I think I'm going to return the space light and just get the regular space at 230 mv it's going to be much more powerful than any of these what say you
I ended up buying the Rhodium based on your recommendation, and it is genuinely the best piece in my collection. The clarity on display no matter what I plug into it, in a form size that I can stick in my pocket, made in materials so it won't break in my pocket, it's absolutely incredible. Thank you Dave, thank you a lot.
This video was extremely necessary because for a long time I wanted to know what the dongle dac you have sounds like. At the moment I don't need it because I bought the zishan z4 and I'm just waiting for it to arrive, but when I change my cell phone in the future I might buy a dac dongle.
Thank you very much, this was very timely. I have been pondering the new Topping NX7 and it is an Amp only, so a nice dongle DAC was on my radar to go with it. I use a BTR5 normally, which would likely work, but wasn't sure about that combo, so wanted to see some options.
Just got it and i gotta say.....WOW! Compared to the many others ive owned, its the best. I use it through my Samsung galaxy s20 plus to 3.5mm aux input on my jbl boombox 3 streaming Qobuz and its amazing!!!
Thanks for testing these out! The issue I have with adapter dongles is that they drain phone battery noticeably faster (~50% faster) than just having a phone with a good dedicated DAC-AMP and headphone jack like the LG V50 or ROG Phone 5. For that reason I instead bought the Hidizs S9 Pro sporting a desktop grade ES9038Q2M DAC-AMP for high ohm headphones that could use the dedicated AMPing. For me, if a USB-C dongle is gonna draw excess power regardless it's go big or go home 🤙
I don't even use my iPhone for headphone listening anyway. Instead I stick with my Fiio X1 lossless player and the Fiio Mont Blanc A5 amp. All I need for now. I run the iPhone through my car system a good deal for music and other content. I never have battery drain issues with either device.
They all have dead flat frequency response and could only vary in output power so the illusion of difference will come from having different volume levels but at the same volume all of those should sound identical
I use FOSI N2 portable Headphone Amplifier for cellphone and it makes my headphones sound great with videos/music compared to Bluetooth and direct phone connection
@@TheHonestAudiophile I send fosi n2 back due to repeated issues . I have letshouer s12 iem with 2.5 cable an S9 pro dac Amp dongle and iam hearing music in my music that was never audible before
Most dongle DAC are compatible with IOS/MAC. I do not use iPhone, IOS or MAC devices as I use Android and PC. Most mfg will list on the specs whether or not a device is compatible with IOS/MAC. There shouldn't be a difference whether or not a dongle is paired with IOS/MAC/PC/Android as the source; all that should sound different is the differences in the actual DAC chip and other internal components of the dongle.
Good one Dave. FINALLY, a dongle that will work with IOS. I've been waiting quite a while for this one. Thanks. The Apple one is mediocre at best. Hope you and the family are well. :-)
first of all , youre part of bills mafia , so you get points lol. question though , i do alot of audio/recording with my laptop , some of the cheap usb c dongles ive got on amazon have a latency , and some will almost shut off if there is no sound coming through them. its strange . i guess my question is , have you noticed any kind of latency with these dongles?
Hmmm that is a good question. I haven't used them much if at all for voice chat and not at all for recording. I don't watch many videoes either. So I can say I haven't noticed latency issues in my music listening. Sorry, I am not much help. Let's GO Bills!
Depends on the phone in my experience and some dongles drain battery more than others. Another factor is how loud you listen and if you are streaming and doing other things on phone at same time.
hello dave, you do great videos, do you think the amount of power of these rhodium are better than sonata HD pro?, i have the blon03 and 07 and the PMV PP (i think they require more power) thanks for your great videos......
I have only heard the Sonata HD Pro a few times a long time ago. I have no idea about the power output capabilities. I don't recall any significant differences when it comes to power. The Rhodium powers all of my IEM including the 7hz Timeless and Tin Hifi P1 Plus. I am glad you enjoy the videos. Thank you for the kind words, greatly appreciated.
Might be outdated but still sounds good. Sure there are better options and revisions but for when this video was made it was a solid option. Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing.
Hey Dave, great review. I'm sold on the periodic audio rhodia! but you mentioned you wouldn't use a dongle with a desktop setup. This has thrown me as i want to connect my android phone into my car audio via aux but also have the ability to connect to my mixer at home to play through my monitors. Given what you've said, what other/better method is there to connect my phone to my desktop setup?
You could use the Periodic Audio Rhodium as the DAC but you are connecting with 3.5mm output to your mixer. I think an external DAC would be a better way to connect your computer to your mixer.
@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks for the reply Dave, so my pc is connected to my mixer but sometimes my pc isn't on and i just want to connect my phone into the mixer via 3.5mm to play music briefly, i used to but my new phone is usb c only.
Hey man I know you havent used the 3.5mm much, but do you notice a faster depletion of your battery life when you use the USB-C DAC? Thats the only thing keeping me from getting them. It feels like the battery on my S10+ dies kinda fast and i cant afford it to drain much faster. Thanks!
I don't notice much difference at all in battery life but I don't use dongles for long listening sessions. I'm usually only using them for an hour or less. Plus I have access to phone charging most of the time. Sorry I'm not the best source for battery endurance test.
Thank you for sharing this information. Do I get it right: all of these are dongles that support an inline microphone so that it is actually possible to make phone calls with wired 3.5mm jack headsets?
@@TheHonestAudiophile ok thank you. I don't get the value from being deprived of a mic on a smartphone, but that's another discussion. Have a good day.
The purpose of these DAC/Amp dongles is for music playback not really for microphones. SInce the removal of the headphone jack from most phones the dongle has been the connection for portable on the go music playback. These dongles are also compatible with computers and laptops as a lot of onboard soundboards are mediocre quality. Quite a few of the dongles do have mic input/output capabilities. Also these are quite advanced DAC chips and amp chips that will outperform a lot of onboard chips, not all but a lot. Personally I don't get a lot of phone calls and don't use a microphone on a regular basis so I don't include that in the reviews. There are a lot of other reviewers who do mic tests, if you need additional information. Also, the specs on the dongle will advise if it is mic compatible. Sorry I wasn't able to give you the exact information you were seeking.
Is the Periodic Audio Rhodium (PAR) a DAC & AMP? So would I just need my phone, IEM's and the PAR and I'm set? So how does an iFi Go Blu or btr5 play in to this? Does an iFi Go Blu or brt5 replace the dongle? Is the iFI Go Blu better than a dongle?
Yes, the PAR is a DAC and amp and all you need is your phone and IEM and the PAR. As for the BTR5 or GoBlu, they connect your phone via bluetooth to your IEM. I do not believe that the BTR5 or GoBlu are better than the PAR but you do get the wireless capabilities that you lose with the PAR. I would pick the PAR as my dongle of choice over any BT DAC/Amp/dongle.
I own the khadas tone2 pro, ibasso dc05 and tried the fiio ka3 and tried them with tin hifi t3 plus, dt770 80ohm and etymotic er2se and heard almost 0 difference between these 3.
Yes, I'd say the same. There are some minor changes, but I perceived them as more of a tonal change - neutral or slightly v-shaped for instance. And I was listening from a DCA Aeons, Elegias, Sony iems, so stuff that is supposed to be resolving enough. On sensitive iems there might be some noise for instance, or cheap of the shelf dongles can lack bass or power, or have something wrong going on in highs, making them noticeably harsh. Though when it comes to all our audiophile stuff - yeh, not much of a difference there. Which is good.
Thank you for letting me know that VE has it's dongle. I just can't make my mind if I need one. I have OnePlus Nord2,which,I suppose has it's internal dac. The most straight way is to take OnePlus dongle,but they have terrible support,and I can't order one.
