Lotoo

The only limit set for Lotoo had been size, but now they've roundly conquered that with Mjolnir. Limited to only 600 units made worldwide. The ultimate Lotoo ever built is a trans-portable 4-pin XLR and 4.4mm music player and DAC/amp powered by a super battery unit. Capable of outputting up to 2.5 watts of power per channel, Mjolnir is built on AKM's final units of AK4499EQ DACs. Mjolnir gives its prized, rare and out-of-print AK4499EQ chip from 2019 an all-metal, CNC-machined platform to shine upon. Robust power supplies comprised of six 21700 battery cells means this Lotoo monolith works on an operating voltage of 20 volts.  That, coupled with its silent noise floor and up to 134dB of dynamic range delivering fidelity, means Mjolnir performs about any way you want it. That means it'll drive the Empire Ears Raven and Oriolus Traillii JP, up to Focal's Utopia, ZMF Headphones' Atrium Closed and Caldera plus HEDD Audio's HEDDPhone 2 equally well. [See Product Desc. For More] It's wonderful that Lotoo provided Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM)'s AK4499EQ zenith the time capsule needed to transport this legendary chip forward for the enjoyment of future audiophiles.  With Mjolnir built on Lotoo's LTOS custom user interface, this uber-flagship DAP adds its own value with a digital subsystem – consisting of Lotoo's tried-and-true NXP i.MX 6ULL and Analog Devices Blackfin DSP processor sub-system carrying proprietary code that generates clocking and audio data I2S for its AK4499EQ. Marking Lotoo's return to current-output DACs for the first time since 2014 when Texas Instruments' (TI) PCM1792 appeared in Paw Gold, Mjolnir's four-channel AK4499EQ outputs analog to a current-to-voltage I/V stage where D/A conversion errors manifest as a DC offset that is easy to filter out – instead of more sinister total harmonic distortion. The desire for purity is mirrored in Lotoo's construction of Mjolnir. Multi-layer PCBs and a 3mm thick metal locked-in shield for the audio circuit, down to individual screws fashioned from 304 and 316 stainless steel and a CNC chassis built to surpress quality-averse vibrations, are testament to Lotoo's attention to detail. Mjolnir's pristine small signal gets fed to its power stage consisting of eight TI LME49600 buffers – the first and only time Head-Fi has seen these parts implemented in such a topology – making up an incredibly powerful paralleled quad-mono balanced output stage capable of 5 total watts. With Mjolnir's 20 volt battery power rails running closer to each LME49600's power supply requirement, each op-amp already acts linearly in the open-loop before mandatory feedback is added. Dynamics are unhindered regardless of load complexity – undoubtedly bolstered by LME49600's incredible slew-rate spec. The negative feedback finally applied as the cherry on the cake sees Mjolnir achieve up to an incredible 130dB dynamic range via 4.4mm or 4-pin XLR headphone outs, or 134dB via dual 3-pin XLR line-outs. Indeed, Lotoo built Mjolnir to function perfectly as a DAC too, its Wi-Fi undergoing Roon testing and certification, with DLNA readiness meaning use with UPnP software is also possible. Digital outputs into your Hi-Fi system's DAC also sees Mjolnir execute transport duties via AES/EBU, S/PDIF RCA and optical. So here is Lotoo with Mjolnir proudly asking whether your all-in-one system even hubs, building the ultimate all-in-one to end every argument against it. Check out Lotoo's other devices here, or view our other DAPs here.

Lotoo honour their pro heritage with their tuning of the PAW 6000. Reminiscent of newer Sony Walkman models in terms of their character and detail retrieval, Lotoo's application of potent amplification and the decoding capabilities of AKM's AK4493 DAC chip sees Paw 6000 offer both entertainment and a reference sound you can trust. You'll be able to see everything from Lotoo here and all our other music player options here.

Lotoo have done it again with PAW S2. The same AKM AK4377 DAC makes another appearance, but S2's platform to perform vastly outstrips its predecessor. [See Product Desc. For More] Trickling down from the superb Lotoo PAW Gold Touch and PAW6000 is the Blackfin DSP chip by Analog Devices. The Blackfin is loaded with code written by Lotoo to present raw I2S for its DAC, sourcing its clock from an AKM PLL chip, so S2's decoding ability goes up significantly. Tidal MQA decoding also arrives as standard. It's absolutely the host with the most (bar Bluetooth) to Twister6. PAW S2's clean, quiet small signal then gets output to a potent 150mW headphone amplifier that outputs in balanced 4.4mm. This little pocket powerhouse leaves you missing little from the full-size experience. Also browse Lotoo's other releases here, or our other portable DAC/amps here.