Aural Cafe

Aural Cafe We are a bunch of music and coffee lovers, trying to make HiFi Music more accessible.

Our review for H7 is coming soon. A very powerful brick.
26/12/2024

Our review for H7 is coming soon. A very powerful brick.

IFi audio ZEN DAC 3 ReviewDISCLAIMER: The iFi Audio ZEN DAC 3 was sent to us free of charge by the iFi Audio team. We ar...
16/12/2024

IFi audio ZEN DAC 3 Review

DISCLAIMER: The iFi Audio ZEN DAC 3 was sent to us free of charge by the iFi Audio team. We are truly humbled and would like to thank the iFi Audio team for this opportunity and their continuous support to Aural Café.

Introduction: -
Today at Aural Cafe we are reviewing iFi Audio ZEN DAC 3 which is the upgraded version of the very popular and multiple award-winning ZEN DAC series featuring advanced proprietary features such as XBass+ and loaded with a versatile USB-C Port.
iFi Audio ZEN DAC 3 is the upgraded version of the very popular and multiple award-winning ZEN DAC 2 featuring advanced proprietary features such as XBass+ and Power Match. Equipped with much needed USB-C port along with Bit-Perfect DSD and DXD DAC by Burr Brown, ZEN DAC 3 now supports PCM formats up to 768kHz and native DSD support up to DSD 512 to cater the needs of discerning audiophiles who appreciate ultra-high-definition audio quality. The Zen DAC 3 for a change also provides full MQA decoding capability but we delve a bit more into ZEN DAC 3 like always let's tell you first about iFi Audio, the team behind the ZEN DAC 3. iFi Audio is a British brand and is a subsidiary of Abbington Music Research (AMR) which is one of the UK's largest manufacturers of high-end audio products: Amplifiers, Active Buffer/Preamplifiers, DACs and USB filters. Founded in 2000, AMR is based in London, United Kingdom. It is a subsidiary of the Abbington Global Group. iFi Audio is one of the most respected brands in the audiophile world with hiFi products across different prices and product categories with one aim to cater to the needs of every audiophile out there who eats drinks and sleeps music. Founded in 2012, iFi oversees the design, development and manufacture of more than 50 products from its headquarters in Southport, UK. What makes iFi Audio a bit unique and special is that all iFi Audio products and their packaging are made from recyclable materials, including Aluminium, Paper and Recycled plastics. There are no hazardous toxins in their components, and they ensure that every product released meets environmental standards. iFi Audio prides itself on being an eco-friendly company. We at Aural Cafe had the honour of reviewing various iFi Audio products which our followers can read by clicking on the following links:
- https://www.facebook.com/teamauralcafe/posts/pfbid02sgebPpWq4tyDzzep3iBTpehohF2hkW4Am83hREzwgLP1Eg7xbgzKk87q3ZH8VBegl
- https://www.facebook.com/teamauralcafe/posts/pfbid0UdosxBhnL9uaBqbbUkWFJhsB6x8VCRnx6AsrQVpDrRWgSj41p9PGxS4E9unjUJq8l

The IFi Audio ZEN DAC 3 is priced at 229 USD and can be bought from IFi Audio authorized distributors located all over the world.
Loaded with a USB-C port, iFi Audio ZEN DAC 3 exudes a fresh new stylish yet elegant look from the outside. The ZEN DAC 3 as a product is positioned as a versatile hi-fi DAC/amp that flawlessly works with headphones, preamplifiers, integrated Amplifiers and even active speakers. The smart sleek and transportable ZEN DAC 3 now supports PCM formats up to 768kHz and native DSD support up to DSD 512, along with full MQA decoding, with all these improvements at the helm ZEN DAC 3 now can cater to the needs of tasteful audiophiles who are more into ultra hi-fi audio quality. The added USB-C port streamlines cable management and provides USB input overvoltage protection, safeguarding it against potential harm. Moreover, a significant reduction in DC offset minimizes audio clicks when adjusting settings. In ZEN DAC 3 the True Bass feature of ZEN DAC2 has been upgraded to XBass+ in ZEN DAC 3 for more thumping and engaging lows. iFi Audio ZEN DAC 3 uses the same Power Match switchable gain button which has been seen in the earlier version to ensure the optimal power for the power-demanding headphones. We at Aural Cafe feel that we wouldn’t do complete justice to the ZEN DAC 3 review if we didn’t add a table comparing ZEN DAC 3 technical Specifications with its Predecessor ZEN DAC 2 side by side so here it is:

