Awesome, Andy! Great to have another excellent option in the market! But the DC07 loses to Onix in a very important point to me: value. That's why i ordered (thanks to you) the onix here. 😊
Thanks! With the kind of advancement we keep seeing and coming now, DC07Pro managed to push a bit more to stand out, and I personally love the rotary volume which makes using it such a joy
The sky is the limit. Keep 'em coming Andy. I will not be getting this one since I already have to Onix. Will have to wait for a dongle to break the 100 barrier ;)
I do feel that the dongle segment is already at the Apex now, what we will see more would be variations of top performers from different manufacturers, to serve different needs
@@donglemadnessnot so sure, i think it'll keep improving one way or the other. I think you'll eventually have to revaluate all your scores in order to have enough headroom left. 😅
This dongle is ... - Very resolving with good layering. - Exellent stage in all directions. - Extremely musical and enjoyable (that was a pleasant surprise!) - Plenty of power for its size and stay's cold on the touch. - drives my HEKSE without problem to enjoyable level. I like this dongle more, compared to the ONIX A (subjective), It is toe tapping ;) I highly recommend to use balanced output, you won't regret it.
i second this, while i didnt have Onix A, and never used it, but i have DC07 Pro, one thing i can say that the price for me was worth it, they produce something i think imposible with a very accurate and resolving sound, and it's neutral as it be.
Thank you so much for another excellent review... You are one of very few I can tell what experience would be after I watch... I bought the DC04PRO based on your recipe and I absolutely love its sound (but too tangibly experience its low efficiency)... I bought also the FiiO KA5 because I really wanted to have also playback controls, not only volume but I do not enjoy the sound nearly as much... After this review, it seems that I need to drop my wish for the perfect one that would have also playback controls functionality with this being an upgrade from the SC04PRO on all levels, including efficiency, and I wish my last 🙏🏼 end game dongle (if I am not mistaken, the onix is too large/heavy for me for phone use), just like the symbolic OMEGA you used to refer to it. Thank you so so much for being an amazing trustworthy guide to follow and navigate through them all all and finally arrive - you are the best ☺️❣️❣️❣️
That rotary volume alone is a huge winner to me. DACport HD was on rotary and I absolutely loved it. W4 is also rotary but in cylinder shape which is great for the radio type rotary is even better
Been seeing DC07Pro on sale last week ,Price to performance, ONIX Alpha is better ,DC07Pro price is double than Onix Alpha so for me the little difference is very negligible
hello Andy, i just bought a tanchjim zero after watching some of your videos, at first i use my sancai eartips and it is not good because i get a too energetic high frequency, then i move to foam tips and OMG it is amazing, the soundstage and separation is so good, i listen to some symphony and i feel like being inside the theatre :>>. Thanks so much Mr Andy
Great analysis Andy, although we see that Onix definitely delivers a better cost-performance ratio, I think there are a lack of manufacturers focusing on more options in the LCD screen dongle category with the new dacs es9039s/es9069s, ak4493s/ak4499ex.
Thanks, for the ESS Sabre camp, we have KA17 and UA4 on the forefront of LCD equipped dongles, for the AKM side there's Lotoo PAW S2, but yes it would be great to have more options
Is there recent dongles that can do onboard parameteric eq? I feel like that would be so useful if possible, as wavelet eq gets bypassed when usb exclusive mode is used.
Excellent review Andy, congratulations! It really matters to realize in this competitive field, that on front of two very high performing dongles, if one is half the price, then the choice is easy. Thank you.
Bro, your effort is exemplary. Thanks for the review and nice video. All the dongles I purchased were made after watching your reviews. It appears that they are releasing dongles in every month and I've run out of money to get new dongles in each and every month. 😅 Anyway back to topic and I'll make this short. I"ve got the FIIO KA13 and just earlier last month after watching your review, added a Cayin RU7. After comparing the KA13 and RU7, I do like the RU7 better but the differences to me are not night and day. I am now looking at an iBasso as a final purchase before I call it a day. Too many dongles out there which might all sound very close together or almost the same. The Ru7 has an analogue, smooth and airy sound. How different will an iBasso dongle sound? Will the sound become slightly airier with better soundstage, separation and detail? I'm only looking at the DC07 Pro as shown here, or the DC Elite. Which will sound noticeably different to the RU7 that I have, the DC07 Pro or the DC Elite? Which is considered to be an overall better performing or sounding dongle if price is not an issue? The DC Elite or DC07 Pro? As usual, your advice is most appreciated boss. 🙏
LOL. And Thanks. You are right, when comparing dongles which are rated high, the differences can be very subtle. If I am to describe the differences between RU7 and DC07Pro, then I would probably go into stress mode to pinpoint the differences, both being analog and open sounding, but I do feel that DC07Pro offer a hair more weight to the body of sound, mind you, a hair difference. Such is the case with many top dongles, the differences are painstakingly close
Great review Andy, as always . I was wondering if you could review the cvj vvt-1 bt dac amp when you get the opportunity, l would really appreciate it. I really enjoy your reviews, keep up the good work. Take care and have a great day. 🙂
Well shucks $210? It is a flagship but when the Letshuoer DT03 equals the Hiby R4 for sound at $90 we are really seeing top flight dongles arrive at basement prices ( Onix too)
Thanks Andy! Wonderful review as always. Please tell me, what wonderful green city are you in? Really inspiring background. Is it Kuala Lumpur? On topic: cannot wait till it is available in Europe to try. In doubt between this or a KA17.
It is great Andy. But I think you should reconstruct the point system and points table, were talking with pals that how everything can be 10 or 9 and how confusing it is.
