Periodic Audio – Rhodium USB DAC Review – Just Buy It Already
Rhodium
$49
Pros
- Extremely well priced
- Android Plug and play, it just works
- Accurate non coloured sound improvement
Cons
- Looks basic, like a $5 connector
- No balanced option
- Apparently not working on IOS easily
Lets save you some time and get straight to the point, the Periodic Audio – Rhodium USB DAC is ridiculously well priced at $49 – so to save you some time, Just Buy It Already and skip this review.
Thanks goes to the team at Periodic Audio for giving us the chance to experience this little USB DAC gadget.
Look at the tech specs of the Periodic Audio – Rhodium USB DAC you can see that THD is very low, power output is okay and support to 32bit/384kHz DAC is pretty impressive.
Technical specs
Performance
Frequency Response2 Hz to 192 kHz, +0/-3 dB
Dynamic Range113 dB
SNR108 dB A wt.
THDLess than 0.007%
Output Power31 mW @ 32Ohms
Current Consumption 23 mA @ 1 mW output
32bit/384kHz DAC & High-Power Amplifier output stage for your wired headphones
Physical Properties
Cable Length 63mm
Mass4.4 grams
Operational Temperature-20 to +50° C
Operational Humidity 0-95% Relative Humidity
Retention Force1.8 Newtons
Overall Length117 mm
Max Width10.8 mm
Max Thickness 6.9 mm
Material Properties
Melting Point 2237 Kelvin
Speed of Sound 4700 meters per second
Young’s Modulus 380 Gigapascals
Brinell Hardness 1100 Megapascals
A number of material properties are added more for the brand’s technical image rather than for decision making in the purchase but a fun little touch IMO.
Periodic Audio stepped onto the audiophile scene a few years ago but this is the first product that the team at earphonia.com have had the pleasure to review.
As some of you may or may not know Periodic Audio have a set of core values that focus on the highest level of audio quality as the primary focus. Resulting in no flashy packaging or a vast set of accessories. Their focus is to put all the effort into the core product itself.
Using the Periodic Table as the blueprint for their product range and naming conventions results in an interesting memorable brand.
If you go to any of the shows, the staff will all be wearing White Lab Coats to give the appearance of Chemistry technicians with a heavy focus on the science element of audio.
This portrays a research and development emphasised focus, which they seem to adhere to.
Quality Materials, high end tuning at affordable pocket friendly prices is also one of their goals and they look like they are gaining traction with a number of avid Periodic-ophiles being spawned in recent times.
Lets take a look at the Package, trust me this will be very quick.
A small cardboard box with the Brand Periodic Table of Rh – 45 is on the packaging.
The important technical details shown on one side.
A simple summary of the Rhodium
The proud – Assembled In the USA – Musical Goodness.
True to form, nothing flashy but the barebones, non descript packages with the Rhodium USB Dac and Type C to type A USB adapter included.
Just to remind you this is intentional and not them being thrifty, but more to focus on the quality of the product itself rather than anything superfluous to it. All their product have a similar simple package approach.
Simple looking, black with a neutral looking connector. The cable feels well made and has a material outer cover, it is small and flexible.
The connector is 3.5 single ended female and all the jacks I tried clicked smoothly and stayed in place easily. No balanced options or different sized option are available.
