Whether you’re a fan of Sabre DAC chips or not might sway your opinion on the sound of the Beam 2. Personally, I like them because some of my favourite units (like the Shanling Q1) have Sabre DACs. I find they tend to have good end to end extension, excellent instrument separation and detail retrieval. Naturally, this also depends a great deal on the earphones or headphones you’re using and some combinations might find better synergy than others. Beam 2 has a nice, full low end. Bass notes have weight and authority, reaching well down into the sub-bass region. With some IEMs like the CCA CA16, I was blown away by the deep reach of the bass which delivered some real skull shaking results. The midrange is transparent and resolving but at the same time, it’s very smooth and almost as if it’s slightly feathered. Instrument separation is impressive and the amount of detail here will have you finding minute sounds that you haven’t heard before when listening straight from your laptop or phone. The hiliDAC Beam 2’s treble has sparkle and crispness. I can’t detect any trace of the so-called “Sabre glare” that people love to mention every time a Sabre DAC is discussed. The treble is transparent, vivid and very detailed but there is no harshness or additional brightness added by the Beam 2. It’s a precise treble that teems with detail and airiness.

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