Killers of the Flower Moon—I idolize Scorcese, but someone needs to tell him he needs an editor–as with his previous snorer, The Irishman, this potentially very interesting film bogs down in endless reaction shots and static dialogue. DeNiro is predictably fine as the villain, but much-overhyped Lily Gladstone is reserved to the point of comatose. Really grim throughout—it wouldn’t have hurt him to lighten the mood a bit.

The Holdovers—Another overlong disappointment from a director I usually like (“Sideways” is a classic), this one comes off as a something a retread of “Cider House Rules” and a schmaltzy Christmas movie. Paul Giamatti is a fine actor, but I don’t necessarily want to look at him for three hours and I was never sure if this was supposed to be comedy or melodrama.

Napoleon—some cool (and supposedly historically accurate) battle scenes but the generally excellent Joaquim Phoenix seems too whiny/neurotic to play an emperor, and his Josephine lacks any sort of schwing. Plus the film, for some reason, was shot with sepia filters, looks really dark and claustrophobic and could have easily stood to lose about 45 minutes (sensing a theme here?).

Zone of Interest—I initially thought this film was overly stylized, and it moves at a lugubrious pace, but it’s genuinely unsettling and visually brilliant.  The scene where Hoss tells his young son about increasing the “yield” of the death camps he supervises gave me nightmares, as did the screams emanating from outside the walls of his villa. Sandra Huller as Mrs. Hoss should have gotten the Oscar.

Anyone But You—please don’t judge me, but I enjoy the occasional brain-dead rom-com. This one, unfortunately, lacks both the rom and the com and the plot, even by the standards of the genre, is sub-moronic. Busty young Sydney Sweeney isn’t a bad actress (she was very good in “Reality”), but she has zero chemistry with her semi-naked co-lead and she just ain’t funny. Two hours of my life I wish I had back.

Poor Things—a really imaginative feminist take on Frankenstein, this movie has the quality lacking in almost all the other Oscar nominees—it’s entertaining, as opposed to merely cinematic. Emma Stone is great, but Mark Ruffalo steals the show as the rakish cad.

American Fiction—another one I wanted to enjoy more than I actually did. Jeffrey Wright does pretty well with what he’s given, but the ghetto novelist theme is less edgy than intended and the whole dissipated middle-aged college professor milieu feels tired.

Road House II—the very idea of remaking the classic original is sacrilegious. This version has lots of big explosions, some amusing scenes with Conor McGregor and an absurdly jacked Dalton, but wholly lacks the sheer, joyful idiocy of its predecessor. Pain don’t hurt?

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

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

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

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

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

Disclaimer: borrowed from Durwood.

Specifications Hidizs Fosi Audio V3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Specifications Hidizs S9 Pro Plus Martha

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Specifications Hidizs SD2

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Haptic and UI on the OpenRock Pro are a bit of a mixed bag—on the one hand, despite their bulk the Pro are very comfortable and adjustable ear hooks provide for stable fit. Likewise, battery life of 19h is outstanding, although the clamnshell charging case (which gives you another 27 hr) is a bit large for pocketability.

On the other hand, the small physical control buttons, which sit under the headset and atop your tragus, are hard to access and somewhat unreliable. Most critically, maximum volume on these is too low, and they get  overwhelmed in nosier environments,

The OpenRock Pro present a very V-shaped, warm signature with a prominent low end which misses the lowest octaves but is full-sounding, fast, and very well-sculpted. High end is nicely detailed and unexpectedly sparkly; drums and percussion have some snap. Midrange is the Achilles heel here—it’s recessed and muted, and female vox in particular and a distant, veiled quality. (These would really benefit from EQ, but there’s no app).

Soundstage is narrow—these OpenRock Pro lack the openness of good buds—but quite three dimensional and imaging is capable; you can place performers accurately on the stage. Tonality is actually quite natural-sounding—there’s none of the metallic shrillness of cheap TWS, though again the hollowed-out mids are conspicuous by their absence and preclude a smooth transition between the higher and lower frequencies.

The OpenRock Pro does sound better than any of the bone conduction models I’ve heard—bassier and more-resolving. However, The similar-looking, comparably-priced open-ear Oladance Wearable Stereo is louder, fuller-sounding and more coherent than the Pro, with a much more expansive stage; the OpenRock Pro has tighter bass and the more extended treble. Most folks would find the Oladance to be the much better phone. Likewise, the Samsung Galaxy Live trumps the Pro with a better-balanced tuning and more stereo spread.