@@TheHonestAudiophile My phone doesn't have 3.5 output. If I understand right,my phone outputs analog signal right away, without help of external device, although i.e. Samsung smartphones doesn't convert digital to analog internally. So, that is why I am not sure I will have some benefits from using different fancy dongles...
does anyone know a 3.5mm adapter that is not too expensive and has a good quality USB connector? Ive had 2 adapters from Amazon having very unstable connections after less than a year and as far as the reviews go it seems to be a common occurrence for most of the budget adapters...I wouldnt consider myself to be an audiophile so the quality doesnt have to be perfect, Im just here cause it seems no one really talks about these
What price range do you consider "not too expensive"? 7hz 71 $35 Periodic Audio Rhodium $50 Hiby FC3 $70 Fosi Audio DS2 $60 Hidizs XO $100 AFUL Snowy Night $100 Audio Engine DAC3 $150
Sorry haven't heard a stock Pixel dongle. Here's a link to my rankings list, all sorts of dongle listed docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nRHnsP_4vLg9DlD9kwJ6gQuEQFqhTR0lnrkxXo3AMG8/edit?usp=drivesdk
Hello i have sennheiser hd600 and i buy flac,i listen to them on my mobile phone samsung galaxy s10 and on my pc with normal card its asus nitro and id like to know which dongle or dac would you buy right now. Which one do you think its the best . Thank you in advance.
Not exactly sure how this would happen as a properly built USB dongle should reproduce left signal and right signal channels for stereo. Here are a few things I would check; IEM/Headphone cable is connected properly at all points; use correct TRS/TRRS cables for appropriate dongle outputs; verify PC/Laptop/Phone isn't setup to output as mono; ensure headphone/IEM isn't broken and thus only reproducing in mono. I have not had a USB dongle reproduce in mono except when I didn't connect properly or had a setting wrong.
@TheHonestAudiophile I've tried it with 2 different phones, s21 and s23, but it's just mono on both. Out of my mixer to phone, it's just getting signal our of the left channel. When I use it for headphones out my phone and play a video on UA-cam that has stereo, it won't play in stereo. I've looked out my settings on the phone, and I don't see anything.
@TheHonestAudiophile I've tried 6 different dongles, and they are all just pulling from the left channel. So I got a rca cable left and right that goes to mono as a workaround.
Great review! I love small dac/amps, great for portable use on laptops and phones. Have you had the chance to try Avani and Abigail sold by Venture Electronics? I just ordered them.
Hello! I do have a question. I'm not an audiophile at all but I am starting to learn little by little. I have a Google pixel 7 pro and the onboard DAC is pretty terrible. Plus the Google USBC dongle isn't great either. The main issue I have with the audio is the volume. Even at 100% it's just not loud enough. If I were to buy the Periodic Audio Rhodia, would I have louder volume as well as better sound quality?
@@TheHonestAudiophile I currently have the Sony MDR-XB55APs, To me they sound great and a lot of people like them as well. What IEM/Earbuds would you recommend for great sound? Thank you for your time and Merry Christmas.
Sorry haven't heard the Sony you reference. What is your budget for an IEM? Here is a link to my tier list, please pay attention to the ranking grade tab. docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nRHnsP_4vLg9DlD9kwJ6gQuEQFqhTR0lnrkxXo3AMG8/edit?usp=drivesdk
@@TheHonestAudiophile My Budget is around $75 to $150. I tend to like in-ear more than over-the-ear, especially if they have foam tips. Thank you for your list btw.
You are welcome for the list, hope it helps with your decision making. If you can find these on sale, I highly recommend them: Tin Hifi P1 Max Moondrop Kato
If your laptop has USB-C connection it will work. If the dongle has inline mic capabilities it should work with your laptop. I don't use them that way so I can't confirm.
Hey i just randomly stumbled upon this vid and i wonder how problematic it is if i buy a phone without a headphone jack and using one of these dongles instead.. is it a worse audio quality than a normal headphone jack? how much worse if so?
Considering that I haven't had a phone with a headphone jack in about 4 years I have nothing to compare. I do think that having a quality DAC/amp will enhance the experience. I have tried my various dongles with my laptops and it is an improvement.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Thank you for the reply. To be honest im not an audiophile so im just wondering about this because im about to buy a new phone and it may not have a headphone jack (still thinking between a few models) so it may be a problem for me in terms of basic audio quality vs 'stock' 3.5mm headphones... The 10$ DAC you've mentioned is out of stock on that website (any other places to buy it? couldnt find on ebay) and the rest are a bit on the pricy side considering my selected headphones anyway (the free samsung earphones you get with the old S7). So i went to ebay and found other DACs (made sure they're digital too) for ~10-15$, by Ugreen mostly. My question is if im gonna have an audio quality loss compared to just using the headphones with a 3.5mm port instead.. Since nothing in my situation is remotely close to professional grade, i wouldnt think it will even matter, but i just want to make sure before i purchase a phone without such port. Hope this can be clarified, and thanks!
I've told you all that I can about dongles vs headphone jack from phone. I have no experience with ugreen products. I have no experience in 4 years with a phone with a headphone jack.
Hi, how do these Rhodium compare with a dedicated DAP like say Sony NW A105 ? Is a phone with an good dongle a better solution for driving IEMs or are DAPs still better in terms of sound quality ?. Thanks.
For streaming purposes phone and dongle are perfect. For more local files/downloaded music and streaming a DAP is more suitable. The Rhodium is very clean and neutral sounding and is more tuned like the Sony NW-WM1a as the NW-A105 I have is more warm and lush. Overall power and drive capabilities the DAP have more then a dongle. But the Rhodium will power all the IEM I have in house.
Moondrop Dawn or Periodic Audio Rhodium? Using Moondrop kato btw. Also, been using the VIVO Type-C dongle would buying one from the two make a difference?
I was looking to get some better audio with my Galaxy s10 and saw a test of the pixel dongle that manage to output over twice the Vrms than the stock 3.5mm jack. Looking for the best usb C dongle and see that most people recommend pixel v1 dongle or the apple USB c one.
Yes, I find that most dongles are superior to built-in 3.5mm. I recommend these dongles: Periodic Audio Rhodium Hiby FC3 Hiby FC4 NextDrive Spectra X Moondrop Dawn
@@TheHonestAudiophile Cool, I'll look into those, thank you. The test I saw compared stock samsung to stock Apple adapter. Both being really good, samsung ended up winning. Are these third party one often better? I'm looking to ditch my car headunit and go straight from 3.5mm to amplifiers for all speakers
Sorry, I don't have much experience as of late with phone outputs as I have been using a phone without one for awhile. I use dongles on a regular/daily basis and from the previous experiences that I have with headphone outputs the dongles are better.
Is it possible to use an USB C to AUX cable, USB C being the car audio source and 3.5mm aux going to external DAC for iPhone ? Or will the headunit not recognize it
@@TheHonestAudiophile ya I tried doing it in my car and it didn’t recognize the phone. Only wired source I have in my car is a USB C. My headunit supports lossless files but is there any sort of DAC or cable I can use that goes from lightning to USB-C ? I only find 3.5mm output ones
@@TheHonestAudiophile lol ya Ik, I looked on Amazon but didn’t really find anything besides a short USB C to Lightning HiFi cable that I might try out. I used to use a dragonfly DAC on my old car, which had an AUX cord and it really brought the sound to life and it also served as a preamp. Just trying to find an alternative now that the only source I have is USB C or Bluetooth
I did not know anything about those but i found the Google dongle that I ordered for my Pixel 6 is not so bad ! Is it really worth the upgrade for one of those ? Wich one would you recommend for the Moondrop Kato ? (Also the periodic work with Android ?)
So I found a Bose computer speakers set that has the old-school audio Jack. I’m looking for something to connect those to my MacBook Pro. It’s a 2021 MacBook. Would this dongle work? The Bose have their own power btw. Ty
@@TheHonestAudiophile *link2 bal. I'm using the balanced s12 with it. Sounds great. I listen to mostly rock & metal. This is my first hifi earphones. I have headphones setup and never thought it could all become portable one day. Thank you for all your honest reviews!
it is a portable dac/amp for use with a phone that doesn't have a headphone out or sounds horrible with the headphone out or to upgrade output on another device like a DAP that has usb-c capabilities. In my experience the portable dac/amps upgrade the quality of sonics from my phones.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Hi, sorry I had a related question. Does the periodic DAC support mic usage on android if I have an inline mic on my iem(its some cheap kz zs5, don't if its real or fake but looks real to me)
@the Honest Audiophile that's why I asked I didn't see any of the dongle dacs listed. All I saw were headphones and other products not the dongle dacs you mentioned.
