Don’t know what drives the company Cozoy in their approach to the product line, but certainly not the modern marketing trends. Releasing the compact but expensive portable DAC Rei, they almost immediately introduced a more affordable Takt Pro which has almost the same sound at a price much lesser.
If in the case of Rei, the developers have kept and continue to keep the secret about the hardware, about Takt Pro know at least that he made on the mobile ES9018Q2C, supplemented with a proprietary scheme of suppressing jitter and correct harness. Additional “icing on the cake” is MFi-certified, allowing you to use this miniature device not only with computers and Android smartphones but also with iOS devices without an adapter. However, according to Cozoy, at the moment Takt Pro does not work with iPhone 8/8+/X, but an updated version of their cable fixes the situation.
Price Takt Pro is large enough, he asked for about $ 290, but compared to Rei, who will have to pay more than 500, this is a nice step forward.
Specifications
- DAC: SABRE9018Q2C
- Output voltage: 1.5 Vrms @ 32Ω
- The ratio signal/noise: 120dB
- Power supply: from USB
- Maximum resolution: up to 384 kHz/32 bit, DSD up to DSD256
Packing and delivery
Box Takt’quite simple: white cardboard, printing is minimalistic, nothing more. Inside, on a velvet lodgment rests DAC itself, next in a paper envelope a brief manual and in a separate box are three wires:
- a standard USB for connecting to computers
- MicroUSB for Android devices
- Lightning for iOS users
As you can see, for “full coverage” is not enough only the USB-C cable. Cozoy established manufacturing USB C – and Lightning-wires of high quality, but they will have to buy separately, however, their price is small.
Design and management
This is probably the most simple description of the device design history related. Very small, about the size of a little finger size, only thinner, the aluminum enclosure is more reminiscent of some kind of adaptor or adapter. Decorative elements there are only small protrusions on one side and buttons on the top side of the device. Do these buttons not do anything, just sent to the command source, which the latter should perform. One of the buttons is “ordered” to play or pause, two more — send a command to change the volume. Because he DAC volume control is not supported, you will need a source able to change the volume of a digital signal.
The use of this wonder device just like Slippers and about as useful. On the one hand connected need USB cable, with the other included headphones, connected to the signal source, and that’s it. As your battery this DAC no, it is powered by a battery source, which can not affect its operation time. According to rough measurements on my old iPhone 6 Plus battery clock Pro consumes 20 percent faster than under normal listening to music, I think it is a very tolerant Board for the tangible increase in quality.
I promised that this will be the shortest section with a description of the design? Oh, I forgot to say that everything is done “on the level”, the body is robust, the buttons click well, the build quality is also consistent with expectations.
Sound
To listen to the device used the following headphones: iBasso IT03, 99 Meze Classics, Audio Zenith PMx2, Noble Kaiser Encore, Campfire Audio Andromeda, 64 Audio U12, HUM Pristine and others.
I don’t know what is the secret Cozoy, but the fact remains — DACs on 9018Q2C on the market, but only the solution from the “goats” distinctly different sound quality on a General level (at least from what I heard). In contrast to the neutral Rei, Takt Pro offers a little more than a dark flow, but in fact the difference is — in very small nuances. Don’t know what is the logic of the company, which produces two almost equally good device with a double difference in price but as a consumer I’m happy.
The bass is slightly accentuated bass by adding mass, but with little impact on speed. “Bottom” is fast, has good textures, and hlestkost in most cases reports adequately (if headphones). Bass is well controlled and drowns out the midrange, despite the very considerable depth.
Midrange served in a slightly flattened manner, but since it is not very pronounced, the resolution is hardly decreased, but the ability to play with not much quality of records had improved, which is especially important for use with mobile streaming services. “Mean” is the living, emotional, without a care in the sharpness and microcontrast. An imaginary scene — another strong point of this device, of course, it’s not Rei, but still the volume Takt Pro builds very good, perfect sharing plans and authentically transmitting the real dimensions of the tools.
Treble is also quite detailed, they have a good resolution, attack and decay is slightly shorter than it should be, but this can hardly be considered a big problem. Takt Pro adds a little RF “visibility”, without “busting”, which could lead to the sharpness and excessive emphasis on “top”. Such an additive makes the sound airy and allows the DAC a good idea to imitate the “layering” of the RF characteristic of expensive devices.
Comparison, I will not spend, as the hero of this review on the sound quality, despite its small size, perhaps, bypasses all the players in its price range and even normally looks at the background of the device “middle middle” segment, which allows to consider it not only as an accessory to a smartphone, but as a Supplement to the player that can output sound via USB. Although, perhaps, with mobile phones Takt Pro makes sense to use in the first place.
Compatibility
On the one hand, and a half volt RMS is a little bit for any istinam, on the other — this is enough for IEM by a large margin, and without a source, able to adjust the volume of a digital signal, use Takt Pro will not work — sensitive models will be “too loud.” Also “exhaust” the device will be enough for many full-size headphones with normal sensitivity. An added bonus this microcabin gets for the almost complete lack of background noise that will appreciate the owners of sensitive models.
Genre DAC completely universal and there are no distinct tendencies has not. For a record, it is moderately sensitive, 10-point scale where-that on 6 points.
Of course, it is not without some examples
Rhapsody of Fire — Knightrider of Doom. When the grass was green, the trees above, and the metal is less monotonous, Rhansody of Fire produced an excellent, but quite badly recorded track (and the album). Many years later they decided to re-record major hits and got a result, which is not ashamed to recommend to a good DAC: high-speed percussion, choral harmonies, guitar solos — all this Takt Pro plays without any problems and stress.
Jacky Terrasson — Sous le Ciel de Paris. Now will dramatically slow it down and change the furious metal on the quiet (but no less intense nuances) jazz. Jackie Terrasson always combines in his work the incredible quality of performance and a decent recording level, and that, in fact, still want the audiophile (but money on new toys)? Takt Pro perfectly and gives this tune, reliably conveying all its nuances.
Arp Frique — Ijo Ya. Electronic music — very rare in my collections, but for such a bold mixture of genres in this track, I’m always willing to make an exception. A bit of additional warmth Takt Pro literally enliven the bass line of the composition, and a beautiful midrange and surround the scene contribute to dive into the nuances, of which there are many.
Insights
Don’t know how Cozoy does it but they manage it time after time: great sound in a compact package is exactly what you need for those who can not imagine life without a smartphone, but wants to get his sound worthy of high-end headphones. Although, of course, some smartphone applications Takt Pro is not explicitly limited.
Browse portable DAC Cozoy Takt Pro — podavavshii flea
Pavel Dmitriev