IBASSO JR MACARON – PINT-SIZED WARRIOR

INTRODUCTION:

iBasso Audio, a reputed brand based in China is known for its immaculate products that ranges from IEM’s, DAC, DAP etc. The Jr is the sub brand of iBasso, established in order to provide high quality audio products at a feasible cost to the consumers. The iBasso Jr Macaron being their first DAC/AMP in its catalogue, let’s check out its features and sonic performance in this detailed review.

IBASSO JR MACARON SPECIFICATIONS:

DAC Chip: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43131

Headphone Output: 3.5mm (Single-Ended). 4.4mm (Balanced)

Input: USB Type-C

PCM Support: Up to 32bit/384kHz

DSD Support: Native DSD256x

4.4mm (Balanced)
4.0Vrms (300Ω load)
2.6Vrms (32Ω load)
Output Impedance : <0.2Ω

3.5mm (Single-Ended)
1.65Vrms (32Ω load)
2.0Vrms (300Ω load)
Output Impedance : <0.1Ω

BUILD, DESIGN AND FEATURES:

The Macaron gets a nice aluminum treated body with glass covering on both the sides. The size fits right in your palm with a premium matt finished surface. The branding is subtle and is not flashy. The Type C input port is given on one side and the dual output ports are embedded on the other side.

A cute little LED indicator is embedded on the top side that lights up when in use. The included stock type C cable feels flimsy; therefore, careful usage is definitely needed on the user’s part

The Macaron gets its own volume rockers which enables the users to adjust the volume independently with precise 100 clicks.

IBASSO JR MACARON SOUND IMPRESSIONS:

IBASSO JR MACARON SOUND OVERVIEW

Macaron adopts the widely famous and well known CS43131 Dac Chips in dual configuration. As expected, the signature is nice and warm which feels pleasing and non-fatiguing. It is equipped with the Japanese KDS Femtosecond crystal oscillator for representing an accurate sound.

BASS PROFILE:

• CS43131 is known for its warmth in sound and the same is observed here. The bass feels fuller and bodied with more control over its speed and decay.
• Texture feels nice and velvety making them sound more mature.

MID SECTION:

• It’s pretty neutral with its presentation. No noticeable coloration is seen representing a nice uncolored transparent background.
• It represents the mid-section a bit forward allowing them to be more engaging.
• Tone is set to be natural allowing more vivid and realistic representation.

TREBLE:

• Fairly extended treble and for a moment it even makes you forget it’s a budget DAC.
• This got that needed brightness for an airier presentation.

TECHNICALITIES:

STAGING: It’s good but definitely not the biggest in the town. My gripe with this Macaron is the stage being average especially with its height.

DETAIL RETRIEVAL AND RESOLUTION: It’s on par with its competitors when it comes to micro dynamics where this extracts the essential nuances with above average resolution.

IBASSO JR MACARON POWER DRAW:

Macaron boasts its strength here where the power draw is very minimal. The brand states that its very power efficient as it only draws around 80mA of power which makes this a perfect companion for mobile devices. Even after several hours of usage, the Macaron doesn’t heat up!

APP SUPPORT:

The UAC is the companion app for this Macaron and its available in the Play Store and App Store. It lets you access the Gain, Filters, Channel Balance etc. The features are pretty usual and minimal.

IBASSO JR MACARON VERDICT:

Macaron, the latest Dongle Dac from the sub brand of iBasso Audio is equipped with the well-known CS43131 in dual configuration. The chip is well known for its warm and smoother signature, when it’s accompanied with iBasso! It’s a magic definitely.

The brand somehow pulled the consumers by pricing it rightly at 50USD and for that price this offers a lot! An excellent design where the utilization of aluminum body and glass faceplates on both the sides makes every user to stare at it briefly. The size fits right in your palm and it’s the best design that one can think off. The cute little LED indicator on top lights up nicely when in working that gives this product a sense of premium.

The sound is just awesome out of this cute little monster. A well-controlled impact bass response, a transparent midrange with clean background and a fairly extended treble. No coloration was seen which is a big plus for me. There’s ample power in its body that can drive most of the gears one has except few power-hungry cans. The dual output of 3.5 as well as 4.4 is a big boon for audio fanatics out there.

The gripe I can find is the headroom! The stage is not the widest considering its competitors like the FiiO KA13. Another gripe is its power output; although it is not bad at all, it pales in comparison to the KA13, which offers immense power. Where it excels against KA13 is the output impedance! Macaron being the least it offers a clean background without any hiss while the KA13 misses on it. Sensitive gears go well with Macaron while the KA15 reveals its negative side.

Overall, the Macaron proves its worth and definitely is a PINT-SIZED WARRIOR!

POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES:

Pros:

• Uncoloured Warm and Smooth Signature
• Strong Bass, Neutral Midrange and Smoother High profile
• Compact Design and Minimal Power Draw
• Dual Output (3.5mm and 4.4mm)
• Adequate Power (4 Vrms in 4.4mm)

Cons:

• Limited Headroom in Staging
• Flimsy Input Cable
• Inbuilt Class H amp doesn’t allow 4Vrms in 3.5mm end