Hello, I’m Alexander, and today, we will be looking at ddHiFi TC44Pro portable DAC/AMP and ddHiFi M120A IEM upgrade cable.
I would like to thank ddHiFi for providing the samples for this review. No one paid me to make this review. I don’t offer any specific opinions about the products. And all thoughts expressed in this review are my own.
In the world of portable audio, finding the perfect accessories can be quite a journey. But I’m glad we have a company like ddHiFi that makes well-built audio accessories that serve their purpose and that are visually appealing at the same time.
ddHiFi TC44PRO DAC/AMP
In the first part of this review, we are looking at TC44 Pro which is the 3rd generation of TC series DAC/AMPs from ddHiFi. It’s based on a dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC chip and has fully balanced circuitry and a 4.4mm balanced output. It supports PCM decoding up to 384khz at 32 bits and has a Native DSD256 decoding capability. TC44Pro comes in 2 different formats – USB-C and Lightning. The sample in this review is a USB-C.
Packaging & accessories
TC44Pro arrived in a small elegant square box with a sleeve. When you remove the sleeve there is a square box inside. In this box there is a TC 44Pro DAC/AMP, a lanyard and a warranty card. The unboxing experience was pleasant, and I liked this sleek and minimalist approach to the packaging.
Specifications
- DAC Chip: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43131
- The maximum sampling rate is 384Khz for PC and DSD256
- Maximum output power: 4.4mm BAL: 120 mW @ 32 Ohms
- THD+N (@1kHz) (A-WT): – 110db
- SNR: 130dB (A-WT)
- Dynamic Range: 125db
And I’d like to point out that these are pretty good specs, especially at this price point.
Design & build
I’m a big fan of ddHiFi accessories as their visual approach resonates with me. The body of the TC44 PRO is made from anodized metal and has a T-shape. Plus, its matte finish not only looks good but also resists smudges and fingerprints.
The length of the dongle is 30 mm, the width is 18mm and the height is 12.5 mm. On one side of the dongle there is a 4.4 mm connector socket, on the other side there is a small LED indicator and a small hole that diagonally goes to the bottom part of the DAC and is used to attach the lanyard.
The front of the dongle is polished and has a ddHiFi logo and the model’s name. The back of the dongle is a kind of carbon material and it’s very pleasant to touch. This carbon material is not here only for the looks. According to ddHiFi, it helps with heat management to make sure the DAC PCB is not overheating.
Considering you can attach the dongle either side up, the headphone socket can be either on the left or the right side, and it’s quite a clever approach to product design. Also, I liked the fact there is no added cable needed to connect the DAC as it directly connects and sits in the USB-C socket of your phone or your source.
The metal casing gives TC44 PRO both sturdiness and the ability to shield the device from external electromagnetic interference. The LED is a significantly dimmed blue light, which doesn’t distract you, especially in low-light conditions. Overall, I’m pleased with the build and the choice of materials.
Pairing, controls and my user experience
I was mainly testing TC44 PRO with my old and trusty Samsung Galaxy S10 that runs on Android 12. I used FLAC files with USB Audio Player PRO and Apple Music for lossless streaming. In case you are wondering, the Apple Music Android app is quite good!
Setting up the TC44Pro is a breeze. Plug it into your USB-C device, connect your headphones, and voilà, you’re ready to roll. But I have also noticed that when you disconnect the headphones from TC44 Pro, it doesn’t pause or stop playing music, which means it doesn’t send a headphone connection status to the smartphone, and it’s a bit disappointing.
Talking about power, TC44Pro supplies up to 120 mW of power at 32Ω. While it’s not the most potent dongle out there in its class, the performance is still impressive, especially taking into consideration its power efficiency.
With most of my IEMs, I rarely increased the volume past 50% so I would say it will be able to drive most of the IEMs on the market today. At the same time, I didn’t notice any audible noise with sensitive IEMs, and this is exactly what you should expect from a quality DAC/AMP.
The next important aspect for me was how it would drive my full-size headphones. So, for my tests, I have picked Sennheiser HD 6XX, SIVGA SV023, and HIFIMAN Ananda Nano.
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With 6XX and SV023, I was mainly sitting at 80% of volume and occasionally was increasing it to 85%. So, I would say that with these 300 Ohm pairs TC44 PRO was at the edge of its power capabilities and there was not much headroom left.
With HIFIMAN Ananda Nano, despite its low impedance, I had to crank the volume to 90% to reach my preferred levels of volume, but it was obvious that TC44 Pro couldn’t drive them properly.