Because you are looking at the top performers that has been extensively tested and compared. What you see here is just the bunch that made it to the top most segment, what you don't see are the remaining 170 dongles which does not score that high. I rate them objectively based on their performance and in the dongle space
@@donglemadness I appreciate it. But according to me 10 point is standing for something like "flawless". iBasso DC07Pro sound "flawless" as shown at 4 sound section, so DACPort, FC6 and Alpha offer the same level flawless sound excluding sound signature? Also a decimal point system would be nicer IMO; 9.9, 9.8, 9.7 etc. Just an opinion btw. Keep up the good work, thank you for the review.
the most impressive to me is, that ibasso achieved channel separation of more than 140db with the dx180 and the dc07pro. i havent found any other dac amp or dap, that has such great measurements. This excellent channel separation (or crosstalk) alone should give those devices an incredible soundstage if everything else is done well (which i expect from ibasso). So i wonder how the dx180 and the dongle compare regarding soundstage depth and layering. Maybe someone could compare that and write a few lines...
Why would you even care about this? Anything past about 70db in channel separation your never going to hear and on top of this dosnt exist at all anywhere in the real world? When you hear a sound out in the real world its always going to be heard by both ears.......
Maybe you can get Soundaware MDA3 to compare, too. Curious to see what you think of that one. The Soundaware M2 DAP I reviewed several years ago was so organic and natural 😍
Since I have the Onix Alpha for €100, I will only be interested in a new dongle when they come with build in personal EQ with Q values and plus the sound quality like Onix and all for €100 again. Wake me up when that happens :)
Great review Andy! I was about to buy the Onix Alpha but seeing this review made me think again. If you are to choose an end game dongle, would it be the Onix or the DC07? I personally love the knob in the DC07 though.
Thanks. Both I love dearly but I will admit I have grown very fond of the more compact size of DC07Pro and the rotary volume controller (which is a thing I am quite fond of)
@@donglemadness thanks Andy! DC07 Pro + Letshuoer S08 for my end game. Currently watching your review of the S08. Haha. You've helped me a lot in choosing my IEM and DAC. Thank you so much brother! 🙏
DC04Pro, DC-Elite and DC07 Pro all shared the common sound signature of being neutral and transparent, DC07Pro providing the most prominent refinement on richness of sound over the other two, a little more open sounding than DC04Pro and a little wider too, of which both are already wide open sounding, DC07Pro of course built better and offer additional HF Filter
How does this compare to the L&P W4? Do you think the W4 is still a good choice (used) in 2024? Already have ONIX for analog leaning sound, so I'm looking for another one that's more "hifi/digital". Considering W4 and KA17. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated 👍
W4 is not as rich and dense sounding as ONIX Alpha, both are exceedingly good with technicalities. Timbre wise W4 is also focused on studio type of sound fidelity and ONIX Alpha is more analog. If Hi-Fi studio sound you looking for, there's tons to choose from, W4 is one of them, so does KA17, also the same can be said of Shanling UA4 or ROSESELSA RS9039 or iBasso DC06Pro (not limited to)
Just got my Onix Alpha a few day ago and, already there is one that might be better. This is life. Anyway, for the price, I am very happy to stick with my Onix (except that my Samsung phone cannot drive it).
α and Ω, as suggested, more and more symbol will be coming up soon? Looking forward to it. By the way while you are giving EPZ TP50 away, I am recruiting EPZ TP50 for my collection. (unfortunately did not get the luck during your celebration live session >.
Yes of course, you can still control the volume on the host be it iPhones, PC or Android. But it is always better to Max on the host for these type of dongles, and only control volume on the dongle, this way you are getting the best performance from them
Hi, I notice the OLED display always show 32bit even when playing something with lower bit rates(16, 24etc). The frequency shows correctly though. would you happen to know why?
As always like and then check Andy reviews. Love the outdoors reviews. The volume option is the only issue I have with all the dongles. But Onix has a very good option to use system volume when use with pc which is really helpful to for me but there are issues with the usb compatibility for many Android devices and more consumption I think. Also DC07 looks more premium device with more premium cables too, but double the price. Already an owner of Onix, so if you agree I think for my HD600 Onix is a bit better option? I want to ask you of course which of the two do you prefer a bit more! Then next improvements I would like to be the rotation volume for more devices and most important I would like to see more power from 3.5mm option and not only for 4.4mm. And of course a EQ option from device app for PC such as Roon so as to EQ and listen bitperfect without issues.
Thanks. Sound wise both ONIX Alpha and DC07Pro are equals in my view. Both exceedingly great with HD600 on the 4.4mm BAL connection and running NOS filters. Usage wise, DC07Pro offers a bit more with that superb rotary volume adjustment which I am a big fan of since DACport HD, also DC07Pro being lighter too
Andy, thanks for the review, you're the best! Please tell me, will Onix be able to reveal fiio ft3, ft5? Is there enough power? And please give us a review of the Ibasso dx180, do not pull the rubber. As long as there is a good price at the bottom.
Thanks!. Yes you can be rest assured ONIX Alpha just lime many other top performing dongles, will deliver more than enough power to drive either FT3 or FT15, for as long as you drive them on High Gain and 4.4mm BAL side, at lest for me , ONIX Alpha was already to drive the 300 Ohm Sennheiser HD600 and HiFiMan Sundara with such grace that they sounded as if driven from a full desktop setup. DX180 review will be up in a day or two this week
Whichever you see in this video is the current one. I do believe that FC6 and M1P are both equally strong with analog timbe after using both extensively
Hi im going to buy my very own first iem which simgot ea500lm, i also planning to buy jcally jm6 pro along side, is there better option than jcally jm6 pro, my budget around 30 to 50 usd
Wondering what's your thoughts on best DAC for $50 or less in 2024? After going though your Dongle Madness catalog a few that come to mind are Dawn Pro, Sonata HD, and DC03 Pro. Are there any new releases you think are a better choice, or any that I overlooked?