I am sorry, that was my error, I didn't update the description as I thought I had. Here is a list of the dongles and I have updated the description as well. I am sorry for the response earlier. Periodic Audio Rhodium: periodicaudio.com/products/rh-usb-dac xDuoo Link V2 (2021): www.linsoul.com/products/xduoo-link-v2?_pos=1&_sid=c5089276b&_ss=r ADV-Sound AccessPort Lite: www.adv-sound.com/collections/audio-adapters NextDrive Spectra X:www.nextdrive-spectra.io/ Veclan VE Odyssey HD: www.veclan.com/engappliance_sel_one?eng_ApplianceVo.eac_id=32
I know it is a 1 year old post, but could you make a comparison of the build quality between the old xDuoo Link (black orange) and the new version? I had great problems if the cable bent to much (over 45°) with sound dropouts & the tuning (use it with Aful Performer 5 and you know what I mean). I only bought it because it has a play/ pause button and I'm really disappointed with it.
Periodic Rhodium is more neutral and analytical leaning and the Space is a little warmer tonality with a slightly wider stage. The detail retrieval and resolution are similar.
Umm hello sir . I am really confused about what should i use for my kz zsn pro in my android nothing phone 2. I am really worried about the audio quality getting bad . So please help me on what should i buy.
I disagree. Yes headphone jacks can sound good BUT not all of them do. Think of it like an external DAC and amplifier on a desktop setup, they all can bring different sonics to the presentation.
@@steilhander_II I disagree as I've had numerous premium phones from LG, Samsung and OnePlus that had headphone jack and they were adequate but not quality. I've found over the years that a quality dongle is superior. To each their own, I'm glad you enjoy your phones headphone jack.
You have mentioned that you don't use a DAC dongle for PC. So, if I were to use a Shuoer s12 on my pc, DAC dongle is not necessary? *I currently don't have any amp/DAC using my pc, just straight to the 3.5mm motherboard jack*
If you don't have a desktop setup, DAC and amplifier, to use with your PC, it would be wise to invest in either a dongle DAC/Amp or a desktop setup. Going straight out from the 3.5mm will not be sufficient in my opinion. I've not had good experiences doing it that way.
Thanks for the video but I'm confused. I have a Samsung Galaxy S10E which has a 3.5mm headphone jack. Do I need a dongle for better sound to my wired Sennheiser HD599's or is the headphone jack in the phone the same audio quality? Thanks.
I have never heard the S10SE so I can't offer a comparison. I have been using a dongle for the last 4 phones that I have owned because they all went to usb-c only. An external dac/amp dongle can and most likely will enhance the experience. BUT I can't confirm it with a direct test.
Is jcally jm10 good? I have the jcally jm20 but it doesnt pair with my titan s well cause it becomes too bright and fatiguing? Ive heard from some written written reviews that its reference grade and very neutral sounding too and not painfull for long music listening like the jm20 .
Hi Dave. I ended up getting Periodic Audio after watching your review on it but im wondering if you know anything of it's durability? I've only had it for a few weeks but already notice it going staticy if It bends at certain angles
Hello, do you know if the Periodic Audio Rhodium is enough to drive the Shure SRH840a (which has an impendance of 40ohms and a sensitivity of 97dB/mW)? On a calculator online I found that for 110dB on these headphones (not that I plan to listen so loud) it would require 20mW and 0.89Vrms, but is that cutting it too close to the 30mW and 1Vrms of the DAC? Will there be distortion?
I haven't used a daily phone with a headphone jack in about4 years. BUT my wife has a Samsung S10 and when I have borrowed her phone and used a dongle, I do hear an improvement in sound.
I have a Pixel 6a and have to use a dongle to listen with headphones. The biggest problem I have is how much it reduces volume. I thought all dongles were basically the same.
Fold 4 has no headphone jack so the dongle is needed to use any wired IEM or headphone. Also some dongles have better DAC than the internals of a phone but I've not used a Fold 4 so I don't know if that is the case with it.
@TheHonestAudiophile yeah do me a favor read the internal DAC chip specs in the fold series. It's simular to what Sony was doing in their DSD ready phones. The fold will play out without a dac dongle. Just a straight usbc analog out works
@TheHonestAudiophile I use the analog attachment to listen losslessly in audi bose 3d system but it isn't with the DAC DONGLE. if you do that, you're not going to be accessing the internal decoder of the fold which is audiophile grade. You could be turning people away from already great audio by having the external DAC chip decode at a worse level.
@TheHonestAudiophile Audio Stereo speakers Surround sound with Dolby Atmos technology (Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus included) Ultra high quality audio playback UHQ 32-bit & DSD64/128 support PCM: Up to 32 bits, DSD: DSD64/128 Audio playback format MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF Bluetooth Dual Audio: connect two Bluetooth devices to the Galaxy Z Fold4 to play audio through the two devices simultaneously SSC (Samsung Seamless Codec): enhanced Bluetooth connection under ambient radio frequency interference Recording Recording quality is improved with the High AOP Mic that minimizes distortion in noisy environments. *DSD64 and DSD128 playback can be limited depending on the file format. *The two Bluetooth-connected devices may exhibit a slight difference in sound output. *Samsung Seamless Codec available only for certain accessories made by Samsung.
I've had to have two of the rhodium replaced on warranty for channels not working and that is such a letdown. Get something else. I have a moondrop river and that has great sound but that stupid cable situation makes it useless for portable use as it disconnects on any movement. Sadly the most reliable usable dac is the stock Samsung usbc 3.5 cable so far
What about apple type c to 3.5mm dongle I have to buy one for my ipad pro and I have two options Either one from venture electronics or apple … which one should i buy
Sorry I'm an Android and PC user through and thru. Many apple users have said the Periodic Audio Rhodium is great but I have only used the Rhodium with Android. Sorry.
😂You can hear my neighbors snowblower in the background 😂 Here is where you can find more information and purchase, please note I wasn't able to find a link for the xDuoo Link original: Periodic Audio Rhodium: periodicaudio.com/products/rh-usb-dac xDuoo Link V2 (2021): www.linsoul.com/products/xduoo-link-v2?_pos=1&_sid=c5089276b&_ss=r ADV-Sound AccessPort Lite: www.adv-sound.com/collections/audio-adapters NextDrive Spectra X:www.nextdrive-spectra.io/ Veclan VE Odyssey HD: www.veclan.com/engappliance_sel_one?eng_ApplianceVo.eac_id=32
Well the only dongles that I know that have bass boost function are the iFi Go Blu and Go Bar. But there are some quality dongles that offer fantastic sonics that I highly recommend even though they lack the bass boost. Periodic Audio Rhodium Hiby FC3 Hiby FC4 Nextdrive Spectra X xDuoo Link V2
Dude, you haven't compared to the reference baseline - the Apple dongle? If you make this kind of a fail for simple dongles, how else are you failing in your other more "serious" comparisons? Well, I'm certainly not gonna waste my time on finding out... This is THE video about dongles, with actual measurements: ua-cam.com/video/r0P8-TUDJ4Q/v-deo.html In general, if you want to hear any real difference from the simple $10 Apple dongle, it seems that you need to get closer to the $100 mark.
For the record, I own an Apple dongle and it sounds like rubbish. It is not resolving and is compressed. Keep in mind I do not have Apple phone or any other Apple sources to use it with, I've only heard it in Android and PC devices. I used it with UAPP to bypass Android and the Apple dongle still didn't impress with its compressed sound and lacking resolving abilities. Everyone hears differently and there are many variables that go into formulating a viewpoint. Just because a well named content creator says something doesn't mean that I have to follow suit especially when I've heard differently. I highly recommend you check out my ranking list and you'll see that I've reviewed a lot of gear and have many comparison options. Please read the ranking grade tab first. docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nRHnsP_4vLg9DlD9kwJ6gQuEQFqhTR0lnrkxXo3AMG8/edit?usp=drivesdk Thanks for watching and commenting.
I truly believe it is important for a viewer/commenter to understand the reviewer so that when a simple thing like the Apple dongle debate arises they can see their perspective and agree to disagree. Here's some reading and video material for you that will help explain my review process and why I believe what I believe. Review Process: www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/honest-audiophile-review-process www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/honest-simple-reviews-but-why Reference Gear: www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/honest-audiophile-reference-gear-and-music Reference Music: www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/does-your-music-preference-impact-your-sound-impressions Terms & Definitions: www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/the-honest-audiophile-s-terms-and-definitions-guide Get to Know the Honest Audiophile: ua-cam.com/play/PLFpndZVz25TJfPKx-OLMpovQP-QeNatDh.html Audiophile, Audio Enthusiast and Why it Matters: ua-cam.com/play/PLFpndZVz25TKS6PyW4QJcqbT6WDiJ08c3.html
Dave I have XDuoo V2 link grey (2021) and headphones Beyerdynamic 900 DT pro x. I listen to Amazon music unlimited now and the sound is amazing for me. Later I ll try more expensive DAC.
