DD HiFi accessories: DJ35A ($15.99, 2.5mm bal female to 3.5mm se male), DJ44A ($17.99, 2.5mm bal female to 4.4mm male), C-2019 case ($36, brown)
DDHiFi: https://www.ddhifi.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ddhifi/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?me=A3FQ50NHSQ5S8Q&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Aliexpress: https://ddhifi.aliexpress.com/store/4673052
DJ series (bundle for $29.99): here
Case (brown, $36): here
A thank you to Lily for the review samples. Many of their products have already been reviewed with good results. I can add to that already as both adapters were included in the Vision Ears VE8 & Elysium review units (unbeknownst to DD HiFi and a nice surprise!). I have no financial interest or reward in a good review, only the receiving of the products. It is understood that the products may be asked for return at any time, but my ownership is implied. I may also not sell the items for profit, plus that’s really uncool to do. No, it really is…
As stated above many excellent reviews have come before mine, so there is not a lot I can add, other than having used the items and experienced carrying the above items around. I used them all pretty much every day and in a variety of situations (before COVID-19), and still do. The quality is fantastic.
Often, one is looking for the complete carrying case with their DAP and IEM’s, or to carry multiple IEM’s. Fit and adjusting can be hard to do or make perfect with many of the options available. I know this because I have many old portable camera cases, which I liberated from school (they were to be thrown away and work perfectly for DAP’s), which work well, but not perfectly. I am always looking for a better solution, and the C-2019 is another option.
Just like one often looks for the perfect case, an adapter is all but a necessity unless you want to change cables often between sources. Using the adapter allows you to quickly go between sources or adapt the jack to the source, such as the more in vogue 4.4bal connections now. Many of us have a plethora of 2.5bal cables, and do not want to shell out the cost for new cables. Hence the need for the adapters.
Unboxing/Fit-n-finish/Functionality:
C-2019:
Coming in well protected cardboard boxes, the items were wrapped like you would a six-year old’s Christmas present…ready for abuse in the opening! Upon removing the tightly packed plastic wrap from the case, I was met with how well built the case is. At first glance, I noted how tough it looked and sturdy. This is no flimsy $10 case for IEM’s. this is meant to protect your several hundred-dollar DAP and IEM’s, which cost the equivalent. Even the brown color looks fabulous.
Made of dual-layer 1860D high-tensile strength Ballistic Nylon on the exterior and with high-quality metal YKK zippers to close the unit up, quality radiates all around. Add on a double stitched carrying handle, and the case can be safely carried while your hand is inside the opening. An opening on one end protected by a leather patch gives access to the inside so you can charge your DAP or phone while inside the case. The hole is small to start with, so be careful when putting your cable through. The tight fitted nature of the opening makes for an almost sealed approach as well.
Inside is a whole story in itself. One could be forgiven if expectations were for a compartment with maybe a pouch or two. No, there are two mesh pouches and five micro-SD card slots on the top. The bottom has two elastic straps, which will hold your DAP in place, plus two Velcro “separators.” Those separators can be placed either on their side or act like a strap on top of a cable or IEM. I will state that to me both of the separators are too short. I would have appreciated longer straps and more Velcro. As is, they will not strap over a DAP or IEM (most likely not meant to be used that way) without coming undone. Even sideways used as separators, they are a tad short in length. Wider and longer would have been appreciated, but one can always make their own. Used as separators, they do work just fine, but make sure leave room to put the DAP under the Velcro straps. Good padding is afforded all around, to protect your goods as well. This is like a mini-camera case in its protection ability.
Putting my Dethonray DTR1 under the straps and the charging cord (complete with outlet) makes for a tight fit. In fact, the case is not tall enough to safely carry the charging unit. Also, my Legend X metal case would not fit either. But it really does not need a case. If taken out, the IEM and PW cable fit just dandy. Smaller DAPs such as my Shanling M2x fit just fine, and any assortment of IEM’s fit with no problem. Adding in the adapters or another cable (as in one se and a bal cable) works as well. Well protected as well was the Cayin N6ii attached to the Legend X, with the PW Audio cable coming out the mentioned bottom hole. It was a tight fit, but that is all right. Any extra protection afforded to the kit is welcome.
A very versatile case, with much adjustability as well as pretty much bombproof construction make the C-2019 a very good case at an affordable price.
DJ35A/DJ44A:
Since the advent of 2.5mm bal jacks as well as 3.5mm se, adapters have become a necessity for audiophiles as well as anyone who has a lightning cabled iPhone. Don’t forget your dongle if you want to listen to the phone. And with all of those differing connections, there is a multitude of adapters for connecting. Some decent, some just plain cheap, and some quite bad. DD HiFi saw the need to provide quality audiophile grade adapters for an affordable price. Also, the adapter must be convenient to use and not lose. Small usually equals lost. Of course, with the DD case, that shant be a problem.
The Cayin N6ii comes with an excellent right-angled adapter of the 2.5 bal female to 4.4 bal male variety so a like for like comparison is obvious. I also have the iFi iEMatch, which is 3.5 se female to 3.5 se/bal male adapter as well. The iFi can be changed for sensitive IEM’s as well as a switch for bal or se. It is also much more expensive. I use both of the others a lot.
The Cayin is a like for like and I can hear little difference between the two. Both are right angle, but the svelte nature of the DD wins out if you are looking for the lowest profile possible. I know that accidents happen, and a lower profile leads to fewer accidents. The Cayin sits higher and even with the 4.4 jack I still treat it well. The DD has a lower profile and therefore wins out in my book. Both are easier to drive than the iFi, which is approximately 50% lower in volume going back to back (seat of the pants, not measured). Suffice to say there is a definite difference in ease of driving.
As is the trend lately, seeing inside is the way to go, and here I cannot fault DD for that. The look of the adapters is flat art deco-ish and worthy of being called audiophile grade on that alone. Highlighted in silver and copper, the look is understated, and you can very easily see the quality build of the unit as a whole. Just like the case. DD has their stuff together with build quality. But we know that isn’t the only criteria, and the sound, which emanates can back the looks up.
And the adapters deliver a noise free floor no matter the source. The only problem I had was when I put my phone on top of the Cayin where I had a low audible hum. Simple solution…move the phone. Other than that, the sound was top notch, with to me no audible differences than without the adapter. The adapter was not meant to enhance the sound, simply to provide no impedance to the sound path. And for that the DD adapters work.
For the price that the DD offerings are, they are a bargain. Add in the quality of workmanship, and it all but makes the products a steal. From the case, which is one of the best out there to the ingenious little nuances the adapters provide, DD products are top notch. Small, portable and usable that is all you need here. This would be a case of going about your business without fuss. You do not have to worry about the DD products hindering your operations, they just work. And sometimes that is what you need from an accessory.
I thank DD and Lily for the opportunity to use the items provided. They are all top quality and as stated just work without fuss or attention. And that is all I could ask from them.