Headroom of KA17 like many other well-tuned 4VRMS dongles have lots of spare with outright power left even with stuffs like HiFiMan Sundara or Sennheiser HD600 (from the 4.4mm BAL side). KA17 also like many other well implemented top performing dongles, offer best in class resolution and imaging
Hello Andy, I have followed your advice and bought Onix Alpha for my Sundara headphones. I could sometimes use a little more power on the 4.4 balanced connection. Should I buy the Ibaso DC07 Pro in addition? Best regards Francisco
According to Andy's driving power score of 10 on Onix Alpha and 9 on iBasso DC07Pro, I'd say the Onix has the iBasso beat in driving power. The Onix loudness at 54 matches the iBasso loudness at 60. The Onix is only really losing in Power Efficiency (battery life) as the aspects of sound differ minutely in quality, and are user configurable.
If you find that ONIX Alpha is not sufficient for your usage than I am afraid you will never find anything in dongle segment that will be powerful enough to suit your needs. Probably you should get something like FiiO Q15 or Venture Electronics Megatron or iFi Diablo, they surely have more power than any dongles in existence
@@donglemadness Hello Andy, I'm interested in streaming on my mobile phone with TIDAL. Is it possible that my OnePlus Nord 2 doesn't have enough power on the USB port? I'm using Hiby in exclusive mode or USB Audio Player Pro. This isn't an issue on the PC. With the Fiio BTR7 my Sundara is much louder. Sorry for the detailed questions, I'm looking for an optimal sound experience on the go. Everything is perfect with IEMs. Greetings Francisco
@@skustaclee8899 Andy said the airiness was very small difference. But Andy also said the High Pass Mode is significant boost to fidelity and dynamics. That part is supposed to be a big difference, right? If I understand correctly, that's like 2 dongles in 1, isn't it?
The overall score is equal between ONIX Alpha and DC07Pro, which means they both share the same sport for the highest scoring dongles out of 180 contestants since #donglemadness started
@@Viewer13128 How high pass filters work is they essential cut off the bass end of the frequency range so that the higher frequency range is more pronouced. I would not recomend using it unless you have a dislike for bass, and I dont mean boosted bass just plain neutral bass frequencies.
If the wheel on DC07Pro feels same or similar like on L&P W4 while retaining comparable performance of Onix Alpha, it means iBasso is a winner?! :) Onix is still kind of big and volume buttons are not the best..
Hi Andy, I have a few flagship IEMS but i dont feel like I am getting the best use of them as I use my Iphone and a cheap iphone dongle. Most of my music is on Tidal. Can you recommend a decent DAP / DAC which would be an upgrade? My budget is USD 700 / RM 3000 + -
Anything is better than the stock iPhone dongle. For iPhone the choices can be limited but since you have such huge budget, then DC07Pro is what you want, it has native support for iPhones with the included Lightning cable
@@donglemadness hi Andy, I just got this dongle thanks to you! It has blown me away and is driving some of my IEMs to it’s potential which I never knew. I only have one question please: what is the SPDIF settings for and does it make any difference?
I did considered that, but I also consider that DC07Pro offers really effective implementation tech like the Quad Array CS43131 and amazing rotary volume on top of having a High Pass filter that works. Also knowing that this sort of tech would mean it could have been sold at even higher price point if we were to look back at the dongle scene two years ago. So what DC07Pro got for the score of Value is fair, I am truly impressed with the build which also included the pair of Pentaconn branded jacks, those things carry high piece tag
@@donglemadness I can understand the rotary volume control being nice. But i dont understand how a quad dac array is any better than the standard dual dac setup? I also find it odd this dongle does not have a dedicated amp instead it must be multiplying (runnig one into the next) the built in amps on the dac chips which i would think would introduce noise and distortions. Unless they have somethign filtering that all out after? Also according to Ibasso only the 4.4mm is a pentaconn not the 3.5mm. In pictures the corners of the dc07pro look really sharp are they? I also had a question on the Onix Alpha in your testing did you ever hear any noise floor? Also on the Onix did you ever have any issues with channel seperation in particular the 3.5mm jack? Thank you
@@donglemadness Thanks. Just want to clarify that it says "30 mW per channel into 32 ohm load" on the data sheet which doesn't add up? I apologise for my ignorance.
I was wondering this myself and it also has me questioning their measurements. They would basically have to feed one dacs amp out into another dac's amp in and basically it would act as a multiplier. But this should cause any distortion or noise to also be multiplied in intensity. So Either their numbers are wrong or they have something filtering out all this added noise. And if something is added to filter out all this noise then it is also affecting sound quality. So I dont know for sure what is going on here we would need someone to independantly test it.
KA17 has a different tuning which offers more dynamic energy and digitally enhanced sound. DC07Pro on the other hand is flatter neutral and more transparent without any hint of coloration but you can get dynamically enhanced sound with the HP Filter
I would say KA17 is still more digitally enhanced than DC07Pro, you like prominent Treble/Bass then you will do better with either DC06Pro or KA17, DC07Pro is more suited for those preferring neutral uncolored dynamic transients
Hello Sir I need a suggestion I'm currently using Moondrop SSR(my first IEM) which I love though I've heard some find it to be shouty or on the brighter side. Which means I'm not sensitive to peaky treble or mids. Now I'm planning to get a new IEM which is good at detail retrieval and is transparent sounding. I won't mind if it's bright or warm sounding as long as I get great details for the price alongside being transparent sounding. I've read reviews of Etymotic ER2SE is somewhat similar to what I'm looking for but it's way over my budget. I want to get a set at the minimum price possible. The max I can stretch my budget is 70-90$. I have two options in my mind considering detail retrieval in that price range, first the Simgot EA500lm but I've heard these are coloured and not transparent at all(which is why I'm hesitant to go for it) second is the Truthear Hexa which is relatively transparent and warm relaxed sounding but has good detail retrieval for its price. There's another IEM that I have my eye on is the Tanchjim 4u which isn't available in my country(India) through a retailer as of now. I'm not sure if I should wait for it yo arrive or go for any other alternative. I could even go for anything between the Truthear GATE or Tangzu Wan'er Studio Edition if they're somewhat transparent sounding with good detail retrieval and offer excellent value 'cause all I want is a natural sounding transparent IEM with great detail retrieval for its price (be it brightly tuned or on the warmer side). and I'm not an audiophile I just listen to classical genre and qawwali sometimes. Please suggest me an IEM considering everything I've described above. Thanks in advance. P.s. - I don't mind if there's not enough base to make it sound balanced.
