Any outboard DAC will likely be better than the internal one. I’ve found that a good DAC is key to having the music converted properly. Even with cheap speakers you’ll likely hear a quite noticeable improvement. When I moved to an outboard DAC on my Mac Mini, a Meridian Director, I was amazed at the improvement. Aug 07, 2018 The DragonFly Red DAC is a 32bit ESS 9016 DAC having minimum phase filter and it plays MP3 audio files as well as 24bit 196KHz high resolution files without any hitch. The DragonFly Red DAC has high power output of 2.1 volts which is enough for all the headphone even the ones that require high power to begin with.
If you are looking for a DAC for iPhone then you will realize after few hours into the search that it is not a very easy to task to find a good DAC with high performance and that too under a reasonable price. We’ll get into why finding a good DAC is difficult in current market conditions but before we begin with that we have tried to solve your problem of finding a good DAC by compiling some of the best DACs for iPhone below in this publication. We recommend you check them out.
Finding a good DAC for your iPhone is difficult because of multiple factors in the market that contribute to this problem. The first factor is looking for a DAC for a specific device or purpose. Now generally the external DACs were never designed to be small or portable as that would not allow for a better performance. Now that we are looking for a DAC to use with iPhone you would need a specific design from a DAC so that it can be used with a phone. This specific requirement rules out most of the options in the market and you have to choose between limited options available and that is difficult when you don’t know what to look for in a DAC to begin with. That is why we have shortlisted some of the options for you to choose from which we recommend you have a look at.
If you decide to look for a DAC on your own then there are few factors that you should consider which will help you to make a smart decision. Let’s get into it.
Compatibility
The first thing that you should consider when getting a DAC is the compatibility factor. It is absolutely necessary that you should be aware of what kind of devices you will be running with the DAC. If you are planning to run sound systems or stereos you will need to have a different type of DAC and if you are planning to run headphones to connect to your PC or Smart Phone then you can go for a smaller less powerful DAC which will be enough for your use. So make sure you know which devices you’re going to be using with the DAC because there are compatibility issues with the DACs if you end up buying the wrong DAC.
Features
The next thing that you should look for in a DAC is the features it has on board. If you are getting a DAC for iPhone then you probably won’t find much features on board the DAC for that purpose because they are designed to be compact and portable and they don’t focus on the features that much. But if you are going for bigger powerful DACs then there are different features that you can get on the DAC and they can prove to be useful. The newer DACs are being launched with wireless connectivity and can be remotely controlled these features can make the DAC usage more convenient.
Now let’s start with the DACs we have on here for iPhone. Dj for mac free download.
Best DACs For iPhone (Comparison)
DAC | Weight |
---|---|
NextDrive Spectra Portable USB DAC | 17g |
iFi Audio Nano iDSD BL DAC | 139g |
AudioQuest DragonFly Red DAC | 100g |
Chord Electronics Mojo DAC (Editor's Choice) | 180g |
NextDrive Spectra Portable USB DAC
The first DAC we have on here is the Spectra Portable USB DAC produced by NextDrive. NextDrive is a new name in DAC manufacturing and has proven to be a reliable one with this DAC. The DAC we have on here is suitable for iPhone use and it has high ratings. So how it fared in our review? Let’s find out.
Let’s start with the design of the Spectra DAC and it is an ultra portable DAC that requires no batteries to operate. The slim design of the Spectra allows users to store it anywhere and carry it anywhere and it is durable too. The Spectra DAC has very good compatibility and can work with any PC or Smart Phone with no issue at all. Some phones may require extra adapter depending on the port they have.
The frequency response rate of the Spectra DAC is between 20Hz and 40KHz. The dynamic range of this DA is +121dB. The total harmonic distortion or THD of the Spectra DAC is -110dB at 600ohms load while at 32ohms load the distortion is -100dB. When it comes to maximum power output the Spectra DAC produces 2Vrms at 600ohms and at 32ohms it generates 49mW. When it comes to supported data type the Hi-Res PCM data range supported by the Spectra DAC is up to 32bit 384KHz and 5.6MHz data support for DSD.
Best Dac For Macbook Air
For data input the Spectra DAC features USB 2.0 Type-A and USB 2.0 Type-B (Micros USB) ports and a gold plated 3.5mm mini jack for output.
When it comes to performance the Spectra DAC provides a clear and crystal sound output with no lag or jitters. The build quality of this DAC is very good and lightweight design contributes greatly to it’s portability. The sound clearly on this DAC has more depth and clarity and is excellent to use with iPhone or other smart phones. There have been no reported issues regarding this DAC’s functionality or performance.
Note: DSD support on this DAC is restricted to maximum volume.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Lightweight | None That We Could Find |
No Batteries Required | |
Wide Range Of Compatibility |
Conclusion
If you are looking for a portable and small DAC for your iPhone the Spectra DAC by NextDrive is a very good option for you.
iFi Audio Nano iDSD BL DAC
The next DAC we have on here is the Nano iDSD BL DAC produced by iFi Audio. iFi Audio is a reliable name when it comes to production of good quality DACs for the masses. The DAC we have here in question is suitable for use with iPhone. The ratings of this DAC are high. How it fared in our review? Let’s find out.
Android studio mac. Make sure your simulator is using a 64-bit device(iPhone 5s or later) by checking the settings inthe simulator’s Hardware Device menu. You can alsouse the Window Physical Size or Window Pixel Accurateoptions if your computer’s resolution is high enough. Grab the corner of thesimulator and drag it to change the scale. Depending on your development machine’s screen size,simulated high-screen-density iOS devicesmight overflow your screen.