Amazing video, as always. Which firmware are you running on the VE Odyssey HD? I personally tried all 3 (24bit/96khz, 24bit/192khz, 32bit/384khz), and I definitely found the latter two cleaner, with slight differences in tuning. 24 bit, 192khz felt like the sweet spot, with slightly warmer tuning, but 32 bit 384khz was a little cleaner, although connecting it to a PC always sets the volume to 100, and you need to reduce it before actually playing any music.
@@TheHonestAudiophile You didn't know? No worries. Just check the Facebook group of Venture electronics. They have a couple of firmware files that you can use to change the firmware of your Odyssey HD. I've got all 3. If you could share an email address, I'd be happy to share them with you :)
Possible. Why don't you setup a blind test for both us and let's see if either can hear the differences. Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing.
Oh you can. I promise that. I own many and it's the best by far. Samsung galaxy s20 plus to Rhodium to 3.5mm cord to aux in on my jbl boombox 3. Streaming Qobuz using USB audio player pro, the sound is so much better.
I don't use a microphone with a dongle so I don't know the answer to your question. I use the Rode Podcaster USB microphone which connects via USB C directly into my phone, no dongle required.
It's so crazy how far DAC technology has come. Even 10 or 15 years ago there was no way you could get any kind of decent audio out of a DAC that small
Very true
And yet the majority of dongles have incompatible issues or poor sound.
I think I'm going to return the space light and just get the regular space at 230 mv it's going to be much more powerful than any of these what say you
@Michiganman08 Sounds like a plan.
I ended up buying the Rhodium based on your recommendation, and it is genuinely the best piece in my collection. The clarity on display no matter what I plug into it, in a form size that I can stick in my pocket, made in materials so it won't break in my pocket, it's absolutely incredible. Thank you Dave, thank you a lot.
Awesome 💯 I'm glad you enjoy the Periodic Audio Rhodium. You're welcome for the suggestion.
This video was extremely necessary because for a long time I wanted to know what the dongle dac you have sounds like. At the moment I don't need it because I bought the zishan z4 and I'm just waiting for it to arrive, but when I change my cell phone in the future I might buy a dac dongle.
Awesomeness ❤️
That's disgusting, no wonder
Thank you very much, this was very timely. I have been pondering the new Topping NX7 and it is an Amp only, so a nice dongle DAC was on my radar to go with it. I use a BTR5 normally, which would likely work, but wasn't sure about that combo, so wanted to see some options.
Glad you found the video helpful.
As much as id like to have the best quality, i feel like i really want those buttons, good to hear the xduoo V2 sounds like a good choice as well
There are plenty of options with volume control at varying budgets but the xDuoo V2 is a solid option.
Love the Bills hat
Just got it and i gotta say.....WOW! Compared to the many others ive owned, its the best. I use it through my Samsung galaxy s20 plus to 3.5mm aux input on my jbl boombox 3 streaming Qobuz and its amazing!!!
Glad you enjoy the Rhodium. Thanks for the impressions.
Thanks for testing these out!
The issue I have with adapter dongles is that they drain phone battery noticeably faster (~50% faster) than just having a phone with a good dedicated DAC-AMP and headphone jack like the LG V50 or ROG Phone 5.
For that reason I instead bought the Hidizs S9 Pro sporting a desktop grade ES9038Q2M DAC-AMP for high ohm headphones that could use the dedicated AMPing. For me, if a USB-C dongle is gonna draw excess power regardless it's go big or go home 🤙
I don't even use my iPhone for headphone listening anyway. Instead I stick with my Fiio X1 lossless player and the Fiio Mont Blanc A5 amp. All I need for now. I run the iPhone through
my car system a good deal for music and other content. I never have battery drain issues with either device.
They all have dead flat frequency response and could only vary in output power so the illusion of difference will come from having different volume levels but at the same volume all of those should sound identical
Thank you soo much! was looking for some good dongle as my earphone has some white noise! hahaha
Glad you found the video helpful. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I have 2 Xduoo Link 2 dongles. Great ones.
Glad you enjoy them.
Go bills! Mafia in the house!
Go Bills!!!
It's all in the DAC chip. Most use realtek . Expensive models have built in amp with the dac chip
I use FOSI N2 portable Headphone Amplifier for cellphone and it makes my headphones sound great with videos/music compared to Bluetooth and direct phone connection
Haven't heard the Fosi N2. Glad you enjoy it.
@@TheHonestAudiophile I send fosi n2 back due to repeated issues . I have letshouer s12 iem with 2.5 cable an S9 pro dac Amp dongle and iam hearing music in my music that was never audible before
Thank you for the impressions. Glad you enjoy the S12.
Could you do a video on dacs for USBc iPhone? I’ve heard so many different things about quality
Most dongle DAC are compatible with IOS/MAC. I do not use iPhone, IOS or MAC devices as I use Android and PC. Most mfg will list on the specs whether or not a device is compatible with IOS/MAC. There shouldn't be a difference whether or not a dongle is paired with IOS/MAC/PC/Android as the source; all that should sound different is the differences in the actual DAC chip and other internal components of the dongle.
So a six dollar one from Walmart probably won't sound too good?
Unicorns do exist but the chances of finding one are slim.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Appreciate it
My pleasure, you're welcome
Good one Dave. FINALLY, a dongle that will work with IOS. I've been waiting quite a while for this one. Thanks. The Apple one is mediocre at best. Hope you and the family are well. :-)
Glad to help. You are welcome. Look forward to your impressions if you choose to pick one up.
@@TheHonestAudiophile I did order one and I will let you know my thoughts. Thanks again. L
Awesomeness. Family is doing well. Thanks
I'm using venture electronic Abigail pro😊
Glad you enjoy the VE Abigail Pro.
it does not support Windows 7 isn't it since no drivers available...?
Thanks!
My pleasure, you're welcome.
first of all , youre part of bills mafia , so you get points lol. question though , i do alot of audio/recording with my laptop , some of the cheap usb c dongles ive got on amazon have a latency , and some will almost shut off if there is no sound coming through them. its strange . i guess my question is , have you noticed any kind of latency with these dongles?
Hmmm that is a good question. I haven't used them much if at all for voice chat and not at all for recording. I don't watch many videoes either. So I can say I haven't noticed latency issues in my music listening. Sorry, I am not much help.
Let's GO Bills!
please please please review audeze XC latest revision
Thanks for the suggestion, will see if one is available for review.
does usb c dongle drain smartphone battery excessively?
Depends on the phone in my experience and some dongles drain battery more than others. Another factor is how loud you listen and if you are streaming and doing other things on phone at same time.
I couldn't find the Periodic in 4.4mm configuration. Bummer.
I don't know if there is a 4.4mm configuration of the Rhodium. I have a 3.5mm version. You could message Periodic Audio and see if they can make one.
hello dave, you do great videos, do you think the amount of power of these rhodium are better than sonata HD pro?, i have the blon03 and 07 and the PMV PP (i think they require more power) thanks for your great videos......
I have only heard the Sonata HD Pro a few times a long time ago. I have no idea about the power output capabilities. I don't recall any significant differences when it comes to power.
The Rhodium powers all of my IEM including the 7hz Timeless and Tin Hifi P1 Plus.
I am glad you enjoy the videos. Thank you for the kind words, greatly appreciated.
@@TheHonestAudiophile 7hz vs moondrop Kato which is better
ua-cam.com/video/wxBCHO996Ck/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/12_ZnHHJBYc/v-deo.html
Comparison made in the reviews.
nice
Odyssey HD is out dated hardware. the realtek ac5686 is a upgraded version.
Might be outdated but still sounds good. Sure there are better options and revisions but for when this video was made it was a solid option.
Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing.
The Venture Electronics Odyssey HD dongle is currently out of stock.
