Best DACs 2024: USB, desktop and portable digital-to-analogue ...
Sep 5, 2024 · The USB DAC resembles a UBS stick/key and plugs straight into a laptop or PC's USB-A socket, or to a phone via a USB-A-to-USB-C (or -Lightning) dongle adapter. It boasts a more advanced DAC chip than the model-down DraongFly Red, plus a new microprocessor that draws less current and bumps up the DAC's processing speed.
Best headphone amplifiers 2024: expert picks to boost your …
2 days ago · Audioquest's top-range DragonFly USB DAC/headphone amplifier is an excellent portable or desktop solution for phones and laptops. The multi-award-winning Cobalt improves on the company's already talented and more affordable DragonFly Red by offering even better clarity and sonic precision.
iFi Zen DAC V2 review - What Hi-Fi?
Oct 20, 2023 · The Zen DAC V2 can be powered via its USB socket alone, drawing power from the source connected to it, however the mains route is recommended with tougher-to-drive headphones that require more power. Any 5V AC/DC adapter can be used, but iFi would naturally point you to its own iPower (£49 / $49 / AU$80) or iPower X (£99 / $100 / AU$159 ...
What is a DAC? And why do you need one anyway?
Aug 22, 2024 · Built into the likes of computers, tablets and smartphones, a DAC is fundamental to unlock digital music. It converts the countless reams of a digital song's data into analogue signals that are intelligible to the likes of speakers and headphones – and the human ear.
Audioengine D1 review - What Hi-Fi?
Apr 25, 2012 · The Audioengine D1 is a USB-powered DAC, which makes it truly portable, combined with a headphone amplifier, which makes it even more so. What's more, as well as accepting a signal through the USB input, it also offers the option of an optical connection, which also has the benefit of accepting content of up to 192kHz/24-bit, rather than the ...
AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt review - What Hi-Fi?
Oct 20, 2023 · Award-winning DragonFly Red, including the 2.1v headphone output, bit-perfect digital volume control and MQA renderer, but there have also been a number of significant upgrades.
We recently tested 15 DACs – and here are 6 we highly recommend
Jan 25, 2023 · Awards, our team of review experts first-time-tested or revisited 15 DACs from the biggest brands in the business – AudioQuest, iFi, Chord Electronics, Cambridge Audio, FiiO and Helm Audio – and these are the six we’d most heartily recommend for portable phone, desktop and hi-fi system use.
Chord Mojo 2 DAC review: a portable game-changer - What Hi-Fi?
Oct 20, 2023 · Perhaps the most practical advancement, however, is the addition of a USB-C input, which joins the existing optical, Micro USB, and 3.5mm coaxial (which supports sample rates up to 768kHz when partnered with a Chord M-Scaler and dual-data cable) inputs on one of the Mojo 2’s end panels.
Arcam rPAC review - What Hi-Fi?
May 14, 2012 · Arcam rPAC: A headphone amp too. Your headphones’ 3.5mm jack slots into the socket on the front of the device, while you can either tap or hold the buttons on top of the rPAC to change the volume. Or, you can use the phono outputs next to the USB socket to feed the signal straight into a stereo amp and on to a pair of speakers.
Audioquest DragonFly Red review - What Hi-Fi?
Oct 8, 2018 · A DAC and headphone amp disguised as a USB stick – and with great sound to boot? It was some serious innovation, and became the de facto quick and easy way to give a laptop a sonic upgrade, especially after the refinements and price drop of the v1.2 model.