Review

Author：Aikeen Lim  This short review is on Moondrop's latest EST tribrid - Variations which retails for $520. Please note that this unit was purchased myself and I have no affiliations with Moondrop. All views in this are my own, and...

Author：Andy.EF DAC Chip: Conexant CX21988 (Single) PCM 24bit - 96khz, SNR: -95dB, Power: 1 Vrms, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Yes), 12cm, Aluminum Chassis OFC Cable   Strengths: Neutral sparkly signature, airy timbre, “slender” tonality Intimate mids, neutral sounding vocals,...

Author：Andy.EF DAC Chip: Cirrus Logic CS43131 (Single) 32bits/384KHz, DSD64, DSD128, DSD256. SNR: 120dB, Distortion=0.0003% (32Ω load, 1.2vrms), Power: 0.95 Vrms@32Ω, 2 Vrms@600Ω, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: NO), Compact, Braided SPC Cable 120mm, Painted Aluminum Chassis   Strengths: Exceedingly crisp,...

Author：Andy.EF DAC Chip: ESS Sabre ES9281C PRO (Single + Dual Opamps) PCM 32bit-384khz MQA, SNR: -118db, Power: 208mW 32Ω, 4.4mm BAL (Microphone: NO), Female USB-C, 12g Aluminum Chassis   Strengths: Pristine crisp and clean neutral flat timbre with uncolored tonality Superbly...

Author：Andy.EF DAC Chip: Undisclosed Cirrus Logic DAC Chip (Single) PCM Unspecified, SNR: Undisclosed, Power: 1 Vrms Adaptive, iOS Lightning, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Unspecified), Metal Chassis & SPC Cable   Strengths: Clear crisp neutral flat timbre with uncolored tonality Well controlled dynamics,...

Author：Andy.EF DAC Chip: Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC (Dual) PCM 32-384kHz DSD256, SNR: 133db , Power: 4 Vrms 195mW 32Ω, USB Type-C Female, 4.4mm BAL (Microphone: NO), Metal Chassis with SPC Cable Firmware: 20210319_v1p0_EE_9302_R06_R15 (V1.1.0 April 2,2021)   Strengths: Neutral and natural...

Author：Andy.EF DAC Chip: Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC (Dual) PCM 32-384kHz DSD256, SNR: 127db , Power: 80mW 32 Ohms, USB Type-C Female, 3.4mm SE (Microphone: NO), Metal Chassis with SPC Cable Firmware: 20210319_v1p0_EE_9302_R06_R15 (V1.1.0 April 2,2021)   Strengths: Neutral and natural smooth,...

Author：Andy.EF DAC Chip: ESS Sabre ES9281AC (Single, Current Mode Amplification) PCM 24bit - 384khz MQA, SNR: -118dB (SE), -114db (Bal), Power: Adaptive 2 Vrms up to 600Ω, USB Type-C Female Socket, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: No), 27g, 51×16.5×8.1mm, Metal Chassis   Strengths:...

Author：Andy.EF DAC Chip: Conexant CX21988 (Single) PCM 24bits 96kHz, SNR: 95dB, Power: 1Vrms@32Ω, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Supported), Ultra Compact, 3g, Acrylic Chassis, No Cable   Strengths: Clean neutral and uncolored timbre, analogue tonality Neat Treble textures with smooth...

  Author：Andy.EF DAC Chip: JCally Custom Chip (Single) PCM 24bit - 96khz, SNR: -103dB, Power: 1 Vrms, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Yes), 5-6.5gm, Aluminum Chassis   Strengths: Neutral sparkly signature, with moderately energetic dynamics Intimate mids, neutral sounding vocals,...

As a successor to the highly-acclaimed UP4 Bluetooth DAC/AMP device Shanling released its latest flagship UP5 Portable Bluetooth USB DAC/AMP last week. UP5 changes the game for Bluetooth Portable DAC/AMP entirely. It brings a high-quality XMOS USB receiver that enables...

Author：Andy.EF DAC Chip: Realtek ALC5686 (Single) PCM 24bit - 384khz, SNR: 125dB/-113dB, Power: 65mW 32Ω, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: Supported), Ultra Compact, 3.6g, Aluminum Chassis, No Cable   Strengths: Clean neutral, with slight hump on low Mids, analogue tonality...