Monoprice DAC & Amp Dongle Review

[Steve Dallas]

im seeing it on their website currently. its marked down to $25

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=29512&page_type=homepage%20&location_type=atfr2s5&start_date=231018&promo_type=231018_PortableBlue_43260

i wonder if it has changed or been updated? at $25 it would seem its still being discontinued?

at $25 is it an ok buy as i currently dont have anything, or still best to skip?

The truth is it sounds fine and is transparent to my ears. I still have one and still use it.

The issue I have with it is that it nowhere near matches the published specs and was advertised as SOTA, which it is most definitely is not.

 

[whitelabrat]

I just snatched one at about $25. First of all I'm going to take a look at what is inside the case. Perhaps it's using the bone-stock ESS example circuit? Also from what I can tell the test is done while pushing the little guy to it's limits, which is fair. I'm curious how it will perform while feeding my headphone amp, which will present a much easier load for it to drive. I'm at least hoping it's better than what is in my MacBook.

Edit: removed some incorrect content

 

[staticV3]

Also from what I can tell the test is done while pushing the little guy to it's limits, which is fair.

All of these tests are performed with a 200kΩ load impedance:

It is the easiest load that this DAC will ever encounter in the wild.

I'm curious how it will perform while feeding my headphone amp, which will present a much easier load for it to drive.

Your headphone amp most likely has an input impedance that's quite a bit lower than 200kΩ, so it will not present an easier load to drive.

 

[whitelabrat]

All of these tests are performed with a 200kΩ load impedance:

Ah, I missed that detail. Very good, and thank you for pointing that out. I think my headphone amp's input should be whatever an OPA827 is at unity gain. I'm a little tempted to do a lab test too, but I'm also super lazy. In any case I really appreciate the results shared here!

 

[whitelabrat]

Got my hands on one. TL;DR: I feel like my 2019 MacBook Pro's headphone output sounds better. The USB DAC seems to lack the dynamic range which is confirmed by the test results. FYI both are feeding into an external headphone amp --> Bayerdynamic DT770 Pro.

I liberated the PCB from the case, and it appears the headphone driver is an ESS SABRE 9601K so that is interesting.

Edit: I suspect the 9601K is the weak link. Not sure why this part was selected aside from being cheap and looking good on paper. Apparently this USB DAC was just a paper exercise and nobody listened to it before shipping.