#donglemadness

Successors to TP20 and TP30, both are simply outstanding performers in their own rights.
Sections:
00:00 Intro
00:21 Price
00:43 TP20 Pro Close Up
02:31 TP50 Close Up
03:38 TP50 Features
05:39 TP50 Filters and Usage
08:07 Sound & Performance
13:57 Rated & Compared
17:20 Timbre Signature
Where to buy: (Non-Affiliated)
EPZ Official Store:
www.aliexpress.com/item/10050...
Stars Picker Malaysia:
starspickeraudio.net/products...
Shot On:
- Sony Alpha A6700 (Native 4K50P XAVC HS 4.2.2)
- Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM (36mm APSC)
- Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G (Stills)
- Sony Xperia 1 MK4 (Close-Up)
- RØDE Wireless Pro
- Monitoring Headphone: Sony MDR7506
#donglemadness Dongle Ranking List:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
My Tidal Version Playlist:
tidal.com/browse/playlist/ba3...
My Gaming Channel:
/ @feveredpitchdelirium
My Twitch Channel:
/ fpdelirium

[@D1N02]

You will probably need to recalibrate again soon with all those 10 point scores. Keep 'm coming. Are you planning to to the Moonriver 2Ti? Have you ever considered using a powerbank with OTG pass-through with your phone? Maybe it can improve power delivery to the dongle and certainly battery life. But it could also introduce unwanted problems.

[@donglemadness]

Yes I might recalibrate again sometime soon when newer dongles keep on coming with excellent performances. But I am mindful not to be stingy with rating objectively otherwise nothing will ever reach peak rating they deserve like some other rating system where you will never see anything getting the praise they deserved

[@bencherian]

Infact choosing dongle is Madness these days 😅 Going for EPZ TP50..... after going through Cayin RU7, Aful SnowyNight, Aune Yuki. Left jcally AP 90 for good

[@luminousa5090]

i have sold my ibasso 04pro and 06pro after the tp50 came haha xD, it sounds perfect on my KZ PR2, thanks again andy, great reviews, i love this so much

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure!

[@illurito]

Sheeeesh, good review like all you reviews 👍

[@donglemadness]

Thanks!

[@jaroslavhavlicek7002]

A comprehensive and detailed review, Andy's standard! It's great that Andy does a fine recalibration of few previously tested products. On the other hand, it's admirable how he handles it. It must be very time consuming, demanding to concentrate and then evaluate, analytical work. Kudos, Andy!!!

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. An yes, it is never easy to compare and grade audio gears especially when so many of them are already great sounding with great performances, the small differences sets them apart and finding the X factor will determine the final assessment

[@nailedit05]

Thanks for this review Andy 🙂

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure!

[@ruslanmulyk8601]

Thanks for comparing with RU7. I am considering TP50 as a second dac. Excellent reviews. Best regards and deep respect as always 😊

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure

[@TheRaviiii]

King of Dongle and Iem comparison, U R THE BEST ANDY.

[@donglemadness]

🤘🏼😁 Thanks!

[@SAyar-so9ur]

My TP50 arrived and it's my favorite DAC so far! Thank you for good suggestions Andy! By the way mine came with firmware 1.30 while yours seems 1.20

[@donglemadness]

Thanks for the heads up. I will need to check if I can get the FW on the web

[@dustind9242]

Great review. I think I'm going to get this for a big international flight I have coming up. I'll be using it to drive my newest iem (pula pa02).

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. You have a good trip there!

[@benmacdhui]

Another stellar review Andy👍🏻 Quick question bro. Was the Timbre rating for the TP50 corresponding while using the Slow LL filter?

[@donglemadness]

Yes, it was with Slow PC actually, when used with Sennheiser HD600 & HiFiMan Sundara, but it is very similar to Slow LL, I just like Slow PC more

[@zDennii]

Great Review as always :D its a pleasure to listen to this wise man words :) I just lvl up from Shanling UA3 to the VE Prime Dac as standalone without the AMP section. I would be interested if some of the new Dongles are better or would it always be a Sidegrade? Im thinking about to get one of your Analog recommends :D

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. It's kind of you. From Prime DAC it is mostly sidegrades. And you already have something which I regard belonging to the analog sound group, so no worries there. Perhaps later you may want to try Q15 which offers denser sound notes

[@13monster45]

Thanks Andy, i've been waiting for your tp50 review. and does epz support Firmware update? i looked up but i couldn't found it

[@donglemadness]

I think when there's a need for updates, it will be released and EPZ should announce it. For now none because it is still new and I don't see any issues need fixing

[@MarsChan07]

Thanks for the review, very informative.

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure!

