません。したがって、彼らの製品は、通常の「ベストオブ」購入リストには掲載されず、そのようなリストの一般的な妥当性を否定する事実があります。また、最終製品も計測器メーカーにはあまり良い印象を与えません（例えば、Crinacleのランキングリストをご覧ください）。この会社は、そんなことを気にしないだけの自信はある。

自然な音を提供すること、そのために派手なフェイスプレートや派手なパッケージといった粉飾をしないことがファイナルの哲学です。ファイナルのコンセプトは、「本質的に正しいものを徹底的に追求する」ことです。そして、それを支えるのは、確かな研究開発力である。したがって、彼らの製品が持続可能であることは驚くべきことではなく、現行モデルの多くは4年以上経過している（私は2016年に発売されたSonorous IIIを購入したばかりだ）。

偶然にも、audioreviews.orgの4人はFinalのモデルをかなり購入（そして徹底的に分析）しています。例えば、アルベルトはSonorous II & IIIヘッドフォンを、カジはFinalの完全なEシリーズを詳細に分析しています。Finalの製品の多くは、私たちの「ウォール・オブ・エクセレンス」を飾っています。つまり、読者の皆さんは、Finalの製品について複数の適格な意見を持っているわけです。これは、一個人のランキングよりも信頼できるものです。

そして、カジが直接担当者と話すことで、ZE3000とUX3000（同社初のワイヤレスヘッドホン）のレビューユニットを確保することができました。

仕様 Final ZE3000

物理的側面

箱の中身は

• イヤーピース付き充電ケース
• TYPE E Truly Wireless Exclusive Edition」ファイナルイヤーチップ（5サイズ：SS / S / M / L / LL)
• USB Type C充電ケーブル

Final ZE3000のケースとイヤーピースには、クラシックな一眼レフカメラを思わせる斑点模様のソフトテクスチャー・シボ加工が施されており、無骨な印象を与えます（私が持っているUX3000やヘッドホンSonorous IIIもこの加工を採用しています）。ケースは片手で操作できるハンディタイプです。

イヤーピースはかなりかさばるが（音響に関係する）、非常に軽い。コンチャとの接触面積が少ないので、快適です。Finalのイヤーチップは密閉性が非常に高いです。何時間でも装着していても違和感がない。技術的な詳細については、ファイナルがZE3000の製品ページで豊富な情報を提供しています。

Bluetoothの機能

Final ZE3000は一度ペアリングすると、ケースからイヤーピースを取り出すと自動的にiPhoneやdapsに接続されます。キッチンカウンターの上にiPhoneやDAPを置き、2000平方フィートの自宅内を走り回っていますが、通信に問題はありません。うまくいきました。私はaptXコーデックを使用しています。

音律と技巧

確かに、私は一般的にTWSのイヤホンが好きではありません…使い捨てのバッテリー、したがって計画的陳腐化を考えると、なんと無駄なことでしょう。しかし、私はそれをぼかさなければならないのです。私はこのfinal ze3000が大好きです! 信じられないような音です。イメージングが素晴らしく、バランスとまとまりも素晴らしく、ステージングも素晴らしく、音楽を音楽のように聴かせてくれます。突き刺すような音もなく、分析的で無菌的な音もなく、音楽は限りなく自然に聞こえます。そして、それは私たちが望むものではないのでしょうか。全体的に暖かく、絹のように滑らかなサウンドが特徴です。

Final ZE3000は、周波数特性グラフの限界と、その上に成り立つ意見・観念を示すもう一つの好例である。部分的な話や不完全な説明であなたを混乱させるパイドパイパーに従う必要はありません。ZE3000は全体的に素晴らしく、没入感のある魅力的なリスニングを実現してくれます。もう何週間も24時間体制で使い続けています。特に魅力的なのは、滑らかなリードエッジで、アタックが飽きずにちょうど良い感じです。ヘッドルームも大きいです。バンドやオーケストラと一緒にスタジオにいるような感覚です