At the same time, TC 44 PRO had no problems driving less demanding full headphones from my collection. The bottom line here is that TC44 PRO will be an ideal companion for the headphones and IEMs in the 16-150 Ohm range if you get a balanced cable for your pair of headphones.
With more demanding dynamic headphones, you can still get away with TC44 PRO if you are listening at relatively low volumes or you don’t care much about additional headroom. But no miracles should be expected when it comes to planar magnetic headphones, which usually need more current and power.
Sound signature
I don’t believe that DACs can have a significant impact on the sound, but the amplifier section of the DAC can still introduce changes and color the sound. TC44 PRO in my opinion offers a natural, clean, and resolving sound signature with a pinch of warmth. The overall sound is very musical, and the DAC is quite resolving.
I evaluated it with a variety of my IEMs and full-size headphones, but one pairing that stood out for me was a TC44 Pro + Moondrop Blessing2 and this combination sounded very organic and full.
Conclusions
The TC44Pro strikes the perfect balance between design, price, and performance. Considering what it brings to the table, it’s a great portable DAC/AMP and I think ddHiFi did a good job!
Pros
- Excellent design & build
- Excellent choice of materials
- Dual CS43131 DACs
- Comes in USB-C and Lightning options.
- Enough power to drive a lot of IEMs and many full-size headphones.
- Suitable for sensitive IEMs
- Musical and detailed sound signature
- 4.4mm balanced output
- And the DAC is power efficient.
Cons
- The DAC gets a bit warm during the operation.
- And it does not have a stop/pause feature when you disconnect the headphones.
Overall TC44PRO is a solid performer, which stands out with its original form factor, choice of materials, and overall value for money. I can easily recommend it to anyone who wants to use their smartphone as the centerpiece of their portable music setup and wants a stylish and portable DAC/AMP with a small footprint.
ddHiFi M120A Cable
Now let’s look at the M120A IEM cable.
M120A is an IEM upgrade cable with in-line controls and a microphone and it’s available in two variations 3.5mm to 0.78mm 2-pin and 3.5mm termination to MMCX. ddHiFi also mentioned that the MMCX version supports not only traditional MMCX IEMs but also IE series from Sennheiser, like for example IE900.
The cable arrived in a small carton box with a sleeve, just like TC44 Pro. When you remove the sleeve there is a square box inside that holds a cable and warranty card.
Design & build
The cable is well built, it’s soft and quite flexible too, making it very convenient for day-to-day use. On one end it has a straight 3.5 mm connector with a matte silver finish. On the other end, it has two 0.78mm 2-Pin connectors, also with a matte silver finish. Connectors on both ends are gold-plated.
The cable itself is 1.2 meters long and it’s made from silver-plated OCC wires. It’s not very thick, but still thicker and sturdier than most of the stock cables that come with many IEMs nowadays.
Left and right connectors have a channel sign printed on the connectors. There are also no chin sliders or typical pre-molded ear hooks here. The lack of pre-molded ear hooks means you can use this cable for both the in-ear monitors or classic earbuds with a straight insertion.
The inline controller is put in the place of the usual splitter, and it fits this position well contributing to a sleek design. The in-line controller is made from metal, it has a matte finish and has one button that carries all the usual play/stop/skip track functions one might expect. Next to the button, there is a microphone.
I used this cable with a variety of my IEMs, and I think the M120A complimented many pairs well, both comfort and look-wise. As the cable is soft and has no pre-molded ear hooks, it adds a lot of flexibility to IEM placement in your ear. In addition, it’s really low in microphonics which is a plus too.
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Sound overview
I wouldn’t comment much regarding the changes in sound as I don’t believe cables have any significant impact on the sound. For me the replacement cable should serve several purposes: improve comfort, increase durability, have good connectors installed, and as a bonus, it should look good too. In this regard, this cable checks all the boxes for me.
Conclusions
M120A is a well-built cable for its price. It’s soft and flexible, has a tidy braid and quality connectors, and in addition, it looks great too. The cable feels great and has improved comfort for a number of my IEMs too. Overall, it’s hard to overlook the design and build of this cable and I can easily recommend it to anyone looking for a high-quality replacement cable with a microphone and in-line controls at a reasonable price.
And that concludes my review for today. If you want to see more content like this consider subscribing to my YouTube channel for future updates. Thank you for joining me, and until next time, goodbye!
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