Design & Build Quality
Casing
Like their predecessor, the ddHiFi TC44Pro E2 remains a thumb-sized DAC, designed to be carried like your usual phone dongle. There is a palpable echo of their predecessor’s design, with a freshly revamped aesthetic and functionality, while maintaining the compact, extra-small form-factor characteristic of the brand. As the name implies, these pro versions are slightly larger than the TC44Pro – approximately 30% to be precise. However, this subtle increase in size doesn’t compromise daily usability as the new body appears longer, but not thicker, thanks to that elongated design.
In terms of size, the TC44Pro E2 now measures 60 x 20 x 10mm, while the E2 comes in at 35 x 14 x 12mm (cable excluded). In fact, despite being marginally longer than the TC44Pro, the TC44Pro E2 longer body doesn’t make this new model more unobtrusive than the previous generation on a daily use. And, that’s all thanks to the deported cable, offering more flexibility on the go, much like FiiO offers with its KA13, or HiBy and its FC4.
Still, like all other gear from the brand, this one continues to convey an impressively premium feel, a sentiment that is even more pronounced with this new generation. It boasts a clean design, featuring a main aluminum body and a superb braided cable, directly inherited from the new cable collection.
Obviously, ddHiFi being themselves, they also added a small lanyard hole on top of , in case you wanted to tie the TC44Pro E2 to your bag, because why not?
Build Quality
Once again, ddHiFi checks all the right boxes, presenting a new dongle that is simply exquisite in every aspect.
Thick, solid metal, everywhere you can touch and see, and even the geeky lanyard hole of the TC44Pro appears unbreakable. Even though, if I have to come clear, there’s an almost-zero chance of me intending to use it for its designated purpose…. And if I preferred the TC35Pro cubic shell, the new flattened body makes it easier to handle on a daily basis, especially with the 4.4mm Pentaconn port.
Of course, you get he usual CNC-milled shell with perfectly bevelled angles, impeccable delineation at the center, golden-toned USB-C/Lightning port, and a superb cable, it currently stands as one of my favorite designs – apart from the leather lanyard
Last but not least, no screws, no gaps, even upon close inspection, as the brand has ensured every part is tightly sealed. Lovely!
Comfort and Specifications
Daily use
As expected, the ddHiFi TC44Pro E2 remains super simple to use : just plug it to your source – an iPhone in my case, as I asked for the Lightning version, connect your headphone/IEM on the other side, and you’re good to go!
There are two versions available:
- the 8-pin (lightning) version, the one I took for my own iPhone, which should work flawlessly with any Apple phone;
- the USB-C version, the one that should work for every other devices (Android, PC, Mac, iPad, tablet, and – of course – the new iPhone
Once again, I mostly paired them with the lovely FiiO JH5, and the impeccable BeyerDynamic DT900 Pro-X, with a 4.4mm Pentaconn to 3.5mm Jack adapter of course. No special manipulation, no special driver and no error message with my phone: Perfect!
Last but not least, you won’t have access to any control, nor phone call support, just pure music. But that was to be expected.
Specifications
Dual Cirrus-Logic CS43131 + dual ESS ES9603Q
Once more, ddHiFi chose to rely on Cirrus-Logic DAC, the aforementioned CS43131 more precisely, found in plentiful of devices nowaday. But, unlike the TC35Pro and TC44A, the TC44Pro E2 comes with a dual-set of them, much like the FiiO KA13 and Shanling UA1 Plus – two dongle DAC that we also reviewed.
A very popular chip, issued from the MasterHiFi series and advertised as a “low power audio DAC with a high-fidelity headphone amplifier to provide a superior system-level audio performance”. And, history has proven that Cirrus really knows cirrus knows a thing or two about it, improving year after year, for the last decade.
As usual, this chip is more of an SOC than a simple DAC, embedding all kinds of features like advanced 32-bit oversampled multi-bit modulator with mismatch shaping technology, or an Integrated GND-centered, Class. And if the chip also comes with its own Class-H headphone driver, this new model relies on ESS Sabre ES9603Q Op-Amp, for higher output power.
An “industry leading chip with the highest performance standalone for audiophile-grade portable applications” based on ESS assumption – which does sound promising on paper. Enough to match/outperform the competition? That’s what we are about to find-out.
To sum it up, you get:
- up to 32bits / 384kHz PCM decoding + DSD256 support
- <0.0004% THD + 250mW @ 32 ohms
- low power consumption, between 6.25-40.2 during playback
- Seamless switching between high performance and low power playback
- Volume matching of the analogue output levels and channel mixing
SNR is rated at 125dB, THD below 0.0004%, and power output should reach 250mW, for each channel with a 32ohms load. Impressive numbers compared to the previous model, that put ddHiFi back in the race!
Full specifications
- Model: ddHiFi TC44Pro E2 (Eye2)
- Type: DAC/Amp
- DAC: 2x Cirrus-Logic CS43131
- AMP: 2x ESS ES9604Q
- Decoding capability: up to 32bits / 384kHz PCM – up to DSD256
- Output Load: 16 – 250 Ohm (adaptive)
- Output power: 250mW per Channel (32ohm) Balanced
- SNR: > 125dB
- THD: < 0.0004%
- Dynamic Range: > 120dB
- auto-impedance sense function
- Dimensions (excl plug): 60 mm x 20 mm x 10 mm
- Weight: 20.7 g
- Price: $99 USD
The article continues on Page Three, after the click here
Page 1: About ddHiFi
Page 2 : Design, build quality, specifications
Page 3 : Sound performances