Specifications: -

ZEN DAC 3 ZEN DAC 2

Input: USB -C USB -B
Formats Supported: PCM32Bit up to 768kHz PCM32Bit up to 384 kHz
DSD and DXD up to 512 DSD and DXD up to 256
Full MQA Decoding Full MQA Decoding
DAC: Single Burr-Brown True Native® chipset Single Burr-Brown chip
Line output section:
Output: Balanced 4.4mm: 2V / 6.2V max. (variable); 4.2V fixed Same as ZEN DAC 3
Single-Ended RCA: 1V / 3.3V max. (variable); 2.1V fixed Same as ZEN DAC 3
SNR: ≥ 113dBA @ 0dBFS ≥ 116dBA @ 0dBFS
DNR: ≥ 113dBA @ 0dBFS ≥ 116dBA @ 0dBFS
THD+N:Balanced 4.4mm 70mW @ 600Ω; >300mW @ 32Ω Same as ZEN DAC 3
S-Balanced: >18mW @ 600Ω; >210mW @ 32Ω

SNR: ≥ 109dBA @ 0dBFS (6.2V 4.4mm / 3.3V 6.35mm) 113dBA @ 0dBFS

THD + N: Balanced 4.4mm

Kinera Celest CD-20: POCKET POWERHOUSEDISCLAIMER: The Celest CD20 was sent to us free of charge by the Celest Audio team...
08/12/2024

Kinera Celest CD-20: POCKET POWERHOUSE

DISCLAIMER: The Celest CD20 was sent to us free of charge by the Celest Audio team for review purposes. We are humbled and would like to thank the kind folks at Celest Audio for their continuous support of Aural Cafe.

