ALO audio’s Pilot is an exciting new portable USB-C DAC. Housing the terrific sounding ESS Sabre 9281cPro in a compact enclosure design, Pilot delivers some serious hi-fi in a compact form factor.
Pilot supports a full range of high fidelity formats putting the ever expanding universe of high fidelity streaming options all within reach.
While we’re usually not a fan of part numbers disguised as names, we’ll make an exception for this one. This is a great low power DAC chip that is easily powered from your portable device. It supports PCM up to 384 kHz, DSD up to 5.6MHz, and MQA support. Keeping the Pilot with you gives you a key to unlock high-resolution in whatever device may be near.
One fun aspect of Pilot is how easily it can fit into your EDC. Add it to your portable kit and you’ve got a whole new host of hi-fi experiences open to you. Designed to work without cumbersome plug-ins, it makes portable hi-fi easy and that’s something anyone can appreciate.
ESS Sabre DAC (9281CPRO with MQA support)
SNR: 120db
THD+N @ 0.0006%
< 2 ohm output impedance
PCM sampling frequency up to 384kHz
DSD sampling frequency up to 5.6MHz
MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) Support
Aluminum Enclosure
USB-C Termination
3.5mm Jack with Mic Support
USB-C to Lightning Adapter Included
Blue = idle or SD audio <= 48kHz
Red = HD audio > 48kHz
Magenta = MQA content
Android / iOS
Windows 10 / Mac
I got this dongle to pair with my Campfire IEMs, and it pairs excellently with them! I also purchased the mic cable from ALO, and when I put into a USB-C port the mic function works great. Unfortunately with the lightning adapter, mic function doesn’t work. Also the lightning adapter included seems fragile. I had one crap out on me and needed to buy another. Needless to say, it does what it promises and does it well. Perfect for portable listening.
So, the lightning adapter does not work to connect the mic functionality of the ESS chip, but I blame Apple. This little dongle works like a charm, though. Sounds great and is a perfect pairing for Campfire’s lineup of earphones. And if you have a tablet with USBC or a phone, you get mic and control support along with excellent audio!