Khadas Tea Review

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Sound performance

For this review, I chose to pair the Khadas Tea with the FiiO FD3 (once again) and the Creative Aurvana SE. If the prior has been my top choice in its price range since it came into the market, the headphone is also one of the most underrated models I reviewed in the last years.

And for the source, I kept my MacBook and iPhone, since the Tea was clearly made for those. For the files, I mainly used Apple Music and Spotify, as I ended up using them almost exclusively on the go, or on the train.

Overall Signature

So, how does the Khadas Tea fare in the long run? Pretty good and, actually, much better than I expected.

Paired with FiiO FD3, the setup feels much more adequate, and the dynamic signature of FiiO’s IEM suits the Khadas perfectly well. Even though I felt like the Tea ended up just below my expectation in terms of dynamic range. I mostly listen to electro tracks and what I’m seeking are fast transients, quick decay, good headroom, and hard-kicking lows. 

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Most of the time, the Khadas Tea succeeds quite well, but sometimes, I feel that the amp is a little too limited compared to the DAC, which is – unexpectedly – deeply impressive in detail retrieval. It’s precise and dynamic, so bad recordings are not welcome, as the experience won’t turn out for the best. 

Compared to the iFi Go Blu, there are small improvements here and there, but some downsize too: lesser dynamics overall, tighter bass control, softer high-mids, and a lot more micro-details. With the Creative Aurvana, in Rainforest from No Name, I was able to hear some subtle effects that were hidden with the Go Blu, at the same volume level. Quite some feat!

Power-wise I honestly didn’t expect the Khadas Tea to drive my headphones with such a tiny body. Sure, numbers were promising, but expectations and reality can be two completely different things, especially in this case. Fortunately, if not deafening, the small DAC was able to deliver enough punch to push my old, but lovely, Sennheiser. Lows were a bit thin, but voices were spotless, and the definition level was on-par with equally priced USB-DAC that I own. Of course, a balanced output would have helped, but the circuit was not designed for that.

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The auto-gain setting seems to work well, and I never felt like I had to raise the volume more than required when switching from a headphone to an IEM. I didn’t encounter any channel imbalance even at low volume and everything sounds even. Paired with the AudioSense DT200, I only had to up the volume by three to four levels and the sound pressure was enough to meet my demand. Highs are a bit too tamed, so the Khadas Tea might sound like a forgettable device the first time, but over time, it sounded more and more impressive, and the sound signature really grew on me.

Finally, I did some A/B testing, between USB-C and Bluetooth connection, with my iPhone. The Tea didn’t need any driver and I just had to select the DAC as my output. Soundwise,  connected through the USB port, there’s a clear improvement compared to the Bluetooth signal, but that’s certainly due to Apple’s choice to keep AAC on their iPhone.

There’s more depth, more finesse, and more power, especially when you use Hi-Res Source like Apple Music or Qobuz. On Spotify, I didn’t really feel the difference, as the dynamic range offered by the platform didn’t give enough “substance”.

I didn’t have the chance to listen to the Tone 2 Pro, but overall, it’s a really, really, nice experience.

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Tonality

Highs: unoffensive and accurate. The Khadas Tea avoids the classical upper-mid boost, often found on low-tier DAC, and favors a neutral approach. The first time it might sound a bit dull, but after just a few minutes, this sensation disappeared and my ear got accustomed pretty quickly. It’s pretty accurate too, so if you’re new into the audiophile world, I think that the Tea can be a good first choice.

Good test track : Through and through – Leaving Laurel

Mids: open and linear. Vocals and acoustic tracks were an easy job for the Tea, even more once paired with a good IEM. The sound stage is wide and voices glided easily into my ears, especially paired with the Creative Aurvana, which really shined with the DAC. You’d be surprised by how good the DAC is, magnifying tiny details priorly hidden behind the lead singer(s).

Good test track: Between a smile and a tear

Bass: clean and fast. The Khadas Tea never lost composure and always offered a tight, fast bass, especially when connected in USB-C. There is no shallow echo nor dragging sensation, and paired with a sensitive headphone/IEM, the DAC achieved some great length here. Dynamic range is a bit short, but let’s not spoil or pleasure here, it’s still very lovely.

Good test track: Orbit – Rezz

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Conclusion

The Khadas Tea is an exquisite-looking little DAC/Amp, capable of great lengths once paired with a good IEM, or portable headset. Sound quality is surprisingly good, build quality is praise-worthy, and the conception design makes it the perfect companion for your iPhone thanks to the MagSafe connection – even if Android users still have to get elastic bands to pair their smartphone.

All in all, for a first portable DAC, the device is an impressive device. It’s the perfect alternative to the iFi Go Blu, if you’re an iPhone user and don’t care for a balanced output/lower dynamic range. 

A great device that is now my go-to choice for my everyday needs. 

Page 1: Khadas overview 

Page 2: Design & Build Quality, Bundle, Specifications

Page 3: Sound & Conclusion

4.3/5 - (32 votes)
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A nerdy guy with a passion for audio and gadgets, he likes to combine his DAC and his swiss knife. Even after more than 10 years of experience, Nanotechnos still collects all gear he gets, even his first MPMAN MP3 player. He likes spreadsheets, technical specs and all this amazing(ly boring) numbers. But most of all, he loves music: electro, classical, dubstep, Debussy : the daily playlist.

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