HIDIZS S8 USB-C Headphone Adapter Review

[MiloTheFirst]

Thanks for your comment. I don't have much experience with ordering from China directly. I've sent them a message last week to get some more info but got no answer so far. In the meantime, the tracking has been updated but the parcel still appears in China 11 days after placing the order. Not very impressive customer care...

if you buy from ali express it really is random, when I ordered mine it arrived in 2 weeks despite the free shipping saying it would take 30 to 40 days, in other experiences buying stuff from the site it has waited for over 20 days before even leaving china. don't worry though, worst case scenario if it hasn't been delivered by the estimated time you can just formalise a complain and they'll give you your money in less than 2 days. well, of course they won't be indemnifying you for your broken dreams and wasted time. so there is that

 

[typericey]

So I bricked my S8 today.

Back story: I was an early adapter to the S8, ordered mine within days after Amir's review was posted. It worked fine for 10 months, and to my ears they sounded cleaner and more resolving than my old Fiio and even older A&K DAPs. But lately I've noticed clicks in between songs which are loud enough to be annoying. I hear the click not only when I deliberately change songs, but also when the player (Spotify, Foobar, Hiby, etc.) normally plays from one song to the next. This happens on Windows, iPhone and Android. Even more weird is a brief buzzing sound that is heard between songs and in between signal and near silent passages (most evident with acapella).

In a desperate attempt to fix the problem, I tried updating the firmware using the Tempotec updater for the Sonata HD Pro. The update failed, and now my S8 is no longer working.

Too bad, as the S8 sounded really good and fit my needs as an ultra portable DAC for my USB type C phone and laptop use. It was also a nice "middle finger" to the overpriced and middling Audioquest Dragonflies. Now I'm tempted to get the Tempotec, as I couldn't find any other alternative replacement, but am worried that I will get the same clicks and buzzing again. The Meizu DAC Pro seems to be out of stock all over Aliexpress.

Moral of the story: To S8 owners with the same issue, I wouldn't recommend updating the firmware the way I did. To those interested in the S8, a word of caution to the potential issues. If you really want one, I recommend the cheaper Tempotec as it is less of a gamble, cost wise.

 

[whaleboard]

I've updated my Tempotec Sonata HD Pro to the latest firmware available from Tempotec's website.
It has altered the sound slightly. It now sounds more neutral, whereas before it sounded warmer, and richer in the bass department.
Is there a way to downgrade the firmware? I cannot find any previous versions on Tempotec's website, nor on Hidisz' website.

EDIT: Found it in a previous post by Zarniwoop, thanks!

Here you go.

 

[olivier salad]

I've got Tempotec Sonata HD Pro today, immediately updated the firmware and noticed it makes that annoying pop in Windows when the playback stops. It pops not only in Foobar but everywhere, even in browser on Youtube. Changing settings and installing drivers didn't help, so I've downgraded the firmware and the problem's gone. BTW I'm using it as a dac for my Icepower amp. Subjectively sounds better than ASUS STX sound card

UPDATE - It started poping again(

 

[Teja_b]

My tempotec sonata hd pro was giving me weird skips or more like popping sounds for every 20 or 30 seconds of audio playback from my pc.

I changed usb ports, updated firmware for no avail.

Couple of days later I tried the micro usb of my old phone charger and placed the dac on top of the cabinet, it got worse.

Changed the usb port and this time put dac on top of the pc wooden desk since the cable is long, magic! the annoying popping/ skipping is gone completely.

At that moment I never actually realised what worked, and thinking it got solved by itself, tried the connecting with original small micro usb and the issue came back.

So now keeping the dac away from cabinet using my long micro usb just works for me.

Hope this solution would help you guys, who are facing issues.

Thank you for recommending this though, best purchase ever!

 

[Lassi]

Hello,

Just ordered the Tempotec-version after reading about it here and was wondering if anyone got an idea if one of these would be enough to drive AKG K712 Pro? I'm looking to purchase those headphones at some point and I figured that if not, I can at least use the Tempotec as a decent DAC for separate headphone amplifier.

Thank you for any and all help!

 

[Veri]

Hello,

Just ordered the Tempotec-version after reading about it here and was wondering if anyone got an idea if one of these would be enough to drive AKG K712 Pro? I'm looking to purchase those headphones at some point and I figured that if not, I can at least use the Tempotec as a decent DAC for separate headphone amplifier.