もういいですか？では、「低音、中音、高音」という、誰もがやるような豆知識を披露しましょう。低音、重低音、うん、素晴らしい伸びだ。中低音にハンチングがないので、私の敏感な鼓膜には危険はない。しかも、パンチが効いていて、ローエンドが乾いた音になるほど深くはない。うまく配置されている。ちょうどいい。そして、中音域がにじまない程度に遠くにあるのです。もう少しタイトでもいいのですが、小難しいことを言うのはやめましょう。

中音域はあるべきところにある…V字型ではなく、声は前に出ていて、良い重さと鮮明さがあり、よりシルキーな面もある。ギターの悲鳴はありません。1000ドルの有線イヤホンであれば、エッジがもっとはっきりしているはずですが、Final ZE3000は心地よく、納得のいくサウンドです。この滑らかさは、例えばFinal A3000から知っています。.

高音域は中音域の周りにシームレスに配置され（というか、中音域の上に乗っている）、伸びは最大ではありませんが（TWSの特徴）、シンバルは適度によく彫られていますが、少し「軽い」面もあり、自然な減衰を示しています。

もし弱点があるとすれば、それはFinalの入力ではなくBluetooth技術に起因するものです。パンチやスラミングは、良いアンプを搭載した有線の高級イヤホンほどハードではありません…ZE3000のイヤホンのDAC/アンプは小型ですから、ご存知の通りです。でも、それでも十分硬いです。

ステージは深く、広く、高く、分離も良く、レイヤーも良い。ダイナミクスとマイクロダイナミクスは素晴らしい。ジャジーやクラシックの繊細なパッセージのアクセントやニュアンスも抜群だ。

このチューニングの結果、Final ZE3000を最大に上げても鼓膜が破れることはない。そして、何と言われようとも、私が1980年代に所有していた日本製のハイファイコンポーネントは、小さなアパートでもスムースに音が出るように設計されていたことを考えると、これは日本らしいチューニングだと思います…今でもラックスマンのL-410アンプを所有していますが、これは1986年から私のワークホースになっています。

ZE3000の比較

199ユーロのEarsonics Aeroもまた、異なる製造哲学に従った非V字型サウンドのTWSイヤホンです。Final ZE3000の球根のような形状とは対照的に、Earsonicsは細長くスリムな形状をしています。私の耳孔を塞ぐには、かなり深く挿入する必要があります。Aeroは、ゆったりとした演奏のZE3000に比べ、スラミングが硬く、低音がタイトなので、攻撃的で「重い」音楽に向いています。ボーカルもよりシャープに再現され、全体的により「たくましい」音になりました。Final ZE3000は、ステージが大きく広く（深みというより幅が広い）、リードエッジがソフトな印象です。どちらのイヤホンも良いのですが、私はFinalの方が好きです。

149ドルのFinal UX3000（レビュー保留）はヘッドフォンだが、それにもかかわらず、どちらも同価格のTWSであるため、ZE3000と比較される可能性がある。UX3000は、3D描写やヘッドルームなどの演出やイメージングにおいて、ZE3000やAeroに勝っている。また、音量や華やかさも増し、全体的に充実したサウンドになっています。そして、35時間のバッテリーライフと、きちんとしたANCを提供します。ですから、もしあなたが大陸間飛行にこれらの製品のいずれかを持ち込もうとするならば、選択肢はあります。シャツのポケットに入るイヤホンとしての利便性と、大きなデバイスのANCやバッテリー駆動時間の比較です。両方、あるいは3つとも手に入れたほうがいいでしょう。）

まとめ

ZE3000は、ファイナルオーディオデザインのもう一つの勝者です。この製品は、日本では飛ぶように売れるかもしれませんが、他の国ではインターネットの「専門家」やインフルエンサーに無視されるかもしれません。この製品は、音楽をありのままに聴き、楽しむ人のためのものです。美食家のための、そして美食家のための製品ではありません。

次回まで…聴き続けてください。

Gallery

The post Final Audio Design ZE3000 レビュー – 日本で大活躍。 appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Pros — Rich, mature, refined sound; decent screen; dedicated line outs for balanced and single-ended; drives full-sized cans easily; huge 4500 mAh battery; great haptic; complete accessories; excellent value.