That's a bummer.
Yeah, do you have any other recommendation for similar price range? Thanks in advance
Hey Dave, great review. I'm sold on the periodic audio rhodia! but you mentioned you wouldn't use a dongle with a desktop setup. This has thrown me as i want to connect my android phone into my car audio via aux but also have the ability to connect to my mixer at home to play through my monitors. Given what you've said, what other/better method is there to connect my phone to my desktop setup?
You could use the Periodic Audio Rhodium as the DAC but you are connecting with 3.5mm output to your mixer. I think an external DAC would be a better way to connect your computer to your mixer.
@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks for the reply Dave, so my pc is connected to my mixer but sometimes my pc isn't on and i just want to connect my phone into the mixer via 3.5mm to play music briefly, i used to but my new phone is usb c only.
@@223goBOOM for that use case it would probably work adequately but I wouldn't use it regularly as that's why you have a PC.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Okay thanks again Dave, keep doing your thing!
My pleasure, you're welcome
Hey man I know you havent used the 3.5mm much, but do you notice a faster depletion of your battery life when you use the USB-C DAC?
Thats the only thing keeping me from getting them. It feels like the battery on my S10+ dies kinda fast and i cant afford it to drain much faster. Thanks!
I don't notice much difference at all in battery life but I don't use dongles for long listening sessions. I'm usually only using them for an hour or less. Plus I have access to phone charging most of the time. Sorry I'm not the best source for battery endurance test.
@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks!
My pleasure, you're welcome
periodic audio rhodium dac not available in my country brother I missed this product.
Thank you for sharing this information. Do I get it right: all of these are dongles that support an inline microphone so that it is actually possible to make phone calls with wired 3.5mm jack headsets?
Not all dongles support inline mic. I'd confirm the specs for that. I don't use or test that option.
@@TheHonestAudiophile ok thank you. I don't get the value from being deprived of a mic on a smartphone, but that's another discussion.
Have a good day.
The purpose of these DAC/Amp dongles is for music playback not really for microphones. SInce the removal of the headphone jack from most phones the dongle has been the connection for portable on the go music playback. These dongles are also compatible with computers and laptops as a lot of onboard soundboards are mediocre quality. Quite a few of the dongles do have mic input/output capabilities. Also these are quite advanced DAC chips and amp chips that will outperform a lot of onboard chips, not all but a lot.
Personally I don't get a lot of phone calls and don't use a microphone on a regular basis so I don't include that in the reviews. There are a lot of other reviewers who do mic tests, if you need additional information. Also, the specs on the dongle will advise if it is mic compatible.
Sorry I wasn't able to give you the exact information you were seeking.
Is the Periodic Audio Rhodium (PAR) a DAC & AMP? So would I just need my phone, IEM's and the PAR and I'm set? So how does an iFi Go Blu or
btr5 play in to this? Does an iFi Go Blu or brt5 replace the dongle? Is the iFI Go Blu better than a dongle?
Yes, the PAR is a DAC and amp and all you need is your phone and IEM and the PAR. As for the BTR5 or GoBlu, they connect your phone via bluetooth to your IEM. I do not believe that the BTR5 or GoBlu are better than the PAR but you do get the wireless capabilities that you lose with the PAR. I would pick the PAR as my dongle of choice over any BT DAC/Amp/dongle.
I own the khadas tone2 pro, ibasso dc05 and tried the fiio ka3 and tried them with tin hifi t3 plus, dt770 80ohm and etymotic er2se and heard almost 0 difference between these 3.
Yes, I'd say the same. There are some minor changes, but I perceived them as more of a tonal change - neutral or slightly v-shaped for instance. And I was listening from a DCA Aeons, Elegias, Sony iems, so stuff that is supposed to be resolving enough. On sensitive iems there might be some noise for instance, or cheap of the shelf dongles can lack bass or power, or have something wrong going on in highs, making them noticeably harsh. Though when it comes to all our audiophile stuff - yeh, not much of a difference there. Which is good.
i heard the UA3 AKM chip sound diff from ESS chip
👍
Thank you for letting me know that VE has it's dongle. I just can't make my mind if I need one.
I have OnePlus Nord2,which,I suppose has it's internal dac.
The most straight way is to take OnePlus dongle,but they have terrible support,and I can't order one.
I'd go with a dongle over a phone output. But I haven't had a phone with a 3.5 output in a very long time.
@@TheHonestAudiophile My phone doesn't have 3.5 output. If I understand right,my phone outputs analog signal right away, without help of external device, although i.e. Samsung smartphones doesn't convert digital to analog internally.
So, that is why I am not sure I will have some benefits from using different fancy dongles...
does anyone know a 3.5mm adapter that is not too expensive and has a good quality USB connector? Ive had 2 adapters from Amazon having very unstable connections after less than a year and as far as the reviews go it seems to be a common occurrence for most of the budget adapters...I wouldnt consider myself to be an audiophile so the quality doesnt have to be perfect, Im just here cause it seems no one really talks about these
What price range do you consider "not too expensive"?
7hz 71 $35
Periodic Audio Rhodium $50
Hiby FC3 $70
Fosi Audio DS2 $60
Hidizs XO $100
AFUL Snowy Night $100
Audio Engine DAC3 $150
Odyssey HD looks perfect but it looks to be discontinued. Any other options in a similar price range that has a similar quality? Thanks.
The only other one similar is the Periodic Audio Rhodium but is a lot more pricey.
What about the other velcan models?
@@Alex_564 I have only heard the Abigail and it is warmer then the Odysee.
@@TheHonestAudiophile darn it. How does it compare to the stock pixel dongle? What do you suggest I pair with a Fiio iem for my Pixel?
Sorry haven't heard a stock Pixel dongle.
Here's a link to my rankings list, all sorts of dongle listed
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nRHnsP_4vLg9DlD9kwJ6gQuEQFqhTR0lnrkxXo3AMG8/edit?usp=drivesdk
Hello i have sennheiser hd600 and i buy flac,i listen to them on my mobile phone samsung galaxy s10 and on my pc with normal card its asus nitro and id like to know which dongle or dac would you buy right now. Which one do you think its the best . Thank you in advance.
To be honest, I've not found dongles that have the power to accurately push the HD600.
I've tried a few different dongles, and they all produce a mono signal. Do you know of one that produces stereo signal?
Not exactly sure how this would happen as a properly built USB dongle should reproduce left signal and right signal channels for stereo. Here are a few things I would check; IEM/Headphone cable is connected properly at all points; use correct TRS/TRRS cables for appropriate dongle outputs; verify PC/Laptop/Phone isn't setup to output as mono; ensure headphone/IEM isn't broken and thus only reproducing in mono.
I have not had a USB dongle reproduce in mono except when I didn't connect properly or had a setting wrong.
@TheHonestAudiophile I've tried it with 2 different phones, s21 and s23, but it's just mono on both. Out of my mixer to phone, it's just getting signal our of the left channel. When I use it for headphones out my phone and play a video on UA-cam that has stereo, it won't play in stereo. I've looked out my settings on the phone, and I don't see anything.
You have me stumped, none of the 20 USB dongles I have run in mono mode unleess I am doing something wrong as I mentioned previous.
@TheHonestAudiophile I've tried 6 different dongles, and they are all just pulling from the left channel. So I got a rca cable left and right that goes to mono as a workaround.
Great review! I love small dac/amps, great for portable use on laptops and phones. Have you had the chance to try Avani and Abigail sold by Venture Electronics? I just ordered them.
I haven't heard those, sorry.
@@TheHonestAudiophile cheap dongles sold on ali, the avani uses the same dac chip as the Rhodium.
@@teok8855 are you sure that the Periodic Audio Rhodium uses the same DAC as the way cheaper Avani ?
Hello! I do have a question. I'm not an audiophile at all but I am starting to learn little by little. I have a Google pixel 7 pro and the onboard DAC is pretty terrible. Plus the Google USBC dongle isn't great either. The main issue I have with the audio is the volume. Even at 100% it's just not loud enough. If I were to buy the Periodic Audio Rhodia, would I have louder volume as well as better sound quality?
Depends on what IEM you're using but yes the volume should increase and the sound quality will improve.
@@TheHonestAudiophile I currently have the Sony MDR-XB55APs, To me they sound great and a lot of people like them as well. What IEM/Earbuds would you recommend for great sound? Thank you for your time and Merry Christmas.
