Simplest USB -> XLR DAC that doesn't totally suck

[bachatero]

I have been out of the audio space for over half a year now. Are there now any simple, durable options for a USB -> XLR DAC that doesn't give totally terrible audio quality? This is for a live audio laptop setup so my Fosi DAC3 is a little bit much to transport and set up.

Edit: if it helps, I'm looking for something like the yet-to-be-released Cosmos DAC where it's just XLR and USB and nothing else in a nice little package.

 

[RandomEar]

I think for a portable setup, it's easier to go for a dongle DAC with 4.4 mm output and add a short 4.4 to XLR adapter cable. Looks like Fosi will bring the MD3 to the market in a couple of weeks. If you want to stay in their ecosystem, that might work well. There are other portable 4.4 mm DACs of course.

 

[bachatero]

I think for a portable setup, it's easier to go for a dongle DAC with 4.4 mm output and add a short 4.4 to XLR adapter cable. Looks like Fosi will bring the MD3 to the market in a couple of weeks. If you want to stay in their ecosystem, that might work well. There are other portable 4.4 mm DACs of course.

How about the Fosi DS2?

 

[RandomEar]

If you want the main advantage of XLR, that is higher output voltage and almost immunity to in ground loops, you need a balanced 4.4 mm output. I think the DS2 only has regular single ended 3.5 mm.

 

[staticV3]

See this comparison review by the absolute legend Dave Rat who does Coachella among other festivals:

 

[bachatero]

If you want the main advantage of XLR, that is higher output voltage and almost immunity to in ground loops, you need a balanced 4.4 mm output. I think the DS2 only has regular single ended 3.5 mm.

I'm not seeing that here:

 

[AndyBell]

DS2 has 4.4mm balanced output. I’ve owned one of these in the past - it’s a decent dongle.

I blind tested it against the Topping DX3 pro+ and it sounded identical at matched volumes.

 

[bachatero]

Do you want XLR for a balanced headphone jack or dual XLR outputs for live audio? While you can of course use a headphone jack to feed into a live audio system, a balanced headphone output has nothing to do with the balanced XLR cables you would use in a live audio setup, and a 4.4mm->XLR adapter won’t do what you want if you’re planning to run the output into a mixer or PA system.

I now have the DS2 so I will update you on if it indeed works with an XLR adapter.

 

[bachatero]

But balanced headphone outputs and balanced audio inputs are not compatible.

I think it would work as well or maybe even better. Why? Headphone outputs have a super low impedance (around 16 ohms for the DS2) which matches nicely with the high impedance inputs on my speakers. The problem would be with the maximum output voltage, but that only manifests if you turn up the volume too much.

 

[EERecordist]

Have you looked at the SMSL D-6s?

I would support a E1DA Cosmos measurement DAC.

 

[bachatero]

Balanced audio and balanced headphones are completely different things! Balanced audio operates in differential mode to cancel noise. Balanced headphones simply combine the two signals for a hotter output. If you run a 4.4mm balanced headphone through an adapter into dual XLR inputs, best case is you will hear exactly nothing.

I'm not seeing that here:

 

[Asher]

I'm not seeing that here:
View attachment 534530

Where is that from? Balanced headphones don’t have a differential stage.

 

[bachatero]

Have you looked at the SMSL D-6s?

I would support a E1DA Cosmos measurement DAC.

Requires external AC power.

 

[bachatero]

Where is that from? Balanced headphones don’t have a differential stage.

Balanced Headphones: All You Need To Know

Balanced Headphones Review Blog. Headphones.com Balanced Headphone Amp. Balanced Audiophile Headphones. Expert Advice.

headphones.com

 

[scrubb]

Topping D10 Balanced doesn't require external power and has standard TRS balanced outputs.

D10 Balanced - - Topping audio

TOPPING, born in 2008, has evolved into a beloved global HIFI brand favored by users worldwide. We firmly believe that higher-quality music playback devices are essential for truly showcasing the allure of music. By investing extensively in professional technology and exceptional industrial...

www.toppingaudio.com

 

[EERecordist]

Requires external AC power.

If you want a USB powered headphone DAC, the E1DA 9038D6K. Then you would need to make a TRRS to 2xXLR cable. Some people use the Cosmos ADC/Scaler and the 9038D6K with REW, or even, I believe, with the Audio Precision software.

 

[Asher]

Balanced Headphones: All You Need To Know

Balanced Headphones Review Blog. Headphones.com Balanced Headphone Amp. Balanced Audiophile Headphones. Expert Advice.

headphones.com

Ah, okay. So maybe it will work? Balanced headphones aren't "balanced" in the same sense as audio and don't use the common ground or a differential stage. But the common ground is available on the connector itself.

 

[staticV3]

Ah, okay. So maybe it will work? Balanced headphones aren't "balanced" in the same sense as audio and don't use the common ground or a differential stage. But the common ground is available on the connector itself.

The headphone driver itself is the differential stage, only reacting to the voltage differential across its two terminals.

If the Fosi DS2 has a fully implemented Pentaconn jack, then it will indeed function 100% identically to a professional XLR interface, provided you use a correctly built adapter to XLR.

 

[RandomEar]

That is my understanding as well. If you just use a signal with let's say +10 V_peak and transmit that over two lines, you'll obviously get zero output from the headphone. You either need one line as a ground with constant 0 V ("single ended") or one phase-inverted line with -10 V_peak ("balanced") in this example. And if a dongle DAC/amp implements actual balanced amplification and does not just offer a "dummy" 4.4 mm jack with single-ended internal wiring, it should be OK to drive XLR sinks using that true balanced signal with a simple wire adapter.

 

[Asher]

The headphone driver itself is the differential stage, only reacting to the voltage differential across its two terminals.

If the Fosi DS2 has a fully implemented Pentaconn jack, then it will indeed function 100% identically to a professional XLR interface, provided you use a correctly built adapter to XLR.

Thanks, I'll remove my other incorrect posts.