Cons — Does not pair well with with fringe iems (“current hogs”); only 16 GB onboard storage and a single SD card slot; volume knob a bit flimsy; computer performance mediocre.

Introduction

Tempotec has been delighting us with budget dongles in the past. The $40 TempoTec HD Pro may have stuck out as the best accessorized budget DAC/amp with all cables included (including Lightning cable for Apple devices). We also analyzed their BHD and Sonata HD II/Sonata E35 budget models.

The $279 (early bird; MRSP $399) TempoTec Variations V6 DSD512 Android HIFI Music Player is the company’s first mid-price digital analog player “dap”, and it is surprisingly way above the company’s usual budget realm. This raises the question whether the TempoTec can design a mature mid-tier player without the usual toothing issues.

What we don’t want to hear is reviewers saying “it is a good first effort, I am looking forward to the follow-up”…which would mean: stay away, save your $$$, and wait for something better.

Fortunately, this is not the case. The V6 is good, very good to be concise…and certainly good enough for me.

Specifications TempoTec V6

Physicals and Features

I am not known for my love of window dressing but the TempoTec V6 is presented impressively. In the box are:

1 x TempoTec V6 Digital Audio Player
1 x USB Type A to USB Type-C Cable
1 x Leather Case
1 x Screen Protectors
1 x Paperwork (Warranty card, Quick Start Guide, Manual, etc.)

A second screen protector is already (flawlessly) installed. Take this, Apple! The quality leather case is thick and robust, but a cut out above the microSD card slot would have been handy.

The player feels substantial in my hand. Great haptic, just like a much more expensive device. The button mechanisms are solid, just the combined on/off and volume knob has a bit of play owing to its spring mechanism.

Functionality and Operation

What it does

• plays music through single-ended and balanced headphone circuits
• has dedicated line outs for both single-ended and balanced circuits
• works as wired DAC with computer and cellphones
• features bi-directional Bluetooth 5.0
• accepts one micro SD card up to 2 TB
• offers unique sound adjustments through “MSEB”
• supports 3rd party apps

What it does not

• 16 GB onboard storage is small
• has no 2nd microSD card slot

Hardware

The TempoTec Variations V6 DSD512 Android HIFI Music Player is essentially a phone without sim card, microphone, and loudspeaker, but with an audio component on steroids. The company scaled the computer part back in order to keep cost down. It features a basic Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 CPU and a 4.2″ 720 dpi screen.

The CPU is more than good enough for playing music, but not for playing games. The screen is fine for its intended use, too. It has a slightly warm tinge and is easy on the eye. The V6 features an accurate digital clock for removing phase noise in order to optimize sound quality.

In terms of DAC chips, the V6 sports two AK4493SEQ (no, the chips do not tell us anything about the sound, despite what the echo chamber in the blogosphere claims). The sound is produced by the DAC’s output stage and the amplifier.

TempoTec were initially not happy with the bass response and raised mid bass – which produces a slight bass boost and deviated the sound from neutral to mildly warm, still with good transparency.

The two dedicated line outs, one for balanced and the other for single-ended are a great feature that is usually reserved for expensive daps. I could handily connect the V6 to my desktop amp.

Software (Android 8.1; HiBy 3.0…)

Since the TempoTec V6 is essentially a small computer hosting the Android operating system, it can run (almost) any app from the Google Play store (and other sources). Due to the limitation imposed by the HiBy 3.0 player, the V6 runs 5-year old Android 8.1, whereas the current version is 12.

This could cause compatibility issues with some current apps, which is a problem for essentially ALL digital analog players – including the expensive ones. Another common problem is the lack of compatibility between Android and Apple. Mac users like me struggle with data transfer.

