Introduction
Truthear is a new player in the portable audio scene that is under the infamous Moondrops wings that has a bolder type of products that is more reachable to users with their competitive price along with amazing performance. With products like the Zero, Hexa and Hola, their rise to fame has been swift as they are touted as one of the best products in their price range. Recently, they have decided to dip their feets into the ever growing portable DAC/amplifier AKA dongle segment with their all new releases, the Shio (salt in Japanese). It is packed with a dual flagship Cirrus Logic CS43198 chipset with a classy design but comes with a rather low pricing. Truthear has kindly sent us a set of Shio for an honest evaluation and we are thankful for the opportunity given. How will they perform in this competitive segment? We shall find out here.
Functions & Specifications
Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the Truthear Shio;
- DAC Chipset : Cirrus Logic CS43198 x 2
- Connection : USB Type-C
- Format Supported : Up to 32Bit/768kHz PCM, DSD 64 to 256
- THD+N (@1kHz) (A-WT): 3.5mm SE: <0.00025%, 4.4mm BAL: <0.0002%
- Output: 3.5mm SE: 1.4Vrms(Low Gain), 2Vrms (High Gain), 4.4mm BAL: 2Vrms(Low Gain), 4Vrms (High Gain)
- Output Power: 150mW x2 @32Ω, 55mW x2 @300Ω
- SNR: 130dB (A-WT)
- Dynamic Range: 130dB (A-WT)
- Frequency Response: 20-20kHz (±0.1dB)
- Background Noise: <1.6uVrms (A-WT)
Retail Price & Where to Get
Purchase Link :
Red Ape Headphone Store (Malaysia) : https://invl.io/clgdf1l
SHENZENAUDIO : https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/truthear-shio-dual-cs43198-d-a-chips-lossless-portable-dac-amplifier-dongle
Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/Fanmusic-Truthear-SHIO-Amplifier-Single-Ended/dp/B0BRSQFYM1
Packaging & Accessories
The Shio is packed in a small paper box that has a letter styled unboxing that is unique and cute in some way. They are packed quite basic with a short, cloth sleeve USB C to C cable, some paperworks, a manga ‘waifu’ card and the Shio dongle itself. For the price paid, the packaging is quite okay with their own flair of manga theme.
Design
The Shio is quite elegant as they have a neat and solid build with a polyurethane leather skin on the body with their brand embossed on it, encased in an aluminium body which I really love. Due to their superb build and design, the noise floor on the Shio is superb giving a black background and it dies improves the sound quality by a margin. They felt expensive on hand and they designed with simplicity for ease in usage.
On the bottom is a standard USB type C for sound input while on the top we will have a 3.5mm single ended output and a 4.4mm balanced output. The sides we have a volume control rocker and a LED light above the volume rocker for files and gain indicators where red for normal gain mode and yellow for high gain mode on PCM. DSD gain mode has a different colour scheme where blue signifies low gain mode and purple on high gain. Gain is changed when users press both of the volume buttons together for 2 seconds.
The Shio is packed with 2 of the top portable flagship DAC chipset from the chip manufacturer Cirrus Logic, the CS43198 and they are known for their high performance with a low noise floor and a clean warmish sound that is usually used by other high end dongle such as the Luxury & Precision W2. It can decode native DSD but there is no MQA which might deter MQA connoisseurs out there. They have a maximum of 4 vrms power with a 150 mv which is quite powerful and sufficient for most in-ears and portable headphones out there but insufficient for high impedance headphones.
The Shio does have some power draw from your smartphone but it is not as significant as the Hidizs S9PRO or FiiO’s KA3 which draws way more power than the Shio.