Starting with the design of the iDSD BL DAC it is a small DAC that is very light in weight. The build quality of this DAC is very good and is overall a durable DAC. The iDSD BL DAC employs a rechargeable lithium polymer battery to power it up and on a full charge that battery will power the DAC for 10 hours of operational time.
The iDSD BL DAC has wide range of compatibility and it can be used with any PC or Smart Device. The frequency response on this iDSD BL DAC is between 20Hz and 16KHz, this is a self measured figure and not an official one. The dynamic range of the iDSD BL DAC is >109dB and the output impedance of this DAC is <240ohms. The channel separation on the iDSD BL DAC is >99dB. The input of the iDSD BL DAC is covered by a USB 2.0 port and it features 3 x 3.5mm output jacks as well.
When it comes to performance the iDSD BL DAC provides a very good sound quality with clarity and detail. The build quality of this DAC is very good and the lightweight design of this DAC makes it easy to carry it around and store. There is no sound distortion on the output of this DAC. It is a good contender for a iPhone DAC. There is room for improvement when it comes to features on this DAC but sound quality is very good. There have been no reported issues regarding this DAC’s performance.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Rechargeable Battery | None That We Could Find |
12 Months Warranty | |
Lightweight |
Conclusion
If you are looking for a DAC for iPhone that is powerful and produces high quality sound then Nano iDSD BL DAC by iFi Audio is a good option for you.
AudioQuest DragonFly Red DAC
![Burr brown vs wolfson Burr brown vs wolfson](/uploads/1/1/9/8/119876855/135104097.jpg)
The next DAC we have on here is the DragonFly Red DAC produced by AudioQuest. AudioQuest is a reputable manufacturer of good quality DACs and have been doing so for quite a while now. The DAC we have here in question is different in design from other DACs and is suitable for use with iPhone. The DragonFly Red DAC has high ratings. So how it fared in our review? Let’s find out.
Let’s start with the design of the DragonFly Red DAC and it is a compact and small DAC designed in the shape of a USB Storage Stick. The DragonFly Red DAC features a functioning USB on one end. This DAC is portable and lightweight so it is easy to carry it around and store it.
The DragonFly Red DAC is compatible with number of devices and all the devices from Apple and Android can be connected to this DAC. The DragonFly Red DAC is a 32bit ESS 9016 DAC having minimum phase filter and it plays MP3 audio files as well as 24bit 196KHz high resolution files without any hitch. The DragonFly Red DAC has high power output of 2.1 volts which is enough for all the headphone even the ones that require high power to begin with. The asynchronous transfer on the DragonFly Red DAC ensures the digital timing integrity of the signal. The DragonFly Red DAC has a fixed output which feeds the preamp or AV receiver and it also features Bit-perfect digital volume control as well. The DragonFly Red DAC is designed to produce minimal packet errors.
When it comes to performance the DragonFly Red DAC produces high quality sound with low jitters and maximum clarity. The sound output has detail and has depth. The build quality of this DAC is good and the lightweight & compact design is a good thing if you like to carry the DAC around with you. There have been no reported issues regarding this DAC’s performance.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Low Jitter | None That We Could Find |
Portable | |
USB Design |
Conclusion
If you are looking for compact and portable DAC for your iPhone then DragonFly Red DAC by AudioQuest is another good option for you.
Chord Electronics Mojo DAC – (Editor’s Choice)
The last DAC we have on here is the Mojo DAC produced by Chord Electronics. Chord Electronics has been producing high quality and DACs for small scale usage and they have pioneered that area with their products. The DAC here in question by Chord Electronics is considered the best for use with Smart Phones and other small scale devices. It has high ratings. How it fared in our review? Let’s find out.
The Mojo DAC has a lightweight and small pocket size build and it is excellent when it comes to portability as well. The build quality of this DAC is very good mainly due to the Aluminium chassis it has onboard. So it is safe to say that it is a durable DAC to own. The rechargeable battery on board this DAC takes 4 hours to charge and provides 8 hours of run time on full charge.
The playback support on the Mojo DAC for all Hi-Res files ranges from 32KHz to 786KHz and DSD 256 support as well. The Mojo DAC features 768KHz coax input via jack along with 192KHz optical input and 768KHz micro USB input. There is a separate micro USB charging input as well. There are 2 x 3.5mm headphone output ports as well. The output impedance on this DAC is 75ohms and the dynamic range on the Mojo DAC is 125dB. The power output of this DAC is 35mW at 600ohm load and 72mW at 80ohms load.
When it comes to performance the Mojo DAC produces high quality clear and deep sound with no distortion. The build quality of this DAC excellent. The Mojo DAC is excellent for carrying it around with you since it has lightweight and compact design that can be stored easily. There have been no reported issues regarding this DAC’s performance.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Powerful Small DAC | None That We Could Find |
High Quality Sound Output | |
Portable |
Conclusion
If you are looking for a high performance DAC for iPhone that performs well all round then Mojo DAC by Chord Electronics is a very good option for you.
Conclusion
The DACs listed here for iPhone in this publication are among the best in the market right now. If they have any reported issues regarding their performance or build quality they have been mentioned in this publication. We hope you find this publication useful. Let us know what you think about these DACs in the comments below.
Recommended Readings (Top Best Reviews)