I found your channel relatively recently but since then I've been watching everything you've done. I have to admit that I really like your decent and direct style of calling things by their names in a way that I, for one, find very elegant. You have a way of making reviews very honest indeed! Really enjoy this video to
Hi Dave, I believe the Hiby FC4 outputs 110mw at 32ohms not 70mw on the 3.5. I got my FC4 for $70, i also found it to be warm and takes the edge off bright iems (if that's your preference). Great review!
It has high output but it's not clean. That "340 mW" level on the BAL-out was measured by L7Audiolab to push THD+N to a whopping 10-11%. They're being dishonest here, their actual clean output only goes up to about 190 mW, and that's only at 0.003% THD+N while the smaller sibling the FC3 does 0.00025% THD+N and is much cleaner. If power is not a big issue the FC3 is better according to the measurements.
I've been watching your videos for a bit over a year. I've tried lots of dongles. I saw someone say they loved the Helm Bolt. I barely noticed any difference between using the Bolt or not using it. The only dongle I've found that makes anything close to a substantial difference is the Moon River 2. I'd suggest giving it a shot.
I’m the same with the Mojo 2. No difference between that and the Apple dongle with the Moondrop Kato or Hifiman Edition XS, for me. I keep expecting to hear some detail I’ve never heard before. It just doesn’t happen. Based on other feedback I’ve had a few reviewers have said in reality most people can’t tell the difference when just listening to music. The same that most can’t tell the difference between Spotify and CD or even hi-res.
@@doifeellucky I’ll check it out. Instead of spending a fortune and keeping a ton of random gear, I usually return to Amazon if I don’t like something. Their return policy makes testing stuff out really viable.
@@doifeellucky Measurements show that something like an Apple or Samsung USB-C to audio dongle that you can buy for ~ $10 or less nowadays offers excellent performance. Frequency response flat to over 20 kHz, distortion far below hearing threshold, no audible noise, excellent channel balance, a fraction of an ohm output impedance. If you get a standalone DAC and headphone amp for $1000 then the audible performance will be identical if you're listening within those parameters. And that leads me to the main limitation these dongles have: output power. But for sensitive in-ears and even a lot of sensitive over-ear headphones, this is not a problem. Sensitivity often is in the 115 to 120 dB/V range, so even dongles limited to 1V (thanks to the EU) will be loud enough.
Thanks for the review and the way you rank up performance, sound, value! I hope when you get a unit of 7hz Salnotes Dioko, please review it...like your honest review.
iFi Go Bar is in house, review to come. RU6 and m15, if funds become available or they are provided to the channel for review, I will gladly review them as well.
Thanks for the review, I ordered the Hiby FC4 just a few days ago and looks like I made a good decision 😀 A quick review of the DACs I've tried with the 7hz Timeless: Ddhifi Tc35b - very basic 3.5mm to usb C, but if you have a cable with a mic and buttons on it, those signals are carried through. Hidisz S3 Pro - I find it more on the analytical side, and I am not a fan of dongles with a fixed cable, but otherwise has been very enjoyable. Also carries mic and button signals through. Shanling UP4 - bought this hoping it would double as a USB DAC like the UP5, however it seems that is only possible if using it on a Windows machine.
Helm Bolt dac is the best I've got... beats Chord Mojo, Hidizs HD1, Cayin discrete r-2r and Fiio q1 mk2 in dynamics, resolution, slam, micro detail, doesn't get hot!, form factor, ease of use and just sounds incredible.... I LOVE IT.
Yes, if you have the cable connection but not all need balanced. A single ended connection is plenty good for most gear if the amp has proper power. And yes it can be confusing.
