BGVP T01 DAC AMP review everyone! BGVP is mainly known for producing audiophile IEMs and are well known with their DM and V series. Although they have offered numerous IEM models with different signatures and configurations, they are still yet to venture in other categories of HiFi but there’s always a first.
What we have to review now is their maiden entry to the portable DAC market, the BGVP T01 Type C DAC AMP. The advent of the removal of the headphone jack on most smartphones particularly in the flagship models has created both a void and a niche for audio companies to address the sudden plight of wired earphones and headphones that were left hanging. BGVP sent in the T01 in exchange for an honest take on them and no monetary factors are involved. You can check them out on their official BGVP website, BGVP Facebook page and BGVP Instagram account.
The BGVP T01 Type C DAC AMP is spec’d out with an optional 3.5mm or 2.5mm balanced termination, Qualcomm WHS9415(unconfirmed 94xx series), 20HZ to 40kHz Frequency Response, >123dB DNR, <0.0003% THD+N with an Output Impedance matching range of 16 Ohms to 600 Ohms and a supported decoding capability of 32bit/384kHz and DSD64 /DSD128. Priced currently at $28, the BGVP T01 offers a modern solution into a modern problem that only comes to those particular enough to miss the headphone jack. Let’s check out if it does indeed contribute to the solution than adding to the problem.
Packaging and Build Quality
The BGVP T01 came in the usual BGVP white cardboard box packaging with the product outline upfront and product specification on its back. Opening the box reveals the black foam cutout where the T01 rests and underneath it is its accessory set which features the USB and Micro USB adapter. There is no carrying case supplied which I didn’t find odd, the BGVP T01 is pretty handy and would be easy to store on any pocket of your jeans and bags.
The BGVP T01 Type C DAC AMP features an aluminum housing on both the Type C and headphone jack(3.5mm/2.5mm). A hard-plastic cable strain relief is present on the Type C terminal while a clear TPU reinforces the headphone jack as well as after the hard-plastic cable strain relief on the Type C terminal.
Connecting the aluminum housings is a 4 strand 5N OCC copper cable in the usual round braid which gives out that audiophile feel as compared to the traditional sheathed black round cable. The USB and Micro USB adapters are also sturdy enough for daily use which showed no signs of sudden disconnection or loose connections when in use.
The overall build quality of the BGVP T01 is on the superior side of things with its choice of premium materials such as a Qualcomm chip, aluminum housing and OCC copper cables. It didn’t act up on any of my sessions which is great given how often we use wired earphones and headphones on our smartphones devoid of the headphone jack.
Notable features
The BGVP T01 would most likely be left on the wayside if it didn’t offer anything notable on its spec sheet that would tick the boxes of some audiophile needs, here’s some of the BGVP T01 Type C DAC AMP’s notable features.
In-line Mic Support
The BGVP T01 surprisingly doesn’t have any issues with 4-pole TRRS jacks and supports it which is essential as it gives it versatility when the situation suddenly changes from a music listening session into a sudden videocall.
23mA Rated Power
Not only did most smartphones remove the headphone jack, it also oftentimes compromises its battery life in exchange for performance and portability. While the sudden rush of high-speed wireless charging and fast charging solutions are easing the burden up, this BGVP T01 review makes sure that it doesn’t add fuel to the fire by having a 23mA rated power draw from your smartphone which threads between efficiency and power. While I don’t personally own power-hungry cans as of the moment, the BGVP T01 Type C DAC AMP is so far able to juice up my collection of preferred IEMs (Final E4000, BGVP DM7 and LXEar Jupiter).
Plug and Play Usage
Ease of use is another aspect of a good accessory especially when it is specifically replacing a straightforward product such as a 3.5mm headphone jack. To keep things simple, the T01 is what it is, essentially a 3.5mm replacement to insert on your Type C port and get sound out of it. If they had added another “special” feature just to make it work, then I’d automatically better get another product.
Sound quality
The BGVP T01 Type C DAC AMP offers a mildly warm sound signature which has a slight emphasis on the mid bass. It gives most tracks that solid and tight low end which is clearly evident when I plugged it off my Samsung S10 5G smartphone and off my MSI GF62 8RE laptop. Both devices already give out a fairly smooth midrange and the T01 doesn’t overdo or alter it. The high frequencies are also left on their own with the usual improvement on clarity arising from the T01 resolution.
Another noteworthy sound character improvement that the T01 offers is better clarity and resolution than your usual headphone jack as well as a wider soundstage and better imaging performance. I’d be hyping this thing up if I say that it drastically improves your music sessions because it doesn’t, it mainly bridges a gap left by the removal of the headphone jack with the added sound quality refinement arising from being a product from an audiophile company. Just make sure that you push that volume down low as the T01 can surprise you with its power if you unwillingly plug it straight to a device that is already playing your tracks.
Conclusion
The BGVP T01 Type C DAC AMP certainly contribute to the solution rather than adding to our problem of losing the headphone jack. It is a sturdy device that would survive the day in and day out usage that it was intended for. Its notable features also make sure that transitioning from a built-in headphone jack on your devices into portable dongles for your audio solution isn’t that bad. The sound quality and power output it also offers one ups the usual built-in headphone jack if it wasn’t removed yet on your device giving it more substance than it functions for.
