ddHiFi M120B

Design.

Among some of my favorite ddHiFi accessories are small usb dongles which I often treat as a “digital” adapter for 3.5mm and 4.4mm terminated cables, sometimes even forgetting it actually contains DAC and functions like a portable USB DAC dongle.  But no matter how small it gets, you still need to use IEM cable and a separate dongle/adapter.  ddHiFi solution here is to combine a cable and a dongle, including in-line remote with a mic and a digital termination to support a direct connection with either usb-c or lightning based smartphones.

Different versions of M120B cable are available, covering every combination between usb-c, lightning, 2pin, and mmcx.  Due to limitation in compatibility, usb-c version features ALC5868 dac supporting 32bit/384kHz lossless decoding and the output of 15mW per channel.  The lightning version features C100 dac supporting 24bit/48kHz lossless decoding and 8.4mW per channel of the output power.  I can only speak for usb-c version I received which I found to draw very little current, only 40mA, from my Galaxy S22 smartphone.

The wires have high purity OCC copper and silver core (25.6awg) and silver-plated OFC cross shielding (22awg).  The cable jacket is green, matching the color of Janus 3 shells.  But what makes this design unique, besides the dac and the cable integration, is moving the circuit up into the splitter, away from the connector so there is less interference with a source (smartphone or DAP).  The splitter features CNC machined compact enclosure with a single button control for playback/calls and a mic pinhole.

My M120B review sample arrived with mmcx connectors for Janus 3 compatibility, featuring a compact connector housing and L/R marking.  And again, I wish marking would have some indicator in red on the right side.  The usb-c plug design matches their latest cable releases and features a very robust construction with aluminum/copper finish and easy to grip housing, very cool looking design.

Pair up w/Sound Analysis.

Since I already covered M120B pair up with Janus 3, comparing its wired connection with a stock cable and a DAP vs digital cable and my Samsung Galaxy phone, I decided to continue this comparison with other mmcx connector IEMs.  Unfortunately, I don’t have as many of mmcx IEMs in my collection.

Here, using my usual test tracks mentioned early in the review, I compared the performance of a handful of IEMs driven from LPGT with their corresponding stock cables vs being paired up with my Galaxy S22 phone and using M120B cable.

iBasso IT07 – I hear a sound improvement in mid range due to a bit more neutral lower mids which opened up upper mids with more clarity and higher resolution.  As a result, there is also a wider perception of the soundstage opening.  Bass and treble remain the same, but mids improvement is quite noticeable.  Also, iBasso mmcx socket is usually tighter and not as friendly with other aftermarket cables, but here it had a perfectly secure and easy to handle fit.

CFA Andro ’20 – I hear the change in mids as well, except with M120B cable I hear mids being a bit thicker in body, the opposite effect of IT07 pair up (maybe due to the impedance difference).  This could work for those who want to hear Andro with a lusher tonality and smoother treble.  It does affect the retrieval of details since the sound is more organic and less airy now, and also the soundstage becomes more center-focused and intimate.  The color match of the cable and Andros is dead on.  Oh, and no hissing.

CFA Andro ’23 – similar to ’20 transformation, the sound of new Andros gains more body in mids, becoming thicker and lusher, not as much as it was in ’20 version, but still quite noticeable.  It is definitely for those who wants a smoother and more organic tonality in their Andro.  The soundstage was still wide.  No hissing as well.

CFA Solaris ’20 – no surprises here, also a change in mids, but I enjoyed this pair up a lot more than with Andro ’20.  The mids do gain a bit of body and texture, but it didn’t take away from the retrieval of details regardless of the sound becoming more organic in tonality.  Surprisingly, bass gained a bit more bloom while still remaining well controlled without spilling into mids, and treble is a touch smoother as well.  I actually enjoyed this pair up a lot.  No hissing here as well.

CFA Solaris ’23 – this was a brilliant pair up, adding more texture to sub-bass rumble and adding more body and texture to lower mids which gave Solaris a more natural fuller body sound.  With treble sparkle and extension remaining the same, the retrieval of details and the resolution didn’t change either.  You can still hear a big soundstage expansion, finetuning Solaris ’23 to a perfection.  Absolutely loved this pair up.  And again, no hissing.

I definitely enjoyed IT07 and Solaris ’20 and ’23 sound transformation with M120B, and as already mentioned, Janus 3 pair up with M120B also scaled up the performance of those IEMs.  Definitely something to consider since M120B will be cheaper than upgrade cables.

Conclusion.

I don’t have as much of the listening experience with the latest popular chi-fi releases, but I did enjoy Janus 3 tuning and comfort (worn with the cable down), especially with my phone and M120B while relaxing and streaming movies/shows.  I was also impressed with how far ddHiFi came from the day I heard their original Janus prototype 3 years ago.  They improved the design, they updated the tuning, and they… actually reduced the price.  And speaking of the price, while Janus 3 cost $129.99 and M120B goes for $89.99, you can buy them together in a bundle for $199.99 and still get Janus 3 with 3.5mm/4.4mm terminated cable in addition to a digital cable.  I definitely recommend M120B cable, and not just for the convenience but also because it actually finetunes the sound of Janus 3.

And as a final thought, I’m glad to see that ddHiFi is expanding and improving their portfolio, listening to the feedback of their customers, and still adding the audiophile fashion signature to every new product they release.  Can’t wait to see what they are going to come up with next!