Current testing methodology is v1.2
VE, also known as Venture Electronics, is a reputable Chinese brand in the audio market. Since the brand started more than a decade ago, it has established its prominence with an array of good-quality audio products at competitive prices.
The VE Abigal Pro DAC dongle is one of its budget offerings and in this post, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at how it performs. Let’s get to it!
VE Abigail Pro
Improved sound for not a lot of money
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TL:DR;
The VE Abigail Pro is a budget-friendly DAC dongle from the brand Venture Electronics and it has great value for its price.
I’ve recently purchased one and, boy, was I impressed. I got a decent performance out of this DAC dongle for such a relatively low price. It can power most IEMs and even headphones, but not enough to power planar sets. Overall, it offers good quality and portability.
The Specs
- Output Power: 31mW@32Ω
- DAC: CX31993
- Dynamic Range: 111dB
- Signal-to-Noise: 124db
- Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS
- Audio Format Support: 32bit–384KHz
What’s in the Box?
- VE Abigail Pro DAC dongle
- USB C to A converter
Stuff I like
- Easy to drive
- Improved soundstage and imaging
- Depth and clarity
Stuff I like less
- None at this price point
Where to get it
Comparable products to consider
The 7Hz Sevenhertz 71 is an affordable DAC dongle that can perform a lot of fundamentals well, making it a competitive product in the market.
First Impressions
The VE Abigail PRO is as simple as it gets. The packaging is straightforward and includes no accessories other than the dongle DAC itself and the USB-C to A adapter. The presentation is very reasonable for the price and there’s not much allure about them.
Even though the Abigail Pro is relatively cheap, it gave a noticeable difference to the performance and sound quality of my IEMs. Soundwise, the VE Abigail Pro produced more power to help drive IEMs and even some headphones to reach my desired volumes.
Build Quality
The VE Abigail Pro doesn’t feel cheaped out relative to its price. It has an all-metal construction with a sort of gunmetal finish on both ends of the DAC. The cable connecting the two pieces is made from standard high-purity copper with silicone guard shielding on its connectors.
The Abigail Pro includes a USB-C to A adapter making it easily usable for your laptop or PC. With its no-frills design, the VE Abigail Pro is compatible with any device and operating system.
It can work on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. I used the Abigail Pro relentlessly with my Windows PC and laptop and also with my Android smartphone, and it’s holding up pretty well even from heavy use.
Sound Quality
Before we talk about the sound quality, let me tell you about my setup first.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, I use the VE Abigal Pro with my PC and smartphone. I’ve also used different pairs of earphones with it to assess its performance. Here are the sets I used: TRIPOWIN Kailua, 7Hz Salnotes, Zero, CCA Lyra, and Tangzu Wan’er.
The VE Abigail Pro has a balanced or neutral sound signature, with a noticeable lift and weight on the mids and bass frequencies. During testing, it’s apparent that the bass frequencies are much more prominent in the mix than running my IEMs directly to my phone.
Every frequency had a noticeable boost in dynamics, and the presentation got cleaner and crisper. The soundstage and sound imaging of the IEMs also improved when I used them with the Abigail Pro.
This DAC dongle remained balanced and neutral for most of the time. It now features a weird tonality and timbre, while maintaining the presentation of the IEMs with a few noticeable improvements here and there.
The Abigail Pro could drive the IEMs I’ve used, and I find myself not needing to turn up the volume that much.
Bass
The bass presentation on the VE Abigail Pro has some improvements worth noting. The frequency’s dynamics and width are enhanced compared to running it directly on my computer or smartphone.
The bass retained its positioning in the mix but with a bit more weight in its presentation. This DAC dongle brought out some pleasing textures with the bass and improved its clarity.
Mids
The midrange on the Abigail Pro is the star of this show. While the differences are minimal, the texture and dynamic added to the mids are enough to impress me. The vocals sound intimate and have great clarity. A noticeable amount of air is also added to the presentation keeping me immersed in the tracks I’ve listened to.
Treble
The treble frequencies received a bit of extension, splash, and airiness from the Abigail Pro. The soundstage also has a slightly bigger width and depth to it and this DAC dongle did a great job of presenting the layers of sound in a mix.
The treble isn’t too boosted because it remains present in the mix without sounding too bright or suffering from any peaks. Overall, the treble response of the Abigail Pro is pretty desirable. I thought it was quite impressive that you can achieve so much from a DAC dongle at this price point.
Power
The VE Abigail Pro utilizes a CX31993, which can produce 31mW at 32ohm. This can power most IEMs and headphones, although it may have a tough time powering planar sets.
The main essence of a DAC dongle is portability and with that in mind, you won’t be using power-hungry and high-impedance headphones along with the Abigail Pro as portability would be sacrificed.
Its best use case is with just a regular IEM that’s easy to power. But even for some IEMs that require a bit more power, the VE Abigail Pro still performs well in providing enough power to those IEMs.
Conclusion
The VE Abigail Pro has been a mainstay for my portable setup because of its simplicity, compact size, and no-frills design. It’s a great addition to my audio gear and I carry it with me almost everywhere I go.
The Abigail Pro is an excellent example of something that can provide a lot of value with little money. If you’re on a budget and want to improve your setup, then getting a DAC dongle is a no-brainer.
I couldn’t be happier with the performance of the VE Abigail Pro. It’s such a fun little piece of equipment to have around.
A man of many interests, Querho is passionate about discovering new things that stimulate the mind. When he is not writing about the things he is passionate about, Querho can be found making music at his home studio.
This post was last updated on 2025-01-16 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.