MEIZU Hifi Pro USB-C Phone Dongle DAC Review

[keepit100]

Damn

Below is the review from gsm arena, regarding audio. You can see the freq response, IMD and crosstalk are bad when using the headphone jack

https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_note_8-review-2040p3.php

When it comes to testing the audio output quality as delivered via the jack, the Redmi Note 8 is a tale of two parts. It did splendidly when connected to an active external amplifier, reproducing our test track perfectly and at high volume.

Yet, when headphones came into play, stereo separation suffered quite a lot, and a fair amount of intermodulation distortion crept in, and frequency response got slightly shaky, making the overall clarity rather mediocre. Loudness dropped a bit too, but remained nicely high.


I can testify to that, best way to describe is that near higher volumes, the sound is 'shaky and noisy'. It gets loud, but no point as its unlistenable at max volume. If I can get any dongle that can improve the sound quality and is still nearly as loud, it would be great.

It doesn't need to be 'bit perfect'. Would this (or another dongle) give me that ?

 

[ZolaIII]

@keepit100 with Android audio 2.0 dongles (one's that have DAC on it) will root all sounds through it with default Android USB driver. How good implementation is & will it work varies from phone to phone. Its not bit perfect as OS in most cases tend to do resampling on its own and usually totally wrong (44100 to 48000 Hz). There are apps with they OWN USB audio driver's but i don't know does any support Spotify. And there are of course DRM restrictions that we all love.

Get serious GSMArena and their audio measurements whare always more of a joke (because methodology and used equipment). Try to get more out of internal DAC by using Neutron.

Edit:
Dongles discussed hire do have a lot higher (& cleaner) output that much is certain. Enough for 64 Ohm's on ear headphones that is.

 

[keepit100]

I really appreciate all the info from users on here, its really helpful. What I think (!) you are saying, irrespective if bit perfect or not (only UAPP and its driver is bit perfect), most of these dongle/dacs would give for a much louder and cleaner sound than a average android headphone jack ?

Now I just need to find one that has 'reasonably' better sound but also doesn't use too much phone battery consumption (battery life is important for me). Hell, even the cheap Apple one might be worth it ?

 

[ZolaIII]

I really appreciate all the info from users on here, its really helpful. What I think (!) you are saying, irrespective if bit perfect or not (only UAPP and its driver is bit perfect), most of these dongle/dacs would give for a much louder and cleaner sound than a average android headphone jack ?

Now I just need to find one that has 'reasonably' better sound but also doesn't use too much phone battery consumption (battery life is important for me). Hell, even the cheap Apple one might be worth it ?

Beat perfect literary means to leave it as it is. Nope UAPP is not the only one; HiBy Music support it & so dose Neutron, i don't know about FiiO but that one is still buggy. With Neutron it really depends of external DAC (if it's buggy). HiBy and FiiO are free.
Avoid Apple’s one with Android! The onse with CS43131 (Meizu, Meizu Pro, Sonata HD Pro/Hidizs S8) are the best (performance & power consumption wise). How ever USB audio still sips a lot power on phone internals side as we never get to 3.0 specification on any OS. Meizu (non Pro) also have some quirks. Sonata measures the best & have volume controls on it all do steps are to big for sensitive EMI's (high LPS low impedance), also has best EMI rejection rate and you can change cable when it dies. All CS43131 based one's (as much as I know) nead a headaphone adapter plug so that you can get hi gain output on headphones which don't have enough Ohm's. They (Meizu Pro, TempoTec Sonata HD Pro) have approximately 3~4x more gain & much lower noise flor than avarge smartphone. There are & much more serious USB dac Amp's which are battery powered that are capable to drive up to 150 Ohm's (or even more) headphones those are of course usually in the flask shape & a sized like smaller smartphone like Tooping Nx4 idsd.

Long story short best bet if you ask me is TempoTec Sonata HD Pro & you can get it for around 40$ from Ali (if normal delivery options still work for the country you live in).

Best regards.

 

[vkvedam]

Is Hiby Music still available on the Google Play store?

 

[ZolaIII]

Is Hiby Music still available on the Google Play store?

It's available again, whose some dispute with Google about bug reporting api. I found of market for China one (build 5714) which is strapped from Google bullshit better.

 

[amanieux]

All CS43131 based one's (as much as I know) nead a headaphone adapter plug so that you can get hi gain output on headphones which don't have enough Ohm's.
Best regards.

on meizu hifi pro i get only 30% more volume when i do the high impedance cable trick on my 43 ohms and 30 ohms iems but when i use neutron volume is 4x higher (not the case with UAPP and it that had a exponential volume which made it unusable for this dac) so for this CS43131 based dac the only way i found to get really a lot of power is to use neutron

 

[Special Sauce]

After 2months of waiting on the shipment it finally arrived yesterday, and I don't think it's my earbuds fault, the stereo seperation from the Meizu Hifi Dac is awful...

Ironically I think I even looked at measuremens from www.0db.co.kr that were linked early in thread, but I didn't scroll below the line level test, because they then measured "55db" crosstalk for 32 ohm devices there.. That's my fault, but I'm kinda pissed.

Maybe some peeps enjoy crosstalk, but I'd rather have none, and none from the device, and use proper surround emulation instead.

Request: Please always always always measure Stereo Crosstalk when doing reviews, or use ears amirm or who's responsible for it.

Anyone got a good recommendation for an affordable dac without audible stereo crosstalk? Looking to use it at my desktop pc.

 

[ZolaIII]

After 2months of waiting on the shipment it finally arrived yesterday, and I don't think it's my earbuds fault, the stereo seperation from the Meizu Hifi Dac is awful...

