Moondrop has become one of the biggest brands in the ChiFi world, delivering some truly exceptional IEMs and headphones. Alongside these releases, it has also been delving into supporting products, including DACs, dongles, cables, and even a HiFi mechanical keyboard. This month, it released a fresh new version of its popular Moonriver 2 portable DAC/amp, the Moonriver 2: Ti. Upgraded with a gorgeous titanium shell and lower distortion measurements, it’s the same high-quality amp that includes balanced and single-ended connections and a surprising amount of power for its pocketable size. The best part? It can easily swap to your laptop or gaming PC and instantly increase your audio quality everywhere you wear headphones.
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We would like to thank Shenzen Audio for providing the sample for this review.
Specifications
- Current Price: $189.99 (Shenzen Audio)
- Model: Moonriver 2:TI Portable DAC/AMP
- DAC: Dual CS43198
- Headphone Plug: 3.5mm SE, 4.4mm BAL
- Frequency Range:7Hz-85kHz (±1dB)
- Background Noise:
- 4.4mm: 1.5μV (AES17 20kHz)
- 3.5mm: 1.2μV (AES17 20kHz)
- SNR:
- 4.4mm: 131dB(A-wt)
- 3.5mm: 123dB(A-wt)
- Dynamic Range: 4.4mm: 131dB (A-wt)
- Line Out:
- 3.5mm: 2Vrms
- 4.4mm: 4Vrms
- Maximum Output Power: 4.4mm: 32Ω 280mW, 300Ω 53mW
- THD+N: 4.4mm: 0.00014% ( AES17 20kHz, 300Ω)
- Weight: 30g
- Size: 57mm x 19.6mm x 13.4mm
Moondrop Moonriver 2: Ti - What Is It?
The Moondrop Moonriver 2: Ti edition is a new version of the popular Moonriver 2 that was released in the Spring of last year. It is upgraded with a brand new titanium shell to provide it a fresh new look and extra-durable feel. To use PC terms, it’s a self-enclosed sound card, handling both processing and amplification. Plug it into your smartphone or PC and it instantly takes over all audio duties, providing a noticeable bump in sound quality, more clarity, and much more power than either system is likely to provide on its own.
We call this type of device a hybrid DAC/amp. Often, in the world of desktop audio, you’ll find these two devices separated, housed in boxy enclosures that range from the size of a deck of cards to half a shoebox or even greater. The Moonriver 2: Ti is considered a dongle because of its small size and pocketable design. At 2.24 x 0.77 x 0.53 inches, it’s obviously bigger than an actual headphone-jack-styled dongle, but it’s easy to toss in a pocket or bag and provides far more power for its added size.
If these terms sound like Greek to you, let’s break it down. A DAC is a digital-to-analog converter. Its sole job is to turn the digital 1s and 0s from your PC or phone into analog impulses that can be played by the speakers in your headphones or headset. There are many different types of DACs, and their quality is usually assessed based on the resolution and features they’re able to provide. An “average” music file can be considered to be 16-bit/44.1kHz, bit-rate and sample rate respectively. The higher the bit and sample rate, the higher resolution audio the DAC is able to provide. DACs also provide access to different file types, like DSD or MQA for Tidal.
The amplifier, or amp, is responsible for powering your headphones. Without an amp, you wouldn’t be able to hear any audio at all, so even smartphones and PCs have dedicated amplifiers. They’re often weak and have poor distortion ratings, however, so offloading amplification to a dedicated device often gives you more volume and a clearer sound. Ironically, a great amp is really only something you recognize after you’re tried something better or if something goes terribly wrong with your current device. Most average amps are “fine,” in that you’ll be able to hear your games and music, but when you switch to one better, you’ll notice that you’ll hear more details in quiet or busy parts of what you’re listening to. Great amps with low distortion measurements remove a veil from your listening you may not have even realized was there!
The Moonriver 2: Ti uses the same internals as the original Moonriver 2. For the DAC, it features Dual Cirrus-Logic CS43198 chips capable of 32-bit/384kHz audio and decoding of DSD files up to DSD512. It also utilizes two four-channel amplifiers that can output up to 4 volts or 280mW out of its balanced connection. This is, first, a large amount of power. Any IEM or gaming headset you’d care to throw at it will work just fine and have lots of headroom. Second, it’s an example of the “audio first” design present throughout the Moonriver 2: Ti. Why two DACs and amps? So your left and right ear each get their own independent audio circuit without any interference or crosstalk.