There’s much to admire with the OpenRock Pro—build, battery life and bass quality are all class-leading, and they mostly nail the technicalities. However, these needed a little more output and more time in the lab to eliminate that conspicuous midrange dip and to bring vocals forward. I enjoyed auditioning ‘em, but I would not be a buyer at the current SRP. The future bears watching, however—they’re an ambitious gang—and I suspect the next iteration of these will be a real contender. 

Disclaimer: review freebie; you can purchase from OneOdio.

Specifications OneOdio Openrock Pro

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64 Bluetooth & TWS Devices

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In any event, the Pro2 Bone looks and feels a great deal like their prior Runner Pro and Runner Caller, with the same tiny, difficult-to-access controls, although the Pro2 adopts Bluetooth 5.3 for better connectivity and increases the battery life from a subpar 4-6 h to a more competitive 8 hrs. Curiously, the Pro2 lacks a microphone, which makes it unusable for calls and limits its utility. There is an MP3 mode which allows you to shed your phone and listen to stored files.

Tonally, the Pro2 is similar to its predecessors—warm, smooth and quite natural sounding, with very limited highend extension. However, unlike the original Pro, which had almost no low end, the Pro2 has discernible midbass thump and presence, albeit somewhat boomy and slow.

Overall clarity is pretty good—these work well for podcasts—and instrument placement and separation is surprisingly accurate, although soundstage is narrow and two-dimensional. Most significantly, in contrast to its forbearers volume is adequate with these (note that positioning the headshells over (as opposed to next to) your tragus markedly increases the output and bass depth, although somewhat belies the phone’s non-intrusive purpose.

Detail and resolution cannot compare to in-ear TWS models, or even to open designs like the excellent Oladance or Galaxy Wireless Live, both of which present fuller, tighter bass and a much crisper, more extended high end—drums and percussion on the Pro2 sounds veiled and soft and electric guitars lack bite, but are free from sharpness.   

I’m not sure how you’d transcend the inherent limitations of the bone induction design—venting the headshells or adding more or bigger drivers would, I presume, compromise waterproofing and increase sound leakage or muck up the bone conduction technology.

That said, the Pro 2 has considerable appeal to its target no-penetration crowd—they’re comfortable and inoffensive-sounding, and I listened to them for four straight hours without feeling a need to take ‘em off. 

By its very nature, the Pro 2 is a practical device and not an audiophile product, and we’re probably the wrong guys to be reviewing them. Yet purely from the standpoint of sound, Naenka is subtly but clearly evolving— unlike past models they’re more than merely background music and they convey a certain organic quality that’ll get you through your next decathalon very pleasantly.  Keep up the good(ish) work.

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Naenka Runner Pro2 Bone Conduction Headphone

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The original Moondrop Starfield (my review here) was one of the best $100 IEMs I’ve heard—rich-sounding, smooth and immersive—and I was surprised at how much they changed the tuning for the Starfield II. As with the original, the II has a dialed-down bass and pronounced emphasis on the upper mids. but the II has a leaner, brighter tone with much more high-end detail and sparkle—it actually sounds more like a hybrid BA than a DD.

Technicalities (imaging, transient speed) are very good on the Starfield II even if electric guitars or saxes can sound a little edgy or sharp on some material, and most folks would find the II to be the more refined, better-resolving  piece. I prefer the original, which is less analytical and has a more analogue tone but both are worthy. Moondrop’s forays into TWS have been hit-or-miss, but in the wired world they dominate this price point.

SPECIFICATIONS Moondrop Starfield II

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Borrowed from Durwood.

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Hidizs MS3

Very V-shaped, hard-rockin ear cannons from DAP/dongle specialist Hidizs. Build and aesthetics are commensurate with the MSRP and cable is very well-made, if somewhat heavy. I found these slightly uncomfortable, esp. since they require deep penetration to show their true colors, but isolation is very good.

Even with the “Balanced” or “High Frequency” tuning filter, the MS3 is a very hopped-up, bassy phone with a thick, throbbing but musical low end which does have some bleed into the higher frequencies. (Avoid the “Low Frequency” filter, which sounds boomy and blurs high end detail). Treble is well extended and full-bodied and (despite the low end bloom) instruments are very well separated across a wide, deep soundstage. 

My reservations about the MS3 are twofold. First, percussion (esp. snares and hi-hats) sounds splashy and unnatural. Second, integration between the frequencies is less than seamless—the big low end tends to dominate the proceedings and to deflect focus on the vocals.

