![]() If you want top-notch MQA sound, but don’t have a lot of room on your desk, or want something to cart to the local Starbucks, this is the ticket. It has the most power, the cleanest sound, and it’s also the smallest, lightest one ever (thanks to a flagship ESS DAC Chip). What we love: This small USB DAC/Headphone Amp is a powerhouse! The latest addition to the acclaimed Audioquest Dragonfly line, the $299 Dragonfly Cobalt is the best yet. ( iFi ZEN DAC $129 BUY HERE) Dragonfly Cobalt USB DAC/Headphone Amp But if you do use it with an external power supply (available separately), you’ll have to unplug it every time you’re done. If you leave it plugged into the computer, it will go off when the computer does. We also wish the ZEN DAC had a power button. If you want to use it with a smartphone, keep in mind that the phone may not have enough juice to power the ZEN on its own. That means you have to power it from your laptop’s USB port. For one thing, there is no DC power supply. Watch out for: For all its virtues, the ZEN DAC is still missing a couple of things, in my opinion. As far as listening goes, it has that beautiful warm, detailed sound iFi is known for. If you’re looking for a low-cost desktop amp/preamp with MQA, there is no better option out there. ![]() On top of that, due to the desktop form factor, you also get RCA line output, 1/4” headphone out, and a little bit more juice for power-hungry cans. It has a lot of the same features, like a balanced amp circuitry, bass enhancement, MQA, and native DSD, plus a gain control. ![]() What we love: You can think of the $129 iFi ZEN DAC (One of our 2019 Products Of The Year, BTW) as the desktop version of the hip-dac mentioned above. ( ifi hip-dac $149 BUY HERE) iFi ZEN DAC Desktop Headphone DAC/Amp (However, they do include the USB-C adapter, which they didn’t before) No dedicated line output. There’s also no carrying case or bag included as there was with past iFi products. Watch out for: There are no markings on the volume knob for reference. Especially if you already love the iFi sound signature. If you’re looking for a lightweight DAC/Amp to improve the audio from your laptop or smartphone, this is a no-brainer. We love its ability to drive full-size headphones with enthusiasm, and we also love the crisp, wide-open, transparent sound. What we love: The $149 hip-dac is iFi smallest DAC/Amp to date, with more features (balanced out, L/H gain, XBass, MQA, DSD support) than they have ever included at that price. ( Zorloo Ztella, $99 BUY HERE) iFi Hip Dac Headphone DAC/Amp It also suffers from the brightness exhibited by lower-end ESS DAC chips, but match it with the right headphone, and it can be magic. Watch out for: It’s not the most potent DAC/Amp, so if you’re trying to drive some big planar headphones, this may not be the best choice. The detail throughout the audioband is excellent. It’s also super slim and lightweight, being not much larger than the headphone dongles included with some smartphones. It’s a very capable DAC based around a quality ESS DAC chip, and besides MQA, it also decodes PCM up to 384 Khz and Double Rate DSD (5.6 MHz). What we love: At just $99, the Zorloo Ztella (MQA Version) is an excellent option if you want to dip your toes in the MQA waters.
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