If you’ve looked into a budget DAC, chances are you’ve come across the Khadas Tone Board. This sub-$100 DAC provided a top-level ESS 9038 chip and stellar implementation with outstanding measurements across the board. The team is back at it again with the new Tone 2 Pro that seeks to further refine the experience in addition to expanding functionality.
With it comes a new design, now featuring a gorgeous enclosure with a rotary encoder that permits volume and mode selection. It continues with an ESS 9038Q2M design but introduces 4xOPA1612 amplifiers that drive its integrated 3.5mm (single-ended) and 4.4mm (balanced) headphone outputs in addition to introducing native MQA, DSD and PCM decoding with the latest XE216 USB receiver chipset. The Tone 2 Pro also implements a dual Type-C input as seen on Earmen’s models, with separate power and data input for maximised fidelity. Khadas will also be offering an optional, 5V linear power supply for the Tone 2 Pro at a later date.
The Tone 2 Pro is available for $169.99 USD making it a noticeable step up from its predecessor yet with vastly expanded function and form. This looks to be a great all-in-one unit with a tiny footprint. Preorders begin now and first shipments will be sent out after the 16th of Dec. To celebrate the launch, HiFiGO is running a giveaway here. Happy listening and best of luck to all entrants. Expect a full comprehensive review on THL soon!