Introduction: -
Today at Aural Cafe we are reviewing Celest Audio Celest CD20 portable DAC and headphone amplifier. Celest CD20 is armed with a very capable ES9039Q2M DAC and is Celest Audio's first offering in this hot and crowded product category.
Celest CD20 marks Celest Audio’s bold entry in the hot and crowded product category of portable DAC/Amps and dongles, which seems to be the flavour of the season. Celest CD20 is equipped with a very capable ESS SABRE top-of-the-line single ES9039Q2M DAC which is rare to find in portable DAC/Amp and dongles which have been launched in recent times. But before we delve more into the Celest CD20, we would like to first apprise our fellow audiophiles of the brand Celest Audio. Celest Audio is a subsidiary brand of Dongguan, China-based Yu Tai Electronic Acoustics. Yu Tai Electronic Acoustics is a Dongguan, China-based company that started its journey with the launch of the Kinera brand way back in 2011. In 2012 Yu Tai Electronic Acoustics had the honour to launch the world’s first high resistance 5mm micro dynamic speaker for military hearing aids. In 2013, Yu Tai Electronic Acoustics began mass manufacturing of quality BA drivers at competitive pricing due to which Yu Tai Electronic Acoustics became an internationally and locally renowned supplier of BA drivers. From 2014 to 2015, Yu Tai Electronic Acoustics developed several patents for various driver tech, but it was in 2016 which is a landmark in Yu Tai Electronic Acoustics history as it is in 2016 when the ‘Kinera’ brand came into existence with the launch of BD005, an entry-level hybrid driver IEM to cater the needs of the price sensitive audiophiles. In 2018, when we at Aural Cafe had just started its audiophile journey, Kinera released a series of IEMs such as SEED, IDUN and ODIN but it was after Kinera Odin 8 BA-based IEMs after which we at Aural Cafe started closely the Kinera brand. Fast forward to 2024 in six years, Kinera has become a leading premium brand and Yu Tai Electronic Acoustics ended up launching two more sub-brands Queen of Audio (QOA) and Celest Audio.
Celest Audio was established in 2021, to explore innovative ways of creating hi-fi in-ear monitors through which bands, singers, musicians and stage performers can come up with more real, authentic, and true-to-life sound performances. Celest Audio primarily aims to come up with unconventional innovative IEMs and audio accessories through independent research and development of planar magnetic, dynamic drivers, balanced armatures and other driver techs. Overall, we at Aural Cafe feel that Celest Audio is a young dynamic fluid brand that not only aims to cater for the evolving needs of mature musicians and singers but also young audiophiles who are very demanding and price-sensitive at the same time. Well, this isn’t the first pair of Celest IEMs that we have reviewed at Aural Cafe. We recently reviewed Celest IgniteX Beast (https://www.facebook.com/teamauralcafe/posts/pfbid024DZo3wj3j2MT1Eoau2TeEtNbALYyP7BuqiavLvcT7fJqUpx43rMEd8rYNSEf1i1sl) which was a crazy offering from Celest Audio for just 49 US$. We also reviewed the Celest Relentless (https://www.facebook.com/teamauralcafe/posts/pfbid02aH76xmi4zAp4uVgauqcMg97JJVBto92VDmfrnoLtWxz5JQx6mcr5hNtmH1VuQu8jl) and Celest Wyvern Abyss (https://www.facebook.com/teamauralcafe/posts/pfbid0uM5U6Qot1uRWJ9NikdwSYKizJGVUAah62uJtLWs7tqc9R3Du35CgsEfTTZ5h1jHVl) at Aural Cafe which was a very fun and learning experience. We are quite excited to review Celest CD20 being Celest Audio first product offering in the already crowded portable DAC/Amp and dongle product category.
Celest CD20 is armed with very capable ESS SABRE’s top-of-the-line single ES9039Q2M DAC which is rare to find in portable DAC/Amps and dongles that have been launched in recent times. ES9039Q2M is the mobile version of ESS Sabre flagship ES9039PRO dac which performs technically at par with ES9039PRO but draws very little power and thereby seems to be a smart choice for implementation in portable DAC/Amps and dongles where power is majorly drawn from the mobile source. ES9039Q2M is capable of PCM and DSD encoding vis-a-vis offering hi-fi resolution along with ultra-low distortion rate. Celest Audio team has implemented the flagship ES9039Q2M DAC with proprietary Amp architecture which is equipped with three independent power supply chips enabling Celest CD20 to achieve a class-leading dynamic range of 126 dB along with ultra-low background noise. The CD20 hardware capability supports PCM audio decoding up to 32-bit/768 kHz and Direct Stream Digital (DSD)format audio decoding up to DSD512. From the outside CD20 CNC metaled unibody design looks very minimalistic but the Celest CD20 is a pocket powerhouse in a true sense as weighing only 16.2gms Celest CD20 is capable of delivering an output power of up to 480 mW in balanced mode with a high gain level on. What makes Celest CD20 not only a powerful, but a versatile compact DAC/Amp is its detachable cable design making CD20 compatible with multiple systems such as Windows, Android, and Mac OS and enabling audio decoding not only through smartphones but also through computers and tablets. The Celest Audio team has once again taken care of the needs of the gamers as Celest CD20 supports UAC 1.0 and 2.0 thereby making Celest CD20 compatible with mainstream gaming consoles such as PS5 and SWITCH allowing both audiophiles as well as gamers to enjoy hi-fi sound experience anytime, anywhere. Celest CD20 is equipped with a 3.5mm single-ended and a 4.4mm balanced jack along with three independent buttons which not only help to precisely control the sound volume but also help an audiophile to switch between high and low gain modes. The high and low gain mode goes a long way in helping an audiophile as well as a professional gamer to switch between IEMs and headphones with different sensitivity. At balanced mode with high gain On Celest CD20 is capable of delivering a crazy output of 4vrms which we at Aural Cafe believe will be sufficient enough to drive the most demanding IEMs as well as portable headphones at their optimum level. We also like to add here that the CD20 does get a bit warm but not burning hot when an IEM or headphone is driven on high gain through a balanced 4.4mm port.
The Celest CD-20 is priced at 93 US$.