Hey thanks for the support. Yes if you want absolute transparency and neutrality, Etymotic ER2SE is the one to get, also there's Kinera Idun Golden. You can also consider Tanchjim 4U (set in monitoring mode). Many other IEMs like EA500LM and Titan S2, offers close to neutral sound curve but they are still mildly colored especially in the lower Mids all the way to Bass, but at least not as colored as tons of other options in the market
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Awesome, Andy! Great to have another excellent option in the market! But the DC07 loses to Onix in a very important point to me: value. That's why i ordered (thanks to you) the onix here. 😊
Another great review Andy. But I just got the Alpha..."I don't need the Omega" , Me. 🤣👏✌
What a beautiful park. It makes a nice setting for your video
Yes, thank you, you should visit Malaysia and spend half a day at KLCC park, really love that place
Loveliness! Will visit your city! @@donglemadness
Love the frequent uploads. 10k motivation working its magic
🙌
Absolutely loved this video!
Happy to hear you love the DC07PRO as much as I do.
Keep up the great work!
👍👍👍
Thanks! With the kind of advancement we keep seeing and coming now, DC07Pro managed to push a bit more to stand out, and I personally love the rotary volume which makes using it such a joy
The sky is the limit. Keep 'em coming Andy. I will not be getting this one since I already have to Onix. Will have to wait for a dongle to break the 100 barrier ;)
I do feel that the dongle segment is already at the Apex now, what we will see more would be variations of top performers from different manufacturers, to serve different needs
@@donglemadnessnot so sure, i think it'll keep improving one way or the other. I think you'll eventually have to revaluate all your scores in order to have enough headroom left. 😅
This dongle is ...
- Very resolving with good layering.
- Exellent stage in all directions.
- Extremely musical and enjoyable (that was a pleasant surprise!)
- Plenty of power for its size and stay's cold on the touch.
- drives my HEKSE without problem to enjoyable level.
I like this dongle more, compared to the ONIX A (subjective), It is toe tapping ;)
I highly recommend to use balanced output, you won't regret it.
i second this, while i didnt have Onix A, and never used it, but i have DC07 Pro, one thing i can say that the price for me was worth it, they produce something i think imposible with a very accurate and resolving sound, and it's neutral as it be.
Just got my dc07 pro and wow. It sounds amazing. I think I like it better than the onix alpha.
Damn.
Looks like I will have to buy Onix and DC07Pro, just so I can sleep well at night.
lol 😂 I own ONIX alpha it’s fire. I can tell you that. It is better than EPZ TP50, if you’re familiar with.
@@LorenzoFrausto how onix compares vs RU7?
@@RESURRECT2 don’t know brother, I’ve not heard RU7? Sorry
@@RESURRECT2Have you looked at Andy's spreadsheet?
Another great review Andy! God bless you and all you love.
Thanks so much!
Thank you so much for another excellent review... You are one of very few I can tell what experience would be after I watch... I bought the DC04PRO based on your recipe and I absolutely love its sound (but too tangibly experience its low efficiency)... I bought also the FiiO KA5 because I really wanted to have also playback controls, not only volume but I do not enjoy the sound nearly as much... After this review, it seems that I need to drop my wish for the perfect one that would have also playback controls functionality with this being an upgrade from the SC04PRO on all levels, including efficiency, and I wish my last 🙏🏼 end game dongle (if I am not mistaken, the onix is too large/heavy for me for phone use), just like the symbolic OMEGA you used to refer to it.
Thank you so so much for being an amazing trustworthy guide to follow and navigate through them all all and finally arrive - you are the best ☺️❣️❣️❣️
Thank you. I am honored to have the support from you. You have great weekend there!
Loving the outdoor reviews.
Me too! lol
nice improvement in dc07 pro, liked the design to be honest, especially the rotary wheel. time to see dacs with rotary volume or volume knobs.
That rotary volume alone is a huge winner to me. DACport HD was on rotary and I absolutely loved it. W4 is also rotary but in cylinder shape which is great for the radio type rotary is even better
Nice review as always, Andy! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on DC07 Pro vs W2U vs Alpha...
I ordered the Onix this past Friday. Cannot wait for it to arrive For just under US$100, it's an incredible deal imo.
Been seeing DC07Pro on sale last week ,Price to performance, ONIX Alpha is better ,DC07Pro price is double than Onix Alpha so for me the little difference is very negligible
They taking the DAC Scene to new highs i still wait for Amazon Release Onyx alpha. You also got a great Phone camera the 4K Looks stunning on my TV
Thank You for professional informative and entertaining reviews!
You are maybe the best now through all TH-cam I think :)
Hey hey Thanks so much. The journey is still long, I try to do my best in conveying my thoughts to the audiences. Thanks again for the support!
