MUSE HiFi M3 II English Review

 

Looking for Their Space

 

Ratings

 

Construction and Design
90
Packaging and Accessories
75
Connectivity
80
Operability
85
Sound
87
Quality/Price
75

Pros

 

  • Classic sound produced by a Dual DAC CS43131, but with extra spatiality, volume, weight, density and separation.
  • Gain control.
  • Quality accessory cables.
  • Very robust construction.
  • Muse Space Ship, exclusive DSD auto-recognition mode, Virtual Surround mode, adaptive auto-recognition mode for games or music.
  • Good power level.
  • Very low output impedance.
  • Does not modify the frequency response of the headphones.

 

Cons

 

  • Auto-detection makes the different playback modes not very apparent in sound.
  • Unfortunate flaw in the volume control: it crashes and goes up to the maximum without being able to remedy it, connected to my Windows 10 PC.
  • The weight is heavy.
  • Not the best value for money.
  • Fingerprint magnet.

 

Purchase Link

 

https://es.aliexpress.com/item/1005005842194604.html

 

Link to the Store

 

https://angeldac.es.aliexpress.com/store/911519198

 

Introduction

 

There’s always a first time and today it’s a double first time. From AliExpress shop Angeldac Audio Store, today I have the pleasure to review a Muse HiFi dongle. Shenzhen Yunke Acoustic Technology Co., Ltd. is an innovative technology company that integrates research and development, production and sales of HiFi audio equipment. The company’s purpose is to pursue the ultimate in the ultimate and to discover simplicity in the simple. To their credit they have different IEMS and other dongles. In this case I am going to review the second version of their M3 dongle, the M3 II. It is a dongle based on the classic Dual DAC CS43131 that contains two SIP amplifier modules to guarantee a powerful output with a clear and noise-free background. It has very low harmonic distortion as well as low power consumption, thanks to the TOREX management engine. As is normal for this type of device, the Muse II has two 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL headphone outputs. In addition, it integrates particular operating modes: the Muse Space mode for great musical representation, the virtual surround mode suitable for movies, music and games and the exclusive DSD mode. It has a dual knob for independent volume control and gain change (low or high). Muse has added several low-noise LDOs and high-precision femtosecond crystal oscillators that promise class-leading SNR and DNR performance. Let’s see how all these features translate into practice in this review.

 

 

Specifications

 

  • DAC: Dual CS43131.
  • Input interface: USB Type C.
  • Headphone outputs: 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL.
  • Buttons: Vol +/ Vol -/Pause/Gain mode switch.
  • Maximum decoding: 32bit/384KHZ DSD256
  • THD+N: -103dB(4.4mm)/-100dB(3.5mm).
  • SNR: 130dB(4.4mm)/125dB(3.5mm).
  • Suitable impedance: 16Ω-600Ω.
  • Weight: approx. 50g.
  • Size: 59.5×29.5×29.5×15.5mm.

 

 

Packaging

 

The Muse M3 II comes in a medium-sized, elongated case with dimensions 159x80x49mm. The colour is predominantly black and the main face is glossy. It has a three-dimensional, glazed X above the brand name in purple lettering. Above it is the product name, as if handwritten in silver ink and capital letters. At the top left are several logos: the brand logo, the Muse Space logo, the Cirrus Logic logo and the Angeldac logo. At the top right, the Muse Space logo is repeated and at the bottom of this side there is a product presentation. On the back, the logos are repeated, this time located at the top right. The rest is filled with the specifications, the brand name, the web address and the logos of the certifications it holds. The box opens sideways thanks to a black fabric loop, which allows the inner boot to slide to the left. Inside is a black presentation cardboard and the instruction manual. Underneath, the M3 II is housed in a dense black foam mould. Underneath is another layer with the rest of the accessories. In summary, the complete contents are as follows:

 

  • The Muse HiFi M3 II.
  • A black presentation card.
  • One instruction manual.
  • One short USB Type-C to Type-C cable.
  • One USB 3.0 Type-C female to Type-A male adapter.
  • One short USB Type-C to Lighting cable.

