ddHiFi TC44Grip Phone DAC Review – Never Ending Music – With PD Charging Port
Introducing the ddHiFi TC44Grip, a revolutionary departure from the ‘Dangling Dongle’ design of the TC44 series. This sleek, attachable form not only seamlessly integrates with your phone but also offers versatility, as it can be used on any platform, not just your mobile phone.
Internal Architecture of Grip
Powered by the third-generation ddHiFi TC44 series, the Grip is a testament to quality. It utilizes dual CS43198 DAC chips and dual SGM8262-2 independent op-amps, setting a new standard for audio experiences with their multidimensional technical advantages. The exceptional tuning control applied to the amplitude stacking of the DAC and amp ensures a fatigue-free listening session, giving you confidence in its performance.
Additionally, the Grip is equipped with high-efficiency power and charging management chips, giving the Grip an unprecedented sound quality in the TC44 lineup.
External Connection of Grip
The Grip breaks away from the traditional ‘dangling dongle’ concept by integrating a thick shielded pure silver cable into its main body. At the back of the housing, a dedicated cable groove allows the cable to slide forward and backward during plugging and unplugging easily. A broad radius curve at the base of the body results in a unified, streamlined aesthetic.
Listen While Charging
Connecting to Earphones
Your phone will automatically detect and switch to headphone output mode, allowing you to connect either 3.5mm or 4.4mm earphones for immediate use. When using 3.5mm earphones with built-in microphone and remote control functions, you can control music playback and make calls directly through the inline controls.
Charging Your Phone
With the TC44Grip, you can enjoy uninterrupted music playback while charging your phone. Connect a PD-compatible power supply to the USB-C charging port for up to 60W fast charging, ensuring you never miss a beat.
*Actual charging power depends on the playback device’s PD protocol compatibility and the connected power supply. Real-world testing shows that the iPhone 16 Pro supports a maximum of 25W, while Android smartphones range from 10 to 30W, and tablets/laptops can support up to 60W maximum.
Decorative Pad and Attraction Pad
For enhanced comfort and grip, attach the included decorative pad to the carbon fiber surface of the TC44Grip. The package contains two color options: black and khaki. Choose your preferred style and secure it in place. I like the black with red stitches because my phone has a black case with a red camera ring, making it a perfect match.
The included aluminum alloy attraction pad features a strong magnet with powerful attraction, making it ideal for prolonged and intensive daily use. The leather attraction pads feature an embedded ferromagnetic plate with moderate strength, making them suitable for occasional use.
In The Box
Feautures
- Grip-style hi-res DAC and amp with PD
- Powered by dual Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chips
- The included attraction pad attaches securely to your phone
- USB-C charging up to PD 60W
- 3.5mm SE + 4.4mm BAL outputs
Specifications
- DAC: (2x) Cirrus Logic CS43198 chips
- Amp Chips: (2x) SGM8262-2
- Dynamic Range: ≥125dB
- SNR: ≥125dB
- THD+N: ≤ 0.0004%
- PCM Decoding: Up to 32-bit/768kHz
- DSD Decoding: Up to DSD64/DSD128/DSD256
- Output: 4.4mm BAL + 3.5mm SE
- Connection: Bendable USB-C cable
- USB-C Charging Input: Supports up to PD 60W
3.5mm Single-Ended (32 ohm load)
- Output Power: ≥80mW
- Output Voltage: 1.7Vrms
- Max Mic Input: 60mW
4.4mm Balanced (32 ohm load)
- Output Power: ≥330mW
- Output Voltage: 3.3Vrms
Disclaimer: The ddHiFi TC44Grip was kindly provided by ddHiFi for review.
Sound
The TC44Grip is all about tonal balance, featuring a reference-like tuning that neither alters nor emphasizes any area of the frequency response range. Timbre is natural and life-like, and there’s no harshness or bloated tones.
You get a sense of cleanliness, with excellent clarity that gives a high-end sonic impression. It attempts to reproduce the source as faithfully as possible with as little coloration as possible.