Hey Dave I recieved Letshuoer S12 last week pairing with Xduoo Link2 Bal sounds fantastic. I think Xduoo L2B deserves review sounds really good warm, natural, spacious, powerful dac-amp dongle 270mw at 32 ohm. I made 3 eq profiles for S12 UMM2 Target, Ief Target, Fps Gaming (peace in pc , wavelet, uapp in android). UMM2 Target S12: Preamp: -3.3 dB Filter 1: ON PK Fc 20 Hz Gain 3.2 dB Q 0.700 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 110 Hz Gain -0.8 dB Q 0.900 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 210 Hz Gain -1.0 dB Q 1.000 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 810 Hz Gain 4.2 dB Q 0.800 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 1400 Hz Gain 1.0 dB Q 2.000 Filter 6: ON PK Fc 2000 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 2.000 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 2700 Hz Gain -6.2 dB Q 0.700 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 3200 Hz Gain 2.5 dB Q 2.000 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 5100 Hz Gain -1.9 dB Q 2.000 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 5700 Hz Gain 2.8 dB Q 1.500 Filter 11: ON PK Fc 6100 Hz Gain 2.0 dB Q 2.000 Filter 12: ON PK Fc 8100 Hz Gain -3.5 dB Q 2.000 Filter 13: ON PK Fc 9000 Hz Gain 3.1 dB Q 2.000 Filter 14: ON PK Fc 10000 Hz Gain -4.3 dB Q 1.700 Filter 15: ON PK Fc 12000 Hz Gain 5.3 dB Q 1.800 IEF Target S12: Preamp: -5.7 dB Filter 1: ON PK Fc 22 Hz Gain -1.9 dB Q 1.500 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 47 Hz Gain -7.7 dB Q 0.500 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 49 Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 1.200 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 150 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 1.000 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 740 Hz Gain 2.2 dB Q 0.500 Filter 6: ON PK Fc 2400 Hz Gain -3.7 dB Q 2.000 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 3600 Hz Gain 2.1 dB Q 2.000 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 8100 Hz Gain -7.2 dB Q 2.000 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 13000 Hz Gain 6.5 dB Q 2.000 Filter 10: ON LSC Fc 120 Hz Gain 6.5 dB Q 0.700 Let me know how you feel about these eq.
Dave thanks for the insight. The Hibi FC5 is out. When you get your hand in this one, will you please update your review. Looking for the most organic portable DAC.! Thanks 👍
FC5 is only balanced from what I understand. From what I have been told is that it sounds like the FC4 but lacks 3.5mm output. If the funds become available or one is provided I will review the FC5.
next week i will finally buy & i choose between "ifi go bar" & Questyle M15 , which one do you think is better & which one do you choose?? & my only concern is about "ifi go bar" battery consumption, does it consume too much charge & damage the phone's battery?
I haven't heard the M15, sorry. iFi Go Bar doesn't drain my OnePlus 9 Pro battery much but I only have used for 2 hour listening sessions at time so far.
Hope this query makes sense. If DACs provide a better signal chain from the audio source to the IEM to improve the overall audio quality performance, should I use the DAC volume controller mainly? As in, should the source volume (laptop or phone) be kept high, and then DAC volume adjust to low (or as deemed fit), Is that the way to go? Or the DAC volume can be low, and source volume be adjusted?
When it comes to using a dongle with the phone, I use the phone volume unless the dongle has volume control. If using the single with a laptop or PC I use there volume control. It's just a matter of balancing the sound so it sounds correct for you, Most of my usage with dongles I use my phone volume control.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Thanks Dave. My dongle (ibasso DC03 Pro) does have volume control. I used to fiddle with the phone volume. Today, i tried the other way; had phone/laptop higher volume, and controlled the DAC volume to less. Perhaps, its placebo effect, it sounded better! :-). My dongle comes with the hi-res sticker you see :-)
I reviewed the Dragonfly Red like 5 years ago. Haven't had the opportunity to review any others. Here's a link to the old, cringy review: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Zla33uyY59I.htmlsi=hqI0ta3ZMJi67qeW
Shanling UA3 and iFi Go Bar will be reviewed at a later time. Here are links to other USB C videos available on the channel: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xOeALY7xrfA.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-f95q3uF8BTM.html
Good Morning from Toronto ☕️ I hope you’ve recovering the from your break 😋. At home on the tail end of the latest Couf variant 🤧..head cleared up last night to get to listen to music ( Amazon music HD, IFI Go Blue and S12’s)..one of the best listening sessions laying in bed😑just chilling in some time. As an iPhone user ..I’m interested in getting something that works with that architecture. Now the IFI I use is primarily on Bluetooth (AAC ..it’s ok) mode and drive Planar IEM’s in balanced output quite nicely. But as I said as an Apple user I’m still looking for the ONE that doesn’t require additional hardware to get it to work. Sorry for the rant ..but if Apple / Dongle makers doesn’t fix this I may just get a used non Apple smartphone and use it as a wifi only DAP ….. I thank you for your indulgence and your time. Stay well .
The Periodic Audio Rhodium is compatible with PC/IOS/Android. BUT it isn't powerful enough for planar IEM in my opinion. Hope you get feeling better soon.
I have one query. Which phone headphone is best ?? HD600 or HD650. Priority - No sibilance, wide soundstage, good vocals & instrument with enough bass . And which Portable dac amp is best suited for hd650/600 under 100$?
Here is a link to my HD600 review: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-csNw-ot8nGE.html Here is a link to my HD650 review: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-33Cs2fyWmZ0.html I prefer the HD600 but the HD650 might be more along the lines of what you are seeking. I recommend both.
