Price: $615.00
(as of Feb 27, 2026 01:34:21 UTC – Details)
When I first held it, there was no mistaking this for just another audio dongle: its split-tube chassis, milled from aircraft-grade aluminium and finished with bead-blasted anodising, felt purposeful yet compact. That instantly creates confidence — it’s not just portable, it’s portable without compromise. The all-black finish is understated but premium, with the circular input/output indicator lighting up clearly under fingertip control.
Powering it is a highly refined FPGA-based circuit, the kind Chord has perfected over more than two decades. Where typical DACs rely on off-the-shelf conversion chips, this architecture runs custom DSP code through dozens of core processors. That translates to exceptional dynamic range — better than 125 dB — with vanishingly low distortion and a perfectly flat noise floor, meaning you hear just the music without grain from the gear. Even at low listening levels, detail and texture remain intact.
Connectivity is unusually flexible for a pocket-sized unit. Two 3.5 mm headphone jacks sit on the top for shared listening, while multiple data inputs — Micro-USB, USB-C, coaxial, and optical — let it pull data from phones, tablets, computers, and even some streamers. The new USB-C port isn’t just for power; it also accepts high-resolution data, opening the door to faster transfers and wider compatibility. Two charging ports support 1 A charging, and the FPGA-controlled battery management keeps capacity healthy over time.
Pairing and testing it with a range of in-ear monitors and on-ear headphones revealed an effortless drive. With 30 Ω loads it delivers 600 mW into 600 mW RMS, and it’s equally stable into 300 Ω loads at 5.2 V. Bass feels controlled and deep, mids are sweet and present, and treble extends cleanly without ever becoming harsh — no surprise given that proprietary WTA filter with 40 DSP cores.
Its feature set extends into personalisation, thanks to built-in lossless DSP equalisation. Instead of colouring with preset curves, the “Ultra HD” EQ simply re-shapes the frequency response with high precision, an ideal fit for compensating subtler response in headphones or matching a room environment.
One aspect worth noting is the optional Poly module, which snaps onto the back and unlocks wireless streaming. This turns the device into a stand-alone network player, complete with file-server capability up to 2 TB, making it equally valid as a desktop DAC in a reference system.
Music from quieter acoustic recordings to dense electronic work reveals a transparency and dimensional separation that makes it easy to mentally map instruments across a soundstage. SFX tests confirm no perceptible lag and vanishing jitter, while measured crosstalk shows it can maintain excellent stereo purity even under load.
The burn-in period that some audiophiles prefer isn’t an operational requirement, but hours of playback do contribute to marginal gains in refinement. Battery life is solid — enough for a day of moderate use without anxiety, and the LED control ring makes checking status instant. Heat management is handled well; extended sessions don’t cause discomfort.
In essence, this is a device engineered for both extremes: audiophile-level performance on a desk, and uncompromised quality on the move. For anyone serious about listening — whether chasing micro-detail in classical recordings or the punch of modern pop — it delivers on promise without the usual trade-offs in portability or battery longevity.
