Introduction
Hey guys, meet the 3rd generation of ZuperDAC by Zorloo. There are 2 models this round – ZuperDAC Pro and ZuperDAC Max. Both of them are powered by ESS Sabre 9281ACPRO. They support 32-bit PCM up to 768kHz, DSD up to 22.5MHz and also loaded with MQA Renderer. Pro model comes with the usual 3.5mm jack while Max model gets extra 4.4mm balanced jack. Does it sound great? Let’s find out together…
Special Thanks
This review is possible thanks to below companies. Be sure to check them out too…
- Zorloo for this Zorloo ZuperDAC Pro and Zorloo Ztella USB-DAC
Package Content & Design
Alright, here are the ZuperDAC Pro that I have. FYI, mine is engineering sample. So no retail packaging. Besides the DAC, there are USB-C to USB-C cable and USB-A adapter. There is an optional USB-C to lighting cable for iPhone/iPad users too.
Excellent build quality with matte black aluminum chassis. ZuperDAC Pro is measured at 39mm x 11mm x 7mm and weight at 4.2g. The top part is the USB-C port and the bottom part is the 3.5mm jack. By the way, there is a LED indicator too. Blue for idle or SD audio <= 48kHz, red for HD audio > 48kHz, magenta for MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) content.
Software
No additional software is needed to use ZuperDAC Pro. It is plug and play for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS and Windows 10/11. You will get USB Audio Class 2 standard then. In order to unleash its true potential, you need to install 3rd party applications like Onkyo HF Player, USB Audio Player Pro, Hiby Music Player on mobile devices like Android and iOS. Foobar2000, Audirvana, Tidal, Roon for Windows PC and Mac OS X. You can enjoy high resolution audio playback up to 32-bit PCM up to 768kHz and DSD up to 22.5MHz then. Zorloo has a lot of useful guides on setup the best audio settings on these players. Be sure to check them out.
For example, this is Audirvana Windows edition that playing MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) FLAC content. DSD128 is also supported as you can see.
Sound Quality
Soundstage is the very first thing that I always test when I got a new earphones or DAC. Guest what? Zorloo ZuperDAC Pro passed the test with flying colours! The widest soundstage DAC that I have tested so far. Period. Yes, even wider than Zorloo Ztella that I love. However, the depth is not as deep as Ztella. Nonetheless, it is still performing very well. In short, you can have clearer instruments’ placement in classical music like orchestra.
Outstanding details retrieval as expected. ESS Sabre 9281ACPRO doesn’t let me down at all. All the instruments in Arcason by Candido Camero can be heard clearly no doubt. If you are coming from normal smartphone audio DAC, you might notice that you missed out some of the details when playing your favourite songs with ZuperDAC Pro. Yes, it is that great!
For driving power, ZuperDAC Pro’s integrated headphone amplifier is powerful. It will detect and analyze the connected headphone to generate the ideal output levels automatically. So it will deliver an output of 2Vrms to your high impedance headphone which is more than twice the power of a standard smartphone. In addition, it has very clean output. No hiss noise even on low impedance in-ear monitors like Oriveti Primacy (11Ω). That’s great!
Overall, Zorloo ZuperDAC Pro has neutral sound signature. Again, superior sound performance for its small form factor. Excellent performance! In details… Highs are clear and sharp. Super clarity and transparent. For mids, it is playing very well too. All the instruments and vocal can be heard clearly even in the complex scene. Definitely much better than your smartphone. That’s for sure. And it does not add much colours on them. Neither cold nor warm. So neutral vocals are what you get. Lows are fast and does the job well. It may not have powerful deep bass like those warm sound signature DAC but you still can feel the bass bumping here and there. In short, neutral and balance.
Advantages
- Neutral sound signature
- Excellent clarity and transparent
- Outstanding details retrieval
- Extremely-wide soundstage & imaging
- Multiple platform support
- Ultra portable and lightweight
- Excellent build quality
Limitations
- Soundstage can be deeper
Conclusion
Zorloo has done it again! Enjoy ESS Sabre 9281ACPRO neutral sound signature with ZuperDAC Pro. It supports high definition audio from PCM 768K to DSD 22.5M including MQA. Don’t forget ultra-spacious soundstage, details retrieval, clarity and transparency too. Wait no more and get yours at Indiegogo now.