[@boyseverino528]

Hi andy... bcoz of your recommendation i finally bought the hiby fc6.. a few weeks ago i bought the fc 4 but then im looking for something more. So thanks for the recommendation youre right. Theres nothing like it.😊😊

[@donglemadness]

Enjoy it. And thanks so much 😀

[@calvinlooi4500]

Thanks for the review Andy! If I have the Moondrop Dawn Pro, would you say the TP50 is a significant upgrade? Mainly using as a desktop dac

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure. From DAWN Pro onwards, realistically I will say "significant upgrade" is not the right word. DAWN Pro being already great as it is, you are looking at refinement rather than jump in sound quality and performances for dongles I rated minimum 87 with the score and above. Having said that, yes TP50 is a better dongle overall compared to DAWN Pro

[@roycyt9788]

Hi again Andy. Came from your KA17 review, and seeing this review, I'm kinda on the fence on whether to get KA17 or this TP50. You answered other question that they're both great and can't go wrong. Could you elaborate what would be the differences between the two? And which product will suit which kind of listener? Btw, I'll pair it with iems only, mostly ie600. Thanks a lot beforehand, and keep up the superbly detailed reviews. Cheers.

[@donglemadness]

Check my latest video and go for ONIX Alpha, a dongle that bridges the differences between KA17 and TP50. TP50 sounds more natural and analog, transparent & uncolored, KA17 on the other hand offers enhanced sound and highly technical. Thanks again for the support!

[@user-fv7mx3rl6r]

Приветствую Вас из России! Очень познавательные обзоры, спасибо и удачи!

[@donglemadness]

Thank you 🙏

[@dominickserrant1415]

Love your reviews. What do you recommend for bass listening?

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. Assuming that you want a bit of enhanced dynamics and energy for more tactile Bass, then I would say you should try something like iBasso DC03Pro or DC06Pro, AKLIAM PD4 does that too, you are looking for some flavoring of lower frequency with sound density. TP50 and TP20 Pro are tuned for transparency so you will find that they don't color the sound in any frequency range

[@mordecuckoo9415]

Very detailed reveiw as always Andy. Can you recommend any "Warm" sources or specifically dongle dacs that are cheap for beginners? Preferably something below $20. I currently have the CX-PRO CX31993, they're really good but I find that they don't pair well with bright IEMs.

[@donglemadness]

Thnak You!. Below $20, I think you may want to try VE Avani or JCally JM04Pro

[@mordecuckoo9415]

​​@@donglemadness Thank you so much! Bless you and your reviews. I think you're the only audiophile reviewer to have tried the most DACs and Dongles in every price range. Also is your website down? I can't open your other dac reviews on your site.

[@faridaswadi46]

Hi Andy loving your video just curious want to ask is this DAC can use with IEM with mic to take phone call or playing mobile game.

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. Unfortunately like many other big sized dongles, this one does not have MIC support

[@mikediezel0923]

I just got the colorfly cda m1p after returning the dawn pro

[@dantesssneronov3949]

Thank you Andy, very nice reviews and comparisons! I have one question: could you tell that tp50 is really slightly better than Shanling UA4 or it's just a matter of preferences?

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. I do objectively feel that TP50 is slightly better tuned overall with sound presentation. But of course, both are pretty much on par with many things, both being top dogs of #donglemadness, just that I like the more natural/analog sound of TP50 subjectively

[@dantesssneronov3949]

@@donglemadness nice, and thank you again! I really appreciate all the effort you put in these vids. Picked tp50 for me, already eager to test this out. Have a nice day!

[@shawnpwatsons1]

I'd sure love to see how the NEW iFi Audio Kensei GoBar ($449) stacks up to that huge list. Please get your hands on one and review and contrast.

[@donglemadness]

That is my wish too. Thanks

[@ioannthegreat]

Hello, I need your help. I recently purchased this DAC. I listened to it through Roon on my computer and through Eddict Player on my smartphone and noticed a strange feature. When listening to 16 or 24 bit files through it, the display always shows 32 bits, although it displays the correct sample rate. Even playing MP3 through it, it still shows 32 bits on the display. In your photo at 09:23, I noticed that your DAC also displayed 32 bit/48 kHz. What to do ? Should I return the DAC back or wait for the latest firmware (it’s just not clear where to download it from, if EPZ doesn’t even have its own website or companion application for smartphones)? And does this affect the sound quality?

[@donglemadness]

No it is not an issue. It is more like your Eddict Player and Roon not able to show accurate info. I have tested this with HIBY Music App on my phone with USB Exclusive mode and the Output information shows correctly both sides, but if I try on my PC with Windows Media or Tidal app, they tend to mismatch. The key thing is, what's shown on the TP50 is the correct one and I do not hear loss of resolution when it shows different numbers when used with Tidal/Media Player. I don't use both Eddict or Roon so I have no idea how the process the info

[@slotheace]

Amazing review, Andy. Good stuff. Makes me wonder though, how does the TP50 compare to the Aune Yuki? I have the Yuki and love the sound, but for some reason there’s some noise and weird electric sounding artifacts from time to time. Not sure if it’s worth moving to the TP50 instead. Do they sound similar?

