#donglemadness

[@wilhelmpaulm]

If you can't identify it between moondrop moonriver 2 then it's a buy for me! Thank you Andy, already ordered the SHIO!

[@niro56]

Manufacturers / shops will give you things, Andy. Any genuine company will actually listen to honest feedback and "plug the holes", so to speak. Truthear has shown to be one, so far. Of course in the meantime one must give credit where it is due, thanks and keep rolling.

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure 🙏

[@ticoss]

Thanks for this test. As you, independent volume adjustment is essential for me, eliminatory. I'm glad you mention it in all your tests, because it is rare that the subject is mentioned.

[@donglemadness]

Glad it was helpful!

[@scycer]

Now it's independent after firmware update

[@ticoss]

@@scycer Yeah, several months after this test

[@scycer]

Nah, same time, 9months ago kzbin.info/www/bejne/npmWnZ2ZpqZpa6csi=claEeUYgb1jj2sK8

[@cecilchan1988]

Andy once Truthear release their host independent volume firmware update I will probably buy this on the strength of your review. Unless the Terrace somehow blows this out of the water price wise.

[@donglemadness]

I wait for that update too

[@wilhelmpaulm]

They've released it, ordered mine already!

[@Ty_7]

Update - I was able to compared to Shio, FC4 and IbassoDC04Pro extensively. The FC4 was out the door pretty quick as it just to my ears lack a Fullness on Android the other 2 were capable of (sounded less Dynamic in general, and the sub-bass sounded anemic) on 400se, 4xx, 58x and songs from bands Hollywood Undead, Jason Derulo, 2pac, Julianna Theory, Aero Chord, and some others, in both balance and unbalance. The Shio and DC04 were very close and toe to toe. The output and Sound were Very hard to tell apart, I almost want to say the DC04 could potentially be the slightest bit cleaner when at max, the loudness was almost the same. THe Shio sounded like it could get louder, but I wouldn't call it usable as it started to distort while the DC04 stayed fairly clean even at max even if it was ever so slightly lower. The DC04 pro also is a bit larger and feels better constructed. I didn't find any real benefit to it's app controls. For some reason I felt i like i preferred the sound the SHio a bit more dynamically, but comparing back to back it was just so close. They are both amazing. Overall, I decided to keep the Shio as to me it being smaller, comparable sound performance and output, much better power efficiency, and 50 dollars cheaper. I also need to add the Shio I first received had a short or bad 3.5mm that I didn't noticed initially, but did within a couple of days The connection wasn't secure and cut-out frequently unless it turned it the perfect position and depth in the port. hopefully I don't regret my decision and it was just a bad unit as the DC04 did feel better quality which could definitely be worth the 50 dollars long term potentially. Sorry so long, not my intention, but it just happened in case this can help anyone else. Also don't just trust the numbers on the devices as it doesn't tell the whole story clearly. If i have anymore issues with 2nd Shio I will update here and get the DC04Pro and be happily done with it. --- I'm having a tough time between the SHIO, Space, and FC4. I do have some tougher to drive headphones and have tried the SHIO ( really liked it overall ). I kind of wish it had just a little bit more, with Hifiman Planars, hd 6xx, and beyer's. I realize it's probably close and these are all top in power, but looking at the stats. SHIO= 150 mw @ 32 4 vrms & 55@ 300 4 vrms (which seems quite high for a small device, I even saw much larger and more powerful devices list around there or even slightly less @ 300 desktop amps which i thought was odd) Space - 230 mw @ 32 4 vrms, and FC4 = 340 @ 32 but it's 3.3 vrms so lower. Mathematically that would still make FC4 quite a bit more powerful on paper (perhaps giving that xtra little bit) , but how does that come across IRL as numbers can all be just marketing anyway? ALso, I realise SHIO is MUCH more efficient which is a massive benefit and worth taking into the equation. Just curious your thoughts on this using all 3 and maybe understanding the numbers better and real life correlation. ALso, which would you prefer out of the 3. Thoughts super appreciated.