 

The packaging is large for a dongle. The product is very well protected and the extensive instruction manual is appreciated.

 

 

Construction and Design

 

The M3 II is on the heavy and relatively large side among the dongles I own. Normally, almost all of them have a narrower, lighter rectangular shape. The M3 II is more oval, with the USB side narrower than the headphone output side. It has a double rocker button on one side, next to an RGB LED. On the other side is a legend with the product name and a product description. On the upper side there is a wave that divides the face into two levels. On the high side, on the side of the USB connection is the brand logo. The low side extends to the sides, creating a smooth, almost ergonomic irregularity for the buttons. The entire casing is a smooth, matte metal part, while the USB and headphone output ends are both slightly rougher, shiny, mirror-effect oval metal faces. The 4.4m BAL output is gold-plated, while the 3.5mm SE is black. There’s not much special about the USB Type-C connection.
The USB adapter cable is made of mixed hybrid wire of high-purity monocrystalline copper and silver-plated copper.
It is clear that the design of the M3 II is distinctive, but it is the same as the previous version only in a different colour.
The high weight of the unit and the solid metal of the outer casing are surprisingly heavy.

 

 

Connectivity

 

The M3 II comes with USB Type-C 3.0 connection and is compatible with Android, iOS and Windows. It can be used with PC’s, mobiles, tablets, etc. It comes standard with USB Type-C cables and converters to Type-A and Lighting.
For Windows it is not necessary to use drivers, but I have found that it is compatible with some drivers that I have installed on my PC. It recognises it as if it were the Hidizs XO and the compatible ASIO driver is BRAVO-HD.
On the other hand, I have not found native drivers from the brand itself.

 

 

Operativity

 

IMPORTANT: The Muse M3 II does not turn on after USB connection, you will need to connect headphones to any of the headphone outputs to turn it on. It will also turn on if any 3.5mm or 4.4mm SE connector/adapter is connected. So it’s not an impedance identifier, just a switch that is activated by the physical connection.
And I say this is important because when I connected the M3 II to my PC after opening the package and seeing that the light didn’t come on I thought it was broken. Then I remembered that there are some dongles where the headphone port connection is required to turn it on and it did.
I must confess that I don’t like this feature, but I understand that it can be useful in order to save power on battery-powered devices. Maybe that’s because of that TOREX power management circuitry, among other abilities I don’t know about.
As I said, the M3 II is on the heavy side of the dongles. Its surface is smooth and ergonomic, but you can feel the density and weight of the product. This can limit its portable use, as can its slightly larger size than the competition.
It has two rocker mode buttons and an RGB LED. A single press on each end is for volume up/down. A 2-second long press on the + end is used to pause/start playback. A 2-second long press on the – end is used to toggle the gain mode.
The advertising keeps talking about the M3 II having a unique automatic DSD mode recognition. As far as I understand it, in low gain mode the system enters an adaptive mode that identifies music mode or game mode, entering an immersive, three-dimensional mode. In high gain mode it enters a lossless analytical mode that makes the sound more transparent.
In normal mode the LED is white. In DSD-only mode the LED is green. In high gain mode the LED lights red.
In Windows, the volume steps are 50. But the M3 II has a defect: sometimes, when the volume control + is pressed several times, the system enters an unwanted mode which raises the volume to the maximum without being able to stop it. This blocking, if it happens in case of high gain, could destroy the connected IEMS. So in order to increase the volume, you have to press the + button little by little, so that it does not lock unduly. Actually, this behaviour is very dangerous and undesirable. Moreover, it occurs quite easily even if you are careful with the volume + button.
On the other hand, I could not identify the Muse Space mode for games as I have not used it in this context. I have, however, used it for listening to series and films.

