HIDIZS S8 USB-C Headphone Adapter Review

[L5730]

@john11
As the theme of this site goes, the measurements of the HIDIZS S8 / Tempotec Sonata HD Pro are significantly decent that there shouldn't be an audible difference between it and anything technically better. So, can 'sound quality' improve with another device, not at any remotely sensible playback level.

However there are devices out there with more power. 63 mW into 32 ohms might not be enough if the headphones/IEMs aren't sensitive enough. Also, having to first plug in an extension cable before connecting headphones (eg Sennheiser HD560s ~ 150 ohm) to trick the device into high voltage mode could be rather annoying.

Topping have a nice looking little desktop unit, with an analog volume pot, switch for high/low gain, RCA pass through for DAC use and runs off USB power. It ain't a dongle but it's got more volume available. The Moondrop dongle might be worth a look, this thread focuses on that devide: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...und-the-perfect-usb-c-headphone-dongle.36914/

 

[Freezak]

@john11
As the theme of this site goes, the measurements of the HIDIZS S8 / Tempotec Sonata HD Pro are significantly decent that there shouldn't be an audible difference between it and anything technically better. So, can 'sound quality' improve with another device, not at any remotely sensible playback level.

However there are devices out there with more power. 63 mW into 32 ohms might not be enough if the headphones/IEMs aren't sensitive enough. Also, having to first plug in an extension cable before connecting headphones (eg Sennheiser HD560s ~ 150 ohm) to trick the device into high voltage mode could be rather annoying.

Topping have a nice looking little desktop unit, with an analog volume pot, switch for high/low gain, RCA pass through for DAC use and runs off USB power. It ain't a dongle but it's got more volume available. The Moondrop dongle might be worth a look, this thread focuses on that devide: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...und-the-perfect-usb-c-headphone-dongle.36914/

You can also use the firmware from a balanced Sonata BHD, works flawlessly and keeps the Sonata HD Pro at high gain all the time without any extension cables. I'm using it for 1 month right now with the new firmware and it doesn't heat up nor do i hear that does it change the sound in any way.

 

[L5730]

You can also use the firmware from a balanced Sonata BHD, works flawlessly and keeps the Sonata HD Pro at high gain all the time without any extension cables. I'm using it for 1 month right now with the new firmware and it doesn't heat up nor do i hear that does it change the sound in any way.

Thanks. I might give it a go. I've got to see if I put the old/current firmware for the TSHDP somewhere. Messy and disorganised PC storage is my current irritation!

 

[john11]

What do you think of the usb cables supplies with the s8, use them or upgrade them
Thanks

 

[john11]

I have just achieved a very nice increase in sound quality using the S8. There is a 5 volt cable in the usb cable supplying the S8. I snipped the 5 volt cable and hooked it up to an external low noise power supply, so that the S8 is not being powered by the PC.
The PC power supply can be noisy and hard drives, optical drives, cpu, can inject noise into the power supply
Now that the S8 is being powered by a cleaner external supply it sounds much better, more detail coming through, smoother sound, less distortion.
For a quick and cheap mod this is well worth trying out.
Have you heard of anything like this before or is this a first

 

[Veri]

I have just achieved a very nice increase in sound quality using the S8. There is a 5 volt cable in the usb cable supplying the S8. I snipped the 5 volt cable and hooked it up to an external low noise power supply, so that the S8 is not being powered by the PC.

Have you heard of anything like this before or is this a first

There's little gadgets that allow you to do similar. Should the USB power really be dirty.. on my laptops on battery power, USB is more than clean enough. Really.

USB-B Adapter Cable for DC 5.5 / 2.1mm Female Power Supply - Audiophonics

usb-b adapter cable for external 5.5 / 2.1mm jack power supply

www.audiophonics.fr

 

[john11]

There's little gadgets that allow you to do similar. Should the USB power really be dirty.. on my laptops on battery power, USB is more than clean enough. Really.

USB-B Adapter Cable for DC 5.5 / 2.1mm Female Power Supply - Audiophonics

usb-b adapter cable for external 5.5 / 2.1mm jack power supply

www.audiophonics.fr

Good point. Even though it is battery powered won't the power supply be affected by noise injected into it from the hard drive, optical drive and cpu, and thus affect the usb power?

