ddHiFi TC44Pro Review

ddHiFi TC44Pro Review – Much More Than It Looks

The new TC44Pro features dual CS43131 DAC chips. ddHiFi has designed the mainboard to be symmetrical with no openings, ensuring a stable signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range. ddHiFi team has also manually soldered the headphone socket and USB socket with high-quality silver solder to provide the best possible audio quality, to deliver the ultimate audio experience with the TC44Pro.

From the first generation TC44B to the improved TC44C, and now the current TC44Pro, the ddHiFi team has continuously optimized the sound tuning to ensure a more balanced and refined listening experience. The updated internal wires and soldering further enhance the tuning orientation, while the digital plugs and analog sockets are streamlined for seamless alignment.

Amazing craftsmanship like in all ddHiFi products and this is evident in the TC44Pro’s aluminum alloy body. The wavy surface design reflects the delicacy of the exclusive titanium color, a new color matching exclusive to the Pro series.

The TC44Pro comes equipped with a unique 1800D carbon fiber panel that covers its back. This high-quality material is flexible and lightweight, with excellent thermal conductivity and a low coefficient of thermal expansion. It does a good job of shielding the internal PCB board from damage and giving the device long-lasting durability.

ddHiFi always value both style and practicality, which is why they have included a thoughtful lanyard hole in the TC44Pro. The provided leather lanyard not only looks great but also makes it easy to carry the dongle around and avoid misplacing it.

What’s In The Box

Specs

Sound

Head to head with the previous model TC44C, the new model TC44Pro easily takes the edge with better texture and cleaner lows whilst listening at high volume. It’s precise and dynamic, so bad recordings are not welcome, as the experience will turn out for the worst. There are small improvements here and there, without any real downsize, better dynamics overall, better bass control, and improved high-mids.

The ddHiFi TC44Pro sounds very neutral, with a wide sound stage and very good layering. With the right headphones/earphone, you can spot each instrument and each singer with ease and there is no channel imbalance to ruin the experience. Better dynamic range, blacker background, with the same level of clarity and accuracy, which makes it a far better choice for IEMs users. On top of that, and as promised in the product sheet, the ddHiFi TC44Pro is absolutely dead silent, even with sensitive IEMs.

The dual CS43131 DAC chipset ensures a clean, distortion-free sound that is faithful to the original recording. The technical capability is nearly on par with bigger boys on the market. I found the amplitude levels sufficient for most IEMs.

Bass

Powerful lows. The bass is rich and deep without being overpowering, providing a solid foundation for the overall sound. ddHiFi has nailed the low end on their last models and the TC44Pro really beats all of its predecessors in that regard. It never lost composure and always offered a tight, fast bass. The 4.4mm Pentaconn output really pushes things on a superior level. There is no shallow echo nor dragging sensation, and with Dolby Atmos tracks on Apple Music, the whole new 3D effect gave a completely different experience, for the best.

Mids

Open and linear, as usual. The mids are clear and well-defined, allowing vocals and instruments to shine through with impressive clarity. Vocals and acoustic tracks were an easy job for the ddHiFi TC44Pro, even more once paired with a good IEM. ddHiFi has always nailed this part and this DAC/AMP makes no exception. The sound stage is wide and voices glided easily into my ears.

Highs

Just on the spot, most of the time. The ddHiFi TC44Pro shows an ever so slight upper-mid boost, as all Cirrus-Logic DAC usually display. If that gives a sensation of precision, it can also lead to some sibilant on sensible headphones, but fortunately, none of that was found on this dongle DAC, and even when I pushed the volume up to unsafe levels, I never encountered any issue. The treble is crisp and bright, adding a sparkling finish to the sound without any hint of harshness.

Sum-Up

The ddHiFi TC44Pro performs quite well in terms of sound and performance. It features a colorless signature that is clean and clear, without any elevation on any region. The sound quality is very good for the price, it is adequately detailed with a balanced signature. The ddHiFi TC44Pro offers a competitive sound for its price tag. Gives you much more than it looks.