EPZ TP20 PRO: A Solid Piece
USB DAC/Amp dongles are now becoming an important arsenal to audio enthusiasts especially if their smartphones don't have a headphone jack. Like having a DAC/Amp dongle is a must and a prerequisite for a modern portable audio enthusiast given its easy to carry frame where we can enjoy this pocket hi-fi device everywhere.
EPZ Audio is a recently established audio company that earned some recognition from the audio community due the quality of their products while offering them at reasonable price that budget-conscious audio enthusiasts are able to afford. Aside from IEMs, this company also offers USB DAC/Amp dongles.
What I have here is their latest entry-level DAC/Amp dongle from them, The TP20 Pro. This device has a compact size of 6mm x 2.5mm × 0.5mm and it has typical elongated rectangular shape and layout of input and output interfaces just like most DAC/amp dongles has. Its chassis is made of sand-blasted metal alloy which is quite solidly built with a carbon fibre-like design on its surface.
One of the good features of this device is that it has hardware button keys for volume control and a play/pause. The button keys are very responsive and snappy to press that we felt its tactile feedback as we touch it.
At the opposite side panel, it has a toggle switch for adjusting gain mode manually as this dongle device offers both low gain and high gain mode.
At the top and bottom part of this dongle, like most dongles, it uses a USB type-C port as its input while at the bottom part, there are two audio jack interfaces, a 3.5mm single ended port and 4.4mm balanced port.
As for its power output rating, 3.5mm in a high gain mode offers a 2Vrms at 32 ohms (125mW) while 4.4mm balanced in high gain mode offers a 4Vrms at 32 ohms (151mW). Those power outputs seem enough for most IEMs and headphones in the market.
It also has a LED indicator for PCM and DSD decoding mode, PCM is on green colour while the DSD is on red colour.
Inside of this device, it uses a highly-regarded and powerful Cirrus Logic DAC, the CS43131 which is known to be its power efficiency while delivering a high fidelity sound quality with powerful output from its built-in high quality headphone amplifier along with its IC's compact design that can drive 2Vrms on some headphones with high impedance output rating up to 600 ohms. When it comes to decoding capabilities, it can decode PCM format up to 32-bit/384kHz while on DSD format, it can render up to DSD256.
On its cable wire, it has an 8-core with a mix of high purity monocrystalline copper and silver-plated copper wirings that are braided for better transmission and anti-interference. It has a type-C to type-C connector in both of its ends.
For its product packaging, EPZ TP20 Pro is quite classy on its presentation given its price segment. It seems that EPZ is making a statement on how they will present their products.
Here are the following contents inside EPZ's packaging box:
- EPZ TP20 Pro USB DAC/amp dongle
- 8-core wire type-C to type-C cable connector
- User guide
EPZ TP20 Pro is compatible on most Android devices and also to other operating systems like Windows and Linux. It works well with Android music player apps with USB audio support like HiBy Music, UAPP, Neutron and Onkyo HF player.
As for its tonality, It appears that this device is on “warmish-neutral” sound profile which makes it more analogue-ish and musical sound due to noticeable slightly added colouration on it.
LOWS/BASS:
This device delivers a sufficient punch and tactile bass response. It has a well-balanced bass presence that is able to make a noticeable rumbling sound while having an ample texture.
There's a perceived sub-bass presence that produced some reverberations from sub bass-focused instruments like low tone bass guitars, synthesisers, drum machines and octabasses. Midbass appears to have more texture to give that well-bodied note weight for depth and volume on instruments and vocals particularly on bass-baritones.
MIDRANGE:
The midrange quality that this device is able to deliver is quite neutral while maintaining a well-textured and dense note weight to give that warm characteristic. Both vocals and instruments have a fairly detailed and natural sound to give that “analogue-ish” vibe on their respective timbre.
Male vocals like baritones, tenors and countertenors have its warmth, brassy and smoothness on their respective timbre. On female vocals, contraltos sound quite correct on how it sounds husky and smoky while mezzo-sopranos have a tenderness and smoothness on their vocals, and then soprano vocals have a creamy and silkiness on their vocal projection.
That inherent warm characteristics gives more depth and consistency on tonal colour from each type of instrument particularly brasses and percussions. Brasses like trombones, trumpets and horns have brassy, full and warm sound with their distinctive dark timbre, while on percussions, field drums have sombre and boomy sound on them, snares and l tom-toms have hard and resonant sound with added warmth on them, and kettledrums have some deep and powerful sound that complements will brass instruments to convey that distinctive tonal magnificence that were usually found on classical composition pieces. On strings, guitars sound a bit meaty and warm, while violins have full and lustrous sound from them. As for woodwind instruments like piccolos, flutes, clarinets, bassoons and saxophones, they have delicate, rich, melodic, warm and velvety sound respectively. And last but not the least, pianos appear to sound quite warm and lush.
