VE Megatron
Flexible desktop power in a pocketable form factor (if your pockets are big)
The VE Megatron is an interesting take on the portable DAC/amp: multiple headphone outputs (3.5 mm SE, 2.5 mm TRRS, 4.4 mm TRRRS) plus a line out, ESS decoding, and the option to feed extra power via a second USB‑C. In practice, it’s more of a small desktop unit than an everyday carry — a bit too large to be truly portable — but at $50 it’s a compelling way to drive tougher headphones at your desk.
I would like to thank VECLAN (Venture Electronics) for providing the Megatron for the purposes of this review.
If you are interested in finding more information about this product, you can find it at product page link
You can also find the AliExpress listing here: AliExpress page
At a glance, the concept is similar to recent dual‑USB power designs like FiiO’s latest dongles (e.g., QX13) with their desktop mode. But for portable power there are now devices like the new Crinear Protocol Max offer more power but with a single usb-c in ‘boost’ mode.
Still, for $50, it’s a nicely powerful solution for an office desktop setup, and I appreciate that VE includes a 75 Ω adapter in the box.
Unboxing and Box Contents
Straightforward packaging with the unit protected in foam:
In the box: Megatron DAC/amp, USB‑C cable(s), 75 Ω adapter, and documentation.
I really like the connectivity on the front - though 2.5mm has become less relevant over the years:
Rear/side panel connections for data and auxiliary power:
Build and Design
- Metal chassis with a simple, functional finish.
- Clearly labeled outputs: 3.5 mm SE, 2.5 mm TRRS, 4.4 mm TRRRS, and a line out.
- Two USB‑C ports allow separate data and power; the extra power feed helps with demanding loads.
- Weight and size are better suited to a stationary desktop than pocket use.
Features and Everyday Use
- ESS9018K2M DAC with up to 24‑bit/96 kHz PCM over USB.
- Multiple headphone output formats plus dedicated line out for active speakers or a downstream amp.
- Dual USB‑C inputs: one for data, one optional for supplemental power.
- Includes a 75 Ω adapter for specific use cases or impedance matching experiments.
- Practical note: while powerful, it’s not quite at the level of FiiO’s recent dual‑USB designs like QX13 or the latest Crinear Protocol Max; consider Megatron a strong budget desktop driver.
Listening and Power Impressions
- Driving moderate to higher‑impedance headphones (e.g., 300 Ω dynamics), Megatron reaches good levels from the balanced output and maintains control without obvious strain in most office scenarios.
- With lower‑impedance planars, it is usable but doesn’t compete head‑to‑head with the newest, higher‑powered dual‑USB dongles.
- Noise floor was unobtrusive in my testing on macOS; no hiss with typical IEMs from the 3.5 mm out in a quiet room, but I did hear some hiss on super sensitive IEMs.
Specifications and Measurements
Comparative Measurement
Since I been listening to the VE Vanguard over the past few weeks, I thought I would do a little comparison of the real output volume I needed to get the same output of the Vanguard as measured on my headphone measurment Rig to be the same volume:
So, basically, with the Apple usb-c dongle I need to be at 95% volume but with the Megatron I only need to get to 61% volume, so I had lots of headroom for high dynamic range tracks or applying some EQ.
This roughly equates to the exponential difference in output power between the Megatron (170mW) and the Apple dongle of about (30mW).
Specifications and Measurements
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Form | Portable DAC/Amp |
| DAC Chip | ESS Sabre ES9018K2M |
| Audio Format Support | 24bit/96kHz PCM |
| Amplifier | Custom amp module |
| Input | USB Type-C |
| Output | Balanced: 4.4mm + 2.5mm, SE: 3.5mm, AUX line out: 3.5mm |
| Power Output | |
| Balanced @ 32Ω | 300mW (4.9V) |
| Balanced @ 300Ω | 40mW |
| SE @ 32Ω | 170mW (2.4V) |
| SE @ 300Ω | 10mW |
| AUX | 0.95V |
| THD+N | |
| Balanced | 0.021% |
| SE | 0.0095% |
| AUX | 0.01064% |
| DNR | |
| Balanced | 104.3dB |
| SE | 105.5dB |
| Crosstalk @ 1kHz | |
| Balanced | 105.76dB |
| SE | 60.64dB |
| AUX | 99.01dB |
| Physical | |
| Weight | 156g |
| Dimensions | 76 × 22 × 110mm |
While the headline power here is very good with 300mw into 32Ohm and this level of power would have been astonishing even a year ago, I have seen some very powerful and portable dongles very recently, for example, the CrinEar Protocol Max can go up to 500mw @ 32Ohm and is extremely portable, but it is also more expensive than the metatron:
Still, I like the idea that the Megatron sits in that sweet spot between a full-blown desktop headphone amplifer and a dongle. It is a great device for your office desktop, big enough not to accidentally lose and powerful enough for most headphones you might want to listen to in your office:
DAC specifications
MacOS reports the following available formats/paths when connected - so not exactly high def but for me this is perfectly acceptable, especially for my office setup:
Rating Explanation
- Pragmatic rating (4/5): Good performance and flexibility for the price; loses a star for bulk/portability and not matching the very latest high‑power dongles.
- Price rating (5/5): At $50, strong value as a desktop driver with balanced out and line out.
- Features rating (4/5): Multiple outputs, dual‑USB power, and included 75 Ω adapter are practical.
- Measurement rating (4/5): Decent specifications and power but not as ground breaking as it was when originally released.
Conclusion
Megatron is a practical, budget‑friendly USB DAC/amp that makes sense for an office desktop. It’s not the most portable or the absolute most powerful in this new dual‑USB class, but it’s well featured, quiet, and delivers enough drive for many harder‑to‑run headphones. If you need an inexpensive balanced‑out box with a line out and don’t mind the size, it’s an easy recommendation at the price.