EarMen Colibri Battery Powered Premium Balanced DAC/Headphone amp/Preamp Review.

EarMen is a sister company to Auris Audio, which was founded in Serbia in 2013. Auris Audio is known for its beautiful tube amps and handcrafted audio products. Milomir “Miki” Trosic, the founder of Auris Audio, wanted to reach out to a larger audience with portable DAC/amps while maintaining the innovation they were known for, so he designed and engineered the EarMen products and based the company in Chicago IL. The EarMen line aims to produce high-quality portable amplification with a small form factor, and I think they succeeded beautifully.

The EarMen Colibri has its own USB-C rechargeable battery. It features a 4.4mm balanced output, a 3.5mm single-ended output, and a USB-C input for connecting to mobile devices. The battery is good for 5 hours of play, and you can play and charge at the same time. Solidly built with high-quality components, I expect it to last several years. Even with its own battery, and two outputs, it is about the size of a lighter and easily slips into a pocket or bag. It can play any file format you throw at it, and power almost any headphone or IEM (inner-ear monitor).

I tried out several brands of small dongle DAC/amplifiers at CanJam SoCal 2023. At that point, all I had experience with was my treasured AudioQuest Dragonfly “Red” dongle DAC/amp which I had used with my iPhone. Though I needed an Apple adaptor to use the USB-A Dragonfly, its tiny size more than made up for the rather awkward configuration that I would plug headphones into. The Dragonfly is a tiny powerhouse, and there is nothing smaller. Though it draws power from my mobile devices, I did notice a boost in both volume and detail compared to plugging my headphones straight into my phone. I used it at CanJam for testing headphones when I wanted to listen to my own music sources.

I was amazed at the various manufacturers’ products’ variety, sizes, and specs and what seemed like hundreds of choices of portable DAC/amplifiers. Over the two days, I met with various reps and learned about the details and variety of their offerings. They were all impressive and capable, but nothing stood out for me. At the end of the second day, I was weary, and my brain was full. As I was leaving, I passed a table and noticed someone with a genuinely warm and welcoming smile. The company was EarMen, and I remembered that they were recommended to me by someone at the HIFIMAN table as making superior and powerful dongle DAC/amplifiers, so I stopped by. I noticed an array of power-hungry headphones that were plugged into the various EarMen portable devices. The man behind the radiant smile was Miroslav Milovanović, the sales and business manager.

I looked at a beautiful blue DAC/amplifier/preamplifier, not much bigger than my iPhone, which was the EarMen Angel, and it was powering a HIFIMAN HE 1000. I showed Miroslave my Dragonfly and mentioned I wanted something more powerful but similar in portability and build quality. He handed me a small, shiny black rectangle. It was the Colibri. In a later phone conversation, I asked what Colibri meant. Miroslav told me it means Hummingbird, and, remembering my Dragonfly, jokingly said they named it Hummingbird because it eats Dragonflies.

The first thing I noticed about the Colibri was that it had two outputs: the standard 3.5mm single-ended jack, but also a 4.4mm balanced jack. It was small but solid and heavy for its size. It had a shiny front and back made of smooth, black glass, and the sides had a slightly rougher matte finish. The silver logo and text were elegantly simple. After spending about 20 minutes with Miroslav and learning about the company and their products I knew I had found what I was looking for. I was a bit concerned that this somewhat slippery device might be vulnerable to dropping, but I learned it came with a case made from textured black leather that had a belt clip on the back. The refined finish makes the Colibri a stand out in a crowded market.

I’m a sucker for beautiful, well-designed packaging, and EarMen presents the Colibri in a sturdy black carton that mirrors the design of the Colibri itself. In addition to the Colibri, there is the leather case and a USB-C cable. The Colibri is milled from an aluminum block on a CNC (computer numerical control) machine and sandwiched by two black glass panels. The fit and finish are solid and reflect the quality that Auris, the parent company of EarMen, is known for. All the edges are rounded; another esthetic detail that conveys the care that went into the design.