To a large extent, the MS3 typify the sonic differences between hybrid and conventional DD designs—compared to a comparably priced DD like the Whizzer Kylin or Moondrop Kanas Pro the MS3’s BAs present more microdetails and sparkle and more accurate imaging , but have a more synthetic timbre and less coherence.

Its imperfections notwithstanding, these are an exciting, immersive listen which make heavy music sound heavy. Hidizs is promoting these at a $119 introductory price, which registers as good value. Recommended, if not unqualifiedly.

Hidizs MP145

Priced in the same range as the MS3, the planar MP145 is a completely different beast sonically—midforward and conspicuously lacking in subbass depth and speed. Large ovoid provide for good seal and isolation but feel uncomfortable after an hour or so. In contrast to the frenzied, party-hearty and brightish MS3, the MP145 seem to be going for a more neutral, laid-back quality, without a lot of sparkle or shimmer at the high end. 

Mids are very well-resolved here—male vocals sound full and quite natural, and there’s sufficient high-end detail, with much more accurate reproduction of drums and percussion than on the MS3. However, lowend is, for lack of a better term, amorphous—it’s discernible but wholly lacking shape, speed or punch and has the effect of murking up the the rest of the spectrum.

I’m not sure what Hidizs was aiming for with the MP145—they’re too reserved for uptempo genres and not clean or open-sounding enough for acoustic or vocal fare. Frankly, these should not have escaped the lab.

Disclaimer

Borrowed from Durwood.

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As much as I’ve raved about Moondrop’s wired IEMs, I didn’t like Moondrop’s prior TWS offering, the $189 Moondrop Alice, and wouldn’t have expected much from the uber-budget ($25), Airpod-style Space Travel. However, Jürgen (who’s generally indifferent to TWS)) positively raved about these and insisted on getting me a pair to audition. With some qualifications, I’m glad he did.

The Moondrop Space Travel are generic looking, but lightweight and comfortable for extended sessions; touch controls work reliably, but (puzzlingly) you cannot control volume with the phones. Battery life is rated at only 4hrs (with up to 12hrs for the case), which is really low for this day and age—these would not work well for long plane trips. The clear plastic case has no top cover, which makes the buds hard to remove and allows all forms of grime and lint to enter if you store in your pocket. It’s a truly baffling design decision.

Moondrop makes much ado about the ANC technology on the Space Travel, which ostensibly abandons feedback and utilizes a “feedforward solution,” which reduces noise without losing bass. The ANC mode does in fact work pretty well and sounded about as detailed and open as the transparency mode; despite the shallow fit the wide shells provide for good seal and exclusion of wind and outside noise. Call quality is good. The voice prompts for noise cancelling, regular and transparency modes (“sh”, “eh” and “heh”) are a panic.

There is ostensibly an accompanying app, the Link 2.0, but as with the Alice I couldn’t get the damn thing to work—you can’t find it on Google Play Store and the apk download from the site doesn’t seem able to find the buds. FWIW, Jurgen got the app to work on his Iphone and states it has three useful bass tunings.

So, mixed marks on the externalities, but how do they sound? Pretty good, actually.  Despite the big 12mm drivers they don’t play very loud (a pet peeve of mine), and they sound veiled, artificially lean and unengaging at lower volumes, without a ton of detail. Crank ‘em up, however, and they transform into a livelier, much more revealing and open presentation, with a neutral, articulate (if still leanish) tonality.

Bass, in default mode, is well-sculpted and fast, though not deep or punchy; mids are slightly recessed while high end has limited extension but is free from glare or sharpness. Soundstage is wide and somewhat low-ceilinged but immersive; instruments are cleanly separated and drums have good snap and crackle. Orchestral and other busy passages are unexpectedly well sorted out–these actually image as well as any budget TWS you’ll hear.

Sonically, Moondrop seems to be going for the Apple/Samsung type of mass-market tuning—smooth, coherent, without enhanced frequencies. As such, it’s quite successful—compared to $150 Galaxy Buds Plus the Space Travel lack some bass throb [in “Reference” or default mode…there is also a “Basshead” mode] and present less high-end information, but actually have the more natural-sounding timbre, although they can’t play in the same league as champs like the $100 Cambridge Melanomia or $100 Lypertek Tevi, both of which have more body/dynamic slam and play louder.