[@donglemadness]

From what I have learned after owning over 140 dongles, numbers and specs don't reveal the real story. Take Ovidius B1 for example, it is just 2 Vrms, but it can easily outclass many other 4 Vrms dongles because the 410 mW per channel from that small nuclear reactor is the 2nd highest ever for a 3.5mm dongle (after DACport HD 775 mW). So that's why I always insist on real life testing before making any judgement. Before that, how do you run your dongles? do you use USB exclusive mode especially if you are on Android? do you use USB 3.0? all dongles attached to Android are by default throttled down with max power by Android SRC and needed USB Exclusive mode from apps like HIBY Music App to run 100%. it is even worse with Apple iOS. On PC you may need to run Foobar 2000 to get the best of them. If you already run the proper setup and feel it is still not enough, then it simply mean your senses would need a bit more of power to appreciate the output. I for one, always train my ears to listen to low loudness and also I do not feel that SHIO is short handed with power even when driving my most difficult magnetic planar headphones (Fostex T40RP MK3 and HE400SE - both of which are harder than Sundara). If you need more power, then I would even recommend something like Ovidius B1 which is absolutely a beast in real life with harder to drive stuffs. Back to your question, in a way yes the FC4 once run in USB exclusive mode would appear having stronger push due to the tuning which is bolder than SHIO, so that may work for you too

[@Ty_7]

@@donglemadness I run in usb exclusive on Android, I also prefer hiby to uapp for whatever reason. I also have other dongles, but none of them have 4.4 balance which is where the shio and fc4 come in as I would like a portable solution as well to work with those cables headphomes as I've started to appreciate them. So that's what u mean by smooth? The shio is a bit less punchy or dynamic? I don't think that's an issue for me. It sounded good and a slight eq increases the dynamics. It's more I wish It had on my planars just like another volume level or 2 (not much, but just a bit more) . 4xx for example didnt seem to get as much volume on it eventho it is typically easier to drive than 400se. And I tried the 400se at 14 for direct comparison and that was, very low volume level for me. So I might just prefer higher volumes (maybe it's the music when i listened to rock it was totally fine, but for hip hop & house/ trance types I wished it had a bit more) or there's another factor? . Tho the shio I used had the firmware update ( tried both gains and hardware and software volume controls) otherwise setting should have been similar. Maybe I just have to try the fc4 to be sure. The power draw of it is my biggest holdout vs the shio especially if power is mostly similar it's a huge drawback. Thanks a lot for taking the time. You rock!

[@cecilchan1988]

Thank you! Hopefully tangzu give you a review unit of their new dac the tangzu terrace

[@donglemadness]

I hope so too! 😁

[@EGxSenSei]

Great review as always Mr. Andy 😁👍🏻

[@donglemadness]

Thank you 🙏

[@giff74]

Such a complete review! Thanks for going into such good detail. I'm newer to the Chi-fi IEM market and I've been looking for a high value DAC/amp to drive these with a super low noise floor. I like your PC corner. What do you use as your daily DAC/amp combo?

[@donglemadness]

Thank you! My regular daily DAC/Amp? That will be VE Megatron as the DAC and xDuoo MT-602 as the amp. But really away from PC I use the three dongles you see in my video more (DACport HD, RU6, DC03Pro)

[@shineyehtet2428]

Very good reviews Andy 😊 .I have waiting review from you ☺️.well done 👍

[@donglemadness]

Thank you 🙏

[@ambientblue-eyedmonkey8849]

On headphonesty reviewer says it struggles to drive HD650. You should do tests with your DT880, because high impedance presents a completely different challenge for dongles, most, not most, all are optimized to drive 32 ohms, there are no "hard" to drive 32 ohm headphones for dongles, you just raise a volume. Your he400se would require 16mW to get it up to 102 dbs, which is nothing for all dongles, that's why you should include high impedance headphones in your tests. There's a reason why most dongles boast 100 or more mW of power at 32 ohms and barely 20, most of the times less, mW of power at 300 ohms, high impedance is hard to drive, low sensitivity is not, keep that in mind, you doing great job here, but please include in your test high impedance headphones.

[@giallosenzafine9831]

Thank you very much for you amazing review! I would like to make one question: in your opinion, considering the difference - I mean in terms of power - between the 3.5 mm and the 4.4 mm exit, if you had 3.5 mm earphones would you buy a 3.5 mm to 4.4 mm adapter or is the 3.5 mm exit enough powerful? I'm using a Shure SE 215.

[@donglemadness]

No, don't ever go for adapter from 3.5mm SE to 4.4mm BAL, it can cause the internal DAC to overheat if the DAC has separate L-/R- ground channels which are meant to be separate. Using the adapter combines the L-/R- and this is not something you want to do. But using adapter from 4.4mm BAL to 3.5 SE is okay, I do it all the time. So if you want to run 4.4mm BAL, just swap the whole cable for a proper 4.4mm BAL unit

[@argoperdana6823]

Great review as always! When will you release a video about the Jcally AP7?