Gears Used for Comparisons
FiiO M17
Questyle M15
FiiO BTR7
Shanling UP5
FiiO KA3
DUNU EST112
Moondrop A8
Ucotech RE1 & Re2
Hidizs MD4
Blur daBass custom earbud
Toneking TO600s
Sennheiser HD800s
Songs list
Tone and Presentation
The Shio has a warmish neutral tuning that has an inoffensively smooth tuning that possesses a decent resolving sound signature. They are not a bright tuned dongle but a slightly dark sound that has great details in all their frequencies. They have a slight emphasis in their bass amount that makes the bass frequency stronger and slightly bigger which means they have a ‘L’ shaped sound presentation.
Soundstage
The soundstage that Shio is average at best but competent in their price range. They do provide some width and height in their presentation so music will not sound too closed and boxy. They have a rather intimate soundstage that might suit some vocal based music and they give more intimacy. Headroom provided is a medium sized room and they have a decent air in their presentation.
Separation and Timbre
Separation in the Shio is quite impressive as they do provide a clear left right separation even on single ended output without any muddiness and they are able to handle fast tracks without any problems. Their timbre has a slight thickness with an organic presentation along with a smooth inoffensive high range. There is some minor coloration but it is done in a good manner so that it doesn’t affect their organic nature.
Drivability
The Shio does provide a 150 mv @ 32 ohms with a maximum of 4 vrms on high gain and for the size they are powerful but their driving power is on the same level of the Hidizs S9PRO in my testing. It is adequate for most of my earphones and portable headphones but insufficient for big headphones such as my HD800s. As for source pairing, they are very forgiving in the types of files played, whether it is streaming, PCM, DSD or low bitrate files, they all sound great. For poorly mastered tracks, they are quite revealing as they might lack some details overall.
The Bass (Low)
The bass on the Shio is an impactful, slightly boosted bass with a great mid bass lift that will provide a bigger bass presence to your gears. They have adequate details and clarity along with great air to their bass presentation. Due to their mid bass lift, bass is thumpy, energetic and provides a more enjoyable experience for genres such as EDM and jazz but for those who want a purer experience might find the bass a little too strong. Texturing in the bass is rather mediocre but they do have a good amount of resolution and they do not incur any bleed into the other frequencies. Sub-bass extension is superb with a deep, rumbly and clear sub-bass presence that gives music a little more soul. Overall, the bass presentation is great with a healthy quantity of mid bass lift for a more enjoyable experience.
The Mids
The midrange that the Shio provides is a balanced, warm midrange that has a slightly laid-back feel to them and they are an intimate midrange that is lush and sweet. They have a thick type of sound that gives music a creamy, velvety vibe to them for more of a jovial feel. They have a good amount of details and clarity but they do lack some micro details retrieving capabilities. Resolution is superb on this Shio as they are able to give music a clear reproduction giving them a stable, high quality sound. Coloration is slightly present without bringing music to the point of it being unnatural but those who want a clinical mid-range performance might want to take note here. Vocal performance is quite good especially on male vocals as they provide a deep, intimate experience to them but on female vocals, they do lack brilliance due to their slightly laid-back mid-range signature. Overall, the mid-range here is a more relaxing type of mids that blends well with the bass frequency giving a deep sound that is soothing and enjoyable at the same time without sacrificing any sound quality.
The Highs
High range of the Shio is a balanced, flat highs with a smooth, inoffensive response that is basically fatigue free. They have an adequate amount of details but clarity here is a little average. They have great air and extension in their high range giving music a livelier feel. Sparkle is mediocre and they do lack a crisp presentation. It is not a muted high range so to speak, but a more relaxing type of high range that has great details that is more suitable for a more relaxed signature that will suit treble sensitive users as they do not incur shout, peaks or hiss in any way. The treble intensity is in the middle that provides high range presence without making them sounds too lethargic. Overall, their high range is a smooth operator that gives a laid-back vibe that has a decent amount of details suiting brighter sounding gears.
Comparisons
VS Hidizs S9PRO
The strong, legendary, now classic dongle from Hidizs and they are certainly powerful along with a neutral flat sound that is clinical in their performance. They are equipped with a ES9038q2m chipset from Sabre and priced similarly with the Shio. The Shio has a way better build and better design right off the bat with a lower power drain but has similar driving power.