Jürgen actually posited these things as Wall of Fame material, which for me is a stretch—their quirky design and (esp.) short battery preclude daily driver use, while they miss just a bit of the crispness and drive of top sets. Factor in the price, however, and they do have their considerable appeal—they are a nicely built, cohesive sounding piece with class-leading imaging. Plus those voice prompts are worth the price of admission…

The Moondrop Space Travel were kindly provided by SHENZHENZAUDIO for my review – and I thank them for that. You can get them here.

SPECIFICATIONS Moondrop Space Travel

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60 Bluetooth & TWS Devices

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Specifications SMSL DO400

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Durwood (review here) captures the essence of this entry-level offering from house favorite Moondrop—balanced, bass shy (though you can coax some subbass presence with foam tips and very deed insertion) with a boosted upper midrange and, above all, a very lean note texture. A couple of points of emphasis:

1. Soundstage is exceptionally wide, though low-ceilinged and two dimensional; performers sound as if they are seated in a long straight line and practicing social distancing. Treble detail is very good for the price point.
2. Instrument separation is absolutely uncanny with these; there is no blurring of frequencies. As a consequence, these struggle a bit with coherence and have a somewhat analytical quality—your ears get drawn to the individual performers rather than to an integrated whole.
3. Drums do have  some snap and short decay, but lack depth and boom.
4. Overall clarity is good, but they don’t rock—I kept craving the fullness and warmth of Moondrop’s better offerings.

On one level, $40 seems like a bargain for these—they’re very well-built and rich looking, comfortable and good-fitting, and isolation is very good. Not for a second, though, was I transposed while listening to them. Which means, I suppose, they’re not much of a bargain.

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50 Bluetooth & TWS Devices

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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For only the second time since the pandemic I saw a movie, Oppenheimer, in an actual theater (on my first foray I fell asleep halfway through Top Gun: Maverick). Very, very disappointed—one big explosion framed by three hours of not-very-snappy talk. Like Roger Moore, Cilian Murphy looks good in a suit but is kind of a blank slate, and no one in the audience cheered at the end.

So while I was admittedly in a bad mood when I reviewed the C5 Space, I honestly didn’t like these. I hear them as mid-focused, which pushes vocals forward. However, they have a conspicuously rolled-off high end and a lack of lowend body and presence–there’s some subbass throb but a big dip in that 50-200 Hz region; unlike Durwood (review here) I don’t hear much upper bass. Detail is lacking, especially at the high end, and percussion misses snap and sparkle. Tonally slightly bright and free from harshness or sharp edges, but like Tin’s prior T2 and T3 models, these sound lean and lacking in drive and realism.

The C5 are inoffensive overall, and might appeal to fans of unadorned vocal and acoustic fare. However cheaper units from TRN, Blon, Final et. al. present more information and fuller sound. Not recommended.

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50 Bluetooth & TWS Devices

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Non-disclaimer: bought this myself.

Specifications SMSL A300

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I haven’t previously heard TOZO’s products, but they purport to move millions of units and certainly know how to market the $149 Golden X1, which are nicely packaged and accessorized and sport an appropriate array of features for the price, including ANC, LDAC, multipoint and a customizable, well-conceived app with some useful EQ settings.

Build feels premium (the flashing battery level indicator in the case is a nice touch) and comfort and seal are good, although a fair amount of wind noise intrudes even with the ANC engaged. Battery life is advertised as 8 hours, although I got closer to 4 with ANC/LDAC. Connection was instantaneous and stable and touch controls responsive.

In their default state the hybrid Golden X1 presents a gentle V-shape with modest bass depth and limited high end extension, but a very wide soundstage with good imaging and accurate instrument placement. Tonality is fairly neutral and performers are well-separated; there’s no low end boominess and drums retain some snap.

Unfortunately, the Golden X1 fall into the too-common trap of inadequate output—even with volume maxed out they sound soft, slightly veiled and seriously lacking in high-level detail and dynamic slam. I surmise that the dense gold mesh screen covering the ear tubes acts to muffle some of the higher frequencies and reduce gain; I was tempted to remove it and replace it with a more sonically permeable filter but ultimately felt one shouldn’t have to mod a product at this price level.

All evidence to the contrary, I don’t particularly relish trashing products, and the Golden X1 do nail the ergonomics and UI. However, I can’t rave about what I can’t hear, and louder (and cheaper) TWS like the Tin Buds 3 or Lypertek Z3 are better choices.