[@donglemadness]

Soon I hope 🙏😁

[@dalitsokadzinje9396]

Great review Andy - Greetings from South Africa.I love music with lots of BASS, and only listen to Reggae and old-school Hip-Hop. Please recommend a dongle with a good musical technicalities, great sound stage, I prefer energetic natural sound not bright, good instrument separation. MQA support or not and I have heard that balanced is better than single point. Your help will be much appreciated thank you

[@donglemadness]

What you need is either iBasso DC03Pro or Tempotec Sonata E44. But at this point I am all in for DC03Pro, simply amazing. Don't let that 3.5mm SE fool you, DC03Pro so far is the only CS DAC based dongle to make it to 5 Stars status

[@dalitsokadzinje9396]

@@donglemadness Thank you Andy. Am heading straight to Ali Express and press that 'buy now button' right away without hesitation. You are doing a great job, keep it up

[@hariramv7764]

Nice review as always Andy...since dacport hd is stopped production have you reviewed earstudio HUD100? Some say atleaselt equal tondacport hd sound and also powerful.

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. I have seen that CEntrance has actually relisted new batch on their site, with higher price. But yes I would love to try HUD100

[@hariramv7764]

@@donglemadness oh yes saw it now..but 300usd to India is out of my budget..thanks Andy.

[@c.k1523]

Awesome review. How does the Soundstage compare to the xduoo link2 bal and tanchjim space. Which has the widest Soundstage. Also do you know how much it weights?

[@donglemadness]

Soundstage among there of them are fairly similar in width and depth, it will take some crazy amount if A/B testing to know for sure. SHIO weighs 20.8gm with the USB cable attached. 🙏

[@c.k1523]

Wow Andy. Thanks for the super quick reply. Would you say this is light enough to carry around with a smartphone without having a feeling of a heavy weight Hanging outside the pocket?

[@donglemadness]

@@c.k1523 Yes to me it is light enough, pretty much all dongles in this form factor will have this element of weight. The only way to get lighter would be to use ultra compact dongles instead

[@c.k1523]

Ok thank you. I currently have the M15 but feels a bit heavy while commuting especially during rush hour on train or bus rides. Looks like I will give this a try.

[@donglemadness]

@@c.k1523 Yep M15 is among the largest of them all and only DACport HD and MUSEHIFI M3 proved to be heavier and bulkier (and Apogee Groove too lol)

[@SaranjoeSukcha]

Hi. Thank you so much for your review. I'm new into these "better audio world". I need help in deciding whether I should purchase a Truthear SHIO or a FiiO BTR3K.🙏🏻

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure. I haven't tried BTR3K so I can't speak for it. But you must remember BTR3K is a Bluetooth DAC too and SHIO isn't. If you don't mind getting wired, SHIO is easy for me to recommend

[@gabhiegabb]

Hi Andy, in comparison with the moondrop dawn pro which one should I get and which one is better?

[@donglemadness]

DAWN Pro review will be out in a day or two

[@tarno_bejo_]

On android settings under the option "developer options". There is a function called: "Disable absolute volume". This function will separate the volume control of android, so the bluetooth devices like TWS can have independent volume control. I wonder if there is similar function but for external dongle like DAC.

[@donglemadness]

Thanks. I will try this

[@tarno_bejo_]

@@donglemadness You need to turn off and on the bluetooth connection and TWS to apply it.

[@danialzulkarnain1680]

Hey Andy, i've been thinking of what dongle dac/amp to buy, and i run it down till moondrop dawn pro and Truthear Shio. One if my friend own the iBasso dc03pro and i love the unit but feels like wanting to try something else. currently using Moondrop Lan as my daily driver, wanting to buy moondrop blessing in the nearest future .

[@donglemadness]

I have DAWN Pro here with me and I can tell you that DAWN Pro is pretty much similar to SHIO in many ways, eye to eye they are on par. So get the ones that will cost you less money

[@danialzulkarnain1680]

@@donglemadness OH! I actually bought the Truthear Shio, i've read somewhere that the firmware update solve the independent volumes issue already 😆😆😆 ( also, where i live, moondrop dawn pro is sold out so fast thats i needed to pre order it. fml ) . So i just get the T.shio dac/amp since its available at redape, but thank you for the clarification, i wouldn't know any good budget dongles that is good without your reviews sir. Hope to see a new dongle video review!!!

[@juanito_sampang]

Always a good review.

[@donglemadness]

Thank you 🙏

[@marcelpfeiffer6587]

Thanks for uploading, very Interesting review!

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure!🙏

[@opjikol]

Hi Andy, I am interested in Truthear Shio and Moondrop Dawn Pro. Which one would you recommend? Is it worth buying one of them just for the 4.4mm port if I already have the ibasso DC03 Pro?