[@donglemadness]

Thanks!. As you can see in the rating table, Yuki and TP50 are both practically matched one to one on many areas. However Yuki offers practically the simplest features and also offer better power drain efficiency vs TP50. TP50 on the other hand, as noted in this review, has that X factor of being the most effective with Filters which can really provide different listening experience for different type of IEMs/Headphones. Sound wise, they are both equally amazing

[@slotheace]

@@donglemadness thank you 😊

[@razz_v95]

Hii Andy, another banger from you.. great informative video.. I own DC03 pro. I bought it based on your review few months back nd I must admit I loved it absolutely.. can't think of my days now without using it.. I am planning to upgrade to balanced output also. Previously I i had DC04 pro in my mind but tp50 is less expensive. So can't decide among two.. Will tp50 be a worth upgrade over my DC03 pro?? Also what would you suggest between tp50 nd dc04 pro if i have to use balanced output?? Thanks in advance Andy, have a great day..

[@donglemadness]

TP50 is an upgrade over both DC03Pro and DC04Pro. While DC03Pro is a bit more colored and dynamically enhanced (in a very good way), DC04Pro is flat neutral like TP50, more transparent and more analog sounding too

[@razz_v95]

@@donglemadness thank you andy that was helpful.. and for tp50 you mentioned dynamic presentation as reference grade and treble, mids, bass as linear neutral.. could you please tell me what does it actually mean..

[@konghn07]

I'm a new joiner. Thank you very much for your review. Get to know a lot of information from your channel. I'm a new owner of Volare together with TP50. I played Azul (rerecorded) by Jesse Cook, there's crackling or distortion sound when the volume pushed up to abt 80% in Low level setting. It has happened to 2 songs so far. In your experience, how to solve it

[@donglemadness]

Don't run in Low gain, even if Volare being super low impedance. Run High Gain on the TP50 and then enable depop option on the TP50. Pushing 80% to drive the crazily efficient/sensitive Volare is not a good thing, you are inviting all sort of distortion

[@konghn07]

Depop is already on & will run it on high to test again. Both me & my brother Chris appreciate your review that helped us make certain decisions. Thank you for the speedy response and not to boast but you're one reviewer to do so.

[@rial2997]

Audio king Andy ❤

[@donglemadness]

🙌

[@XeonX__ASMR__METAL-experiments]

The only one who has true LOGIC-wise comparison list.

[@vetreportsaei4605]

Great review. 1. So a little better than DC04 Pro ? 2. I am going to buy either this or Yuki to replace or live along with my DC04 Pro. which do you think would be less fatiguing with upper mid and treble rich music Yuki or TP50 ? Which one is more different than DC04 Pro (to have bigger range if I keep DC04 Pro ? As soon as I buy TP50 the TP50 Pro will come out 😆

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. Always remember the rule of diminishing returns, especially if you have something like DC04Pro in your possession. Improvements or differences are marginal at best at this level, people pay lots of money between devices to achieve small increment of differences (not necessarily better). TP50 is just 1 point Richer sounding and 1 point more analog (timbre) than DC04Pro, as indicated in my rating table. None of them are fatiguing with upper Mids all the way to Treble, at least not to my senses and with the equipment I use, but I can imagine if you use Beyerdynamic DT990 or HiFiMan HE400SE, all of them would still be fatiguing unless you use something like iFi GO Link or EPZ TP30 or Shanling UA2 Plus

[@williamsmothers8830]

Last year, I dipped my toe into the dongle/iem world with a used hipdac and es535. Shortly after, I purchased a Qudelix 5k, which works great for me. Wanting to know more, I found your channel, thank you very much! Your informative, thoughtful and in depth reviews are most welcome. Regarding this TP50, it is the same price as my 5K, so I will probably pick one up soon. I do see them listed for about half price on ali express. I am not an ali express shopper. Do you have any experience with sourcing dongles from them?

[@donglemadness]

AliExpress shop are quite reputable. I have personally been a customer since 2020. For EPZ you can buy it directly from EPZ AliExpress official store. But the others are good as well

[@rom5802]

Thanks! )))

[@donglemadness]

Welcome!

[@arthurmonay3156]

Thanks!

