FiiO has released the USBDAC JA11, with an initial price of only $9 (69RMB) and support for PEQ DSD128 PCM384

[markanini]

Where did you find the TinHifi firmware? I googled for it, but came up with nothing. I don't really need it because the Fiio firmware seems to be just fine, but I'm just curious.

DAC Custom EQ

tinhifi DAC Custom EQ

www.tinhifi.com

 

[JanL]

DAC Custom EQ

tinhifi DAC Custom EQ

www.tinhifi.com

Thanks! I'll give it a shot.

Aaaaand it's bricked! LOL.
It looked like it went through with the TinHifi firmware update just fine, but it did not come to life after I unplugged it and tried to use it. Now I can't find it using either the Fiio firmware update, nor the TinHifi utility.

I guess I did something wrong, but what it was I could not tell because the app is all in Chinese and I was following the steps in the guide as well as I could.

If anyone here can find answers how to force a firmware update on it, I would appreciate it.

 

[raif71]

Basic specifications

USB port: Type-CUSB (non-changeable)
Single-end output: 3.5mm Jack Color: black/silver
Weight:About 5g
output power: L+R230mW+30mW(32Ω, THD+N<1%, USB IN)
Distortion: <0.0048%(OdB, 32Ω) Noise:1.7uV"A"
signal-to-noise ratio: ≥115dB(32Ω, A weight)
channel separation: ≥65dB(1kHz, 32Ω)
Output impedance: <0.5Ω
Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz, attenuation ≤0.1dB;
20Hz~50kHz, attenuation ≤0.2dB
maximum support sampling: PCM: 384K/32bit, DSD: DOP 128

The last line there "DSD: DOP 128", meaning that DSD is not natively supported ie playback device need to enable DOP for DSD play, right ?

 

[CedarX]

Aaaaand it's bricked! LOL.
It looked like it went through with the TinHifi firmware update just fine, but it did not come to life after I unplugged it and tried to use it. Now I can't find it using either the Fiio firmware update, nor the TinHifi utility.

Aouch! That’s bad… I went back and forth several times between FiiO and TinHifi fw and never had any problem. BUT, I have always used the FiiO fw upgrade tool, not the TinHifi one. The FiiO upgrade tool has less options, which might be better.

Not sure if there is anything you can do to force a DFU mode or something…

 

[JanL]

Aouch! That’s bad… I went back and forth several times between FiiO and TinHifi fw and never had any problem. BUT, I have always used the FiiO fw upgrade tool, not the TinHifi one. The FiiO upgrade tool has less options, which might be better.

Not sure if there is anything you can do to force a DFU mode or something…

I didn't think to use Fiio utility to push the TinHifi firmware. Now that you said it, it makes sense. Oh well, it was only $10.00 and it had its share of issues to begin with.

 

[pers]

I just joined here.
Also I just received the silver version of JCALLY JM12, it sounds great.
I tried it on Android with HiBy Music, no hiss or crackle.
The problem occurs when using FiiO Music, it crackles when playing music like when playing Vinyl but this is worse.
Can you recommend another music player that can detect usb dac?
Sorry I'm a beginner.

 

[multiformous]

Okay so I've got to report another Fiio vs TinHifi firmware quirk I just noticed. With the JA11 firmware on my JM12, when starting playback there is a very slight truncation of the audio -- the first bit is missing. This is easiest to notice with the Windows sound device 'test' chimes. When I hit the test button, the first bit of each sound (both left and right) is not played and there is some slight audible crackle. But with the TinHifi firmware, the sounds in both channels play completely fine.

 

[CedarX]

I just joined here.
Also I just received the silver version of JCALLY JM12, it sounds great.
I tried it on Android with HiBy Music, no hiss or crackle.
The problem occurs when using FiiO Music, it crackles when playing music like when playing Vinyl but this is worse.
Can you recommend another music player that can detect usb dac?
Sorry I'm a beginner.

So, if HiByMusic works... what's wrong with using it as your music player?

 

[multiformous]

I just joined here.
Also I just received the silver version of JCALLY JM12, it sounds great.
I tried it on Android with HiBy Music, no hiss or crackle.
The problem occurs when using FiiO Music, it crackles when playing music like when playing Vinyl but this is worse.
Can you recommend another music player that can detect usb dac?
Sorry I'm a beginner.

USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP) is another option, albeit a paid one (~$10).

 

[pers]

So, if HiByMusic works... what's wrong with using it as your music player?

Just to make sure.
We already know that the FiiO JA11 firmware sucks.
If FiiO Music is the only one that sucks compared to other music players then I can make sure not to buy FiiO products in the future.
Because FiiO is incompetent.

 

[HissingFree]

Okay so I've got to report another Fiio vs TinHifi firmware quirk I just noticed. With the JA11 firmware on my JM12, when starting playback there is a very slight truncation of the audio -- the first bit is missing. This is easiest to notice with the Windows sound device 'test' chimes. When I hit the test button, the first bit of each sound (both left and right) is not played and there is some slight audible crackle. But with the TinHifi firmware, the sounds in both channels play completely fine.

Yeah same here, that sound test is messed up with JA11 firmware, but I remember the same happened with stock firmware too.

 

[pers]

Yeah same here, that sound test is messed up with JA11 firmware, but I remember the same happened with stock firmware too.

No problem here with JM12 stock firmware on Linux (Fedora 41) using DeadBeef Music Player (Bit perfect) also when testing left and right channels using the command line.
For half the price of the FiiO JA11, the JCALLY JM12 did not disappoint me.