HIGHS/TREBLE:
The overall treble response that this DAC/Amp is able to deliver is quite smooth and even as it tries to maintain that tonal balance across its frequency range. It has some good definition and clarity on female vocals and instruments although it has less spacious and energetic sound compared to some DAC/Amp dongles that I've tested before.
It has an ample sparkle and it is capable of delivering a moderate amount of air in the brilliance part of this frequency. It somehow added a tad of warmth on cymbals, hi-hats, glockenspiels and celestas that affects some timbre quality of their respective tonal characteristics.
OVERALL TECHNICALITIES:
This device is quite capable of projecting a perceived fairly spacious soundscape where it more focuses on depth and height. If pairing this one with IEMs with adept technical capabilities, it will give an excellent layering on frequencies, tones and dynamics along with good separation on vocals and instruments in clean, pitch-black sonic background.
On resolution capabilities, its macro-dynamics is quite solid as it is able to give a more firmness of attack and slam of instruments that are able to influence on compression, while on micro-dynamics seems competent for its detail retrieval on extracting nuances and subtleties from an audio track.
PEER COMPARISONS:
TRUTHEAR SHIO
● Both dongles shared a similar form factor, an option to change gain modes and a snappy physical button but despite that both devices used Cirrus Logic DAC chip, SHIO's CS43198 is a newer generation compared to TP20 PRO's CS43131. The surface of SHIO is covered with PU leather and its overall weight is a bit lighter compared to TP20 PRO. And another that is quite an unusual implementation of gain mode on how we access its functionality is through pressing in between volume control buttons.
● As for sound quality, it has a warmish-neutral tonal profile just like the TP20 PRO but it has a tad more emphasis on treble region. On technical aspects, it is capable of delivering a moderately spacious sound/speaker stage, well-rendered layering and separation, and good resolution capabilities. On power output, it appears that the SHIO is quite a bit more powerful as it can drive some power-hungry cans that I've tested before.
HIDIZS S9 PRO PLUS: MARTHA
● HIDIZS’ latest flagship dongle as this is the third generation of their S9 series. Unlike TP20 PRO, S9 PRO PLUS uses the proven ESS DAC, ES9308 which is also quite capable of decoding and delivering a substantial amount of power output albeit it doesn't have a manual gain mode but it offers different types of digital filters. Also, S9 PRO PLUS is also fairly lighter than TP20 PRO in terms of weight
● On tonal quality, S9 PRO PLUS has a balanced-neutral as it has a tad less warmth compared to TP20 PRO and it appears that it has an elevated treble response and has more airy extension. On technicalities, it seems that it has a tad sharper definition on micro-detail retrieval but in terms of power output, they are both similar but on paper, TP20 PRO can deliver up to 4 Vrms.
As I put my conclusion regarding this device, despite its diminutive-size, The EPZ TP20 PRO is quite an impressive performer. It delivers a power output that will give a well-amplified sound quality for better listening experience for a portable audio enthusiast.
EPZ AUDIO keeps putting up some competent products in the audio market that makes them competitive in terms of affordability and adequate performance, and this DAC/Amp is absolutely one of them that I can definitely recommend without batting an eyelid.
EPZ TP20 PRO is now available in EPZ AUDIO's official store in Aliexpress. For those interested buyers who want to purchase this item, you can check out the unaffiliated link below.
For more EPZ Audio review products, click the links below:
PROS:
● Its frame is quite solidly built that ensures durability.
● The carbon-fibre designs look very appealing and also exude sophistication.
● Very snappy and responsive button keys.
● Physical volume control buttons.
● Manual gain control toggle switch.
● Braided type-c to type-c cable is quite sturdy yet flexible.
● Both 3.5mm and 4.4mm are capable of delivering power output which can drive planar IEMs to its full potential.
● Native DSD support up to DSD256
● It has a tonality that will be pleasing to audio enthusiasts who want an analogue-ish sound profile.
● It has a warmish-neutral sound that will add more depth on vocals and instrument to sound natural with some smoothness of its overall frequency response.
CONS:
● The placement of the LED indicator appears to be misaligned that makes it asymmetrical.
● No MQA support for MQA lovers.
● Looking for a brighter and analytical source? This device isn't one of them.
Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)
Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*
P.S.
I am not affiliated to EPZ nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.
Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to TEAM EPZ for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.
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