iBasso DC04 Balanced Dongle with 4.4mm Pentaconn Jack

[dan2021]

Anyone have experience with this product? Specs look solid and the balanced output power seems enough to drive even hard to drive headphones passably for a dongle

DAC chip: CS43131*2
THD+N: -1 10dB/0.00032% (300Q load)
-108dB/0.00039% (32Q load)
Output level: 4Vrms (30022 load), 2.5Vrms (32Qload)
Output power: 195mW@32Q2
Signal to noise ratio: 133dB
Frequency response: 20Hz~40kHz +/-0.5dB
Noise floor: <0.9pV
Output impedance: <0.1202
PCM: up to 32bit/384kHz
DSD: Native DSD256, DSD128, DSD64

https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/ibasso-dc04-dual-dsd-usb-dac-4-4-balanced-headphone-amp

 

[twsecrest]

I use the Ibasso DC-03, with a PC and like it, I lost mine last week, but just ordered another one.
Are you going to use the DC-03 with a computer or plugging it into your phone? (or both or other).
So I'm assuming the DC-04 is decent.

 

[dan2021]

I use the Ibasso DC-03, with a PC and like it, I lost mine last week, but just ordered another one.
Are you going to use the DC-03 with a computer or plugging it into your phone? (or both or other).
So I'm assuming the DC-04 is decent.

I'll likely be using it for both.

With android phone for iem mobile.

With laptop pc as a mobile solution (when working at external sites) plus stop gap home solution with HD800s while I wait for my A50S to reach

 

[dan2021]

I decided to just pick up one (got it used for ~30USD and couldnt resist). So far seems very solid. Powers the HD800s extremely comfortably and has decently low noise with iems.

 

[Human Bass]

Amir one of their dongle and it was a big let down.

 

[dan2021]

Amir one of their dongle and it was a big let down.

supposedly the DC03 and 04 are pretty big improvements on the original 2 but I guess we'll have to see if its able to be tested

 

[dan2021]

So far, my subjective opinion:

Pros:
Super small for a full balanced 4.4mm output dongle
Cheapish (i got mine super cheap used, ~30USD)
Solid Power (I run HD800S and I rarely exceed 30% power)
Detail (not the most detailed but I also don't feel cheated of details in the music)
Treble extension (sounds pretty airy and clear - this is probably mostly the HD800 talking though)

Cons:
Soundstage width/extension (lower than normal for HD800)
Bass (quite lacking and the fact that HD800s already have lean bass doesn't help)
Lack of dynamics

 

[pickyAudiophile]

I tried my newly received one over the weekend and I must say I am not impressed. I can only confirm @dan2021 's findings in every single point. Soundstage is really narrow and dynamics is lacking. I doesn't even help to put one more headphone amplifier in between, bass is lacking under such low load, too. E/g bass lines severly crumble when hard impacts hit. Test track "Under" by italian formation "Uadg", first few seconds. That track usually reveals a night-and-day difference between current stable ams and those collapsing. As a side note, the DC04 doesn't connect to USB 3.0/3.1 ports of several AMD Ryzen based machines (Windows 10 OS). Confirmend by manufacturer, to be fixed within next few weeks with a firmware update.