The High range on the S9PRO has better clarity and details while the Shio sounded smoother. Extension and air is better on the Shio.
Midrange on the Shio is thicker and lusher with better resolution while the S9PRO has better details and clarity. The Shio midrange sounded sweeter and more intimate than the colder midrange of the S9PRO.
Bass on the Shio has a bigger and better presence with a more impactful and fuller bass response than the flat bass of the S9PRO. Sub-bass amount is similar but Shio does extend deeper. Details and clarity in this region are similar.
Soundstage on the S9PRO is slightly wider and taller while having similar air and headroom
VS FiiO KA3
The FiiO KA3 is the top offering in the dongles department of FiiO and they have a similar chipset with the S9PRO, the ES9038q2m. Both are priced the same and have a great build and design. The KA3 does drain more power but they are more powerful by a slight margin.
Highs on the KA3 is a little stronger and might sound a little harsher at times while the Shio sounds way smoother along with similar details and clarity. Extension on both is similar along with the same amount of air.
Midrange on the KA3 has a more forward take to them and the Shio has a thicker, lusher midrange. Clarity on the KA3 is better but the Shio has better resolution and better intimacy.
Bass response on the Shio has better impact and better extension especially on the mid-bass and sub-bass region. Details and clarity is slightly better on the KA3. The bass on the KA3 sounds slightly faster but lacks body unlike in the Shio. Soundstage on both has similar width and height along with same amount of air and headroom
Synergy
Ucotech RE1
The Ucotech RE1 from Korea is a single beryllium plated driver that is housed in a brass body that has a bright sound along with extreme resolution and clarity. They are a treat if they are paired nicely.
High range amounts are lessened by a small margin but their details and clarity stayed the same. They sounded way smoother and extended better with a sweeter decay.
Midrange has become thicker and lusher with better resolution. They are still bright but they are more soulful and intimate. Vocals are more balanced overall with male vocals sound fuller.
Bass has become slightly more energetic with better presence while still retaining a great degree of resolution and clarity. Sub-bass becomes deeper and with a better rumble.
Soundstage mostly remained the same overall with a slight airiness added into their presentation. Overall, a top class synergy that truly amazes me.
Who Is It For?
The Shio is a product for those who want top end specs with a top shelf sound quality without breaking the bank. They are for those who want an ultra portable device that is powerful and sleek for an easy outing. For users who are treble sensitive, the Shio might be for uou as they have a lower intensity of treble with a smooth high range that does not sacrifice their sound quality. For users who are looking to drive power hungry gears might want to look elsewhere as though the Shio has great driving power, they are adequate only for those lower impedance gears.
Final words
The Truthear Shio has truly impressed me with their great, laid-back take of a device that has a million dollar looks in their design. The design of the Shio is a luxurious design that I can truly appreciate. They are indeed quite powerful and have a great degree of sound quality that their name implies, salt, as to add flavour to your music. With a decent amount of resolution along with a lush, intimate sound accompanied by a high end, soulful bass response that is actually kind of rare in this price range as most other companies are in pursuit of a clinical, neutral sound, therefore, purist might find the Shio lacking some top end technicalities as they are tuned towards a more intimate sound. Their soundstage might be a little closed along with a high range that is lacking in brilliance but they are priced so competitively that this is just a nit-pick. So hats off to you Truthear for this device, a job well done.
I would rate this product a solid 4 and half stars over 5.
Pros;
- Highly resolving, musical sound
- Solid build with great luxurious design
- Sleek and small
- Amazing bass quality
- Intimate, lush midrange
- Warm, smooth and inoffensive high range
- Powerful sound with gain settings
- Quiet background
- Doesn’t draw much battery
- High price vs performance index
Cons;
- Accessories like USB A adapter is lacking
- Micro detailing is a little average
- Lacks brilliance in the high range
- Soundstage a little too closed
- Doesn’t pairs well with some warmer sound gears
- Sound might not be clinical enough
