HIDIZS S8 USB-C Headphone Adapter Review

[pii75]

A general question on the volume control of these DAC...
Is the DAC hardware volume control recognized by software? I would like to use it as line out for a raspberry volumio player and be able to use DAC hardware volume remotely from the web interface, instead of using DAC buttons

Is there anybody can answer to this question? Thanks

 

[Matias]

Is there anybody can answer to this question? Thanks

I have not received my unit yet, but from my experience with SMSL Idea, no, the volume is hardware only and the buttons do not change the software or vice versa.

Having said that, the hardware volume is just a digital volume, and it works the same way as a software volume. So in your case I would keep the hardware volume maxed out and control volume in software only. Just make sure to set up maximum volume limits so that an accident does not output full volume and blows your speakers.

 

[pii75]

I have not received my unit yet, but from my experience with SMSL Idea, no, the volume is hardware only and the buttons do not change the software or vice versa.

Having said that, the hardware volume is just a digital volume, and it works the same way as a software volume. So in your case I would keep the hardware volume maxed out and control volume in software only. Just make sure to set up maximum volume limits so that an accident does not output full volume and blows your speakers.

Thank you for the answer.
Is the last hardware volume level saved when dac is turned off?

 

[Matias]

Thank you for the answer.
Is the last hardware volume level saved when dac is turned off?

Again I still don't have my S8, but speaking from my Idea, yes, the volume remains between power cycles.

You could also set the hardware volume to the maximum volume you want to hear with the software volume maximized, and from there on adjust down only on the software, so that the hardware is your safety limit.

 

[pii75]

Again I still don't have my S8, but speaking from my Idea, yes, the volume remains between power cycles.

Please let me know when you will receive the s8 if it works in this way. In that case leaving hardware to max and working with software as you suggested should be fine.

 

[wyup]

I wonder why @amirm ranks this S8 over the previously reviewed Meizu hifi pro if at 33 ohm, S8 measures 63 mw with ~ 87 db THD+N while Meizu measures 87 mw with ~95 db THD+N, same distortion as dxd3 pro high gain, acording to his charts. Why is S8 more expensive, then?

 

[amirm]

I wonder why @amirm ranks this S8 over the previously reviewed Meizu hifi pro if at 33 ohm, S8 measures 63 mw with ~ 87 db THD+N while Meizu measures 87 mw with ~95 db THD+N, same distortion as dxd3 pro high gain, acording to his charts.

I don't memorize all the past reviews and performances. I test products, listen to them and at the end I make a subjective recommendation based on gut feeling about all of that. You all should use the objective data the most for what you buy.

 

[wyup]

I guess then that the Meizu performs better as a headphone amp and the S8 is better as a dac on line-out, since its sinad and snr are higher. However most of us are going to use it as a headamp, so it intrigues me that the Meizu being cheaper might sound better.

 

[Matias]

at 33 ohm, S8 measures 63 mw with ~ 87 db THD+N while Meizu measures 87 mw with ~95 db THD+N

Remember that these THD+N versus power graphs on the S8 are truncated to 16 bits on the S8. If I understand this correctly, that means the THD+N figures are artificially higher because of the ASIO4ALL drivers. With proper 24 bit the distortion should be lower, probably close to Meizu levels. What can be read in those graphs of the S8 is the power levels, and indeed the S8 is 63mW against the 87 mW of the Meizu.

FFT and SINAD are better on the S8 dashboard, and 32 tone the S8 is a lot better.

 

[IVX]

Remember that these THD+N versus power graphs on the S8 are truncated to 16 bits on the S8.

16bit THD+N limitation at about .001% but S8 showed .004% i.e. 4x times worse, hence, it is bad HPA + good DAC. S8 rated high as a DAC because of its THD+N quite good without load. Actually, we need to see FFT of S8 32 ohm loaded to decide what is the problem there.

 

[soundwave76]

I got mine today and without any duties into Finland. This is a very small thing. Just started playing with this. Works with iPhone XS but the iPhone volume controls are active. I was hoping that the iPhone volume control would have been bypassed, but oh well. Next up is some tests with a PC...

...works with PC as expected. The volume is barely enough with HD598. I will try with Focal Elegia tomorrow. The volume steps are somewhat large and you can't fine tune the volume very well, unless you touch the master volume from the PC/phone.

 

[Matias]

16bit THD+N limitation at about .001% but S8 showed .004% i.e. 4x times worse, hence, it is bad HPA + good DAC. S8 rated high as a DAC because of its THD+N quite good without load. Actually, we need to see FFT of S8 32 ohm loaded to decide what is the problem there.

From the Hegel HD12 measurements here in ASR, when Amir also tested truncated to 16 bits and later on 24 bits, the decrease in THD+N is significant, as can be seen below. I would say about 10dB decrease in THD+N, which is more than the difference between Hidizs S8 and Meizu Hifi Pro 33 ohms THD+N x power graphs.

So it is very likely that Hidizs S8 measures better than Meizu Hifi Pro even in 33 ohms.

Hegel HD12 in 16 bit truncated

Hegel HD12 in 24 bit

 

[wyup]

If this dongle does that well in SINAD, dynamic range, jitter and multitone tests I wonder if it would do better as a line-out dac paired with an Atom than a Topping dx3pro for less money... It'd be interesting that we got it properly reviewed again, non truncated and full test. How can this dongle rank higher than standalone desktop dacs?

 

[vitalii427]

Got my S8. Listening to it now. I’ll measure it tomorrow and report back.

 

[yberker]

Could someone compare internals of S8 and Tempotec SONATA HD PRO if they are copycats or having different components?

 

[soundwave76]

I tested the S8 today with Focal Elegia and now there's clearly more and enough power than compared to HD598. The large volume steps are an issue with S8 at least to me...

 

[wyup]

Which dac-amp are you comparing the S8 to?

Neutron app player on Android has direct volume control option over usb.. maybe overrides S8

 

[mrnikt]

Could someone compare internals of S8 and Tempotec SONATA HD PRO if they are copycats or having different components?

I cant find a review of Sonata HD PRO at the moment, but it was not very positive. On the other hand - reviews od S8 are quite enthusiastic... So if thay share the same "guts", that would be striking.
Even here one guy accused me for claiming that these two are identical

 

[staticV3]

Hidizs S8 Review (vs Meizu Pro & 9038S)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KrTsZ2fhESXIHy7vgufu57WVuu1OzBOFaYlflbYK7hQ/edit?usp=sharing

 

[elnan14]

Hidizs S8 Review (vs Meizu Pro & 9038S)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KrTsZ2fhESXIHy7vgufu57WVuu1OzBOFaYlflbYK7hQ/edit?usp=sharing

soundstage? a DAC?