Fantastic review, Andy! Endgame dongle, so I'm definitely going to have to put it on my list. 💯
Absolutely!
hello Andy, i just bought a tanchjim zero after watching some of your videos, at first i use my sancai eartips and it is not good because i get a too energetic high frequency, then i move to foam tips and OMG it is amazing, the soundstage and separation is so good, i listen to some symphony and i feel like being inside the theatre :>>. Thanks so much Mr Andy
My pleasure. I personally use KZ foam tips on my Zero and as you said it, it is amazing!
Great review, Andy!
Please tell when the review of DX180 will come out and compare the DX180 with the DC07Pro, please.
DX180 should be withing the next 1-2 days
Good stuff. Love it. Where ever you are at filming this it looks beautiful.. good for you.. enjoy!
Thanks!. That's KLCC park here in Kuala Lumpur, one of the best place to stroll around and enjoy KL city
another great review! Thanks again Andy
My pleasure. Thanks too
Thank you my friend for another great review 😊
My pleasure!
Great analysis Andy, although we see that Onix definitely delivers a better cost-performance ratio, I think there are a lack of manufacturers focusing on more options in the LCD screen dongle category with the new dacs es9039s/es9069s, ak4493s/ak4499ex.
Thanks, for the ESS Sabre camp, we have KA17 and UA4 on the forefront of LCD equipped dongles, for the AKM side there's Lotoo PAW S2, but yes it would be great to have more options
Yes, we already know this, I mean more options with these dacs at the level of other manufacturers👍
Is there recent dongles that can do onboard parameteric eq? I feel like that would be so useful if possible, as wavelet eq gets bypassed when usb exclusive mode is used.
Excellent review Andy, congratulations! It really matters to realize in this competitive field, that on front of two very high performing dongles, if one is half the price, then the choice is easy. Thank you.
Thank you!
Bro, your effort is exemplary. Thanks for the review and nice video. All the dongles I purchased were made after watching your reviews. It appears that they are releasing dongles in every month and I've run out of money to get new dongles in each and every month. 😅
Anyway back to topic and I'll make this short. I"ve got the FIIO KA13 and just earlier last month after watching your review, added a Cayin RU7. After comparing the KA13 and RU7, I do like the RU7 better but the differences to me are not night and day. I am now looking at an iBasso as a final purchase before I call it a day. Too many dongles out there which might all sound very close together or almost the same. The Ru7 has an analogue, smooth and airy sound. How different will an iBasso dongle sound? Will the sound become slightly airier with better soundstage, separation and detail? I'm only looking at the DC07 Pro as shown here, or the DC Elite. Which will sound noticeably different to the RU7 that I have, the DC07 Pro or the DC Elite? Which is considered to be an overall better performing or sounding dongle if price is not an issue? The DC Elite or DC07 Pro? As usual, your advice is most appreciated boss. 🙏
LOL. And Thanks. You are right, when comparing dongles which are rated high, the differences can be very subtle. If I am to describe the differences between RU7 and DC07Pro, then I would probably go into stress mode to pinpoint the differences, both being analog and open sounding, but I do feel that DC07Pro offer a hair more weight to the body of sound, mind you, a hair difference. Such is the case with many top dongles, the differences are painstakingly close
I think You can easily also start adding here some gaming content (reviews of some gaming-gear / video gear / etc)
I would like to, just need to find time to do it. Thanks!
Great review Andy, as always . I was wondering if you could review the cvj vvt-1 bt dac amp when you get the opportunity, l would really appreciate it. I really enjoy your reviews, keep up the good work. Take care and have a great day. 🙂
Thank you. I keep that in mind if the opportunity arises. You have a great weekend too there!
Andy :) great video!!
Thanks! 😀
iBasso DC07Pro
SOUNDAWARE MDA3
SMSL DL100
All quad cs43131. Insane spec on paper.
Well shucks $210? It is a flagship but when the Letshuoer DT03 equals the Hiby R4 for sound at $90 we are really seeing top flight dongles arrive at basement prices ( Onix too)
Thanks Andy! Wonderful review as always. Please tell me, what wonderful green city are you in? Really inspiring background. Is it Kuala Lumpur? On topic: cannot wait till it is available in Europe to try. In doubt between this or a KA17.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
It is great Andy. But I think you should reconstruct the point system and points table, were talking with pals that how everything can be 10 or 9 and how confusing it is.
Because you are looking at the top performers that has been extensively tested and compared. What you see here is just the bunch that made it to the top most segment, what you don't see are the remaining 170 dongles which does not score that high. I rate them objectively based on their performance and in the dongle space
@@donglemadness I appreciate it. But according to me 10 point is standing for something like "flawless". iBasso DC07Pro sound "flawless" as shown at 4 sound section, so DACPort, FC6 and Alpha offer the same level flawless sound excluding sound signature? Also a decimal point system would be nicer IMO; 9.9, 9.8, 9.7 etc. Just an opinion btw. Keep up the good work, thank you for the review.
the most impressive to me is, that ibasso achieved channel separation of more than 140db with the dx180 and the dc07pro. i havent found any other dac amp or dap, that has such great measurements. This excellent channel separation (or crosstalk) alone should give those devices an incredible soundstage if everything else is done well (which i expect from ibasso). So i wonder how the dx180 and the dongle compare regarding soundstage depth and layering. Maybe someone could compare that and write a few lines...
Indeed. Just wait a bit more, I am close to completing my DX180 review. Thanks!
Why would you even care about this? Anything past about 70db in channel separation your never going to hear and on top of this dosnt exist at all anywhere in the real world? When you hear a sound out in the real world its always going to be heard by both ears.......
@@haneko6422 imaging in headphones works different obviously
What city were you recording in? It looks so amazing.
That's KLCC Park in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Cheers!
Maybe you can get Soundaware MDA3 to compare, too. Curious to see what you think of that one. The Soundaware M2 DAP I reviewed several years ago was so organic and natural 😍
I am interested in that one too, if I can get a review sample, sure
Since I have the Onix Alpha for €100, I will only be interested in a new dongle when they come with build in personal EQ with Q values and plus the sound quality like Onix and all for €100 again. Wake me up when that happens :)
Let's go!
