The HIFIMAN Serenade is a remarkable addition to the audio market, showcasing the synergy between HIFIMAN and Goldenwave following their recent collaboration. This all-in-one device combines a DAC, headphone amplifier, and streamer, offering an attractive solution for audiophiles seeking convenience without compromising quality. It caters to a wide audience by integrating advanced features into a sleek, user-friendly design.
Following the release of the Prelude, a pure analogue preamp and headphone amplifier, the Serenade takes a different approach. It blends modern digital functionality with the rich tonal characteristics HIFIMAN is known for, appealing to users looking for versatility. The Serenade’s compact form factor and integration of the HYMALAYA Pro DAC showcase its unique position in the HIFIMAN product lineup.
Designed for those who appreciate high-fidelity audio, the Serenade balances technical prowess with a smooth and immersive listening experience. Its ability to serve as both a standalone unit and part of a complete desktop setup highlights its flexibility, making it a compelling choice for audio enthusiasts.
Design and Functionality
The HIFIMAN Serenade boasts a modern and minimalist design that seamlessly integrates into any desktop setup. Its low-profile form factor is complemented by a solid, CNC-machined aluminium chassis, ensuring durability and an appealing aesthetic. The all-black finish is accentuated by a striking front panel with a glass or Perspex housing that holds a well-lit LCD screen, offering clear visibility of key information.
Despite its compact size, the Serenade feels substantial, weighing 2.9kg thanks to its built-in 50W toroidal transformer. This weight adds a reassuring sturdiness, making the unit stable on a desk. The gently curved edges enhance its sleek appearance and make it comfortable to handle, while the absence of visible panel joins or exposed screws adds to its refined aesthetic.
Control buttons are thoughtfully placed on the extended front panel, ensuring easy access during use. These small, discreet controls include options for input selection and output mode, maintaining the device’s clean look. This placement encourages users to keep the Serenade on top of a stack when used with other components, as accessibility may be limited otherwise.
The rear panel is neatly organised, offering both traditional and modern connectivity options. Users will find coaxial, optical, and USB digital inputs, along with an RJ45 LAN port for streaming capabilities. Additionally, there’s a small memory card slot for firmware updates, labelled “OS,” which adds a practical yet understated functionality.
For audio outputs, the Serenade provides both single-ended and balanced options. On the front, connectors include XLR, 4.4mm, and 6.3mm outputs, catering to a variety of headphones. While the lack of a balanced input might limit certain configurations, the inclusion of a single-ended analogue input allows for versatile integration with external sources.
A minimalist yet practical design ensures that the Serenade is easy to use while delivering on performance. Its understated elegance and thoughtful layout make it a visually appealing and highly functional choice for audiophiles seeking a comprehensive desktop audio solution.
Key Features
The HIFIMAN Serenade stands out with its in-house HYMALAYA Pro R-2R DAC, a core component of its audio processing capabilities. This advanced chipset utilises a modular resistor-based design paired with an FPGA algorithm, ensuring precise and dynamic audio reproduction. Its performance draws comparisons to the revered Burr Brown PCM1704K, highlighting its high-quality engineering and sound fidelity.
The Serenade supports high-resolution audio formats, delivering up to DSD512 and PCM 32bit/768kHz through its LAN connection. Its USB input, powered by an XMOS XU316 chipset, provides decoding capabilities up to DSD256 and PCM 32bit/386kHz. This flexibility ensures compatibility with a wide range of digital audio sources, catering to diverse listening preferences.
Its Class A headphone amplifier provides robust output power, making it suitable for a variety of headphones, from efficient in-ear monitors to demanding full-size models. With balanced and single-ended options, the Serenade ensures plenty of headroom, delivering up to 4W into 32Ω from its balanced output and 2.8W from its single-ended connection.
Connectivity is a highlight, with both digital and analogue inputs available. The Serenade features coaxial, optical, USB, and RJ45 LAN digital inputs, as well as a single-ended analogue line input. This versatility allows users to integrate the Serenade into various setups, whether as a standalone device or part of a larger system.
The inclusion of a pre-out mode adds further functionality, enabling the Serenade to double as a preamplifier. Both single-ended and balanced line outputs are available, providing flexibility for connection to external amplifiers or active speakers. Users can switch between fixed and variable volume control for greater customisation.
