Dignis ARCA, HAKO, and WM1 leather bag

The Leather Master!

PROS: high quality leather, top craftmanship, durable lasting design.

CONS: hard to find local distributors, premium pricing.

The product was provided to me free of charge (shipping cost only) for the review purpose in exchange for my honest opinion.

Manufacturer website: Dignis.

Intro.

While DAP manufacturers beginning to realize the consumer demand for premium quality cases instead of a cheap silicone skin and starting to include it as a stock or an optional accessory, many of these still can’t match the quality and craftmanship of the one from Dignis. I always been a fan of Dignis leather cases and use them on many DAPs, but too my surprise wasn’t aware they make more than just cases, until my recent visit to CanJam NYC. No, Dignis wasn’t there, and I don’t think they attend audio shows, especially in US. But while having a bit of a hard time shuffling through a large headphone case I used for DAPs, IEMs, and cables I had with me at the show, someone suggested to check out Dignis earphone cases.

After a closer look on their website, I did realize that I missed a few cool designs of earphone and DAP organizers. Of course, everything looks great in pictures, so I wanted to check out how it feels and functions in my hands. Here is my short review of Dignis ARCA and HAKO earphone cases/organizers and a bonus review of WM1x DAP bag which I had for a little while as well. Also, unless you find a local on-line distributor, these could be purchased from their website which ships globally.

I know a picture is worth a thousand words, so I will cover all the key features in my short write up and the rest will be showcased in pictures, including a few unboxing shots since Dignis pays attention to every detail.

ARCA – earphone case.

($38, Dignis store)

This earphone case is available in three canvas finishes (navy, khaki, charcoal) and one black leather finish (additional cost required). While it’s not the smallest or exactly pocket friendly at 100mm x 70mm x 50mm (exterior dimensions), it has one unique feature. Outside it looks like a rectangular case with a top zippered cover that flips fully open for an easy access. That top cover has a soft padding with a stretchable pocket, for either spare eartips or maybe headphone adapter. You will also find a padding around the sides and the bottom of the case. What makes it unique is the partition inside.

Dignis came up with a clever diamond shaped internal removable partition which is attached to the sides with velcro. No matter how durable or compact the case is, the biggest problem with all C/IEMs is to keep them away from bumping into each other during the transportation. The idea of a diamond partition here is that you have 4 corners to separate and to keep shells apart, up to 2 pairs of C/IEMs. The dimensions of the case box and the diamond partition were selected to fit most of the shell sizes.

Plus, the partition itself is only 25mm tall, meaning it doesn’t go all the way up, leaving extra headroom for the cable. With an average thickness 4 conductor cable, you can easily fit two pairs of IEMs/cables. If you have a thick or 8-conductor cable, there should be enough for one pair. The middle area of diamond shape partition can also be used for storage of extra eartips. And if you don’t like the diamond partition or want to use this storage box for something else, you can easily remove it.

In general, this is a great storage/travel case for premium C/IEMs and a cable, to keep shells apart, to eliminate shock, and to prevent scratches. Just keep in mind, it’s not exactly pocket friendly.

ARCA unboxing:

ARCA design:

Fitting one pair of IEMs with cables (Fourte w/Redcore, U18t w/Horus).

Fitting 2 pairs of IEMs (U18t w/Horus and IE800S).

HAKO – earphone/DAP organizer.

($90, Dignis store)

This deluxe earphone case comes in two finishes, black and navy, and has transportable dimensions of 240mm x 180mm x 50mm. Obviously, it’s not intended to go into your pocket, but it could be carried in your hand, thanks to a comfortable handle, and its compact rectangular shape fits nicely into a backpack or a bag or any other luggage. As you would expect, the attention to details is top notch. The handle has imprinted Dignis logo name and attached to the case using a peg hook. The top cover is secured by two flaps with fastener buttons, and swings open to get full access to the inside content.

Though it’s nicely padded inside, the unique part of the design is removable velcro partitions. Here you have 2 long partitions to separate this rectangular box into 3 sections, and 3 short partitions to divide each of those sections. With short partitions in place, these 3 sections will have the same width, coincidentally perfect for DAP storage. If you don’t use short partitions, these sections could be of any size. I tried it in different configurations, with 3 DAPs and headphones and some cable adapters, or 2 DAPs with more headphones/cables and cable adapters. There are different arrangements you can come up with. Plus, the short dividers don’t have to be attached perpendicular to the bottom of the case. They could be attached parallel across the top of the DAPs to keep it fastened down.

I just wish I would have this case with me at CanJam NYC show. Besides being able to fit absolutely everything I had with me, when you flip the top cover open – you have easy access and a full view of the entire content. The only thing you have to be aware, with DAPs like SP1000 where the side crown is multi-function power button, you want to be sure nothing is pushing on it across the partition.

HAKO unboxing: