Review: NiceHCK SP4 Decoder and Amplifier Cable – Upgrade Your Wired Headphones!

2024-07-08 03:41:34

At the beginning of the year, I bought the DB2 hoop headphones produced by NiceHCK I really couldn’t put them down. After all, it is produced by Yuandao, the price is reasonable, and the sound is also very good. But the most important thing is that its appearance is fundamentally better than other headphones that cost more than 100 yuan at some blocks.

But it’s good, but the only drawback is that DB2 is a wired HiFi headset, so every time you go out and want to listen, you have to connect an external audio tail, which is really troublesome.

Indeed, NiceHCK has launched HB2 true wireless Bluetooth ear hooks, but unfortunately it is discontinued. Otherwise, I would like to find a pair to match the DB2. Fortunately, NiceHCK has recently launched a new decoder and headphone amplifier SP4 cable all-in-one, which allows DB2 to be plugged directly into HiFi on mobile phones without worrying about the audio tail effects truly lossless.

Why is SP4 said to be an all-in-one decoder and headphone amp line? Because as well as being an upgraded headphone line, it also embeds the CX31993 audio decoding chip / headphone amplifier from Conexant. This is a portable low power SoC chip of the same level as the well known Cirrus Logic CS43131.

Thus, SP4 itself supports the highest 32bit/384kHz PCM audio sampling rate and can provide 31mW output power at 32 ohm impedance. Although the U disk-type audio tails mostly started in 3-digit mW, SP4, as an upgraded line of headphones with an ultra-compact linear “small tail” is used to drive NiceHCK itself From entry-level DB2 to high-end NX4 , they are basically enough.

The craftsmanship of SP4 adheres to NiceHCK’s consistent “real” style than other headphone upgrade cables at a price of 100 yuan Difference. As for the input plug, since it is an integrated decoder and headphone amplifier, it naturally uses a USB Type-C port In addition to Android phones that can be directly plugged into the data interface, it can be used on computers too. Too bad it doesn’t support UAS1.0, so it can’t be used on Switch, otherwise it would be even more fun!

As for the other side, it uses a standard 0.78 2pin standard pin interface, which is also the interchangeable headphone cable interface used by mainstream headphones on the market such as DB2 and NX4. The pin itself has a protruding base and can be adapted to 99% of headphones using a 2-pin interface. All plug-in accessories are made of gunmetal gray aluminum alloy casing, and the new frosted surface is resistant and not easy to stain fingerprints.

Of course, SP4 can also be used with the True God-Yuandao headphones, as long as you pair them with the new version of Yuandao Kexin. Moreover, after replacing the SP4, the original Daokexin can be more suitable for wearing around the ears, further reducing the stethoscope effect during activities.

I tested the SP4 with some better-driven headphones like DB2, Yuandao Kexin, and Hiby Crystal4, and it was basically adequate without worrying about bad sound. There is a certain graininess at the bottom of the SP4 sound, which will increase the texture of the voice and some mid-frequency instruments, and also enhance the emotional atmosphere of the music.

Compared to the original DB2 headphone cable, the latter uses Apple’s 3.5 to Lightning adapter cable (using a CS43131 decoder/amplifier chip) and a Meilan HIFI Pro linear tail (also using CX31993). DB2 powered by SP4 will be more enthusiastic in portraying the emotions of the human voice At the same time, there is a fundamental improvement in the clarity, imaging, detail and other aspects of the sound.

But I still think that the main purpose of SP4 is not just to improve the quality. In fact, SP4 itself is very “original”, and the presentation of the music and musicality is more impressive than the improvement in quality.

So you will find that using SP4 with Yuandao Kexin is so “correct”. Although the use of SP4 to match the original route is too high, it is very “original” in itself, isn’t it? !

In comparison, SP4 is more restrained in its dynamic performance Of course, you can think of it as a more flattering avoidance as well. After all, the small linear tail is limited by the small internal space, which makes it difficult to achieve high thrust and control, and the SP4 is no exception. In addition, for daily use, what SP4 strives for is simplicity, directness and convenience If you want to listen to a large-scale symphony, you should leave it to a desktop computer + big ears.

In addition, the SP4 itself has both call reception and line control functions When a call comes in, you can answer it directly through the control keys on the right ear line control, and you can instantly and songs to change at any time. Although the SP4 is an upgrade line of headphones, the microphone quality is also good, the calls are clear, and there is no lag, so you can have a smooth conversation even in a noisy environment.

And compared to Bluetooth headsets, SP4 will not experience audio delay whether in HiFi, flashing movies, or playing games, and audio and video synchronization is not too simple. In addition, it uses low-power chips, so the impact of SP4 on mobile phone battery life cannot be said to be non-existent, it can only be said to be negligible.

Regarding the price, including various discounts, the actual price of SP4 is 109 yuan, which is cheaper than many of NiceHCK’s own traditional headphone upgrade lines It is equivalent to giving away the amp decoder part for free , so don’t give it up! Additionally, since SP4 is available, it’s easier to take DB2 with you. !

So, I strongly recommend to friends who are still using wired HiFi headphones, Amway NiceHCK SP4 decoder and all-in-one amplifier cable~!