Introduction
Aune is mainly a DAC and amplifier producer hailing from the land of the dragon, China, that also releases some portable stuff from time to time and recently has just ventured into producing headphones. They were established way back in 2012 and I would consider them an underdog as their products are most often overlooked but perform very well in their price segment like their ‘X’, ‘T’ and ‘S’ desktop series that embody a great design along with a performance to match. Lately they have been teasing us in the portable audio community with their first dongle release that boasts a fully discrete amplification inside a miniature body dressed in white named Yuki. This honestly got me stoked as this is the first discrete dongle ever released and knowing they are from Aune, my hopes are riding high on this Yuki.
Willy from Starspicker has kindly provided us with a sample for an honest review in return and we are truly honoured for this opportunity. Do check them out for Aune products as they are the official distributor here in Malaysia.
Functions & Specifications
Before we start the review, here are the specifications and features of the Aune Yuki;
- 4 Way Discrete Balanced Amplifier Circuitry
- 4 x 4 Transistors
- Dual DAC Chip CS43198
- 32 bit, 768 khZ, DSD 256
- 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm Headphone Connector
- Dual Layer Structure
- Hybrid Ceramic PCB
- DAC chipset: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43198
- Output Power: 4Vrms (BAL) – 160mW @32Ω
- 2Vrms (UNBAL) – 90mW @32Ω
- Impedance: 1Ω (Low impedance sources help with sensitive IEMs)
- Crosstalk: 71 dB @32Ω(UNBAL)
- 106 dB @3 Ω(BAL)
- THD+N: 0.00033% (BAL), 0.00036 % (UNBAL)
- Noise floor :2.9uV (BAL), 2.6uV (UNBAL)
- Headphone Out: 3.5mm SE / 4.4mm BAL
- Size: 5.3×2.4×1.3 cm Weight: 25.9g
- Output impedance: < 0.35dB
- Size: 56.3mm x 22mm x 12mm (cable included)
- Weight: 19g
- Socket: USB-C
The Aune Yuki can be purchased at this link :
Packaging & Accessories
The Yuki comes in a rather interesting hard tubular shaped box and has a premium yet funky design to them, waifu pictures included. They are small in size and the specifications are printed on its bottom. Inside we will find a white 8 core silver plated braided USB C to C cable with gold plated plugs, a type A to C adapter, paperwork with a QC code for the manuals and the Yuki DAC/amplifier. Sadly, there is no case included for the Yuk
Design
The design of the Yuki is unique and original as they are designed thoughtfully in an all enamelled white theme with gold fonts along with a clear glass window showcasing their discrete amplifier in all its glory printed on a hybrid ceramic PCB. The ceramic PCB is actually a rather expensive PCB when compared to conventional ones as they do provide better thermal insulating capabilities as well a low dielectric loss that gives the Yuki a more efficient performance. They look and feel very well made in their aluminium body that look way better on hands with their eye-catching all white theme.
The discrete amplification is done by 16 pieces of transistors, 8 per-side, where no operational amplification chip is used and this gives more control to the developers to fine tune the sound output and also it does provide better driving power along with a more stable current. They have a +5V power supply along with their 16 transistors to form the 4-way headphone amp providing a true balanced output amplification that is efficient and effective.
On the output side we will have 2 types of output which includes a single ended 3.5mm and a 4.4mm balanced output.
Usually the volume rocker of these products are located at the side and they are independent but Aune has decided to place the buttons on the top front of the device which is strange and some users might take some getting used to in this arrangement. The buttons are clicky and it is well made with a gold dot on a button for volume up. The volume rocker doubles as a gain setter where when both are pressed together for 2 seconds will change the gain settings. No LED indicator is present here so users will have to listen for the loudness difference.
Inside the Yuki, 2 pieces of the amazing CS43198 DAC chip from Cirrus Logic that has an incredibly dynamic sound and are a staple found in high end dongles. They have native DSD support and a maximum of 32/768khz in PCM mode with no MQA support. Aune has implemented 2 separate PCB for the digital part that houses the DAC chips and a hybrid ceramic PCB for the discrete module which will reduce crosstalk along with lowering the noise floor. On the bottom of the unit we will find a standard USB type C that is for digital input via smartphones or PC.