Ironically I think I even looked at measuremens from www.0db.co.kr that were linked early in thread, but I didn't scroll below the line level test, because they then measured "55db" crosstalk for 32 ohm devices there.. That's my fault, but I'm kinda pissed.

Maybe some peeps enjoy crosstalk, but I'd rather have none, and none from the device, and use proper surround emulation instead.

Request: Please always always always measure Stereo Crosstalk when doing reviews, or use ears amirm or who's responsible for it.

Anyone got a good recommendation for an affordable dac without audible stereo crosstalk? Looking to use it at my desktop pc.

Stereo crosstalk is stereo separation between channels and it's not (much) influenced with DAC. Tho it should be around 70~75 dB for 32 Ohm's can's. No separation would mean mono. More Ohm's you insert in between you get greater separation so for instance with 150 ohm's can's it should be 85~90 dB, LRX would give you additional 10dB theoretical it's possible to go up to around 120 dB...

 

[Special Sauce]

No, crosstalk is the opposite of the desired channel seperation. Ever seen a cross??? Btw, That's what you are trying to nail me at... Apart of devices having own issues with it, obviously even DACs labeled as "Hifi" like this one do. Probably cause some ppl just don't care, on consumer but rather on producer level, either way downhill kind of level. And ok, yes, maybe higher impedence devices are easier to drive, but not in respect to power consumption, that's why they build those with low impedence nowadays (utopically), so you are just excusing, badly... Crosstalk for -insert Ohm number- playback device should be zero... And the crosstalk I find problematic mainly stems from the dac not my headphones. 55dB or 0.2% is a lot. Just put youre regular Volume down at that level, with headphones, worn by ears, that work good. If I expect good old mono sound, then suddenly get perfect stereo sound I wouldn't be negatively disappointed... If 70dB was tolerable or "enough" for you, maybe you're at the wrong forum, probably I am. Measurements presented here are still not just lacking tests but meassured badly, even a simple Listening test was too hard to do, which is not good, cause I fell for it, too.. My disappoinment is immeasurable and my day is ruined... Bad review for meh device.

 

[ZolaIII]

@Special Sauce definitely you are on the wrong place but it's not a forum. I didn't put minus in front as that is understand. The hihgh number is the separation is better! We still here consider -120 dB as beyond fidelity as you don't hear that good. If you want better separation I told you which way you have to go.

Now goodbye and fairwell!

 

[Special Sauce]

@ZolaIII What I understood is that I should've went with the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro, cause Hidizs list their Channel Seperation for the S8 with 78dB @32 Ohm, which is a lot better than the supposed 55dB from the Meizu Hifi (Pro), which I can confirm is audible to my ears... I have enough of that crosstalk.. Fingers crossed the next delivery for the king is faster and fuck me cause my money is growing at trees.

 

[ZolaIII]

@Special Sauce well Sonata HD Pro is still a best option by all means. I still don't believe Meizu Pro crosstalk is so bad even good FM tuners go better than that.

 

[Jimbob54]

@ZolaIII What I understood is that I should've went with the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro, cause Hidizs list their Channel Seperation for the S8 with 78dB @32 Ohm, which is a lot better than the supposed 55dB from the Meizu Hifi (Pro), which I can confirm is audible to my ears... I have enough of that crosstalk.. Fingers crossed the next delivery for the king is faster and fuck me cause my money is growing at trees.

What earbuds are you using?

 

[Syniurge]

Crosstalk for -insert Ohm number- playback device should be zero... And the crosstalk I find problematic mainly stems from the dac not my headphones. 55dB or 0.2% is a lot.

Where did you get 0.2% from?

Shouldn't it be 1/10^5.5 i.e 0.0003% of leakage?

 

[Syniurge]

So actually you're right, it's 1/10^2.75 roughly equal to 0.2% and it's indeed audible with the Meizu Hifi Pro at very high volume with my IEMs. At my normal listening volume it's not audible at all.

 

[SamehSpiky]

meizu dac for only 31$ if anyone cares
https://detail.1688.com/offer/601868212209.html?spm=a2g0s.imconversation.0.0.19393e5ff8pNMv
and the sonata hd pro for 33$
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.6c192e8dpxUAmY&id=606258425485&_u=2208p2u1f04acb

 

[Jimbob54]

OK, going to be one of those folks. I have several of these and have used with multiple phones.

Just inherited an Honor 9 from the wife and it just does not work with the Meizu. It works with the Tempotec HD Pro, works with the E1DA G3. Gives "error starting playback"message in UAPP for the Meizu (even though UAPP detects it). For other apps (Qobuz etc), just simply does not recognise it. Plays through internal speaker.

Known issue? Anyone had similar?

EDIT- I think the issue is UAPP. If I uninstall it, Qobuz etc play via the Meizu no bother.

 

[Sinquito]

I bit the bullet and bought one from AliExpress for 54 USD including DHL shipping. Hopefully will be here next week. The Apple dongle works well on my Galaxy S20, but the output volume is extremely low. Hopefully the Meizu will work out of the box with the phone and Spotify.

 

[WoodyLuvr]

Any insight on and/or suggestions regarding the best way to use the HiFi Pro as a "line level" DAC to a head amp? Simply all relevant volumes set to 100% in foobar2k and WIN10?
Never mind. I just saw @staticV3 helpful posts in the original Meizu HiFi USB-C DAC thread.
I will experiment setting the volume <100% (down to 90%) in either foobar2K or WIN10 to see which provides the better results (if any)