Pros: Great Sturdy Build, Powerful, Crisp & Analytical Sounding, Nice Type C-to-C cable included

Cons: The design might not appeal to all with the fake buttons, Cold Tuning, and Slightly Pricey for limited functionality

DAC: ES9028Q2M
Outputs: 3.5mm (Single-ended) + 4.4mm (Balanced)
Input: Wired (Type C)

Price: 82.57 USD

Intro

Disclaimer: The Kiwi Ears Allegro was provided at no charge by Linsoul. However, this was done in understanding I was to give my honest thoughts and opinions of the Allegro. It is available for purchase here should you find yourself interested in one or feel free to use your own links.

Build Quality

Kiwi Ears impresses on the build quality of these. The all-metal build is very well-rounded and it has a decent heft for such a small device. It sure looks like it can take any sort of beating and still come out fully functioning. That said, it doesn’t mean I advise throwing this device around haha. It comes with a really sturdy and well-made USB Type C to C cable, which would work well with the latest iPhone 15s as well as most Android Phones these days. There is really no room for complaints in this department, apart from the fact that this DAC might be the one giving your other stuff scratches so you might want to take that into consideration what you keep in the same pocket/compartment as the DAC.

Functionality

The Allegro is a very simple device, a fuss-free plug-and-play. There is no setup or configuration needed and despite its retro game console design, there are only 2 (working) buttons on the device for you to fiddle with. These two buttons only have 1 job and it is to toggle the volume. There are no inbuilt/custom filters or EQs for you to experiment with unlike some other more sophisticated DACs

Sound Impressions

Power-wise, the Kiwi Ears Allegro is more than capable of powering almost every IEM. I’ve used it with the Simgot EA500LM, the Simgot EM6L, the Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite and the 7 Acoustics Supernova.

The Kiwi Ears Allegro has very good extension in the highs and has a rather speedy and crisp presentation of the highs. Cymbals tend to appear more brilliant but not overbearing and it pairs well with the warmer laid-back tunings of the SImgot EM6L.

Admittedly, I am not too much a fan of how cold-sounding the DAC can seem to me at times but this is most likely a personal preference as I am used to the warmer-sounding DACs like the Lotoo Paw S2.

Objectively, the DAC does perform very well with its resolving ability and its separation as well. It does its job well in providing power when needed as well and doesn’t disappoint in its sonic performance, overall a very no-nonsense kind of DAC/AMP despite its outward appearance.

Conclusion

I don’t think I would be the first person to say this and probably won’t be the last but I feel the stark cold sound signature of the Allegro lends itself well to warm sounding sets to provide some balance and also brings out the details with the extension and crispness that this DAC/AMP can bring out.

For those who are looking for an extra boost to their IEMs, or perhaps bring out another side of their IEM, the Allegro is a good option to spice up your portable setup. It is not too pricey and is really easy to setup and use and delivers a no-nonsense sound while keeping things in a small package.