Back To Black

 

Ratings

 

 

Pros

 

• Wide range of functions.
• 0.87 inch OLED display.
• Very good output power.
• Very low output impedance.
• Large sound size, volume, expressiveness and informative level.
• Highly detailed, very uncluttered, the amount of air and the ease of playability gives a smoothness to the nuances, as well as offering a high and very pleasant musicality.

 

Cons

 

• It gets a little warm at high volume.
• It also consumes slightly more battery power due to its power level and screen.
• Perhaps not the most elegant design.
• It does not have ASIO drivers.
• The user manual it comes with is not complete. Even the instructions are not very clear on the sales page.
• No USB Type C to Type A adapter.

 

Purchase Link

 

https://es.aliexpress.com/item/1005006484300346.html

 

Link to the Store

 

https://epzearphones.aliexpress.com/store/1102017126

 

Introduction

 

The EPZ brand founded in 2019 has not only IEMS in its catalogue, but also several dongles. With the TP30 the brand won the VGP2023 Gold Award. It released the TP20, but it is the TP50 dongle that I will now review. Based on the promising CS43198 in dual mode, plus the RT6863 amplifier, also in dual mode, the EPZ TP50 is a dongle that has a small 0.87-inch OLED display, capable of providing a lot of information. Without a doubt, this dongle is really versatile, with buttons to control the volume in 100 steps, a button to change the mode, low and high gain control and selection of various filters. Of course, it has two 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL audio outputs and USB Type C input. It works without drivers and is capable of playing DSD256 and PCM 32bit/768kHz. It is available in two colours, blue and black, and comes with a braided USB Type C cable. Let’s take a look at what this complete dongle can do.

 

 

Specifications

 

• DAC: Dual CS43198.
• Amplifier: Dual RT6863.
• Formats: PCM 32Bit/768kHz/DSD256.
• Outputs: 3.5mm SE, 4.4mm BAL.
• SE power: 2VRMS, 125mW at 32Ω.
• BAL power: 4VRMS, 240mW at 32Ω.
• SE signal-to-noise ratio: ≥125dB.
• BAL signal-to-noise ratio: ≥130dB.
• THD+N: ≤0.0005%.
• Frequency response: 20Hz-80kHz.

 

 

Packaging

 

The EPZ TP50 comes in a small elongated case with a carbon pattern all over its surface. Its dimensions are 171x70x36mm. On the main face is the brand name in the top left corner, the model name below, a profile of the device in the centre and some product features below. Almost everything is drawn in silver ink. On the back are the product specifications, the branding, a sticker with the model type and some icons of the specifications it meets. The box comes with a stamp of authenticity affixed. The box does not open and its interior slides out from the narrow bottom, with the help of a cloth tape. In the inner container, you can see that the dongle is encased in a thick black foam mould, along with a short USB Type C cable at both ends. A warranty certificate card and a manual card are included. The product’s screen is protected by a transparent plastic sheet. Nothing else.
The bare minimum but well protected and presented.

 

 

Construction and Design

 

The EPZ TP50 is CNC machined from metal using a complex 10-layer, 8-rail process. It has undergone a sandblasting process to polish its surface. It has two carbon fibre panels, each on one side. It has 3 buttons and a 0.87 inch OLED display. Its dimensions are 58x28x13mm. It is available in two colours, blue and black.
Its shape is quite classic, it is a rectangular tablet with two small touches. The top face is flat, but it has a step on one side, which is complete. On the other side, the step is partial. Where there is no step, the name of the brand and the model are written in white letters. In the centre of the pillar is a carbon fibre panel and the OLED display. On the flat side are the three buttons M, + and -. On the other long side there is nothing. At the short end are the 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL audio outputs. On the other end is the USB Type C input. On the back side is just the carbon fibre panel.
The USB cable has a double male Type C connection, it is made of 8 strands of mixed copper and silver. The sleeving on the USB connectors looks metallic and the cable, at its exit, is protected by a black plastic sleeve, like a funnel. The USB connectors are gold-plated.
The design is not the most elegant of the lot, but it does look robust and the OLED screen is a bonus that not everyone has.