The Yuki has quite a decent medium battery drain that is similar to the likes of Truthear Shio, Questyle M15 and Colorfly M1P which is good for travelling as they do provide a long usage even for long journeys, coupled with the minute size, they are indeed a perfect companion.
Gears Used for Comparisons
FiiO Q7.
Hiby FC6
FiiO KA3
Questyle M15
Colorfly M1P
Rudistor RP8
Sennheiser HD800s
Moondrop A8
Dunu Luna
Hidizs MS3
Dunu EST112
Letshuoer S15
Blur daBass custom earbud
Toneking TO600
Songs list
Tone and Presentation
The tone of the Yuki is an analogue type of sound that has a slightly dark tonal balance that possesses a wide dynamic range. They have a neutral sound that doesn’t majorly emphasise on any frequency and they have a decent overall clarity that makes music sound full. The Yuki have an organic, musical sound to them with a hint of warmth in their presentation and I do find them a rather fun sounding device that has great technicalities to begin with.
Soundstage
The soundstage of the Yuki is impressively vast as a dongle and very competent in their price range as they might go toe to toe with flagship dongles in this area. They have a great width and a decent height making music sound more open along with a rather airy presentation especially in the high range. Headroom here is good with a medium sized room that is quite spacious and certainly does not give a boxy feel in their sound.
Separation and Timbre
Separation of the Yuki is excellent as they are able to have a great left to right separation with no crosstalk especially on both their single ended and balanced output. Texture and layering here is average as with fast tracks such as EDM or metal, they will get fuzzy with certain gears like hybrids but on the other hand, timbre is superb with an organic and natural sound that is true to tone along with a breathy and mellow sound that is quite enjoyable.
Drivability
The driving power of the Yuki, rated at a maximum of 160mW at 32 ohms, is where the fully discrete amplifier strength comes into play where they do indeed provide a superb driving power that is surprising for their miniature size. They have more than adequate loudness and power for most IEMs in low gain while on high gain, they are able to drive high sensitivity drivers with great authority. Headphones like the Sennheiser HD800s do struggle to sound their best and they only get to listenable volume which is fine while headphones such as HD600, Beyerdynamic DT1350 and even my 600 ohms Toneking TO600 earbuds are driven with ease. But given its stature as a portable device, they do get the job done. As for noise, on some high sensitivity balanced armature IEMs, there is some white noise present on low volume but nothing significant on normal listening volume.
The Bass (Low)
Bass that the Yuki produces is a rather balanced, neutral bass that has a very slight mid bass bump that gives a fun, tactile bass response. It has a good amount of details present here and it certainly does not sound muddy, instead they are a full sounding bass that sounds natural and organic. Due to its balanced nature of the bass, music does sound accurate without any major addition in their amount. Bass pace is slightly on the slow side but still they aren’t sluggish and they are able to keep up with fast bass tracks like EDM. Bass slam is energetically boomy with a clear rumble but I do prefer a tighter slam decay. Sub-bass extension is superb and it goes rather deep along with a decent rumble and they are enjoyable for most genres. Bass has a good texture and it does provide a clean and clear bass that has no bleed which is great. Overall, the bass here is clean, natural and possesses a great linear bass that suits most genres.
The Mids
The midrange here is a slightly forward, neutral midrange that is thick and intimate with a warm, analogue sound that is lush. Details here are mediocre on the micro side and tends to focus more on the macro side but they do possess a good overall resolution that sounds vivid. Transparency here is acceptable with everything sounded clear without major veiling present but they still aren’t the best in their price range. The midrange here is tuned towards a more fun, warm signature and they are not for those clinical, critical listeners. With their thick forward sound, music does sound soulful and lush especially with vocals as they sound full with emotions. Spaciousness on the midrange is mediocre but they are still able to sound airy enough to not sound boxy or too closed in. There is some minor colouring but nothing too major till it causes unnatural tone and they sound very enjoyable with this type of sound. Overall, the midrange here is tuned more towards an emotional playback that is soulful and fun but does lack a clinical presentation that some purists sought after.
