Fosi DS1 Portable DAC & Headphone Amp Review

[staticV3]

so there is no point in 32 bit?

For consumer audio, absolutely not.

Even the value of 24bit is debatable given typical limitations in recording and playback dynamic range.

 

[Zoide]

How would the DS1 compare to the E1DA PowerDAC v2.1 when it comes to driving the DCA E3 (27 ohms, -90 dB/mW)?

I use the latter to drive my DCA E3 due to its amazing specs and solid manufacturer reputation, but it chews through my phone's battery and heats up a lot.

Thanks

 

[Jimster480]

How would the DS1 compare to the E1DA PowerDAC v2.1 when it comes to driving the DCA E3 (27 ohms, -90 dB/mW)?

I use the latter to drive my DCA E3 due to its amazing specs and solid manufacturer reputation, but it chews through my phone's battery and heats up a lot.

Thanks

I think both would work fine, this one might save some battery. However if you want something with potentially less power output; the Hiby FC3 that I sent in for review really saves power vs some of these bigger ones. I have that and the FiiO KA13 and the FC3 really saves power, but it also has much less output power.

 

[Zoide]

I think both would work fine, this one might save some battery. However if you want something with potentially less power output; the Hiby FC3 that I sent in for review really saves power vs some of these bigger ones. I have that and the FiiO KA13 and the FC3 really saves power, but it also has much less output power.

Thanks, I just took a look at the FC3 review but it might be too little power for the DCA E3 at only 62 mW with a 33 ohm load: https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/hiby-fc3-portable-dac-hp-amp-review.55429/

Meanwhile, the DS1 outputs 261 mW.

 

[johny_2000]

How would the DS1 compare to the E1DA PowerDAC v2.1 when it comes to driving the DCA E3 (27 ohms, -90 dB/mW)?
I use the latter to drive my DCA E3 due to its amazing specs and solid manufacturer reputation, but it chews through my phone's battery and heats up a lot.

This is pure physics. More output power (for demanding headphones) = more power consumption from the battery + losses due to heat dissipation (efficiency of electronic components). I use FiiO KA17 (650mW max) and E1DA #9039S (710mW max) dongles with balanced connection to FiiO FT1 Pro headphones (20 ohms, 95 dB/mW), and both are more than loud enough, and are able to deliver this continuously without overheating. I'm not sure about the total power consumption of both dongles (I estimate around 5V/1A each) since I'm using them with a laptop which has a relatively large battery capacity compared to smartphones.

 

[Earwax]

Does anyone know the operating temperature of these encapsulated DAC`s ?

My DS1 has always run hot from the 1st time I used it after about 10 minutes it was hot to the touch using the stock set up with supplied cable to just my cellphone.

Today I measured the temp reading using infrared thermometer with no music playing so not even any current flowing through it or headphones plugged in it`s 37.4 C after 10 minutes.

It was even hotter with playing music but it`s now not working, one channel is dead other side only has very distorted scratchy low volume audio so no point in measuring that way now.

I contacted with Fosi Audio customer service yesterday, Today they sated the temp varies from 15 to 25 C so mine was way over that.

I been using this DAC for 2 months now, at times for 3 hours straight so maybe the heat was to much ?

Why I didn't measure the temp when I 1st noticed it was hot is beyond me.

I did see another review of the same design encapsulated DAC made by ASUS that had the same failure after just 2 months so I`m curios do we need to take this into consideration when using these tiny heat sink DAC`s ?

 

[johny_2000]

I contacted with Fosi Audio customer service yesterday, Today they sated the temp varies from 15 to 25 C so mine was way over that.

They probably mean a temperature of 15–25°C above ambient temperature.

 

[Earwax]

They probably mean a temperature of 15–25°C above ambient temperature.

Here is the temp reading of DS1 just plugged into cellphone with no music playing no headphones attached nothing plugged into aux port.

 

[johny_2000]

Here is the temp reading of DS1 just plugged into cellphone with no music playing no headphones attached nothing plugged into aux port.

So if your ambient temperature is 24°C, then it is on the lower side (+13°C) of the manufacturer's specifications.

 

[Earwax]

I sent them the same picture, they said nothing about air temperature only stated their engineer`s explained the unit body can safely be at 37C.

Of course it was overlooked that was the temp when only plugged into my cellphone NOT playing music and no headphone plugged into aux port.

The body appears to have been much hotter after playing music as when I changed my listening position and touched the metal I was always thinking that feels too hot but never remembered to do further research after the fact.

They do keep repeating the same question asking me to test it again and again but that is fare enough.

I`ll update when I get a final response.

Should have bought the extended warranty offered on Amazon by Asurion it`s only $9.99 Canadian covers 2 years with free shipping.

 

[mc.god]

Here is the temp reading of DS1 just plugged into cellphone with no music playing no headphones attached nothing plugged into aux port.

It could mean nothing since they have different chip inside, but my Sonata BHD, similar form factor and balanced architecture, connected to my pc and with iems plugged, measures 23.8C in a rom at 22C, via an infrared thermometer like the one you used.