TempoTec Sonata BHD Pro Portable DAC & Amp Review

[composer]

Better than the CHORD Dave, and costing kind of 13.930$ less

 

[Jimbob54]

I can confirm the promotion is going. The final price, with shipping and local VAT tax (19%) included (and with a small additional discount from AliExpress, I am a regular customer), was $68. I live in an EU member state from Eastern-Europe.

Yup- my total paypal bill (taxes and delivery) was just over £60 UK. Cant really argue with that and got shipping confirmation this morning

 

[RedCometZero]

Anyone know what kind of filter this uses? Doesn't seem to be selectable, and there's no information on the Tempotec site.

The Tanchjim Space had selectable filters (the 5 default ones for the Cirrus chip that this is also using, IIR fast, IIR slow, FIR fast, FIR slow, and NOS), but I don't see anything indicating that this does on their website or the AliExpress listing. Could someone confirm? Not gonna buy anything without an FIR fast filter.

 

[mtf612]

Sorry, I'm terrible at these sorts of things, but would this DAC/Amp output sufficient power for Audeze LCD 3? I've been searching for a semi-portable solution to complement my desktop setup.

 

[staticV3]

would this DAC/Amp output sufficient power for Audeze LCD 3?

The original LCD-3 or the newer Fazor version?

 

[mtf612]

The original LCD-3 or the newer Fazor version?

The fazor. I purchased new in 2019.

 

[staticV3]

The fazor. I purchased new in 2019.

At 110Ω and ~105dB/Vrms, the BHD Pro can easily drive the LCD-3 to extreme levels of volume. Honestly, even the Apple dongle would be sufficient.

 

[Jimbob54]

The Tanchjim Space had selectable filters (the 5 default ones for the Cirrus chip that this is also using, IIR fast, IIR slow, FIR fast, FIR slow, and NOS), but I don't see anything indicating that this does on their website or the AliExpress listing. Could someone confirm? Not gonna buy anything without an FIR fast filter.

Had any luck using the Tanchjim app to change them? Or another way? I can't get app settings to "stick". I choose an option then watch the app revert to the previous setting.

 

[ReaderZ]

Sure. A headphone amp is just like line out with lower impedance which is just more goodness. And yes, input is USB.

Hi amirm could you test impedance of this one?

 

[starfly]

Well, took the plunge on this. Always like these kinds of dongles, and with an iphone 15 on the way, I can just plug it right into that usb port

 

[Saidera]

In many ways, the TempoTec Sonata BHD Pro is an outstanding product that combines many of the best features of various dongles.

 

[hayabusaxps]

I have been working with this DAC for a month now, the signals pretty clean but, ive had alot of bugs with it, the possible power save mode, when you stop playing audio it blasts noise after a few seconds and the leds turn red for disconnected. you have to constantly play some music file on the PC muted or not. or it will act up. i also got the unit stuck at 1/4 volume i think also. max V balanced was like .4v on each balanced line so like stuck at .8v on the balanced 4.4mm out. and tempotec sorta left me. i do second the dac is great if only it worked as the spec sheet said most of the time.

 

[starfly]

I have been working with this DAC for a month now, the signals pretty clean but, ive had alot of bugs with it, the possible power save mode, when you stop playing audio it blasts noise after a few seconds and the leds turn red for disconnected. you have to constantly play some music file on the PC muted or not. or it will act up. i also got the unit stuck at 1/4 volume i think also. max V balanced was like .4v on each balanced line so like stuck at .8v on the balanced 4.4mm out. and tempotec sorta left me. i do second the dac is great if only it worked as the spec sheet said most of the time.

Have you tried contacting Tempotec to see what they have to say?

 

[hayabusaxps]

Have you tried contacting Tempotec to see what they have to say?

yes they kinda left me awol, after like a few emails where i indicated the re-flash process was failing at 15%

 

[hayabusaxps]

yes they kinda left me awol, after like a few emails where i indicated the re-flash process was failing at 15%

had to contact them via aliexpress to get them to even start responding too, then was emailing via gmail.

 

[caocaolatre199x]

The new king in terms of output power among the small dongle is Fiio KA13, the output power of the balanced port at 32ohm is 550mW. Please test it.

 

[raif71]

The new king in terms of output power among the small dongle is Fiio KA13, the output power of the balanced port at 32ohm is 550mW. Please test it.

Impressive to say the least but the balance between dongle output power and how efficient the power drainage from the host is important too. For example e1da 9038d connection to Shanling M0 could be around 2 hours after full charge which is not much. My used M0's battery is getting old. To me...an ideal usage would be 10 hours of usage after full charge with sufficient dongle output power. Of course longer hours is better.

 

[Jimbob54]

The new king in terms of output power among the small dongle is Fiio KA13, the output power of the balanced port at 32ohm is 550mW. Please test it.

Order one and drop ship it to Amir. Unless manufacturers offer samples , this site runs on items sent in for testing by members.

 

[ZolaIII]

Impressive to say the least but the balance between dongle output power and how efficient the power drainage from the host is important too. For example e1da 9038d connection to Shanling M0 could be around 2 hours after full charge which is not much. My used M0's battery is getting old. To me...an ideal usage would be 10 hours of usage after full charge with sufficient dongle output power. Of course longer hours is better.

Very little really portable DAPs there ever whose with deacent performance and price which really had so good battery life. Hiby R3 Pro first falling on my mind and mostly thanks to two CS43131 DAC's. But discontinued for some time. Irony is most OEM's and rebrands jumped back to ESS for MQA (which is gratefully dead).

 

[sushi2020]

I ordered one. However, I feel the Apple dongle is sufficient...