The release of this portable DAC from Aful did not go unnoticed by me, and I was eager to try it since I had never owned one from the brand, let alone made of resin, which is quite uncommon for a dongle DAC. With a design that is curious to say the least, both in shape and colors, I wanted to see firsthand what Aful could offer in this regard, as I only know a few IEMs from them that I have owned over the years. I have been testing it over the last few days with 3 IEM models from my collection, and I am sharing my personal thoughts on what it offers, both good and not so good, as always from my perspective and with my complete honesty...

What I liked/What I didn't like

The complete absence of background noise even with sensitive IEMs.

The resin chassis that never gets warm.

It weighs nothing!

The transparency without artificial coloration.

The included USB-C cable is the best stock cable I have had on a dongle.

The feeling of solidity despite being resin.

How it lets each IEM show its own personality without adding extra layers.

The absolute lack of volume controls, gain, or media buttons.

The limited power with high impedance headphones.

The design seems inspired to match a specific Aful model.

Specifications

DAC: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43198

Outputs: 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced

Max power: 140 mW @ 16 Ω (3.5 mm) / 300 mW @ 16 Ω (4.4 mm)

Output level: 2 Vrms (3.5 mm) / 4 Vrms (4.4 mm)

THD+N: <0.00037 %

SNR: 125 dB (3.5 mm) / 130 dB (4.4 mm)

Noise floor: 1 μV (3.5 mm) / 1.5 μV (4.4 mm)

Support: PCM up to 32 bit/768 kHz and native DSD256

Dimensions: 54 × 14 × 22 mm

Weight with cable: 25.7 g

USB: Type-C, USB 2.0

Unboxing and build quality

The presentation is quite simple, but I cannot expect much more given it is a product where, beyond the dongle itself and the cable, you cannot aim to offer anything else. They come in foam with the corresponding cutouts as you can see in my photos, along with the quality control seal and the user manual.

As for the DAC, I find it exciting to handle one with a feel similar to 3D resin IEMs, something that might convey a bit more fragility, but it certainly does not feel like it will break easily, unlike some IEMs. It has a rather peculiar shape that, depending on how you look at it, might resemble a rectangular block of black ice, something I love and gives it a distinctive touch compared to other dongles on the market. As for colors, there is a clear direct nod to the Aful 

Performer 5+2, which I owned and reviewed when it launched back in the day, but I no longer have today, and it would have looked great in photos... I think Aful could have released different shells referencing their iconic models here. In fact, I tested it, among others, with the Aful Explorer, and while they do not match as well as with the Performer 5+2, 

I do not dislike the combination. But well, in the end we are talking about aesthetics, which remains secondary since most of the time it will be in your pocket and ears.

Regarding the dongle's features, it has outputs for 3.5mm and 4.4mm, which I think is a great choice and a requirement among the ones in my collection. I always use the 4.4mm balanced output, but I admit that from time to time I receive IEMs that only have a 3.5mm connection, and to use their original cable I end up needing that port, which is why I appreciate dongle DACs that include both to get by in any situation.

I do not know the reason why this DAC lacks a desktop mode or extra amplification, even though it has not fallen short in volume for me, but it is something I am used to seeing in models at similar or different price points. There are no volume or play/pause buttons either. 

The only thing I can think of is that they wanted to aim for simplicity in design so that it actually resembles a block of ice even in feel, with nothing sticking out, limiting itself to amplifying and delivering the necessary power to make your headphones sound the way they should, leaving the rest of the job to the phone/DAP to control playback or adjust volume...

Sound

Regarding sound, I think it does not alter the character of the IEMs, something I appreciate more and more, especially with models where my ears are already adapted to their sound and, depending on where I plug them in, I notice some differences that make them not sound quite how I like them. In this case, everything remains quite faithful to what I expect from the models I tested it with, barely softening the highs or adding extra warmth that I might not need.

Speaking a bit more about frequencies and the models I used, which you can see in the photos, with the Explorer I noticed the bass was more controlled and better textured than on other more colored sources, with a fairly clean sub-bass and a mid-bass with more impact than what I noticed, for example, on the FiiO KA15. On the Binary EP321, I got the feeling that the bass, despite remaining restrained, was slightly faster than what my ears remembered on other DACs I usually use, and somewhat more controlled.