Disclaimer: these were sent for review purposes by TOZO (TOZO | Wireless Earbuds, Headphones, Chargers, Watches & More Electronics (tozostore.com). They are very nice folks and I hope they try us again in the future.

Priced at $189 at time of publishing.

SPECIFICATIONS TOZO Golden X1

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50 Bluetooth & TWS Devices

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The $217 Shanling M1s was proved by Aohsida Audio for my review – and I thank them for that. You can get it from Aoshida Audio.

Shanling’s new $217 M1s packs a lot of functionality and tech into its smallish (70mm x 70mm) package, including MQA/DSD decoding, Bluetooth receiving and transmission, gapless playback, Wifi connectivity, standalone DAC capability and 14h battery life. Beautifully machined metal casing is a bit heftier than anticipated, but conveys a sense of solidity, and the 2.8” screen has good visibility (I would pop the extra $10 for the optional leather case). 

UI (which combines a physical volume wheel and responsive touch controls) is logical and well-conceived. Onboard EQ and digital filter options are catnip for technogeeks. The user manual is extremely minimalist and doesn’t provide guidance beyond basic operation of the controls—I was able to muddle through Bluetooth connection, file downloading etc., but Luddites beware.

Note further that the DAP utilizes Shanling’s simplistic OS, which has a built-in Tidal app but (at least for now) doesn’t allow other Android apps. In practical terms, this means if I want to listen to a Steve Bannon podcast on Spotify, I need to remain tethered to my mobile, which undermines the utility of having a separate DAP.  

Shanling maintains that other apps aren’t viable because of the MS1’s screen size (and some maintain Android-based systems are sonically inferior), but a more inclusive OS would have been ideal.

I first tested the M1s as DAC/amp, playing Coltrane and Radiohead in lossless, Tidal MQA and 320kb OGG through my Kindle Fire and a Dell laptop (note that a driver is required for Windows). Because the MS1 uses the same ESS ES9038Q2M chips as Shanling’s UA5 and UA2 dongles (albeit with a more powerful amp), I expected the M1s to sound more-or-less the same—warmish, smooth and balanced across the different frequencies.

Instead, the M1s has quite a different signature—tonally a bit bright, with lean, crisp notes and a conspicuously forward midrange which highlights horns/male voices. Bass is tight and controlled but not especially deep or visceral; high end is very well-extended and presents a lot of microdetail.

Perhaps because of the midrange emphasis, I hear the soundstage as fairly narrow and low-ceilinged, although performers remain well-separated and imaging is accurate if somewhat two-dimensional.

The M1s immediately scores in two respects. First, it has a ton of driving power, especially through the 4.4mm output–it can drive the 300 ohm Senn HD600 effortlessly and really gets a grip on the wobbly bass of my 60 ohm Koss KSC74. It can, however, be a bit much for very sensitive IEMs, even in low gain setting—something like the KZ ZS10P or TRN-VX show more high-end glare and metallic timbre than with lower-powered sources.

OTOH, synergy with the more power-hungry Blon BL-03 was great, with the Blon sounding fuller-bodied and bassier than typical. The M1s are not without coloration—horns in particular sound amped-up and slightly billowy—but this an extremely revealing, live-sounding piece. 

Second, and most pronouncedly, the M1s is as unforgiving and revealing of source as you’ll hear—poorly-recorded or low-rez files sound crappy, while well-recorded, hi-rez files are richly detailed and impeccably clear. Nothing is smoothed over; the sonic difference between say, a Tidal master-quality track and the same track on Spotify is massive.

Especially since I inevitably listen to a lot of sub-par recordings, this is a mixed-bag—the M1s can sound over-analytical without careful matching of file and headphone. Optimally paired, however—say a 24bit/192Hz take of “A Love Supreme” through the aforesaid HD-600—the M1s sounds very transparent and lifelike, with considerable energy and top-to-bottom coherence. 

I did test the M1s as a Bluetooth streamer to my Sony WH-1000XM4  and it was fine—easy connectivity, good range—while the LDAC codec very clearly presents more sonic information than generic AAC. However, other than playing louder I can’t honestly state that even after tweaking the EQ on the MS1 to augment low end tracks on the M1s sounded much better or different than the same tracks played through my Pixel mobile.

Plainly, the highest and best use for the M1s is as a portable player through wired phones, where its power and transparency are on full display. I loaded a ton of FLAC and WMA (as well a couple of DSD tracks) onto a microSD card (not included; there is also no onboard storage, which is a curious omission). Again, my big takeaway was just how much better than Bluetooth this wired setup sounded—gutsier, punchier, with much more high-end definition.  

