COLORFLY CDA-M1P Review – AKM Dongle DAC
Colorfly CDA-M1P is a new dongle DAC designed with the new-generation AK4493SEQ DAC chip. The DAC benefits from the special digital audio player-like architecture developed by Colorfly featuring second-gen JitterKill femtosecond clock technology, a high-quality DAC chipset, and independent OpAmps.
Colorfly M1P houses a new-generation AK4493SEQ DAC chipset. It has been implemented carefully by Colorfly to retain the silky smooth Velvet-like in-house sound of AKM Technologies and provide exceptional SNR, THD+N performance. The M1P achieves a cleaner and quieter output with no noticeable noise floor even with sensitive IEMs. It supports native DSD512 decoding and 32-bit/768kHz PCM signal decoding.
Colorfly has designed the M1P just like their U series audio player. The core architecture consists of a USB receiver module, FPGA DSP processing, Jitter Kill 2 Femtosecond Clocks, AKM DAC chipset, customized OpAmps, Noise-Suppression, and then finally the outputs. By reorganizing data in Async more, the M1P allows the signal transmission to bypass the USB Clock, resulting in pure and clean output.
Colorfly M1P features a precisely designed coaxial ring-shaped body design. The chassis is made using CNC-machined Zinc Alloy material that has been electroplated for a neatly textured finish.
The Colorfly M1P has dual headphone output sockets. A 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced outputs. It has a 2-level adjustable gain that will allow easy pairing of sensitive as well as power-hungry transducers with the M1P. The Colorfly M1P has a rated output power of up to 240mW@32Ω from the 4.4mm balanced output and 125mW@32Ω from the 3.5mm output.
Colorfly M1P introduces six digital filter options, users can play around and customize the output based on their preferences. Switching the filter mode is quite easy, long-press the Volume +/- buttons simultaneously. Short pressing the volume keys on the other side triggers between high and low gains.
Features
- AK4493SEQ AKM DAC Chipset.
- Native DSD512 Decoding Support.
- PCM Supported Up To 32-bit/768kHz Bitrate.
- Two-Level Adjustable Gain Modes.
- Precise Designed Colorfly Audio Architecture.
- Dual-Independent OpAmps.
- 3.5mm Single-Ended+4.4mm Balanced Dual Headphone Outputs.
- JitterKill 2 Clocks.
- Multiple Digital Filters.
- Plug & Play Functionality.
- Zinc Alloy Electroplated CNC Machined Chassis.
- Ribbon-Cable Design Detachable Cable.
- High-Power Output.
- Compact & Handy.
- Memorized Volume on Different Outputs.
- UAC1.0/UAC2.0 Operation Modes Supported.
- Colorful Indicator Light.
Whats in the box
Specs
- Dimensions: 56*22*14.5mm
- Weight: 46g
- USB Interface: Type C
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 125dB
- Frequency Response: 20Hz~20kHz
- Dynamic Range: 122dB
- Decoding Formats:
PCM 32Bit / 768kHz
DSD 512 / Native
DSD 256 / Dop - THD+N:
-104dB@RL=600Ω，0dB/Balanced
-100dB@RL=32Ω，100mW/Balanced
-104dB@RL=600Ω，0dB/Unbalanced
-100dB@RL=32Ω，100mW/Unbalanced - Headphone Jack:
3.5mm Unbalanced / 4.4mm Balanced - Output Level:
2Vrms @RL=600Ω Unbalanced Output
4Vrms @RL=600Ω Balanced Output - Maximum Output Power:
125mW@RL=32Ω Unbalanced Output
240mW@RL=32Ω Balanced Output - Firmware Upgrade: Support for future upgrades
- Price: $79
I would like to thank Shenzhenaudio for providing me with the review sample of Colorfly CDA-M1P.
Sound
The CDA-M1P is a transparent, clean, and resolving dongle DAC. It does a great job of conveying the sound signatures of the in-ear monitors or headphones you pair it with and does not saturate or color them. Which is exactly what you should expect from a good-quality DAC-AMP. It offers a neutral signature.
Instruments are neatly defined, transients are fast and the longer you listen the more get accustomed to those uncanny moments where the voice seems to slip right behind your head.
Lows are tight and deep. The bass of the CDA-M1P reached much lower than expected. The bassline is deep and meaty, but also well-controlled and with a good sense of rhythm. When you push the volume up, you can easily hear those discrete rumbles in the background. It’s impactful, more realistic, and overall more natural.
The mids are flat but smooth. Tones residing in the midrange are crisp and uncolored, with plenty of texture to be heard in both vocals and all the instruments. With a very very slight bump on the upper mids, just enough to give voices more depth and body. CDA-M1P sorts out the instrument and vocal tracks into clearly defined spaces on the sound stage in terms of both width and depth and presents utterly realistic acoustic guitars.
The CDA-M1P certainly impressed me with its clarity, well-organized and vivid imaging, and overall sense of organic and likable sound. This kind of clarity and precision lands a hand on really good instrument separation. The vocals are very present in the dead center, with guitar strings having crisp and energetic edges as well as long tone decay and room echoes.
Highs are airy and well extended and again superbly clean. Details and micro-details could be overwhelming, if not for the fast transients and sharp attacks. Listening to classical music and jazz is bliss. The CDA-M1P is dead silent in any conditions. Even with poor recordings, I didn’t hear any hiss or hum.
Dynamic is top-notch, layering is razor-sharp and the sound stage pinpoints are accurate. Every nuance, every sensation is there. Surfing through both slow and fast-paced tracks or watching YouTube videos, I haven’t found any audio material that doesn’t sound great with the CDA-M1P. The soundstage is presented in a forward manner. CDA-M1P is capable of placing an exceptionally wide image. The soundstage extends well too.
Sum-Up
The CDA-M1P reminds you of the old analog days with its dynamic, realistic, and technically brilliant sound. With the independent hardware volume keys and most importantly, the memorized volume on every output, the CDA-M1P pulls out itself from the crowd and sets a good position on the frontline even among bigger brothers.
The only cons I can think of is that the Colorfly CDA-M1P is on the heavy side for its side. So if you are in search, especially of a lightweight dongle DAC, CDA-M1P is not it. But for the price, the sound performance is very satisfying, an easy rec.