[@donglemadness]

With the new DAWN Pro already out, and if you can get it cheaper, then DAWN Pro it is. Performance wise it is identical to SHIO

[@khueta2804]

So basically Shio and Moonriver 2 are the same right Andy? Oh and how does this compare to questyle M12? Cause my friend can sell me his old M12 around 85$, so is M12 worth spending like 15$ more ?

[@donglemadness]

Yes, basically the same thing. M12 has different tuning and it is actually more organic sounding especially after FW updates. M12 is still among one of the most technically and resolving dongle so you can't go wrong with it

[@nghiapham5427]

Hi Andy,great review,i'm wondering will you review Moondrop Dawn ? i want to compare to that and DC03 Pro to see which one is better to get because they are similar in prices in my country, A lot of my friend recommend it to me too, thank you.

[@donglemadness]

Dawn will be reviewed in early Feb, as my unit is still on the way, delayed shipping due to the holiday break

[@nghiapham5427]

@@donglemadness Dear Andy,sorry to bother you,i want to ask your detailed opinion about the normal ibasso dc03 compare to dc03pro , i asked my brother and he says that he kinda hated dc03 ,sound not too clear + hissing noises , not worth in his opinion,i haven't got the chance to try dc03 pro yet so i want to ask for your advice,thank you Andy.Additional note he did recommend get the lotto paw S1 instead ,i can get it for like 80$ ,what your opinion andy 🤔?

[@donglemadness]

@@nghiapham5427 First. I think your brother have received a bad variation of DC03 because I have used DC03, DC04 and DC05 extensively and they all are very clean and analytical sounding, even energetic too. And DC03 is a very well received dongle for quite a while and many loving it. Secondly, DC03Pro is a 5 Stars performer and it is definitely an even better dongle versus all other previous DC releases. It has better balanced sound tuning and simply just better end to end. Hope that helps

[@nghiapham5427]

@@donglemadness i see,thank you Andy,between dc03 pro and lotto paw s1 what would you take if paw s1 only cost 80$ ? Or still dc03 pro all the way ?

[@donglemadness]

@@nghiapham5427 I still take DC03Pro lol

[@hasanudinhadi]

Interesting, i think i will pick these over ibasso dc03pro cause have a port 4.4m balance theres, price is very similar.. how about shio performance compare to dc03pro, whats do you prefer?

[@donglemadness]

I personally prefer DC03Pro on all aspects. Works for my situation

[@devon4816]

@@donglemadness Hi Andy, great reviews as always, i have a question. What would be your opinion on portable dac (dongle/small sized dac) would perform similarly like the dc03 pro soundwise but has a 4.4 bal output ?

[@aldepal]

I got this but my iPhone SE 2022 can’t power it. It won’t turn on. I’ve connected it using a Lightning to USB C cable and nothing. It works fine when I connect it to my laptop via the supplied USB C cable. 😢

[@donglemadness]

It means not enough power for the dongle to operate, which is not a surprise because iPhones normally do this, restrict the amount of power to external devices, and that's why I don't use iPhones anymore since 2021

[@shdvf767]

It's sad 😢 switch to Android phone or something else

[@KhoiHa]

Hi Andy, in term of driving power, which one between Truthear Shio and Tanchjim Space have more power ? And which one is good for Kz Pr2 ? Thanks

[@donglemadness]

Both have equal power capped at 4 Vrms. And both more than capable to drive PR2 to the fullest. Both also has similar sound tuning, smooth yet amply analytical. The difference are marginal on several areas, but if you want something that runs for a very long time with battery drain, SHIO has the upper hand

[@supra8087]

Switching gains is easy, you dont need app, just use physical button. I think that alone is a very very good function. It also remembers it. 2vrms on 3.5m, 4vrms on 4.4mm (both high gain), sleek design, low power consume. Its all good expect no lightning cable option. Damn that little cable is too expensive!

[@matusjurcik6974]

Hi :) and what about the IOS users? (sry I cant watch the video yet). Do this dongle got them cowered?

[@donglemadness]

Sorry, I have stopped using iPhones since last year so I can't tell if SHIO will natively work with iPhones, it will likely work, with the right cable

[@DeathWalkthroughs]

With the new firmware that adds independent volume adjustments, would the Shio be 5 stars?

[@donglemadness]

Perhaps, but judging by the competition which seems getting pretty much similar in terms of performance and quality, it is hard to say. They are getting better with newer ones

[@ELBISHO-lv2to]

Hello Andy, I wanted to ask you if you have heard the problem that they comment about the ibasso dc03pro, about its usb c connection that moves or is loose, in addition to stating that when connecting other usb c cables the playback is cut off at times due to looseness of the usb c connector, I want to buy it because they are very close to the shio, but I am afraid that what they say on the networks is true.