Unboxing Experience, Design & Build: -
Just like our previous unboxing experience with Celest Audio products, Celest CD20 also exhibits a minimalistic unboxing experience which one can also see from our unboxing video (https://youtube.com/shorts/PQOoBYQo9wU?feature=share) Celest CD20 comes in a nearly square shape navy blue colour small size box with a small brand name ‘CELEST’ being printed in golden letter shining brightly right at the centre of the box. The back side of the box is dominated by the details and specifications of the CD20 portable DAC/Amp. On opening the box, we are first greeted with the customary leaflet. The leaflet becomes a bit important this time as it provides information on how to operate the CD20 in different modes. On keeping aside, the leaflet we are welcomed with the CD20 dongle DAC/Amp along with a solid 10cm long USB C to C connector.
The design language of the Celest CD20 dongle DAC/Amp is quite minimalist yet very functional, while the build quality is top-notch. The Celest CD20 CNC aluminium alloy unibody design looks very simple yet premium at the same time. There are no rough edges that we usually see in a dongle DAC/Amp, each side is beautifully smoothed as a result of which it feels very comfortable to handle and use. The Celest CD20 is just 52x23x14mm in size and 16.2gms in terms of weight which makes the Celest CD20 very portable to carry and listen to hi-fi music just anywhere anytime. The first half of the gunpowder Grey colour CD20 body has been kept plain while the other half is engraved with elegant parallel line designs which adds to the premium quotient of the CD20 design language. The top is where the USB C port is situated while the 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced port is located at the bottom of the dongle. The three independent round-shaped volume buttons are positioned on the left side of the dongle. The top cherry red colour volume button adds a dash of zing to the whole minimalistic design of CD20. The three buttons not only help with volume control but also help us to swap between the different modes, the high gain and the low gain as well as the UAC1.0 and UAC 2.0 modes. We would like to write a bit about the stock USB C to C connector as well. The stock USB C to C connector is 10 cm in size and very sturdy in quality. The thick yet a bit flexible USB C to C connector is one of the best we have seen in recent times. The thickness of the USB C to C helps the CD20 dongle to stay stable while using it on the go, which would definitely help an audiophile or a gamer functionally.

Specifications: -
Weight: 16.2g
Output Interface: Type C
Dimensions: 52x23x14mm
Plug: 3.5mm single-ended + 4.4mm Balanced
Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR): 123dB single-ended / 126dB Balanced
Dynamic Range: 123dB single-ended / 126dB Balanced
Frequency Response: 20Hz~80KHz
Noise Floor:

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The Dongle with a lot of Power. Presenting the Kinera Celest CD-20🎧🥁☁️ . Enjoy the unboxing. 🤖 . Review is coming soon. ⚙️ . #headphones #iems #inearmonitors #hifiaudio #headfi #hiendaudio #hifi #audiogear #audiophiles #instahifi #instareels #facebookreelsvideo #reelsvideoシ #audioporn #unboxingvideo #unboxing #earphones #cables #musicplayer #dac #amplifier #digitalaudio #HiResAudio #newproduct #newheadphones #kinera #celest #auralcafe

First product we are trying from the brand SORA Audio 🎧🥁 . Unboxing the SORA Audio Rise. 🤖 . Very lightweight very professional. Absolutely convenient for Stage Monitoring and Music on the GO ⚙️ . Review is coming soon. . #headphones #iems #inearmonitors #hifiaudio #earphones #headfi #hiend #hiendaudio #hifidelity #audiogear #audiophiles #audiophile #instahifi #audioporn #unboxingvideo #unboxing #earphones #cables #musicplayer #dac #amplifier #digitalaudio #HiResAudio #newproduct #newheadphones #sora #soraaudio #auralcafe

First product after the rebranding of NF Acous. 🎧🥁 . Unboxing the NF Acous NM20. 🤖 . Very lightweight very professional. Absolutely convenient for Stage Monitoring and Music on the GO ⚙️ . Review is coming soon. . #headphones #iems #inearmonitors #hifiaudio #earphones #headfi #hiend #hiendaudio #hifidelity #audiogear #audiophiles #audiophile #instahifi #audioporn #unboxingvideo #unboxing #earphones #cables #musicplayer #dac #amplifier #digitalaudio #HiResAudio #newproduct #newheadphones #nfaudio #nfacous #auralcafe

Light like a Cloud. Presenting BQEYZ Audio Cloud🎧🥁☁️ . Enjoy the unboxing. It features a custom 10mm LCP Diaphragm Dynamic Driver 🤖 . Review is coming soon. ⚙️ . #headphones #iems #inearmonitors #hifiaudio #headfi #hiendaudio #hifi #audiogear #audiophiles #instahifi #instareels #facebookreelsvideo #reelsvideoシ #audioporn #unboxingvideo #unboxing #earphones #cables #musicplayer #dac #amplifier #digitalaudio #HiResAudio #newproduct #newheadphones #BQEYZ #cloud #auralcafe

A Hybrid IEM from the house of Kinera. 🎧🥁 . Unboxing the @Celest Relentless, a Single-Dynamic Driver attached with 6 Custom Tuned Balanced Armature. 🤖 . Review is coming soon. ⚙️ . #headphones #iems #inearmonitors #hifiaudio #headfi #hiendaudio #hifi #audiogear #audiophiles #instahifi #instareels #facebookreelsvideo #reelsvideoシ #audioporn #unboxingvideo #unboxing #earphones #cables #musicplayer #dac #amplifier #digitalaudio #HiResAudio #newproduct #newheadphones #kinera #celest #auralcafe

