We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-04 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a pocketable wired DAC that decodes hi-res files up to DSD256 and drives demanding headphones through a balanced jack, choose joliker USB C DAC; if you need wireless freedom with active noise cancelling and 48-hour battery life for travel, choose Wentronic Y04.
• joliker USB C DAC — biggest strength: ES9028Q2M DAC plus ES9603Q amp, 522mW@32Ω balanced output, and 4.4mm + 3.5mm jacks for real hi-res decoding (PCM 384kHz/32bit, DSD256).
• joliker USB C DAC — biggest trade-off: It's a wired, battery-powered dongle with no Bluetooth and no noise cancelling, so it only helps when you're tethered to a phone, tablet or computer.
• Wentronic Y04 — biggest strength: Wireless over-ear comfort with active noise cancelling, 48 hours of playtime and a foldable frame that packs easily.
• Wentronic Y04 — biggest trade-off: Bluetooth 5 with 40ms latency and a 20Hz–20kHz response means you don't get the ultra-high sample rates or balanced drive of a dedicated DAC.
• Pick joliker USB C DAC if you own wired IEMs or headphones and care about file resolution, channel separation and amp headroom.
• Pick Wentronic Y04 if you want one pair of over-ears for commutes, flights and long listening sessions without cables.
The joliker USB C DAC is a small red block — roughly 66×26×12mm and 18g — that turns a phone, tablet or laptop into a serious wired listening station. Inside sits an ESS ES9028Q2M DAC paired with an ES9603Q headphone amplifier, and that pairing is the whole point. It decodes PCM up to 384kHz/32bit and DSD256, so files that a phone's built-in output would downsample get played at their native resolution. If your music library includes hi-res downloads or DSD rips, this is the kind of hardware that actually does something with them.
The output stage is where it separates itself. The 3.5mm single-ended jack delivers 111mW@32Ω — enough for most IEMs and efficient on-ears. The 4.4mm balanced jack pushes 522mW@32Ω, which is the number that matters if you own planar magnetic headphones or high-impedance dynamic cans that sound flat and lifeless off a phone dongle. Balanced output also lowers crosstalk and improves channel separation, which is why the soundstage tends to feel wider and the bass tighter on that jack. An OLED screen shows playback info and volume in real time, and the dedicated hardware volume buttons mean you're not fighting your phone's software slider.
Who should buy it: anyone with a wired headphone collection, especially iPhone 15/16 owners, Android users, and PC or Mac listeners who want plug-and-play without drivers. Who should skip it: anyone who mostly listens while moving around, wants noise cancelling on a plane, or refuses to deal with a cable. It's battery powered and pocketable, but it is still a tethered device — that's the trade for the resolution and power.
The Wentronic Y04 is the opposite philosophy: cut the cable entirely and make the listening session comfortable enough to forget you're wearing anything. It's a foldable over-ear with faux leather and memory foam cushions, a Starlight finish, and 40mm dynamic drivers rated at 32 ohm impedance, 105 sensitivity and a 20Hz–20kHz frequency response. Bluetooth 5 covers roughly 33 feet of range, and the button controls handle playback and calls without a screen.
The headline feature is active noise cancelling. That's the one thing the joliker simply cannot do — no DAC removes engine drone or office chatter. Combined with 48 hours of playtime per charge and a 2-hour charge time, the Y04 is built for long-haul travel, open-plan offices and multi-day trips where you don't want to think about a charger. The foldable frame and soft cushions make it easy to stuff into a bag, and the memory foam is there specifically to reduce fatigue over hours of wear.
There's also a 3.5mm jack, which is a nice touch: if the battery dies, you can still run it wired. But note the latency figure — 40 milliseconds — which is fine for music and podcasts and noticeably loose for gaming or lip-synced video. And while the spec sheet calls out hi-res audio as a feature, the 20Hz–20kHz response and Bluetooth 5 connection tell you this is hi-res in the everyday sense, not the DSD256 sense.
Who should buy it: commuters, travelers, students and anyone who wants one set of headphones for music, podcasts and calls without cables. Who should skip it: critical listeners with wired hi-res libraries who want balanced output and maximum amp headroom.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for hi-res file decoding → joliker USB C DAC. PCM 384kHz/32bit and DSD256 support is the whole reason it exists.
• Best for noise cancelling → Wentronic Y04. Active noise cancelling is exclusive to the over-ear.
• Best for battery life → Wentronic Y04. 48 hours per charge versus a small internal battery in the DAC.
• Best for travel and commuting → Wentronic Y04. Foldable, wireless, 33-foot Bluetooth range, no tether.
• Best for wired IEM users → joliker USB C DAC. Two outputs, hardware volume and an OLED readout suit a desk or pocket rig.
• Best for gaming and video → joliker USB C DAC. No Bluetooth latency to worry about; the Y04's 40ms latency is a real consideration.
• Best for all-day comfort → Wentronic Y04. Memory foam and faux leather cushions are designed for long sessions.
In my opinion, these two aren't really competitors — they solve different problems, and the right answer depends on how you listen. If your library is full of hi-res files and you own wired headphones worth driving properly, I'd buy the joliker USB C DAC. The ES9028Q2M/ES9603Q combo, DSD256 support and 522mW balanced output are concrete, measurable advantages that no Bluetooth headphone can match. If you want one pair of headphones for flights, offices and daily wear with noise cancelling and 48-hour battery, I'd buy the Wentronic Y04 instead. Buy the DAC for fidelity; buy the Y04 for freedom.
what is hi res headphones
Hi-res headphones are headphones intended to reproduce audio at or above the resolution of a standard CD, which means handling high sample rates and bit depths without downsampling. In practice that depends as much on the source and the DAC as on the headphones themselves — which is exactly where a device like the joliker USB C DAC comes in.
what is hi res audio headphones
It's the same idea phrased slightly differently: headphones marketed for hi-res audio are built to handle detailed, wide-bandwidth playback. The Wentronic Y04 lists hi-res audio as a feature with a 20Hz–20kHz response, while the joliker USB C DAC decodes files up to PCM 384kHz/32bit and DSD256 — a much higher ceiling on the source side.
what are hi res headphones
They're headphones designed to preserve more of the detail in high-resolution recordings rather than smoothing it away. The practical split here is that the Y04 delivers that wirelessly with ANC and 48-hour battery, while the joliker delivers it through a wired ES9028Q2M DAC with a 4.4mm balanced output.
which headphones support hi res lossless
Lossless support depends on the whole chain: the file, the DAC and the headphone. The joliker USB C DAC supports PCM 384kHz/32bit and DSD256 over USB-C, so it can pass hi-res lossless to any wired headphone you connect — including the Y04 through its 3.5mm jack, though Bluetooth playback won't carry that same resolution.
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