“Clean and Neutral, with More Power than Expected”: Hi-Fi Enthusiast on the Khadas Tea DAC/Amp

The Khadas Tea portable DAC/amp accompanied Yang during his business trips, runs, and late-night hospital shifts.

Yang Jie is a surgeon in his mid-thirties, and he’s been into Hi-Fi for nearly fifteen years. Back in school, he spent countless hours experimenting with portable gear — earphones, music players, and DACs. After he settled into his career and moved into his own apartment, he began exploring larger speakers and more sophisticated home setups. A while ago, on a friend’s recommendation, he bought the Khadas Tea portable DAC/amp, mainly for listening during business trips, runs, and late-night hospital shifts. When our product manager Thea came across his post on social media, she reached out — and Yang Jie ended up sharing his listening experience, his favorite music, and his long journey as a Hi-Fi enthusiast. 

Thea: What was your first impression of the Khadas Tea? 

Yang: The design and build quality really stood out to me. It feels refined and well-crafted. That anodized, sandblasted finish is smooth. The color looks great, too. The whole thing is just clean and minimal, nothing weird or gimmicky. It’s not one of those products that feel slapped together, and honestly, there are plenty of those in this industry. 

Thea: How would you describe the sound of the Tea? 

Yang: I’d say the sound is very clean and neutral. The highs, mids, and lows are all well balanced, and it has more driving power than I expected. It actually feels pretty close to professional gear, you know? Like an professional sound card. Some DAC/amps add warmth or sweetness, or have their own kind of flavor, but the Tea doesn’t really color the sound. It’s straightforward and accurate. 

 Thea: What are your criteria when choosing a DAC/amp? 

Yang: I think everyone has their own preferences. I listen to a lot of classical music, and that definitely shapes my taste. I pay a lot of attention to how tidy and coherent the soundstage is, good three-dimensionality, and how precise the imaging feels. And I always check whether the frequency balance is even across the highs, mids, and lows. 

Thea: What kind of music do you usually listen to with the Khadas Tea? And is there a track that really drew you in? 

Yang: Mostly piano. I’ve been into Beethoven’s Spring Sonata lately — there’s a recording by Leonid Kogan and another one by Emil Gilels that I absolutely love. I also listen to a lot of Liszt, Schubert, and Bach. The Tea is great for gentle, slower-paced music. You can really hear all those subtle, lively little details come through.  

Yang’s collection of classical records

Thea: When do you usually use the Khadas Tea? 

Yang: I run two to three times a week, and I use it for more upbeat music during my runs. And when I’m traveling for work or on an overnight hospital shift, I listen to piano pieces with it. It attaches to my phone neatly and doesn’t bounce around in my pocket and I don’t have to worry about my phone draining (Note: The Khadas Tea has an internal battery for independent power). When I’m traveling for work — say, on the high-speed train — it’s just really convenient to use. 

Thea: Why do you still choose wired earphones when you run, instead of Bluetooth ones? 

Yang: Wired earphones deliver more energy and a more solid sound. For example, with classical music — whether it’s violin or drums — you get more density and shape to each note that makes the music focused and coherent. People often say that Bluetooth supports high-bitrate transmission these days, but that only addresses signal transfer. When it comes to the second stage, which is converting the digital file into the final analog sound you hear, a proper DAC/amp paired with wired earphones does a much better job.  

Thea: What hi-fi equipment do you currently have at home? 

Yang: I have both portable gear and full-size systems. For portable stuff, I’ve got DAPs, DAC/amps, headphones, and IEMs. My main home setup is an analog chain centered around a turntable; that’s the one I love the most. I also run a separate digital chain for streaming, with a tube amp driving a pair of horn speakers. When I’m at home, I usually listen through speakers, and when I’m traveling, I switch to my portable gear. 

Yang’s living room, equipped with an analog vinyl audio system 

Thea: Why would you invest so much time and money in hi-fi gear? 

Yang: Honestly, all this gear is just a way to get closer to the music. That’s the whole point. The motivation has always been simple: I just love music. At this point it’s part of my life — if I have even a little free time, I’ll listen.  

Back in 2013 when I was a student, there was this headphone I really wanted. It cost around ten thousand RMB (about $1400 ). That was insanely expensive for me. I saved every bit I could — living on cheap food for days — just to afford it. In the end I managed to get a used pair from a friend for about six thousand.  

To me, when I am fed and warm, happiness then comes from this mental and emotional side of life. Music brings joy. After a long and exhausting day, everything melts away when the music hits. When you put on your headphones late at night and the first note plays — you feel like it's all worth it.