Much awaited Single-DD from the house of Tanchjim. 🎧🥁 . Unboxing the TANCHJIM Origin, a very similar design to Oxygen now comes with 2 more filter options. 🤖 . Let's see how it holds in today's world. ⚙️ . Review is coming soon. . #headphones #iems #inearmonitors #hifiaudio #headfi #hiendaudio #hifi #audiogear #audiophiles #instahifi #instareels #facebookreelsvideo #reelsvideoシ #audioporn #unboxingvideo #unboxing #earphones #cables #musicplayer #dac #amplifier #digitalaudio #HiResAudio #newproduct #newheadphones #tanchjim #origin #auralcafe

Featuring cutting-edge Japanese audio processing technology: K2HD, ultra-low jitter clock circuitry, an iEMatch feature and an improved power supply, the Kensei is the ultimate portable DAC to transform your listening experience. ⚙️ . Unboxing the IFi audio Go-Bar Kensei 🎧 . Can it be the best dongle in the market? ⚙️ . Stay tuned with us, Review is coming soon. . #headphones #iems #inearmonitors #hifiaudio #headfi #hiend #hiendaudio #hifidelity #audiogear #audiophiles #audiophile #instahifi #audioporn #unboxingvideo #unboxing #earphones #dongle #musicplayer #dac #amplifier #digitalaudio #HiResAudio #newproduct #newheadphones #ifi #ifiaudio #gobar #auralcafe

Introducing the most exciting new IEM: The DITA Audio Project M 😍 . Beautifully crafted in Singapore 🇸🇬 . Enjoy the unboxing video. Review is coming soon. 🎧🥁 . #headphones #iems #inearmonitors #hifiaudio #headfi #hiend #hiendaudio #hifidelity #audiogear #audiophiles #audiophile #instahifi #audioporn #unboxingvideo #unboxing #earphones #cables #musicplayer #dac #amplifier #digitalaudio #HiResAudio #newproduct #newheadphones #ditaaudio #dita #projectm #auralcafe

Ohh..!! That's a chonky Dynamic Driver out there. 🎧🥁 . Unboxing the IBasso Audio 3T-154. 🤖 . The 154 denotes 15.4mm of Driver Size. ⚙️ . Review is coming soon. . #headphones #iems #inearmonitors #hifiaudio #headfi #hiend #hiendaudio #hifidelity #audiogear #audiophiles #audiophile #instahifi #audioporn #unboxingvideo #unboxing #earphones #cables #musicplayer #dac #amplifier #digitalaudio #HiResAudio #newproduct #newheadphones #penon #quattro #auralcafe

How much?? Four Dynamic Drivers on each side?? 👀🥁 . Unboxing the Penon Audio Quattro, the talk of the town for the last few months. 🎧 . 4-DDs each side, 3-way crossovers. ⚙️ . Review is coming soon. . #headphones #iems #inearmonitors #hifiaudio #headfi #hiend #hiendaudio #hifidelity #audiogear #audiophiles #audiophile #instahifi #audioporn #unboxingvideo #unboxing #earphones #cables #musicplayer #dac #amplifier #digitalaudio #HiResAudio #newproduct #newheadphones #penon #quattro #auralcafe

Hi-Res Headphones on a budget is here. 👀🫠 . Unboxing the aune audio AR5000, the first ever full-sized Headphone from Aune. 🎧 . Semi-Open Back design, with 50mm MLD Type Diaphragm Driver. ⚙️ . Review is coming soon. . #headphones #iems #earmonitors #hifiaudio #headfi #hiend #hiendaudio #hifidelity #audiogear #audiophiles #audiophile #instahifi #audioporn #unboxingvideo #unboxing #headphone #fullsize #cables #musicplayer #dac #amplifier #digitalaudio #HiResAudio #newproduct #newheadphones #aune #auneaudio #auralcafe

Here is the unboxing experience for Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite. A big chunky 8-BA IEM. Review is coming soon. . #headphones #iems #inearmonitors #hifiaudio #headfi #hiend #hiendaudio #hifidelity #audiogear #audiophiles #audiophile #instahifi #audioporn #unboxingvideo #unboxing #inears #inearmonitor #cables #musicplayer #dac #amplifier #digitalaudio #HiResAudio #newproduct #newheadphones #soundz #avant #auralcafe

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