TempoTec Sonata BHD Pro Portable DAC & Amp Review

[JayGilb]

Great specs in an affordable package and small enough to comfortably smuggle into prison.

Thanks for another review Amir.

 

[cheapmessiah]

@amirm I hope I'm not mistaken but this seems to be the Sonata BHD Pro version.

I'm also wondering if this could power an amp since it is 2v/4v unbal/bal output.

 

[staticV3]

I'm also wondering if this could power an amp since it is 2v/4v unbal/bal output.

Every 3.5mm dongle can be plugged into an Amp via a 3.5mm to 2x RCA cable. No exceptions.

 

[JeremyFife]

Thanks for the review, looks great.
Hope you are feeling better soon @amirm

 

[FrantzM]

Amir, why do you review and recommend things? First it was the Dan Clark Stealth and I had to buy those; now it's this dongle, which I've just ordered. Are you trying to send me to the poorhouse? (Admittedly this dongle was a lot easier to buy than the Stealth 'phones. But still...)

+1

I will also purchase it. Will pay with my credit card. And , send the notarized invoice to @amirm. Will update the collective on his response.



Peace

 

[AdamG]

@amirm I hope I'm not mistaken but this seems to be the Sonata BHD Pro version.

I'm also wondering if this could power an amp since it is 2v/4v unbal/bal output.

I think you are correct. This does look to be the Pro model. FYI @amirm

Sonata BHD Pro

Sonata BHD Pro is a USB C dongle DAC& DAC: 2*CS43131 SNR: 131dB THD+N: 0.00012%(@32ohm 1kHz 0dB signal ) OUTPUT LEVEL: [email protected]/32Ω,[email protected]/32Ω OUTPUT POWER: [email protected]/32ohm Frequency: 0-40KHZ /+- 0.5dB RGB light: indicates working status PCM: up to 32Bit/384kHz DSD256(NATIVE) DSD...

www.tempotec.net

 

[Gadgety]

Great to see it tested. Tempotec also has the Sonata HD Pro at half the price, which uses one CS14131 vs two used in the BHD. It seems to get favorable reviews and has DAC performance that isn't far off the BHD in terms of the (rather sparse) specs Tempotec presents. Would be nice to see how that compares.

 

[staticV3]

Great to see it tested. Tempotec also has the Sonata HD Pro at half the price, which uses one CS14131 vs two used in the BHD. [...]
Would be nice to see how that compares.

Here's how the Sonata HD Pro compares:

https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/206709234
https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/measurement-of-tempotec-sonata-hd/
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...sonata-hd-pro-review-headphone-adapter.22625/

 

[Mulder]

What could be expected from this if considering battery drain when used with a smartphone?

 

[ZolaIII]

Here's how the Sonata HD Pro compares:

https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/206709234
https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/measurement-of-tempotec-sonata-hd/
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...sonata-hd-pro-review-headphone-adapter.22625/

Amir tested it long time ago and it did better than Wolf's sample while Amir's Hidizs S8 (all the same) did even better. We had discussions about it and Meizu dongles then... And it's about 30$ right now on Ally for Android (cable) version (as close to Meizus promise as it could be regarding price).

 

[AudioSceptic]

Thanks for the review @amirm
Isn't this the "PRO" version? I have the impression that the tempotec sonata BHD looks different and has a cable attached.
This pro version is also more expensive I believe (90$ tempotec shop)

Yes, looks like it, even though it doesn't seem to say so on the device itself. £69 at Amazon UK.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Looks like it would be perfect pairing with a phone and Truthear Crinacle Zero's (Blue or Red).

 

[Jimbob54]

Yes, looks like it, even though it doesn't seem to say so on the device itself. £69 at Amazon UK.

That's a good price but if its the same listing I've just looked at... It's an amazon us import with 1 to 2 month wait. Not sure how fees and taxes are handled I this scenario either,

 

[AudioSceptic]

Great specs in an affordable package and small enough to comfortably smuggle into prison.

Thanks for another review Amir.

Are you planning something nefarious? Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[AudioSceptic]

That's a good price but if its the same listing I've just looked at... It's an amazon us import with 1 to 2 month wait. Not sure how fees and taxes are handled I this scenario either,

I searched for 'TempoTec Sonata BHD' and it came back with <https://www.amazon.co.uk/TempoTec-H...ords=TempoTec+Sonata+BHD&s=electronics&sr=1-2>, which it says is 'TempoTec Sonata BHD Pro'. I'm confused: BHD or Pro?

 

[Bicep]

As someone quite new to all of this. What would be the benefit of using a smsl su1 compared to this in a desktop setup?

 

[Ron Texas]

Great performance out of a little dongle no less, Thank you @amirm

 

[Jimbob54]

I searched for 'TempoTec Sonata BHD' and it came back with <https://www.amazon.co.uk/TempoTec-H...ords=TempoTec+Sonata+BHD&s=electronics&sr=1-2>, which it says is 'TempoTec Sonata BHD Pro'. I'm confused: BHD or Pro?

That's defo the pro. The window plus 2 outputs. The old bhd (non pro) was a solid brick with vol buttons on the face and just a 2.5mm out

 

[Rotiv]

Tanchjim Space competitor

 

[CleanSound]

Price went up.

I wonder if they upped the price after this review was published.