Moondrop Dawn Pro - Is this "ALMOST" perfect entry dac-amp for you?

[@kimysok5657]

first DAC i ever bought and feels good

[@cranknlesdesires]

I brought this a couple days ago, if I find out its bad I'm going to be smad!

[@catadegen]

It's really hard to go "bad" as a normal dac-amp, unless it's simply not functioning. The only "bad" moment i had with an dac-amp, in my entire life, is back in the days, when noise-floor is totally unhinged and for some reasons people are not talking about it, then i plug in my pair of andromeda into a bad dac-amp, it sounds like RADIO. That's what i call BAD.

[@bakaoug4g491]

thanks i like your reviews

[@redgopnik2227]

holes in the shell are a strange choice for a portable device, but i guess its fine for desktop use

[@UnluckyDomino]

Would this power a senneheiser hd599 better than a pc? My z690 UD motherboard gets these to an ok volume but not enough and clarity isn't great. It uses an alc897 chipset I think

[@redgopnik2227]

​@@UnluckyDomino without getting too lost in the weeds - yes, I'd expect it to be a significant improvement over your onboard audio, as well as more powerful. Speaking from personal experience, my onboard audio had audible feedback, especially when the fans were running, that disappeared when I swapped to a Truthear Shio. There were also noticeable clarity improvements... I'd expect similar performance from the Moondrop Dawn Pro, although you may have better onboard audio than I do. Knee-deep in the swamp, though - to date, no third parties (ASR, L7AudioLab) have measured Dawn Pro yet to confirm Moondrop's claimed performance, and the official marketing materials contain some measurements that seem unusual or incorrect. Of course those errors could be the result of bad translations, among other things; and as the initial reviews of the Dawn Pro have all been positive, it is likely that the product performs nearly as well as claimed. Ultimately, $50 is an appealing price for dual CS43131 dac chips. I still need to get my hands on one to test it myself, but I expect it to replace the Truthear Shio for my dongle reccs/gifts

[@LuciferArc1]

I have a dongle dac with the same chipset. Ive enjoyed it so far. Its by geekria. Its just a rebranded lamscat. So if you want one without the holes, you can check that one out

[@yugao2]

Bgm is sakura no uta, nice

[@yossmb9964]

Im trying to install the PC driver but it doesnt works

[@catadegen]

Check your windows audio output sources, set it as default.

[@rizki4883]

Well uh,... I already have Dawn regular (3.5mm) & Shio It's looks like i'll get it anyway I dunno how to react if it's sounds better or at least just same as Shio tho, considering the price

[@catadegen]

While I don't have shio/ og dawn, i don't think the dawn pro will sound quote on quote "better" than any of these two (at least, not by a large margin). However, the independent volume function of this thing really slapped hard on my face, as an og moonriver2 user.

[@Hikikomori34]

i swear, i already have 3 portable dac's i can't have even more 🤣

[@Rsalmond83]

Make it an even 4!

[@NetvoTV]

Questyle M15, Moon Drop Dawn Pro, Apple dongle or something else just to drive Sony MDR-Z1R? Any MagSafe dongle DAC or attachment to hold the DAC onto the back of iPhone?

[@catadegen]

topping el30ii for mdr-z1r

[@NetvoTV]

I do prefer something portable, do you think a music player DAP like Sony ZX707 and WM1AM2 better to replace power bank and don't use your phone battery and storage and still good DAP? One youtuber say DAC don't change your music quality and if it does it's a bad DAC, true?

[@catadegen]

@@NetvoTV The only down side of dap, is that you need to carry one more bulk on the go, tho i used to carry one. Dac is a weird topic, because a. PCM filter will change the sound, &theres no argument can work against that (other than one cannot differentiate the colour of blue and purple) b. Every dac is not JUST a dac, it must contain an amplifier part for analog output, so it very possible for “dacs” to sound different. That’s just my 2 cents from experience tho.

[@namnguyentran2285]

i scare of the holes so i take the space

[@Rsalmond83]

You have trypophobia?

[@namnguyentran2285]

@@Rsalmond83 If trypophobia mean I cant lock at a lot of hole then yes

[@demon6937]

I worried that fluids will enter the holes, I know it is for exhaust heat

[@QRR-]

Hi, Catadegen, good review for new audiophiles! Have you tried this on an iPhone and maybe with its app? Technical things aside, does it sound warmer/brighter/on par compared to Apple dongle (for common budget IEMs)?

[@catadegen]

No, i don't have an iPhone now, but i've used this on ipad pro 2021. Comparing to Apple dongle, i'd say it sounds on bar with fast/low latency pcm filter, and slightly warmer/less harsh on slow/compensated one. It's not a very noticeable difference like changing a pair of iems tho.

[@QRR-]

@@catadegen good to know, thank you!

[@CJGloria]

@@catadegendo you think it’s worth to invest in this more when i only have an apple dongle?

