ddHiFi Eye3 Review – Most Handsome Dongle DAC Ever (510mW)
The Most Compact Generation
The Eye series DAC & AMP adapters are designed with connecting cables, featuring interfaces on both ends, and pursuing an extremely symmetrical product style. The TC44Pro E3 is the third-generation wired DAC product, embodying functional integration aesthetics through its exquisite design. Despite incorporating both 3.5mm and 4.4mm output jacks, a USB-C port, a DAC and amplification motherboard, and three additional control buttons, its final size is only about as large as a thumb, representing a 20% reduction in volume compared to the previous generation. This achieves a breakthrough in portability while expanding interface and functionality options.
The Energy Paradox in a Compact Form
The TC44Pro E3 packs immense power into its pocket-sized body. Driven by dual SGM8262-2 high-power amplifier chips at its core, it delivers an impressive 510mW output—enough to effortlessly drive even some popular over-ear headphones, creating a striking contrast between its compact size and formidable power.
A Masterpiece of Performance and Energy Efficiency Balance
The Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chip redefines the audio experience with its multidimensional technological advantages. Equipped with a high dynamic range architecture and low-distortion circuit design, complemented by high channel isolation, it ensures pristine sound quality from the source.
In terms of format compatibility, it supports high sample rate decoding, native DSD processing, and seamless format switching, adapting to diverse audio scenarios. Furthermore, the integration of advanced filtering technology and a low-power architecture balances performance and energy efficiency, providing a core solution for portable audio devices.
Expanded Connectivity – Dual 3.5mm + 4.4mm Ports
The TC44Pro E3 features an integrated dual-port design with both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs, offering greater flexibility for headphone/earphone pairing. In balanced decoding scenarios, the 4.4mm interface stands out as the preferred choice, delivering powerful drive and refined audio performance.
Meanwhile, the return of the 3.5mm jack ensures compatibility not only with traditional headphones/earphones but also with instruments and audio equipment, broadening its application range. Through an optimized spatial layout, the new design achieves a more compact form factor despite the additional port, perfectly balancing functional expansion and portability.
Independent Volume Control & Gain Switch
Designed with ergonomics in mind, the TC44Pro E3 features three front-facing buttons that allow for effortless one-handed operation. The volume up/down buttons are intuitively sized for easy blind adjustment, while the less frequently used gain switch is strategically placed at a slight distance to prevent accidental toggling.
Button Operations
● Volume Control: Short-press the +/- buttons repeatedly to adjust volume, with 60 precise steps available.
● Gain Switch: Short-press to turn on and off high-gain mode, and the yellow indicator light on the back will illuminate when high-gain mode is active.
Indicator Lights
The Eye3’s indicator lights are positioned on the back to prevent discomfort from direct light exposure during nighttime use.
Blue: Represents PCM decoding output.
Green: Indicates native DSD decoding output*.
Yellow: Signifies high-gain mode is active.
*When playing DSD files on an Android phone, first enable USB exclusive mode in the app, then set the DSD output to “Native.”
In The Box
- TC44Pro E3 × 1
- Standard Cable TC03SS × 1.
The TC03SS is a USB-C dual-OTG straight-plug cable with a length of 8cm.
Specs
- Plug: USB-C OTG
- Jacks: 4.4mm Balanced + 3.5mm Single-Ended
- DAC Chips: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43198
- AMP Chips: Dual SGM8262-2
- Volume Control: 60-step adjustment
- 3.5mm Single-Ended (High-gain mode, 32Ω Load): Output Power: ≥175mW, Output Voltage: 2.35Vrms
- 4.4mm Balanced (High-gain mode, 32Ω Load). Output Power: ≥510mW, Output Voltage: 4Vrms
- SNR: ≥123dB
- Dynamic Range: ≥120dB
- THD+N: ≤0.0004%
- PCM Decoding Support: Up to 32-bit/384kHz
- DSD Decoding Support: Native DSD64 / DSD128 / DSD256
- Dimensions (mm): 44.3×17.5×11.6
- Weight: 13.6g
Disclaimer: The ddHiFi Eye 3 was kindly provided by ddHiFi for review.
Sound
The ddHiFi Eye3 is all about tonal balance, with a reference-like tuning that does not alter or emphasize 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 bass response is tight, controlled, and well-restrained. The bass is produced with a good body and decent depth. It’s to the point and unbloated. It’s clean and ‘ruler-flat’, catering to detail instead of forcefulness.
Again, there is a studio-like presentation because there’s no emphasis in any area of the bass response, leaving room for other frequency bands to flourish due to the lack of bleed into the mid bands. The bass is what I call proper and unbiased bass.
If whatever gear you’re using is up to producing clean bass notes, the ddHiFi Eye3 will complement that set by producing bass notes that are distinct and true to the source.
Mids
The midrange is transparent and detailed and is effortlessly produced by the ddHiFi Eye3. It’s made with a natural timbre and an accurate tonality that grabs you since it remains pleasantly articulate.
There is a mild warmth in the midrange area and upper bass region, but I think it’s a common characteristic of Cirrus Logics. That character translates into vocals that are neutral and realistically portrayed.
Overall, the midrange characteristics of the Eye3 are non-belligerent and reference-like, but somehow it detours from sounding too sterile and presents mid frequencies with body and texture.
Treble
The treble is airy and has effortless extension. It’s a neutral treble that is very clean and free of coloration. It’s also free of excess sharpness that can be annoying to the listener in long listening sessions.
The background is dark, and that enhances the highs by allowing them to be reproduced with clarity, which makes the Eye3 a good candidate if you’re looking for gear that’s non-fatiguing but detail-oriented.
The high frequencies are produced with lots of resolution and a high amount of definition. One can consider them studio-like, which seems to be a common trait in the ddHiFi Eye3’s tuning since it’s unbiased in any particular frequency, and since you can also say that for the rest of the frequency response.
Technicalities
One of the top characteristics and abilities of the ddHiFi Eye3 is the soundstage it can produce, and I have to commend ddHiFi for making one of the best dongles in this category.
The ddHiFi Eye3 can produce a 3D-like panorama that includes lots of depth, height, and width. On top of that, it’s capable of making lots of precision placements.
This is one area I have found other dongles lacking: soundstage size and precision. Not only does the ddHiFi Eye3 cover those aspects, but it does so without losing focus. The ddHiFi Eye3 keeps elements tidy and avoids smearing and conglomeration.
Sum-Up
The ddHiFi Eye3 is the brand’s most powerful and most eye-catching dongle DAC ever. The craftsmanship, especially of the buttons, is top-notch. The same also goes for the included cable. I’ve always been a fan of the textile braided cables, whether USB-C or IEM cables. They feel soft and handle the best in my opinion. And the TC03SS stock cable is a piece of art with its unusual but amazing cubic-style metal connectors.
As far as sound quality goes, the TC44Pro E3 is again ddHiFi’s best sounding dongle DAC ever. Yes, it uses the same DAC chips as the previous models, but the added SGM8262 AMP chips help the dongle DAC scale to a higher level in terms of layering and dynamics.