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USB-C DONGLE · MODIFIED SPV4040

CrinEar Protocol Micro

Works with Contour

A USB-C dongle with a modified SPV4040 DAC chip, a 3.5 mm output and an 8-band EQ in Contour.

Manufacturer page · Price history

CrinEar Protocol Micro on a plain white background
POWER AT 32 Ω30mW3.5 mm, per channel not stated
OUTPUT IMPEDANCE<0.4Ω3.5 mm
SNRNot statedNo data from the manufacturer
PRICE$9.99Lowest price at Linsoul
OUTPUTS3.5 mm
DAC CHIPmodified SPV4040
PARAMETRIC EQ8 bandsMEASUREDpeak, shelves, low and high pass
Works with Contour

Numbers are the manufacturer's stated figures unless marked as measured. Figures marked Measured are my own, taken on the Soundblooms rig; the method is under My measurements.

Outputs and power

3.5 mm
30mWat 32 Ω
crinear.com: 30 mW at 32 Ω, THD+N @1 kHz 0dBFS <0.009%, per channel or both channels not stated
Output impedance <0.4 Ω

Not stated: gain, supply voltage, SNR, distortion, crosstalk.

Is it enough for your headphones?

CrinEar rates the Protocol Micro at 30 mW into 32 Ω. Below is how much of that is left to spare for each kind of headphones when you listen loud, with peaks at 110 dB. A figure marked est. is worked out from that rating.

Sensitive IEMsMulti-driver sets that hiss on strong sources
needs 0.6 mWest. 15 mW at 16 Ω+14 dB
Most IEMsTypical in-ears, 16 to 50 Ω
needs 3.2 mW30 mW at 32 Ω+10 dB
Easy-to-drive headphonesClosed and portable, 32 Ω
needs 16 mW30 mW at 32 Ω+3 dB
Hard-to-drive headphones300 Ω, HD 600 class, hungry for voltage
needs 20 mWest. 3.2 mW at 300 Ω8 dB short
Most planarsPlanar magnetic, low impedance, need current
needs 50 mW30 mW at 32 Ω2 dB short
Demanding planarsThe hardest loads, desktop territory
needs 251 mWest. 16 mW at 60 Ω12 dB short

Where to buy

Some shop links are affiliate links: if you buy through one, I may earn a commission. Your price and the order stay the same.

Linsoul · retail price, checked 16 Oct 2026$9.99Linsoul · read 11 Nov 2026$9.99

Price historyCompare prices on Soundblooms Deals

The device

From CrinEar's hangout.audio unless marked
InputUSB-C
DAC chipmodified SPV4040
AppEQ.Hangout.Audio web interface
Parametric EQ8 bands: peak, low shelf, high shelf, low pass and high pass, ±10 dB, Q 0.1 to 10Works with Contour

How it stacks up against the competition

Power at 32 Ω · price in US dollars
10 mW20 mW50 mW100 mW2 mW$5$7$10$20scale breaks hereMost IEMs need 3.2 mW+10 dB to spareSnowsky Tiny A: 34 mW at 32 Ω, $19.99Tiny AJCALLY JA56: 22.5 mW at 32 Ω, ~$15.98JA56JCALLY JM6: 28.2 mW at 32 Ω, $19.15JM6JCALLY JM6 PRO: 60 mW at 32 Ω, $14.99JCALLY JM6PRO 2: 70 mW at 32 Ω, $16.99JCALLY JM7: 28.2 mW at 32 Ω, ~$13.11JM7JCALLY JM7MAX: 118 mW at 32 Ω, $19.99JCALLY JM12: 27.5 mW at 32 Ω, $6.99JM12FiiO JIEZI A: 34 mW at 32 Ω, $18.99FiiO JIEZI B: 34 mW at 32 Ω, $22.99CrinEar Protocol Micro10 mW20 mW50 mW100 mW2 mW$5$7$10$20scale breaks hereMost IEMs need 3.2 mW+10 dB to spareSnowsky Tiny A: 34 mW at 32 Ω, $19.99Tiny AJCALLY JA56: 22.5 mW at 32 Ω, ~$15.98JA56JCALLY JM6: 28.2 mW at 32 Ω, $19.15JM6JCALLY JM6 PRO: 60 mW at 32 Ω, $14.99JM6 PROJCALLY JM6PRO 2: 70 mW at 32 Ω, $16.99JM6PRO 2JCALLY JM7: 28.2 mW at 32 Ω, ~$13.11JM7JCALLY JM7MAX: 118 mW at 32 Ω, $19.99JM7MAXJCALLY JM12: 27.5 mW at 32 Ω, $6.99JM12FiiO JIEZI A: 34 mW at 32 Ω, $18.99JIEZI AFiiO JIEZI B: 34 mW at 32 Ω, $22.99JIEZI BCrinEar Protocol Micro
  • Nearby
  • Same DAC chip
  • Most IEMs, 3.2 mW