Bi-directional Bluetooth 5.0 is up to speed. As an internet device, the V6 was a bit slow on my mesh network (50 mbps download speed out of 150 possible on the 5 GHz band, Kazi reports 100/100 mbps on his single router; it also works at 50 mbps in the 2.4 GHz band) but this would be still more than adequate for streaming.

The HiBy 3.0 app is one of the standards across the board. Unique to HiBy is the MSEB, which stands for “Mage Sound 8-ball”. It is a parametric, very intuitive EQ. The OS also includes a standard EQ. Other remarkable features of the HiBy OS are low/high gain selection, crossfade, and antialiasing in the play settings.

Battery Performance

The TempoTec V6 hosts a 4500 mAh battery, bigger than in most phones. Interpreting battery drain is difficult as it depends on many factors additional to music playing, such as gain (high/low), equalizer use, volume, screen use, internet, Bluetooth, volume etc. After 12 hrs of continuous play with the 16 ohm/105 dB sensitivity Sonorous III headphone (low gain, with internet and Bluetooth switched off) at medium volume, there was 12% of battery capacity left.

I then charged it – and forgot – when checking after 4 hours the device was fully charged. After being switched off for almost a week, the charge was still at 98%.

Sound

The TempoTec’s sound can be characterized as slightly coloured, triggered by its somewhat boosted mid bass and its rather smooth, mellow/polite attack – which results in an analogish sonic perception with a timbre as close to natural as it gets.

Its balanced circuit delivers a big stage with a rather large headroom and an astonishing spatial reconstruction. The signature is very forgiving to aggressive recordings. I found the mature and balanced, well-dosed sound impressive from the first minute independent of pricing. It shows that TempoTec have obviously invested in their tuning.

The mid bass has more body than, let’s say, the discontinued $950 Questyle QP1R, but the V6 does not have that crisp leading edge. The V6’s notes are better rounded in comparison, the QP1R’s notes are better defined. The Questyle also offers more microdetail and better microdynamics.

In turn, the TempoTec V6 beats the QP1R in terms of staging and imaging. Which player is better is difficult to say as both are different beasts. Compared to cheaper alternatives, the V6 plays a league above my beloved $220 Sony NW-A55 and $180 Hidisz AP80 Pro-X in terms of refined presentation.

Where the V6 has problems is with “marginal” iems, such as current-hungry Final E5000, which results in a rather uncontrolled, muddy bass performance. Testing the TempoTec’s 4.4 mm balanced circuit with the 300 ohm Sennheiser HD 600 yielded great results. Swapping the HD 600 between V6 and MacBook Air/Fidelia player with Questyle M15 (balanced, high gain) came very close, sound wise.

Comparing the V6’s and QP1R’s DACs using the Burson Funk as amplification reveals the V6’s limits. The Questyle sounds more articulate with sharper notes, the V6 plays richer but not as detailed…though still pretty good.

In summary, the TempoTec V6 sounds enjoyable to my ears and we may have to pay a lot more to top it.

Concluding Remarks

The TempoTec V6 is a mature and impressive product. It is a fully fledged Android (internet) device, essentially a phone without sim card, speaker, and microphone. It may have a somewhat basic computer performance (to keep cost down), but it sounds very good, has impressive audio features (including dedicated line outs), and comes with complete accessories (e.g. quality leather case, installed screen protector).

At its very modest price, the TempoTec V6 is in its own class and will sell like hotcakes.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Contact us!

Disclaimer

The Tempotec V6 was provided unsolicited by the company – and I thank them for that. You can buy it from Kickstarter.com. This is not an affiliate link.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

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

The post TempoTec V6 Review (1) – Good, Better, V6! appeared first on Music For The Masses.

21-11-21 Jürgen

Our Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/audioreviews finally cleared 9,800 members. It was established on 1 Jan 2020 and its growth has been stalling lately. Will we have 10,000 members by Christmas?

