Chen Hang Meng Dongles Comparison.

Setup:

Kxxs (spinfit cp100+ M)(main for review), Blon b8, Hiby beans (spinfit Cp100 M)

Shanling Driver is installed for the UA2 for pc

YouTube Video of this Reviews

Hiby FC3

Usage

• Performs best on pc (preferred DAC on PC)
• The most less dropout DAC on mobile.
• Against the standby system (fader is used when the DAC is first turned on)

Bass

• subbass extend deep
• less bassy than the ua2 or the fc3
• more bass than THX onyx (This DAC has slightly added bass enough to prevent the DAC sounding thin) [means not completely neutral]
• Texture is less prominent than the 9280c

Midrange

• more refine midrange
  • more smoothness
  • more details
  • more balance
• Speed better on the 9280c
• Less warm then 9280c or the UA2
• Despite being con more balance sounding side it sound more meaty in some track

Highs

• More lower treble perceived
• More details in almost everything.
• Do not smooth out the lower treble like the 9280c (Preference)

Others points

• The micro details is better than the UA2 and 9280c
• Soundstage is wider than the UA2 and 9280c
• Good tuning for most iem as long the iem used is not very sibilance
• More technically capable DAC than 9280c.
• It is a technically superior DAC but my not exactly my preference with the gear I use.

Score: 4.5/5

9280c

Usage

• Not as detailed as used on mobile when used on pc due more prominent lower treble smoothing
• BUGS (plug in iem first before plugging it to pc, risk of volume resetting to 100%)

Bass

• It focuses on texture
• Does not extend as deep as the fc3 but it is punchy
• boosted bass (warmth)

Midrange

• Abit more aggressive upper mid than fc3 (shout is more audible on hiby beans)
• Good signature for KXXS
• Refinement over UA2 is very obvious
• It has more speed than the UA2 but not the fastest
  • The added upper mid make it seems more speedy than the THX but not (Wrong First Impression, actually less speedy than the fc3)
• Added Warmth.
• Can something sound less full than the fc3

Highs

• Very refine and unique treble presentation
• No sibilance can be heard even using a sibilance prone iem
• Resistance to toilet-fi
• lower treble smoothing (preference) but tastefully done
• upper air frequency is not affected by the smoothing so it still sounds airy as it should

Others points

• The micro details is better than the UA2
• Soundstage is wider slightly than the UA2
• The warm tonality and the lower treble smoothing makes this a very easy to listen DAC.
• I preferred this when used with my current gear (heavily preference)
• I knock it down to a score of 4.25 because it is not as technically superior DAC.

Score: 4.25/5

UA2 (Single Ended)

Usage

• When installed with driver the volume goes down alot (good thing as you don’t explode your iem)
• Frequent dropout encountered.
• Bug (OSU! audio is not sync when driver is installed causing start of the map to fast forward.)
• It is recommended to play with filters and gain.
  • My recommended filter Minimum phase slow roll off
• Settings stay even outside eddict player app

Bass

• It focuses on smooth bass
• Subbass extend deep
• Abit less punchy than fc3 and 9280c
• boosted bass (warmth) powerful bass

Midrange

• The entire lower midrange and the very upper midrange is smoothen (preference)
  • I personally don’t think it work for jpop and anime music.
• The speed of the midrange is abit slower than what u expect from a 9038q2m
• Most warm of the bunch
• Does congest on jpop due to the above 2 factor (smoothing and less speed)
• Very enveloping warmth for deeper male vocal

Highs

• Very refine and unique treble presentation
• Rarely sibilance unless used with a very sibilance iem
• Airy and smooth yet natural
• Very good treble tonality is something that make this unique

Others points

• It has many feature and tweaks
• The micro details need to be better for a 9038q2m
• Soundstage is a bit narrow
• Relaxed presentation (Does not work for jpop and anime music)
• Congestion in fast music (Important)

Score: 3.5/5

Song comparison

Notes: only kxxs used to write this impression other device is used in the general impression.

光放て!  – 柳麻美 (Spotify)

Summary: Hiby fc3 and 9280c presented this song with the intensity that this song should have. 9280c gives the best vocal as the singer is shouting at the busy part of the track, less treble energy gives room for singer emotion to show more. FC3 gives the most detail as it presented everything in the song. UA2 shows very fun bass and treble but congest in the vocal regards.

Notes: the shouting part is not as good when 9280c is used on pc compared with the fc3. The details of fc3 carry it forward.

Lockdown – Pikasonic [electronic] (Spotify)

Ess9280c

• good details and bite
• adequate sound stage horizontally
• Most pleasant vocal (#1)
• The speed help this dac to perform
• The flute that blows at 1:20 is sound the most pleasant.
• The piano at the beginning and the various background effect later in the music is well separated.
• The punchy bass make this very fun for electronic (important)

FC3

• Best details and bite
• Wide sound stage horizontally
• good vocal (#2)
• The speed help this dac to perform
• The flute that blows 1:20 is sound very pleasant.
• The piano at the beginning and the various background effect later in the music is well separated.
• Better layering
• Bass can use a bit more energy

UA2

• Adequate details and bite
• Abit narrower compare to 9280c and fc3
• good vocal due to this song can use more warmth (#3)
  • I have to de-rank it because not enough separation from the background
• Adequate speed to not congest in this track.
• The flute that blows 1:20 is sound very pleasant.
• The piano at the beginning and the various background effect later in the music can be better.
• Powerful bass for electronic (important)

Summary: 9280C gives the most fun in electronics not because it gets the most detail, it is because it gives a slightly more energetic flavor to make u feel the music while preventing any unpleasant peaks/sharpness. Fc3 gives most details. UA2 has a unique warm vocal and powerful hitting bass that makes electronic sound fun however, there is not enough separation from the background.

Note: 9280c loses details when used on pc.

Harunotonari – 佐々木恵梨

ESS9280c

• Very smooth sounding
• Not as textured as FC3 However vocal still enjoyable
• Note: texture still clean and can be heard
• Guitar at the background is excellent
• Vocal are more blend in

FC3

• Very clean sounding
• Able to brings out the texture of her voice very well
• Guitar at the background is excellent
• Vocal are more standout and separated

UA2

• Smoothest sounding of the 3
• Not as texture than both of them
• The warm sound signature WORKS here.
  • The warm sound signature display how sweet her voice is
• Guitar at the background is good
• Vocal are more blend in

Summary: UA2 sound signature works in this regards. On UA2 her voice sounds very enveloping and sweet while on FC3 it deliver a cleanest version of her voice. It is whether you a bit of coarseness in her voice, this decides which DAC will sound best for you. You would hear less coarseness in her voice using the 9280c than the FC3 but more than the UA2, it is a balance between the 2. I personally likes to retain her voice as it is so I would choose the FC3.

Note: On pc 9280c sounded thinner in her vocal than on mobile.

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