 

 

Connectivity

 

The EPZ TP50 is compatible with Apple mobile phones, Mac tablets and other IOS systems. It is also compatible with Android and Windows systems. No drivers are required for Windows 10 and above. The downside, in my opinion, is that it does not have ASIO drivers.

 

 

Operativity

 

The fact that it has an OLED display and three buttons offers a wealth of features. The display has a lot of information:

 

• Volume, gain, filter, USB type, format and sample rate.

 

The functionality of the three buttons is as follows:

 

• Volume +: short press is to increase the volume by 1. Long press increases the volume continuously.
• Volume -: short press is to decrease the volume by 1. Long press continuously decreases the volume.
• M: Press twice to turn on/off the screen. Long press to enter different modes. Use the volume buttons to choose the options for each mode.

 

The meaning of each mode is as follows (taken verbatim from the EPZ shop website):

 

• Level: Gain adjustment.
• ADJ-L/R: channel adjustment.
• FLT: adjustment of the different filters.
• OM DAC: An output mode that converts digital signals into analogue signal output to provide a listening experience closer to the original audio signal.
• S/PDIF: A digital audio interface jointly developed by Sony and Philips. It is a series of protocol technology standards. It is widely used in digital signal transmission between CD, DVD, DAT, VCD, MP3 players and other current electronic devices (Sony/Philips digital interface format).
• H-DEPOP: A circuit used to eliminate unwanted crackling or clicks in a circuit, often quantified in terms of «pop performance». (High dynamic range suppression/anti-crepitation circuit).
• DISP BN: Display brightness, from 1 to 10.
• DISP ROT: 180° rotatable display.
• OFF-DISP: Screen lock duration. From 1 second to 60 seconds and always on option.
• HID KEY: Some or all amplifier settings will be hidden or locked to prevent unauthorised changes. This allows users to focus more on the listening experience without having to worry about malfunctions (Avoid malfunction).
• UAD FW: the unified audio device driver firmware meaning. UAD FW is the software running inside the headphone amplifier, which is used to manage and control various functions and parameters of the headphone amplifier. By updating UAD FW, users can obtain the latest functions, fix known bugs, and improve the performance and stability of the headphone amplifier. (Version) (Note: This is an explanation of the function details: Version is the latest and most consistent with DAC operation and does not need to be updated).
• RST DEF: Restore factory settings.

 

 

Measures

 

The EPZ TP50 seems to be quite a powerful device, with those 125mW at 32Ω for SE and 240mW at 32Ω for BAL.
The output impedance is very low, being well below 1Ω for both outputs.
What I noticed during the measurements is that the TP50 is a dongle that consumes when that high power is demanded, as well as getting a bit warm at maximum volume.

 

 

SE No load

 

With no load at low gain it stays a little below 1V RMS. At high gain it is closer to 2V RMS.

 

 

SE 15Ω

 

1.3V RMS for 15Ω maximum, which means a power of 110mA and 87mA. Very good, almost reaching the limit of the famous 90mA. Slight distortion can be observed for the higher frequencies.

 

 

SE 33Ω

 

At maximum volume it reaches 1.975V RMS for 33Ω, which equals 120mW. The specifications give a theoretical 125mW which would be reached if the output were 2V RMS. The difference is negligible and is attributable to the measurement process and its limitations. On the other hand, 60mA is achieved.

 

 

SE 100Ω

 

At maximum volume it reaches 1.989V RMS for 100Ω, resulting in 39mW.

 

 

BAL No Load

 

With no load at low gain it stays a little below 2V RMS. At high gain it is similar, staying slightly below 4V RMS.

 

 

BAL 15Ω

 

As with other dongles, the SE output is more effective at low impedance. 1.21V RMS for 15Ω means 98mW and 80mA.

 

 

BAL 33Ω

 

The specs advertise 240mW for 32Ω, which would be 2.77V RMS. The TP50 stays at 2.614V RMS, very close, giving 210mW and 79mA. Not quite what is specified, but there is little difference in voltage.

 

 

BAL 100Ω

 

All in all for 100Ω, 3.969V RMS, which is 160mW and 40mA.

 

 

Frequency Response

 

Fully flat from 5Hz to 40kHz in various volume steps.

