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Lotoo PAW6000 - Review by The Vagrant Audiophile
Guest Review
Today I would like to welcome "The Vagrant Audiophile" as a guest reviewer and thank him for allowing us to publish one of his wonderfully detailed reviews on our blog.
Disclaimer: The device was purchased for private use at the regular price. All opinions expressed are his own and remain genuine.
Unboxing & First Impressions
Very nice unboxing, classy yet unobtrusive, doesn't seem exaggerated or cheap.
The size, shape and weight of the DAP are excellent, as is the screen, the included case, the screen protector and that Cable - a real first. It's also the first time I've found a claim like "anti-fingerprint coating" to be accurate. The button layout is excellent, as is the ability to customize the previous/next buttons and the volume wheel. There is also the option to wake up the DAP by double tapping - very nice.
The startup time and the entire operation are very fast, as is the microSD card loading time, which is actually in real time. The PAW 6000 was also up to date, which is very nice. As for the interface, apart from the inability to search by genre (which is frankly absurd), it is very easy to use and I liked that I could customize some of the interface colors.
One of the reasons it's so fast is because the operating system scans for filenames. This quickly turned out to be a problem for me because I buy my music from Qobuz and the file names are as follows: Disc#_Track#_Interpret_Album_Title.
It's a small thing, but I didn't like it while browsing. The main problem was that the operating system listed the titles as follows: 1, 10, 11, 12, ... 2, 3, 4, 5 ... you get the idea.
Fortunately, this was quickly resolved by renaming my entire library using mp3Tag - I included the rename string I used in the footnotes (**).
The battery life was also as advertised after a few days, and I don't have Bluetooth Wifi used.
Aural impressions
All following recordings used the PAW 6000 with the Super Slow Roll-off filter.
The PAW 6000 is a musical DAP. First and foremost, however, it is a transparent DAP. Its peculiarity is that it combines both musicality and technical characteristics. However, it is not a warm DAP.
Therefore the pairing is of particular importance as it brings out the character of your IEMs and headphones much more than most other DAPs.
Aside from that, the ATE Presets - which Deezel has described better than anyone here - a quick and very well implemented solution that will save you the usual thousands of dollars spent on another DAP that just has that extra touch of blah-blah-blah - does this sound familiar?
Pairings
In alphabetical order, starting with IEMs and ending with headphones
64 Audio U6t (MX module, stock cable, SpinFit attachments, LG) - Sounds very similar to this Cayin RU6 in NOS, although a little less warm and dynamic with less pronounced mids - something that the ATE "Dental" preset can partially mitigate and bring more warmth.
64 Audio U6t (M15 module, standard cable, SpinFit attachments, LG) - Brings out more bass and warmth. Compared to the MX module, this module is more musical and warmer. The balance and transparency of the PAW 6000 nicely complements the intimacy that the U6t creates with the M15 module - my preferred "standard" pairing here.
7Hz Timeless (KB EAR 8 Core Single Crystal Copper UPOCC balanced cable, Final E tips, HG) - Same results as with the 64 Audio U6t (MX module).
Campfire Audio Solaris 2020 (standard cable, silicone tips, LG) - The best pairing I've heard with the Solaris 2020, although after a brief wow effect the Solaris still sound a little off, especially compared to the U6t, which have an overall more coherent, natural tonality.
Drop + JVC HA-FWX1 (Standard Cable, Final E Tips, HG) - As a dark and lush IEM, the PAW 6000 does the best with its musicality and engineering, along with the Final E Tips from this IEM.
Audeze LCD-2 Classic (PlusSound Copper balanced cable, HG) - Same conclusions as the Drop + JVC HA-FWX1. The PAW 6000 effortlessly provided the Audeze LCD-2 Classic with some headroom to protect it.
Grado RS2e with G-Cush Pads (HG) - Same results as with the 64 Audio U6t (MX module), although the ATE preset "Dental" did not solve everything in this case.
Comparisons
All following comparisons were made with the 64 Audio U6t (MX module) and the PAW 6000 with the Super Slow Roll-off filter.
Cayin RU6 (NOS) - The RU6 has slightly more pronounced mids, is more dynamic and warmer. The result is an overall more organic sound image.
FiiO M11 Plus LTD (Super slow Roll-off Filter) - The M11 Plus LTD is softer, warmer, with a more intimate presentation and a tighter soundstage .
Conclusion
Looking back at the goals mentioned in Part I, what are my conclusions?
As a dedicated DAP with a local library, the PAW 6000 is much more practical than the FiiO M11 Plus LTD and technically better, which in some cases sounds better. However, pairing with the PAW 6000 is trickier if you like something warm - although the ATE "Dental" preset can change things quickly and easily. In NOS it comes very close to the sound of the Cayin RU6, but again the preset mentioned above can be of great help if you like something warmer.
The bottom line is that the PAW 6000 is the perfect DAP for anyone who Look for warm IEMs or headphones that are neither too transparent nor too technical - unless you like transparent sound. Regardless, the PAW 6000 will bring out the true character of your IEMs and headphones and could be an all-rounder for some thanks to its ATE presets.