Review: Tanchjim Space Dongle DAC/Amp

Brief Sound Summary

Note: I used Spotify (High-quality streaming) for the entirety of this review.

Objectively, the Tanchjim Space’s entire purpose is to provide a clean source of amplification and offer better sound quality by attempting to recreate the original analogue waveform — a goal shared by all DAC and amplifier manufacturers.

Subjectively, the differences between the source components, topology and architecture can result in audible and sonic changes. In the case of Space, it provides my testing gear (to be discussed below) with an adequate source of power. Sound-wise, the Tanchjim Space provides a fairly neutral backdrop, with a marginal mid-bump and modest tapering-off in the treble region.

But don’t mistake this for a “lush” sound signature. The Space’s hefty provision of 230mW into a balanced load of 32ohm exerts firm control over the transducers paired with it. What this results in is a cleaner presentation of micro dynamics and macro dynamics against a hiss-free background. Subtle or sudden swings appear less muddy and congested, whereas spatial imaging within the surrounding soundstage has a heightened space and clarity between instruments and vocals.

As mentioned above, the Space does slightly mask details in the treble band, but it doesn’t do so at the expense of pure resolution in the remaining frequency bands. Instead, it strengthens them.

Synergy

Low-Impedance: Truthears Hexa (Balanced)

The Hexa is a 3 x balanced armature and 10mm single LCP dynamic driver IEM with a mechanical rated impedance of 20.5 ohms. In short, driving the Truthears Hexa was a cakewalk for the Space. There was virtually no hiss in the foreground during testing.

The Hexa’s sound signature can be described as reasonably neutral, with a minuscule boost in the sub-bass region and the mid-range. Hexa’s overall mid-range detail retrieval and impressive micro dynamic and macrodynamic presentation have been making waves in the audiophile community. However, the Hexa has an inherently splashy treble, and a brassy character can result in overall harshness and timbre artificiality.

Here, the Tanchjim Space manages to tame the Hexa’s presence in the treble region with its modest treble taper, eliminating that garish shimmer in the upper regions. Concurrently, the tiny mid-bass shelf helps to compensate for the lack of mid-bass weight definition thinning out the Hexa’s overall sound. Spatial imaging between instruments is noticeably enhanced, with the soundstage maintaining a similar width.

Overall, the Space is an excellent sonic complement to the Hexa’s crowd-winning signature.

High-Impedance: Hifiman HE-R9 (Unbalanced)

The Hifiman HE-R9 is a behemoth of a dynamic driver headphone with a rated mechanical impedance of 50 ohms and a sensitivity of 100dB. Thankfully, the Space (on High Gain and unbalanced) provided adequate power to reach listenable volume levels with adequate headroom to spare. Unfortunately, I do not have access to balanced 4.4 cables for the R9 at this time of the review. As per usual, there was no perceivable background hiss.

The Hifiman HE-R9 favours an analog sound signature versus a purely analytical one. As such, the R9 has a bass shelf favouring deep, sub-bass bloom and guttural mid-bass punches. The lower midrange is smooth, inviting and virtually free from detectable shrillness or timbral artificiality. While the Space does a commendable job powering the R9, it does not fully capitalise on the R9’s unrealised sonic potential.

The Hifiman’s HE-R9 treble resolution, transient speeds, and overall bass-to-midrange bleed scale positively with how much power it is being fed. The R9 is a power-happy headphone that reacts well to strong amplification in the signal path. The Space’s unbalanced out, while impressive, results in a looser bass response and a small amount of bass-to-midrange bleed.

Comparisons

Hidizs S9 Pro Copper Edition

The Hidizs S9 Pro Copper Edition (referred to as S9 Pro for convenience in this review) is a dongle DAC/amp with a maximum output of 200mW in 2.5mm balanced and 100mW in 3.5m unbalanced. Featuring a 2-channel ES9038Q2M DAC, the Hidizs S9 Pro is the immediate successor to its younger sister, the S8. The S9 Pro is currently priced at 129 USD.

The Hidizs S9 Pro is just a touch weaker in terms of power output, yielding negligible differences when paired with sensitive IEMs. Subjectively, the S9 Pro, comparatively, has a steeper treble climb, accentuating presence, air and sparkle. There appears to be an obvious increase in mid-bass colouration for a dynamic contrast between the lower and upper registers. This phenomenon yields a more exciting presentation conducive to listeners who lean towards the proverbial consumer-friendly V-shaped signature.

However, the emergence of unwieldy treble peaks and odd-harmonic shoutiness in the S9 Pro detracts from its ability to recreate an accurate timbral presentation. The noticeable emphasis on the tops and bottoms of the frequency band also widens the gulf between the listener and the midrange — the most prominent frequency band.

Imaging and separation on the Space are more distinct, with a noteworthy advancement in mid-range and low-end resolution. Microdynamics also present as cleaner and more precise on the Space.

The Hidizs S9 Pro proves to be the exciting counterpart but at the cost of overall frequency balance, timbral reproduction and microdynamic detail capture.

ColorFly CDA M1

The ColorFly brand has always been a mainstay in the early heydays of the global audiophile scene, with the iconic release of the PocketHifi C4. Today, we’re comparing the titular brand’s CDA M1, another dongle DAC/amp featuring their proprietary Colorfly α DAC, a fully-reworked ESS DAC that forms the base architecture of their U8 Digital Audio Player (DAP). It sports two RT6803 op-amp chips, providing 200mW of power in balanced and 100mW in unbalanced. The CDA M1 is currently priced at $89.99: the same price as the Tanchjim Space.

In practice, the Tancjim Space has a slight edge in terms of raw output power. Subjectively, the CDA M1 has a strict emphasis on the upper midrange-to-highs, where unrestricted detail retrieval seems to be its utmost priority. Midbass presence is taut but not emphasised. Accordingly, microdynamic detail takes precedence over macrodynamic excitement and contrast. Here, the CDA M1 edges out the Space purely on these merits.

However, the CDA M1’s assertive disposition leads to the same niggling issues burdening the S9 Pro. Upper-mid glare and sparkle are deeply exacerbated on poorly-mastered tracks, where note-thinness causes macrodynamic swings to lose much-needed impact. Spatiality in the treble region is heightened, but minuscule details in the midrange sound congested in comparison. Timbre, like the S9 Pro, takes on a metallic and artificial tonality.

Here, the Tanchjim Space deftly treads the fine line between dynamism and realism, where overall frequency-band resolution and all-rounded balance are achieved without sacrificing long-term listening comfort and tolerance.

Concluding Remarks

Save for a few stickling quality-of-life flaws, the Tanchjim Space’s ultra-competitive 89.99 USD price tag belies the sonic performance it offers, surpassing all the correct benchmarks: dynamism, resolution, versatility and portability — all housed in a robust and portable aluminium frame. While it does err on the side of caution in terms of tuning, the Space is a technically-proficient and mature DAC/amp that doesn’t reveal its strengths in an in-your-face manner.

This is one small but mighty device.

SHARE.

ABOUT AUTHOR

Kevin Goh

Kevin Goh

Raised in Southeast Asia’s largest portable-audio market, Kevin’s interest in high-end audio has grown alongside it as the industry flourishes. His pursuit of “perfect sound” began in the heydays of Jaben in Singapore at the age of just 10 years old. Kevin believes that we live in a golden age of readily accessible, quality audio.

RELATED POSTS

One Response

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent posts

Sponsors

Categories