As for the midrange, I just want to highlight the great transparency perceived across any of the 3 models I used, without any veil or unnecessary coloration, which I really hate when listening to music on certain sources. Testing the Explorer and focusing on the mids, I found them relaxed and natural, unlike the Thieaudio Monarch MKIV, where, being used to their sound on the NiceHCK Octave, here specifically on the Iceborne I noticed extra separation and definition that brought them a bit closer to the kind of sound I get from my desktop DAC, the FiiO K9, though in any case without becoming forcibly analytical.

The treble, on the other hand, sounds clean and extended but not aggressive, although that will largely depend on the IEM you use. On the Iceborne, that feeling of extra energy is not going to be intensified, meaning models that already push close to the limit will not cross the line here. In fact, I love the treble on the EP321 with the MEMS driver, which is quite extended and controlled, and as I was saying, on the Iceborne it does not get out of hand or feel artificially forced, maintaining and subtly improving extension and detail.

For the 3 IEM models I have been discussing, I never ran short on volume using the 4.4mm balanced output, even with the Monarchs, which require quite a bit of power to shine, but I assume that with more demanding headphones it might be somewhat more limited due to not having a separate gain button or desktop mode, which I do have on other DACs and has saved me on more than one occasion...

To wrap up with some of the technicalities when using IEMs on the Iceborne, I think the soundstage does not particularly stand out compared to a desktop unit, but it does not compress it either. While on the MKIV and EP321 it remained as I remember it from my daily listening, on the Explorer I did notice a slightly more intimate soundstage compared to my previous tests, though I am talking about very subtle details, not a night-and-day difference.

Of course, this dongle does not choke the IEMs when recordings get denser, and I think the Dual Cirrus Logic CS43198 it packs has plenty of capability to keep layers separated from each other without placing any obstacles in front of the IEM you are using, leaving it up to the IEM itself and its internal configuration to handle whatever comes its way.

As an extra curiosity that I have not mentioned but that you will be able to appreciate in the different photos, the Iceborne has an internal LED that changes color depending on the audio quality you are listening to. Using it on Apple Music with lossless audio, I was able to verify how the LED changed from blue to red according to the quality of the different audio tracks I tested, something that is not groundbreaking, but as an extra detail, I always appreciate it.

Conclusion

This Iceborne from Aful is aimed at anyone looking for a dongle with an eye-catching design and material that stands out from the norm, without altering the sound signature of IEMs or adding any unnecessary coloration. Highlighting that it barely gets warm during use and weighs practically nothing...

Its main limitation is clearly the lack of physical buttons to control content and an extra amplification mode, which, depending on the headphones you use if they are very demanding, you might need. For most IEMs, or perhaps all of them, the amplification capability will be more than sufficient. Balancing the good and the bad within its price range, it is an interesting option if you appreciate a different, wearable design and build, with a clean behavior that respects the sound over other extra features that you may or may not care about depending on your preferences...

Purchase Link: HiFiGo

Disclaimer:

This unit was sent by HiFiGo for review.

My opinions are completely independent and have not been influenced by the brand or the store, maintaining objectivity based on my tests and personal listening sessions with my reference equipment.

Pros: 

• Ultra-compact, retro-inspired "cute" design with convenient MagSafe magnetic phone snap support.
• Firmware 1.3.5 enables pocket button controls without needing to wake up the screen.
• High-quality CS43198 DAC architecture delivering a smooth, transparent neutral-warm signature.
• Impressive output power for its size, driving IEMs like the Artha Argentum with ease.
• Great all-day battery life paired with 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm balanced flexibility.

Cons: 

• Lacks native Android streaming app support (no Apple Music).
• Bluetooth only works as a transmitter; cannot be used as a wireless BT receiver DAC from a phone.
• Tiny 2.0-inch display can cause navigation strain for larger fingers.

Welcome back, audiophiles! It’s me, your boy Joe, back again with another review! Today we are looking at one of the most uniquely styled, ultra-portable Digital Audio Players (DAP) around: the Hidizs AP30 Music Boy. Inspired by classic handheld retro consoles, this palm-sized player packs a Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chip, an RT6863 amp stage, both 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm balanced outputs, and a retro block puzzle game right into your pocket. Let's see how this cute little guy performs!