Not having other DAPs on hand, I borrowed a ($200ish) Sony NW-A55 from a gym mate to compare. The Sony is a nice-sounding piece with more intuitive ergonomics and better battery, but trails the M1s sonically in most respects. Most notably, the Sony has much lower output power and isn’t suitable for higher impedance loads.

This is manifest mostly at the low end, which sounds softer and less impactful than the Shanling’s. The Sony has a warmer, smoother tonality which does work well for low-quality files but is significantly less resolving and extended at both ends. I also found the Sony’s various DSP tunings artificial-sounding.

The M1s isn’t perfectly neutral, and treble-averse folks might find it a bit spicy on top. As noted above, it is also brutally revealing of poor recordings. It is, however, unquestionably a lot of machine for the money and will make your higher-impedance wired headphones sound brawnier and better. Thumbs way up.

Disclaimer: sent to me gratis by Aoshida Audio   https://aoshida-audio.com/ . Unless Jürgen has some covert arrangement with them [he has not], we get nothing (other than more gear) for touting their wares.

Specifications Shanling M1s

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At least in the IEM space, Moondrop has consistently stood out from the legion of gratuitous Chifi manufacturers, with much-loved products ranging from the $30 Crescent to the $800 Illumination. I haven’t heard their prior TWS entrants like the ($89) Sparks, but (like the rest of the gang here) I’m enough of a Moondrop acolyte to have awaited the $189 Alice with consideration anticipation. Durwood, FWIW, praised these highly.

The Alice is a very large, protruding design vaguely reminiscent of the Sony XM3, although I didn’t find them uncomfortable and fit with the included Azla tips was reasonably secure, if not gym-friendly (the unmarked R and L buds are, however, difficult to tell apart). Feature set is really sparse for the pricetag—no ANC, no multipoint, no wireless charging—but 8hr. Battery is good; passive isolation is so-so.

There’s a companion app which promises a variety of preset and parametric EQ, but despite numerous resets and reinstalls (including sideloading from the Moondrop site) I could not for the life of me get the damn thing to work—it kept terminating firmware updates and would not allow access to the EQ functions, so my sound impressions are based solely on the default tuning. Touch controls are minimal–no volume control and no customization–but fairly responsive; call quality is good.

The Alice presents a smooth, balanced signature across a wide but two-dimensional stage which has very limited depth and height; performers are well separated across a flat horizontal plane. There’s limited extension at both ends—low end is well-sculpted but doesn’t have a lot of punch or presence, while high end is rounded off and lacking in sparkle and snap, though free from shrillness and coarseness.

Mids are the strength here– full-sounding and euphonic (male voices have good body), but tonality is just okay—Moondrop seems to be going for a neutral, audiophile approach which isn’t analytical and which provides for good coherence, without sharp peaks. However everything has a slightly muted, distant quality, as if you’re too far from the stage, and some energy and drive is missing.

It’s a more analog, less aggressive tone than something like the (much cheaper) Lypertek Z3 or the Soundpeats H1, but also less full-sounding or dynamic. The recent Tin Buds 3 are similar in approach to the Alice—i.e. low-tech, warmish, balanced—but have better resolution, more energy and are the significantly better phone. Which, considering the Tin cost half as much, is not high praise for the Alice. The Sennheiser CX-400BT is another better, cheaper alternative to the usual V-shaped, ballsy consumer fare, with more bass and a rounder soundstage.

Given that the Alice have the same drivers as the much-adored KATO I’m surprised by my lack of enthusiasm for them. They aren’t by any means a bad TWS—they’re well-built and free from the hyped-up artificiality of many of its peers—but they’re certainly overpriced for what you get. Pass.

Disclaimer: borrowed from Durwood. Get it here from ShenzenAudio priced at $189 at time of publishing.

SPECIFICATIONS Moondrop Alice

• Model: ALICE True Wireless Stereo
• Driver: 10mm U.L.T super-linear dynamic driver
• Diaphragm: 3rd generation DLC composite diaphragm
• Bluetooth version: 5.2
• Bluetooth protocol: A2DP/AVRCP/HFP/HSP
• Codec protocol: AAC/SBC/aptX Adaptive
• Charging plug: Type-C
• lmpedance: 32Ω±15%@1kHz
• Working distance: about 15m (barrier-free open environment)
• Input: 5V-0.5A
• Battery Life: about 8+40hours

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