In the way i have done it, i have snipped the 5 volt cable from out of the usb cable, but i have not snipped the ground. I have connected the negative from the power supply onto the usb ground cable. Is this correct? I thought the ground cable in the usb cable may be needed from some thing so best not to be removed

 

[L5730]

Don't snip the ground connection in the USB cable from Host (PC) and device. The ground connection is what the Data + and - lines are referenced to, and if the two ends of the connection had grounds at significantly different potential, the controller chip at either end could be fried.

 

[john11]

Don't snip the ground connection in the USB cable from Host (PC) and device. The ground connection is what the Data + and - lines are referenced to, and if the two ends of the connection had grounds at significantly different potential, the controller chip at either end could be fried.

Thanks!
There's a tutorial here if anyone is interested: https://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/221_diy_usb_e.html
What do you think of using a powered usb hub? Do the hubs run off the small psu that comes with them, or does the hub still use the usb power in some way?

 

[john11]

Is there any improvement in sound quality when using the S8 with the usb-c cable. The usb-c port can provide more power or voltage if the S8 should require it, when compared to usb 3.

 

[staticV3]

Is there any improvement in sound quality when using the S8 with the usb-c cable. The usb-c port can provide more power or voltage if the S8 should require it, when compared to usb 3.

No.

 

[john11]

No.

Thanks! Have you tried the cable, or is this a guess

 

[staticV3]

Thanks! Have you tried the cable, or is this a guess

I've used my S8 with both the included Type-C to Micro B cable, as well as with a Type-A to Micro B cable.
There's no reason why that should affect sound quality, and indeed for me it does not.

 

[olavrb]

Seems Tempotec Sonata HD Pro / Hidisz S8 doesn't work with Windows 11 + security feature Core Isolation -> Memory Integrity enabled.

• https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/core-isolation-e30ed737-17d8-42f3-a2a9-87521df09b78

Specifically the "SntHdUAC.sys" driver is incompatible. I've tried the drivers offered by both.

• https://www.tempotec.net/pages/firmware-download
• https://www.hidizs.net/pages/download-center

For now I run Windows generic drivers.

Has anyone found newer drivers that work, or contacted Tempotec or Hidisz?

Edit: I've sent an email to both Tempotec and Hidisz, will update here if they got a solution.

 

[MC_RME]

That feature already existed in Windows 10, though off by default AFAIR. I wouldn't waste my time with this (too much paranoid security safety nonsense these days, from threats that will never be an issue for a 'normal' user, but steals our time and computer's performance. This is clearly one of them). Just switch it off and forget it.

 

[olavrb]

That feature already existed in Windows 10, though off by default AFAIR. I wouldn't waste my time with this (too much paranoid security safety nonsense these days, from threats that will never be an issue for a 'normal' user, but steals our time and computer's performance. This is clearly one of them). Just switch it off and forget it.

Yeah, true. Didn't get a notification about it before I upgraded to Windows 11 23H2 though.

It's not being paranoid to ask the vendor to fix their drivers when this device is the only one I got that isn't compatible with this IMO.

 

[unpluggged]

Seems Tempotec Sonata HD Pro / Hidisz S8 doesn't work with Windows 11 + security feature Core Isolation -> Memory Integrity enabled.

Why one would virtualize the OS for more security in non-enterprise and non-business-critical environment? This brings more harm than benefit unless it is absolutely justified by your line of work.

 

[olavrb]

Why one would virtualize the OS for more security in non-enterprise and non-business-critical environment? This brings more harm than benefit unless it is absolutely justified by your line of work.

It's enabled by default for new machines, so it's expected to just work?

I get what you're saying though.

Hidisz responded and said that the DAC can be used without special drivers, which is true. Seems they won't update their drivers then.

 

[Njoy]

@staticV3 I do have question. The hardware button on Sonata HD pro, does it control the digital signal entering the Dac chip or the analog signal coming out of dac chip?

 

[staticV3]

@staticV3 I do have question. The hardware button on Sonata HD pro, does it control the digital signal entering the Dac chip or the analog signal coming out of dac chip?

It controls the digital signal going into the DAC.