21-11-19 Jürgen

More drama ahead? I published me take on the $5 VE Monk Pro earbud. They finally got the impedance down from 64 ohm to 32 ohm to present a truly “portable” earbud. I think my writeup is reasonably entertaining.

21-11-19 Jürgen

We have been playing with Google Adsense in order to try out whether Google prefers their clients in their listings. We put the settings on “autopilot”…after 203 days, this angry guys showed up. Sign of things to come? We’ll monitor this.

21-11-17 Jürgen

This “drama” over this Facebook post generated quite some outrage. What some people did not understand was that I don’t see a relationship between the hype and the quality of this iem. If you read between the lines, you’ll see my subtle criticism of peer pressure and compulsive buying triggered by pied pipers. 8000 views: goal achieved :).

21-11-17 Jürgen

Durwood posts his review of the $1500 Questyle CMA Twelve DAC/amp combo…endgame for many.

21-11-15 Jürgen

Loomis publishes his Sennheiser CX 400BT review.

21-11-13 Jürgen

Baskingshark’s IKKO Zerda ITM1 review now published. I see some KZ reviews being presently worked on. In the immediate line-up are a Sennheiser TWS and a premium Questyle amp.

21-11-13 Kazi

Received the Fearless Barcelona recently for review. It is the cheapest Fearless IEM till now and the design belies the price tag. I love how they’ve designed the face-plate here.

Sadly, they sound horrible. Not recommended at all. Too much bass, highly recessed mids, zero treble extension. Get something else this holiday.

21-11-12 Alberto

Yesterday I received my new/old Cowon Plenue 2 and of course the very first impression is imprinted over my experience with QP1R. At first listen the P2 on its balanced output is quite nice, nicely extended and with a very good note weight. While less clean / revealing / detailed compared to the QP1R (whose single ended output is a quite good proof of why balanced is more a marketing name for decent quality output than anything else) on the other hand it offers a huge host of sound finetuning options, commencing from selectable reconstruction filters, to a very good “tweakable” graphical EQ module (not a true PEQ but close) and some further DSPs. Connectivity options are null / nil / zero – like QP1R. There’s not even BT – and that’s perfectly fine

21-11-12 Jürgen

Singles day is over…as the name implies, I didn’t buy a single thing. Our blog stats are surprising: 70% of our traffic stems from Google searches, and only 15% from Facebook. It is therefore not worth posting across FB groups…which is uncool anyway.

21-11-11 Jürgen

Today is 11/11 Asian Singles day. Not many exciting deals as far as I can see…but our blog experiences lots of views. In the meantime we published reviews of the FIIL CC2 and Oneodio Pro C reviews.

21-11-07 Jürgen

Burson Funk review out now. A fantastic headphone amp it is.

21-11-04 Jürgen

Working on the Burson Funk amp to hit the weekend deadline. Fantastic, powerful amp that works for headphones and speakers alike.

21-11-03 Jürgen

Published the Tin Hifi T2 EVO review. Kazi and I ordered a Final A3000 as found on our Wall of Excellence.

21-11-02 Jürgen

Re-dressed the blog’s right sidebar and added useful information. Meet your 8 authors, Wall of Excellence etc. Just look to the right.

21-11-01 Jürgen

Alberto’s iBasso IT04 review published. 283 iem reviews altogether now. Solved a caching problem, which affected our Google indexing. Thanks to the support of rankmath.com SEO plugin.

21-10-31 Jürgen

Finally got the Shanling UA1 review published. It is currently in Biodegraded’s hands for a 2nd review. Will have to finish the NiceHCK T2 EVO next week, and work on the Astell & Kern PEE51 dongle.

21-10-30 Alberto

Got my Hip Dac 2 review loaner unit in yesterday. First thing I noticed it came equipped with firmware 7.3 installed. The odd part is that on IFI’s website the 7.3 firmware is not listed under Hip Dac 2’s eligible downloads. Which means I could not recupe any “release info” about what’s different in 7.3 vs 7.2

While I was there, I also checked under Micro iDSD Signature’s section, and apparently firmware version 7.x has been removed from there too. Odd, at least. I put a question into IFI to get more info.