[@catadegen]

@@CJGloria If you don't have anything for pc setup, and want to use your iems on desktop as well, absolutely. If you are just using iems on phone, then the most noticeable benefit should be accurate volume control.

[@AsdDsa-lf2ct]

Hello im using 7hz sonus with msi b650m mortar alc4080 mobo i want to buy dawn pro for pc but is it worth and do you have kernel crash issue some people saying on win 11 this dac unusable

[@catadegen]

Since I gave my Dawn to my friend already so really cannot test it now, but both of him and me didn't have any issue on win 11. And whether it's worth it or not, it depends on what you have on hand, if 7hz sonus is your only iem, why not spend the money on something like moondrop may, which can extend your listening profile, plus you can use switch between the DSP cable/ analog cable from sonus to play around. As long as your motherboard output is not noisy, i think the money can be spent on other set.

[@AsdDsa-lf2ct]

@ in my country i have limited options so i can buy moondrop dawn pro or ifi go link maybe in future better iems idk

[@AsdDsa-lf2ct]

i do little bit a research and bought dawn pro i hope this dac make me happy some people say qc issues and buggy bad app this scares me little bit probably im going to buy simgot supermix 4 later thank you for help ❤️

[@catadegen]

@@AsdDsa-lf2ct Np, and supermix 4 sounds like a solid choice as well, enjoy o/

[@BrandonAdams1010]

It's ok. I say spend more for a nicer one. but it isnt bad as a little desktop DAC to some powered speakers. Software is lacking. Worth? Prob. but spend more for a better one IMO.

[@RX-rd4sc]

Nice review Dawn pro 3.5 vs 4.4 connection Is there any difference in sound when driving headphones?

[@catadegen]

That's a great question, but last time for me using balanced output on a headphones, was on hd660s with a xlr cable already, it did made a difference on aune s6pro,,, but ever since I just use headphones normally on 3.5mm output and I don't have a 4.4 cable for headphones... Legit cannot answer your question with the thing on my hand, sorry bruh.

[@RX-rd4sc]

@@catadegen thats okay brother👍👍👍 I dont want to buy a 4.4 cable if the sound responce is similar

[@troved590]

Hey I'm about to buy my first dongle dac for my katos but im still confused on how it will affect the sound? Im very new to the hobby and all I know is that dac amps can give more power so its mandatory to have dac amps for big headphones that need a lot of power to run. But from my limited understanding, iems need very little power so whats the point of buying a dongle dac? And if there is audible difference vs straight from my phones built in dac then is it substantial or barely noticeable? And if there is noticeable differences then does a more expensive dongle dac like the Moonriver 2 Ti sound better than the Dawn Pro or is it all just a difference in power and if it does, does it justify the steep price tag on it?

[@troved590]

The dac gonna buy is probably either the Akliam PD4 Plus or the Dawn Pro. But my budget might rise depending on your reply. Thanks for your time

[@catadegen]

There's too much to talk about, so i will give a TLDR version: Dawn Pro (or the other dongle that you mentioned, but i have no experience on that) is the sweet spot to land, save the extra money to explore on other things. Long version: Yes, dongle affects sound in various aspect, such as power, chips, pcm filter, distortion, output resistance (and a lot more) etc, and the degree of influence depends on how easy to drive your iem is (and it can be completely irrelevant to volume level remaining on the phone as well). While a lot of modern iems are designed with ease of use in mind (they will sound good no matter what source you're feeding it into), there're some iems like OG Andromeda, that on paper extremely easy to drive, in fact sounds like absolute dog sh*t on an apple dongle even if I barely raise my volume bar up. That's an extreme case tho. Soooo, do dongles affect sound? Yes. Does it matter after having a satisfactory one like dawn pro? Not until you feel like you have explored enough in the iems/headphones scene. It's one of those endgame content that serves as the last puzzle out of thousand pieces.

[@troved590]

Thanks for the reply​@@catadegen! If I ever decide to buy a dac I'll probably just audition them just to be sure.

[@the7observer]

if i need a longer usb calbe do i need an OTG usb? Or any decent usb cable will do?

[@catadegen]

I just use the usb cable that came with my phone, works normally.

[@the7observer]

@@catadegen i see, I asked in case I wanta longer cable in case I want to place the DAC further away from my PC

[@C-ih8dw]

could you test a IEM with mic or gaming headest with TRRS 4 pin male plug and tell me if the microphone is working? thanks in advance

[@catadegen]

I legit don't have any of these, since my mic is either an independent usb mic/xlr mic. Can't help, sorry :X

[@C-ih8dw]

@@catadegenthanks for looking into it. I would totally get one if I can use it on pc for discord/gaming without a cable mess.. also taking a call would not be possible if no TRRS support.. nobody seems to know.. hmmm

[@arayra728]

It won't work, any dual dac/dongle with balanced usually got their ADC disabled

[@CHITRANSHSHARMA]

Does it have mic pass through. If I plug in iem with mic, will the mic work ?