The Highs
The high frequency on the Yuki is a neutral flat high range that is smooth, inoffensive and has a good extension in their presentation. Tone in the high range is slightly leaning towards a mellow side that has a laid-back style of sound. Details here are superb and they possess a full high range that doesn’t skip on their detail retrieval capabilities and they have great clarity without any veil albeit its laid-back, analogue style of high range. They might not be the most crisp sounding highs but the highs do have a sweet sparkle that gives music a lively feel along with a good energy that doesn’t sound too lethargic. Treble here is smooth with a more relaxed amount that is suitable for a long listening session that incurs minimal fatigue. Treble intense lovers might find the Yuki a little too polite but the high range here isn’t muted but has a good presence that has a very good extension and air. Overall, the Yuki does provide an uber smooth sound that is relaxing but still has a great deal of technicalities that is kind of the house sound of Aune’s products.
Comparisons
VS Questyle M15
The now classic dongle that is still being touted as one of the best in class in terms of their technicalities and driving power, the Questyle M15. Equipped with their signature current mode amplification with a Sabre ES9281AC chipset, they are able to drive hard to drive gears with ease and they do have a much stronger driving power versus the Yuki. The M15 does cost more than the Yuki but they are quite competitively close to each other in terms of performance.
The high region on the Yuki has a more laid-back style of presentation with a more relaxed treble. Details and clarity here is better on the M15 and they are more refined while being more energetic. The extension in the high range on the Yuki is slightly better with more air present in their presentation.
Midrange on the Yuki is thicker with a more organic sound that has a better resolution in a minor way. Details on both are similar but clarity on the M15 is better derived from their brighter signature. Mids on the Yuki sounded more intimate while the M15 midrange had a spacious midrange that was more balanced and had better overall technicalities.
Bass on both of these units are similar in terms of quantity but both of them have a different style as the M15 bass sounded cleaner while Yuki sounded deeper and more organic. Details and clarity are slightly better on the M15 while the Yuki has a more extended sub-bass response. Bass slam on the M15 is tighter while Yuki has a slightly loose bass that has more rumble.
Soundstage on the KA5 is wider and taller with a better depth perception versus the rather intimate feel on the Q11.
In terms of driving power, the Q11 does have better driving power and a louder volume, capable of driving most gears out there but the KA5 is not far behind.
VS Hiby FC6
The R2R flagship of Hiby, the tiny yet superb sounding FC6, is a top shelf dongle that has been received really well for their organic, R2R flavoured sound and the tone of the Yuki is rather similar with a little more cleaner sound but has lesser emotions. Both have a slight noise in the background but the Yuki seems to be slightly more quiet. They are equipped with their signature R2R architecture called Darwin that is seen in some of their DAP products and they have a very organic sound with a slight warmth.
Bass on the Yuki has a more neutral and balanced tone with slightly more details and clarity while the FC6 bass has a fuller bass with a tad more energy. Texture on the bass of the Yuki is better with a deeper bass and sub bass extension. With bass heavy tracks, the FC6 does provide a better, tighter bass slam along with an airier presentation.
The FC6 midrange has a more resolving sound with a lusher presentation especially with vocals. Details here are equal with each other but micro details and transparency does sound better on the FC6. Spaciousness is on the FC6 side and they do sound airier and they have a more accurate placement of sound.
High range on both of these products has a similar smooth, analogue sound that is inoffensive and has great extension but the FC6 does have the upper hands of being airier along with a sweeter sparkle and a crisper sound. Details on the high range are similar but the FC6 does sound more resolving here and they sounded more balanced overall.
Soundstage on the FC6 is wider and taller by a small margin.
In driving power, the Yuki with the high gain does have a bigger and better driving power than the FC6. Power drain on both is similar with a medium drain on the source.