[@donglemadness]

Thank you for your support!!! ❤️🙏

[@FATfreq]

have you ever used topping DX1? if yes then which one(TOPPING DX1 VS EPZ TP50) sounds better to you .... yes yess I know I am talking about a desktop dac vs a dongle but in my case money matters the most after sonic performance, so generally how dose it compairs against any dac around this price no matter its desktop dac or dongle dac, I am just finding some thing best value for money i can get around this price bracket. please ANDY help me out i am confused.

[@donglemadness]

No, I have been avoiding Topping products since my last ownership of Topping D50 and A50s wasn't something I enjoy, highly digital and sterile sound that focus too much on technicalities and measurement, but devoid of organic timbre and soul. I might be wrong with other Topping series, but they are last in my wish list. I can only speak for what I have tested personally and if you need bargain for money desktop DAC/Amp, JDS Labs Atom2 + DAC 2 is what I wholeheartedly recommend

[@arthurmonay3156]

Would there be an upgrade in sound on my LG V60 with the TP50 ? Thanks Andy for all the excellent reviews. You are someone I trust.

[@donglemadness]

To me yes, as an owner and user of V35 and V50, EPZ TP50 is better tuned with proper balance of natural analog sound while keeping technical excellence. LG Quad DAC from V30 to V60 are largely too heavily focused on technicalities and can sound outright digital and metallic especially with the upper frequencies and overly energetic dynamic transients

[@arthurmonay3156]

​@@donglemadnessThank you for the super quick response and the valuable info.

[@estinoazell1016]

Thanks for the review!! RACUN MAX!!!!

[@donglemadness]

Haha. Racunnnn

[@morpheus028]

Hi, Andy! Just want to ask what are your current rankings? Sorry that I'm not updated and I can't seem to find the list. I'm asking since I'm planning to choose for something that would match with the HD 650. I am considering the KA17 when I watched your review but maybe I can get something with less budget.

[@donglemadness]

The ranking list is in the description section of all of my videos. Here's the direct link: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eKvWteIUUp61kpZcjRSxVI6NtllHzVos/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108365004572601540760&rtpof=true&sd=true For HD650, there's tons of options from the 4.5 Stars and above contenders. Just pick any one of them

[@morpheus028]

@@donglemadness thank you very much for your immediate response and contribution to this community!

[@kelesays]

Hi Andy. thanks for a good review. I have a moondrop dawn pro dongle and it works great with my smartphone and IEM, but when connected to PC (Win10) it always has a sound delay when scrolling forward youtube video. Don't know why. So I want to buy a budget dongle for my PC. EPZ tp20/30 or Alkiam PD4 looks good to me. Do you think I can avoid that problem with these? Thanks

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. It may be an issue with the PC interface and if I am in your place, I would get something super cheap like Venture Electronics ODO at just $5 to see if I will still get that issue with delays. Otherwise you would spend $50 on other dongles only to find out you still have the issue

[@scorpioassmodeusgtx1811]

I wish I had waited for this instead of buying the Shanling UA4. The UA4’s ESS chips cause an audible noise floor when using the balanced out. :(

[@hokagoteatimereviews]

Great video as usual Andy! Looks like the tp50 another great dongle DAC for the price. As a consumer we are just spoilt for choice 🙂 which is good. If possible would love to check it for myself how well the filters work in tp50

[@donglemadness]

Totally agree. More choices, better for consumers

[@treblewellxtended]

Andy, which DAC would you recommend for pure analytical capabilities. Balanced 4.4 would be cherry top.

[@donglemadness]

Any dongle you see me listed as 10 with Technicalities, they are all perfect 10 because they are exceedingly technical

[@treblewellxtended]

@@donglemadness thank you, I will utilise your rankings. I'm planning to use different DACs to give flavours of IEM in reviews.

[@freshbakd]

any way to see your iem ranking list? i check the dongle list. may buy an fc6 for the r2r sound to try sometime myself.

[@donglemadness]

I don't keep an active IEM Ranking list, for now I have year end tier which you can find in my two other videos, the closing for 2022 and 2023. Thanks

[@superuser8159]

For someone who already has the DC04 Pro would this make any sense? Thanks as always for the review.

[@donglemadness]

Let's take a moment to appreciate that the DC04Pro is already a top performer for #donglemadness. On the subject of if it makes sense to get TP50, I will say yes - but the expectations need to be moderated, because at this level, anything I rated 87 and above are pretty much separated by small differences, nuances. TP50 offers denser and richer sound texture which makes it more appealing to me over DC04Pro, but realistically these differences are subtle for the most part. What I really like about TP50 is the filter which seems to be quite effective than any other dongles I have tested and that is the X factor for me

[@superuser8159]

@@donglemadness Thank you for the detailed reply. The filters are precisely what caught my attention.

