One of the best DACs for Apple Music Lossless in 2024 – Uplaza

Outputs: 3.5mm singled-ended | Inputs: Accessible in USB-C and Lightning variations | Max file help: 32-Bit/384kHz | Bluetooth: No

When you’re in search of the only option to hearken to Apple Music Lossless, then the corporate’s personal $8 dongle is difficult to beat in phrases or high quality to cost. Nevertheless it has a most decision of 24-bit/48 kHz. If you wish to break into Hello-Res Lossless then the KA11 from Fiio — with help for audio at an eye-watering 32bit/384KHz — is the simplest approach. At $30, it’s additionally fairly reasonably priced, too.

Fiio’s years of expertise making transportable hi-fi has been distilled into this tiny little dongle. Accessible in each Lighting and USC-C fashions (love the colour of the Apple mannequin), the KA11 packs lots of punch for one thing so small. On prime of the help for very excessive audio resolutions, the KA11 additionally has a a lot increased output than most adapters — together with Apple’s. The result’s a lot louder music than your telephone gives for many headphones, and with a greater DAC like this, you’ll discover a major enchancment in your audio system. If you have already got a pair of costly headphones with a low sensitivity (as many increased finish fashions are usually) then the KA11 will doubtless nonetheless have the ability to drive them. You may even think about pairing it with a headphone amp for much more energy.

This little dongle isn’t restricted to telephones: the USB-C mannequin is appropriate with laptops and PCs, too. In actual fact, it’s doubtless an honest improve over the built-in sound for nearly something you plug it into. That’s true for all the merchandise advisable on this information, however you is likely to be shocked to search out that one thing this small can provide your PC’s audio system a severe increase. If there was a minor detrimental, it could be that the KA11 doesn’t help headset microphones, so should you have been hoping to have the ability to deal with calls together with your headphones then bear that in thoughts.

With the KA11 being so small, there aren’t any bodily controls, so that you’ll regulate quantity straight on the telephone or pc. The one suggestions you might have is a single LED that may change colour relying on the audio it’s receiving (yellow signifies Hello-Res). Fiio additionally has a cell app to entry extra settings for its cell merchandise which, proper now does embrace the KA11, however solely on Android at time of publication.

Outputs: Bluetooth | Inputs: USB-C | Max file help: 24-Bit/96kHz | Bluetooth: Sure | Weight: 0.16 ounces

Whereas most Android units help some type of aptX, your PC may not. In case you have an iPhone, it undoubtedly doesn’t help aptX and neither will any Macs — Apple units solely supply normal Bluetooth with AAC encoding (320 kbit/s max bitrate). If you wish to ensure you’re getting extra bits (as much as 430 kbit/s) out of your music, throughout all of your units, Artistic’s BT-W5 Bluetooth adapter is each sensible and reasonably priced.

The BT-W5 gives aptX, aptX HD and aptX Adaptive (which helps as much as 24-bit/96 kHz) and it’ll mechanically select the very best one to your headphones. When you pair them with the adapter you possibly can plug the BT-W5 into any music supply with USB-C for improved Bluetooth audio — there’s even a low latency mode good for streamers or enjoying video games on Swap, for instance, with none lag.

In case you have an iPhone with a Lightning connector, the BT-W5 gained’t work with out an adapter, however it’s a neat option to get probably the most out of your headphones with out having to improve every little thing else. The BT-W5 can bear in mind as much as 4 units of headphones, too, so in case you have a pair for the commute and one other set for the fitness center, simply plug within the dongle and also you’re all set.

Outputs: 1x 3.5mm single-ended, 1x 4.4mm balanced | Inputs: USB-C | Max file help: 32-Bit/384kHz | Bluetooth: No | Weight: 1.1 ounces

When you can squeeze a powerful quantity of audio tech right into a headphone adapter, a barely greater machine affords an honest step up in each specs and options. Moondrop’s Moonriver T2i DAC is barely bigger than a pack of gum, and it has a classy design that doesn’t seem like a boring, generic dongle.

Importantly, the Moonriver T2i builds on the success of the corporate’s Moonriver 2 DAC. The “2” partly refers to the usage of twin DAC chips right here, which delivers a “balanced” sign. Every channel can deal with as much as 32bit/384KHz decision and there are two headphone ports. One for traditional 3.5mm headphones and one other for 4.4mm connections — making use of that balanced output. If that is your first step into the world of Hello-Fi DACs, you’re completely high-quality with 3.5mm headphones, however some want the 4.4mm connector because it offers extra energy and potential sign advantages, particularly should you’re utilizing a headphone amp.