[@donglemadness]

I heard that too. But mine is still intact and I guess I am lucky. I do hope iBasso can address these issues

[@ELBISHO-lv2to]

@@donglemadness taking advantage of your attention Andy, could you give me your opinion about whether the new moondrop Dawn pro would be the better choice than the dc03pro and shio, considering that it is the cheapest, I have tried to search for videos or information about the moondrop but there is nothing, I hope you can give me your opinion, thanks

[@donglemadness]

@@ELBISHO-lv2to I would not know until I have tested one. We will see

[@rafidulalam4345]

I've heard about optional firmware update to control volume independently on Shiro. Do you know anything about that?

[@donglemadness]

No idea, first time I am hearing this

[@Spike626721]

I think about getting the hola or Zero you mentioned for music and gaming which would you choose?

[@donglemadness]

My HOLA will arrive soon and only then I can compare, otherwise Zero gets my vote every time, the speed, soundstage width, spatial accuracy and resolution is superb even for games like PUBG

[@northborneo]

​@@donglemadness will you be doing a review of the Hola Halo ? Looking forward to it 👍 Thanks for this review of Aji Shio 😁

[@donglemadness]

@@northborneo There will be no review for Hola unfortunately, let's just put it this way, I find Hola underwhelming from my perspective and would rather not spew some not so positive review about it 😅

[@roushanhelmy4588]

Truthear Shio vs Tanchjim Space. Which would you recommend? I have an ibasso Dc04 pro ordered and I use mostly Etymotic Er4xr and HiFiman He4xx. First time using phone without headphone jack - Samsung S23 ultra. Thanks for your thoughts!

[@donglemadness]

I think it is redundant to get SHIO or Space if you already have DC04Pro which is a better unit with the same sound tuning. Instead I would get something a bit different like DC03Pro or even R2R of FC6/RU6

[@roushanhelmy4588]

@@donglemadness thanks Andy really appreciate that!

[@jdnml]

This or the Tanchjim Space of testing IEMs? I would like something that doesn't influence the sound of the IEM so that I can hear what that IEM is supposed to sound like.

[@donglemadness]

I am more inclined to say Tanchjim SPACE for transparency. Or you can also check HIBY FC4 or Colorfly CDA M1

[@lrvan]

If it have independent volume/100 volume bar, it will be a five stars, right, Andi? Because from power to the sound (organic neutral & tranparency) everything seems perfect.

[@donglemadness]

Very likely yes. But alas...

[@Daniel-un6cy]

How does it compare to the Xduoo link2 balanced? Which would you pick??

[@donglemadness]

Personally between those two I use DC03Pro regularly, suits my taste better for a different energetic tuning, for neutral sound that is analogue and organic, I already have DACport HD, Ovidius B1 and Cayin RU6. Back to your question, can't go wrong with either Link2 BAL or SHIO, they are both great dongles regardless

[@zuri_ortiz]

Hi, I'm relatively new in these kind of products. I've got a simple conexant dongle and I'd like to give a small step. I'm between SHIO and the AP10 😢. I don't listen to a specific genre and I would use to play games too. Which one is a safer purchase? P.S: I'd use them with 7hz zero and Hexa

[@donglemadness]

Between SHIO ot AP10, I would recommend SHIO. But if you are open to other options, I would highly recommend iBasso DC03Pro instead, a better dongle in every way compared to those two

[@zuri_ortiz]

Thank you Andy, I'm taking a look at the Ibasso and it looks affordable ! Maybe could be a great recommendation

[@LoboVulgar]

​@@donglemadnessHola. Podrías explicar en qué aspectos es mejor DC03 pro sobre el Shio,? Gracias.

[@nathz2020]

Do u have a recommendation iem for sound stage spatial for 3d dolby atmos music and for fps gaming footstep?

