Audioengine, Amazon, Schiit
Should you spend most days at your laptop listening to music, why not pay attention to raised high quality audio? A lot of immediately’s music streaming providers (apart from Spotify) supply lossless high quality tracks which are considerably higher-resolution than the compressed audio you’d recover from Bluetooth. All you want is an efficient pair of wired headphones (which do not should be that costly) and a desktop DAC/amp to drive them.
What Does a Desktop Amp/DAC Really Do?
Tucker Bowe
A desktop DAC/amp is an easy and (typically) reasonably priced element that connects to your desktop laptop or laptop computer and successfully helps your audio sound extra like hi-fi. The headphones you’re utilizing proceed to be crucial piece of the hi-fi puzzle, however a superb headphone amp is available in a detailed second.
With no headphone amp, the sound coming out of your laptop or smartphone’s audio jack merely isn’t excellent. It’s flat and grainy and doesn’t ship the expansive soundstage that higher-resolution music information promise. A superb headphone amp with a built-in digital-to-analog converter (DAC) can change that. Additionally, as a result of the audio is extra correct and fewer harsh in your ears, you possibly can hearken to music longer. It’s a win-win.
Wanting on-line, you’ll discover some nice and costly DACs, however there are additionally good choices for $200 or much less. These are those that we suggest.
How We Examined
Tucker Bower
We have examined many of the desktop DAC/amps which are on this information and paired them with quite a lot of wired headphones and listened to high-resolution tracks from Apple Music, Amazon Music Limitless and Tidal. The under are our favorites.
To study extra about our testing methodology and the way we consider merchandise, head right here.
iFi Audio Uno
- Inputs: USB-C
- Outputs: headphone (3.5mm), RCA
- Max audio decision: as much as 32-bit/384kHz
iFi Audio’s Uno is a superb DAC/amp due to its small dimension and affordable worth, in addition to the truth that it helps hottest high-res audio information (PCM, DSD and MQA). It has a single 3.5mm headphone jack and a tactile quantity knob that makes an exquisite “click on” sound while you energy it on/off. There’s an EQ button for switching between three preset EQ modes (music, movies and gaming). There’s additionally an influence match button that, when clicked, matches the facility wanted to drive your headphones.
iFi Audio Zen Air
Amazon
- Inputs: USB-B
- Outputs: headphone (6.35mm), RCA
- Max audio decision: as much as 32-bit/384kHz
Launched in 2022, the Zen Air is a DAC/amplifier that is greater than twice the scale of the corporate’s Uno (above); it takes the identical type issue as iFi Audio’s Zen DAC V2, however is extra reasonably priced because of its largely plastic design. It is a pretty easy element to make use of because it simply has a big quantity knob, a button for energy matching and an XBass+ button for rising the bass. The one caveat is that it solely has a 6.35mm headphone jack, that means you will must have a 6.35mm adapter (however most high quality wired headphones include these).
Schiit Fulla E
Shiite
- Inputs: USB-C, optical, microphone
- Outputs: headphone (3.5mm)
- Max audio decision: as much as 24-bit/192kHz
Schiit Audio is small California audio firm that makes quite a lot of high-performing DACs and amplifiers, and it sells them direct to prospects which helps make all their stuff actually reasonably priced. The Fulla E, for instance, is a simple-yet stunning headphone DAC/amp that prices simply over $100. It has an exquisite massive and tactile quantity knob and a mic jack for gaming. The Fulla E plugs immediately into your laptop computer or desktop and you should use it as a DAC/amp with wired headphones or as a DAC/preamp for a pleasant pair of powered screens.
FiiO K5 Professional
FiiO
- Inputs: USB-C, optical
- Outputs: headphone (6.35mm), RCA
- Max audio decision: as much as 32-bit/768kHz
The FiiO K5 Professional is a robust desktop headphone amp/DAC combo (that includes AKM’s AK4493EQ DAC chips) designed for higher-end headphones. It has a number of acquire switches, relying on how a lot energy your headphones crave, and it helps high-resolution as much as 32-bit/768kHz as properly native DSD. It has a neat quantity dial that really glows completely different colours (RGB) relying on the sampling fee you are listening to: blue (48kHz and under), yellow (above 48kHz) and inexperienced (DSD). The one caveat is that it does require a separate energy provide.
Audioengine D1 (2nd-Technology)
Audioengine
- Inputs: USB-C, optical
- Outputs: headphone (3.5mm), RCA
- Max audio decision: as much as 24-bit/96Hz (192kHz with optical)
Audioengine launched its unique D1 desktop DAC/amp again in 2012. This second-generation mannequin — launched in 2023 — appears an identical, however comes with an improved DAC (ESS ES9018) and headphone amplifier and it is considerably extra versatile because of its newer USB-C connection. It really works as a plug-and-play desktop DAC/amp identical to earlier than, however this new mannequin may work as moveable headphone amp on your smartphone or pill. Its USB-C connection permits it to attract energy out of your smartphone or pill without having a separate energy supply.
Schiit Audio Hel Plus
Schiit Audio
- Inputs: USB-C, optical, microphone
- Outputs: headphone (3.5mm)
- Max audio decision: as much as 32-bit/384kHz
The Hel Plus (or Hel+) is actually a higher-end and dearer model of the corporate’s Fulla E. It’s 4 occasions extra highly effective than the Fulla E with acquire controls, making it excellent for extra demanding headphones. It additionally helps high-end mics and has a handy microphone quantity wheel, making it superb for extra severe avid gamers. Just like the Fulla E, the Hel Plus is a plug-and-play amp/DAC that is tremendous straightforward to make use of.