 

 

Sound

 

According to the manufacturer, the TP50 sound style is more analytical, controlled, slightly cooler than the rest. In my opinion, this is not entirely clear. I don’t find it to be distinctly cooler or more analytical. But it is true that this new CS43198 DAC is going to be a talking point and I think it is only just beginning to scratch the surface of its potential. If the previous CS43131 has been implemented many times, also in its dual mode, the new Cirrus Logic DAC promises to be superior. With the products I have tested with this new chip, I have experienced a sense of openness and big scene that seemed limited in the previous dongles. The new TP50 goes the same way, with a wide, but controlled sound. That control is felt from the bass, which is quite dry and very precise, a far cry from the more analogue roughness of the CS43131s. The sound is less stiff and more airy than on that earlier DAC. As such, there is a greater amount of air and more freedom to express layers and bases, which sound more obvious, better executed and more separated. In that sense it may sound more analytical, but I think that a higher informative capacity, thanks to the recreation of a larger scene, is not just an increase in the analytical level, but a move towards a sound more typical of a higher stationary ensemble.
As I say, the low end is fairly neutral in its surface, more smooth than rough, something that may give an idea of a more analytical, less analogue dongle. But in fact, it gives a sense of elevated purity that seems to override the older generation. And that sense of purity is what it imposes in the midrange. With a very natural timbre, the mids are very full, fleshy, lush, rich and spacious. There is no sense of congestion, something that is more typical of earlier dongles. The midrange is more uncluttered and separated, with a higher level of grandeur, something that allows it to provide more information, as the sound can expand much more easily and more freely. Where before there was a sense of boundary, a greater attachment to the base, a sense of tethering and a more intimate setting, now there is a new impression of expansiveness. And that’s something that couldn’t be surpassed in previous CS43131s, regardless of their applied power level or volume. The TP50’s sense of volume and size enhances the realism of the midranges as well as details, which sound more explicit, yet smoother and more organic. In the previous dual CS43131s, those details were more piercing and ruthless. Now, in the TP50, they sound very clean, yet expressive and musical.
The upper range also feels very eloquent, with a powerful and obvious energy level in the high notes. This is not a cold dongle, but there is an obvious clarity when it comes to the high frequencies, which have a lot of sharpness, crispness, while being thin and very separate. All this without losing control and without becoming piercing in any way. In the previous dual CS43131, there is a little more controllessness in the high end, when the volume is high. This newTP50, on the other hand, does not suffer in such adverse conditions. Its wide frequency range extension – it claims to go up to 80kHz and I have tested its linearity down to 40kHz – generates a great sense of air and openness in the sound.
With a great feeling of volume, space between notes and a bigger scene, without losing sight of more musicality, thanks to its better expressiveness and size, the background feels darker, the sound is not dense, but very airy. Gradually you lose that feeling of sound that comes from such a small device.

 

 

Conclusion

 

The EPZ TP50 is a truly versatile dongle, with a number of controls that bring it close to a desktop device. Thanks to its small 0.87-inch OLED display and three buttons, a large number of options can be controlled for a dongle: 100 volume steps, filters, connection modes, balance, noise suppression, gain, display brightness, display behaviour, etc. In addition, the played format is always displayed by text instead of coloured LEDs. As expected, the TP50 has a USB Type C connection, two 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL audio outputs. It’s also quite powerful in its power levels. But, something that makes this dongle a superior device, is the use and good implementation of Cirrus Logic’s new Dual DAC CS43198, coupled with the RT6863 amplifiers. With this new chip the sound is clearly expanded on stage, generating a higher volume and more separation. On the other hand, this bigger sound allows details to be more visible, offering superior musicality. In this way, the new EPZ TP50 has an extended sound, which becomes more informative without becoming colder or more analytical. It is more expressive, capable of generating more music by filling a larger space, as well as being smooth and musical. Increasingly, dongles are approaching the sound of a good desktop set, making you forget that the sound emanates from a small device.

 

 

Earphones and Sources Used During Analysis

 

• Simgot EA1000
• Simgot SuperMix 4
• Hidizs AP80 PRO-X Red Copper LE
• LetShuoer Cadenza 4
• LetShuoer S08
• LetShuoer S15
• NiceHCK Himalaya
• BQEYZ Cloud
• Rose QT9 MK3
• Shozy P20