I don't recommend a portable DAC/amp with either as they both are 300ohm and require a good amount of power. The only one that might be okay is the Hiby FC4 with a balanced cable.
Thanks for your honest review, do you really think fc4 is warm? I have some msr7b and I want a dac that gives a good response in the bass with a touch of warmth, of all the one that attracts me the most is the fc4 since the msr7b is balanced
And the new iFi Go bar (iFi does not capitalize the "b" in bar, which annoys the hell out of me as a grammarian), which has more than double the power of even the RU6 (though not the R-2R DAC) or other premium dongles like the Luxury & Precision W2-131. However, all these dongles are pretty pricey and while their cost is not totally unreasonable given their technology, performance, and features, they cost far more than most people probably want to spend on a dongle. I have the RU6 and Go bar and they are both terrific. I love the RU6's almost tubey musicality (especially in NOS mode) and display screen, but use the Go bar more since I use Tidal and it has a full MQA decoder which the RU6 lacks.
Cayin RU6 should deserve some more attention. I have the fiio k5 pro, chord mojo2 and quadelix 5k, and above all of these i use cayin the most. It is fantastic
1v-2.5v 50mw-150mw is my headphone out jack's power when asking Sony about my str-dh790 receiver. I received my Hifiman Sundara's recently. And I don't think my a/v receiver has enough power despite the fact that these are only 37ohms. I had to turn the volume up to double what is usually normal. I chalked that up to the lower sensitivity rating of the Sundara's but I got Ear fatigue half way listening to the 2nd song. Do they make Dac/amp dongle's that you can plug in between my new Sundara's and the headphone jack of my a/v receiver or is that fairy tale talk? lol
To be honest, I have no idea about AV Receivers, I have never owned one. I do not know if there are dac/amps dongles available to be used with an AV Receiver. You are correct about the Sundara needing extra power as the lower impedance and lower sensitivity make it harder to drive along with the planar driver. I recommend that you get an external amp and use the AV Receiver as your DAC. I recommend the DROP THX AAA One Linear: Purchase: drop.com/buy/drop-thx-aaa-one-linear-amplifier? Review: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-k58OmZozdpY.html
@@TheHonestAudiophile Just watched your review. A glowing recommendation. I'll follow the link to buy but first.. I have to figure out how I'd hook it up to my a/v receiver.. see I don't believe I have a pre-amp out. ..not sure if there's another option to make your recommendation sing with my music source (receiver). 🤔
@@TheHonestAudiophile I guess technically. But that would defeat the purpose of being able to not only listen to music, but watch movies and play games all from my a/v receiver and the comfort of my couch.
Hi Dave I think it would make sense to include apple dongles in any review like this. For $8 they measure incredibly clean and sound great either using the usb c or the lightning version. With how great a value it is I believe every dongle should have to prove its worth the extra money. Once you get up to $100 you can get a Qudelix 5k which gives you a battery and Bluetooth mode as well as a full app with eq and a ton of functionality. It works wired or wireless and even has mic pass through. I have a hard time justifying the value of a dongle when you can get so much more for the same type price or save money and get the same kind of performance for much less.
Here is the adapter I use that converts 3.5mm to 4.4mm: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075165H2M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1 Or you could swap cable to 4.4mm if you would rather do that.
Of course I recommend using a balanced cable instead but the adapters do their job just fine.I use the ones I recommend all the time without any issues. Just make sure to use quality adapters from trusted manufacturers.
@TheHonestAudiophile thank you for the info, I was listening tovthe fc3 today, I loved it but it had an unnatural tonality for vocals, and while it doesn't get harsh, it can be cold and less musical than I would want it to be. Do you have a recommendation for a dac/amp that renders MQA, has physical buttons, under $200, and sounds better than all the dac/amps mentioned in the video? Also, I don't care for balanced output.
@TheHonestAudiophile thank you sir, just watched the review for that, it's exactly what I want, perfect! you rock sir, just subbed to your channel, literally most honest audiophile on youtube. Audioengine dac 3 has been ordered.
I would like to see a big comparison of cheap bluetooth receivers like the models in Aliexpress, they are allot around 20 bucks or less. I only use cheap iems and earbuds and don't know if this receivers are ok or simple atrocious.
I am not much of a bluetooth user and I prefer wired connection as I believe it sounds better. I understand the convenience factor though. Thanks for the suggestion.
