Helm Bolt vs Shanling UA1 USB Dongle DAC/Amps Review – Freedom of Choice
These two single-chip dongles (Bolt: ESS9281 Pro, UA1: ESS9218 Pro) are superficially similar but quite different sounding…
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Music For The Masses
DAC/AMP
All our reviews of “digital analog converters” (dac) and “amplifiers” (amp).
iFi Audio Hip-DAC2 Review (1) – Subtle Improvements
Holistically, the iFi Hip DAC 2 is a minor improvement over the original…
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The 1/8 Rule And The Apogee Groove – A Tech Discussion
A discussion of the 1/8 rule, generally and applied to the Apogee Groove.
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EarMen Sparrow Dongle DAC/Amp – Brief Second Opinion
Overall, I’m impressed with the EarMen Sparrow…
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Astell & Kern PEE51 USB-C Dual DAC Cable Review – Articulation
The Astell & Kern PEE51 is a dual-chip dongle dac that excels through its articulation, but its high current drain limits its portability.
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TRI TK-2 DAC/Amp Review– NICE “TRI”!
TRI Audio and KAEI have done a fantastic job producing this desktop-caliber powerhouse…
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Questyle CMA Twelve – Blissfully Biased
The Questyle CMA Twelve is a wonderfully sounding DAC amp combo that extracts the microdetails…
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IKKO Zerda ITM01 Review (1) – Swiss Army Knife
The $59 IKKO ITM01 is a swiss army knife of the budget dongle DAC/AMP arena…
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Burson Funk Headphone/Speaker Amplifier Review – Versatile Muscle
The Burson Funk is a gorgeous device that has been pure pleasure for me…
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Shanling UA1 Review – Prefab Sprout
The Shanling UA1 is a well-built and organic sounding budget dongle that could be a bit tamer at the top end…
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Hidizs S3 Pro Hi-Res DAC Dongle Review – Alcohol, Firearms and Tobacco: A Primer for Youth
I’m sufficiently enamored to use the Hidizs S3 Pro as my daily driver…
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Helm Bolt DAC/Amp Review – Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This
The Helm Bolt is a very small and light MQA certified portable DAC/amp that excels in terms of its organic/natural reproduction…
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Cayin C9 Portable Amplifier Review – Chasing Perfection
…the Cayin C9 will pretty much be an endgame addition at this point.
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