The Bird Leaves The Nest

 

Ratings

 

 

Pros

 

• Clear, evident, direct, punchy, energetic, pure, concise and powerful sound, while maintaining a neutral-warm profile.
• Good level of accessories, including a USB Type-C to Lightning adapter.
• Stylish design available in a choice of two colours.
• 6 digital filters.
• RGB LED.
• 2 buttons for volume control (50 steps) and one for playback control.
• Very low output impedance.
• Good power level for low to midrange impedances.

 

Cons

 

• It does not give full voltage at 100 Ohms.
• Voltage jumps in the last volume steps are large.
• Fade-In.
• Perhaps the central knob is a bit excessive in size and prominence.

 

Purchase Link

 

https://www.hidizs.net/products/hidizs-s8-pro-robin-hifi-balanced-dongle-dac

 

Link to the WEB

 

https://www.hidizs.net

 

Introduction

 

A few months after launching the latest iteration of its S9 dongle, called Martha, Hidizs is returning to the field to launch a Pro version of its S8 dongle. It is the Hidizs S8 Pro Robin. Once again, the brand wanted to give it a name and Robin has been chosen, in honour of the migratory bird commonly known as the thrush. This new dongle uses the classic dual DAC CS43131 that achieves PCM up to 32bit/384kHz. It can play 64/128/256 native DSD and has dual balanced 4.4mm and 3.5mm SE headphone outputs. It is CNC machined from aluminium alloy and has 3 handy buttons, two for volume and one for play/pause. As usual, it has an RGB LED to indicate the sample rate and is available in two colours, black and grey.
The launch date will be 20 May 2024 and the special launch price will be $65. Its regular price will be $69.
Let’s go into more details in the following review about this new dongle.

 

 

Specifications

 

• DAC: Dual DAC CS43131.
• Formats: PCM up to 32bits/384kHz. Native DSD 64/128/256.
• Headphone outputs: SE 3.5mm. BAL 4.4mm.
• Frequency response: 20Hz-45kHz.
• Distortion: SE 3.5mm: 0.0005%. BAL 4.4mm: 0.0006%.
• Signal-to-noise ratio: SE 3.5mm: 125dB.BAL 4.4mm: 128dB.
• Separation: SE 3.5mm: -74dB. BAL 4.4mm: -110dB.
• Power: 80mW/32Ω 3.5mm SE. 160mW/32Ω 4.4mm BAL.
• Buttons: volume, play/pause, filter change.
• RGB LED sample rate indicator.
• Compatible with platforms: Windows/Mac OS/iPad OS/Android/iOS/Harmony OS.
• Hi-Res certified.
• Weight: 17 grams.
• Dimensions: 58×23×11mm.

 

 

Packaging

 

The Hidizs S8 Pro Robin comes in a small black box whose dimensions are 75x75x39mm. Without a doubt, this is the brand’s classic packaging for this type of device. On the main side, the dongle can be seen on the side of the buttons, tilted diagonally. The brand logo is on the top left. At the top right is the Hi-Res Audio logo. On the bottom left is the product name and on the right the Cirrus Logic and DSD logos. On the back side are the specifications in several languages, including English. After removing the cardboard, you enter a black hard plastic box with the Hidizs logo inscribed in the centre, as well as their slogan. There is a sticker on the side indicating the product number, the serial number and the colour of the model, black in this case. After lifting the lid, you can see a foam mould covered with black cardboard and inside the dongle wrapped in cellophane and on a strip of cloth to remove it. On the underside of this first layer are the rest of the accessories. In a nutshell:

 

• The Hidizs S8 Pro Robin.
• A small USB Type-C to Type-C male-to-male cable.
• One USB Type-C to USB-A adapter.
• A USB Type-C to Lightning adapter.
• A serial number card.
• One warranty card.
• Two Hi-Res stickers.

 

As mentioned, it repeats the pattern of their previous Martha dongle, but adds a valuable Lightning adapter.

