HIFI Diary: iBasso DC04Ultra Portable DAC Quick Sound Quality Review

I. Preface

After testing the W4 and the DC-Elite, the BLOG owner’s impression of iBasso underwent a complete transformation (to the point of simply keeping the DC-Elite that was sent in for review). Just in time, the brand’s dongle lineup saw a new product — this one boasting a full 1 watt of output power, making previously hard-to-drive earphones and some planar headphones newly viable. So I took the opportunity to get my hands on a DC04Ultra for a listen. Since my listening time this round was short — and because I’ve been far too busy lately — the intended full review had to be trimmed into a quick one.

II. Preparation for the Review

The device reviewed this time is the iBasso DC04Ultra, compared against the W4 and the DC-Elite — which I’d just finished testing and hadn’t yet sent back. The test earphones remain the same YinChao Technology XY0 (4.4mm) and Sony EXK (3.5mm) — if you’re unfamiliar with them, check out those reviews.

III. Assessment Tracks / Scoring Method

The track selection follows the BLOG owner’s usual listening habits: roughly 50% Japanese ACG music, 30% pop, and 20% classical. The scoring criteria derive from a simplified version of Liu Hansheng’s “Twenty Essentials for Audio,” and the methodology and evaluation system are being constantly updated. A brand-new community testing platform has also launched, where you can look up scores for everything from interfaces to DACs, earphones to speakers — and you’re welcome to submit your own ratings. Feel free to browse and use it.

IV. Testing Begins

Generated by www.rainlain.com

V. Summary

Overall, the DC04Ultra was a huge surprise for the BLOG owner. This time I not only used earphones, but also tried planar headphones — for example the Ukrainian planar VERUM 2 that a friend just sent over for testing; the DC04Ultra drives it with proper aplomb. To sum up the DC04Ultra’s sound in one sentence: you can’t say it’s gorgeous, but with adequate resolution and notably good dynamics, the DC04Ultra offers a highly omnivorous foundation. During listening, what impressed me most was its piano reproduction — notably better than the W4, which costs far more.

To conclude: the DC04Ultra is a healthy, high-output dongle with a fairly substantial foundation, and dynamics and resolution that both pass muster. For the vast majority of earphones and a fair number of full-size headphones, it delivers satisfying sound pressure. It suits classical music especially well, not only because its soundstage beats other dongles in its price range, but because its piano presentation is so impressive. Of course, compared with its piano, the DC04Ultra’s violin, vocals, and winds aren’t outstanding — but they’re far from becoming weak links. Overall, the DC04Ultra is a genuinely high-value dongle. It leans a bit toward the lower end, but the sound is healthy and omnivorous, and its handling of large-scale works is admirable. For anyone with hard-to-drive earphones, or a beginner who wants to drive full-size headphones at home, this is an extremely apt choice.