 

 

Measures

 

The M3 II is the classic 2V SE / 4V BAL dongle with the possibility of using low gain and limiting its output to just half.
I have been able to check the output impedance in SE and BAL, being less than 1Ω in both cases.
In the last volume range, the output does not change even if the steps are increased and when it goes up, it does so with a relatively large voltage jump. It is clear that the volume control is no longer suitable for a device in this price range.

 

No load SE

 

2V RMS over the entire frequency range.

 

 

15 Ω SE

 

The voltage at 1kHz is 1,235V, which means a power of 100mV and just over 82mA, close to the psychological barrier of 90mA.

 

 

33 Ω SE

 

The voltage at 1kHz is 1.571, a power of 75mW and 48mA. I expected more, given the current reserve the device seems to have.

 

 

100 Ω SE

 

Another small disappointment, with 100 Ω connected at maximum volume the frequency response shows a slight distortion. Still, the voltage is close to 2V which is 40mW and 20mA.

 

 

No Load BAL

 

4V RMS over the entire frequency range.

 

 

15 Ω BAL

 

The voltage at 1kHz is 1.245V, which means a power of 100mV and 83mA. Same values as for SE.

 

 

33 Ω BAL

 

It seems that the balanced output of the M3 II offers a significantly higher voltage than the SE. The voltage at 1kHz is 2.512V, a power of 190mW and 76mA. These are more than adequate values for such a device. A little more would have been nice, though.

 

 

100 Ω BAL

 

The M3 II doesn’t reach 4V at 100 Ω and stays at 3,573, offering 130mW and 36mA. Again, I expected more.

 

 

Frequency Response

 

The M3 II has a flat frequency response that reaches up to 40kHz without decay. It offers a very slight dip at the low end, but below 20Hz.

 

 

Sound

 

The M3 II has a gain switch, plus an adaptive mode that adjusts depending on the situation, called Muse Space. It identifies the music mode by adapting to a lossless mode and the game mode generates a more three-dimensional and immersive space. To tell you the truth, I have not been able to enter this game mode because I don’t have any games, although I have used it with series and movies. But I haven’t noticed any change in this respect.
There is some difference between the low and high gain modes, where the bass is rougher at low gain, while at high gain the sound is more reliable and refined. The following opinion has been written using high gain. However, graphically there is no difference in output response between high and low gain, even compared to my reference player, the Burson Audio Playmate I, which can be seen in the graph below.

 

 

The CS43131 is a D/A converter with integrated headphone amplifier. It is clear that the output offered by this SOC is not very high and requires additional amplifiers to reach the standard values. In reality, it is a widely used DAC, often in dual mode, as is the case with the M3 II. There are many dongles with this arrangement and the differences in sound must be in this additional stage.
It is common for the sound of a dual CS43131 to be neutral but with a hint of warmth. The M3 II does not escape this profile.
In the lower range there is very good control and cleanness when it comes to generating bass lines. The bass hits are compact, relatively smooth, tight and with a good level of darkness. It is reliable in reproducing pure, very low frequency tones and behaves naturally in such tests. It is deep and slick, capable of reproducing heavy lines and unfiltered bass, being able to handle these situations without problems, offering the most capable headphones a great performance.
In the midrange you feel that subtle warmth and the male vocals have that broader, juicier base that gives it an extra lushness and richness. The instrumentation is neat, clean, crisp, with a certain tendency towards a soft, but pleasant, subtly analogue darkness. The attacks are fast, as are the transients. In this way, details are easily appreciated and only depend on the connected headphones to show them off. Although, this is not an analytical dongle, it is rich enough to offer a good catalogue of detail.
Female vocals retain equal parts sweetness and fullness, as well as feeling softened and honeyed thanks to the warmth of the system.
The upper range is expressive, broad and expansive. Its fullness is demonstrated by the smoothness of the frequency range. But, admittedly, its colour is not overly bright and the neutral, subtly warm tone is welcome, bringing a great deal of naturalness as well as descriptive richness to the high notes reproduced with the M3 II.
The soundstage is remarkably wide and the Muse Space may bring an extra point in this respect. I’m not sure it works in high gain mode, though. But it does have good density, depth, separation and spaciousness as standard.