[@erickjauwerissa401]

Hello Mr Andy,i watch your video about several new dongle DAC in 2024 already and many are intriguing for me, and it was really helpul that you make the excel of detail specification if have , but just want to ask if the dongle like Aune Yuki /EPZ TP50 support inline mic? right now my daily driver are iem + cable with boom mic combo and kinda interested in if there is DAC that support that? thank you beforehand

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. Unfortunately the majority of big dongles don't support MIC, like 99% of them don't have MIC support. However, Questyle M12i does have MIC support advertised, so does FiiO BTR15, you may want to consider them

[@erickjauwerissa401]

@@donglemadness Kinda unfortunate since the option do less . Thank you for reccomendation, for now i think i will sit and wait for the next DAC that have analog sound and have inline mic.

[@2musiclover534]

Did you compare to the Questyle 15i? Thanks. Liked.

[@donglemadness]

Unfortunately I don't have 15i yet

[@Kosmoloog]

TP50 + MP145 + SLOW PC + BLACK METAL = PERFECTION

[@donglemadness]

You unerstand my language, 🤘

[@nmatheis]

trve kvlt 🤘🤘🤘🤘☝️

[@amonamonny1830]

Hi Andy I can’t decide which dac/amp to get for gaming i mainly play fps and use iems. Could you suggest me which one I should get?

[@donglemadness]

I think for your usage especially you focus on FPS Gaming, you will find EPZ TP20 Pro quite suitable. But really anything I rated overall 9-10 with Technicalities will be all suitable

[@amonamonny1830]

@@donglemadness thanks for your replied I’ll get one soon!

[@Daniel19766]

For a very efficient full size open back HP with dynamic driver and my preference for very warm tuning with as little brightness as possible, what do you recommend? I’m really sensitive to piercing horns, harsh violins and shouty vocals. Thanks in advance!!!

[@donglemadness]

I would recommend something like EPZ TP30 or Hidizs S9 Pro Plus or iFi GO Link, those are super smooth sounding dongles that many regard as outright warm (which is natural organic to me). And of course Colorfly CDA-M1P or Questyle M12i, not exactly "warm" but velvety smooth and rich

[@daniell80781]

​@@donglemadness So helpful!!! Forgot to mention my preferred high-end cable is 4.4mm, which seems to eliminate iFi Go Link and Questyle M12i. I am testing M15i at the moment (first dongle I tested) and hate not having volume control. Feels more expensive and powerful than I need, and sound wise have noticed moments of harshness. I'll look further into your EPZ, Hidizs and Colorfly recommendations. The filters on TP50 are intriguing to me, too. How would you compare the TP50 sound with warmest filters to that of TP30?

[@dibyajb]

Hey man, I am really in a dilemma. I have a budget of $130 for a new DAC. Previously, I have been using the iFi Hipdac 2 but lost it when I moved to a new house. Now, I really haven’t been in touch of the recently released DACs since I bought the Hipdac 2 aboout 1.5y ago, so I am not really sure what to get. I liked the Shanling UA4 from your review but I was wondering if there is anything better in $130 region.

[@donglemadness]

Anything better in the $130 region? you are looking at it, EPZ TP50

[@dibyajb]

@@donglemadness My bad. I actually meant to write 150 but the price of this one was kinda stuck in my brain and I wrote 130 instead lol. Thanks though man. Really like your reviews. Keep up the good work! Love from Bangladesh.

[@FATfreq]

Andy is FiiO - BTR15 comparable with this EPZ TP50? which one sounds better to you among FiiO - BTR15 & EPZ TP50?

[@donglemadness]

They are equally matched. That's why I love both equally. Perhaps I would say TP50 just slightly a hair more dense with note weight and BTR15 a hair more airy

[@amirzafrii]

Andy, can you suggest some good portable DAC/Amps?

[@donglemadness]

Portable DAC/Amp? well you are looking at one of them here, TP20 Pro and TP50, depending on your budget, both amazing. Tons of choices really, if you check my Videos on #donglemadness, you just need to determine how much you want to spend and what sort of sound you prefer

[@amirzafrii]

Ouhh thanks! 🙏 Im currently looking an upgrade from Qudelix 5k. So wireless is an important feature that Im looking for.

[@Nordi1_0745]

So Andy, does really the filters make so much difference? Also compared to M1P ,M12i or DacportHD will there be difference in Analog/Organic performance for TP50? Because as I see the above dacs have number 2 in organic sound and TP50 is in number 3. The number 3 to to list is with the Slow filter enabled or by default? Thank you!