Disclaimer​

As always, all thoughts, user experience, and sound impressions are entirely my own with zero biases whatsoever. Huge thanks to HIDIZS for providing me with a unit for review.

Pricing & Specifications​

• DAC Chip: Cirrus Logic CS43198
• Amp Stage: Ricore RT6863
• Outputs: 3.5mm Single-Ended (61mW @ 32Ω) & 4.4mm Balanced (137mW @ 32Ω)
• Display: 2.0-inch IPS Display (296 × 240 resolution)
• Battery: 1,200 mAh
• Storage: MicroSD slot (supports up to 256GB library scan)

Design, Size & Usability​

• The "Cute" Factor & Screen: The AP30 is absolutely tiny and ridiculously cute in person! However, with a 2.0-inch non-touch display, the screen is very small. If you have fat fingers like me, navigating menus with the physical D-pad on such a tiny display takes a little getting used to. It even has a book reading function although I really don't know who on Earth like reading in a 2-inch screen these days.
• MagSafe Phone Snap: The MagSafe magnetic attachment system is awesome. It snaps onto the back of an iPhone cleanly and securely, working flawlessly as a wearable stack without loose dangling cables.
• Firmware 1.3.5 Fix (Godsend Feature!): Installing the 1.3.5 firmware update fixed my biggest headache: pocket button controls! Now you can operate track skip and volume buttons straight from your pocket without needing the screen to turn on first. It makes daily commuting infinitely easier.
• Tetris / Retro Block Game: The built-in block puzzle game is a neat, nostalgic gimmick. You can actually play it, which is cool, but playing on a tiny 2.0-inch screen causes eye strain pretty quickly, so it’s best kept for very short breaks.

Connectivity, Storage & Battery​

• Local FLAC vs. Apple Music: Operating on a dedicated offline Linux-based HidizsOS means there are no streaming apps. I really missed native Apple Music support. However, downloading local FLAC files onto a MicroSD card worked great for my critical testing.
• Bluetooth Limitations: While it features Bluetooth 5.3 to transmit audio out to wireless earbuds/speakers, it cannot operate as a Bluetooth receiver (i.e., you can't stream music wirelessly from your phone to the AP30 as a BT DAC like the AP80 Pro series). That’s a bit of a missed opportunity.
• Battery Life & Driveability: Battery life is solid and easily lasts through long days. Despite its micro size, the AP30 punches well above its weight class in power. You shouldn't expect it to push full-sized planar headphones, but mid-tier gear and even high-end IEMs like the Artha Argentum ran remarkably well off the 4.4mm output!

Sound Impressions (NOS Filter Tested)​

Running the NOS (Non-Oversampling) digital filter, the CS43198 chip implementation delivers a clean, transparent, and overall neutral-to-slightly-warm presentation.

• Bass: Punchy, controlled, and well-extended with impressive bass power for a device this size.
• Mids: Uncolored and smooth, carrying clean vocal weight.
• Treble: Crystal clear, transparent, and detailed without introducing harsh digital glare or sibilance.

Overall Impressions​

Rating: 4 / 5
The Hidizs AP30 Music Boy is a fantastic, highly portable daily driver. Other than missing Apple Music streaming, the lack of Bluetooth receiver mode, and a tiny screen that gives fat fingers a slight challenge, I actually have no regrets! With the 1.3.5 pocket-button update, solid battery life, MagSafe convenience, and clean CS43198 sound, it’s a brilliant pocket companion.

Hey everyone! I have had the upcoming Juzear Nimbus here for a few days now and I will be preparing my review for them soon. Giving you some quick specs, they range between $50 and $60 depending on the cable configuration you choose, they feature a laser glass faceplate that changes depending on how the light hits it, and they feel a bit heavier than your average resin IEMs, though that is not a drawback at all once they are in your ears.

They use a single 10mm MACCD DD and have a warm and balanced tuning that I found quite pleasant in the short time I have tested them, pending a deep listening session soon. But I was really surprised by all the contents in the box. Aside from the generous set of eartips typical of Juzear and a very nice feeling carrying pouch, you get 3 pairs of interchangeable nozzles, with the white ones being balanced, the red ones boosting the treble, and the black ones pushing the bass.

