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HIDIZS S8 USB-C Headphone Adapter Review

dgr

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I ordered 18 april 2020 on aliexpress, at the official hidizs store, this s8. I selected dhl shipping. Up to now, 28 april 2020, the status is: the seller says for many days now that dhl has it, but it still needs to get on the plane. DHL says they have the shipment information, but didn't receive the parcel yet.

So up to now either the seller is wrong, or dhl is wrong. To be followed.

21 may 2020: dhl track and trace confirms that they got it that day

23 may 2020: delivered by dhl

Thus:
- strange delay by hidizs store given it to dhl (I think hidizs lied at the start, that they already gave it to dhl)
- communication with hidizs nearly impossible. I think they reply in Chinese, it gets automatically translated into nearly non-understandable English
- but it arrives, exactly 2 days before the refund by aliexpress is allowed
 
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Zarniwoop

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I can confirm that the Sonata HD Pro does indeed play DSD256 files natively, on PC when Foobar is set up correctly.

Use the following guide "Mode 2: Bitperfect outputting native DSD through DSDTranscoder" (DSD256 only works in Native mode, not DoP)

https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.co...-part-3-new-experimental-sacd-plugin-v-0-9-x/

Then set Foobar output to "DSD: ASIO: DSD Transcoder", and configure the ASIO settings to output to the "SONATA-HD" all settings as "DSD" not "DoP".

Capture.JPG


cap2.JPG
 
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yawg

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hi, how is it possible to measure 49mW when the chip is advertised for 30mW, is 30mW the minimum power guaranteed and not the maximum power possible ?

30mW is the chip manufacturer's statement on the product page measured @30Ohm. With lower impedance cans this value will be higher.
 

ZolaIII

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30mW is the chip manufacturer's statement on the product page measured @30Ohm. With lower impedance cans this value will be higher.
30.8 mW @ 32 Ohm's maximum as the sheat says, they never did measurement @ 300 Ohm's.
 

yawg

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V shaped DAC's? :facepalm: Please show me the frequency response plot of any DAC which shows this so called V-Shape response. A DAC should always measure ruler flat across all frequencies, otherwise it is broken. Transducers on the otherhand can show a "V-shaped" plot, which is then frequently used (mainly by headfiers) to describe the sound signature of certain headphones.
The Tempotec sounds different with different headphones. It doesn't have anything missing in terms of middle frequencies.

How comes most people agree that some brands like FiiO have a signature sound, a bit warmish in the case of FiiO for example of which I own a few?

It must be found exclusively in the built-in amps then? But many swear it's the DAC when it comes to DACs without extra OPAs.

I'm a noob with small portable DAC/amps but have plenty of experience with desktop DACs where I have found that the line stage makes the "sound", not the DAC chips. OPAs bad, discrete class A better and a good tube buffer (preferably with old or NOS tubes) the best.
 

ZolaIII

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It's all about distortion/noise, if you like it it's up to you. FiiO uses old AKM's on it's portable portfolio. Start wearing glasses, this is about CS43131.
 
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so assuming this and the dense audio adapt reference dac were relatively in the same ball park price wise, which would be the better choice?
 

yawg

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It's all about distortion/noise, if you like it it's up to you. FiiO uses old AKM's on it's portable portfolio. Start wearing glasses, this is about CS43131.
Nope. The Tempotec and Hidizs use the Cirrus CS42L42.
Don't need glasses as I'm shortsighted.
https://www.cirrus.com/products/cs42l42

The output on AliExpress is stated optimistic. The CL sheet states only 35 mW into 30 Ohm.

Screenshot_2020-05-04-14-20-53-125_com.alibaba.aliexpresshd.jpg
 

ZolaIII

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so assuming this and the dense audio adapt reference dac were relatively in the same ball park price wise, which would be the better choice?
What's the max power intake of those planar headaphones you have? This Hidizs/TempoTec is optimally for up to 64 Ohm's dynamic ones. You need much more power. Find a review hire of Topping NX4 DSD & read it. Tho TempoTec Sonata HD Pro (which is this Hidizs S8) + NX3S (portable amp only) are even better as a combo & cost less but it's rather unconvinced to carry both with you.

@yawg yes very shortsighted (TempoTec Sonata HD Pro).
 