Great review Andy! I was about to buy the Onix Alpha but seeing this review made me think again. If you are to choose an end game dongle, would it be the Onix or the DC07? I personally love the knob in the DC07 though.
Thanks. Both I love dearly but I will admit I have grown very fond of the more compact size of DC07Pro and the rotary volume controller (which is a thing I am quite fond of)
@@donglemadness thanks Andy! DC07 Pro + Letshuoer S08 for my end game. Currently watching your review of the S08. Haha. You've helped me a lot in choosing my IEM and DAC. Thank you so much brother! 🙏
We need a detailed comparison with the dc04 pro, both with iems and overears
DC04Pro, DC-Elite and DC07 Pro all shared the common sound signature of being neutral and transparent, DC07Pro providing the most prominent refinement on richness of sound over the other two, a little more open sounding than DC04Pro and a little wider too, of which both are already wide open sounding, DC07Pro of course built better and offer additional HF Filter
How does this compare to the L&P W4? Do you think the W4 is still a good choice (used) in 2024? Already have ONIX for analog leaning sound, so I'm looking for another one that's more "hifi/digital". Considering W4 and KA17. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated 👍
W4 is not as rich and dense sounding as ONIX Alpha, both are exceedingly good with technicalities. Timbre wise W4 is also focused on studio type of sound fidelity and ONIX Alpha is more analog. If Hi-Fi studio sound you looking for, there's tons to choose from, W4 is one of them, so does KA17, also the same can be said of Shanling UA4 or ROSESELSA RS9039 or iBasso DC06Pro (not limited to)
Just got my Onix Alpha a few day ago and, already there is one that might be better. This is life. Anyway, for the price, I am very happy to stick with my Onix (except that my Samsung phone cannot drive it).
I have heard that they are working on a firmware update that will resolve this issue.
@@haneko6422 Not sure how one updates the firmware, but, I hope you are correct.
α and Ω, as suggested, more and more symbol will be coming up soon? Looking forward to it. By the way while you are giving EPZ TP50 away, I am recruiting EPZ TP50 for my collection. (unfortunately did not get the luck during your celebration live session >.
My signed TP50 is already on the way to the lucky winner in the 10k subs luck draw. Thanks so much for the support!
When used with an iPhone, can you control the volume with the phone buttons as well or is that only possibly via the dongle volume knob?
Yes of course, you can still control the volume on the host be it iPhones, PC or Android. But it is always better to Max on the host for these type of dongles, and only control volume on the dongle, this way you are getting the best performance from them
Hi, I notice the OLED display always show 32bit even when playing something with lower bit rates(16, 24etc). The frequency shows correctly though. would you happen to know why?
It could be the FIR oversampling. Try turning off FIR and you should see the real time bitrate
@@donglemadness I use it with an iphone. how do I turn this FIR off?
As always like and then check Andy reviews. Love the outdoors reviews.
The volume option is the only issue I have with all the dongles.
But Onix has a very good option to use system volume when use with pc which is really helpful to for me but there are issues with the usb compatibility for many Android devices and more consumption I think.
Also DC07 looks more premium device with more premium cables too, but double the price.
Already an owner of Onix, so if you agree I think for my HD600 Onix is a bit better option? I want to ask you of course which of the two do you prefer a bit more!
Then next improvements I would like to be the rotation volume for more devices and most important I would like to see more power from 3.5mm option and not only for 4.4mm. And of course a EQ option from device app for PC such as Roon so as to EQ and listen bitperfect without issues.
Thanks. Sound wise both ONIX Alpha and DC07Pro are equals in my view. Both exceedingly great with HD600 on the 4.4mm BAL connection and running NOS filters. Usage wise, DC07Pro offers a bit more with that superb rotary volume adjustment which I am a big fan of since DACport HD, also DC07Pro being lighter too
At almost half the price, onix looks like no- brainer
Andy, thanks for the review, you're the best! Please tell me, will Onix be able to reveal fiio ft3, ft5? Is there enough power? And please give us a review of the Ibasso dx180, do not pull the rubber. As long as there is a good price at the bottom.
Thanks!. Yes you can be rest assured ONIX Alpha just lime many other top performing dongles, will deliver more than enough power to drive either FT3 or FT15, for as long as you drive them on High Gain and 4.4mm BAL side, at lest for me , ONIX Alpha was already to drive the 300 Ohm Sennheiser HD600 and HiFiMan Sundara with such grace that they sounded as if driven from a full desktop setup. DX180 review will be up in a day or two this week
Andy, when u were comparing sound to Alpha XI1, were u comparing DC07pro in normal mode, or high pass filter mode?
I compared them 1 to 1 with normal filter to NOS and High Gain 4.4mm BAL HP Filter on DC07Pro turned off
is the colorfly became more analog now? on par with hiby fc6? is it new callibration?
Whichever you see in this video is the current one. I do believe that FC6 and M1P are both equally strong with analog timbe after using both extensively
Espero hagas revision de luxury precision w2u.
Perhaps soon if I can get one to test. Thanks
Considering the hyped up Onix x1 , still
Not on par with the DC elite when it comes to the soundstage, imagaging, layering.
I wonder if this is compatible with the Pixel8 Pro, as that phone is notoriously fickle with USB DACs.
I have heard many Pixel phones are finicky with external USB DAC, hard to say unless someone who actually own one has tried the combo
Ifi go bar kensei??? Vs ibasso dc 07 pro?
Still testing Kensei
Hi Andy is there a Shop in Kuala Lumpur where I can buy the Dongle?