Sorry haven't heard the Sony you reference. What is your budget for an IEM?
Here is a link to my tier list, please pay attention to the ranking grade tab.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nRHnsP_4vLg9DlD9kwJ6gQuEQFqhTR0lnrkxXo3AMG8/edit?usp=drivesdk
@@TheHonestAudiophile My Budget is around $75 to $150. I tend to like in-ear more than over-the-ear, especially if they have foam tips. Thank you for your list btw.
You are welcome for the list, hope it helps with your decision making.
If you can find these on sale, I highly recommend them:
Tin Hifi P1 Max
Moondrop Kato
DO these works on laptop ?
does the mic with headset works together ?
If your laptop has USB-C connection it will work. If the dongle has inline mic capabilities it should work with your laptop.
I don't use them that way so I can't confirm.
@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks man
'
Hey i just randomly stumbled upon this vid and i wonder how problematic it is if i buy a phone without a headphone jack and using one of these dongles instead.. is it a worse audio quality than a normal headphone jack? how much worse if so?
Considering that I haven't had a phone with a headphone jack in about 4 years I have nothing to compare. I do think that having a quality DAC/amp will enhance the experience. I have tried my various dongles with my laptops and it is an improvement.
@@TheHonestAudiophile
Thank you for the reply.
To be honest im not an audiophile so im just wondering about this because im about to buy a new phone and it may not have a headphone jack (still thinking between a few models) so it may be a problem for me in terms of basic audio quality vs 'stock' 3.5mm headphones...
The 10$ DAC you've mentioned is out of stock on that website (any other places to buy it? couldnt find on ebay) and the rest are a bit on the pricy side considering my selected headphones anyway (the free samsung earphones you get with the old S7). So i went to ebay and found other DACs (made sure they're digital too) for ~10-15$, by Ugreen mostly.
My question is if im gonna have an audio quality loss compared to just using the headphones with a 3.5mm port instead.. Since nothing in my situation is remotely close to professional grade, i wouldnt think it will even matter, but i just want to make sure before i purchase a phone without such port.
Hope this can be clarified, and thanks!
I've told you all that I can about dongles vs headphone jack from phone. I have no experience with ugreen products. I have no experience in 4 years with a phone with a headphone jack.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Alright, thanks for the replies!
My pleasure, you're welcome.
Hi, how do these Rhodium compare with a dedicated DAP like say Sony NW A105 ?
Is a phone with an good dongle a better solution for driving IEMs or are DAPs still better in terms of sound quality ?.
Thanks.
For streaming purposes phone and dongle are perfect. For more local files/downloaded music and streaming a DAP is more suitable. The Rhodium is very clean and neutral sounding and is more tuned like the Sony NW-WM1a as the NW-A105 I have is more warm and lush. Overall power and drive capabilities the DAP have more then a dongle. But the Rhodium will power all the IEM I have in house.
Hey I got paid Tidal, so will this decode MQA ?
That depends on the dongle, whether you are using Apple or Android with an app like UAPP or Hiby Music. I do not know how it works with Apple.
Moondrop Dawn or Periodic Audio Rhodium? Using Moondrop kato btw. Also, been using the VIVO Type-C dongle would buying one from the two make a difference?
Sorry for the delay in responding. The Periodic Audio Rhodium pairs nicely with the Moondrop Kato. I haven't heard the VIVO dongle.
I was looking to get some better audio with my Galaxy s10 and saw a test of the pixel dongle that manage to output over twice the Vrms than the stock 3.5mm jack. Looking for the best usb C dongle and see that most people recommend pixel v1 dongle or the apple USB c one.
Sorry haven't heard the Pixel dongle and I didn't care for the Apple dongle with my Samsung Note 10,.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Whats ypur experience on dongle vs built-in 3.5mm? Is the dongle better?
Yes, I find that most dongles are superior to built-in 3.5mm.
I recommend these dongles:
Periodic Audio Rhodium
Hiby FC3
Hiby FC4
NextDrive Spectra X
Moondrop Dawn
@@TheHonestAudiophile Cool, I'll look into those, thank you. The test I saw compared stock samsung to stock Apple adapter. Both being really good, samsung ended up winning. Are these third party one often better? I'm looking to ditch my car headunit and go straight from 3.5mm to amplifiers for all speakers
Sorry, I don't have much experience as of late with phone outputs as I have been using a phone without one for awhile. I use dongles on a regular/daily basis and from the previous experiences that I have with headphone outputs the dongles are better.
Is it possible to use an USB C to AUX cable, USB C being the car audio source and 3.5mm aux going to external DAC for iPhone ? Or will the headunit not recognize it
I am not sure how that would work. You could use a usb-c dongle to 3.5mm into the car audio but I don't believe you can do it in reverse.
@@TheHonestAudiophile ya I tried doing it in my car and it didn’t recognize the phone. Only wired source I have in my car is a USB C. My headunit supports lossless files but is there any sort of DAC or cable I can use that goes from lightning to USB-C ? I only find 3.5mm output ones
@bobbylight8618 um that I don't know, I don't use Apple products, sorry. Amazon might have something though, you can most anything on there 😂
@@TheHonestAudiophile lol ya Ik, I looked on Amazon but didn’t really find anything besides a short USB C to Lightning HiFi cable that I might try out. I used to use a dragonfly DAC on my old car, which had an AUX cord and it really brought the sound to life and it also served as a preamp. Just trying to find an alternative now that the only source I have is USB C or Bluetooth
Sorry, I'm lost when it comes to anything Apple
I did not know anything about those but i found the Google dongle that I ordered for my Pixel 6 is not so bad ! Is it really worth the upgrade for one of those ? Wich one would you recommend for the Moondrop Kato ? (Also the periodic work with Android ?)
I am an Android user only.
I highly recommend the Periodic Audio Rhodium with the Kato.
@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks !
My pleasure, you're welcome ❤️
...I want to buy abidagil or abidagil pro. But what is the difference between the two?
Sorry haven't heard the Pro variant.
Wonder where Moondrops Moon River 2 would rank among these
I wonder as well. I hope to get to hear and review one at some point. Hopefully one will be provided to the channel.
Is there a adapter that can both charge and listen to audio at the same time you can recommend?
Sorry I have to come across one
So I found a Bose computer speakers set that has the old-school audio Jack. I’m looking for something to connect those to my MacBook Pro. It’s a 2021 MacBook. Would this dongle work? The Bose have their own power btw. Ty
It should work but I've never used it that way.
What's your impressions of Link2 duo Bal? Is it better than the rhodium?
Sorry heard the Link 2 balanced, I've only heard the Link 2 with 3.5mm output
@@TheHonestAudiophile *link2 bal. I'm using the balanced s12 with it. Sounds great. I listen to mostly rock & metal. This is my first hifi earphones. I have headphones setup and never thought it could all become portable one day. Thank you for all your honest reviews!
My pleasure, you're welcome ❤️
hello, a question: what is the function of this object? Thanks for sharing your knowledge
it is a portable dac/amp for use with a phone that doesn't have a headphone out or sounds horrible with the headphone out or to upgrade output on another device like a DAP that has usb-c capabilities. In my experience the portable dac/amps upgrade the quality of sonics from my phones.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Hi, thanks a lot for your really prompt reply. Thank you.
@@gaetanoalessandro286 My pleasure, you're welcome.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Hi, sorry I had a related question. Does the periodic DAC support mic usage on android if I have an inline mic on my iem(its some cheap kz zs5, don't if its real or fake but looks real to me)
I honestly don't know. I don't use inline mic cables.
Do you know of or can you recommend a dongle that also will charge while playing audio
Sorry I am not aware of any USB-C dongles that can charge while playing audio.
Do you have links to these dongle dacs?
Please see the description for the ones that are currently available
@the Honest Audiophile that's why I asked I didn't see any of the dongle dacs listed. All I saw were headphones and other products not the dongle dacs you mentioned.
I am sorry, that was my error, I didn't update the description as I thought I had. Here is a list of the dongles and I have updated the description as well. I am sorry for the response earlier.