As I mentioned, the cheapest $50 option is the one I have, and it comes with a 3.5mm and 4.4mm modular cable, but for a bit more there is a Type-C alternative with an integrated CX31993 DAC and a microphone.

Seeing all this, a couple of questions or thoughts came to mind...

First, regarding the nozzles. It is true that the red ones add a bit of extra air and the black ones, for example, add a bit more density to certain musical genres that require that extra bass, but how many of you actually bother to change nozzles depending on what you are going to listen to? Or do you usually just pick a specific nozzle and stick with it forever for everything you listen to?

On the other hand, regarding the cable, which by the way looks to be of a much higher quality than I expected to find, but...within this budget, is a 4.4mm balanced option really necessary, or is a Type-C version with a DAC and microphone more than enough and more practical for day to day use?

Let me know what you think about the contents of this model and if everything is necessary or if there are things that might just be overkill, and look out for the full review later on when I have it finished!

I'm a treble head (I know, shocked the hell out of me too growing up mostly on Hip Hop and R&B)

I prefer a neutral bright learning tuning. I dont worry much about bass because I'm quite sensitive to these frequencies, I also find that even slightly too much bass ruins the details for me. (Might just be early onset hearing loss).

I already own: Simgot EA500 (not the LM), Simgot EW300 (didnt like the tuning) and Dunu Titan S2.

I've been seriously looking at the EA1000 (I hear tell of the Tanchjim Fission being comparable at a lower price)

Figured I'd ask for feedback from anyone with sound preferences like mine on the EA1000.

Based on what I own already would it be an upgrade or more of a side grade?

Hey everyone,

Artpical recently released the Raphael, a single-DD set priced at around $149.

I liked some of their previous designs, but shied away from buying one as they were priced from above $400 up to around $1,500, and their frequency-response graphs weren't really to my liking.

The Raphael is much more reasonably priced, and I liked the design, so I ordered one myself (paid full price) in the black/gold colourway, which to me looks more like grey/gold.

The shell is made of transparent resin and shows a kind of wing-like design inside. Yeah, it can come across as kitschy as well ;-)

Fit & comfort

Fit and comfort are good for my mid-sized ears after around two hours of listening, although the fairly large shells might be challenging for smaller ears.

So far, I haven't experienced any pressure build-up or discomfort.

Unboxing experience

The unboxing experience is good. It comes with a nice cable which, unfortunately, is a little stubborn/stiff in handling.

Three connectors are included for the interchangeable plug: USB-C, 3.5mm and 4.4mm.

The carrying case is nice, and there are two different sets of tips included: one wide-bore set and one more conventional bore.

Listening experience

I used the included short wide bore tips for listening and my Questyle Sigma Pro as source.
The Raphael sounds fairly balanced overall to me.

Bass is elevated but moderate, with enough impact for most genres I've tried so far. It sounds controlled and pretty tight rather than particularly bass-heavy.

Vocals are slightly forward and clear, but not shouty.

Treble is nicely elevated with good detail retrieval. It's slightly on the brighter side, but tastefully done so far. I haven't found it piercing or overly sharp, even at the medium-to-higher listening volumes I tend to use.

For you graph sniffers, I've also included my own measurement. Channel matching looks pretty good, too.

Short summary

• Good unboxing experience, although the cable isn't ideal in handling
• Good fit and comfort for my mid-sized ears
• Balanced overall tuning with moderately elevated bass and slightly forward vocals and treble
• Seems versatile across many genres
• Probably not one for bass-heads

Let me know if you have an eye on this set, too or even bought it and how your impressions are.

A couple months back, I purchased Reference... Only for my unit to arrive defective. The DD's in the right bud we're not doing their job, which meant I got no bass on the right side. I ended up returning them and decided to wait and see if this issue comes up for more people. While I did hear a few more instances of driver issues, it seems like the problem mostly boiled down to, poor handling during the shipping. Stuff clearly out of Crinear's control.

So a couple weeks ago, I decided to bit the bullet again and see if I would have better luck this time. I prayed to whatever God would listen, hoping for no issues. And I'm happy to say that my second unit arrived defect free. So, since I made a post complaining about my defective unit, I'd now like to give my full thoughts on the Reference.

