5V 3Amp USB Charger

A perfect example is the Chord Mojo, one of the most successful portable DAC headphone amplifiers, which has a trickle charger. A trickle charger always defaults the Amp/Dac circuit to DC power vs AC when plugged into the wall to charge. This provides a much cleaner, quieter sound, and the unit will run off the battery until it gets to about 15% and then the charger kicks in to charge the unit again until it reaches some maximum percentage. If the unit gets below this minimum of 15% or whatever the minimum is, the unit will not operate even when plugged into the wall until it is above this minimum threshold.

DSD Audio Processing

When the Chord Mojo is processing DSD audio, the unit has a larger demand on the battery. If charging the unit while using the unit is done with a lower amperage charge, the device will use power faster than it can recharge. Thus, eventually shutting off. A USB charger with a rating of at least 2amps is required. But really, a 2.4 to 3.0 amperage charger is more ideal. We have found that the Tronsmart 3-amp USB charger solves all these issues, which is why we are offering it to our customers.

Computer USB Ports

Most computer USB ports are rated at 1 amp, so this is not an effective way to charge your portable audio device. The same can be said for USB hub strips. In many cases, the more devices you add to a USB hub, the lower rating each port gets, and this depends on the strip. These hubs can be noisy animals as well, and we have seen instances where a Chord Mojo had a whining sound when charging. In all cases, we found this was a result of an underpowered charger or hub being used. In addition, we recommend not to plug your USB charger into power strips. This can cause noise issues, especially if a computer is on the same strip. Plug your USB charger directly into a wall AC outlet in conjunction with a properly rated USB charger, as this often solves many charging issues.

Android Phones

The Tronsmart has smart charging technology, so if you have a Quick Charge device, such as a newer generation Android phone, it will auto-sense this function and Quick Charge the device. Most portable audio devices don't have Quick Charge; however, thanks to the higher amperage in the Tronsmart, this will yield faster charges than lower-rated devices.

We would have never thought that USB chargers could be so important to this audiophile passion of ours, but as you can see, it is a critical part of the equation to keep your audio portables properly powered.

Astell & Kern CD Ripper

The Tronsmart has also solved issues with the Astell & Kern CD Ripper. When ripping CDs, a lot of amperage is required to get the driver to work properly. Underrated chargers cause the ripper to stop halfway through the ripping process. If you are using the

Astell & Kern CD Ripper is directly connected to your Astell & Kern portable DAP, so just one charger is required. However, if you are using your Astell & Kern CD Ripper with the AK380 Dock, then we recommend a second charger or the Tronsmart, which includes 2 ports for charging.