Monoprice DAC & Amp Dongle Review

[Sokel]

Some say? Why ever should an owner of a device install a Windows driver not listed on the manufacturers home page, and not even knowing if this is the correct driver for the device at all?

The day I will buy a device using a generic,not specifically made for it,I will call all to nicely publicly shame me,medieval style preferably.
(I'm not saying it's right,I would probably list it in desperate measures,as a lot of people did in first extra buggy XMOS editions)

 

[don'ttrustauthority]

Wow! Jitter looks almost audible. ouch.

You need margin for error? So long as jitter is inaudible, I don't really care if it's by 1 db or 1 million db.

 

[DonR]

You need margin for error? So long as jitter is inaudible, I don't really care if it's by 1 db or 1 million db.

It's probably not audible to me but likely to be audible to a significant portion of the population. Also, there is variation in manufacturing.

 

[amirm]

Some say that the Savitech SA9227 driver (I only found it here) solves some performance issues.
I know @amirm does not like installing stuff but it could be the reason for such a huge gap in measurements.

There is no dongle in the world that matches those specs. And it is not like monoprice used that driver to get their numbers or else, they would provide it for download.

 

[respice finem]

There is no dongle in the world that matches those specs. And it is not like monoprice used that driver to get their numbers or else, they would provide it for download.

This, and, AFAIK a USB audio device should be "class compliant" and thus function properly as such, without any "extra" software. Such software may nonetheless widen its functionality (e.g. RME software).

 

[Sokel]

There is no dongle in the world that matches those specs. And it is not like monoprice used that driver to get their numbers or else, they would provide it for download.

Your right,but the gap is huge and this is an odd looking measurement,like something is really broken.

 

[amirm]

Your right,but the gap is huge and this is an odd looking measurement,like something is really broken.

It is typical of low cost dacs in $20 range where they followed some kind of app note from the chip company. USB powered devices require a lot of attention to design which is simply lacking here.

 

[staticV3]

There is no dongle in the world that matches those specs.

This should say: "I have yet to measure a dongle that matches those specs." (-117dB THD+N, 122dB SNR) because they very much exist.

For example, here are my own measurements of the E1DA 9038D6K:

-121dB THD+N, 124.5dB Dynamic Range

In addition, here are some more dongles that match or exceed those specs (measurements linked as hyperlink):

Name	THD+N	Dynamic Range
Tanchjim Space	-118dB	130dB
Fiio KA3	-117dB	130dB
Quloos MC-01	-118dB	129dB
MoonDrop DAWN	-118dB	130dB
MoonDrop MoonRiver2	-116.5dB	129dB
Luxury&Precision W2-131	-118dB	129.5dB
Luxury&Precision W2	-119dB	129.5dB

 

[kencreten]

Hey! Monoprice keeps hitting them out of the field.. and into the dugout! AAAAHHHHH!!!! The best part is them stepping up to the plate and saying, "this sucker is going over the fence! Trust me!"

 

[Spocko]

DDHifi TC44B was well reviewed on ASR and for $90 this balanced DAC was a clear buy for me to use with my IEM (too bad it's sold out). Clearly, great DAC dongles can be made at all budgets.

 

[Ra1zel]

Major fail from monoprice, quite a stain on an otherwise fine record

 

[MonolithGuy]

Thanks for measuring this! This definitely doesn't perform up to the standard Monolith has set, and I will be discontinuing the product (and going back to the factory to raise some hell). The strange thing is the design we used was provided by ESS.

Amir, you have had my email for years and can correspond with me at anytime. Any questions or concerns, hit me up!

Hobie

 

[Blumlein 88]

Thanks for measuring this! This definitely doesn't perform up to the standard Monolith has set, and I will be discontinuing the product (and going back to the factory to raise some hell). The strange thing is the design we used was provided by ESS.

Amir, you have had my email for years and can correspond with me at anytime. Any questions or concerns, hit me up!

Hobie

Does Monoprice not do any testing at all of their own? Even a decent audio interface would let you spot check a few of these to see if they are functioning close to spec.

 

[Steve Dallas]

Everyone, let me know if you want me to send more disappointing products for Amir to measure. I think everything I have sent so far has measured... less than stellar.

1. Dynaudio X14 speakers
2. Peachtree Nova 300 amp (DAC section)
3. Sennheiser 569 headphones
4. Monolith USB DAC

I'm sure I have more disappointing gear around here somewhere I can send. Fortunately, ASR has helped me clear a lot of it out and shop in a more educated manner.

Unfortunately, I own 3 of these Monolith USB DACs, purchased off the published specs and Monolith's reputation...

I thought this would be a Dragonfly slayer, but quite the reverse turns out to be true. I may as well use my laptop's headphone jack. Sadness.

Edit to add specs for posterity:

 

[LDvo]

Thanks for the test!
Matches my experience with it, even with newer driver I had to hunt around and with ASIO.
Additionally, chip they used in this old device is pretty obsolete by 2023 standard (almost) - not a competitor on today's dongle market.
Not a bad design 4 years ago when it came out, but implementation ...

 

[GWolfman]

Not terrible, but they downgrade for inaccurate specs.

Thanks Amir!

 

[Beershaun]

"sigh" it is incredibly frustrating for consumers that they cannot simply trust a brand. So when other people come to the forum asking if such brand's specific model of thing is good or not, we are forced to tell them " if it hasn't been measured you can't assume it's any good." This is a terrible state to be in.

 

[respice finem]

"sigh" it is incredibly frustrating for consumers that they cannot simply trust a brand. So when other people come to the forum asking if such brand's specific model of thing is good or not, we are forced to tell them " if it hasn't been measured you can't assume it's any good." This is a terrible state to be in.

Someone once said "nothing is ever guaranteed, except death and taxes", and this is true, alas.
Theoretically, a device measured today can be altered tomorrow, so even this is no guarantee - but a fair chance.

 

[Blumlein 88]

"sigh" it is incredibly frustrating for consumers that they cannot simply trust a brand. So when other people come to the forum asking if such brand's specific model of thing is good or not, we are forced to tell them " if it hasn't been measured you can't assume it's any good." This is a terrible state to be in.

I don't like the excuse it was unknown to them. You can buy an RME interface and do very good measurements. People here on the forum do this. You mean they paid and had this built and shipped and no one in the company spends the effort hobbyists do in testing a handful of them or at least one of them? If true, maybe a relatively cheap QA step they need to add.

 

[Beershaun]

Someone once said "nothing is ever guaranteed, except death and taxes", and this is true, alas.
Theoretically, a device measured today can be altered tomorrow, so even this is no guarantee - but a fair chance.

The whole concept of brand equity is to build a specific perception in people's mind they can translate across products as trust. If a brand is unwilling to invest in keeping that trust then it becomes a free for all on a product by product basis and any possibility of garnering a premium in the market for brand is diminished. Companies should protect their brand bay making sure every product lives up to it.