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Meizu Mblu Lifeme Pro Portable DAC/Amp Review

Rate this DAC & HP Amp

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 5 3.4%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 34 22.8%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 88 59.1%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 22 14.8%

  • Total voters
    149
I think I did not relay my meaning well.
A stiff heatshrunk cable, has more of a leverage. If tugged, the extra lever effect, magnifies the effect to damage the port.
I make my own USB cables, and because of this, I make the USB-C plug (in my case), as tiny as possible, because even a tall plug, has plenty of lever effect.
Could you negate the mechanical advantage of the additional potentially damaging leverage by merely heat shrinking the area around the connections/wire and leave the center flexible? The connections would still be supported hopefully providing longevity.
 
Could you negate the mechanical advantage of the additional potentially damaging leverage by merely heat shrinking the area around the connections/wire and leave the center flexible? The connections would still be supported hopefully providing longevity.
Yes, use a thin glue-lined short tubes at ends and leave the centre section exposed.
 
Late to the party but... does the microphone work like on the Apple dongle ?

I'm looking for a replacement I can use to do phone calls...
Thanks :)
 
In the Review Index this is posted as ADC. Mistakenly, I suppose.
 
Late to the party but... does the microphone work like on the Apple dongle ?

I'm looking for a replacement I can use to do phone calls...
Thanks :)
I've not actually tested it but when using with my KSC75x, my phone detects the microphone connection from the dongle and shows as a headset icon rather than just headphones.

I notice a pretty high noise floor on this however, even when using with not particularly sensitive IEMs like some of the new planar sets for example.
 
Keep in mind we are discussing a $15 dongle, so if driving insensitive planars didn't impress, which device are you comparing to?
 
I wasn't comparing it to anything, simply stating my experience with it.
I thought you were doing both, due to how you described your experience, using the word "however" implying some kind on expectations that wasn't fulfilled, reinforced by your discussion about the sensitivity of IEMs not changing the perceived noise floor.
 
I thought you were doing both, due to how you described your experience, using the word "however" implying some kind on expectations that wasn't fulfilled, reinforced by your discussion about the sensitivity of IEMs not changing the perceived noise floor.
"However" was to imply the transition from a positive statement (mic support) to a negative one (noticeable noise floor). To be honest I am not sure the point of your comments about my post, I am not trying to start any arguments. As I said I am simply stating my experience with this dongle on a thread that is reviewing and discussing it.
 
"However" was to imply the transition from a positive statement (mic support) to a negative one (noticeable noise floor). To be honest I am not sure the point of your comments about my post, I am not trying to start any arguments. As I said I am simply stating my experience with this dongle on a thread that is reviewing and discussing it.
Your post history says you also own Fiio KA11. I'm just trying to form an idea based on the relative performance noise levels you observed between the two products. Only if you don't mind. BTW me mentioning the price was adding credibility to you hearing a noise floor, I hope you didn't take it as being dismissive.
 
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Your post history says you also own Fiio KA11. I'm just trying to form an idea based on the relative performance noise levels you observed between the two products. Only if you don't mind.
Happy to answer any questions. I do not notice any noise on the JA11 in comparison, with or without its PEQ enabled. Even with my CRNs which are very hiss sensitive I cannot hear anything.
 
I guess the added MAX97220 is audibly noisy. I only used standalone CX31993 products and don't hear a noise floor. At the same time I know some IEMs can reveal hiss and RF noise more than others. Most of what I drive is sensitive and relatively relaxed in treble output so ambient noise is the limiting factor for my ears.

Other options below $15 don't really look better. ALC5686 and KT0210 are worse. Apple dongle measures a lower noise floor but is output limited unless jumping through hoops. Might as well spend an other $10-15 for a CS43131 device for a substantial improvement. At the same time I think many would be happy using standalone CX31993 with mainstream DD and hybrid IEMs.

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I guess the added MAX97220 is audibly noisy.
Is this about the Fiio KA11? If yes, the output opamp is a SGM8262.

It looks like the MAX97220 is not as popular as it used to be. The KZ AM01 is a fairly new dongle that uses it, combined with a unspecified DAC.
 
I guess the added MAX97220 is audibly noisy. I only used standalone CX31993 products and don't hear a noise floor. At the same time I know some IEMs can reveal hiss and RF noise more than others. Most of what I drive is sensitive and relatively relaxed in treble output so ambient noise is the limiting factor for my ears.

Other options below $15 don't really look better. ALC5686 and KT0210 are worse. Apple dongle measures a lower noise floor but is output limited unless jumping through hoops. Might as well spend an other $10-15 for a CS43131 device for a substantial improvement. At the same time I think many would be happy using standalone CX31993 with mainstream DD and hybrid IEMs.

View attachment 378635
Just to clarify I don't think it's really an "issue", it's not audible once music is playing (for me, anyways). But if I pause then I can hear some faint hiss for a few seconds before idle mode engages. Also if I set the source volume to zero while audio is playing, it can be heard.

I have to say on the topic of alternatives that I am really enjoying the JA11. Even with a -3 to -6dB preamp (which took some time figuring out as apparently +12dB on the slider is actually 0dB) I have plenty of power for my ER2SE.
 
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Some more data for comparison. Two standalone CX31993 SINAD 83dB and 80dB. Apple dongle 91dB. This seems inconsistent! Maybe reason to suspect varied RF/EMI conditions between measuring setups?

EDIT: Looking closer it's different load and output voltage conditions. As far as SINAD best to worst on average: Apple > CX > CX+MAX. EU Android usage, and counterfeit availability must be considered for Apple.
 
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Late to the party but... does the microphone work like on the Apple dongle ?

I'm looking for a replacement I can use to do phone calls...
Thanks :)
I can confirm the microphone works along with the inline volume controls on my salnotes zero when using this dongle.
 
Tried it with my windows 10 laptop today and the noise is at least 10x worse for some reason. Almost unusable and worse than any onboard audio I've ever heard.

I wonder why it performs so much better off of a mobile device.
 
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