Red Ape Audio, check them out in Shoppee
@@donglemadness Ok thanks , if I need additional Help I will contact you. 🖖
Hi im going to buy my very own first iem which simgot ea500lm, i also planning to buy jcally jm6 pro along side, is there better option than jcally jm6 pro, my budget around 30 to 50 usd
Go for Venture Electronics ODO instead and it will cost you only $5
Wondering what's your thoughts on best DAC for $50 or less in 2024? After going though your Dongle Madness catalog a few that come to mind are Dawn Pro, Sonata HD, and DC03 Pro. Are there any new releases you think are a better choice, or any that I overlooked?
For up to $50, iBasso DC03Pro and EPZ TP20Pro are the best to go for
@donglemadness thanks, take care Andy!
How is the headroom size and resolving capabilities of it vs KA17?
Headroom of KA17 like many other well-tuned 4VRMS dongles have lots of spare with outright power left even with stuffs like HiFiMan Sundara or Sennheiser HD600 (from the 4.4mm BAL side). KA17 also like many other well implemented top performing dongles, offer best in class resolution and imaging
Andy out of all the dacs you have tested which one is bright leaning / studio monitor type of tuning?
Already replied to this on the other thread you posted. Please check it out. Thanks
Hi Andy!
Have you tried the Earmen Colibri?? If yes,then how does it compare to the top dogs.
Unfortunately no, I don't have it
Hello Andy, I have followed your advice and bought Onix Alpha for my Sundara headphones. I could sometimes use a little more power on the 4.4 balanced connection. Should I buy the Ibaso DC07 Pro in addition? Best regards Francisco
According to Andy's driving power score of 10 on Onix Alpha and 9 on iBasso DC07Pro, I'd say the Onix has the iBasso beat in driving power. The Onix loudness at 54 matches the iBasso loudness at 60. The Onix is only really losing in Power Efficiency (battery life) as the aspects of sound differ minutely in quality, and are user configurable.
If you find that ONIX Alpha is not sufficient for your usage than I am afraid you will never find anything in dongle segment that will be powerful enough to suit your needs. Probably you should get something like FiiO Q15 or Venture Electronics Megatron or iFi Diablo, they surely have more power than any dongles in existence
@@donglemadness Hello Andy, I'm interested in streaming on my mobile phone with TIDAL. Is it possible that my OnePlus Nord 2 doesn't have enough power on the USB port? I'm using Hiby in exclusive mode or USB Audio Player Pro. This isn't an issue on the PC. With the Fiio BTR7 my Sundara is much louder. Sorry for the detailed questions, I'm looking for an optimal sound experience on the go. Everything is perfect with IEMs. Greetings Francisco
Is there any new dongle that sounds euphonious like the Astell Pee51, but has analog sound?
PEE51 is very unique and I have yet to hear anything resembling the same tuning as of yet after that
So the current ranking is DC07Pro edges out ever so slightly the Alpha XI1?
The difference is so small that you cannot justify the price of DC07 Pro over Onix with just half of its price.
@@skustaclee8899 Andy said the airiness was very small difference. But Andy also said the High Pass Mode is significant boost to fidelity and dynamics. That part is supposed to be a big difference, right?
If I understand correctly, that's like 2 dongles in 1, isn't it?
If you switch to a fast roll off filter the Onix wil also become a bit more open and airy.
The overall score is equal between ONIX Alpha and DC07Pro, which means they both share the same sport for the highest scoring dongles out of 180 contestants since #donglemadness started
@@Viewer13128 How high pass filters work is they essential cut off the bass end of the frequency range so that the higher frequency range is more pronouced. I would not recomend using it unless you have a dislike for bass, and I dont mean boosted bass just plain neutral bass frequencies.
Does Dc07 pro have same sound signature like dc04pro..? If not which dongle have same sound signature like dc04 pro
Yes, DC04Pro, DC-Elite and DC07Pro shares the same natural/neutral sound signature
I have Latshour S12 Pro iem.. so which day would be best to take? what Cayin Ru6 will happen
I would choose DC07Pro over RU6 now
@@donglemadness DC7 not available in india
Por qué no está la tabla analógica?.
Please watch the video without skipping, it is all there. You can find it at 12:25. Thanks!
If the wheel on DC07Pro feels same or similar like on L&P W4 while retaining comparable performance of Onix Alpha, it means iBasso is a winner?! :) Onix is still kind of big and volume buttons are not the best..
W4 is rotary as well, but it is in cylinder shape and I prefer the coin shaped version of DC07Pro and DACport HD, makes volume adjustment such a joy
How does it compare to ibasao Dx180 dap in purely sound aspect
More on that soon in my DX180 review. They share the same DNA so you can expect similar sound
So are these filters essentially EQs? If not how can it be determined the difference between an EQ and a filter?
It doesn't behave like an EQ, but they influence the pace of dynamic transients which affect timbre temperament
Will mp145 sound better in dc07pro or onix alpha dongle...?
Equally amazing on either one of them
Hi Andy, I have a few flagship IEMS but i dont feel like I am getting the best use of them as I use my Iphone and a cheap iphone dongle. Most of my music is on Tidal. Can you recommend a decent DAP / DAC which would be an upgrade? My budget is USD 700 / RM 3000 + -
Anything is better than the stock iPhone dongle. For iPhone the choices can be limited but since you have such huge budget, then DC07Pro is what you want, it has native support for iPhones with the included Lightning cable
@@donglemadness thank you Andy! Love this review. Especially the setting! Makes me miss home!
@@donglemadness do you think the DC07Pro is better than the DX180 DAP purely from a sound quality point of view?
@@donglemadness hi Andy, I just got this dongle thanks to you! It has blown me away and is driving some of my IEMs
to it’s potential which I never knew.
I only have one question please: what is the SPDIF settings for and does it make any difference?
