Dethonray Clarinet USB DAC/AMP – deceivingly portable

What I have personally learned since 2019 when the first Dethonray product was presented to this world – is that this brand and Anson Tse, who is standing behind it as the main inspiring individual, would stay very distinguished, focusing on stellar sound quality rather than the amount of features. The first DTR1 DAP was a masterpiece in sound and its resolution / detalization but looked like a monk among popes in comparison to other existing DAPs most of which were based on Android or HiBY OS, packed with additional streaming, reading, gaming and other functions, if not talking about bigger screens, touch interfaces, etc. Whereas DTR1, as well as its successor (DTR1+), incorporated simplified Linux-based OS, lightweight music player and old-style button control. Nevertheless, both are my favorites and no brainers when someone asks about the best sounding DAPs around.

Along with DAPs, Dethonray has a line of well-respected portable DAC/AMPs, including Pegasus (BT only option), table top AMP and a set of planar IEMs. Never had a possibility to put my hands on amp or other products, except both DAPs, Pegasus BT dac/amp and Tender 1 planar IEMs. The latter two are similarly exceptional in terms of sound quality and perfect picks in my own paradigm. Although, there were some technical concerns coming from the owners of Pegasus about its software-emulation of volume button algorithm. Personally, I didn’t experience any inconvenience, knowing that such approach is a trade off for omitting mechanical potentiometer possible rustles in future. I had this happened to various equipment of mine, including guitars, electronics and, even, gaming controllers and I am glad that Anson has made this impossible in his devices.

So, what makes Dethonray products so distinguishable? As for me, there are three factors contributing to that:

• DPPU (Desktop Plus Power Unit): dual high-density battery customized power system, separation of analog and digital circuitry power resulting in less noise

This power system is in core of all Dethonray products, which, as I can remember, was kind of pioneer approach in portable audio by Anson that forced other companies to review their circuitry as well since it delivered better performance.

• The choice of DAC/AMP chips: AKK is instead of ESS which results in thicker and more natural timbre

In particular, Clarinet DAC chip is AK4493S, accompanied by AK4118K (digital audio 24bit/192kHz transceiver, responsible for COAX, Optical input processing) and OPA 1612 op-amps on the output end. All of those are well-known high-grade and quality components that dedicate much to the resulting sound quality.

• Keep it simple approach, focus on audio quality: minimum functions but precise focus on the main purpose

Perhaps, this is the most important – instead of integrating some common OS like Android and fighting its processing / EQ and/or incorporating all types of streaming, apps and hardware components that should be available in such device and that would definitely require much more shielding to eliminate the excessive noise to a certain extent, Dethonray products are kept simple to completely avoid any type of potential hazard to the sound. You wanted to have a perfect audio source – well, here it is, not for reading, games, streaming or pace calculation – only the bit-perfect, high quality processing, nothing more.

So, here are the declared specs:

Apart from what is stated above, there are some additional features that comes handy in using this device. For example, Clarinet has 2 USB type-C ports, separate for USB DAC input and charging functions. This allows to omit charging during USB DAC use and completely exclude any possible noise from this process, or to have charging simultaneously for infinite usage. Although it is great, I would say that it still lacks the function of completely excluding the use of battery from this equation and staying on external power just to preserve battery degradation if Clarinet is planned as a part of desktop setup. I’ve seen such solutions from xDuoo, for instance, and I think that this might make such devices even more versatile.

Along with dual USB port, we have Low / High GAIN switch to adapt different types of connected end gear, front and back status multicolor LEDs to indicate working state / media quality / discharge state (front) and charge state (back), as well as the ability to choose between the two firmware versions with different sound signature (Serenade for cleaner and brighter sound, Rhapsody, default, for thicker and more mellow sound). More info on LED states is stated in the user manual.

Back to the design and first impressions:

Clarinet came in a regular Dethonray thick cardboard box, minimalistic in design but secure for handling. Box contains the unit itself, USB type-C to USB A cable and user manual.

Similar to Pegasus, Clarinet looks clean in it design, feels as a very solid brick and incorporates one-piece aluminum chassis with excellent heat dissipation ability during its usage. I like that Anson designed it so simple, with rough forms and minimal accents it attracts more than it design-oriented rivals. Simple forms and such clinical look belong to hi-end gear more often than plateresque approach in the design. The only accented element is the volume knob in violet with grippy surface pattern which is totally logical since it does all the job – turns the device on and off and changes the volume. Soft but noticeable click tuns on the device at the beginning of travel and uses the rest of it for smooth volume control. I haven’t spotted any weird behavior or channel imbalance during its use, neither the linearity can be questioned here. Pretty natural feel for the knob that only imitates the mechanical potentiometer.

Haven’t noticed any substantial heat during use, only in case if charging and data transfer is happening simultaneously. Aluminum case get slightly warm, nothing to worry about.

All of my devices that I’ve tested Clatinet with haven’t had any problems with recognizing it as an external DAC. Even Linux-based HiBY OS in Hidizs AP80 DAP has managed to identify Clarinet as an external sound card and send data to USB port. There is a manual on the official Dethonray website on setting things up to use Clarinet with Foobar and which drivers to use.

The sound:

Clarinet’s tonality feels very natural, tending slightly to darker / mellow sound. No artificial cattle-like and bright spikes, everything is perfectly balanced and smooth. Lows are deep and wide, excellently contoured and textured. Mid-bass is tight and powerful. But both are perfectly balanced and not overshadowing or bleeding into the mids. Mids, on its turn, are highly textured and detailed, in a perfect spot of balance, neither far or very close (at least with the default FW). Its mellow timbre and smooth delivery makes Dethonray Clarinet very pleasing for vocals. No hisses, no sibilants even with sensitive IEMs. As an outcome of such accurate and natural tuning (plus the chips used) treble is totally enough in quantity, transparent and detailed without being accented or declined. Perfect balance for having long listening sessions even with armature driver-based IEMs.

Clarinet builds pretty wide/large virtual soundstage, outperforming any USB type -C dongles and separate DAPs I have in my possession. Quite on par with the best offering from xDuoo – XD05 BAL which have the larges stage I’ve heard in such portable DAC/AMPs. Instrument separation, layering, positioning – all are excellent and adding up to build spacious sound picture more common for full-sized desktop equipment with much higher price tag.

In summary, the sound is good, large, detailed and naturally balanced. It is rich with details, highly textured and very musical for my ears with most of the genres. Especially for my preferences which are 60-90′ rock, pop, blues, metal, etc with high dynamic range and no post-production compression for commercial means, common for modern music. Best synergy was found with magnetic-planar and DD IEMs that either fully-transparent or bring little to no coloration to the sound signature of Clarinet itself.

Conclusion:

Similarly to all Dethonray products, this one is deceivingly portable. Comparable in shape and size to lots of rivals but with unexpectedly large sound, powerful to drive most of power-hungry head gear. The main distinguishing factor for me is its sound signature – smooth, resolving, with rich mids and mellow timbre. It stands much closer to old school tube overtones rather than modern brightness and clinics of ESS-based DACs. Gets even more delightful when paired with real tube amp/preamp before sending it to speakers or headphones. Still, leaves a room for signature change with another firmware if colder sound is a preference. 9 out of 10 for this equipment to Dethonray, where the only missing point resembles the lack of all-time desktop scenario without the use of integrated battery and no possibility to upgrade op-amp chips available with some rivals.