W4ACG MT Short Impressions

Sound Signature / Tonality: warmer, smoother, natural, resolving.

Highlights: Beautifully crafted ultra-compact dongle in an updated mirror-finish copper chassis; easy-to-read, easy-to-navigate OLED screen; lots of configuration settings accessible and customizable on the screen; 3.5mm and 4.4mm PO outputs and SPDIF out; powerful BAL output (massive 420mW for non-battery dongle); added fixed Line Out, optimized for both low-impedance sensitive IEMs and capable of driving more demanding full-sized headphones; optimized to draw less current from your smartphone; includes a new custom Italian leather case.

Suited Genres: As a source, and regardless of its ACG (Anime, Comic, and Gaming) tuning, it is suited for and great with every genre of music, especially if you prefer a deeper and more natural analog tonality with a high level of resolution.

Impressions:

When W4ACG, with its dedicated ACG tuning mode, was announced, we didn’t know what to expect from its Anime, Comic, Gaming tuning until we got our hands on it to discover a very unique, natural, fuller-body, warm, smooth tonality, still carrying a high level of resolution with a very impressive detail retrieval for such non-analytical tuning, and a big, expanded soundstage!  W4ACG is not just a pretty refresh of their popular W4 USB-DAC dongle.  Yes, it looks very impressive, with its rich, mirror-finish new copper chassis, making it look like a mini gold bar, especially when you feel its extra weight in your hand, while remaining relatively lightweight.  The finish is so striking that you might even think twice about covering it with its included premium custom Italian leather case.  L&P team added a fixed Line Out output, tuned for their EA4 compatibility or any other external amplifier.  They even optimized its operation to draw less current when used connected to mobile devices, like your smartphone.  Limited to only 499 units worldwide, this miniature gold bar is packed with functionality, tuned for fuller-body, warmer analog perfection. It will pair well with any IEMs or headphones!