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Currently best option for <50€ DAC/amp dongle or unit?

Cifer

Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2021
Messages
45
Likes
5
Hello everyone,

Sorry if the answer to my question is already on the forum, but I couldn't find anything.

I am looking for a fairly cheap backup DAC/amp (50 euros or less) mainly for use with a laptop, but potentially sometimes with an Android phone. It will be used only for headphones that are quite easy to drive (HD 560s, HD 599, Beyerdynamic TYGR 300 R), but is want it to be reasonably powerful regardless, but definitely not E1DA level since I have a dedicated desktop setup for hard-to-drive headphones.

I've seen that the Meizu Hifi Pro, the Abigail Cx 31993 and the Apple dongle are common recommendations. Another option would be units like the Fiio e10k (only device I have looked into in the non-dongle category).

How would you rank the dongles mentioned above regarding sound quality and power (I live in Europe, so I am talking about the inferior version of the Apple dongle here)? Would they be better than a unit like the Fiio e10k?

And which <50 Euro option would you recommend overall? Feel free to recommend something not mentioned above if there are better products out there.

Thanks a lot!
 

dan2021

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Messages
28
Likes
10
Lotoo Paw S1 (they're being cleared at very good prices now both used and in stores due to Paw S2 coming out) and the Paw S1 is still brilliant. I'm using it with a 2000Euro iem and it honestly doesnt hold the system back in any way.
 

spaggom

New Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2018
Messages
2
Likes
0
Hello everyone,

Sorry if the answer to my question is already on the forum, but I couldn't find anything.

I am looking for a fairly cheap backup DAC/amp (50 euros or less) mainly for use with a laptop, but potentially sometimes with an Android phone. It will be used only for headphones that are quite easy to drive (HD 560s, HD 599, Beyerdynamic TYGR 300 R), but is want it to be reasonably powerful regardless, but definitely not E1DA level since I have a dedicated desktop setup for hard-to-drive headphones.

I've seen that the Meizu Hifi Pro, the Abigail Cx 31993 and the Apple dongle are common recommendations. Another option would be units like the Fiio e10k (only device I have looked into in the non-dongle category).

How would you rank the dongles mentioned above regarding sound quality and power (I live in Europe, so I am talking about the inferior version of the Apple dongle here)? Would they be better than a unit like the Fiio e10k?

And which <50 Euro option would you recommend overall? Feel free to recommend something not mentioned above if there are better products out there.

Thanks a lot!
Sabaj DA2 or DA3
 
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