Hi i'm your new subscriber 😁 can i ask some question : 1. Can hiby FC 4 be paired with cheap iem like cca cra plus and moondrop Chu, will the sound be better ? 2. may i ask for DAC recommendation for cca cra plus/moondrop chu Thank you 😁
Sure, FC4 is a good option. Plus it will future proof you for more IEM purchases in the future. You might/should get a sonic improvement with the FC4 in comparision to using a phone output. Thank you for subscribing and the comment.
i just orderet a pair of planar iems but am unsure what dongle to get, but to be honest from the title i expected to be a little bit better informed, now i just feel even more confused on which one to get
In my experience, most dongles don't work very well with planar IEM. But here are a couple that I have found to be more capable with them. I find that planar IEM work best with a balanced dongle or a dongle with good output power. Hiby FC3 Hiby FC4 Moondrop Dawn 4.4 AudioEngine DAC3 Hidizs XO Thank you for watching. Sorry that you didn't find the video as informative as you were seeking. Thank you for the feedback.
Thank you for your work. Are there dongle that can compete with the Sony mw1a for high end iems for a desktop pc? Because I do not need a portable battery/screen, I wonder which dongle can get the closest from a wm1a, and rmc adi-2 or mojo2.
I have yet to hear a dongle that competes with a quality desktop or portable setup. Dongles are getting better but still lack in key area like output stage.
I ask this question because I have the S12 iem with a 3.5 and use the rhodium and was curious to see how much better they would sound on the hiby balanced output.
Hello would an audio interface like Behringer uphoria umc 202 hd play the high bitrates from apple iPhone Apple Music lossless ? It’s working with my iPad Pro 2022.
I recently bought the periodic audio rohidum and it didn't last very long sadly:( I think I may have bent it a little to much but the audio is now warped and distorted and no longer usable without it being bent a certain way so now I am here to get some good quality adapters for my iems for my Samsung USB type c that won't warp if bent
For Planar IEMs you should try the Moondrop DAWN 4.4, as the model name states, adopts a fully-balanced 4.4mm headphone output. This Dual DAC arrangement provides high-resolution audio signal decoding with a four-channel chipset (CS43131 DAC chips). It provides up to 230mW @ 32Ω of output power. Line-out power is rated at 4Vrms at the high-gain level. It features dual independent crystal oscillators for low signal jitter during the signal transmission process. It supports high-resolution 32-Bit/768kHz PCM and native DSD256 signal decoding. And it costs 70$.
im new to audiophile. i own 7hz timeless, do i need dac to run the timeless? source are my phone and pc (without sound card) if yes, which one are the entry level dac for planar? is it fc4?
@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks for the fast response. i just look and found there are DAP. its like a mp3 player, are those better than DAC? or its the same? what DAP you recomend for entry level?
A DAC is a digital to audio convertor. All devices that produce sound, like a computer, phone, mp3, DAP, have a DAC. An amplifier works with the DAC to make the music loud for us to hear. A DAP, digital audio player, will usually have a better performance than a USB dongle. Depending on which one you use, you can have an Android like experience without phone call capabilities or you can jave one that plays downloaded music only. Which DAP are you considering? Some thing to consider is do you use your phone, get a lot of phone calls, chat on streams while listening to music because with a DAP you can't do that sort of stuff. Another is, do you use music stream service like Apple, Tidal or do you use downloaded music?
@@TheHonestAudiophile thank you so much for the detailed answer. im considering buying hiby r3 pro. is it good enough? i use spotify mainly for my music stream, but at home when on pc, some music are downloaded on my pc. i actualy used to hear music while browsing, rarely have phone call. which one are better for me?
Hi Dave, I plan to get the periodic audio rhodium but I've bought the stax spirit s3 headphones, so I'm not sure if I will work on those was wondering if you could give me any recommendations on other dongles or if the periodic audio rhodium will work great. Thanks 👍🏽
I don't have any experience with the Stax Spirit S3. If you're running them wired then it might work but I'm not sure of the specs. The S3 is a Bluetooth headphone and the Rhodium doesn't work as a wireless DAC. As far as Bluetooth dongles, iFi Go Blu, Fiio BTR5 or BTR7 might work well.
@@TheHonestAudiophile if I run them wired do you think the HiBy FC4 would work better since they have a higher power output then the periodic audio rhodium?
Also - looking to use this almost exclusively for mobile use w/ Android phone. I've been hearing that the Hiby battery life is TERRIBLE in this application. Thoughts? Other recommendations?
Here is a link to my rankings list that has a dongle tab. Please read the ranking grade first . docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nRHnsP_4vLg9DlD9kwJ6gQuEQFqhTR0lnrkxXo3AMG8/edit?usp=drivesdk
@@TheHonestAudiophile Thank you. I just asked it because I've heard that S12 is easier to drive than others planars IEMs. Easier than timeless for example.
