Specifications:
- Input/Output: USB-C (with USB-A adapter), 3.5 mm single-ended audio jack
- THD+N: <0.001% @ 32ohms, 0.9Vrms
- Output Voltage: 900mV @ 32ohms
- Frequency Response: 20 – 40,000 Hz
- PCM: Up to 32bit/382kHz
- DSD: Native DSD up to 256x
- DAC Chip: AKM 4490EQ
- Weight: 8g
- Length: 120mm (without adapter)
- Wire: 4-core
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with iBasso in any way and do not benefit monetarily or in any other form for writing this review. I purchased this DAC with my own resources and all opinions are solely my own.
Review by: “Charlie” from The Little Audiophile
iBasso DC02 Retail Price (at time of writing): S$69 (US$50)
Where to buy: Zeppelin and Co.
I have had many good run-ins with iBasso products. I have not reviewed all of their offerings, although I have auditioned most, if not all of their recent products. I can confidently proclaim that their products range anywhere from good, to excellent, in my books.
As the smartphone market continues to develop, it seems to be the trend that many manufacturers are doing away with the 3.5 mm audio jack. I am lucky to have purchased a nifty mid-ranger from Huawei which thankfully still has Google pre-installed, but more importantly, a damn headphone jack. The audio quality from the jack is serviceable – it definitely does not stand up to my previous smartphone which sports an AKM4376A, which is the very same chip you would find in the Fiio M3K. Being an enthusiast, “serviceable” audio quality is simply not a word in our dictionary, right? This led me on a hunt for a Dongle DAC, which I shall, from now on refer to as DDAC, to satisfy my sideward pointing orifices on the go. But I digress.
Today we will be looking at the DC02, which has been out for a little while now, but in my opinion, deserves some attention if you are in the market for a DDAC.
THE BOX
I have always praised iBasso for its attention to the unboxing experience, even down to its budget IEM, the IT01. The DC02, on the other hand, is quite the opposite of what I expected from iBasso’s usual line of products. The DDAC comes in a simple squarish box, no larger than the size of a palm.
Sliding the top sheath off reveals the DC02 itself with the USB-A adapter tucked away in the pocket to the side and a product manual printed in English and Mandarin. And… yea, thats pretty much it for a simple unboxing experience. Maybe eco-friendly is what they were going for this product.
BUILD AND DESIGN
The DC02 virtually comes in all-metal construction. Despite the excellent choice of materials on the construction front, the DC02 is a featherweight at a mere 8 grams. To put things into perspective, the sleeker and smaller Odyssey from Venture Electronics tips the scales at a whopping 10 grams!
The cable is a 4-wire cable with decent strain relief and the cable shroud does not develop a tackiness to it over time.
To the 4 o’clock of the 3.5 mm jack is a small hole that to the uninformed, might look like a microphone at first glance that can be used for calls. The small hole is infact a power indicator light that shines blue when power is supplied to the DDAC. However, this does not necessarily indicate that the smartphone is slaved to supports OTG audio, so you would have to do your due diligence on this end to ensure compatibility. The DC02 also runs slightly warm, especially under extended use, however, iBasso has identified this phenomenon to be completely normal.
Going back to the topic of the small hole not being a microphone, I have found that by default, if your smartphone’s audio is played out of the DC02 and you happen to receive a call, the person on the other end of the line will not be able to hear you, unless you disconnect the DC02 and speak directly into the phone’s microphone. I personally do not find it an issue, but it is something to note.
iBasso recommends that you download the iBasso UAC app from the Google Play store to be used in conjunction with the DC02 for the purposes of “finer volume control” of up to 63 steps. In my testing, the UAC app does more than that. On certain smartphones, I found the DC02 to only play out of one channel when connected. Do not be alarmed if this happens as installing the UAC app on your smartphone would more than likely resolve this issue. I am no computer whizz but I suspect that perhaps the UAC somehow gives kernel-level access to the DC02 to allow it to function properly… or it might just be fairy dust. Who knows, right. The software is a no-brainer to operate and I haven’t experienced any issues or crashes with the app.
![Screenshot_20200610_101922_com.ibasso.volume[1]](https://thelittleaudiophile.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/screenshot_20200610_101922_com.ibasso.volume1.jpg?w=768)
Lastly, power draw from the DC02 is not unreasonably high, considering the specs of the DC02. With my Huawei Y9S (4000mAh battery, Kirin 710F CPU) losing 9% of charge over a continuous listening period of 45 minutes at normal listening volumes. This is more power-hungry than the VE Odyssey and Alpha & Delta Type-C adapter which both sport Realtek DAC chips and sucked roughly 5% of battery over the same listening period at the same volume. Your mileage my vary depending on your smartphones’ battery capacity and processor/OS though.
