SMSL SU-9 Review II – Worth Less?
Damn you SMSL for creating a superb DAC shredding my desires for a lesser DAC. Definitely recommended and hard to part with when I send this loaner back.
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Music For The Masses
DAC/AMP
All our reviews of “digital analog converters” (dac) and “amplifiers” (amp).
iFi Audio Zen Can Amplifier Full Review – Ticking the right Boxes
The iFi Zen Can is the best amp under $200 for the Sennheiser HD6XX/650. That’s basically my takeaway after testing this amp for 2+ months. For similar high impedance dynamic drivers and low sensitivity planars - the Zen Can is is very capable indeed.
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Hidizs S-9, Cozoy Takt-C, and Meizu MasterHiFi USB-C DAC/Amps Review – Wang Dang Dongle All Night Long
Hidizs S-9, Cozoy Takt-C and Meizu MasterHiFi USB-C DAC/Amps: There are design pretexts for eliminating the headphone jack, but I’m
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SMSL SU-9 DAC/Preamp Review – This is the Modern World
Undoubtedly you could drop a couple of grand on a DAC with a higher level of resolution or timbral purity. But the SMSL SU-9 in certainly a considerable step-up from entry-level and registers as a lot of technology for the money.
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ifi Audio Zen Phono RIAA Preamplifier Review – And Now for Something Completely Different
The ifi Audio Zen Phono preamplifier is an excellent performer suitable for a wide range of phono pickup cartridges at a budget price. But depending on preferences, its transient speed and dynamics mean it might not sound ‘vinyl enough’ in some systems.
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Cozoy Takt-C Dac/Amp (USB-C Version) Review II – Second Look
I understand the need for a good DAC, but it is typically the sum of all parts that determine the quality…
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ifi Audio hip-dac Review – Mein Funky Ballantine’s
The ifi Audio hip-dac is a zippy sounding, powerful, and very attractive looking/feeling dac/amp at a very good price.
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Earstudio HUD100 MK2 DAC/Amp Review – The Tiny Decathlete
A jack-of-all-trades dac/amp: although extremely small, it has two power modes and even handles high-impedance headphones well; it connects to PC, Mac, and phones (iPhone/Android); and it offers three different processing modes (filters) for individual sound adjustments.
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Tempotec Sonata HD Pro Review (2) – The Mighty Mouse
The Tempotec Sonata HD Pro provides a great upgrade in sound quality for smartphone and desktops for cheap. It has so many good points and the term “superb price to performance ratio” was created for this baby.
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Cozoy Takt-C Dac/Amp Quickie (USB-C Version) Review I – Living In the Dongle Age
The Cozoy Takt-C is a dongle dac/amp that appears to be designed primarily for phones, but it works also well with computers.
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Tailgate Party – Which Dongle Amp/Dac Works Best With The JVC HA-FDX1 Earphone?
The popular JVC HA-FDX1 earphone was paired with three different dac/amps (ifi Hip Dac, Earstudio HUD100, Tempotec Sonata HD Pro) in a field experiment to determine the best fit.
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Tempotec Sonata HD Pro Dac/Amp Review (1) – King Of Rock ‘N’ Roll
The Tempotec Sonata HD Pro is as versatile a dongle as it gets: works well with iPhones, Android phones, Macs and PCs, with no additional purchases necessary.
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Audirect Hilidac Atom Pro Dac/Amp (iPhone/iPad Lightning Version) Review – Boondongle
The Audirect Hilidac Atom Pro (iPhone lightning version) offers subtle sonic differences to the Apple lightning audio adapter but adds essentially no additional power to drive higher-impedance headphones.
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