Heyday is where i can finally step off the merry-go-round until MEMS hit the market at reasonable costs.
Ill stick to the OG WU for my IDM library but for everything else, its these or the MMkii.
My Timeless will stay permanently attached to the Fiio UTWS5.
Despite these sitting at the top of my planar tree (Heyday, Timeless & OG Wu, Modded S12, P1) im still amazed at what a great job 7Hz did with the Timeless.
10 Likes
Old, good tech doesnāt suddenly get bad
4 Likes
I added it to my radar and quickly looked about it on some stores. Then I realised it has the exact same dac than my jcally ap10, that has more output power and is half the cost or even less.
Now, I donāt think dac is everything, and I donāt know if ap10 sounds like the 2bal or not, but to everyone, consider AP10 for your next dongle buy; your ears and wallet will thank you 
3 Likes
Another option in the price range that has the CS43131 DAC chips is the Ibasso DC03 pro. That one doesnt have balanced output but has different advantages such as independent volume control which the jcally doesnt have I believe and an app although that can be considered a disadvantage for being another thing that you have to juggle. I managed to grab one for like 40 bucks but its gonna take till the end of the month until it arrives.
5 Likes
Oh, a fellow member of the pinnalet club. Itās more common that you wouldnāt think.
Yes, P1 Plus might be a ringer for you 
1 Like
Oh, well, hello there!
Iām a publicly disliker of dongles. They are messy, they put weight on my phone and break ports/cables.
But I do have to love their convinience. Plug in play, no pain attached. RU-6 sounds like honey but honey has a treble roll-off. M15 was not for me. Both are overpriced, to say the least.
And then Link2 came in a package. I ignored it for a week or two since I was trying too hard not to use mojo2 at the time (thatās still an unsolved love story, but Iām a financial responsible human being now - lol). Oh boy was I wrong.
Sure, it doesnt give you that dynamic and fun feeling for the mojo2, neither the reliability and power of my topping L70 or the whistles and bells my M6 Ultra display. But for around 120 on sale?
The main event is without a doubt its stage. You can find its warm neutral signature somewhere else these days, and even the now standard 4.4mm that is a must for me, but theres something to it. And that something made go from all dongles get no use to a permanent place for this one in my desk, at least during work times. Again, just plug in play any set, no headaches.
And for me, something that is on my desk permanently, is bigger than a recommendation - itās aknowledgment.
11 Likes
Yes! The xDuoo Link2Bal is fucking nuts to be honest. Itās so so so much fun to listen to (through?). Music sounds yuUUUuge & powerful, just how I like it. Itās like music is exploding in every direction inside (and outside) my skull! Itās almost absurd how different dongles can sound. This and the M15 for example are polar opposites imo.
This is a pure musical signature first and foremost and not dry sterile analytical (like M15) YET because of the humongous stage, it allows you to pick out and enjoy each individual instrument with ease. In other words, it does give you indirectly an analytical aspect to the sound.
Itās a genius sound presentation.
Guys, you need one of these in your arsenal. I have spent 4 continuous hours with this dongle now and I just cannot recommend it enough, Iām so absolutely satisfied with this thing! Man I donāt even care if I come across as a shill, Iām just an enthusiastic lover of music and gear. If you donāt trust me, at least trust Nymz on this!
6 Likes
^^^ This 100% phone > dongle > transducer looks like some fancy Carp fishing rig at best 
3 Likes
@nymz not to be a hound, but since she got her taste of Serratus, and Iāve told her Iām interested in Tantalus and Ripples, she read your reviews and is interested too.
So she would like to know when it might be time to expect the Ripples review.
Asking for a friend 
5 Likes
xDuoo may not measure well on some hardcore testing sites, but boy, they do know how to make sound sound WAY better than measurement.
Pure wizardry.
3 Likes
The enthusiasm for the xDuoo Link2Bal has triggered my āGear Acquiring Syndrome.ā If I have a Gryphon and a BTR7 would there be any benefit in getting the xDuoo?
3 Likes
The dongle madness guy rates the ibassos higher than the xduoos. Looks like you got a good deal
2 Likes
No man, you already have enough. Gryphon is a beast.
3 Likes
Thanks for pointing this out. I thought Andy retired but seems he was back. Last time I checked, Link2 was on his top 5, but seems stuff has changed. I gotta take a read about that iBasso. For science at least 
2 Likes
Just out of curiosity, how does Link2 compare to GoBlu?
The more musical approach seems to be the same
I thought you retired too, but it looks like youāre back too 
ā¦
1 Like
1 Like
I have heard the Khan.
I have experienced the Khan.
Iām sorry HBB, but it wasnāt for me. My notes are as follows - Khan - boring and flat with near impossible fit and seal for me. Sorry, these are just not for me.
7 Likes