Dongle DACs for main audio system?

[Chaconne]

Apologies for my lack of understanding of this product category. I’m trying to get up to speed, but I’m not there yet, and my terminology may not be correct.

What I’m looking for is something like the Audioquest Dragonfly—but with more competent engineering (I’ve seen Amir’s review). I want something to plug into my MacBook Air’s USB-A port (either directly or with an adapter) and connects to the line-level inputs of my integrated amp (input impedance 22K ohms). Headphone use would be rare to nonexistent.

From what I’ve read, the Hidizs S9 seems like it might be a candidate, but are there others I might consider? Under about $150US would be nice, but a little more would be okay if warranted.

Background: I’d like an external DAC to run my MacBook in my main system that is not yet another box with yet another power cable. If I’m missing any needed input, please let me know. (I hope I'm at least in the correct forum.)
THANK YOU!

 

[charleski]

I've been running a Tempotec SonataHD (same as the Hidzis S8) from my Macbook Pro to my headphone amp for over a year. The only problems I had came when I tried to daisy-chain the output (effectively connecting two amps in parallel), which caused infrequent cut-outs. I suspect this was a problem with the impedance-detection circuitry in the dongle which is designed to switch output voltage depending on headphone impedance. As long as it only sees one (high-impedance) buffered input it works perfectly.

 

[Chaconne]

Thanks for the info, charleski. Anyone else have any ideas?? THANKS.

 

[Guddu]

You can go to review index > Electronics, select dac dongle and/or headphone amp dongle, recommendation YES.
You can then go though the list and find the one as per your needs.

 

[DVDdoug]

Do MacBooks still have an analog headphone-out? That should be perfectly adequate as long as you're not hearing background noise and as long as you can get enough signal (voltage). Usually a headphone-output works fine into line-in.

Frequency response and distortion are almost always better than human hearing so noise is the only thing to worry about.

 

[Music1969]

Background: I’d like an external DAC to run my MacBook in my main system that is not yet another box with yet another power cable.

There's several that are not dongle DACs but are powered over the USB input from your Mac.

Would they be ok too?

Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 is nice, you might find a used one locally:

Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital D/A headphone amplifier Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements

www.stereophile.com

 

[Chaconne]

Thanks so much for the replies! I'm somewhat new to ASR, so I'm still finding my way around the site.

guddu, that listing will be helpful. I'm assuming all the units listed there will work in the setup I've described.

Thanks again.

 

[Joe Smith]

Schiit Modi 3+, which can use either external 5v or be powered from USB, would be a nice versatile choice for you. I use/swap a Modi 3 and also a JDS Atom DAC+, but the JDS does use a power transformer.

 

[RickSanchez]

As @Music1969 and @Joe Smith mentioned, there are some solid USB-powered desktop form-factor options if you don't really need the device to be portable. If you wanted/needed the features of an audio interface (both ADC and DAC, plus a headphone amp) these are a couple options near your budget:

• https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/motu-m2-review-audio-interface.19911/
• https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...rlett-2i2-audio-interface-gen-3-review.10187/

I have a Scarlett 2i2. I use the DAC section 99% of the time, but having the ADC + mic inputs has been incredibly useful when I've needed it.

 

[Chaconne]

Do MacBooks still have an analog headphone-out? That should be perfectly adequate as long as you're not hearing background noise and as long as you can get enough signal (voltage). Usually a headphone-output works fine into line-in.

Frequency response and distortion are almost always better than human hearing so noise is the only thing to worry about.

Thanks, Doug. You know, I never really considered the headphone-out port for critical listening. I've always assumed it was substandard or merely utilitarian—without ever really giving it a chance for high-quality sound. I'll definitely check it out vs. my external DAC (the DAC section of a Creek Evolution 50 CD player). Thanks also to Joe and Rick for your ideas.

 

[dc655321]

Thanks, Doug. You know, I never really considered the headphone-out port for critical listening. I've always assumed it was substandard or merely utilitarian—without ever really giving it a chance for high-quality sound. I'll definitely check it out vs. my external DAC (the DAC section of a Creek Evolution 50 CD player). Thanks also to Joe and Rick for your ideas.

I’ll second the MacBooks’ line out. Apple typically pays attention to audio quality, at least to a reasonable degree.