 

 

Construction and Design

 

The Robin is reminiscent of its sister Martha, but with some different details. The casing is made from a single piece of aircraft aluminium alloy. On the side opposite the buttons there are sloping edges at the corners, which simulate flying wings. On the other side are those 3 buttons. The volume buttons are diamond-shaped and the central button is a large wheel on a square column. All three buttons are gold-plated. Both the front and the back of the Robin use glass panels. On the top side, near the USB Type-C connection is the RGB LED above the brand logo. On the rear face you can read the DAC branding at the top right, as well as the formats it supports. At the bottom left is the model name and a short description. Finally, the narrow side contains the 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL audio outputs. The balanced connector is gold-plated, but the SE is not.
The dimensions are 58×23×11mm and it weighs 17 grams.
As I say, it is reminiscent of Martha, but with a more symmetrical design in its wings on both sides, three buttons, the two volume buttons more pleasant, while the third central button is too big and can be a sign of weakness when putting it in a pocket, etc., because it protrudes more than necessary, I would have liked it to be more compact and integrated with the body of the dongle.

 

 

Connectivity

 

The Hidizs S8 Pro Robin is compatible with Android, Windows, Mac OS, iPad OS, Harmony OS. To make it compatible with iOS it is no longer necessary to purchase a separate Lightning to Type-C cable with OTG function because it is included. For Windows 10 and above, no additional driver is required and ASIO driver is available. Allows exclusive mode with HiBy Music APP. It does not support microphone, but you can control the system volume with its two buttons, as well as play/pause with its central button.

 

 

Operativity

 

As mentioned, Robin has three buttons, two for volume and one for play/pause control. But pressing both volume buttons allows you to change the digital sound filter. The RGB LED allows you to see which filter you switch to:

 

• Red: High pass filter.
• Green: NOS filter.
• Blue: Deem phasis filter.
• Orange: Fast and slow filter.
• Purple: Low-latency and phase-compensated filter.
• White: Wide band flatness mode.

 

As usual with such digital filters, you have to have a very sharp ear to notice the differences. But, in my opinion, they are always welcome.
Again, Robin has an RGB LED to indicate the sample rate or format reproduced, according to the table below:

 

• Yellow: DSD 64/128.
• Purple: DSD 256/512.
• Blue: PCM 176.4/192 kHz.
• Red: PCM 352.8/384 kHz.
• White: PCM 705.6/768 kHz.
• Green: PCM 44.1/48/88.2/96 kHz.

 

My usual tests are with my PC using Foobar 2000 x64 with ASIO drivers. I have also tested it with Android and HiBy Music with exclusive mode.
On Windows 10 the volume control works from 0 to 100, but with 2 step jumps, as usual with other volume control dongles.
It doesn’t have gain modes either.

 

 

Measures

 

The Hidizs S8 Pro Robin doesn’t seem as powerful as its sibling S9 Pro Plus Martha. But it has a good power reserve. According to the specifications it reaches 80mW per SE and 160mW per BAL. As for the output impedance, it is very low for both outputs, less than 1Ω.

 

 

No Load SE

 

Slightly more than 2V for SE output without load.

 

 

15Ω SE

 

1.25V for 15Ω which is 100mW and just over 83mA. Pretty good.

 

 

33Ω SE

 

1.6V for 33Ω, which is just over 77mW and over 48mA. Assuming the same voltage for 32Ω, the specified 80mW is achieved.

 

 

100Ω SE

 

A little disappointing that Robin can’t deliver 2V without visible distortion for 100Ω when this is the norm for high impedances. Anyway, the power is 40mW and 20mA.

 

 

No Load BAL

 

As usual, just over 4V without load on the balanced output.

 

 

15Ω BAL

 

Maybe it’s the volume control, but only 1.12V is reached for 15Ω per BAL. More than 83mW and 75mA. Less than the SE output.

 

 

33Ω BAL

 

This is where it gets interesting and the Robin goes up to 2.53V for 33Ω, which is 190mW and almost 77mA without any distortion. You specify 160mW and get 30mW more. Very nice.

 

 

100Ω BAL

 

However, the piston is lowered again for high impedances. It stays at 3.2V for 100Ω, which is 100mW and 32mA. Not too much.

 

 

Frequency Response

 

Perfect linearity from 10Hz to 40kHz with no channel difference for a wide output volume range.

