Software
The player uses a classic Linux OS with a very simple UI. I personally didn’t face any problems with the OS as it is quite on point and easy to use. At first it may be difficult to adapt to the button layout in today’s smartphone and touch screen world, but after some time it’s really easy to get used to. The good thing is that Anson listens to the community and brings firmware updates accordingly, for the best functionality and user experience.
The approach with the DTR1 reminds me of the Lotoo Paw Gold. And although the Paw Gold has advantages like an advanced PMEQ, the DTR1 is just as fast as the Paw Gold in terms of operation, with very responsive direction buttons and a mighty fast database search. The UI is quite simple indeed, but the functionality is perfect without any flaws.
The settings allow you to play around with screen time, brightness, CUE, Gain Switch, Filter Switch, Auto Shutdown and Wake-up Mode. I liked the gain setting which supports 3 different options including a “middle gain”. This way you can set the gain according to your IEMs and headphones precisely. I also liked the Wake-Up Mode, which is a setting to wake up the screen by pressing any of the buttons.
At first some bugs were present in the OS, but Dethonray kept giving firmware updates to solve them all. The latest version (3.10), which was claimed as the “Final Version”, solves all of the problems and the DTR1 users can now expect a smooth operation. Some of the solved bugs were non-linear volume adjustment, volume jump with gain switching and a “pop” sound during changing songs.
Dethonray DTR1
I particularly liked their update policy as they kept listening to the users who actually use the DAP and updated it accordingly. In fact, the “Middle Gain” setting was actually added for earbud users who demanded a little more power than low gain.
Overall if you like to have a fancy UI with several EQ settings and etc., this is not the player for you. If you’re a purist however, you can perfectly rely on the DTR1’s OS.
User Experience
Of course, this is not a modern day DAP. It’s small, rectangle and supports one Micro SD card to stock your tunes on. Yet, I really liked this goal-oriented design approach from Dethonray. Everything works smoothly in a very small package. Nowadays we have large and heavy players with big screens, but the DTR1 is very compact, light and very easy to grip. Overall the operation has been very pleasing to me so far and I think it’s the same for the other users.
There are some points that you should be aware of though. There’s no cable connection to your computer with the DTR1. The only option is to use a Micro SD card to put your songs on. So your PC must support an SD Card input. That is also the case for the firmware updates.
Another topic is “charging”. As I mentioned above, you need to use the supplied charger only, and there’s no other option. The connection is micro-HDMI, which is very rare to see. The reason behind this choice lies in the DTR1’s unique circuit design. To save space, the actual charger holds the charging circuit of the DAP instead of the DAP itself.
Dethonray DTR1
The Micro HDMI interface allows to transfer the current & voltage information to the dual density batteries inside. So with this design choice, the adapter is absolutely necessary. Maybe some aftermarket adapters may be available in the future, but for now the users are stuck with the custom-made charger.
The device has a single MicroSD port without any internal storage. You can use MicroSD cards up to 2TB in ExFat format. However, when you want to upgrade the software, the only option is a FAT32 card. So while using the DTR1, you will heavily rely on your MicroSD cards. Because of this, it would’ve been nice to have an SD Card adapter of some sorts in the package.
The battery life is fairly good with up to 10 hours in the specs. Real life experience would be around 6-7h in my opinion, an although I haven’t done any specific battery tests, I can honestly say that this is not the best DAP in terms of battery life. The circuit design relies on a high and clean power at all times. I also found out that the charging takes quite some time to get a full charge.
As a small note; the volume gradually increases and decreases when you play/pause the song, which is a nice touch to protect your hearing.
The review continues on PAGE 3 by clicking here using the page numbers below
Richard Provan
Great review, thank you for taking the time to set down your thoughts. I’m curious to know how you feel about the DTR1 a year later. Sound? Reliability? Usability? Would it still be your pick in this price range (with SQ being the most important factor), or do you think it has been overtaken?
Berkhan
Hi Richard,
No I don’t think it has been overtaken. For its price bracket still there’s nothing better in my opinion. It would be my pick not even in this price range only. It would be my pick unless you have a WM1Z, SP1000/2000, R2R2000, or Cayin N8.
Richard Provan
Berkhan, thank you for the prompt reply. My ‘portable’ unit is an iPhone with Hugo2. H2 blows me away, but I’ve come to the conclusion it’s not a great on-the-go rig. But I’m also worried H2 has set the bar high. I can live without bells and whistles, but sound is key. The lack of touch screen and need to update firmware and load songs with a computer don’t seem like deal breakers to me.
Nicholas Mauro
My DTR1 crapped out unfortunately after four months. I am a heavy user both headphone and line out. After resorting to the reset button to turn it on for a few weeks it now will not power on. I suspect that multiple times plugged in and out has shorted something in the line out. It crackles upon inserting and it’s not even powered on. Still waiting on Dethonray to respond to my emails regarding repair. So.. tough call. If it did what it’s supposed to do it’s just about perfect. Maybe I will be more careful when plugging in but really this shouldn’t be an issue. My Fiio M7 has been plugged and unplugged a million times at this point and never a blip. I bought an M9 for the interim. Please get back to me Dethonray!
Nicholas Mauro
Got a response from Anson, he put me in contact with a tech in America. Hoping it goes smoothly in these rough times. Cheers
Nicholas Mauro
Back in action with most current firmware. Make sure you get the latest software for this player because you will unlock its full potential. Everything worked out. Don’t stop til you get enough
Andres
Excellent review, it actually made me purchase this player (really like it.)
Would you say the A&K SR25 it much better than this player?
Thanks!
Berkhan
No I wouldn’t say that.
Thierry
Great review,
i hesitate between this model and the QLS QA361, which one do you recommend in term of sound quality? (if you had the chance to test the QLS model)
I ‘ve already a Fiio M1 but i’m searching a pure DAP (dedicated only to the music (no streaming services), is it for you a big upgrade?
Thanks for all
Thierry
Berkhan
Hi Thierry,
I never tried the 361, so I can’t compare directly.
Yes, the DTR1 is an upgrade over the FiiO M11 in terms of pure sound performance.
Thierry
Thanks for your quick answer.
I will surely buy one ,your review has seduced me :0)
Antonio Gamboa
Greetings from Pamplona, Spain. I don’t understand much about music but thanks to their analysis I bought a second hand Dethonray dtr1. Six months after doing it I had problems with the startup, it stayed off. I got in touch with Anson, the DAP still had a warranty, and they sent it to me fixed in perfect condition. However, after a short time the headphone output does not seem to be right, I have tried with several headphones and the connection is not good, I have to constantly touch the cable to make it work. Is this normal in DAP of these levels? Do you have a solution to this type of problem? Thank you.
Antonio Gamboa
Greetings again. Given the failures that I had and that I commented on previously, I sent DTR 1 back to Anson. After a couple of months he came back home. Everything perfect, I don’t think there are many brands that take care of their customers like that. Thank you.-