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DAC/AMP devices are those that have both a DAC or a digital to analogue converter inside, but also an AMP, either for headphones and portables for a stereo AMP made for speakers. They are usually great for versatility, and have better price / performance ratio compared to getting standalone AMPs, DACs and other in between devices.
You can find my reviews on DAC/AMPs below, and also the best DAC/AMPs here: https://amzn.to/3JQcUM6
Views 62,074 HIDIZS DH80 is a Dac Amp priced at 139 USD, made as a cradle for their AP80 DAC, but which can work standalone as well. It has a good amount of output power, an ESS 9281C PRO DAC, and supports MQA as well. Given the design, I will …
Views 67,124 Coming straight out of the technologized South Korea, N25 is a flagship streamer with DAC functions, and priced at 1400 USD. For this price, it features a Streaming function, network player, Roon point, and MQA decoding, along with a DAC function, so you can connect it straight to …
Views 40,476 Maktar Spectra x2 is a DAC/AMP made for smartphones, and iPhones (the model we’re reviewing today), and it features a price tag of 200 USD, placing it above, or at least in line with iFi Hip-DAC2 (150 USD), Earmen Sparrow (200 USD), and Lotoo Paw S1 (170 USD), …
Views 58,726 Head Box DS is a DAC / Headphone Amplifier made by Pro-Ject in Austria, and priced at 400 USD at the moment of its release, and now being a pretty old-school device, as it was released around 2016, so about 5 years ago. I will be comparing it …
Views 60,654 iFi Audio hip-dac2 is the latest DAC/AMP from iFi, and it is priced at 190 USD, and comes with full Balanced output, MQA support, Hi-Res support. It will be compared to other high-quality DAC/AMPs in the price range, including Earmen TR-AMP (250 USD), JDs Labs Atom+ + JDS …
Views 61,973 SMSL DO200 is a high-end balanced DAC priced 490 USD at the moment of writing today’s full written review, and it comes with full balanced output, a high number of input interfaces, and the title of being the world’s only DAC with MQA support across all its input …
Views 41,827 You heard about Hilidac’s Audirect Beam, Whistle, and Atom PRO, now it is time for the second beam of enlightenment, Beam 2, with MQA and Hi-Res support, and priced at 100 USD, and which will be compared to FiiO BTR5 2021 (130 USD), iFi Hip DAC (150 USD), …
Views 61,736 Soundmagic A30 is a baguette-shaped DAC/AMP, just like NextDrive ones, and it is priced at 30 EUR / 50 USD. This would make it technically one of the most affordable DAC/AMP I reviewed to date, and I know very few DAC/AMPs at 50 USD to compare it to, …
Views 65,176 We’re reviewing the new iBasso DX240 today, a portable music player or Digital Audio Player (DAP), priced at 950 USD, and a iBasso is back on top, and wants to make sure that you can use the AMP modules ecosystem from their DX220, so the new one is …
Views 58,378 I liked the original SE180 with its SEM1 Module and the ESS Chip, but the company promised to make more DAC/AMPs for this flagship of a modular DAP, and with a single DAC/AMp module costing 350 USD, and including both a new DAC and a new amplifier circuit, …
Views 27,120 We sometimes work on reviewing something that’s so tiny it gets lost in the queue, and this is the case with the 50 USD H2 Bluetooth Amplifier / Receiver from HIDIZS. This one doesn’t really have any comparisons I can make given its price, and the closest Bluetooth …
Views 62,978 We sometimes have a really basic DAC/AMP that proves to be really effective, and that’s the case with the 60 USD Hiby FD1 as well, a DAC/AMP, with Single Ended, and Balanced Headphone Outputs, a Type-C connector, and a full metallic body. It will be compared to other …
Views 66,885 S.M.S.L AO200 is a full sized, full powered 50W Speaker Stereo Amplifier priced at 280 USD, and designed with many features like a USB input, Bluetooth input, RCA and XLR inputs, and runs in class D. Today we will compare it to other stereo amplifiers, like Burson Funk …
Views 40,422 UA2 is the kind of DAC/AMP that eats a lot of power, but gives you a lot back as well, and it is priced at 85 USD, so it will be compared to other similar DAC/AMPs like the Audirect Atom PRO (70 USD), and Tempotec E35 Sonata (80 …
Views 47,838 The title says it all, and we’re at the end of 2021, but the latest version of BTR5 has the 2021 monicker, support for MQA, and it is priced at 130 USD, which is a bit more than the 110 / 120 USD that the original costed at …
Views 35,775 JDS Labs Atom DAC+ is a DAC made by JDS Labs from the USA, and priced at 100 USD at the moment of writing this review. Given the affordable price point, it will be a unique item on Audiophile-Heaven, and most DACs I review in the price range …
Views 44,873 Palab M1 mini is a DAC/AMP made by Palab, and it is no secret that it is a mighty good one, with a price tag of 500 USD, MQA decoding abilities, and a Balanced output. The main comparisons included in today’s review will be with really capable competitors, …
Views 50,518 Tempotec E35 Sonata is a DAC/AMP with the price tag of 80 USD, driverless operation, dual DACs, and 80mW of power at 32 OHMs. It will be compared to iBasso DC-01 (50 USD), FiiO M3 PRO (70 USD), FiiO BTR5 (110 USD). Introduction Tempotec has been a …
Views 75,631 Keces S3 is a high-end top of the shelf DAC / Balanced Headphone Amplifier made in TAIWAN, and priced at 1300 USD. The comparison list will include Audio Analogue AAdac, Wells Milo, iBasso DX300, and Mytek Brooklyn DAC+. The pairing list will include HIFIMAN Arya, Rosson RAD-0, and …
Views 68,542 Pro-Ject designed many DACs over the years, but the DAC BOX DS will surely remain in the history of mankind as one of the kindest, smoothest and most peaceful sounding DACs to ever exist. It is priced at 430 USD at the moment of writing this full written …
Views 41,584 HUD100 MK II is a DAC/AMP made by Earstudio as a response to their original, which was criticized by many including me in the full written review I posted before. The MK II is totally different, and it comes with more driving power, and a lower price point, …
Views 76,765 Smyth A16 Realiser is a really unique product that deserves a longer and more complex review than my typical takes. It is priced at around 4000 USD at the moment of writing this full review, it is basically a DAC / AMP / DSP processor for 3D sound. …
Views 68,383 Soundaware A1X PRO is the kind of Streamer that will go straight to your heart once you get to hear it, but first, we should talk about the price, which is 700 USD. This kind of price is not so huge even for DAC/AMPs nowadays, but A1X PRO …
Views 74,737 AAdac is the masterpiece DAC made in Italy by Audio Analogue, and is meant mainly to be combined with their amplifiers, and CD players, which have a similar aesthetic. It is priced at 3500 EUR or about 4000 USD, and is part of their Pure Line, so it …
Views 63,978 Hilidac Atom PRO is a USB DAC priced at 70 USD, usually made for Type-C based devices like smartphones, and with a 3.5mm output. I haven’t explored too many comparable DAC/AMPs in this price range, so for now I will be comparing it to iBasso DC-01, FiiO M3Pro, …
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