Its intuitive controls enhance the user experience, with input and output selections displayed clearly on the LCD screen. The volume knob, likely an Alps RK27 potentiometer, ensures smooth and precise adjustments. Additional settings include gain selection, screen brightness, and power management for the streaming module.
The Serenade’s balanced output options include XLR and 4.4mm connectors, along with a 6.3mm single-ended jack for headphones. This array of connections accommodates a wide variety of listening devices, ensuring compatibility with most headphones on the market. The thoughtful arrangement of ports keeps cable management tidy.
Experience Using the Product and Performance
The HIFIMAN Serenade delivers an immersive and richly detailed listening experience, excelling across a wide range of headphones. Its tonal signature leans towards a smooth and warm presentation, providing a welcoming soundstage that highlights midrange clarity and treble refinement. This makes it particularly well-suited for vocal performances and genres that benefit from an expansive sound.
Paired with some quality headphones, the Serenade excels in reproducing nuanced treble and textured mids. The amplifier’s Class A design offers ample power, ensuring effortless handling of even high-impedance models. For demanding headphones the Serenade provides enough headroom to achieve a full-bodied and dynamic output.
While the Serenade’s amplification lacks the tightness and low-end dynamics of the higher-tier Prelude, it compensates with a relaxed and enveloping bass response. This characteristic adds warmth and fullness to tracks, making it ideal for music that emphasises atmospheric soundscapes. Its performance is akin to classic SETA amplifiers, delivering an engaging, emotionally resonant sound.
The soundstage produced by the Serenade is impressively wide and spacious, bringing a sense of scale to every track. Instruments are well separated, and vocals retain excellent presence within the mix.
Comparisons with other amplifiers highlight the Serenade’s strengths in tonal harmony and midrange richness. While it may lack the analytical precision of delta-sigma counterparts, its smoother timbre provides a more natural and organic listening experience. This makes it a preferred choice for audiophiles who value musicality over clinical detail.
The Serenade’s performance with high-resolution audio files underscores its technical capabilities. DSD and high-bitrate PCM tracks are rendered with impressive clarity, bringing out the finer details in recordings. This ensures that the Serenade can handle the demands of modern audio formats with ease, solidifying its role as a versatile digital source.
Headroom remains a consistent strength across different headphones. While it performs better with efficient models, the Serenade still manages to drive high-impedance headphones adequately, showcasing its adaptability. For users seeking versatility, this amplifier ensures a reliable performance across diverse setups.
Its user-friendly design further enhances the overall experience. The intuitive control system simplifies switching between inputs and outputs, while the display clearly shows signal format and sampling rates. These thoughtful details make the Serenade easy to operate, ensuring it meets the needs of both casual listeners and experienced audiophiles.
The Serenade’s ability to balance technical proficiency with an engaging sound signature ensures a satisfying listening experience. It thrives in delivering a smooth, emotive performance, making it a standout choice for anyone seeking a versatile and capable all-in-one audio solution.
Conclusion
The HIFIMAN Serenade is a standout example of how to combine performance, versatility, and elegance in a single audio device. Its ability to function as a DAC, amplifier, and streamer ensures it meets the diverse needs of modern audiophiles, making it an excellent choice for both newcomers and seasoned enthusiasts.
Its smooth and immersive sound signature is a highlight, offering a richly textured midrange and a treble that is detailed yet non-fatiguing. The spacious soundstage and ample headroom add to its appeal, allowing it to pair effectively with a wide range of headphones. The Serenade’s tonal balance creates an engaging listening experience that remains enjoyable across long sessions.
Thoughtful design elements, including a robust build and intuitive controls, enhance its practicality while maintaining a visually striking appearance. The inclusion of modern connectivity options, such as LAN streaming and high-resolution audio support, ensures the Serenade remains relevant in today’s fast-evolving audio landscape.
For those seeking an all-in-one solution that prioritises musicality without sacrificing technical capabilities, the Serenade is an excellent choice. Its combination of versatility, sound quality, and aesthetic appeal makes it a worthy addition to any desktop audio setup.