Thank you for any and all help!

You'll need to put the volume control high but it'll work fine, yes.

 

[Lassi]

You'll need to put the volume control high but it'll work fine, yes.

Alright, I read about the extension cable-trick earlier. Thank you!

 

[blse59]

The thin twisty cable the temptec comes with is a joke. Mine is already having issues. What were they thinking? Had to order a "normal" one from Amazon.

 

[init]

For me Equalizer APO stopped working with s8 (on windows 10). Tried reinstalling drivers, upgraded firmware to 3.0 (no issues, just needed to type in device id correctly) and nothing - it just won't work.
Also the "Enable audio enhancements" setting in device properties keeps re-enabling (and sound changes quite drastically enabled vs disabled). Also device just stops working if i disable -> enable -> disable it.

But if I disable and reboot - it keeps re enabling.

Very frustrating

 

[Veri]

For me Equalizer APO stopped working with s8 (on windows 10). Tried reinstalling drivers, upgraded firmware to 3.0 (no issues, just needed to type in device id correctly) and nothing - it just won't work.
Also the "Enable audio enhancements" setting in device properties keeps re-enabling (and sound changes quite drastically enabled vs disabled). Also device just stops working if i disable -> enable -> disable it.

But if I disable and reboot - it keeps re enabling.

Very frustrating

Have you tried running the EqualiserAPO device wizard, uninstalling it for the S8 from there, rebooting and then reinstalling it ? That should do it, normally...

 

[init]

I have done all 'standard steps' multiple times.
I found workaround, but i don't like it much: using voicemeeter - setting Equalizer APO to eq A1 on voicemeeter, chose "VAIO3" virtual cable as windows output and set up routing in voicemeeter to play through S8 on A1.

Quite 'hacky' or rather unnecessarily complicated solution, will keep me few days I guess.

 

[poppy]

Just got mine. Initial testing but seems to work flawlessly on windows 10 and android (samsung s10). Plug and play on both. Knock on wood.

 

[0%_Audiophile]

Found this crazy post

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/j6eji8

A few persons are telling that Tempotec Sonata HD Pro + AMP Magni or Atom will be best setup.

 

[raistlin65]

Found this crazy post

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/j6eji8

A few persons are telling that Tempotec Sonata HD Pro + AMP Magni or Atom will be best setup.

Unless you're one of the few people that have problems with it with your PC, the Sonata HD Pro/S8 would be indistinguishable from the JDS Labs Atom DAC, Topping E30, or other similar desktop DACs when used with a headphone amp like the Atom.

They all measure so well that they're easily arguable to be noise and distortion-free within the range of human hearing. In other words, they will sound the same with the highest fidelity audio you can perceive.

 

[Veri]

Found this crazy post

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/j6eji8

A few persons are telling that Tempotec Sonata HD Pro + AMP Magni or Atom will be best setup.

This looks like a cute little set-up, honestly.

 

[olivier salad]

Unless you're one of the few people that have problems with it with your PC, the Sonata HD Pro/S8 would be indistinguishable from the JDS Labs Atom DAC, Topping E30, or other similar desktop DACs when used with a headphone amp like the Atom.

They all measure so well that they're easily arguable to be noise and distortion-free within the range of human hearing. In other words, they will sound the same with the highest fidelity audio you can perceive.

Sonata HD Pro measures well as a DAC but under load it's not very good. So using it with an amp is a good idea.

 

[0%_Audiophile]

Unless you're one of the few people that have problems with it with your PC, the Sonata HD Pro/S8 would be indistinguishable from the JDS Labs Atom DAC, Topping E30, or other similar desktop DACs when used with a headphone amp like the Atom.

They all measure so well that they're easily arguable to be noise and distortion-free within the range of human hearing. In other words, they will sound the same with the highest fidelity audio you can perceive.

Really? I thought it was joke. This small usb stick can not be the same as big brother, for example sanskrit 10th mk2 or D10s or monoprice monolith dac.

 

[0%_Audiophile]

Sonata HD Pro measures well as a DAC but under load it's not very good. So using it with an amp is a good idea.

You mean with something like magni it will be good? But here I have read many posts with bsod on windows when people upgrade firmware and loud clicks when change source of file.

 

[olivier salad]

You mean with something like magni it will be good? But here I have read many posts with bsod on windows when people upgrade firmware and loud clicks when change source of file.

Topping a30 measures better than Schiit