Our Picks: The Best DAC and Amp Combos for Audiophiles
Read Time: Approx. 5 min.
Summary: Explore the top DAC and amp combos for audiophiles seeking high-quality sound. This guide covers everything you need to know about DACs and amps, plus top picks for various listening needs.
Main Points:
- Overview of DACs and amps, focusing on their roles in enhancing audio quality.
- Explanation of how DACs convert digital signals to analog and amps increase signal power.
- Discussion of sound improvements: reducing distortion, expanding soundstage, and boosting dynamic range.
- Recommended DAC/amp combos for portable and home use, plus all-in-one devices.
- Suggestions for audiophiles on selecting high-quality equipment for an immersive listening experience.
You care about the quality of the sound you listen to. You know popular options, like wireless earbuds and built-in digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and amplifiers, aren’t enough to deliver the quality of sound you want and deserve.
So, where should you start? The right DAC/amp combo may be exactly what you’re looking for. There are plenty of options on the market, and the best DAC and amp combos deliver exceptional quality and consistency.
Keep reading to find:
- Descriptions of exactly what DACs and amps are, focusing on how they function and how they can improve your overall audio experience.
- Our top picks for the very best DAC/amp combos for music, gaming, on-the-go listening, and more, giving you vetted options for high-quality and consistent sound.
What are Digital-to-Analog Converters?
DACs are an extremely common piece of audio equipment. They take a digital signal from a source like a digital audio player and convert it into a signal suitable for analog devices like speakers and headphones.
DACs are also used in other situations where a digital signal needs to be converted into an analog signal. These include industrial machinery and video output through analog devices, among a variety of others. Science Direct offers many examples of the circuits used in DACs.
Let’s take a closer look at the basics of DACs in the context of audiophile equipment.
Definition of DACs
DACs are digital-to-analog converters that convert a digital audio signal into an analog signal that’s ultimately transmitted through speakers or headphones.
DACs are a necessity in a world where so many types of audio files are stored in a digital format. While DACs aren’t needed when listening to a record played on a traditional turntable because the signal is analog from start to finish, they’re crucial for enjoying any digital audio file.
You’ll find consumer-grade and entry-level DACs in smartphones and computers. These DACs offer sound quality that’s good enough for phone calls or casual music playback, but they leave audio aficionados wanting more. High-end, dedicated DACs mitigate or eliminate issues like distortion and jitter, providing a richer and more authentic sound.
In the audio world, DACs play two key roles. They take a digital audio signal and convert it into an analog signal. DACs also pass that newly converted digital signal along to an amplifier, which then increases the power of that signal so it can drive speakers or headphones.
Because amps and DACs work so closely together, they’re often sold as paired units. As a reminder, we share our best DAC/amp combos in the final section of this blog.
How DACs Work
An easy way to understand how a DAC works is to consider the larger process of recording audio, storing it, and eventually playing it back. The basic but crucial fact to keep in mind is that the human ear can hear analog signals but not digital ones.
In this process:
- Audio often originates as an analog signal. For example, a studio recording of a singer or band that’s captured by microphones.
- Those analog signals are converted into digital signals and stored as digital audio files in the studio.
- Those files are distributed to their end users, like fans of an artist buying an album on CD, purchasing digital audio files online, or using a streaming service to listen to the file.
- The DAC in your audio system changes the digital signal back to analog and sends it to the amp before you hear it through your headphones or speakers.
The DAC completes this conversion by capturing thousands of samples of the digital signal per second. It translates these samples into a continuous waveform that approximates the analog signal that was originally recorded.
What Are Amps?
Amplifiers, commonly called amps, are a key part of the speaker or headphone, amp, and DAC combination that empowers you to enjoy music at home or on the go. In simple terms, amps take the signal from the DAC and boost its power to drive headphones or speakers.
Let’s take a closer look.
Definition of Amps for Audio Systems
Amps are one of the most common elements of audio systems in general, from the most basic home setups to carefully built audiophile systems and professional productions. In all cases, speakers and headphones need power to drive the analog audio signal they produce. The amp boosts the signal’s amplitude while maintaining the shape of the signal to do exactly that.
Amps draw on a power source to complete this key task. They also physically pass along the analog signal to the output device, serving as the last step before the signal can be heard as sound waves. A good amp will also improve the sound quality of the output signal, something we’ll discuss in greater detail later on in this section.
In DAC and amp combos, both amps and DACs are crucial. When you have a digital audio signal as the source, you’ll always need to both convert it to an analog signal (the DAC) and increase its power (the amp) before it can be heard and enjoyed.
Of course, not all amps are created equal. There is a world of difference between an entry-level amp or an amp integrated into a smartphone, for example, and a carefully designed and precisely manufactured amp for audiophiles.
How Amps Work
In somewhat more technical terms, amps are two-port electrical circuits that draw on a power source, whether internal or external, to increase the amplitude of the output signal. Speakers and headphones both need this boost to drive their components and produce an audible, accurate, and enjoyable output.
That description only scratches the surface of how amps work. The technical details and variations in exactly how they boost audio signal are many. However, the key takeaway is that amps use a power source to drive the output and create the listening experience you count on.
Well-made amp and DAC combos are carefully designed so that both elements can essentially work together and produce the high-quality audio experience you deserve.
How Amps Improve the Listening Experience
While the primary role of an amp is to make the listening experience possible, it also has an influence on the sound that comes through headphones or speakers.
One key task that high-quality amplifiers are designed to accomplish is boosting the signal’s power without adding noise or distortion. If you’re looking for standalone amplifiers as opposed to DAC and amp combos, we recommend the exceptional performance offered by Bryston amplifiers.