[@donglemadness]

Check my review on CVJ Assassin, that one is specifically designed for spatial music and FPS gaming

[@nathz2020]

@@donglemadness thank you for that, i already add cvj to my cart 2 weeks ago but i change my mind i switch to kz d-fi and added 4.4mm cable haha next time i will order the cvj and try it. Thank you for the recommendation 😊

[@harrydinh2386]

Hi Andy, lets make a review video for your ER4SR

[@donglemadness]

😂

[@rizki4883]

Thank you for the review, sir I've been looking for the comparison with Tanchjim Space but i got more than enough Actually i'm surprised too about Shio, it's not even felt warm when i used it for 2 hours, unlike Moondrop Dawn (3.5mm) get hot enough after 2 hours I've try to compare Shio & Colorfly CDA-M1 (Using Hexa) i didn't find the difference except the CDA-M1 have "Independent volume Adjustment" & somehow the "High-gain mode" on CDA-M1 didn't change anything

[@donglemadness]

That's awesome

[@tito9903]

hi andy, i still confused to which should i pick between shio or dc03 pro, they quite similar but shio have balance port, and why dc03 pro is 5 star meanwhile shio get 4,5 star in your rank?

[@donglemadness]

DC03Pro simply better with sound output overall, more resolving and detailed, energetic yet smooth. Do not let the 4.4mm BAL thing cloud your point of view, jacks size does not automatically means they are better. It simply mean they have more power to offer with split grounds. DACport HD is not BAL and yet it is still the No.1 dongle until today. On top of that DC03Pro has more features that SHIO doesn't have. The only caveat, DC03Pro is less neutral

[@tito9903]

@@donglemadness thanks for the answer, just bought the dc03 pro and waiting to shipped, I hope it can fit my taste as well

[@yuumagamexd545]

May i ask, can i use other type c to c cable or longer cable than using the stock cable that provided in the box?. Also if use it on android, does it need additional apps to drive it or just plug and play?

[@donglemadness]

Yes you can, any good USB C cable which is longer will work. And you can PNP to any Android phone and can use it directly. But I will always recommend to use HiBy Music App if you want 100% performance out of it, otherwise you are looking at just getting 70-80% of the true potential

[@fuzail3379]

Should i spend 60 to 70 $ for a dac for Aful performer 5 . Any improvement ? Which one would you recommend brother..

[@donglemadness]

First thing first, what do you use now? then only we can determine if you need something better. EDIT: I have replied to your questions on another thread

[@fuzail3379]

@@donglemadness thanks brother

[@xMendonzAx]

Would you say that the Shio could replace Moonriver 2 then? I was looking for something in this area, mainly for games, and I saw other reviews talking about how the Moonriver 2 is good for games.

[@donglemadness]

You are right. Same DAC, Same power. But SHIO with markedly better power efficiency. I see no reasons to get MR2 now when we have something like SHIO or Tanchjim SPACE

[@xMendonzAx]

@@donglemadness Thank you very much, I heard very good things about Moonriver 2 for gaming, but, I believe you prefer the DC03Pro correct? hahaha I was mainly between Shio, DC03Pro and Fosi DS1 for gaming. I know you are already reviewing this one, but could you give me a spoiler and tell me which one of the 3 you would prefer for gaming? Thanks again for sharing your experience.

[@donglemadness]

@@xMendonzAx DC03Pro all the way for me

[@xMendonzAx]

@@donglemadness I just bought mine hahahaha thanks for helping me choose!

[@donglemadness]

@@xMendonzAx My pleasure

[@Sakhi]

Is the output power on the Shio more or less than the Tanchjim Space?

[@donglemadness]

Sounds about equal to me

[@mayanksingh12]

How much difference is there between this one & 43131 based DAC? JCALLY AP10 is a much cheaper DAC which has 43131 chip. So should i still prefer SHIO?

[@donglemadness]

Between the two, they are pretty much similar sounding in many ways. Neutral and uncolored. So not much difference. Consider also that SHIO is the most power efficient dongle now and also with new update of being able to run volume adjustment independently (which AP10 cannot)

[@henn-weisah288]

i heard theres a firmware update that allows the shio to change volume independently.

[@donglemadness]

Yes it does

[@NANA-gy7yx]

Did they discontinue Shio? What's the alternative?

[@donglemadness]

It does seem so, not seeing it available anymore at online shops. Alternatives are a lot, DAWN Pro, Simgot DEW4X, Tanchjim Space, and many more within the same price range, they are practically on equal terms with sound and performance, with just subtle differences here and there

[@АлександрДробинин-ф3п]

Hi! A new firmware was posted on the official website, which changes the volume to internal with 60 levels.

[@donglemadness]

Yes I have seen it. Thanks

[@miraixu6817]

@@donglemadness I wonder if it's worth 5 star if the new firmware is applied to the dongle.

[@donglemadness]

@@miraixu6817 Close enough

[@gabrielduran8755]

Excellent review, Thanks

[@donglemadness]

My pleasure 🙏

[@amanieux]

i have a naive question about amps : this dongle dac is roughly the same $70ish price as ifi uno (small desktop dac), it has roughly the same power around 200mw but when we look inside the ifi uno has huge capacitors compared to the dongle dac that has small surface mount capacitors how can this not make a difference in sound quality as capacitors is what buffers power and bigger capacitors store more enegy ?

