Tempotec Sonata HD Pro Review (headphone Adapter)

[ZolaIII]

UGreen is a good brand. Build quality wise they're good, and a bit on the expensive side even on Chinese sites.

As a side note, I've lost my Type-C to USB dongle adapter - does anyone know if this is just a plain adapter? I've always been curious as to why Type-C to PC wouldn't just work

UGreen is a rebrand of generic Chinese stuff (and they pick rather decent one to rebrand) most part. What made Sonata HD Pro stand out (or TempoTec in generally) other than good overlay performance are deacent drivers (for Windows and OSX) on which simplicity and a fact that they just work most of industry should be ashamed in comparison.

It neads to be OTG (cable) on the phone (USB C) side.

 

[DarrylG]

Does anyone have the SoundMagic A30? $40 at Amazon.

 

[thyristor]

My Tempotec Sonata HD Pro died after few months of use. It doesn't get detected at all anymore and I tried several different cables.

 

[staticV3]

Have you tried cleaning the USB port?
Works best with isopropyl alcohol, an interdental brush, and a camera blower.

 

[decayed.cell]

UGreen is a rebrand of generic Chinese stuff (and they pick rather decent one to rebrand) most part. What made Sonata HD Pro stand out (or TempoTec in generally) other than good overlay performance are deacent drivers (for Windows and OSX) on which simplicity and a fact that they just work most of industry should be ashamed in comparison.

It neads to be OTG (cable) on the phone (USB C) side.

And the Type-A to Type-C adapter? That's the thing I've lost, not the OTG cable (which also for whatever reason doesn't work on my PC's Type-C port, but perfectly fine on my phone)

 

[ZolaIII]

And the Type-A to Type-C adapter? That's the thing I've lost, not the OTG cable (which also for whatever reason doesn't work on my PC's Type-C port, but perfectly fine on my phone)

You use regular USB cable for charging and data sync (with appropriate ports on both sides of course) when you want to connect to PC. OTG is Android only and for the power delivery purpose. That what you lost isn't the problem as you can buy it almost everywhere and USB 2.0 one will be perfectly fine (so will 3.x as it's backwards compatible).

 

[decayed.cell]

You use regular USB cable for charging and data sync (with appropriate ports on both sides of course) when you want to connect to PC. OTG is Android only and for the power delivery purpose. That what you lost isn't the problem as you can buy it almost everywhere and USB 2.0 one will be perfectly fine (so will 3.x as it's backwards compatible).

Yeah I dunno for whatever reason its not working. I'm using a Type-A to microUSB cable into the Sonata HD and it doesn't work. Its only ever worked for me when using the Type-C OTG cable with the Type-C side plugged into the Type-A to Type-C adapter

 

[walter-]

Do you think someone with average listening skills and good headphones can hear considerable differences between the Tempotec and the Apple USB-C adapter?

 

[t$$]

Do you think someone with average listening skills and good headphones can hear considerable differences between the Tempotec and the Apple USB-C adapter?

In terms of sound quality it will be very hard to tell them apart. However, if you are an Android user with low-sensitivity headphones, you may find volume lacking on the Apple dongle. Buy it from a vendor that allows easy returns.

 

[Saidera]

Apple dongle is cheap. It's available everywhere. TT SHD Pro is not. Depending on the type of good headphones, you might find Apple dongle has its limitations. I've never heard the Apple dongle perform badly at high volumes, but it might.

 

[walter-]

In terms of sound quality it will be very hard to tell them apart. However, if you are an Android user with low-sensitivity headphones, you may find volume lacking on the Apple dongle. Buy it from a vendor that allows easy returns.

I want to use the DAC with a TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero IEM and Android.
Even though I'm not used to listen to very loud music that's probably too low sensitivity, especially with the EU A2155 (0.5 Vrms) Apple dongle version. Right?

 

[t$$]

While I have not tried it, I suspect the Apple Dongle won't have enough oomph for the Zeros.

I have the Sonata HD Pro and it sounds great with my Zeros.

 

[staticV3]

While I have not tried it, I suspect the Apple Dongle won't have enough oomph for the Zeros.

The Apple A2049 is enough to drive the Truthear Zero to 113dB SPL at 425Hz and 123dB in the bass (+6.5 from the woofer, +3.5 from the rising impedance).
That's dangerous levels of volume and should be more than enough oomph.

 

[walter-]

The Apple A2049 is enough to drive the Truthear Zero to 113dB SPL at 425Hz and 123dB in the bass (+6.5 from the woofer, +3.5 from the rising impedance).
That's dangerous levels of volume and should be more than enough oomph.

Thanks for your info.
Where I live it seems that only the A2155 (0.5 Vrms) is available. But I don't know what it means in terms of dB.

 

[staticV3]

Where I live it seems that only the A2155 (0.5 Vrms) is available. But I don't know what it means in terms of dB.

-6dB or half as loud as the A2049.
You can buy an A2049 on eBay from a US seller. I paid €22/$22 to get one here in Germany.

 

[rbrb]

My Tempotec Sonata HD Pro died after few months of use. It doesn't get detected at all anymore and I tried several different cables.

I had a cursed phone that sometimes "bricked" the sonata hd pro. In that state, the device was still visible in the windows device manager, but it stopped functioning as dac, there was absolutely no sound. I could always resurrect it with updating the firmware! If you still have it, give it a few tries, plug it into a desktop pc and try to reinstall the latest default firmware, or you could try the other available ones until it wakes up from coma. Since I stopped using that phone, I never had issues like that anymore

 

[walter-]

-6dB or half as loud as the A2049.
You can buy an A2049 on eBay from a US seller. I paid €22/$22 to get one here in Germany.

Here it is about 30€.
May be the Tempotec for 10€ more (or the 10€ A2155) is a better idea.

 

[rbrb]

I would be interested in how the Jcally JM10 and Tempotec HD III and V would measure.. The JM10 is the current affordable alternative to the HD Pro with same chip, and the HD III & V are the newer models in the same price bracket.

Btw.. has anyone ordered from Tempotec's website? They still seem to have HD Pro in stock! (android cable)

 

[SolarFox]

Do you think someone with average listening skills and good headphones can hear considerable differences between the Tempotec and the Apple USB-C adapter?

If you listening compressed music with average headphones like Apple one, there is no real reason to buy external dac.

 

[walter-]

If you listening compressed music with average headphones like Apple one, there is no real reason to buy external dac.

I mainly use the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero IEM and Tidal HiFi.