[@donglemadness]

Yes it does, as mentioned in this video, TP50 offers the most audible differences with filters compared to any other dongles I have tried so far, matching the right filter to the attached partner can produce different listening experience, especially with PRAT (Pace, Rythm, Attack, Tempo) which in turn also affects timbre and decays. TP50 with "Slow PC" sounds very similar to DACport HD. Default filters are usually "Fast" type

[@Nordi1_0745]

@@donglemadness Thank you Andy for the response. One last question. Do you think that does it worth the price difference so as to choose the TP50 instead of Colorfly M1P? I mostly use my over ear HD600 and AKG K701. Thank you for all

[@Nordi1_0745]

Hello Andy, Do you face issues with Tidal for Android? As even if when I connect my dac and get a pop up from Tidal that recognize my TP50, when I play songs the bit rate of the TP50 does not change. I use the latest version of Tidal and I think the version out of the box for TP50. Thanks a lot

[@donglemadness]

It Tidal app issue. The resolution shows correctly when attached to HIBY Music App USB Exclusive mode

[@Nordi1_0745]

@@donglemadness Thank you Andy that was my thought too

[@Nordi1_0745]

Would you choose M12i or TP50 Andy as your everyday dongle having K701 AND hd600 cans? Which you enjoy most? Will I miss any of the magic of Analog sound compared to the other dongles that are seems to be more analog? If I remember correct TP50 is your choice dongle to a price range of max 150$ right? Thanks a lot!

[@donglemadness]

Hard choice as I love both equally. But in reality I find myself grabbing the TP50 more because of the 100 steps volume adjustment and effective sound filters, plus I have all of my cables practically running 4.4mm BAL (I need them in 4.4mm because I need to test so many DACs that are on 4.4mm), with M12i I have to use a reducer from 4.4 to 3.5. So for practical reasons I pick TP50 more, but sound wise I love both equally

[@Nordi1_0745]

@@donglemadness Hello Andy preddered filter for HD600 and K701 and Tan Zero? Thanks

[@lior3385]

hey i also have the SHIO - you think TP50 will upgrade? I have gtado 325x

[@donglemadness]

If you ask me, yes I do see TP50 is superior than SHIO, but to be realistic, SHIO is already a great dongle on its own, so there will be improvements, but the rule of diminishing returns apply here especially when comparing differences between already top performing dongles

[@PeddiDevender]

Please do Moondro dawn pro comparison

[@donglemadness]

DAWN Pro and TP50 offers similar linear neutral sound, with TP50 being more analog sounding than DAWN Pro. TP50 is also a bit better with technicalities. Both pretty much similarly wide sounding, with TP50 offering improved density to sound richness

[@Substell]

Sorry, I'm new to this kind of thing. Does the T20 pro work with microphones?

[@donglemadness]

Unfortunately no. 99% of dongles of this form factor does not support inline MIC. But you can check the likes of Questyle M12i or Hidizs SD2 which support MIC

[@VanDungLe2510]

Hi mr Andy. I saw the rating score for the TP50 and KA17. But what would you say how is the differences between those 2?

[@donglemadness]

TP50 is more transparent uncolored compared to KA17, TP50 is also denser and slightly richer with sound texture. KA17 is highly focused on excellent dynamic energy and articulation, a bit more technical with imaging, crisper, but not by much, just a hair better than TP50 - both of them already top performers in this regard. So if you like technicalities, KA17 would probably suit you better. To me, I personally prefer the more natural and neutral sound of TP50 without any hint of dynamic enhancement (transparent), rich analog timbre

[@VanDungLe2510]

@@donglemadness Woah, thank you so much sir 👍

[@shekhasif2493]

we need a video for lighting to usb c dongle cable which one we should buy for a dongle because lots of DAC doesn't provide a lighting cable instead of type c cable so what are the options of cables available in the market for DAC listener which gave maximum output from any dongle DAC and which one we should buy need your suggestion and make it also budget friendly i live in INDIA alibaba and aliexpress is banned in here

[@donglemadness]

That would only be possible if I have an iPhone to test, but I have stopped using iPhones since 2021 because they are just not suited for external DAC usage, the MFI standards enforce too much restrictions for external DAC to perform properly, it was totally unusable with many high powered dongles, so I switched full time to Android USB C which is capable to provide even 900 mA of sheer power similar to PC driving the dongles

[@Nordi1_0745]

Hello Andy! I have a question. Is TPZ TP50 capable so as to drive my K701 (Impedance: 62 Ohm, Sensitivity: 105, Maximum input power 200mW). K701 has only 6.3 mm and 3.5mm adapter. Does it need TP50 to be connected to an external amplifier? Best Regards, Theodor

[@donglemadness]

K701 is hardwired to SE and you can only use 3.5mm or 6.3mm. EPZ TP50 performs the best from the 4.4mm BAL side with 100% power and just 50% power from the 3.5mm side. So if you are forced to stick with 3.5mm SE, I recommend get HIBY FC6, Questyle M12i or Ovidius B1 instead

[@Nordi1_0745]

@@donglemadness I have left only with a Go Link that has stock 3.5mm but I do not think has the appropriate power. And I hoped that TP50 3.5mm power is similar to this of FC6,M12i or Ovidius B1. Or then connect TP50 to an external amplifier.