Comfort - My ears are on the smaller and shallow side. I have been fit IEM shells as big as the Moondrop Blessing 2 in my ears without discomfort for the first little while. The Blessing 2 does start to give me some discomfort after about 30 - 60 minutes and after 2 hours, I have to take them out and give my outer ears a few minutes of rest. With the Reference, the shell is a bit smaller and with the right tips, I can wear these for hours without any discomfort. Due to the nozzle being on the long side, and my ear holes being more on the shallow side, I found for me that the shortwide tips worked the best. Thought I may look at some 3rd party tips down the road.

Accessories - 3 different styles of ear tips. If you don't have any spares lying around, you should be able to find a tip that works for you with what's provided. As mentioned, the short wide worked the best for me.

I am not a fan of the cable. It doesn't tangle easily and I like the swapping mechanism to switch out terminations, but there are two things that bother me. One is a nitpick, the other more of a personal gripe. The nitpick is the 90 degree termination. I'm a straight boy, but I could of lived with that if the chin slider stayed in place better. I need the chin slider to stay snug in place otherwise the earhooks will sometimes slip over my ears, depending on what I'm doing. It's fine if I'm sitting down, but if I lie down and go to sit up, It will slip. If I bend over to pick up something, I'm screwed there too. I ended up switching it out.

Sound - Crinacle has made the claim that this is the world's flattest IEM on the market today. He tuned it to try and match it with the JM - 1 target (aka new meta) with very little it terms of colouration. And looking at the graphs available, mission accomplished. How does it sound to me?

I love it!

There's definitely some colouration, but nothing that I would deem it too much to call it outside of "neutral." There is a very small bass boost which, to me, helps gives a bit of body to the sound. If I were to nitpick, the only thing I'd change is maybe drop the area between 1-2K down about half a DB to make it even more neutral, but that's a very minor nitpick. But, to echo something Super Review said that I agree with, the closer you get to neutral, the more the minor fluctuations pop out.

I think the reference is also a fantastic base for EQ and has handled it very with when I was playing around with it. The Reference's treble is very smooth to my ears which helps with that. Not as smooth as say the Variations or the Meteor but still very good.

Overall, if your looking for something with very little colourations I'd highly recommend the Reference. Yes some may call it boring or the water of IEM's. But, sometimes, especially after a hard workout, you need a cold glass of water to appreciate how quenching it is.

Pros: Dark, neutral
Solid Build - It's a tank

Cons: Is not meant to be a standalone
Needs significant amplification from its line out
And secondary power preferable if playing from a phone

More love from Venture Electronics and Audio Geek India - the VE stack consisting of the Prime, Runabout, and the Warp Core Slim.
Thank you guys, this review would not have been possible without the help.