SOUND QUALITY
Note: Sound Quality was tested on my Huawei Y9S
I have burned the DC02 in adequately in my daily commutes to my university before the COVID-19 placed us all under house arrest. I can’t say for certain how many hours I have put into it, but if I had to plaster a scientifically proven and quantifiable value to it, it would roughly be around “A LOT”.
Jokes aside, how does this DDAC sound? Well firstly, there are a few considerations and expectations that we must set before we continue:
- It is, after all, a Dongle DAC and would in many cases not perform on the same level as a dedicated standalone DAC. It is a portability-oriented device built ultimately for convenience.
- Your smartphone plays a part in the overall musical experience as the “Amp” stage and OTG implementation cannot be ignored in the overall equation.
- The level of improvements you would hear over the built-in DAC and Amp in your smartphone.
With that out of the way, let us continue with the review!
The iBasso DC02 delivers a well-rendered neutral-bright sound signature, served with a soundstage that expands vastly sidewards. For example, the wide soundstage is immediately noticeable in the intro of the song “Dancing On The Ceiling” by Lionel Richie where the footsteps traverse from the right to the left. Another track that displays the vastness of the DC02’s soundstage is that of “Good Mystery” by Amber Rubarth, where every entity, simply put, has its place spread out laterally in the soundscape. With no surprise, separation and imaging is also a strong suit of this DDAC. Unfortunately, the replication of depth in soundstage leaves me wanting somewhat.
Bass
The overall bass on the DC02 is brisk and clean, although sounding slightly lacking in punch. There is this slight thinness to the bass, brought about by insufficient power to the amp stage. Sub-bass has to the biggest victim in this shortfall as to be honest sub-bass extension is great, but, is again held back by the lack of punchiness and girth. That said, the bass region never overpowers the other frequencies and bass details appear defined.
To prove that power was the cause of my gripes, I ran the DC02 with the Fiio A5 Portable Amplifier with Bass-Boost off and Gain on Low. Lo and behold, the richness and weight in the bass were immediately restored.
However, for casual listening or the daily commute, the bass is sure as heck fine.
Mids
The region where the DC02 excels are to me, the mids. Vocals are airy and are presented at a moderate distance from the listener. Vocals are breathy as apparent in the tracks “You’ve Got A Friend” by Stacey Kent and “Be Still And Know (Live)” by Steven Curtis Chapman. Instruments are also beautifully detailed and brisk in decay times. Weight in the notes are again on the leaner side due to the bass region.
Trebles
Trebles again share the same qualities as the Mids and Bass – being detailed. Trebles are well extended and never sounds claustrophobic or closed-in. In the presentation, the brighter treble quantity also never overshadowed the mids or bass.
Where the treble is appropriate in quantity, quality is where the trouble starts. I have noticed throughout my time with the DC02 is the harshness in the treble region. The sibilance that the DC02 brings about is very unnatural, to say the least, especially on female vocals. The track “Stuck On You” by Chlara is a prime example of this harshness. The S-consonants are a common recurrence in this track and the unnatural emphasis and intrusiveness quickly eat away at the listening experience. Nonetheless, the DC02 does have its redeeming qualities in the treble region as mentioned above.
PAIRING
If the situation allows, I would recommend pairing this DDAC with an Amplifier. You are bound to see noticeable improvements in sound even with budget ones such as the Fiio A3 or Topping NX1A. It might even be a good portable DAC solution if you do not mind the increase in heft. Improvements such as a meatier, fuller sound can be expected and might even help balance the overall tonality to a degree.
I see potential to play around with different pairings as the AK4490EQ is a formidable DAC Chip on its own.
As for iPhone users, you might be able to use the DC02 with the camera connection kit, but I cannot personally confirm this as I do not own any apple products. Android FTW!
CONCLUSION
The DC02 is still a great value proposition as an ultra-portable On-The-Go (OTG) solution. Ever since the DC02 came into my possession, I have sidelined the Fiio Q1MkII as my on the move Hi-fi solution. The entire DC02 and IEM can fit in a pelican 1010 case, ain’t that neat? For S$69, you get a well-built device that is sure to bump up your smartphone audio game at virtually no extra weight. Intrinsically, the DC02 would struggle to push the most demanding of IEMs or headphones, so do keep your expectations in check. But, again if durability, portability and great sound quality are your priorities, the DC02 might very well be the DDAC you are searching for.
TLA Score
Build and Implementation Score
Design: 10/10
Durability: 10/10
Ease of Use: 7/10
Sonic Impressions Score
Bass: 7/10
Mids: 8/10
Trebles: 6/10
Sound Stage: 8/10
Separation & Imaging: 8/10
Source Matchability: 7/10
Overall Rating: 8/10
You can get yourself one of these sweet things at: Zeppelin and Co.
THE LITTLE AUDIOPHILE 