Periodic Audio Rhodium: periodicaudio.com/products/rh-usb-dac
xDuoo Link V2 (2021): www.linsoul.com/products/xduoo-link-v2?_pos=1&_sid=c5089276b&_ss=r
ADV-Sound AccessPort Lite: www.adv-sound.com/collections/audio-adapters
NextDrive Spectra X:www.nextdrive-spectra.io/
Veclan VE Odyssey HD: www.veclan.com/engappliance_sel_one?eng_ApplianceVo.eac_id=32
I know it is a 1 year old post, but could you make a comparison of the build quality between the old xDuoo Link (black orange) and the new version? I had great problems if the cable bent to much (over 45°) with sound dropouts & the tuning (use it with Aful Performer 5 and you know what I mean). I only bought it because it has a play/ pause button and I'm really disappointed with it.
@berndkilian7774 Basically same build quality
I Need Something Good For My Speakers In My Car. What's The Cheapest Price One Youll Recommend?
Are you using into your car stereo?
I'm so tired of these dongles crackling like crazy if i so much a move the cable.
Interesting. I've not experienced such an issue. Sorry for your frustrations.
Why not just leave the headphones jack on the phone this is going backwards
How would you compare and choose another Top pick you had which I bought; the Tanchjim Space lite and this Periodic?
Periodic Rhodium is more neutral and analytical leaning and the Space is a little warmer tonality with a slightly wider stage. The detail retrieval and resolution are similar.
Can u review new Moondrop dawn 3.5
Thank you for the suggestion.
Hey man, can dongle DAC connect to portable amp like topping nx4 dsd?
If the amp has a 3.5mm input then yes. Sorry I have no experience with the Topping NX4.
Umm hello sir . I am really confused about what should i use for my kz zsn pro in my android nothing phone 2. I am really worried about the audio quality getting bad . So please help me on what should i buy.
Hiby FC3 is a solid option.
can you please recommend a dongle with type-c in to my android and the other end has aux as well as type-c both to connect to my 2 microphones?
thanks
Sorry I have no knowledge of such a dongle.
Which one would you recommend for a galaxy s20?
Any of them will work with the S20 it just depends on what sound signature you desire and what IEM you are using.
@the Honest Audiophile the best quality with the warmest sound.
There are a few that fit that presentation for me.
AudioEngine DAC3
Hiby FC4
Nextdrive Spectra X
Can suggest best dongle for recording audio? I'm using Lav mic
So like for podcasts or Livestream?
I use the Rode Podcaster USB mic. The Rode NTB Mini is an excellent choice.
@@TheHonestAudiophile I'm using it for travel and vlogs, thanks!
@@cocopommel2306 my pleasure, you're welcome. Sorry I don't have experience with lavaliere type.
Hello sir,
After connecting the headphones to this do the mic, previous track, next track work in the headphones? I mean in line controls.Thanks
To be honest, I don't use inline mic controls very much at all. Most of my gear has no mic or no inline controls.
i have a bluetooth headphone that uses usb c as alternate input ,trying to connect it to a 3.5(xbox controller/monitor out), how can i do this
Is the cable input to the headphone USB C or a 3.5 input?
@@TheHonestAudiophile 3.5 as input to an usb-c out(to headphone),works on laptop but not directly from monitor
Can you use a standard 3.5 to 3.5 cable or does the USB C power the headphone?
@@TheHonestAudiophile only usb c for headphone for audio and also power
All of these wouldn't be necessary if companies just included headphone jacks.
I disagree. Yes headphone jacks can sound good BUT not all of them do. Think of it like an external DAC and amplifier on a desktop setup, they all can bring different sonics to the presentation.
@@TheHonestAudiophile most jacks on premium phones sound good, imo
@@steilhander_II I disagree as I've had numerous premium phones from LG, Samsung and OnePlus that had headphone jack and they were adequate but not quality. I've found over the years that a quality dongle is superior. To each their own, I'm glad you enjoy your phones headphone jack.
What About The THX ONYX
Sorry haven't heard the THX Onyx
GO BILLS! Atta boy, Dave. #AudiophileMembersOfBillsMafia
I still love my dragonfly cobalt with iems.🥰
I've only heard the Dragonfly Red, really need to hear a Cobalt.
@@TheHonestAudiophile between the Dragonfly Red and the Rhodium which do u prefer?
I haven't heard the AQ Dragonfly Red since I reviewed it several years ago. Honestly I don't even remember enough to compare it. Sorry.
You have mentioned that you don't use a DAC dongle for PC. So, if I were to use a Shuoer s12 on my pc, DAC dongle is not necessary?
*I currently don't have any amp/DAC using my pc, just straight to the 3.5mm motherboard jack*
If you don't have a desktop setup, DAC and amplifier, to use with your PC, it would be wise to invest in either a dongle DAC/Amp or a desktop setup. Going straight out from the 3.5mm will not be sufficient in my opinion. I've not had good experiences doing it that way.
@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks for the fast reply would Abigail DAC is a good starting point?
@@eljrzy1513 I actually just got one in for review. It is a good starting point.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Thank you will definitely check it out!
My pleasure, you're welcome.
Thoughts on Abigail?
I've not heard Abigail
@@TheHonestAudiophile It uses the same chip as the Periodic Audio Rhodium, so top tier basically. but cheaper.
Coolio 👍😎
@@TheHonestAudiophile Yep, 15 bucks, a lot cheaper than the periodic for the same chip. It is the best budget dongle for sure.
Thanks for the video but I'm confused. I have a Samsung Galaxy S10E which has a 3.5mm headphone jack. Do I need a dongle for better sound to my wired Sennheiser HD599's or is the headphone jack in the phone the same audio quality? Thanks.
I have never heard the S10SE so I can't offer a comparison.
I have been using a dongle for the last 4 phones that I have owned because they all went to usb-c only.
An external dac/amp dongle can and most likely will enhance the experience. BUT I can't confirm it with a direct test.
Is jcally jm10 good? I have the jcally jm20 but it doesnt pair with my titan s well cause it becomes too bright and fatiguing? Ive heard from some written written reviews that its reference grade and very neutral sounding too and not painfull for long music listening like the jm20 .
Sorry, haven't heard the JCally JM10
Hi Dave. I ended up getting Periodic Audio after watching your review on it but im wondering if you know anything of it's durability? I've only had it for a few weeks but already notice it going staticy if It bends at certain angles
I've had mine a year and it works like it is a day old.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Maybe I just got unlucky and got a faulty one, I'll just get it replaced for another one. Thanks Dave
Yeah that's where I would begin. I'm sure Periodic Audio will be glad to assist especially with warranty.
@@qwertyq4073 was the replacement any good?
Lots of complaints on the Amazon product page.
Hello, do you know if the Periodic Audio Rhodium is enough to drive the Shure SRH840a (which has an impendance of 40ohms and a sensitivity of 97dB/mW)?
On a calculator online I found that for 110dB on these headphones (not that I plan to listen so loud) it would require 20mW and 0.89Vrms, but is that cutting it too close to the 30mW and 1Vrms of the DAC? Will there be distortion?
You'd be better off with a more powerful device.
Do any of these work with a Pixel 6 Pro? Thanks.
Any USB-C dongle would work with the Pixel 6 Pro.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Great. Thanks :)
My pleasure, you're welcome
You want the one that will push anything and crystal clear with zero distortion.......HIDIZS S3 PRO
Thanks for the suggestion
If my Samsung S10 has a headphone jack, would using a dongle improve the sound please? I have the Kotori Dauntless.
I haven't used a daily phone with a headphone jack in about4 years. BUT my wife has a Samsung S10 and when I have borrowed her phone and used a dongle, I do hear an improvement in sound.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Thank you very much, does the Rhodium have a wider sound stage compared to the Odyssey please?
Similar stage width but the Rhodium is more accurate in depth and layering and imaging.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Thank you very much :), I am looking forward to your review of the TruthEars Zero X Crinicle 😃
If a Crinacle TruthEars Zero is provided or the funds become available then I will for sure give it a listen and review.
I have a Pixel 6a and have to use a dongle to listen with headphones. The biggest problem I have is how much it reduces volume. I thought all dongles were basically the same.
Dongles aren't all the same. To drive headphones you need more power and a lot of dongles just don't have enough power.
@@TheHonestAudiophile I'm just finding that out. Now I have to find the best one.
@mbustube1 what headphone are you trying to drive with a dongle?