Fuhh smpai KLCC
Kasi adventurous sket brooo hahaha
ibasso dc07 pro or questyle m12i in term of sound quality? please answer sir , last question
Both equally great as you can see in the score table for sound
@@donglemadness i need one choice for buying i prefer sound quality only that all
Shouldn't the Ibasso dc07pro have a lower price to performance ratio score? It literally costs double what the Onix Alpha costs?
I did considered that, but I also consider that DC07Pro offers really effective implementation tech like the Quad Array CS43131 and amazing rotary volume on top of having a High Pass filter that works. Also knowing that this sort of tech would mean it could have been sold at even higher price point if we were to look back at the dongle scene two years ago. So what DC07Pro got for the score of Value is fair, I am truly impressed with the build which also included the pair of Pentaconn branded jacks, those things carry high piece tag
@@donglemadness I can understand the rotary volume control being nice. But i dont understand how a quad dac array is any better than the standard dual dac setup? I also find it odd this dongle does not have a dedicated amp instead it must be multiplying (runnig one into the next) the built in amps on the dac chips which i would think would introduce noise and distortions. Unless they have somethign filtering that all out after? Also according to Ibasso only the 4.4mm is a pentaconn not the 3.5mm. In pictures the corners of the dc07pro look really sharp are they?
I also had a question on the Onix Alpha in your testing did you ever hear any noise floor? Also on the Onix did you ever have any issues with channel seperation in particular the 3.5mm jack? Thank you
Hmmm... its double the price of the Onix... i think i'll keep my Onix
Brother w2 vs 07pro?thx
Both equally resolving and analytical, transparent. Just that DC07Pro offers more natural and analog timbre, richer sound notes too
@@donglemadness thx
is it better than ka17? specially of gaming ?
I would say both equally amazing for gaming, both already at the peak of dongle performers
Ibasso dx180 or ibasso dc07 pro? This looks like a miniatura versión of dx180 hahah
Different form factor and usage scenario, which I will talk a bit more in my DX180 review coming up very soon :D
У айбассо щас есть Оспрей и Тайпан вот их топы.
How does the DC07pro fare against DX180?
More on that soon in my DX180 review. They share the same DNA so you can expect similar sound
How it compare whith onix dongele please ? Is this better then onix dongle ?!
The answer to your question is in this video, please watch it without skipping, I described the differences here at 14:12. Thanks
They are pretty much indentical, i would say save yourself the $110 and put towards some headphones or just pocket the savings =D
How does it manage to output 430mw without any dedicated amp chip?
For what I read the cirrus logic CS43131 has integrated amp.
4X CS43131 internal amps does the trick
@@donglemadness Thanks. Just want to clarify that it says "30 mW per channel into 32 ohm load" on the data sheet which doesn't add up?
I apologise for my ignorance.
I was wondering this myself and it also has me questioning their measurements. They would basically have to feed one dacs amp out into another dac's amp in and basically it would act as a multiplier. But this should cause any distortion or noise to also be multiplied in intensity. So Either their numbers are wrong or they have something filtering out all this added noise. And if something is added to filter out all this noise then it is also affecting sound quality. So I dont know for sure what is going on here we would need someone to independantly test it.
Onix is half the price of dc07pro and they're rated the same.
Yeah that is my take on this as well Onix Alpha for the win.
vs Fiio KA17?
KA17 has a different tuning which offers more dynamic energy and digitally enhanced sound. DC07Pro on the other hand is flatter neutral and more transparent without any hint of coloration but you can get dynamically enhanced sound with the HP Filter
@donglemadness thank you! Is dc07pro with filter more dynamic than ka17 ? I like bass and treble
I would say KA17 is still more digitally enhanced than DC07Pro, you like prominent Treble/Bass then you will do better with either DC06Pro or KA17, DC07Pro is more suited for those preferring neutral uncolored dynamic transients
How much dc07 pro costs? 😲😲😲
$199 I hear
$200
Hello Sir I need a suggestion I'm currently using Moondrop SSR(my first IEM) which I love though I've heard some find it to be shouty or on the brighter side. Which means I'm not sensitive to peaky treble or mids. Now I'm planning to get a new IEM which is good at detail retrieval and is transparent sounding. I won't mind if it's bright or warm sounding as long as I get great details for the price alongside being transparent sounding. I've read reviews of Etymotic ER2SE is somewhat similar to what I'm looking for but it's way over my budget. I want to get a set at the minimum price possible. The max I can stretch my budget is 70-90$. I have two options in my mind considering detail retrieval in that price range, first the Simgot EA500lm but I've heard these are coloured and not transparent at all(which is why I'm hesitant to go for it) second is the Truthear Hexa which is relatively transparent and warm relaxed sounding but has good detail retrieval for its price. There's another IEM that I have my eye on is the Tanchjim 4u which isn't available in my country(India) through a retailer as of now. I'm not sure if I should wait for it yo arrive or go for any other alternative. I could even go for anything between the Truthear GATE or Tangzu Wan'er Studio Edition if they're somewhat transparent sounding with good detail retrieval and offer excellent value 'cause all I want is a natural sounding transparent IEM with great detail retrieval for its price (be it brightly tuned or on the warmer side). and I'm not an audiophile I just listen to classical genre and qawwali sometimes.
Please suggest me an IEM considering everything I've described above. Thanks in advance.
P.s. - I don't mind if there's not enough base to make it sound balanced.
Hey thanks for the support. Yes if you want absolute transparency and neutrality, Etymotic ER2SE is the one to get, also there's Kinera Idun Golden. You can also consider Tanchjim 4U (set in monitoring mode). Many other IEMs like EA500LM and Titan S2, offers close to neutral sound curve but they are still mildly colored especially in the lower Mids all the way to Bass, but at least not as colored as tons of other options in the market