Devices with the same DAC chip

SPV4040 · 2 devices use it
JCALLYJM1110.5 mW10.5 mW

All 2 in the finder

Compared with

Manufacturers' stated figures; the price is today's lowest

CrinEar Protocol Micro vs JCALLY JM7

JCALLY JM7 is among the dongles in the catalog closest to CrinEar Protocol Micro in price: at 32 Ω CrinEar Protocol Micro is listed at 30 mW and JCALLY JM7 at 28.2 mW; the lowest prices are $9.99 and ~$13.11.

CrinEar Protocol Micro vs JCALLY JM7: the manufacturers' stated figures and today's lowest price, side by side
CrinEar Protocol MicroJCALLY JM7
Power at 32 Ω30 mW3.5 mm, THD+N @1kHz 0dBFS <0.009%, socket not printed; the only headphone output28.2 mW3.5 mm, from product gallery, image 5; spec table gives no power, socket not printed; the only headphone output
Price today$9.99Linsoul, 16 Oct~$13.11AliExpress, 7 Nov
DAC chipmodified SPV4040CX31993
InputsUSB-CUSB-C
Outputs3.5 mm3.5 mm
SizeNot stated110 ± 10 mm
WeightNot stated6.5 g

CrinEar Protocol Micro price history

CrinEar Protocol Micro vs JCALLY JM12

JCALLY JM12 is among the dongles in the catalog closest to CrinEar Protocol Micro in price: at 32 Ω CrinEar Protocol Micro is listed at 30 mW and JCALLY JM12 at 27.5 mW; the lowest prices are $9.99 and $6.99, $3 apart.

CrinEar Protocol Micro vs JCALLY JM12: the manufacturers' stated figures and today's lowest price, side by side
CrinEar Protocol MicroJCALLY JM12
Power at 32 Ω30 mW3.5 mm, THD+N @1kHz 0dBFS <0.009%, socket not printed; the only headphone output27.5 mW3.5 mm, socket not printed; the only headphone output
Price today$9.99Linsoul, 16 Oct$6.99Hangout Audio, 7 Nov
DAC chipmodified SPV4040KT02H20
InputsUSB-CUSB-C
Outputs3.5 mm3.5 mm
SizeNot stated110 ± 10 mm
WeightNot statedAbout 6 g

CrinEar Protocol Micro price history · JCALLY JM12 price history

CrinEar Protocol Micro vs JCALLY JM6 PRO

JCALLY JM6 PRO is among the dongles in the catalog closest to CrinEar Protocol Micro in price: at 32 Ω CrinEar Protocol Micro is listed at 30 mW and JCALLY JM6 PRO at 60 mW; the lowest prices are $9.99 and $14.99, $5 apart.

CrinEar Protocol Micro vs JCALLY JM6 PRO: the manufacturers' stated figures and today's lowest price, side by side
CrinEar Protocol MicroJCALLY JM6 PRO
Power at 32 Ω30 mW3.5 mm, THD+N @1kHz 0dBFS <0.009%, socket not printed; the only headphone output60 mW3.5 mm, socket not printed; the only headphone output
Price today$9.99Linsoul, 16 Oct$14.99Hangout Audio, 7 Nov
DAC chipmodified SPV4040Conexant CX31993
InputsUSB-CUSB-C
Outputs3.5 mm3.5 mm
SizeNot stated110 ± 10 mm
WeightNot statedAbout 6 g

CrinEar Protocol Micro price history · JCALLY JM6 PRO price history

More like this

More portable DAC amps

PEQ on Android: Contour EQ supports this dongle

Contour EQ is a free, open-source Android app that reads and writes the PEQ stored inside the CrinEar Protocol Micro.

CrinEar Protocol Micro EQ app for Android

My measurements

Measured 22 Oct 2026
8bandsParametric EQ
Filters: peak, low shelf, low pass, high pass; it has no high shelf of its own: a high shelf is written as an inverted low shelf; the pass filters were written in a test build
Written to the device over USB and read back, 22 Oct 2026