Why do you need this if the FOLD 4 has DSD decode internally i dont understand
Fold 4 has no headphone jack so the dongle is needed to use any wired IEM or headphone. Also some dongles have better DAC than the internals of a phone but I've not used a Fold 4 so I don't know if that is the case with it.
@TheHonestAudiophile yeah do me a favor read the internal DAC chip specs in the fold series. It's simular to what Sony was doing in their DSD ready phones. The fold will play out without a dac dongle. Just a straight usbc analog out works
Go ahead and try connecting your 3.5mm IEM to the USB-C and see if it produces sound. You need the dongle to convert the digital signal to analog.
@TheHonestAudiophile I use the analog attachment to listen losslessly in audi bose 3d system but it isn't with the DAC DONGLE. if you do that, you're not going to be accessing the internal decoder of the fold which is audiophile grade. You could be turning people away from already great audio by having the external DAC chip decode at a worse level.
@TheHonestAudiophile Audio
Stereo speakers
Surround sound with Dolby Atmos technology (Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus included)
Ultra high quality audio playback
UHQ 32-bit & DSD64/128 support
PCM: Up to 32 bits, DSD: DSD64/128
Audio playback format
MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF
Bluetooth
Dual Audio: connect two Bluetooth devices to the Galaxy Z Fold4 to play audio through the two devices simultaneously
SSC (Samsung Seamless Codec): enhanced Bluetooth connection under ambient radio frequency interference
Recording
Recording quality is improved with the High AOP Mic that minimizes distortion in noisy environments.
*DSD64 and DSD128 playback can be limited depending on the file format.
*The two Bluetooth-connected devices may exhibit a slight difference in sound output.
*Samsung Seamless Codec available only for certain accessories made by Samsung.
I've had to have two of the rhodium replaced on warranty for channels not working and that is such a letdown. Get something else. I have a moondrop river and that has great sound but that stupid cable situation makes it useless for portable use as it disconnects on any movement. Sadly the most reliable usable dac is the stock Samsung usbc 3.5 cable so far
I've not had any issues with the Rhodium, test every IEM with it, still rocking the one purchased 2 plus years ago.
Sorry you've had issues.
Is it work surrounded?
What about apple type c to 3.5mm dongle
I have to buy one for my ipad pro and I have two options
Either one from venture electronics or apple … which one should i buy
Sorry I'm an Android and PC user through and thru.
Many apple users have said the Periodic Audio Rhodium is great but I have only used the Rhodium with Android. Sorry.
😂You can hear my neighbors snowblower in the background 😂
Here is where you can find more information and purchase, please note I wasn't able to find a link for the xDuoo Link original:
Periodic Audio Rhodium: periodicaudio.com/products/rh-usb-dac
xDuoo Link V2 (2021): www.linsoul.com/products/xduoo-link-v2?_pos=1&_sid=c5089276b&_ss=r
ADV-Sound AccessPort Lite: www.adv-sound.com/collections/audio-adapters
NextDrive Spectra X:www.nextdrive-spectra.io/
Veclan VE Odyssey HD: www.veclan.com/engappliance_sel_one?eng_ApplianceVo.eac_id=32
Hey i need some Help, i search a good dongle for a deep bass boost cuz i listen mostly HipHop Music and Pop, so any recommendation?
Well the only dongles that I know that have bass boost function are the iFi Go Blu and Go Bar.
But there are some quality dongles that offer fantastic sonics that I highly recommend even though they lack the bass boost.
Periodic Audio Rhodium
Hiby FC3
Hiby FC4
Nextdrive Spectra X
xDuoo Link V2
@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks :)
My pleasure, you're welcome.
The dongle became a long L
Dude, I just visited your ranking list… Makes my head hurt. Did you really reverse the grades just for the sake of being contrarian?
I did it just for you, sorry you don't like it 😋
Actually I did it the way I wanted to do it and the way I like it.
this review has no consideration for mic input quality.
I review the dongles as to how I use them. I don't use inline mic cables.
Dude, you haven't compared to the reference baseline - the Apple dongle? If you make this kind of a fail for simple dongles, how else are you failing in your other more "serious" comparisons? Well, I'm certainly not gonna waste my time on finding out...
This is THE video about dongles, with actual measurements: ua-cam.com/video/r0P8-TUDJ4Q/v-deo.html In general, if you want to hear any real difference from the simple $10 Apple dongle, it seems that you need to get closer to the $100 mark.
For the record, I own an Apple dongle and it sounds like rubbish. It is not resolving and is compressed. Keep in mind I do not have Apple phone or any other Apple sources to use it with, I've only heard it in Android and PC devices. I used it with UAPP to bypass Android and the Apple dongle still didn't impress with its compressed sound and lacking resolving abilities.
Everyone hears differently and there are many variables that go into formulating a viewpoint. Just because a well named content creator says something doesn't mean that I have to follow suit especially when I've heard differently.
I highly recommend you check out my ranking list and you'll see that I've reviewed a lot of gear and have many comparison options. Please read the ranking grade tab first. docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nRHnsP_4vLg9DlD9kwJ6gQuEQFqhTR0lnrkxXo3AMG8/edit?usp=drivesdk
Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@TheHonestAudiophile It's hard to beat technical measurements. Perhaps audiophile ears are weird ;-)
I truly believe it is important for a viewer/commenter to understand the reviewer so that when a simple thing like the Apple dongle debate arises they can see their perspective and agree to disagree.
Here's some reading and video material for you that will help explain my review process and why I believe what I believe.
Review Process:
www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/honest-audiophile-review-process
www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/honest-simple-reviews-but-why
Reference Gear:
www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/honest-audiophile-reference-gear-and-music
Reference Music:
www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/does-your-music-preference-impact-your-sound-impressions
Terms & Definitions:
www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/the-honest-audiophile-s-terms-and-definitions-guide
Get to Know the Honest Audiophile:
ua-cam.com/play/PLFpndZVz25TJfPKx-OLMpovQP-QeNatDh.html
Audiophile, Audio Enthusiast and Why it Matters:
ua-cam.com/play/PLFpndZVz25TKS6PyW4QJcqbT6WDiJ08c3.html
I have a S21 ultra, however I can only use aux cords and dongles that require a dac chip to connect to my car. The Rhodium fits that criteria?
Sure, that should work
Dave I have XDuoo V2 link grey (2021) and headphones Beyerdynamic 900 DT pro x. I listen to Amazon music unlimited now and the sound is amazing for me. Later I ll try more expensive DAC.
Glad you enjoy your setup. Thanks for sharing.
Amazing video, as always. Which firmware are you running on the VE Odyssey HD?
I personally tried all 3 (24bit/96khz, 24bit/192khz, 32bit/384khz), and I definitely found the latter two cleaner, with slight differences in tuning. 24 bit, 192khz felt like the sweet spot, with slightly warmer tuning, but 32 bit 384khz was a little cleaner, although connecting it to a PC always sets the volume to 100, and you need to reduce it before actually playing any music.
I'm sorry, firmware? I don't use the Odyssey HD with PC, am I missing something?
@@TheHonestAudiophile You didn't know? No worries. Just check the Facebook group of Venture electronics. They have a couple of firmware files that you can use to change the firmware of your Odyssey HD. I've got all 3. If you could share an email address, I'd be happy to share them with you :)
Email address is in the description. I don't have FB.
Do dongles boost volume if they are active? I’ve been looking everywhere for an answer. Thanks
Simple answer, Yes
@@TheHonestAudiophile wonderful! All I needed to know 😂
I bet my last dollar that you couldn't hear the difference in a blindfold test
Possible. Why don't you setup a blind test for both us and let's see if either can hear the differences.
Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing.
Oh you can. I promise that. I own many and it's the best by far. Samsung galaxy s20 plus to Rhodium to 3.5mm cord to aux in on my jbl boombox 3. Streaming Qobuz using USB audio player pro, the sound is so much better.
Which dongle is best for microphone? Rode shotgun mic standard headphone jack male to USB c phone
I don't use a microphone with a dongle so I don't know the answer to your question.
I use the Rode Podcaster USB microphone which connects via USB C directly into my phone, no dongle required.
Can this be used with the Periodic Audio Nickel amp? Would love to know how that combination works.
Sorry I have not heard or used the Periodic Audio Nickel.