Audiophilepure

https://www.hifinews.com/content/ifi-audio-idsd-diablo-2-headphone-ampusb-dac

Played via Tidal through Sennheiser HD 660 S2 headphones, the soundtrack of the new Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro [DG 486 5466; CD res] sounded a clear notch above regular Bluetooth. While aptX Adaptive and LDAC can also be quite good – there’s a lot of audiophile snobbery around the technology – a wired connection has always had the edge for me. I might have to rethink that stance, as from the exuberant intro detailing Bernstein’s last-minute substitution for conductor Bruno Walter, to the horns on ‘Anniversaries’, this sounded superb for something which professes to be ‘merely’ a mobile solution.

On the inside we next to the double tubes find Woo Audio’s Mighty-Drive technology. The result – according to Woo Audio – is the warm sound of vacuum tubes and the superpower of MOSFET amplification for an effortless sound that comes alive with full-sized headphones. There are three technologies working seamlessly in TUBE mini – a power management system for plug-and-play setup, a tube headphone amplifier, and a high-resolution lossless DAC; all in an impossibly small design. 

The hip-dac 3 is a slim and portable device that makes a great companion for smartphone and slim laptop users. You can easily connect it to your device using a USB cable and start using it right away. The device is plug-and-play for smartphones and PCs, but it’s recommended to install the iFi firmware on your Windows laptop for full functionality. 

If you’re a fan of EDM tunes, you’ll find the xBass button useful. However, if you prefer a more natural sound, you can keep this feature turned off. The device supports all file formats, including 24-bit files from streaming services like Qobuz. You can listen to your favourite music flawlessly using USB Audio Player Pro on your smartphone.

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0124/FiiO_Q15_Desktop_Portable_Hi_Res_Music_DAC_Headphone_Amplifier_Review.htm

Using the FiiO Q15 with my Sony Walkman instead of the Sony Walkman without the Q15 wasn’t like night and day. An audiophile description I first used nearly 30 years ago was “a small but significant improvement in sound quality.” This perfectly describes the experience of using the Q15 with my Sony Walkman. Sound quality improvement was much more noticeable when listening to high-resolution files, especially DSD. There was an improvement in sound quality across the board, including the size and scale of the sound field, its apparent frequency response, micro- and macro-dynamics, and, most importantly, the perceived realism of acoustic instruments and voices.

Of course, the level of improvement the FiiO Q15 rendered depended on the recording quality and headphones used. Connecting the Q15 to the USB output of my music server was not to embarrass it when compared to my usual DAC in the main system in my dedicated listening room, the mighty EMM Labs DA2. Yet I was very impressed with this FiiO DAC, as it displayed the audiophile traits I listed above when used with my Sony portable player. A more modest desktop system would appreciate the FiiO Q15 much more than my high-end system.

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0124/FiiO_Q15_Desktop_Portable_Hi_Res_Music_DAC_Headphone_Amplifier_Review.htm

Using the FiiO Q15 with my Sony Walkman instead of the Sony Walkman without the Q15 wasn’t like night and day. An audiophile description I first used nearly 30 years ago was “a small but significant improvement in sound quality.” This perfectly describes the experience of using the Q15 with my Sony Walkman. Sound quality improvement was much more noticeable when listening to high-resolution files, especially DSD. There was an improvement in sound quality across the board, including the size and scale of the sound field, its apparent frequency response, micro- and macro-dynamics, and, most importantly, the perceived realism of acoustic instruments and voices.

Of course, the level of improvement the FiiO Q15 rendered depended on the recording quality and headphones used. Connecting the Q15 to the USB output of my music server was not to embarrass it when compared to my usual DAC in the main system in my dedicated listening room, the mighty EMM Labs DA2. Yet I was very impressed with this FiiO DAC, as it displayed the audiophile traits I listed above when used with my Sony portable player. A more modest desktop system would appreciate the FiiO Q15 much more than my high-end system.

Overall, the TUBE mini by Woo Audio is a really good solution for a question perhaps just a few were asking. That is, How do I inject a tube  sound into a truly portable package?  Woo does make other products for dragging tube sound from home to office, or office to cafe, but the cost and the weight is significantly higher than the TUBE mini is capable of bragging about. What this device does is extremely unique, and something that its target clientele is certain to appreciate. The output power is surprisingly strong, the sound is just “tuby” enough and the portability is at a maximum. Once you navigate yourself around the physical technicalities inherently involved with tube design playback, I think most purchasers will be pleasantly surprised by the unique proposition involved here. A very fun listen for almost any full-size headphone.