 

 

Sound

 

The sound of the Hidizs S8 Pro Robin is quite energetic and direct. It has a neutral-warm tuning, with a sound that is more analogue than analytical. It generates a dense and full stage, focused and up front. It has good width but doesn’t feel too airy, more of a cohesive, tight and powerful sound. It doesn’t offer a gaseous or volatile feel, but instead feels more close, resolute and defined. In that respect, the Robin’s sound is fast, fun, full, immediate, but natural. There is no artifice in its execution, no extra texture added in the bass, despite the weight of the bass lines and the power in the kick drums. The execution of pure, very low frequency tones is canonical, deep and sensory when the connected headphones possess these capabilities. It does not generate colour and has a good level of realistic darkness. Because it is fast, it causes no problem in recreating layers and following complex bass lines. Both the performance and the timbre are those of the Dual DAC it is equipped with, but oriented to be more evident and clearer.
In the midrange the sound is clean, transparent and well defined. There is still that sense of remarkable focus that makes the notes articulate in a resolute and precise way. There is no haze, no trail, the notes are concise, rigorous and do not linger in the environment. On the other hand, it feels well separated and there is darkness in the background. Thus, the result is a fairly pure, crisp, present and close midrange, which retains an analogue feel but with very high resolution and a close focus.
Although the Robin’s frequency response is completely flat, the highs do not feel as present in the mix. They still possess an initial immediacy that makes them prominent in sparkle, but in a subtle way, without feeling predominant. This sensation accentuates the neutral-analogue character, but adds a crispness to the treble. On the other hand, the extension is full, but somewhat more diluted.

 

 

Comparisons

 

Tempotec Sonata BHD Pro

 

Tempotec is an expert in the use of the CS43131 DAC in dual mode and several dongles are used in this configuration. New to the BHD Pro is the addition of a professional FPGA and a transparent window to reveal the interior. According to specifications, the Sonata BHD Pro has a lower distortion level and a higher SNR. In terms of power measured by me, both have the same level of SE output, while the Robin is clearly superior for BAL (100mW at 33Ω for the Tempotec versus 190mW at 33Ω for the Hidizs).
Aesthetically, Tempotec has a very distinctive design, with a focus on functional efficiency. Hidizs has a more distinguished and elegant touch. The BHD Pro has a rocker volume control, while the Robin has 3 buttons, two for volume, one for playback control and a combination for changing filters. The Tempotec has a 60-step volume control, while the Hidizs has a 50-step volume control. The BHD Pro supports MQA and has ASIO drivers. The Robin also has ASIO drivers and both have the same resolution for reading audio formats. Both have USB Type-C input and 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL outputs.
In terms of sound, the big difference is in the approach to the stage. While the Robin is more direct and focused, with more weighty, crisp and present notes, the BHD Pro is somewhat more volatile and spacious, softer in its presentation. The Hidizs has an informative analogue character, more explicit and concise. The BHD Pro is somewhat more diluted and open. In the treble you feel that vivid sparkle of the Hidizs, while the Sonata stretches more into the air zone, with a more relaxed, but more extended diffusion. The separation is more evident in the Hidizs, but the scene is more spacious and volatile in the Sonata. Beyond these considerations, however, the sound of both has a very similar profile, with a very similar timbre. There is a little more weight to the Hidizs’ notes, with that more direct, foreground feel, giving it a more energetic and dynamic feel. The Tempotec, on the other hand, is a bit quieter and more harmonious. In terms of detail, both have the same micro level. There is no advantage of one over the other in terms of resolution or detail.

 

 

Conclusion

 

I guess Hidizs didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to use Cirrus Logic’s Dual DAC CS43131 in its catalogue, before implementing newer chips from the brand itself. It has encapsulated it in its more contemporary, Martha-like packaging and renamed it Robin in this case. He has added three buttons, 6 digital filters and the classic informative RGB LED. All this at a very competitive price of less than $70. As usual, Hidizs is true to its specs, and it’s a good value for the stated power.
At this point, it seems a little difficult to generate a differential sound with this overused SOC. However, Hidizs manages to maintain the subtly warm and neutral character of the Cirrus, adding a sense of immediacy, precision, proximity and accuracy, generating a direct, powerful and energetic sound on all three bands. All this, without losing sharpness or clarity, incorporating a heightened sense of information and description to the analogue stage of the sound.

 

 

Sources Used During the Analysis

 

• Hidizs AP80 PRO-X Red Copper LE.
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro.
• Hidizs MP145 Golden Titanium.
• Letshuoer Cadenza 4.
• NiceHCK Himalaya.
• Simgot EA500 LM.