As extra music streaming providers introduce lossless or high-definition audio to their choices, curiosity in DACs (digital-to-analog converters, or “headphone amplifiers”) has picked up tempo — a lot so we created this information. What was as soon as the reserve of audiophiles is slowly changing into a go-to gadget for individuals who need greater than what their telephone and AirPods can ship. But they’re not with out caveats. For one, they’re typically costly, and typically they aren’t a lot smaller than the telephone you’re attaching them to. Enter the Tea DAC by Khadas.
Khadas began out making media-friendly single board computer systems (SBC – assume… media-specific Raspberry Pi sort issues) earlier than transferring on to desktop DACs. Tea is the corporate’s first cell DAC and it seems to be primarily focused at iPhone customers – although it’s additionally appropriate with Android. The purpose I counsel it’s extra apt for Apple’s telephones is that it’s MagSafe appropriate. Combine that with the slim, iPhone-esque all-metal design and it solves one of many primary issues with cell DACs: Having one thing heavy hanging out the again of your telephone.
With the Tea, it sticks to the again of your telephone and the low profile makes it solely slightly extra noticeable than Apple’s personal MagSafe wallets. You can, in fact, discover MagSafe succesful circumstances for Android, however your telephone and funds shall be an element.
Beyond the slick type issue, the Tea doesn’t scrimp on its codec assist. Over USB/Lightning, the Tea can deal with audio proper as much as 32bit/384kHz. Given that the majority mainstream music providers don’t supply something above 192kHz, streamers shall be greater than lined. Similarly, the Tea can decode MQA (Tidal) together with DSD, AAC, FLAC, APE, OGG and all the usual codecs (WAV/MP3 and so forth.). If you like to go wi-fi, the Tea additionally helps LDAC and AptX HD over Bluetooth.
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Here I ought to point out that, for all its iPhone friendliness, Apple doesn’t supply both LDAC or AptX HD assist in its flagship telephones. You can nonetheless use the Bluetooth performance in Tea, however you received’t have the ability to benefit from the higher-quality codecs. Though it does no less than imply you may cost your telephone whereas nonetheless utilizing the DAC or you may wander round with the smaller Tea related to your headphones relatively than your cell. There are loads of Android telephones that do assist LDAC/AptX HD, however you’ll must examine the producer web site to verify (most Pixels, Samsung flagships and OnePlus telephones supply LDAC/AptX HD decoding).
There are some things you received’t discover right here, however most of these fall into the upper finish of audio. For instance, there’s solely a daily 3.5mm headphone jack – no choice for two.5 or 4.4mm balanced cans at this level (although rumor has it {that a} “Pro” model with that could be on the way in which). There’s additionally restricted suggestions about what codec/audio high quality you’re at present receiving, with only a easy color-changing LED indicating the format, which you’ll be able to’t see until the telephone is face down. Inputs are restricted to USB-C, so it’ll work together with your telephone and PC, however no line in.
This places the Tea in an attention-grabbing class. It’s completely succesful for those who need probably the most out of their streaming service and even ought to attraction to audiophiles in search of a discreet choice that covers most bases. But at $199 it’s an affordable spend. Perhaps its most blatant competitor is the BTR5 from Fiio. That’s additionally a transportable DAC with high-res Bluetooth assist together with the same number of cabled codecs (additionally as much as 32bit/384kHz with MQA assist). Oh, and the Fiio provides a balanced headphone choice, too (2.5mm). When you consider that the BTR5 additionally sometimes retails for $159, you must really need that slim, MagSafe design.
That’s to not undersell it although. I examined the BTR5 and the Tea aspect by aspect, and the sheer comfort of the Tea was apparent. With the Fiio, your telephone feels tethered, virtually weighed down by the DAC. With the Tea, it’s much like utilizing a kind of iPhone circumstances with a battery in it – slightly extra thickness, however you may nonetheless function the telephone as you usually would.
The Tea additionally has a a lot larger battery capability – 1,160 mAh in comparison with the Fiio’s 550 mAh. This clearly isn’t an audio profit, however it quickly turns into one when you plan on listening for prolonged durations or being away from a charging choice for various hours. Which, given the cell nature of those units seems like an affordable risk.
I’m, nevertheless, not an enormous fan of the consumer interface. The Tea has three buttons: One on the left and two on the proper. The single button works as an influence swap or to summon your digital assistant. The two buttons on the opposite aspect will both management quantity or skip tracks. You toggle between quantity and skip mode with a twin press of the ability button and the highest button on the opposite aspect. It works… tremendous, however it’s not very elegant. Also, when you go away it in monitor skip mode and go to regulate the amount, you’re going to be on the following monitor earlier than you recognize it. A minor, however irritating factor.
In wired mode, the Tea pumps out strong, loud, clear audio. It’s possibly not fairly as loud as another DACs. Even the diminutive Firefly provides the Tea a run for its cash there. But, the sound you do get is clear and filled with achieve, and that’s the objective right here: Take sign and let or not it’s heard with out colorization.
Beyond its major perform as a DAC, it additionally received’t get in the way in which of taking calls. A pair of mics on the bottom of the Tea permit you to discuss with out having to fall again to the mic in your telephone. What’s extra, the mics on the Tea are a number of leagues higher than the one on the iPhone, particularly when chatting with it whereas it’s resting on the desk. You can even set the Tea to cost through your telephone when you’re operating low on juice, or disable this function to not tax the battery in your handset when you want.
All in all, the Tea is a welcome addition to a rising class. At $199 it’s not the most affordable for the function set, however its well-thought-out design and aesthetic additionally make it fairly handy and discreet. Unfortunately, if this all sounds up your alley, then you definately’ll have to attend slightly longer. While Khadas clearly is production-ready, the corporate is selecting to go the Indiegogo route, with the marketing campaign slated to go stay within the coming weeks.