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What's the max power intake of those planar headaphones you have? This Hidizs/TempoTec is optimally for up to 64 Ohm's dynamic ones. You need much more power. Find a review hire of Topping NX4 DSD & read it. Tho TempoTec Sonata HD Pro (which is this Hidizs S8) + NX3S (portable amp only) are even better as a combo & cost less but it's rather unconvinced to carry both with you.

@yawg yes very shortsighted (TempoTec Sonata HD Pro).

The hifiman4xx are 35omh's and my Sennheiser 58x are 150 ohm's.
 

Asylum Seeker

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How comes most people agree that some brands like FiiO have a signature sound, a bit warmish in the case of FiiO for example of which I own a few?

It must be found exclusively in the built-in amps then? But many swear it's the DAC when it comes to DACs without extra OPAs.

I'm a noob with small portable DAC/amps but have plenty of experience with desktop DACs where I have found that the line stage makes the "sound", not the DAC chips. OPAs bad, discrete class A better and a good tube buffer (preferably with old or NOS tubes) the best.
Someone show this guy Amir's test of the Magni Heresy.
 

ZolaIII

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The hifiman4xx are 35omh's and my Sennheiser 58x are 150 ohm's.
HiFiman 4xx are 35 Ohm's and planar so very power hungry while I didn't find their power requirements (mW) and definitely not something ment for portable use. Anyway those are among most powerful (output power) portable DAC/Amp's available.
 
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HiFiman 4xx are 35 Ohm's and planar so very power hungry while I didn't find their power requirements (mW) and definitely not something ment on portable use. Anyway those are among most powerful (output power) portable DAC/Amp's available.
Yeah I'm not too sure on the power requirements of the headphones but in this very review the he400i were mentioned being used here which should be the same as the 4xx power wise so I assumed it would be good enough. Then a few pages back someone said this would be a good pairing with the Sennheiser 58x also. I did look up the review here for the topping nx4 dsd and it sounded promising. I just couldn't find a solid link to buying it.
 

ZolaIII

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Yeah I'm not too sure on the power requirements of the headphones but in this very review the he400i were mentioned being used here which should be the same as the 4xx power wise so I assumed it would be good enough. Then a few pages back someone said this would be a good pairing with the Sennheiser 58x also. I did look up the review here for the topping nx4 dsd and it sounded promising. I just couldn't find a solid link to buying it.
Let's be serious for driving 4xx you will need a proper, strong desktop Amp such as Schiit Heresy Magni 3+, I seriously doubt anything portable will drive those as it should.
 
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Let's be serious for driving 4xx you will need a proper, strong desktop Amp such as Schiit Heresy Magni 3+, I seriously doubt anything portable will drive those as it should.
Strange they literally are the same exact drivers as the he400i used in this review by amirm, the sensitivity on them is 93db if that means anything. I was originally looking for something portable to power both of my cans and thought this might do it. seems the portable route is more troublesome than I figured. I'll keep looking around for the nx4 dsd. Any other good dac/amp combos for $200?
 

yawg

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Let's be serious for driving 4xx you will need a proper, strong desktop Amp such as Schiit Heresy Magni 3+, I seriously doubt anything portable will drive those as it should.
The E1DA dongle will but you need a symmetrical cable. It needs a lot of power and runs really hot.
 

ZolaIII

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The E1DA dongle will but you need a symmetrical cable. It needs a lot of power and runs really hot.
E1DA 9038S has lower output than Topping NX3s or NX4 DSD and its balanced only, no adapter's allowed meaning you need to do complete rewiring not just switch cable.
 

yawg

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E1DA 9038S has lower output than Topping NX3s or NX4 DSD and its balanced only, no adapter's allowed meaning you need to do complete rewiring not just switch cable.

The unbalanced D version is coming. The designer can't get all the info he needs because CL only provides it to customers that buy a lot of chips.
 

ZolaIII

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Strange they literally are the same exact drivers as the he400i used in this review by amirm, the sensitivity on them is 93db if that means anything. I was originally looking for something portable to power both of my cans and thought this might do it. seems the portable route is more troublesome than I figured. I'll keep looking around for the nx4 dsd. Any other good dac/amp combos for $200?
It's not about sensitivity alone those planar can intake couple of Watts not mW. This ain't what "portables" can offer, to a hell not even very much of serious desktop Amp's have such output & only couple can give 5W (@ 32 Ohm's) or more.
 
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