Today, we are going to be taking a look at the Atom 2 from Audirect. It will be the first dongle we will be reviewing her at Earphonatics Audio Reviews.
So about Audirect / Hilidac, they are a brand that specializes mainly in making DACs/AMPs as far as I know. I was personally a fan of their Beam series. The Atom 2 is the third dongle in the Atom series after the original Atom followed by the Atom Pro. There is also a 4th DAC in the series but it's not a dongle. However, I do hope to be able to review that soon.
What so special about the Atom 2 you may ask? The Atom 2 is not only able to convert your type C port into a 3.5mm Jack but is capable of rendering MQA files. These days, MQA is not yet very common in small dongles like the Atom 2. DACs have also come a long way. In the past, a good DAC could have been bigger than your gaming desktop.
Specifications:
Now on paper the Atom 2 boasts some really impressive qualities that aren't found on a lot of DACs. An average DAC would only support up to 32bit/384khz sampling rate but the Atom 2 supports up to 32bit/768khz. It also supports up to DSD512 and MQA files. It is also smaller than what you are expecting. MUCH MUCH smaller.
The Atom 2 comes in 2 variations. The Lighting IOS plug for Apple users and Type C for Android users and Recent MacBook Versions that use Type C.
*DISCLAIMER*
ShenZhenAudio and Audirect have sent us the Type C version for the purpose of this review. We want to thank them a lot for this opportunity.
Packaging:
This is nitpicking, but the specification sticker seems poorly stuck. I expect more from a well established brand like Audirect.
When you open up the box, you should immediately see the Atom 2.
Remove the first layer of foam and you will see the USB adapter for use with your Desktop/Laptop. One question though, why is there a foam cut out for a Type C to Type C?
You also get a instruction booklet.
Light:
How to use the Atom 2?
Just plug and play!
Top View
Side View
Front View
The Build of the Atom 2 seems to be very good. No wires so no chance of breaking them by bending the cable too much. Very sturdy metal design and compact. The Atom 2 also has a very nice design with a red metallic front panel. This design however, makes it a fingerprint magnet and is potentially prone to scratching.
Sound:
Upon listening for the first time, I personally found this to be a rather warm sounding DAC and over the past month, it has been more or less the same. The Atom 2 has a somewhat boosted low end. It helps to add some fun to your IEM but with more bassy IEMs, it can be a bit too much. The bass has good texture and it extends well.
The lower mids are also boosted and this helps thin sounding IEMs to sound less thin and metallic and reduces nasty BA timbre.
I think one area where the Atom 2 really stumbles would be just the treble. It's not bad but it's certainly not mind blowing either. Compared to other ESS DACs, the Atom 2 walks in a 180 degree opposite direction. I guess you can say that direction is the dark side... The good thing is that there is no sabre glare.
There is lesser treble but surprisingly good resolution. It also doesn't have the usual sabre glare that people talk about. The treble is still sufficient but I could do with a little more.
Soundstage on the other hand is quite a different story. Combined with my TRI Starsea which I recently purchased, it can be huge! The TRI Starsea was already famous for its soundstage and the Atom 2 takes it up by another level. It also improves imaging capability.
I have tried a number of different IEMs with the Atom 2 and all have similar results. The Atom 2 is just warm. But because its warm, it has a very dark background and no hiss with sensitive IEMs.
Other Things To Note:
If you are planning to drive this with inefficient Headphones/IEMs etc, don't bother. It's not a Hidizs S9.
There is a high gain and low gain mode. It will automatically switch to high gain with IEMs that are harder to drive.(There is a way to bypass the low gain since it is not exactly a powerful dongle. Drop us an email at Earphonatics.Audio.Reviews@Gmail.Com and we'll gladly help you)
What I think can be improved?
I think the Atom 2 could have done well with a more balanced or in fact a neutral or brighter signature.
I prefer designs with a wire like the Hidizs Sonata HD II with strain relief re-enforcements around the joints to increase durability.
Have some firmware options like Hidizs to cater to different peoples needs.
(Pardon me for making Hidizs references. They are the benchmark for USB DACs in my opinion.)
I like the high and low gain mode but I think it could do with a little more power.
Conclusion:
The Atom 2 is a fantastic dongle at its price. While it may not be the best, it is truely competent in its price. Not many dongles can handle MQA files yet so the Atom 2 is a good choice. If you have bright IEMs, the Atom 2 is a must have. When paired with bright sounding IEMs, you can feel the full potential of the Atom 2 and the IEM.
Thanks to Cloris at ShenZhenAudio and Audirect for sending the Atom 2 for review.
You can purchase your Atom 2 by visiting the links below.
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