1mii Lavaudio DS400 Review (DAC & HP Amp)

[juliangst]

Some small usb dongles have more power than this!

 

[Koeitje]

Am I really the only one that thinks that any hifi component that isn't within 0.5dB between 20hz and 20khz warrants a "poor" score. Getting a flat response is elementary.

 

[DonR]

Am I really the only one that thinks that any hifi component that isn't within 0.5dB between 20hz and 20khz warrants a "poor" score. Getting a flat response is elementary.

It's 0.5db to 30Hz and there isn't a lot of music content under 30Hz. As noted above it's probably due to a coupling cap somewhere in the circuit maybe a tad undersized.

 

[respice finem]

Am I really the only one that thinks that any hifi component that isn't within 0.5dB between 20hz and 20khz warrants a "poor" score. Getting a flat response is elementary.

For "technical elegance", yes, for real listening anything above 15-16 kHz hardly matters, because only very young persons can hear anything above, at normal listening levels.
https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/mti9lr The scale ends at 8 kHz, because medical audiometry only goes this far - but the curves leave no hope for the range beyond it anyway...

Post iucundam iuventutem, post molestam senectutem, nos habebit humus...

 

[juliangst]

Am I really the only one that thinks that any hifi component that isn't within 0.5dB between 20hz and 20khz warrants a "poor" score. Getting a flat response is elementary.

Look at hypex or other class d amps. Most of them have -0.5dB at 20kHz. Those frequencies are barely audible even with young ears and 0.5db attenuation is even less audible

 

[respice finem]

Look at hypex or other class d amps. Most of them have -0.5dB at 20kHz. Those frequencies are barely audible even with young ears and 0.5db attenuation is even less audible

And sometimes, mercifully for us, because we would otherwise be hearing coil whine etc. all the time

 

[Koeitje]

Look at hypex or other class d amps. Most of them have -0.5dB at 20kHz. Those frequencies are barely audible even with young ears and 0.5db attenuation is even less audible

I know that's why I stated the 0.5dB number, plus Hypex doesn't go to -1dB at 20hz. It just feels like a lack of attention by the designer.

 

[amirm]

Small correction, I don't think it has bluetooth.

Manual says the light in fron changes wit BT input and there is a review that says it works good. That said I don't know if it is really there.

 

[Robbo99999]

I'd say this is a cracking product for the money! (Sale Price) Balanced Out!

 

[Lräk]

I'd say this is a cracking product for the money! (Sale Price) Balanced Out!

Agree. Couldn't resist and bought it just now.

 

[Lambda]

@amirm Is it a "true balanced" or symmetrical output with booth lines driven?

 

[lc6]

For "technical elegance", yes, for real listening anything above 15-16 kHz hardly matters, because only very young persons can hear anything above, at normal listening levels.
https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/mti9lr The scale ends at 8 kHz, because medical audiometry only goes this far - but the curves leave no hope for the range beyond it anyway...

Post iucundam iuventutem, post molestam senectutem, nos habebit humus...

Check the max frequency you can actually hear:
How Old is Your Hearing? - Interactive Test for Your Ears
Keep the headphones volume low during the test!

Once you establish the approximate max frequency you can hear in the above video, round it down to the nearest kHz multiple, then find on YouTube test tone videos from that frequency upward 100 Hz apart and play them to determine a more exact cutoff. The formula for hearing-equivalent age: (20925 - MaxAudibleFrequency) / 166.

 

[respice finem]

Check the max frequency you can actually hear:
How Old is Your Hearing? - Interactive Test for Your Ears
Keep the headphones volume low during the test!

Once you establish the approximate max frequency you can hear in the above video, round it down to the nearest kHz multiple, then find on YouTube test tone videos from that frequency upward 100 Hz apart and play them to determine a more exact cutoff. The formula for hearing-equivalent age: (20925 - MaxAudibleFrequency) / 166.

That's pretty much how audiometry works.
Hear another simple "self test"

The misunderstanding that can occur, many will crank up the volume to "insane" levels after not hearing anything above, say, 12 kHz, and then say "hey but I hear 16 kHz"

 

[Jimster480]

It looks like USB-B connectors are a thing of the past. To large?

I'm totally on board with that. USB-B is just large. I don't mind it for desktop stuff, but I am glad that portables are done with Micro-USB which was one of the worst USB's ever (if not the worst one) due to fragility and tendency to warp.

Seems a little pointless to me. Other devices have better features/performance. Price is low enough I guess.

Yea I mean there are a few dongles that have more power than this one, just not tested here I guess.

Amir I think is too busy to test most dongles. I want to invest in some stuff to do some measurements with because I get tons of dongles for testing all the time...

 

[lc6]

That's pretty much how audiometry works.
Hear another simple "self test"

The misunderstanding that can occur, many will crank up the volume to "insane" levels after not hearing anything above, say, 12 kHz, and then say "hey but I hear 16 kHz"

To what degree are such at-home tests affected by the YT's audio compression algorithm and the headphone FR at a given volume, I wonder? Pretty much all of @amirm 's headphone measurements show several significant (i.e. 10-20dB or more) dips, albeit narrow ones, in the mids and treble, said to be caused by various resonances, mechanical fitting to the test fixture, etc., and superimposed on the roughly Harman curve that is far from being flat.

 

[signalpath]

Is DAC dynamic range still being tested here on ASR? Is there a comprehensive DR listing of all products tested to-date?

 

[jae]

Could be an interesting option as an alternative to something like Douk U2 or Wiim mini for those wanting a simple source for active monitors with digital in. This sits somewhere in the middle where it is useful for those that might want to use headphones on the same device as well.

Is DAC dynamic range still being tested here on ASR? Is there a comprehensive DR listing of all products tested to-date?

Just look at the latest DAC review, the latest chart will be there.

 

[odarg64]

Some small usb dongles have more power than this!

I see lower power as a feature for those of us with sensitive headphones and ears.

The optical/coaxial output seems odd. Could it be mislabeled?

 

[jae]

To what degree are such at-home tests affected by the YT's audio compression algorithm and the headphone FR at a given volume, I wonder? Pretty much all of @amirm 's headphone measurements show several significant (i.e. 10-20dB or more) dips, albeit narrow ones, in the mids and treble, said to be caused by various resonances, mechanical fitting to the test fixture, etc., and superimposed on the roughly Harman curve that is far from being flat.

Actual professional audiometry only typically measures 125 hz to 8 khz which is a lot easier to get completely "flat" in most headphones with EQ or using calibrated headphones. They also use wider Q noise, pure tones, and modulated warble tones which will usually not make these narrow Q issues as obvious. Also as a side note, audiometric thresholds are not only contingent on frequency but also SPL, so they are only really valid for the volume at which are you conducting the test. Doing a proper test at home is very possible if you know how the headphone measures, it is EQ'd, and you are aware of the limitations of both the headphone and your EQ.

 

[juliangst]

I see lower power as a feature for those of us with sensitive headphones and ears.

The optical/coaxial output seems odd. Could it be mislabeled?

Lower power is never an advantage. If you don't need all the power just use a device with gain switches like the Topping NX7