 

 

Comparisons

 

TempoTec Sonata BHD Pro

 

The most logical thing to do would have been to compare the M3 II with the xDuoo Link 2 Bal because of their similar price range. However, both share the same ASIO driver making a quick comparison very difficult. So I have opted for a more recent dongle I have, which uses the same Dual DAC CS43131. It is the Tempotec BHD Pro. It is almost half the price. It is smaller, lighter and more manageable, has volume control, but no gain control. It has SE and BAL outputs and the same voltage. For SE the power values are almost identical. However, the BAL output for impedances of 15 and 33 Ω is below what the M3 II delivers, while for 100 Ω it is completely equal.
The low end of both dongles is very similar and their behaviour is very similar. Although I find that the bass is a bit more compact, darker and heavier in the M3 II. It seems a bit rounder and also extended, with a bit more volume. In addition, the M3 II’s bass seems to be more complex, something that gives it more richness in bass line detail and better resolution when recreating layers.
In the midrange, the M3 II offers a bit more density, something that gives it a bit more grounding on male vocals. In addition, there is a certain level of superior drive that gives it a slight descriptive superiority. That slightly denser sound offers more of a sense of openness and spatiality. It seems that the high gain mode offers a little more drive to the notes, an extra punch that asserts presence.
The treble of the M3 II is slightly more defined, more vivid and expressive, generating a point of superior bite, but without losing refinement.
The volume of the M3 II is slightly higher, there is a little more projection and separation. The M3 II generates more space, but the level of refinement is not much greater and both dongles are very capable at describing detail. Perhaps that extra distance gives the M3 II the edge in this respect. However, the price difference is high. Under Windows it seems that the volume control of the M3 II is tighter, which is also superior, thanks to the gain control. This makes it more precise in certain situations. However, when connected to another DAP device or smartphone, this advantage seems to disappear, except for the gain control.
The BHD Pro achieves a very high percentage of the sound of the M3 II, with a very similar look and feel. It has the ability to alter its sound via firmware, is smaller and more manageable. In terms of power it is only inferior at low impedances per BAL, although I think this could be fixed in future firmwares. The M3 II has a better construction, although it is heavier and larger. It has that extra density and spatiality, with a bit more separation, amplitude, bite and weight. But that difference is more than paid for.

 

 

Conclusion

 

The Muse M3 II comes as a Dual DAC CS43131 dongle that features a host of unique benefits such as Muse Space Ship, a unique DSD auto-recognition mode, plus a Virtual Surround mode. This is joined by a gain control and a powerful power control called Torex. It’s built like a tank, a little heavy and a little bigger than the competition, with a curved, ergonomic design, which distances it from the classic rectangular pickups of the other brands.
It’s true that the Muse Space mode, Virtual Surround and adaptive gaming mode are somewhat mysterious to me, as they can’t be activated manually. Thus, it is difficult to see the differences. However, it seems that the high gain mode does offer a point of refinement, a somewhat more discernible sense of openness, distance and separation. On the other hand, the sound does not stray from the baseline offered by the Dual CS43131, nor does it go beyond it in power. But it is true that the extra weight is noticeable, as well as a little more volume and a larger footprint.
I would have preferred it if these extra abilities of the Muse M3 II could be activated manually, in order to see the differences to the competition. But this is not the case. So these supposed differences do not seem to clearly generate an added value compared to the competition that would justify the price. A newer DAC, more controls and a lighter weight might be more attractive in the current state of the art.

 

 

Earphones and Sources Used During Analysis

 

  • Hidizs MP145 Golden Titanium
  • BQEYZ Wind.
  • Letshuoer S15.
  • Tanchjim Kara.
  • Rose Martini.
  • Rose QT9 MK2s.
  • NiceHCK F1 Pro
  • Simgot EA1000 Fermat.
  • Hidizs AP80 PRO-X Red Copper LE
  • Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro