Most powerful ultra portable headphone dongle?

[Lbstyling]

Hello all,

I'm looking for a IEM dongle for running.

Currently using the apple one (android phone) with truthear hola IEMs.

Sound quality is great, but they don't go loud enough, and I have an even less efficient pair of IEMs on the way.

Best I've found for power online is the tempotec sonata HD2, (60mw at 32ohm)

Is there a better option out there?

 

[isostasy]

How small do you need it? Amir measured the Creative SXFI as outputting 121mW at 32ohm.

 

[staticV3]

Currently using the apple one (android phone) with truthear hola IEMs.

By default, the Apple dongle is limited to 25% volume on Android.
Here's how to remove that limit: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...luetooth-dac-headphone-amp.17386/post-1302123

 

[mmmdc]

The E1DA 9036DK is probably one of the most powerful "regular" dongles with 3.5mm and no battery.

E1DA 9038D6K ES9038Q2M DAC Chip 3.5mm Unbalanced Output High-Power Amplifier

Zero-Noise Audio Performance According to multiple headfiers requests: 3.5mm jack unbalanced output DAC+HPA 200mW@40ohm in the same case as #9038SG3 and # 9038D. Like the previous prototypes, 9038D6K will work with Tweak app as well. The DAC has virtually zero noise modulation behavior. Classic...

www.linsoul.com

180mW into 32 Ohm is a lot.

That said, if you just want to drive slightly more demanding IEMs something like the FiiO KA1 and similar should already be plenty.

And in the other direction, the FiiO Q11 is more bulky with a battery but also even more power while still being relatively cheap.

 

[Lbstyling]

By default, the Apple dongle is limited to 25% volume on Android.
Here's how to remove that limit: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...luetooth-dac-headphone-amp.17386/post-1302123

UAPP is very glitchy for me.

Constant clipping noise approx 10 times a second

 

[Lbstyling]

The E1DA 9036DK is probably one of the most powerful "regular" dongles with 3.5mm and no battery.

E1DA 9038D6K ES9038Q2M DAC Chip 3.5mm Unbalanced Output High-Power Amplifier

Zero-Noise Audio Performance According to multiple headfiers requests: 3.5mm jack unbalanced output DAC+HPA 200mW@40ohm in the same case as #9038SG3 and # 9038D. Like the previous prototypes, 9038D6K will work with Tweak app as well. The DAC has virtually zero noise modulation behavior. Classic...

www.linsoul.com

180mW into 32 Ohm is a lot.

That said, if you just want to drive slightly more demanding IEMs something like the FiiO KA1 and similar should already be plenty.

And in the other direction, the FiiO Q11 is more bulky with a battery but also even more power while still being relatively cheap.

I would like a form factor that you don't have to hold (like the apple)

 

[Doodski]

I'm a new user of the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro and they have very good noise elimination and the top[ end is very top'endy as in 15-16kHz is my limit and I hear that.

 

[staticV3]

Not sure it works with YouTube and Amazon music

No, but it doesn't have to.
You can launch UAPP, set the Apple dongle's Hardware volume to 100% (that removes the limit), then quit UAPP and listen to whatever App you want.

and the vol control slider shown in the guide doesn't exist when I go there anyway.

You have to give UAPP access to the dongle, then the slider should show up.

 

[Lbstyling]

No, but it doesn't have to.
You can launch UAPP, set the Apple dongle's Hardware volume to 100% (that removes the limit), then quit UAPP and listen to whatever App you want.

You have to give UAPP access to the dongle, then the slider should show up.

Constant clipping noise approx 10 times a second.
Slows track down further if I use wavelet.

Louder though!

 

[staticV3]

Constant clipping noise approx 10 times a second.
Slows track down further if I use wavelet.

Louder though!

Huh, can't say I've experienced that before.

Changing gears somewhat, I have lots of different dongles in the Apple form factor and could measure each one's max output for you.
For this, it'd be nice to know what impedance your IEMs have.

I know the Hola has 28Ω, but what about the even less efficient pair that you mentioned before? Just the model name would be enough, then I can look up the impedance.

 

[Lbstyling]

Huh, can't say I've experienced that before.

Changing gears somewhat, I have lots of different dongles in the Apple form factor and could measure each one's max output for you.
For this, it'd be nice to know what impedance your IEMs have.

I know the Hola has 28Ω, but what about the even less efficient pair that you mentioned before? Just the model name would be enough, then I can look up the impedance.

Hi,

New IEMs are the truthear zero RED

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

At slightly more than the Apple dongle, well $20, the Tempotec Sonata HD2 is pretty good. That's my subjective opinion. I haven't seen any measurements. For casual listening it's fine to my ears. The power output they claim seems accurate based on the perceived volume level of other DACs into the same line level input.

 

[Lunafag]

I'm using a es9280c DAC+cable combo from aliexpress. As portable as it gets and outputs fair 2V. Gets warm in use though.

 

[mc.god]

The Tanchjim Space has very good measures and a small form factor, but you'll have to use a balanced aftermarket cable to achieve about 150 mw @32ohm (about half with the unbalanced output) and an adapter to trick it to go in high gain mode with low impedance iem.

 

[Westsounds]

Is there any advancements on this since the OP.

Cayin ru7 400mw per channel on balanced. Anything beat that? especially for the size.

Portable Amplifier_RU7_Personal Audio_Cayin

 

[mc.god]

Is there any advancements on this since the OP.

Cayin ru7 400mw per channel on balanced. Anything beat that? especially for the size.

Portable Amplifier_RU7_Personal Audio_Cayin

At first thought:

Fiio KA17

Fiio KA15 and most likely all other balanced dongles using SGM8262 op-amps.

 

[Ropeburn]

At first thought:

Fiio KA17

Fiio KA15 and most likely all other balanced dongles using SGM8262 op-amps.

Indeed, like the KA13, which is basically a cheaper KA15 for about 80 moneys or less.

Generally, volume comes from output voltage and headphone sensitivity first, and power delivery only second, and is more important on low impedance devices. The usual 2V all proper dongles can do are plenty already, if not to say fucking loud. Even if we assume somewhat inflated specs for marketing, 2x160mW single ended is plenty except for the most unusually demanding headphones.

 

[Westsounds]

At first thought:

Fiio KA17

Fiio KA15 and most likely all other balanced dongles using SGM8262 op-amps.

Ka17 is 650mw x 2. That's pretty impressive for such a small device. Could be a winner that.

 

[Phorize]

Indeed, like the KA13, which is basically a cheaper KA15 for about 80 moneys or less.

Generally, volume comes from output voltage and headphone sensitivity first, and power delivery only second, and is more important on low impedance devices. The usual 2V all proper dongles can do are plenty already, if not to say fucking loud. Even if we assume somewhat inflated specs for marketing, 2x160mW single ended is plenty except for the most unusually demanding headphones.

'Not very loud' for many people is likely to be making them deaf. We tolerate loudness from iems that we never would from speakers in a room due to what I'd guess is a range of psycho-acoustic and social reasons . I use a qudelix which shows an estimate of the spl if you add the iem sensitivity measurements. I also just check by imagining what I'd think of what I'm hearing if it were in the room. That normally makes me turn things down.

 

[Westsounds]

More power is usually better dynamic range generally. And iems are not quite the same as big overear headphones. I get the point about tolerating higher volumes with them, and tiny drivers right next to your ear drum can as you say do as much damage as speakers in a room loud, not the same pressure levels of course but still enough for a tiny ear drum to have trouble. Even over ears have much bigger drivers than iem and can seem more painful when loud. The size of the driver plays its part.