https://www.whathifi.com/us/reviews/chord-mojo-2

These refinements help give the Mojo 2 a more neutral, crisper and livelier character than its predecessor, whose presentation ultimately feels comparatively confined and a little coloured. Music has the vividity of a stained glass window here – bright, intricate and demanding of your attention. Unsurprisingly, the updated Mojo/Poly pairing (possible when the Poly is firmware updated to 3.0) is even more of a delight in light of the new Mojo’s expanded talents.

https://stereo-magazine.com/article/audiophile-mobile-usb-dac-by-cayin

The best solution for the R-2R circuitry is to obtain the highest possible incoming bit-stream level and then apply a high-quality analog volume control after the signal is converted by the R-2R DAC. Therefore, Cayin recommends using a music player app for the smart device that supports Bit Perfect USB, bypassing the volume control of the source device.

An optional adapter cable is also available for devices with a Lightning connector. Two headphone outputs with 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm jacks are placed on the connection panel. The user can also choose between oversampling (with upsampling to 384kHz) or non-oversampling.

The iBasso DC05 is a good little DAC, capable of great lengths once paired with a good IEM, or portable headset. Sound quality is surprisingly good, as is the build quality, and the conception design makes it the perfect companion for your smartphone – even if iPhone users still have to get an adapter like the ddHiFi TC28i.

It won’t replace your Dragonfly, Sparrow or Hi-mDAC, but, if you want a cheap/sturdy solution, that allows you to use your hi-res streaming subscription, and makes a real difference on the long run, this is a very serious option. I liked it!

For a very tiny device, the Chronos’ sound performance is very impressive from the get-go. The sound is precise and clean from top to bottom. There’s excellent clarity and resolution. The presentation is neutral and flat, so it doesn’t add anything to spice it up. You may find the performance quite sterile but this is exactly how it should be in my opinion. A USB dongle should give you a high-resolution sound without any colouration.

In that sense, the Chronos is quite an impressive DAC/Amp, especially for its size. Violectric has done it once again when it comes to technicalities and high-quality sound. The sound performance is quite close to the entry-level DAP territory. Let me get into details.

https://www.whathifi.com/us/reviews/ifi-go-blu

Switching back to the Go Blu and streaming West Indies by Koffee, we note that the initial vibraphone-esque keys in our left ear are faithfully relayed with clarity and zeal. As the beat drops, the soundstage extends to both ears and really goes deep into the lower registers. The M-DAC Nano is similarly neutral and clear but doesn’t offer quite the same levels of separation and dynamic sensitivity, although it is a closely run race. 

167 by Farruko and Gallego opens with the sound of motorbikes and cars driving past on the 167 freeway. With the iFi Go Blu, it is as lonely a setting as the artist intended and feels as if we are hitch-hiking at the side of the 167 in Puerto Rico. Each car tracks from one ear to the other – a sensation the Audiolab product is unable to match with similar precision. The horns, pensive keys and deep Spanish vocal are exciting, but the Go Blu is sensible too, reserving just enough to add the required bite to the reggaeton rap section as the track progresses. 

As implied by my designation of Amp/DAC, the M12 is more of a Current Mode Amplifier with a built-in DAC than a DAC and Amplifier combination, that is to say, that it is the Amplifier that makes this sound great. The tonal balance is pretty much linear, while the bass extension and control, as well as the musicality, are everything you expect from a Class A Current Mode Amplifier, without generating excessive heat. It drives most IEMs well, though it is not totally forgiving of bright IEMs, IE: it gives you what goes into it, and though not the most powerful inline amp out there it will drive most portable headphones without problem.

The bass with the K3s is very very impressive. It’s very tidy, controlled, and rumbling with good body and slam. The resolution of the bass is very good as well as the attack. Its decay is also quite impressive as it doesn’t spread the bass around. Of course, that’s only the case when you don’t open the bass switch.

I’m not quite a sound effects guy so I really don’t like these types of additions. Sure, some people would benefit from the lifted bass response but I think in this device that only makes the bass worse. Much worse, if I have to be precise. All of those qualities I mentioned above disappear, and you’re left with a boomy, dispersed, and disjointed bass response. Would I use that just for the sake of more bass quantity? I would definitely say, no. The switch is a bit better when you use the device with full-size headphones, but still, I would prefer not to use the switch.