Lows
The TC44Grip M3 features a neutral sound signature that adds a touch of warmth and richness, resulting in articulate-sounding bass with firm texture and a realistic-feeling impact.
While not having the most substantial impact or the most bass quantity, kick drums and other instruments in the sub-bass region are presented with enough detail to make individual hits easily distinguishable from one another.
On acoustic tracks, kick drum hits never drown out the rest of the instruments, but they are played back with enough tactility to drive the rhythm of the mix confidently.
In bass-heavy genres like modern hip-hop, the TC44Grip effectively articulates a fair amount of texture in the sub-bass.
However, it falls short in delivering the dynamics and bass quantity needed for a truly satisfying listening experience, especially when paired with neutral-sounding IEMs.
The M3 excels in the mid-bass as well, lending bass guitar riffs and deep synths an atmospheric quality that envelops the listener.
This mid-bass emphasis gives R&B and disco tracks a lush-sounding signature, while also remaining clean enough as not to bleed into the mid-range.
Mids
The midrange of the TC44Grip strikes a clean and natural tone, handling strings and keys with clarity and detail but without sounding artificially pushed forward.
In acoustic tracks, string instruments emerge with strong dynamics and texture, never sounding too clinical, while also being competent enough to effectively highlight the guitar’s sound in the specific recording environment.
Thanks to its mid-bass warmth, the lower mids carry a touch of added weight, giving male vocals a rich, full-bodied presentation that works exceptionally well in ballads and jazz.
Female vocals are rendered with good clarity and emotional nuance, showing subtle tonal shifts, though they don’t carry quite the same body as their male counterparts.
This well-balanced midrange, with its slight emphasis in the lower mids, contributes to articulate instrument playback and sets the foundation for the M3’s clean treble delivery.
Treble
The ddHiFi TC44Grip delivers a lively and articulate treble response that adds energy and sparkle without becoming fatiguing. Hi-hats, cymbals, and chimes come through with crisp definition, lending an airy openness to tracks and enhancing overall clarity.
On pop and electronic tracks, this treble character injects a sense of excitement, helping higher-pitched vocals shimmer with a smooth, pleasing tone.
Snare hits and other high-frequency percussive elements are rendered with a slight forwardness and fine detail.
Despite its lively character, the treble remains smooth and well-controlled, even when paired with neutral or brighter IEMs. There’s a good sense of sparkle and openness that contributes to the overall energy of the sound.
That said, in direct comparison, some of ddHiFi’s other dongles offer a slightly more refined top end with greater microdetail and shimmer.
Technicalties
The ddHiFi TC44Grip offers solid staging for a dongle of its size, with a commendable ability to place string instruments naturally within the soundscape.
Acoustic elements, in particular, come through with convincing texture and body, especially in more stripped-down or intimate recordings.
However, in denser pop or electronic tracks, the M3 can occasionally blur the layering of high-pitched synths that occupy similar frequencies, resulting in a slight loss of separation.
Dynamics are handled well overall. The sound never feels overly compressed, and each instrument has enough space to breathe and maintain its presence in the mix.
Sum-Up
The ddHiFi TC44Grip solves a significant problem for dongle DAC lovers—endless power without batteries, non-stop music listening sessions. Additionally, the magnetic design enables easy installation on any phone without any issues.
But what if you care about your phone as I do? The supplied magnetic aluminium has the potencial to scratch the back of your phone, even though it has two-sided tape beneath. In that case, you can attach it to your phone’s case, problem solved.
However, I also have a magnetic camera grip that I use frequently. I then ordered a second case to install the TC44Grip, and the problem was resolved.
Whatever the pros and cons may be, the ddHiFi TC44Grip is a fantastic piece of engineering, showcasing the brand’s renowned craftsmanship, and it also sounds remarkably well in this compact package.
If you are concerned about the battery drain of your phone while listening to lossless music, the ddHiFi TC44Grip is your solution. It also looks unique, a good candidate for your collection.