Dongle DAC amp thread, L&P, iBasso, A&K, Earmen, Audioquest, iFi, Hiby, etc

There’s the OG W2 and a newer W2 using a slightly different DAC chip. I found the OG slightly warmer and more relaxed than the 131 version

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Let me know your findings. Yes there’s the OG and the 131 version. Different DAC chips because at one one point they were running low on the original ones, iirc.

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Missed that when I bought mine. Any idea on how to distinguish between them? Is there a preferred one?

The 131 is blue, the og is black.

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What Hazi said and I think there’s a small marking of 131 on both the packaging and the dongle itself. I don’t know if one is preferred though, just slightly different sound signature and slightly more power and closer performance between SE and 4.4mm on the 131 one. But the OG has had a lot of praise anyway

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Good to know!

I’m going to be doing a head to head with the Canpfire Andro and the VxV on the W2 this week. Winner stays, loser has to find a new home

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Oh, I see. It’s very blue and a whole different model (like below), not a silent revision or anything. I had never seen the 131 before. I definitely have the OG

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I have the OG as well. I like it enough to not care to upgrade/sidegrade to the 131. I’ve been nothing but happy with the W2 since I’ve owned it. :slightly_smiling_face:

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i missed it so much i bought it a second time lol

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My phone dongle died and I found an Astell & Kern PEE-51 on TMR. I could have bought another cheap $20 dongle, now I’m hoping that the microphone on my headset works and that I didn’t just buy something I can’t use for phone calls. LOL

@M0N have you tried also lotoo s2? I am looking into one of those dongles now and I am a bit undecided between new w2 and s2

Edit: disregard, I can see s2 in your shit list so I suppose it is fine and you liked w2 a bit more.

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I had the S2 just a few months ago, it was something I bought from amazon as a temporary mobile solution while I waited for my LPGT to arrive from overseas. I returned it once my dap got here, but it was a wonderful piece of kit and I was very impressed with what is possible nowadays for that price and form factor. If I had a use for a dongle on a daily basis I would have kept it around. I have not heard the W2 but from what I have heard it really will depend on what sound you are after. For example there are people who don’t really like the L&P’s thick and warm presentation and find it to be overpowering while the Lotoo provides a more clean and neutral sound while being really smooth sounding.

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So I picked used w2 from headfi but reading this it might be I will eventually pick up s2 as well. But since it is just to have something for pc and phone that is plug and play it should be fine. I wanted to go for lpgt/lp6ka but personal circumstances forced me to just go for something cheaper and functional.

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Can any of these small DAC/amps drive Utopia in a good enough way? I’m looking for something on the low end side when sitting on the couch. Perhaps with my Mac or iPhone…
Can be a dongle or a cheap DAP if that changes anything… let’s say below 300 would be great but can stretch for the right reasons

Can they? Sure they’ll get it loud. Should you? ehhhhhhhhhh I wouldn’t. If I had to pick one, it would likely the W2 or actually the questyle m15 might be a good pick

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Loud so will the Mac probably… I’m not looking to waste money but figured it’s cheaper than another set of headphones.

Any glaring problems with either of them off major advantages?

Is there anything else you’d use? Mojo maybe?

They’ll be a pretty noticeable upgrade from a mac for sure, I don’t know if there’s any real qualms I can have for the money, I’d have to say the W2 can get a bit hot/harsh and a slight bit grainy with the utopia whereas the m15 might be a bit lacking in spatial creation and might be too forward overall for the utopia for some.

Typically something a fair bit more expensive, but I likely would have a mojo over those 2 dongles tbh, and that’s reasonably within the price point used for sure. Another amazing AIO is the centrance hifi m8 v2 but that’s pushing size for some and also likely not even in the range used

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Hmm thanks I’ll take a look… seems to be 500 used which is more than I’d like to spend on this use case but we’ll see.

That doesn’t sound great lol

I now see there’s a L&P W4…

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I wanted to show my appreciation for this topic. I briefly considered a DAP, but ruled it out because I have a prestine 32 GB iPod. After reading M0N’s evaluation of the W2, i picked one. I don’t have IEMs worth mentioning, but the W2 is my music option when I’m in bed ready to sleep.

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