[@donglemadness]

I have no idea as I haven't tried UNO yet. But I can share with you my experiences with iFi ZEN DAC, ZEN DAC V2 + ZEN Can, xDuoo MT-602, Topping D50/A50 and I will say upfront that those sizes doesn't count much when I get similar sonic performances in terms of resolution, dynamics handling and technicalities as when compared to top performing dongles. I will admit that at least something like MT-602 does offer slightly better headroom but everything else sounded the same to me when used with my arsenal of IEMs from the most sensitive to the hardest to drive headphones, CEntrance DACport HD and the other 5 Stars dongles have no issues matching those desktop setup. Same with DAPs, I have owned a $1300 Cayin N6ii EO2 and a $500 Cayin N3Pro both of which already sold because dongles performed better job at it for a fraction of real estate and price. But of course this is from my POV, it is not gospel, I am just saying what I experienced

[@d0nj03]

I only see 150 mW in the spec for the SHIO, not 200. Anyway there does seem to be a difference at high impedance because SHIO promises 4 Vrms / 55 mW into 300 ohms but the UNO only has 3.5 Vrms / 39 mW. I would guess the Truthear folks decided to publish a spec based only on the max power availability from USB 3.1, so absolute best-case, which not everyone will have in reality, while iFi clarifies that the UNO's power input requirements are 5V / 0.5A, so USB 2.0, meaning they gave specs that everyone will have available in reality.

[@rafeezrazi92]

if you put subtle music maybe can live up your video little bit. instead of silence background

[@donglemadness]

I could try that but adding music also adds complications with Music copyrights. You have no idea how many videos rejected by KZbin due to Music copyrights

[@rafeezrazi92]

@@donglemadness scarlet fire by otis mcdonanld..hahahah

[@fiddlix]

@@donglemadness I’d rather have no music at all than have to put up with that royalty free music everyone else uses on there videos.

[@evan5697]

Have you tried the Truthear Hexa? If yes, which is better for Hexa, shio or dc03 pro?

[@donglemadness]

I have tried the Hexa yes, but it wasn't mine so I didn't test it directly with SHIO. But the last time I tested Hexa it was with DC03Pro and I like the results, the smoothness of Hexa compliments well with DC03Pro energy

[@andresvr8357]

I saw that he said that hiby vs space, tachjim wins in warmth and softness but vs Doongles like 7hz 71 hiby fc4 and truthear shio which one is warmer and softer? what worries me about shio is that some reviews say that it can be dark in the treble and I would not like it to happen again like listening to 71 that it lacks information (I will use them for 3.5)

[@donglemadness]

SHIO is neutral and organic. Depends on what sort of partner you connect it to, it is transparent so what you hear is the nature of the attached devices. That's how neutral DACs should sound like. 71 and FC4 has marked sharper edge to the imaging and as such it is definitely not "warm" or "softer". You want a softer edge, SHIO, Space and iFi Go Link has it. You want perfect balance of crispness and vibrancy, iBasso DC03Pro or better, DC04Pro

[@andresvr8357]

@@donglemadness between space or shio do You consider same smootness

[@donglemadness]

@@andresvr8357 Yes

[@andresvr8357]

And to take into account a DAC I will know ESS in the table it seems that fosi DS1 is a little softer. ¿Is that so, or are they the same?

[@donglemadness]

@@andresvr8357 DS1 is not soft. It is crisp and tact with imaging

[@febriantoian7213]

You said Hiby FC4 is neutral, how does it compare to Truthear Shio?

[@donglemadness]

First, most well tuned DAC will always aim to be neutral, so the majority of dongles that are rated 4.5 Stars are based on their neutral output, which means they don't exhibit any (or very minimal coloration/boosting on any frequency). Such is the case for both FC4 and SHIO - what sets them apart would be on the temperament of timbre characteristics, of FC4 would appear less focus on smoothing, more on being crisp, SHIO the opposite - yet these differences are subtle because we are talking about micro differences here

[@febriantoian7213]

@@donglemadness always nice to have your answer, thank you so much

[@ciw8688]

so whatever iems i buy, the amp/dac just make them sound similar?

[@donglemadness]

Depends on how scalable the IEMs/Headphones you use, better DAC/Amp will make them shine better

[@EneRec]

Update your shio, it has independent volume control now

[@donglemadness]

I know, but my SHIO has been given away during #dongladness 2nd Anniversary in March

[@shahkhan110]

hi...is it more relaxed/smother than AP10?