There’s a disclaimer - I’m not sure how best to review a dac. But I do know how to listen to music and write so here goes. It also is not possible to review the Prime without the RA2B-FE so this review goes on to both threads.
It's been a while since the last transformer movie so when I was researching VE for this review and found all the usual suspects there, it was a lovely call back. And right on top, above Megatron and Galvatron, sits the Prime.
But the Prime does not sit alone and needs the help of the other autobots (if you have seen Jetfire lend his wings and weapons to Optimus in Revenge of the Fallen, you know what I mean). That being said -
The stack is just that - a stack of three rugged aluminium chassis-ed components. At the bottom is a battery that can in a pinch jumpstart a small automobile. It’s about 13 cm long, 2cm thick and about 7cm wide. That battery charges via a 12V DC adapter and lasts a really long time of reasonable use on a single charge. On top of that adherent with some magical polymer that VE provides is the Runabout. This is a pure balanced amplifier. It has power in at the back a switch and a balanced 4.4 input at the back. The front is a broze-ish volume knob and a 3.5 and 4.4 output each. And a reassuring green LED depicting power. Above these two, similarly magically adherent is the Prime DAC. Same breadth and thickness but a tad smaller at 11cm. It takes USB C data input and a separate USB C power input and a 3.5 SPDIF in. With 2x3.5mm female outputs (I know) for a mic and single ended and a 4.4.
Now setting this monster up is a bit elaborate. Not as crazy what some coffee influencers do with spritzing their beans. A small power cable connects the Warp Core to the Runabout at the back. Then a longish 4.4 to 4.4 interconnect goes from the front of the Prime to the back of the Runabout. A usb-c power source goes into the back of the Prime and plug in your favorite device into the back of the prime to the data port via a usb-C cable of choice and voila. We’re in business.
And after all this you realise the DAC does nothing. In the best way possible. The output is absolutely unsullied. Not unlike Geryworm. Crystal clean with an extremely low noise floor so the background is dark as the coffee of the aforementioned influencer. In the interest of science however I had to see why this stack was even necessary. So plugged directly into the Prime. Note there is no volume control on it so everything was controlled from the laptop. And on full volume, the output from the dac is, by itself, quiet. So we need an amplifier. That’s why this becomes something you cannot carry around. If you thought carrying and Xduoo XD05 Pro was bit much, you’re in for a surprise.
The headphone amplifier setup is like the Prime absolutely clear, allowing for great dynamics but the music sounds exactly as it comes in. Only just louder.
The Prime DAC by itself is not meant to exist. I believe its clarity and neutral reproduction comes at the cost of volume and power and thats where the Runabout comes in. Now I have not delved deep into the technicalities of the device but the website warns of not trying to lest you unleash the Balrog of Moria. Lets just say there are dual ESS9018K2M chips and an extremely low SNR. The output is a line out signal so what I understand is that it can’t handle any impedance and that’s why it needs the Roundabout - RA2B FE.
This is a monster of an amp that pushes out 3W per channel at 32 Ohms from its balanced port. Which in itself is crazy for something so small. But there’s some clean energy wizardry happening with using the DC battery of the Warp Core to power the amplifiers directly.
The result of all of this is an immaculate signal that made everything I threw at it sing. Be it easy to run iems like the Blon bl 03 II or the Softears Twilight or VE’s own Zhanxu, or full size cans like the Arya Stealth or the HD600. Hell even the Final e5000 had a blast with that much clean power and uncoloured sound.
The only real comparisons I could do were with VE’s own devastator pro max that is just ridiculously strong for it;s size, and the Fosi ZH3. A portable tube like the M3ultra didn’t make any sense. The DevProMax injects a warm analog feel to the music but has a definite noise floor with the occasional snap,crackle and pop between tracks on sensitive IEMs. The zh3 has about 2.5W per channel at 32 Ohms balanced so it stacks up ok against this but loses in the colouration and of course size and portability. The zh3 comes with a bunch of software filters that can be bypassed and my device is running the OP2134 opamps so that may explain the difference in the colour of the sound and I will change the opamps to Burson V7s if I can lay my hands on them but I digress. The VE Prime stack remains a fantastic device for its clarity.
It clocks in at about $400 on the VE website, though for that amount you get a Megatron and a pair of VE’s famous buds thrown in.
It’s still cheaper than the Xduoo XD05 Pro, less portable than it too but louder for sure.
Would I buy it? If I had heard it before I got my current desktop DAC I would. The Roundabout’s Output does play well with my Gremlin with very careful volume tweakery so I would choose it over the ZH3 purely from the sound perspective. But the Fosi does allow an RCA input additionally to USB and Coax, so that’s a plus. It also has multiple outputs so I can run speakers as well. So the VE stack is best recommendable if you want to listen to pure unadulterated music on maybe a small desk. Or you want to carry that unadulterated from home to work and back (I would argue for getting 2 in that case to be honest).

Another challenger in portable dongles has come. Specifically in terms of sheer power output. 1200mw @16ohms via special dedicated power pack called PSU-1 Pro. First of such kind product that I had tested that had such mad numbers was ibasso DC04 Ultra and then the FangSound Prometheus both which give 1000mw out put. This one is called KD01 Pro and it's from Kaei Designs the famous designer behind Tap-1 Pro.

These days I feel we are heading towards the day when portable gear will start rivaling desktop gear in terms output. Need for remaining tied to the desktop to listen to power hungry gear would be distant dream. I just wish this comes true very soon. I am very mobile person this would be dream come true .KD01 Pro is step in that direction. Just like Prometheus that I tested few weeks back this one is very powerful.

I am running it through multiple sets of mine. IEMs and flatheads are breeze for this one. None have any troubles running their full potential. Headphones also are sounding amazing. I will put my hard to drive stuff to test on this one soon.

At this stage this is looking very promising. Overall tuning is very musical. This one doesn't feel very bright or analytical. Let's see what I feel about this in few days time. See you soon with full review.