21-10-29 Jürgen

Published my Venture Electronics BIE Pro review on the blog. Submitted link to VE Clan Facebook group, where it got stuck in censorship, but was eventually posted after approval. That was only intermittent, I think I was tacitly expelled from that group after mentioning censorship. Be prepared that VE Clan Facebook group is manipulative as it presents cherry-picked information.

On another note, Loomis Johnson submitted his review of the Sennheiser CX-400BT True Wireless Earphones for publication.

21-10-28 Kazi

Received KZ ZEX. Their naming convention is making me go bad. Graphed it and labeled the graph wrong because these names all sound similar (ZAX/ZEX/ZSX). Either way, not too impressed with the sound. Kinda peaky in the mid-treble. Graphs show that as well.

21-10-27 Jürgen

Behind with some reviews, e.g. Unique Melody 3DT and Tin Hifi T2 Evo.

21-10-26 Jürgen

Blog received a few more tweaks, including a new site map.

21-10-25 Jürgen’s 10 Day Roundup

In the last 2 weeks, we published reviews of 2 totally underrated Final Audio headphones (Sonorous II+III) including some update earpads.

We identified some good TWS iems for the office in the Elevoc Clear.

We further think the Moondrop Kato is a winner (but need a second set for our European crew).

And we had a couple of second opinions of the GeekWold GK10, Tforce Yuan Li, SeeAudio Bravery, and Tanchjim Tanya.

We currently offer 281 earphone reviews.

21-10-25 Kazi

Received the iFi Hip DAC2 today, and the copper colorway will surely steal some glances. The sound isn’t changed much from the original Hip DAC (if at all) but it didn’t need to since the OG was one of the best DAC/Amps out there under $200. Full review in the works.

21-10-25 Jürgen

Worked on search engine optimization “SEO” all weekend after some trouble with Google. Also subscribed to webmaster tools of Bing and Yandex search engines. You can analyze the SEO of your own site here: https://rankmath.com/tools/seo-analyzer/

21-10-24 Kazi

Slow weekend, nice weather. Went out mostly to enjoy the fall colors. Also did some random photoshoot for the upcoming reviews. Also received the VE Monk SM recently. Not a fan. Shrill, sharp sound and technicalities are middling even for the $20 price bracket. At least it looks and feels nice in hand.

In other news, A&K released the SR25 mk. 2. Not a fan of the design at all. The tilted makes no usability sense. Also it’s basically the original SR25 with just a 4.4mm jack added. Meh.

21-10-23 Jürgen

Our blog has currently problems with Google indexing. I re-created the sitemaps. It would help if you linked to it from your site. Thanks.

21-10-23 Jürgen

The ongoing power crisis in China has led to increased operating costs as well as to price hikes of raw materials. Expect delays and price increases for your Christmas shopping.

Have not heard of 11/11 deals this year…strange.

21-10-22 Jürgen

Coming next on the blog (tonight my time) is Baskingshark’s review of the SeeAudio Bravery. We have a few more ready ones such as a tech article on “System on Chip” (SoC), that is dac and amp on the same chip. Another tech post will be an elaboration on the 1/8 rule on the example of the Apogee Groove.

Alberto will be offering reviews of the iBasso IT04, the Kinera Leyding earphone cable, and the Tanchjim Tanya in the very near future. These are ready. He is still working on a couple of Fearless models among others.

Also almost ready to go are reviews of the Shanling UA1 dongle, the VE Bonus Pro iem, and the VE Monk Go.

21-10-21 Biodegraded

Behind in evaluating various dongles sent by Jürgen for second opinions: Helm Bolt, Shanling UA 1, Earmen Sparrow, Tempotec Sonata BHD. So far, I’m surprised by the contrast between the Bolt and UA 1 (both use the same ESS DAC/Amp chip but yes, they sound a lot different) and by the bal vs SE contrast from the Sparrow. Comparisons will be made to the Audioquest DragonFly Black and ifi nano iDSD Black Label.