[@bourjuva]

iim gonna use on pc and for gaming with iem which one is better for it fiio ka17 or this one?

[@donglemadness]

Both, can't go wrong with any one of them. I personally use TP50 more myself, it boils down to personal preferences

[@quincytanable]

I know this might not be a fair competition, but I am curious to hear from you how does the TP50 fare against the Fiio Q15 in terms of the sound department?

[@donglemadness]

Very close but I would say Q15 is 5% superior with overall sound authority (dynamic transients) and texture richness. But technically they are pretty well matched on equal footing, the TP50 perhaps offering a bit more of wider staging and Q15 a bit more holographic and crisper imaging. So yes so very close

[@Nordi1_0745]

Hello Andy! It is been a week since your last review. Are you ok? Will we gonna have any news about any new dongle review? Thank you! Your fans!

[@donglemadness]

I was unfortunately sick for the past 1 week, with mouth ulcers, stomach bug and two very aching teeth 😂. So I am recuperating now trying to get back up to shape. Thanks for asking 💕

[@Nordi1_0745]

@@donglemadness Hope to get well soon Andy! And be healthy! Happy to know you are fine now!

[@Stylianos.]

So to understand this has bigger soundstage even than Dc04 PRO?

[@donglemadness]

I didn't mentioned that. DC04 is not unique when it comes to wide soundstage, there's also Cayin RU7, L&P W4/W4EX. AKLIAM PD4 Plus and a few more, TP50 is one of them, wide spacious. About the only thing in my inventory that has superior width with soundstage more than anything else is the JDS Labs Atom2 Amp + DAC

[@Stylianos.]

@@donglemadness thanks Andy for your time and reply. Great review as always!

[@lowaltitudeninja1818]

The DC04 Pro soundstage isn't really that big for a dongle. It provides a pleasant sense of holography and layering, but it's hard to consider it as the benchmark for sheer sense of space.

[@Daniel19766]

Which is warmer (“natural organic”) in your view- TP30 or TP50 with warm filter?

[@donglemadness]

TP30 is outright smooth warm versus TP50 with any filters. About the only other dongles that is within the same group with TP30 would be iFi GO Link or Hidizs XO

[@the7observer]

non independent volume adjustment is kinda sad. Kinda of a wasted opportunity to improve the TP20 The moondrop Dawn Pro has a independent volume control at around the same price. How the TP20 compare to the dawn pro? Is there any other DAC at the same price range that also has independent volume adjustment?

[@donglemadness]

TP20 offers more crispness with imaging and resolution while DAWN Pro prefers smoothened edge approach, otherwise both equally linear neutral and equally powerful

[@amirzafrii]

Which one are better to grab compared to Cayin RU6 with TP50? If price does'nt matters.

[@donglemadness]

At this point I am favoring TP50 and Aune Yuki more over RU6, but having all three at my disposal I love all of them equally

[@amirzafrii]

I see. Thanks!

[@krishnaprasad9571]

Even though you are a fan of DC09 pro, would you prefer Shanling UA4, over EPZ T50 ? Thank you for the detailed review.🥰

[@donglemadness]

TP50 over UA4 and DC04Pro or DC-Elite or DC06Pro, that's my personal preferences. All of them are top dongles, I just like TP50 more subjectively and personally

[@krishnaprasad9571]

@@donglemadness I was supposed to order UA4 a combo deal with Hexa $164, now I'm bit confused after watching your T50 review. Anyways thank you so much for the kind reply.🤗

[@seaneckhart9914]

How would you rate the BTR15 compared to the TP50 sonically? Im still torn because of the bluetooth capability of the BTR15

[@donglemadness]

I know it is a tough one, BTR15 and TP50 both my favorites. But let's just see, TP50 admittedly offer denser and richer sound by small margin, while BTR15 has that airy flowing smooth texture a bit more than TP50. Technically I am more inclined to say TP50 has an edge over BTR15, but just by a hair. TP50 also offer a bit more of analog touch to the sound especially when set with "Slow PC" filter. But you know what, I still use BTR15 regularly due to that great LDAC BT which offer me good mobility when moving around, no cable attached to the phone is no small feat. So yes it is a tough one

[@seaneckhart9914]

@@donglemadness Thanks man. I think Ive made up my mind. I was skeptical because ESS dacs always sound a bit harsh to my ears. I guess its about implementation after all. The ability to listen to hi res with bluetooth is too good to pass up.