Though the internals are the same, Moondrop has made some improvements in the efficiency and clarity of the chips. Total harmonic distortion (THD) is ever so slightly better on the Ti (0.00013% versus 0.00014%). It’s not enough to be audible, but since both Moonriver 2s are the same price, it’s nice to see gains, even if they’re on paper. The Moonriver 2: Ti matches the original with 131dB of dynamic range.
The Moonriver 2: Ti’s exterior design is beautiful. The titanium shell is robust, if a bit heavy. A wing-like swoop angles across the top. Flip it over and the internals are revealed behind a glass window which includes a couple of swoops of its own. It’s a striking design that looks great and feels durable and made to last.
I also have to give Moondrop kudos for including volume buttons! You would think this would be more of a standard feature, but it’s not. The Moonriver 2: Ti features 100 steps of volume control, so you won’t need to pull out your phone or adjust the volume in Windows when you need to make an adjustment. In-game alt-tabbing be gone!
One change in this model is that doesn’t have dual gain modes. On the original Moonriver 2, holding both volume buttons would swap between low and high gain modes. Here, holding both flashes a white light on the circuit board and momentarily cuts out audio, but when it returns, there doesn’t appear to be any difference.
The final thing to note is that its two outputs are not created equal. The 3.5mm single-ended output (standard headphone jack) is able to output 2 volts RMS or half the balanced output. This is still plenty for most headphones and IEMs, but for more demanding cans, you’ll want to use the 4.4mm output as it provides double the power output.
Moondrop Moonriver 2: Ti - Sound and Listening Impressions
The Moondrop Moonriver 2: Ti is an improvement over the original in build-quality but sonically, it’s a twin. That’s a good thing because, at the same price, you won’t face any hard decisions in sound quality by upgrading to the titanium shell. Your choice between each version will purely be between look and feel — well, mostly.
The Moonriver 2: Ti is a very neutral DAC/amp and doesn’t overly color what you’re listening to. The resolution is excellent, however, and it maintains very good imaging and positionality. These qualities make it a “potential pusher” where it won’t transform your headphones with extra bass or treble, but it will allow them to operate at peak performance. If your headset or IEMs sound fine plugged into your PC, the Moonriver 2: Ti will elevate them, allowing you to hear more detail and directionality in your listening experience.
I tested it with a mix of my Corsair Virtuoso gaming headset, as well as the AFUL Performer 5 and Thieaudio Prestige. The power delivery is high enough that bass is tight and fast. There’s plenty of body in the lower register, making music and games sound full. Highs are natural and smooth, without sounding exceptionally bright beyond the character of the actual earphone — this is something “cold” DAC/amps can sometimes cause. Vocals sound rich and full. But again, these experiences are the headphones being pushed to their potential and the Moonriver 2: Ti getting out of the way. It’s not creating those effects so much as facilitating them.
There’s also more perceived detail in the listening experience due to its exceptionally low noise floor and dynamic range. There’s no audible noise whatsoever when things go quiet, and that black background makes it easier to hear tiny details you might otherwise miss. Removing the entire audio chain from your PC or smartphone isolates it from all of the other noisy internals. Add in proper shielding, isolation, and top-shelf components, and you have a recipe for an ultra-quiet, revealing dongle.
The soundstage, on the other hand, does receive some enhancement. I found that the Moonriver 2: Ti added some space and air to the listening experience. This is definitely a plus for gaming and particularly if you’re using IEMs or a closed-back gaming headset. Added space aids immersion to single-player games but is also helpful in competitive shooters where being able to pick out every detail and its location in the soundstage is key to getting the jump on your opponents.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Moonriver 2: Ti provides an energetic and engaging listening experience that is very competitive for its price. It competes exceptionally well at its current price, technically outperforming the Questyle M15 at $80 less and even the iFi Go Bar with more power and less distortion for $130 less. At $189.99, it’s not cheap, but if you’re looking for an easy upgrade to your listening experience that you can use with both your PC and your phone, this is an outstanding choice for music and gaming alike.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
