Watch my full review here:
Key Specifications
- MSRP: $199 USD / €220
- Type: Portable CD player, USB DAC/Amp, Bluetooth receiver and transmitter
- Supported Discs: CD, CD-R, CD-RW
- Headphone Outputs:
- 3.5mm single-ended
- 4.4mm balanced
- Digital Output: 3.5mm SPDIF coaxial
- USB Connection: USB-C
- USB DAC Support: Up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256
- Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth 6.0
- Bluetooth Receiver Codecs: LDAC, AAC, SBC
- Bluetooth Transmitter Codec: SBC, LDAC*
- Gapless Playback: Yes
- Display: 1.12-inch screen
- DAC Chipset: Cirrus Logic CS43198
- Amplifiers: 2 x SGM8262-2
- Battery: 3450mAh
- Claimed Battery Life: Up to 12 hours
- Dimensions: 142 x 125.1 x 26mm
- Weight: 418 grams
3.5mm Single-Ended Output
- Low Gain: 44mW at 32 ohms / 1.19Vrms
- High Gain: 177mW at 32 ohms / 2.38Vrms
- Output Impedance: 0.5 ohms
4.4mm Balanced Output
- Low Gain: 177mW at 32 ohms / 2.38Vrms
- High Gain: 700mW at 32 ohms / 4.75Vrms
- Output Impedance: 0.8 ohms
HiFi-Dawson Verdict
HiFi-Dawson Verdict
8
10
0
1
-
Design & Build Quality9/10 Amazing
-
Sound Quality8/10 Very good
-
Features/Accessories8/10 Very good
-
Value8/10 Very good
8/10
Total Score
Pros
- Clean, neutral and transparent sound
- Solid aluminum construction with an attractive disc window
- Stable, nearly silent disc mechanism with excellent resistance to skipping
- Powerful 4.4mm output that can drive many full-size and planar headphones
- Versatile USB DAC, Bluetooth receiver/transmitter and coaxial-output functionality
- Good real-world battery life of approximately 10–10.5 hours
- Responsive, tactile physical controls
- Reliable gapless playback
- Straightforward plug-and-play experience
- Excellent value and a remarkably complete package
Cons
- Transportable rather than genuinely pocketable
- Audible hiss with sensitive IEMs
- Bluetooth transmission is limited to SBC and LDAC
- No battery-bypass mode for permanent desktop use
- Firmware updating is a cumbersome two-part process
- No CD ripping functionality
