Monoprice DAC & Amp Dongle Review

[Lupin]

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.

1000% this.

My trust and confidence in Monoprice just dropped to minus 10.
These are major deviations compared to the specs. Even simple testing, testing that some "regular" people do on ASR, would've already shown that something is not as it should be. This product should never have made it to mass production and the issues should have been dealt with in the designing phase.

Apparently Monoprice can't be bothered by any of this and just wants to push products to customers for profits.
Now that Monoprice is caught in the act they play the "We're so surprised" card... how weak!

I will not touch anything Monoprice with a 10-foot pole..

 

[respice finem]

...Companies should protect their brand bay making sure every product lives up to it.

Yes, they should, but only a few do.
Maybe it's marketing pressure to release something new and "different", IDK...

 

[Ismapics]

$10.00 Apple USB-C to 3.5mm dongle DAC for the win. Best SINAD/$ ratio ever.

 

[doc2c]

Everyone is hating on Monolith now because of this? It's not like they've been only releasing garbage this whole time. I had their THX DAC/Amp combo and it was fantastic and measured well for it's time. Their subs go toe to toe with the likes of SVS.

Yeah, they f-ed up here, but we got a company rep already on the forum apologizing and promising to make things right. Let them try and make things right before starting a lynch mob

 

[Kevinfc]

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

Good job taking your product’s reputation seriously.

 

[Steve Dallas]

Everyone is hating on Monolith now because of this? It's not like they've been only releasing garbage this whole time. I had their THX DAC/Amp combo and it was fantastic and measured well for it's time. Their subs go toe to toe with the likes of SVS.

Yeah, they f-ed up here, but we got a company rep already on the forum apologizing and promising to make things right. Let them try and make things right before starting a lynch mob

I don't see anyone hating.

Some of their products are objectively excellent and good values, and that creates a brand identity under which people assume all their products are conformant to such excellence. This product falls far short. People are lamenting that fact and are genuinely surprised that Monoprice did not verify their published specs with any kind of testing. There is no harm in that, and they make very good points.

And, I don't see how they are making it right. The product is still for sale on their web site, and the published specs are still the same. Also, the apology does nothing to address the >$180 I spent on 3 of these things under what is essentially false advertising. Yet, I am not on here inciting a "lynch mob." I am simply disappointed that I spent money based upon specs and reputation and ended up with something likely no better than my laptop's built in headphone jack.

 

[delta76]

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

That is some response I would like to see.

And chill down guys. I like ASR but sometimes we can be a bit too much. Monoprice has produced some of best P/P audio gears and now one bad product and we are trying to bash the brand ?

 

[respice finem]

Good job taking your product’s reputation seriously.

Yes. That said, did really no one measure the product's performance before selling it? Or rather did and "turned a blind eye"?
OK, it's an inexpensive dongle, but it should at least meet the stated specs IMHO.

 

[LDvo]

That is some response I would like to see.

And chill down guys. I like ASR but sometimes we can be a bit too much. Monoprice has produced some of best P/P audio gears and now one bad product and we are trying to bash the brand ?

I think "bad product" are too strong words, don't you think?

I don't see it as "bashing the brand" - just sharing objective personal experience with this product with others and comparing this test measures with my own usage results. Nothing wrong with it, no? Isn't this forum for this reason as well?

 

[delta76]

I think "bad product" are too strong words, don't you think?

I don't see it as "bashing the brand" - just sharing objective personal experience with this product with others and comparing this test measures with my own usage results. Nothing wrong with it, no? Isn't this forum for this reason as well?

Well some people already used the term Monocr*p and some people agreed.

I am not saying this is a bad product. It is disappointing yes because of missed spec, but I could not expect a better/faster response from the manufacturer. We have some other infamously flawed product here and the official responses were meh at best

 

[LDvo]

Well some people already used the term Monocr*p and some people agreed.

I am not saying this is a bad product. It is disappointing yes because of missed spec, but I could not expect a better/faster response from the manufacturer. We have some other infamously flawed product here and the official responses were meh at best

Yes, agree. It took them like almost 5 years to realize this. Better late then never, hope they learn.
And this is Monolith - their flagship brand which we all trust (we have to as this is online retailer - we cannot try before we buy)

 

[Lupin]

That is some response I would like to see.

And chill down guys. I like ASR but sometimes we can be a bit too much. Monoprice has produced some of best P/P audio gears and now one bad product and we are trying to bash the brand ?

They have produced some of the best audio gears.. so what?
So for example Toyota pushing the Highlander on the market with brakes that are not up to spec is totally fine because the RAV4 is the best in class. After all Toyota has pushed good model cars on the market in the past so the bad Highlander model is totally fine..

Besides that it is now almost a week later and nothing actually happend.
It is still published and sold on their website without any notifications. The specs are still not adjusted to reflect the actual performance.
So far his post are just empty words on a random forum, and nothing has been made "right"

 

[Jimster480]

I picked up a FX Audio DAC-SQ for about $60. It’s USB powered, has a remote, a display and better measurements. The only advantage this product has is that it’s pocketable.

Yup, I tested one of those this year and it's performance was great. Really a steal for a low price to get into hifi with... And if you only listen to 16/44.1 basically it has perfect performance so it could also be endgame.

 

[Barry_Sound]

Given the form factor I´m surprised it´s more than snake oil anyway.

 

[Bleib]

$10.00 Apple USB-C to 3.5mm dongle DAC for the win. Best SINAD/$ ratio ever.

Too bad about the build quality though as it's like they are built to break quickly.

 

[Ismapics]

Too bad about the build quality though as it's like they are built to break quickly.

Hello @Bleib : I have mine shrink wrapped. So far they have lasted since 2020 with everyday use. The USB-C one I had to use as external sound card with my work Lenovo. The other I use with iPhone calls. Cheers and HNY

 

[Bleib]

Hello @Bleib : I have mine shrink wrapped. So far they have lasted since 2020 with everyday use. The USB-C one I had to use as external sound card with my work Lenovo. The other I use with iPhone calls. Cheers and HNY
View attachment 253983

That of course can help but should buyers have to do this on their own?

 

[Ismapics]

That of course can help but should buyers have to do this on their own?

I get you. Think of it like a $10 dongle after buying the heat shrink , shipping and a lighter now costs $22. Still a good deal.

 

[Steve Dallas]

Monoprice has removed this product from their web site, and Amazon's listing for it now omits specifications. I wonder if they are planning to revise it or simply drop it from the lineup?

 

[cruzer]

Monoprice has removed this product from their web site, and Amazon's listing for it now omits specifications. I wonder if they are planning to revise it or simply drop it from the lineup?

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?