[@donglemadness]

Not really. Pretty much similar

[@christianaguirre9407]

Do you think it can amplify well some he400se stealth magnes

[@donglemadness]

Yes, HE400SE Stealth is one of the primary headphone I used to test this dongle

[@letsmobiles3396]

Will you gonna review shanling ua3?

[@donglemadness]

It is still stuck with courier due to Lunar New Year holiday, should arrive next week I hope

[@letsmobiles3396]

@@donglemadness okay, hope that will happen, it has companion apps like ibasso dc03 pro so you can control many thing from thats apps

[@simas861]

My opinion, Fosi Audio DS1 is better than Truthear Shio What do you think?

[@donglemadness]

It depends on what you use them with, and your tuning preferences. For people who love smoother transients on the dynamics, SHIO has it better, for people who prefer crisper imaging, DS1 does it better. So depends on your perspective

[@antoniustjhang518]

Compare to Fiio Q11?which one better?

[@donglemadness]

Both equal at 4.5 Stars rating. Tuning wise also similar

[@NANA-gy7yx]

Will this pair well with the SoundMagic E80 and TFZ Exclusive King?

[@donglemadness]

Would be hard for me to say since I haven't tried E80 nor TFZ Exclusive King. But SHIO has shown great ability to adapt to all of my listening equipment so it is safe to say it will work well with others too

[@glamball]

Hello. Which one better if price is only 3$ difference: Shio or Hiby fc4?

[@donglemadness]

Can't go wrong with any one of them. As both are 4.5 Stars rated dongles. You just need to identify your own priority, you need MQA then FC4 has it, other than that both are equally competent in their own rights FC4 being a bit more crisper focused and SHIO a bit smoother sound oriented. Both has great 4 Vrms power and both supports dual jacks.

[@glamball]

@@donglemadness Thanks. I dont think i need mqa since there is no simple way to enjoy Tidal in Siberia.

[@LateBandwagon]

How would I use this with an apple phone for example

[@donglemadness]

You will need to purchase a separate Lightning to USB C cable designed for Audio. ddHiFi and iBasso sells them

[@Malik08902]

Hi! Better than fiio ka3?

[@donglemadness]

Yes SHIO is better than KA3

[@ryanreviews8566]

shio vs 7hz 71 dongle? also, it needs to be charged right?

[@donglemadness]

Overall SHIO is a better dongle. No, these type of dongles does not require charging because they don't have batteries, they are powered directly from the the host

[@sacramentos60]

hello, what would be the power at 32 ohms on output 4.4? 150w?

[@donglemadness]

I would not be able to tell as I don't have measurement tools. But you can always check the official specs from Truthear, which stated 150 mW per channel at 32 Ohm

[@mirzarazwan07]

💚💚

[@ZeusPropofol]

How does it compare to ddHifi tc44c?

[@donglemadness]

I don't know because I haven't tried TC44c

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

Does this work with Tidal app in exclusive mode (bit perfect) in android?

[@donglemadness]

Yes it does, just no MQA

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

@@donglemadness thank you!

[@sanjaykumar.v8139]

I have a Sennheiser hd599 which i brought for 100usd , so buying this wont make sense , so i am strict with budget. Will the 7hz 71 enough for my headphones. I am also looking at soundblaster play 4

[@donglemadness]

Yes 71 is enough if you want to keep it lower on spending

[@sanjaykumar.v8139]

@@donglemadness can you try soundblaster play 4?

[@donglemadness]

@@sanjaykumar.v8139 I will check it out

[@sanjaykumar.v8139]

@@donglemadness is there any other powerful option under 50usd

[@donglemadness]

@@sanjaykumar.v8139 Price differs from one region to another. If you can get VE Megatron at $50, that would be the ultimate power for the bucks

[@arnav.d5654]

Hi, how does it compare to Fiio Ka3 ?

[@donglemadness]

SHIO has a lot more power that KA3. SHIO also would appear smoother with dynamics. Otherwise both are already great sounding dongles which is neutral and uncolored

[@Laleeee100]

Im a basshead, the noteweight is important for me. Do you recommend this dongle or the Tanchjim Space. Please help to choose.

[@donglemadness]

Get Tempotec Sonata E44 or iBasso DC03Pro instead, because Tanchjim Space and SHIO are both very neutral

[@djjithujab]

Hey, from where i will get link to download ttgk app for android?

[@donglemadness]

Just Google TTGK APK and you will immediately find it