 

[HissingFree]

No problem here with JM12 stock firmware on Linux (Fedora 41) using DeadBeef Music Player (Bit perfect) also when testing left and right channels using the command line.
For half the price of the FiiO JA11, the JCALLY JM12 did not disappoint me.

You don't hear crackling in this runble test?

Online Stereo Polarity (Phase) Sound Test

Checks your loudpeakers wiring.

www.audiocheck.net

 

[pers]

You don't hear crackling in this runble test?

Online Stereo Polarity (Phase) Sound Test

Checks your loudpeakers wiring.

www.audiocheck.net

OK. I just tried it.
I can hear the crackle using the rumble test.
I tested with iem tangzu waner, blon bl03, and tin hifi t2.

But when using takstar hd 2000 headphones there is no crackle when playing test files.
On pc (using takstar hd 2000) the crackling (more precisely clicking) only happens when i adjust the volume with mouse scroll.
On android (using takstar hd2000) it doesn't happen at all.

This kind of crackling is the worst when using FiiO music and I really can't listen to music at all.
Does not happen using Hiby music and UAPP.
Or it actually happens but not audible in real listening.

By the way thanks for the link!

 

[markanini]

OK. I just tried it.
I can hear the crackle using the rumble test.
I tested with iem tangzu waner, blon bl03, and tin hifi t2.

But when using takstar hd 2000 headphones there is no crackle when playing test files.
On pc (using takstar hd 2000) the crackling (more precisely clicking) only happens when i adjust the volume with mouse scroll.
On android (using takstar hd2000) it doesn't happen at all.

This kind of crackling is the worst when using FiiO music and I really can't listen to music at all.
Does not happen using Hiby music and UAPP.
Or it actually happens but not audible in real listening.

By the way thanks for the link!

I personally don't deem it terrible, just not optimal, not audible much in music in my setup. I also noticed now adjusting volume during playback added to the crunchy artifacting. I flashed TinHifi firmware on my JM12, only because the drawbacks of that FW don't affect me too much(limited sample rates, less convenient EQ) so the marginally cleaner output was "free".

Note for everyone: CX31993 is also affected IME, as well as Apple dongle, from reports. Only JM12(and JA11, Odo) can be made clean with TinHifi FW, but drawbacks apply.

EDIT: JCally JM12 with TinHifi FW has cleaner output than CX31993 in this test clip also: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-comparative-review.63038/page-2#post-2314063

 

[HissingFree]

I personally don't deem it terrible, just not optimal, not audible much in music in my setup. I also noticed now adjusting volume during playback added to the crunchy artifacting. I flashed TinHifi firmware on my JM12, only because the drawbacks of that FW don't affect me too much(limited sample rates, less convenient EQ) so the marginally cleaner output was "free".

Note for everyone: CX31993 is also affected IME, as well as Apple dongle, from reports. Only JM12(and JA11, Odo) can be made clean with TinHifi FW, but drawbacks apply.

EDIT: JCally JM12 with TinHifi FW has cleaner output than CX31993 in this test clip also: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-comparative-review.63038/page-2#post-2314063

Nobody has done more tests on JM12 Tinhifi FW? I get high hissing/static with that firmware, I understand this is related to high noise floor? so in terms of objective measurements, where would this be shown? in 1KHz tone test 50mv input power to see SNR and noise? as I understand it, then, Tinhifi FW should have much lower 50mV SNR than stock or JA11 firmware, because I hear nothing with these two, clean background.

But then, I can hear hissing by just playing a silence video:

There is no tone or frequency being played, but I still hear the noise floor. Then, what would be the best way to objectively measure the noise in this case?

 

[markanini]

Nobody has done more tests on JM12 Tinhifi FW? I get high hissing/static with that firmware, I understand this is related to high noise floor? so in terms of objective measurements, where would this be shown? in 1KHz tone test 50mv input power to see SNR and noise? as I understand it, then, Tinhifi FW should have much lower 50mV SNR than stock or JA11 firmware, because I hear nothing with these two, clean background.

But then, I can hear hissing by just playing a silence video:

There is no tone or frequency being played, but I still hear the noise floor. Then, what would be the best way to objectively measure the noise in this case?

That indicates an EMI/RF interference issue rather than a noise floor issue, as modern DACs cut audio output when audio is silent.

By your description any functional ADC should adequately record a sample clip of the issue. Playing back a 1kHz sine tone intermittently to establish a reference output would be good but that's all that's needed. You can use your IEMs as a load by getting a 3.5mm stereo Y-split cable, this way the recording will be closer to capturing real-world conditions.

 

[pers]

I personally don't deem it terrible, just not optimal, not audible much in music in my setup.

I agree.

 

[pers]

But then, I can hear hissing by just playing a silence video:

There is no tone or frequency being played, but I still hear the noise floor. Then, what would be the best way to objectively measure the noise in this case?

I know this is about the JM12 with TinHiFi firmware.
I'm just reporting that there is no audible hiss on the JM12 with stock firmware when playing silence video.
So the problem of JM12 with stock firmware is only in rumble test (?) which is not audible in real listening.

 

[HissingFree]

I know this is about the JM12 with TinHiFi firmware.
I'm just reporting that there is no audible hiss on the JM12 with stock firmware when playing silence video.
So the problem of JM12 with stock firmware is only in rumble test (?) which is not audible in real listening.

Yeah correct, same here.