Sonic Compass · Mojo Review · DAC/Amp · Session Review
Muse HiFi Muse 300
A desktop DAC and headphone amp with its own operating system, a 5-inch screen and three hardware sound modes: a balanced setting, a warmer tube mode and a treble-forward ACG mode.
A distinctive desktop DAC/amp with plenty of drive, a black background, and three hardware sound modes that let you change tonality to suit the headphone. Weak USB on my demo unit and a level drop in tube and ACG modes were my only gripes.
- Three hardware sound modes
- Black background, strong drive
- 5-inch screen with MUSE OS
- 4.4mm balanced is the pick
- USB weak on demo unit
Where it sits
Sonic Compass does not score gear out of ten. Gear and listeners are plotted on the same seven axes, so a review tells you where a product sits — and you can see how far that is from where you sit. A position is a description, not a grade.
- Tone ColourBalanced · 55%
- Texture DetailDetailed · 68%
- Dynamics JumpPunchy · 74%
- Space & ImagingSpacious · 60%
- Timing & FlowBalanced · 55%
- Comfort & FatigueEasy-going · 68%
- Emotional EngagementImmersive · 70%
Set by the mode. Balanced is neutral, tube is warm and rich with forward vocals, ACG is treble-forward with thin bass. Placed in the middle because the sound moves with the switch (high = warm on this scale).
Balanced mode described as clean and detailed, with slightly better resolution from the 4.4mm balanced output than the 6.3mm one. Few detailed remarks, so moderate.
Balanced mode dynamic, the balanced output has more dynamics than single-ended, tube mode adds thick authoritative weight to the mids, and the driving power is described as insane.
Only a remark that the balanced output gives a slightly bigger stage than single-ended. Placed modestly with thin evidence.
No remark on timing in the video. Placed at the middle with no evidence.
Black background with no hiss, hum or noise on IEMs, and tube mode can settle a treble-heavy headphone. No comment on long sessions, so placed with moderate confidence.
Enjoyed the tube and balanced modes, had a lot of fun with the screen themes, and called it a beautiful madness for desktops.
Sonic Compass does not grade gear. We plot gear and listeners on the same seven axes, so a review tells you where a product sits and you can see how far that is from where you sit.
The Muse 300 is Muse HiFi's desktop DAC and headphone amp. The maker calls it the first desktop DAC/amp with a dedicated operating system, MUSE OS. I met the Muse HiFi team at CanJam Singapore, and they asked me to take the demo unit used that weekend home, spend time with it and give honest feedback, which I have already passed on.
I tried many headphones and IEMs on it. I settled on a new pair of full-size headphones that I will review separately, and I also used the Lily Audio Genesis One.
Listening journey
Noise and drive — The background on IEMs was black. I heard no hiss, hum or noise. Hard-to-drive headphones were handled with ease, and even the Lily Audio Genesis One reached an okay volume on high gain at full volume.
Balanced against single-ended — Into the 4.4mm balanced output I found more dynamics, slightly better resolution and a slightly bigger stage than from the 6.3mm single-ended output.
Balanced mode — The most neutral of the three. Clean, detailed and dynamic, with more treble focus than the tube mode on the headphones I used most.
Tube mode — This adds a thick, authoritative weight to the mids and lower mids. It is warm and rich but not syrupy, and vocals come forward. I enjoyed it. It is also a good way to settle down a treble-heavy headphone.
ACG mode — I did not like it at all. It sounded to me as though the bass had been flushed away. Treble is pushed forward in this tuning.
Level difference — Both the tube and ACG modes play several decibels quieter than the balanced mode. I thought that was strange.
Critical observations
Where the Muse 300 sits — Its character is chosen by the mode. Balanced is neutral, clean and dynamic. Tube is warm, with forward vocals and weight in the mids. ACG is bright and thin in the bass. It is like EQ but better. You can put a treble-heavy headphone on tube mode to settle it, or a warmer headphone on balanced mode to open the treble up.
How the modes work (maker) — Muse HiFi says the three sound styles are switched by lossless analogue circuit switching, with no digital filtering, and that they are zero-latency.
Design and handling — It is a literal second monitor: a 5-inch IPS screen set into a desktop box. I love the look, and I cannot think of anything like it in audio today. Both headphone outputs, 4.4mm and 6.3mm, sit on the right-hand side, and I am not sure how I feel about that. There are three visual themes. Minimalist is the one I used mostly. Cyberpunk and the anime-style ACG theme were fun too.
Control — One knob that doubles as a button. Two quick clicks go into the menu or back, and one click selects. It is simple, although the menu has a lot of options.
The USB connection — On my unit the USB connection is weak. If you move the unit, the connection drops out. It is easy to get going again, and the quick fix is not to touch it. This could be only my unit, because it was the demo model from the CanJam Singapore weekend.
Read this against your own profile — I like a visible, tactile desktop centrepiece, plenty of drive, and the ability to change tonality to suit the headphone in front of me. If that is you, the three modes are the point of this product. If you want a plain black metal box, look elsewhere.
Honest limits — The unit was supplied by the maker, and it was a used demo model. By ear only, with no measurements, and I name no direct comparison with another DAC or amp. I did not describe timing, so Timing is placed near the middle with little evidence. Space and Detail rest on a few remarks about the balanced output. Specs and the three modes are the maker's.
- Driver Configuration
- Desktop DAC and headphone amplifier with a dedicated operating system (MUSE OS) on a 32-bit MCU
- Driver Details
- ES9039 Ultra DAC with fourth-generation HyperStream IV architecture; two OPA1612 low-pass filters and dual TP6120A amplifier modules, fully differential; up to 2,200mW from the 4.4mm balanced output; THD+N 0.0006%; three-level gain (Muse HiFi)
- Weight
- Not stated on the maker page
- Build Materials
- Desktop chassis with a 5-inch 480x854 IPS display and a single control knob (Muse HiFi)
- Cable Connectors
- Headphone outputs: 6.35mm and 4.4mm balanced. Inputs: USB, coaxial, optical, Bluetooth 5.4 (QCC3095, LDAC and aptX Lossless). Line out: XLR and RCA (Muse HiFi)
- Isolation Leakage
- Not applicable
- Power Requirements
- Mains powered (Muse HiFi)
- Accessories
- Four mains cables (US, UK, AU, EU), per the maker's Kickstarter page
- Build Quality Notes
- Three hardware sound styles (Balanced, Tube, ACG) by analogue circuit switching, and three UI themes (Minimalist, Cyberpunk, ACG), per Muse HiFi. Price: US$439.99 official retail (Muse HiFi); Kickstarter tiers were US$349.99, US$379.99 and US$399.99. Photos: HiFiGo and Muse HiFi.
A distinctive desktop DAC/amp with plenty of drive, a black background, and three hardware sound modes that let you change tonality to suit the headphone. Weak USB on my demo unit and a level drop in tube and ACG modes were my only gripes.
<p><strong>Buy it if</strong>… you want a desktop centrepiece that looks like nothing else; you own hard-to-drive headphones and want plenty of power with a black background; or you like to tune tonality, whether warming a bright headphone with tube mode or opening up a warm one in balanced mode.</p><p><strong>Skip it if</strong>… you want a plain black metal box; you want a treble-forward, bass-light sound that you will not find in ACG mode; or you would be bothered by a few decibels of level change when switching modes.</p>