Shortest Tail For The Longest Impulse Decay – DDHIFI TC35CM2 Dongle DAC
ddHiFi TC35CM2 is a $55 USD portable DAC AMP that’s really short, portable and lightweight, and which has a type-C connector at the digital side, and a 3.5mm headphone output at the headphone output side. There are two different chips for DAC Decoding and Amplification, with an inline microphone support, so today we will review the TC35CM2 and see how it fits in today’s market.
Introduction
DD HiFi always created affordable and neat products, but this time they really made one of the smallest, lightest and convenient products, as TC35CM2 is more practical than the thicker, but even smaller dongles ddHiFi has created like TC35PRO M2.
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Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/4lPcad7
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_onHDgvP
Build Quality/Aesthetics
The concept has always been there, but connecting a pair of IEMS to your smartphone used to be simple, when smartphones had a 3.5mm headphone output. As Smartphone manufacturers grew greedy and removed the headphone jack, companies like ddHiFi saw an opportunity to create dongle DAC/AMPs that provide us with music from our smartphones, but which could also have a better quality than anything previously seen with a phone. This is how today we have dongle DAC AMPs.
ddHiFi TC35CM2 is like a cable, without the weight and larger body attached to it like we see with the TC35PRO Eye2, or the bulk added by TC44PRO. The weight is just 9.5 grams, and TC35 CM2 has a dynamic range of 120 dB, a THD lower than 0.008%, a SNR of 112 dB, and a power output of 45mW per channel for a 32 OHM Impedance.
The Headphone AMP chip used inside of the ddHiFi TC 35 CM 2 is an ES9603Q, and the noise floor is measured to be lower than 3 uV. We also see a 4-Pole 3.5mm headphone output, and this is not a balanced headphone output, but rather a single ended headphone output with a dedicated microphone pole for earphones that have an inline microphone. The compatibility of the TC35 CM 2 extends to Tablets, iPhones, Android Smartphones, and Laptops / Pc Computers. Nothing is left out, and all kinds of devices should work just fine.
USB DAC / Subjective Usage
Using the ddHiFi TC35CM2 is easy, it is one of the simplest and most convenient ways of listening to music. Lightweight and fun, it has a short tail, it is not very rigid, and has a good driving power. In fact, often it is too loud even at minimum volume, and this seems to be a fairly big issue with the TC 35 CM2.
There’s no trace of too much heat, it stays cool in operation and feels nice to use in practice. The Type-C port is nice and tight, and so is the headphone jack, although I would’ve liked a 4.4mm output as I got more hi-end cables installed on IEMs with the 4.4mm format.
Sound Quality
Pairings and Match-up – To test te dd HIFI TC35CM2 I have combined it with a multitude of IEMS, including Campfire Moon Rover, Moritz Dragon, NF Acous NM20, ZiiGaat Arcadia, Crosszone CZ-8a Enhanced, HeartField Blanc, Soundz Flame, Tin HIFI P1 MAX II. It can drive all of those, and in general the volume is too high even at the lowest setting for most IEMS, as DDHIFI TC 35CM2 feels quite powerful, having an audible noise floor with sensitive IEMs.
Overall Signature – We have a smooth, warm, wooly sound that is not necessarily focused on details and resolution, but centered around creating a pleasing, fun sound that is enjoyable with all IEMS. If there is one dongle DAC that can never get fatiguing or harsh, that is the TC35CM2.
Bass – Starting from the bottom end, the bass is not that enhanced, and in fact, most of the warmth in the TC35MC2 sound comes from the smooth, rolled off and soft treble, as it has a bass that I consider to be just ever so slightly more present than dead neutral, but not overly so. This bass is slow, wooly, warm and gives music body, but does not have a high impact or bite.
Midrange – A sweet, fun midrange that’s also warm and pleasing, smooth and without any kind of edge complements the bass, and we get one of the more pleasing, joyful presentations out there with a sweet female voicing, happy male voicing, and generally an intimate staging that emphasizes voices quite nicely.
Treble – With a smooth, wooly sound, progressive roll-off above 6kHz, TC35 is one of the smoothest, least aggressive sounding dongle DAC AMPs out there, excellent for when you want to relax, but otherwise lacking the excitement of treble with most IEMs. Even ultra bright IEMs can sound smooth and relaxed.
Dynamics / PRaT / Textures – We get a smooth, thick, warm texture that has a slow decay, warm body, and somewhat big presentation for each instrument. As the sound is somewhat focused on the intimacy with each instrument, they end up sounding quite big and upfront, giving you a bit of energy and presence.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – As I mentioned earlier on, DDhiFi TC35CM2 has the disadvantage of having a rather loud sound even from early on in the volume, and most smartphones and computers will reach a REALLY LOUD volume at 50% and clip above, so volume control is not necessarily ideal and software implementation of it is a bit kinky.
Value and Conclusion
ddHiFi TC 35 CM2 is one of the most affordable entry-level dongle DAC AMPs, it has outstanding value for the price, it is simple, but effective, neat and it simply works without consuming too much power or feeling like an inconvenience in any way.
At the end of the day, if you want a better way to enjoy music than the basic dongle adapters that smartphones come with, but if you want the ddHiFi quality, if you want a beautiful sound, and an excellent sonic performance, I fully recommend the ddHiFi TC35 CM2 for your portable setup.
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/4lPcad7
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_onHDgvP
PROs
- Confirmed compatibility with iPhone
- Lightweight
- High driving power
- Neat Design
- Simple
- Affordable
- Warm, Smooth sound
Cons
- Can be loud even at low volumes
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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