Also, it sounds like your machine may be of a sufficient vintage that the 3.5mm out line may double duty as an optical output. If so, this Toslink line would permit electrical isolation (ground loop severance) as well.

Worth checking into…

 

[Chaconne]

I’ll second the MacBooks’ line out. Apple typically pays attention to audio quality, at least to a reasonable degree.

Also, it sounds like your machine may be of a sufficient vintage that the 3.5mm out line may double duty as an optical output. If so, this Toslink line would permit electrical isolation (ground loop severance) as well.

Worth checking into…

Thanks a lot for this info. Yes, my MacBook Air does have the optical output. I'll get a proper cable and check it out!

 

[Deckard01]

Hello I have almost the same question.

How to find out IFI Go Bar, S9 PRO or iBasso can be connected to an external amplifier. Will be any issues like double amping or something?

 

[Jimbob54]

Hello I have almost the same question.

How to find out IFI Go Bar, S9 PRO or iBasso can be connected to an external amplifier. Will be any issues like double amping or something?

I'd use the 3.5mm jack to rca type cable though, the balanced output might not be suitable. Set the dongle to max output if the amp allows and off you go.

 

[Deckard01]

Yes Jimbo that I was thinking, I just do know know if is supported mostly for the GO Bar. I can only find out that it is working for RU7 dongle.

​

 

[Jimbob54]

Yes Jimbo that I was thinking, I just do know know if is supported mostly for the GO Bar. I can only find out that it is working for RU7 dongle.

​

It will work with any.

 

[raistlin65]

Hello I have almost the same question.

How to find out IFI Go Bar, S9 PRO or iBasso can be connected to an external amplifier. Will be any issues like double amping or something?

Double-amping talk is a myth used to create fear that a dongle will somehow be inferior to some standalone DAC box which doesn't necessarily perform any better.

All of Amir's tests are typically at maximum output. So what you see in his tests is how the dongle should perform when you use it as a DAC in your setup.

Plus, dongles typically output a maximum of 2V (some are less) with single ended output, which is equivalent to the line output you would get from many standard DACs in a box people are using an audio setups. So there's no extra amping beyond what you would normally need.

 

[Miguelón]

Apologies for my lack of understanding of this product category. I’m trying to get up to speed, but I’m not there yet, and my terminology may not be correct.

What I’m looking for is something like the Audioquest Dragonfly—but with more competent engineering (I’ve seen Amir’s review). I want something to plug into my MacBook Air’s USB-A port (either directly or with an adapter) and connects to the line-level inputs of my integrated amp (input impedance 22K ohms). Headphone use would be rare to nonexistent.

From what I’ve read, the Hidizs S9 seems like it might be a candidate, but are there others I might consider? Under about $150US would be nice, but a little more would be okay if warranted.

Background: I’d like an external DAC to run my MacBook in my main system that is not yet another box with yet another power cable. If I’m missing any needed input, please let me know. (I hope I'm at least in the correct forum.)
THANK YOU!

I’m not an expert, but in the past I connected DAC/AMPs to active studio monitors and the result was very poor.

I don’t know exactly the reasons, maybe the famous double amplification talk, or the coloration of the sound that consumers DACs often have that “kills” neutral speakers, or simply the signal voltage was not adequate to the amplifier. I connected Dragonfly Red with a 2,1 V output and was forced to turn the volume at its max.

At this volume the DAC sounded compressed and distorted, at lower volumes (60%) sounded better but should raise the input gain of the monitor to the max (was a Yamaha HS 7) and then it was the speaker that sounded really bad.

After some changes, actually I’m super happy with a “humble” Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, the DAC section nourishes perfectly my Genelec 8030 and particularly the headphone output give a strong, clean signal to my Sennheiser HD 600.

Since my past experience, I trust more the audio interfaces dac section than audiphile dacs, I’m always sure that signal will be ok for amplifying

 

[staticV3]

I don’t know exactly the reasons, maybe the famous double amplification talk

It's a myth

or the coloration of the sound that consumers DACs often have that “kills” neutral speakers

99% of consumer DACs have no sound coloration

 

[Miguelón]

It's a myth


99% of consumer DACs have no sound coloration

Maybe the amp section, they have a DAC and an amplifier.