Synergy
Sennheiser HD800S
The flagship open back headphones from the German producers, Sennheiser, need no introduction for their well balanced all rounder headphones with an enormous soundstage that is legendary in headphones enthusiasts. They are notoriously hard to drive and a good source matching is surely needed for them to sing. The high gain with 4.4mm is required for this pairing and they are just barely enough in loudness.
Bass is good and they possess a good slam but they are quite lacking in their dynamics and sounded a little thin at times. Sub-bass is decent enough and they are able to sound quite present even with this small Yuki pairing.
Midrange has a thick and clear presentation along with decent clarity and details. Mid-range sounded a little more forward with vocals sounding a little more upfront but they do sound boxy. Resolution wise is mediocre but acceptable but they do have a good transparency.
Highs here are smooth here without any offensiveness but they are lacking a good energy. They are not good quality high response but they do lack some refinement and they sounded a little suppressed.
Soundstage is good but it does not add to their width and height but they do provide some air in their presentation.
In terms of their driving power, they barely make it in terms of volume and synergy but given their size and price, they are actually acceptable in terms of driving them but only able to bring out maybe 20 to 30% of the HD800s full potential.
Dunu EST112
The tribrid IEM from Dunu TopSound consists of 2 electrostatic drivers, 1 dynamic driver and 1 balanced armature that have a superb tone along with a top notch sound performance. They are a neutral sounding IEM that has great coherent sound and they are easy to drive.
Bass has great impact with a tighter slam and they provide a better extension to this region. Details and clarity is added along with better resolving capabilities . Sub-bass amount has been slightly increased and they do extend pretty deep.
Midrange here is more forward and thicker overall with better transparency and resolution. Vocals sounded lusher and more intimate but the amount of details remains mostly the same. The Yuki does provide some extra air here giving a slightly more spacious sound.
Highs are smooth and extend pretty well with a good sparkle but lack a crisper sound. Details and clarity is greathere with added air. Treble sounded more natural with an inoffensive sound that is buttery smooth but does lack some bite.
Soundstage is great with height and width added for a more spacious presentation.
Who Is It For?
The Yuki is a recommended product for those who want an ultra portable device that has top notch smooth overall performance with the neutral flavour of a discrete amplification. I do find the Yuki seem to blend in pretty well with most of the genres of music for their neutrality and smoothness. They match very well with most of the IEMs that I have tested partly due to their inoffensive overall sound. In terms of their driving power, low impedance headphones and most IEMs will suffice but on low sensitivity gears, I do find them to be insufficient. The Yuki is actually on the borderline of being clinical and fun where they are well suited for critical listeners as well as on the go users for portability. They are great for gaming and movies for their full, immersive sound that is captivating and accurate.
Final words
While this might be the first venture for Aune in the ultra portable segment and also a first fully discrete amplification in a dongle, they actually have done it pretty well and it shows that Aune has the mastery of tuning products into their smooth house sound on the Yuki. It is surely a well made product that looks and performs the part of being a great dongle. Though they are priced at a competitive, cutthroat segment, they actually do hold their value as they are able to stand their ground against some flagship products in terms of their sound. Though there are some design quirks to get over it and their sound might sound too smooth/polite overall, I do find the Yuki to be a successful product as I am loving the Yuki more and more each day. A job well done by Aune and I can’t wait for what’s in store Aune has for us in 2024.
I would rate this product a solid 4 and half stars over 5 stars
Pros
- Build and design
- Beautiful unique white theme with quality parts
- Small sized and lightweight
- Glass window instead of plastic
- Independent volume controls
- Decent driving power
- Analogue yet technical performance
- Accurate separation
- Great resolving capabilities
- Well balanced, neutral sound
- Natural, pure bass response
- Spacious, thick midrange
- Smooth inoffensive high range
- Wide, airy soundstage
- Decent power efficiency
- Great cable provided
Cons
- Lack high range energy
- Lack micro details
- Subpar midrange transparency
- Bass a little loose
- Might not be clinical enough for some
- No case included
- Might be overshadowed by cheaper products in this segment
- Driving power seems a little low but still sufficient for IEMs and earbuds
- Weird volume button placements
- No indicators