[@catadegen]

Sorry I don't have any iem with mic, so i can't test it. But to my observation, just like normal dac-amp, those are just output, and i dont think mic will work on that.

[@Laleeee100]

Do you tried with the Usb Audio Player Pro ?

[@catadegen]

No, i don't, im using foolbar2000 normally.

[@Laleeee100]

@@catadegen could you check the volume slider works in the UAPP with the Dawn Pro ?

[@catadegen]

@@Laleeee100 Nah, im not gonna buy another player software on mobile again, the last time i bought kinda disappoint as well (poweramp). I've tried to use it on N20U, ipad pro 2021, pc, all of them behaves the same, which is, the volume slider is independent from the digital volume.

[@onoderapunpunn]

hey i am new to this hobby, currently im using jsaux dongle dac & kz zs10 pro x and i was looking to upgrade to aful performer 5 but someone said it might not get enough power to drive the iems if i use cheap dongle like the jsaux dongle dac so j found this moondrop dawn pro which is affordable to me.... my question is can i just buy the aful performer 5 and use it with jsaux dongle dac or will there be improvement in sound quality if i use this moondrop dawn pro instead? i'll be using my android device to listen to music

[@catadegen]

NGL, i don't think p5 is a particularly hard to drive set, and you should be fine with what you get on hand. Regarding to sound quality, don't expect a jump in sound quality by switch to dawn pro (especially on an easy to drive set), the most noticeable benefit of getting a dawn pro, is the absolute control of volume.

[@onoderapunpunn]

@@catadegen so i should be fine getting just the performer 5 ? i guess it's just a fear of missing out or some placebo effect thing that it will sound better if i get this dac, welp like crinacle once said apple dongle is enough i guess but still i feel like i need this dac like the voice in the back of my head lmao, what do you think will the performer 5 sound just as great with my jsaux 3.5 to usb c and cheap android device?

[@catadegen]

@@onoderapunpunn Its fine. But I'd be lying if i tell you there's no difference in sound/there's a huge jump in sound quality, because it's just a dac-amp (unless the one you're using is unbelievably bad). If you're new to the hobby, building and knowing your listening preference is actually more important, if i were in your situation, i'd just spam the money of dawn pro, into two more sets of entry iems, such as zero/hola/chu2, you name it.

[@onoderapunpunn]

@@catadegen i had the 7hz zero and i upgraded to kz zs10 pro x from it, i personally liked the 7hz zero the details were amazing coming from cheap earphones but i found it lacking bass maybe because im used to those cheap earphones sound signature cuz all of them mostly have booming bass but lacks details and everything else & that's why i bought the kz zs10 pro x after the 7hz zero, it was tuned to a more consumers standard like those typical cheap earphones and mainstream headphones, earphones/tws and i read some comments on other videos that the reason it was hard to like the 7hz zero was because of people like me getting accustomed to those v-tuning bass booming consumers sound signature so i wanna try 7hz zero again but ive already sold it and i just wanna get something that'll last me a long time and i won't have to jump from one iem to the other or look at every other iem coming out every single day, i guess what im trying to say is i dont wanna end up in iem rabbit hole searching iem after iem to get that perfect one and just get one that's actually good and just stick with it and enjoy listening to music.... sorry if that was long lmao

[@catadegen]

@@onoderapunpunn Its fine. The mentality of "endgame" always exist. At the end of the day, as long as you feel like you are enjoying music and you can stick with the set for a long time. Its all worth it.

[@guilhermemonteiro7357]

Can it drive the KZ PR2?

[@catadegen]

It can.

[@ronleeee]

@@catadegen How does the PR2 sound with the Dawn Pro? Was looking at getting both products. Would this be a good set up?

[@catadegen]

@@ronleeee It just sounds clean and neutral, bass could have been more solid if i drive it with more power/with a full size desktop amp, and the volume bar sits around 52 for pr2. However, this is old pr2 tho, i don't know how the (new) pr2 sound.

[@aeror130]

compared to truthear shio?

[@catadegen]

Unfortunately, i dont have shio Zzz

[@kamwardmama-o2424]

Is this better than jcally ap10?

[@catadegen]

Unfortunately i don't have ap10.

[@viciogamergd8061]

Its not entry, its endgame in terms fo sound, you can check the measurements

[@viciogamergd8061]

I must correct, measurements are great but frequency response is not flat, it has elevated treble so the audio is colored. Apple dongle or hiby fc3 (my main) are better in that regard

[@znoozaros]

Samsung usb-c dongle is almost perfect

[@portugasanwa]

it spoils easily, the volume buttons get damaged too easily, I read a few reviews and it was not great in sound either. I didnt try it but from what I heard I dont think I´m go to buy it soon.

[@simphoniaubec]

firsttttt