I’m also considering a winter project building this Pass Labs class A solid-state headphone amp to complement my tube hybrid and little USB- or battery-powered desktop/portable things. Much swearing will no doubt ensue. Right now though, have to clean the scratchies from the volume pot of an integrated amp that needs to be moved on.

2021-10-21 Kazi

Have had quite a hectic October, so couldn’t manage to publish anything. However, look forward to the “Review Extravaganza” over the coming two weeks or so. At least four articles are in the works and shall be published withing quick succession including:

• FIIL CC2 (a pretty good TWS)
• Moondrop Quarks
• Campfire Audio Holocene
• Campfire Audio Honeydew
• Final A4000
• Shanling Q1
• Cayin Fantasy

And just to close out, one of the photos I shot today (I think it came out pretty good). See you on the other side.

2021-10-21 Jürgen

Sitting currently on review units of Burson Funk amp and two Allo power supplies that may take some time. Almost ready is a review of the Unique Melody 3DT iem whereas the IKKO OH10 still needs some work. Overdue are reviews of several VE Electronics items as well as some ddHiFi accessories.

That famous Hidizs S9 Pro Copper edition dongle (limited to 500 copies) has been on its way from Calgary to Bologna for a good week now. Let’s see how fast Air Mail is.

Currently looking for a second Moondrop Kato review unit for our European chapter. After all, a single opinion is not sufficient for an item to qualify for our Wall of Excellence.

2021-10-21 Jürgen

This page was established to report our progress (but also some observations and opinions) within audioreviews.org. All our authors with WordPress accounts have access.

2021-10-20 Jürgen

Android Brick alas audioreviews.news is using our good name to attract traffic to his fake reviews. This may be legally correct but it is not ethical. He was shamed and left our Facebook group.

Beware of imitations!

This is https://www.audioreviews.org/news/

No marketing!

No sugarcoating!

Just genuine analyses!

The post Our News appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Cons — None.

INTRODUCTION

I love adapters. Yes, you are reading correctly. I have boxes of them…see photo at the bottom. But when I recently received a couple of German premium earphone review loaners with a combined worth exceeding $5000, they came with an adapter. And guess wh

at, it was a ddHifi branded one. A Chinese adapter on a German premium earphone cable? Must be of good quality. And it was. In fact it worked so well that I purchased three versions of it way before I received the actual two units for this review.

One of them, the ddHifi TC25i let’s one connect a 2.5 mm mm balanced cable to an iPhone’s lightning port. The other one, ddHifi TCI28i, turns the iPhone’s lightning adapter into a USB-C port. I will explain the practicality of these devices in the following – also get some idea from the images throughout and at the bottom of this article.

SPECIFICATIONS TC25i

• ddHiFi 
• Apple Lightning to 2.5 mm headphone jack adapter
• Material: CNC-machined 316 stainless steel unibody shell
• Supports in-line control on CTIA standard earphones
• Supports full functionality for Apple earphones
• Supports iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch models running iOS 10.0 or later
• THD+N: < -92 db
• DNR: > 110 db
• SNR: > 120 db
• Dimensions: 0.74 x 0.44 x 0.4 in (18.8 x 11.2 x 10.2 mm)
• Weight: 0.2 oz (6 g)
• Tested at: $40
• Product page: ddHifi

SPECIFICATIONS TC28i

• Input: Lighting
• Output: USB-C
• Material: Aluminum alloy
• Dimensions: 0.7 x 0.4 x 0.5 in (18.5 x 9.5 x 13.5 mm)
• Tested at: $30
• Product page: ddHifi

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY/FEATURES

The TC25i and TC28i are robust, sturdy, small, and light – and made of metal. Build and haptic are excellent.