@@lantern054 Hahaha take your time on choosing your perfect planar for now I'm satisfied with S12 checkout Dave's review on S12 if you haven't , also check his iem rankings he gave S12 E- .
The only dongle that I have used that kinda works with planar is the Hiby FC4. I recommend using a desktop amp or a more powerful portable amp for the Sundara.
i'm being honest here, i watched you since your review about tin t3 (not t3+) couple of years behind, then i bought it and be a very happy man, but i never thanks to you, or be your subscriber and i am very sorry.. but to day i'm gonna be your subscriber cause after this video now i know hiby fc4 is good but do you know how good is it between hiby fc4 against ibasso dc06? i cant decide yet cause there's only 1 review in english, and i don't have good experience with their channel. could you help review ibasso dc06 and compare it with hiby fc4, please
Sorry I haven't heard the iBasso DC06. Thanks for the kind words and for subscribing, much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoy the channel and find it helpful.
@@TheHonestAudiophile no, i should be the one who said thanks to you after your t3 review, once again thank you very much keep the audio honest, that is good 👍
Few months ago I was about to go on a trip to India and wanted to buy a dongle to connect my Koss Porta Pro to my iPad, saw your previous video on dongles and bought the Rhodium which served me well during my travels. Yesterday when traveling back from India I accidentally lost my Porta Pro together with the Rhodium while going through security check in Delhi’s airport...that is the result of lack of sleep together with the hassle these Indians security officials get you through. Just saw this new dongle review and decided to purchase the Hiby FC4 and AkG K371 to replace the Rhodium and Porta Pro respectively.
Depends on the IEM you are using and what type of sound you prefer. Personally I would pick the Hiby FC4 as it has the most power and excellent sonics. The Periodic Audio Rhodium is my personal favorite sonically but isn't as powerful.
@@TheHonestAudiophile my two favorites are the Periodic Audio Rhodium for low power, and the Fiio BTR5 if I want power ( it can be used as a wired dongle ). I have the 2021 version of the BTR5, and it is a bit warmer than the Rhodium. I find it is great for planar IEMs and headphones, but the current 2022 version is about $130.
Depends on the gear to be honest. For the most part, desktop gear is better. But for IEM usage that can vary a lot because not all desktop gear plays well with IEM.
Here is a link to my ranking/tier list: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nRHnsP_4vLg9DlD9kwJ6gQuEQFqhTR0lnrkxXo3AMG8/edit?usp=sharing Please take note of the ranking grade tab so that you understand why the ranking is what it is.
@@TheHonestAudiophile 😄 thank you. E- means ( Excellence ) it’ll be a wonder 💭 pick hahaha 🤪 pick I guess . May I asked you another question please what it is ? THX AAA28* Does cost 💲 a little more ?? Was it a good ?deal to add an extra cash 💵 to purchase Fiio Q3
Believe it or not I do not have every dongle made available to me to review and compare. If funds become available or the iBasso DC05 is provided to the channel I will gladly give it a review.
Sorry I don't know as I am a PC and Android user, I do not use IOS or Mac products. A lot of dongles are compatible, a simple search on mfg or vendor website will reveal if they're compatible.
So, thanks for wasting 100$ for me! I have the timelss, and a Mi9T Pro which has a pretty decent 3.5mmm output. I got the Hiby FC4 because everyone always says "planars do better with more power" and yu recommended it. It makes no difference at all. The timeless was great without the Hiby FC4, is still good with the DAC. You people should really stop telling us nonsense to get sponsors for your RU-vid channel.
I am sorry that you feel that way and it was not my intention to waste your money. To be clear I do not have sponsors nor am I seeking a sponsor. I recommend the FC4 and other products because i believe it offers the best experience to my ears and I always mention why in the videos. Thank you for your comment.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Okay, lets do this properly then. Tell me what difference you hear in which song at which point? I have my phone and the Hiby Fc4 as well. If I can hear a difference, I will of course be happy I got it.
@@soumen08Here is a write up that I have on my website that explains some reference tracks I use during a review. There are links to use so you can choose a streaming service to listen to the song. There are specific reasons listed as to why I use the song. Hope this helps. www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/does-your-music-preference-impact-your-sound-impressions
Im I the only one who thinks planer sounds fucking terrible. Its like they cannot produce the natural characteristics of instruments in a realistic way. Also with most iem u dont need power so every dongle dac will pretty much sound the same. Only people who havent done A, B comparasion with volume match will say they sound different lol
Please do check a demo of the KZ PR1 IEMs. Priced around USD $ 70, the PR1 planars sound reasonably good when paired with an appropriately paired dongle DAC. My PR1s are connected to the audio out directly on my LG V30 and the sound signature is pretty awesome.