Similarly, high-quality amps can also improve the soundstage and imaging of an audio signal through faithful signal boosting that accurately captures the range of that signal. In other words, a great amp can make it feel more like you’re in the room where the audio you’re listening to was originally recorded.
It’s also important to note that different types of amplifiers have an impact on the sound you hear. Tube amplifiers are known for producing a warmer, vintage-style sound. Solid-state amplifiers, on the other hand, are beloved by some audiophiles because they provide a clean sound that’s perfect for an analytical or detail-oriented style of listening.
The pairing of high-end DACs and amps offers a combo that produces an exceptional listening experience. From accurately reproducing the digital signal in analog format to maintaining that accuracy as the signal is amplified while reducing noise and jitter and boosting the soundstage and imaging, these units offer the sound quality that audiophiles count on for an incredible listening experience.
Our Very Best DAC/Amp Combos for Audiophiles
Audiophile-grade DAC/amp combos offer convenience as well as an incredible output signal and overall listening experience. Here, we offer capsule reviews for some of our very best DAC and amp combos.
We’ve divided them into portable use, home use, and all-in-one (also incorporating a music streamer) categories to help you find the best DAC and amp combo for your needs.
Portable Use DAC and Amp Combos
Mojo 2 DAC Headphone Amp
The Mojo 2 offers incredible detail and clarity in a small, convenient, and easily portable package. The soundstage and tone are especially well-received. It can effortlessly drive any pair of headphones while producing accurate, nuanced, and rich sound. It’s easy to connect to a wide variety of input sources, too, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
Built with aircraft-grade aluminum and precision milled, it’s a durable on-the-go DAC/amp combo that you can count on. Add the Poly streamer/server for wireless integration.
Hugo 2 DAC Headphone Amp
The Hugo 2 is one of our top DAC and amp combos because of its strong dynamic range, durable aluminum casing, analytical and detailed sound, and so much more. This DAC and amp combo is equally at home with headphones, IEMs, and even desktop setups. Full streaming functionality isn’t just possible, it’s easy with the Chord 2GO.
With more power outputs, headphone jacks, filter controls, and taps than the Mojo 2, it’s the portable DAC and amp combo of choice for discerning audiophiles.
xDSD Gryphon Headphone Amp DAC
Able to easily drive everything from IEMs to planar magnetic headphones, the xDSD Gryphon supports ultra-high-resolution listening while comfortably fitting in your pocket. It’s easy to connect both single-ended and balanced headphones as well as use a variety of digital and analog sources with a mix of ports that make playing what you want to hear simple.
The clean, transparent, and dynamic sound signature with ultra-low distortion makes this an exceptional DAC and amp combo.
CODA Headphone Amplifier DAC
It’s hard, if not impossible, to beat the portability of the Clarus CODA amp and DAC combo. The small package — just the size of a USB drive — includes advanced components designed to offer an improved soundstage, more detail, greater dynamics, and ultra-low distortion.
The USB connector and 3.5 mm output jack make it a great choice for a size-conscious setup on the go or at home.
GO Bar Kensei Headphone Amp DAC
Turn to the GO Bar Kensei Headphone Amp DAC for enhanced, high-resolution audio that approaches master recordings. Four custom digital filters and two analog processing models make it easy to find the listening profile that matches the audio you want to play. This USB DAC and amp combo delivers the audio quality you deserve from smartphones, laptops, and tablets.
Home Use Amp and DAC Combos
Hugo TT 2
The Hugo TT 2 offers amazing at-home audio performance from a wide variety of input types, including USB, coaxial, optical, and Bluetooth sources. Expect highly accurate, audiophile-grade sound quality that can be customized with filter settings for a personalized listening experience.
From the remote (no need to get up to change the volume or source!) to the durable aluminum casing, it’s full of secondary features that audiophiles love, too.
Bartok APEX DAC Headphone Amplifier
The Bartok APEX DAC and amp serves as a music streamer, upsampler, DAC, preamp, and headphone amp, offering detailed control and truly incredible quality for your listening experience. High-resolution sound is dynamic and detailed, with incredibly low distortion.
Use services like Tidal, Roon, and more, or your own personal library through a variety of input options. Balanced and unbalanced output options provide incredible audio for a variety of headphone types.
Lina Headphone Amplifier
With the Lina Headphone Amplifier, you can select from a wide range of inputs and enjoy results that bring an even wider range of headphones to their maximum performance, even highly sensitive models.
Count on consistent and clean audio quality thanks to the solid-state design, with a low noise floor, wide dynamic range, and remarkable linearity. The transparent design empowers faithful mirroring of both the audio you want to listen to and the headphones you want to use.
All in One: DAC, Amp, and Music Streamer Combo
Element X2 Music Streamer
Enjoy high-resolution playback along with compatibility with a wide variety of audio sources, including major streaming services, with the Element X2 Music Streamer. Balanced and unbalanced analog outputs make this all-in-one streamer perfect for so many audiophiles. We’re not exaggerating when we say this all-in-one device delivers an unmatched streaming audio experience.
Experience the Best From Moon Audio
Looking for more options for DACs and DAC and amp combos! Shop a wide variety of DACs like portable, desktop, USB, and more at Moon Audio. Pair that new piece of audio gear with one of our Dragon Audio Cables for an enhanced listening experience. Made from the highest-quality materials, handcrafted daily in our Cary, NC headquarters, Dragon Audio Cables bring you closer to your music, allowing you to enjoy a recording exactly the way the artist intended.
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