What do these adapter do? I’ll discuss this as follows. Note: the reviewed versions will only work with iPhones and iPads, even if these devices are mantled with the thickest possible cases. And – in order to give you some idea what these adapters can be used for, I appended a set of images of my own applications below.

TC25i Lightning to 2.5mm Headphone Adapter: is essentially the equivalent to the Apple lightning audio adapter (which I reviewed in great detail), but with a 2.5 mm output. Although all 2.5 mm cables are “balanced”, the TCi25 is not. Its sister adapter TC35i features a 3.5 mm adapter and serves the same purpose as the Apple lightning adapter.

The TCi25i/TC35i have a lot of technology packed into that small enclosure: a microscopic stereo digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a stereo headphone amplifier, a microphone preamplifier, and monophonic analog-to-digital converter (ADC) – and power converters to run this all.

Considering that any connector is a sonic bottleneck and that the wire in the Apple Audio adapter is the limiting factor for any premium cable, cable aficionados are better off with the TCi25.

TC28i Lightning to USB Type C Adapter: is simply a connector for dongles. It essentially serves the purpose of the Apple lightning camera adapter. When connecting your iPhone to a dongle via the Apple adapter, you create a rather long chain. The TC28i shortens this “snake” and makes it more portable.

There is a big difference, however, between Apple and ddHifi in that the former has the traditional USB-A connector whereas the ddHifi TC28i features the smaller USB-C connector.

This is no problem as most dongles come with either connectivity. And if everything fails, there are cheap USB-C to USB-A connectors.

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES OF THE TCI25i

First test of the ddHifi TC25i lightning to 2.5 mm adapter against the iPhone 5S’s internal dac/amp (which is essentially identical to the Apple audio adapter for later iPhones).

The iPhone 5S is a formidable audio player: https://www.kenrockwell.com/…/iphone-5s-audio-quality.htm. Result: no noticeable difference found in terms of sound quality and amplification power.

So what does the TC25i sound like? I agree with the Headphone Collector also analyzed the Apple audio adapter [here]…as said, the ddHifi TC25i sounds essentially identical . He writes: “…Neutral, clear, clean and very precise. Basically as audibly transparent, good-sounding and clean-sounding to my ears as it gets. Precise and tight bass reproduction with sensitive multi-BA in-ears.

VALUE

TC25i Lightning to 2.5mm Headphone Adapter, although identical sounding as the Apple Lightning Adapter, may appear expensive at four times the price.

But: Apple does not offer a 2.5 mm adapter and their dongle is plastic/rubber with a cable that is prone to fray. The TC25i is made of metal (and has therefore the much better haptic and durability), is much less conspicuous because of its smaller size, and is extremely practical as you don’t have to earphone change cables when switching between devices.

It is also classy compared to the Apple. And it is particularly useful when deploying cables with the unreliable MMCX connectors. It may save you money in the long run by not ripping your MMCX connectors apart.

The TC28i Lightning to Type C Adapter costs about the same as the Apple camera adapter. Again, the ddHifi product is smaller, more rugged, and has the better haptic. The difference between the two – that is USB-A for the Apples and USB-C for the ddHifi – is somewhat unimportant as most peripherals come with both-type cables – and if not, there are cheap quality adapters, the best from UGREEN.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

I love adapters and the ddHifi adapters are on top of my list. They are high-quality and therefore good enough to be used with the most premium equipment, they look and feel good, they are priced right, and they are extremely practical.

While these two units had been provided by dHifi, I purchased other ddHifi adapters for my pleasure so impressed was I. You will see ddHifi adapters all over this blog. Check it out for yourself:

https://www.audioreviews.org/?s=ddHifi

Until next time…keep on listening!

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DISCLAIMER

These ddHifi adapters were provided by ddHifi – and I thank them for that.

Get them from ddHifi.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

EXAMPLES OF APPLICATIONS…

The post ddHiFi TC25i Lightning to 2.5mm Headphone Adapter And TC28i Lightning to USB-C Adapter Review – Connect Your iPhone appeared first on Music For The Masses.