[@KasiranziePradipta]

Is this better than truthear shio who have the same dac chip cs43198?

[@donglemadness]

Yes, it is better tuned and implemented

[@seaneckhart9914]

The TP50 is $20 more than the Fiio KA13 where Im from. Is it worth the extra?

[@donglemadness]

Absolutely

[@seaneckhart9914]

@@donglemadness Thank you

[@Vikram0021]

Hey....., as per your suggestion I managed to arrange a budget for EPZ T50 it's 110$........ But before I invest..... I have a little doubt...... I just know about Shanling UA1+ at 50$ with Cirrus Logic CS43131 dual dac chip..... SNR 126db.... Dynamic R 125db....... I know power output is very......... But I didn't have a high end expensive headphone or IEMs with higher power consumption.......... I have only Fiio FD11 and Sony MDR V1....... Both have just 24ohm impedance........ And I'm buying DAC for them........ I'm not a professional in this kind of department....... So I know according to you EPZ TP50 the best option as for now....... And as per your suggestion I arranged budget for that......... But Shanling UA1+ good enough for sony mdr v1 and fiio fd11 please help.......... If not then okay I'll own TP50 in few weeks.......... Bye the way very thanks for your last suggestion for the Fiio FD11....... Because of your expert opinion Now I own FD11.............

[@donglemadness]

EPZ TP50 is rated among the best for a good reason, Shanling UA1+ is rated lower than TP50, and also for good reasons too. You asked me which one the best is to buy so I say TP50, but ultimately it is your choice and money, and you just get whichever suits your need better on monetary aspect and usage, only you can decide that. I am merely sharing my thoughts on what I experienced myself

[@luminousa5090]

is TP50 has same wide soundstage as ibasso dc04 pro?

[@donglemadness]

Yes it does

[@Shahariar.Hossain]

TP20 PRO or Dawn pro which is better overall?

[@donglemadness]

TP20 Pro is a bit more technical, otherwise they are well matched equally

[@user-sw2hy8or9j]

Yuki or TP50? What is the main difference between them in your opinion?

[@donglemadness]

TP50 most significantly offer Filters which really work like mentioned in this video. Yuki does not offer filters. Sound & Performance as noted in the comparison section, pretty much identical between the two, the only difference I would observe, Yuki seems to have a bit more of air with the decays edge where TP50 favors crisper edge but slightly less air

[@user-sw2hy8or9j]

@@donglemadness Thank you, Andy! Your work is really great!

[@Jamy4ya]

You missed M12i for "10,10,10,9" points range comparison in the whole video against tp50. Also forgot to highlight M12i on your chart 🤷.

[@donglemadness]

I ran out of space to fit into the chart, it is already very busy as it is so I omitted a lot more than M12i, otherwise the chart would be very hard to read

[@Jamy4ya]

@@donglemadness The chart already has the M12i, but you just missed to do the comparison verbally. That's what I mean 😀

[@andyboys2710]

I was confused, fiio ka17 or epz tp 50?

[@donglemadness]

Don't be confused. Get TP50

[@andyboys2710]

@@donglemadness Thank You Mr. You are my savior

[@matusjurcik6974]

As I know you well I just automatically read ,,Independent LOL,, :D 1:32

[@donglemadness]

lol

[@AleksGranados]

And the Akliam PD4 Plus are not Top 20?

[@donglemadness]

Have a look hare and you will see where PD4 Plus stands in the #donglemadness ranking system. docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eKvWteIUUp61kpZcjRSxVI6NtllHzVos/edit?fbclid=IwAR38Rw8O7zNaMc9eQXHZ9NrMHECTMq5VhFMtuAE3s4avu52kbSvkcdCA2XM#gid=371576178

[@AleksGranados]

@@donglemadness oh thanks!

[@srg-yo]

Dongle man!

[@donglemadness]

🤘🏼

[@Maj0rTac0]

Aune Yuki or TP50?

[@donglemadness]

I rated both Yuki and TP50 equally on sound. So you decide which one you want based on features or power efficiency

[@SAyar-so9ur]

I had both and personally liked TP50 more because of versatility of sound types with different filters and crispness. Yuki has it's own magical touch, but sometimes it changes the character of the headphones in a way I don't want, it's unpredictable what will it do

[@notreallybutokay7]

Hello, can you explain what Non-independent volume means for this dongle? is it too big of an issue? I will use it with a type c to USB with my PC.

[@donglemadness]

TP20 and TP20 Pro is non independent which means if you change the volume on the dongle, it will act as a remote control for the volume on your phone or PC. Independent volume is when all the volume is purely controlled by the DAC and will not alter the volume level on the PC/Phone

[@notreallybutokay7]

@@donglemadness how would you say that affects the whole audio quality situation?