Even though the Colibri has an internal battery, it is small and pocketable. It is fully accessible with the case on, as there are cutouts for the side buttons, the two USB-C ports, (one for charging and one for the music input), and the two headphone jacks that are on the other end. The two right-side buttons control power on/off and bass boost. The two left-side buttons control the volume up and down. One minor gripe I have with the case is that it covers the lettering that identifies the buttons and USB-C ports, so unless you were to memorize those placements, the case must come off to read everything. I would love to see an updated solution for this in an otherwise stellar design. The small buttons are raised and easy to find by touch. A press for 3 seconds on the power button turns the Colibri on or off. When the Colibri is powered up, the silver logo turns into a colored LED and signals how much battery charge there is and then changes color depending on what music file is playing. It also becomes brighter when the bass boost is active.

Using the Colibri couldn’t be easier. My iPhone has a lightning port, but a USB-C to lightning adaptor makes connecting straightforward. Otherwise, I use the included USB-C cable with my iPad. I plugged headphones into the balanced 4.4mm input. I was used to a dongle that didn’t have a power button, so the first time I played music with the Colibri I was puzzled that I couldn’t get any sound. I confess I felt a bit sheepish to realize I had to turn it on… I tried out both the single-ended and the balanced outputs. The single-ended output was fine, all the detail and other great qualities the Colibri delivers were there, but since there is twice the power in the 4.4mm balanced output, the extra authority and oomph are there for those with the ability to take advantage of it. The balanced output lifts a veil off everything you hear on the single-ended side. I was listening to the “Girl from Ipanema” by Stan Getz first on the single-ended. It was lovely, rich, detailed, and clear. There was plenty of volume. Nothing seemed lacking. If I could only use this output, I would be happy. However, when I switched to balanced, not only did the volume go up, but it was like a spotlight was turned on. The cymbals went from subtle to sparkle. The voices enveloped me, like going from a handshake to a warm embrace. Oh, how that song swings…. It is a treat to have a choice, and both are excellent.

The EarMen Colibri really shines where it matters, delivering audio with the finesse of a desktop DAC/amplifier. When I wanted a completely portable setup to move my headphones away from my office, I assumed I would have to accept a compromise in the excellent audio my desktop components provide. I had nothing to worry about. All the power, detail, clarity, imaging, and soundstage, were there. The first time I sat down and listened with the Colibri, it was a “wow” moment. My AudioQuest Dragonfly had provided a leap from just plugging headphones into my mobile phone. In fact, I feel sentimental about the little dongle that introduced me to the world of external DAC/amps, but this was a major step up. The internal battery provides both the power my headphones need, but also a clean, noise-free signal. I was delighted to have a bass boost as well. It really fills out music that is a little light in the lows or thin-sounding. However, with the bass boost on, sometimes there seems to be a little bit of muddying of the details and since it isn’t an equalizer that would give precise control over the bass, but more of a bass shelf lift, it adds a bit too much warmth in some songs. With the bass boost off, the sound is neutral and clear. The dynamics have punch where they should, yet the Colibri presents quiet passages with finesse. The soundstage is fantastic, something my Arya Organics can really deliver when properly driven. Overall, I would say that to me, the sound is more analytical; it provides life to the music without adding coloration, leaving that to the choice of headphones.

At the current MSRP of $199.00, I think the EarMen Colibri is a steal. The build and components are flagship level and the sound and power it delivers are second to none. The Colibri gives me what I need to liberate myself from my desktop components: the freedom to enjoy high-fidelity music anywhere.

The EarMen Colibri Battery Powered Premium Balanced DAC/Headphone amp/Preamp is a stellar example of the vision of Milomir Trosic, the founder of Auris Audio, the parent company of EarMen. The guiding philosophy of Auris Audio is “rooted in Superior design, natural materials, and skills of making, which give us the right to claim that our products are handcrafted with soul.” I appreciate this quote because it clarified what I found the technically capable Colibri has: soul. Though there are a lot of great products in the marketplace, it is the intangible quality of soul that wins my heart every time.