With the Moonriver T2i you might have a pair extra sensible benefits. For one, there are bodily quantity controls on the machine itself. When you ever felt that the 16 ranges of loudness on the iPhone (I simply counted) weren’t sufficient, then the 100 steps of adjustment on the Moonriver T2i (through companion software program) get rid of any worries about setting the music to the right stage. In case your headphones have an in-line microphone, the excellent news is that this dongle will go that by way of to your telephone or PC so that you gained’t want a separate machine for calls.

Most significantly, the sound that comes out of the Moonriver T2i is shiny and daring. You’ll hear audiophiles discuss sound stage, element and width, all it’s essential know is that this DAC ticks off all of the buzzwords and serves up shiny, strong sound that’s going to make any lossless/hi-res music actually shine.

Outputs: 1x 3.5mm singled-ended, 1x 4.4mm balanced | Inputs: 1x microUSB, 1x 3,5mm coaxial, 1x optical, 1x USB-C | Max file help: 32-Bit/768kHz | Bluetooth: No | Weight: 10.8 ounces

When you’ve had some expertise with DACs and wish to ratchet issues up a notch or three, then the Mojo 2 from British firm Chord needs to have a phrase. At $650, that is undoubtedly within the high-end worth vary, however the expertise and options it gives make it price contemplating for severe audiophiles. However the brains behind the Mojo 2 have been making digital to analog converters just about since there was digital music to even convert. That have is what makes the Mojo 2 a favourite amongst music followers.

Most choices on this information are designed for cell units first, the Mojo 2 is extra of a hybrid machine. The cell dongles above all take their energy from the participant you join them to, which is handy, however clearly is much less sort to your telephone’s battery life. The Mojo 2 has an inner cell so gained’t tax the one in your telephone or laptop computer. It’s sufficiently small to be transportable, however substantial sufficient to stay in your desk.

Not like most DACs that use off the shelf chips to deal with the digital-to-audio conversion, the Mojo 2 makes use of area programmable gate array (FPGA) know-how to create its personal customized “chip.” It’s additionally highly effective sufficient to behave as each a DAC and a preamp, driving even power-hungry headphones with ease. We’ve seen FPGA acquire recognition in gaming circles for its means to mimic varied consoles, however that very same flexibility is what makes it attention-grabbing to the audio engineers at Chord.

When you want one thing that’s capital L loud, then the Mojo 2 won’t disappoint. Proceed with warning right here. It’s truly highly effective sufficient to drive two pairs of headphones on the identical time and has two 3.5mm ports so you are able to do precisely that. The curious round buttons can be used to vary sound profiles with an excruciating stage of element.

The Mojo 2 has normal USB-C, microUSB, optical and coax inputs so it’s extra versatile than lots of its competitors on this regard. Though it’s price noting you can solely cost the Mojo 2 through microUSB. After all, there’s a cable supplied for this, however should you’ve totally made the change to USB-C, it’ll imply it’s a must to guard the charging cable carefully.

Outputs: 1x 3.5mm singled-ended, 1x 4.4mm balanced | Inputs: 1x USB, 1x optical, 1x coaxial, 1x AUX | Max file help: 32-Bit/384kHz | Bluetooth: No | Weight: 2.51 kilos

When you do most of your listening at dwelling, the K7 from Fiio is a superb place to begin. The world of desktop DACs and headphone amplifiers might fill its personal information, however the K7 is each succesful, feature-filled and fairly priced. It features as each a DAC and a headphone amp, making it a strong all-in-one resolution for audiophiles constructing a house audio system.

With phono, coaxial, optical and USB inputs, the K7 from Fiio is ready to deal with music and audio from nearly any excessive constancy supply. Most conventional desktop audio interfaces help playback of as much as 24 bit/48 kHz, the K7 can deal with recordsdata all the best way as much as 384 kHz at 32-bit – good for individuals who demand a greater DAC for high-resolution recordsdata, whether or not you are listening through headphones or a full audio system.

On the entrance you’ll discover two inputs: a 1/4-inch jack and a 4.4mm balanced headphone port together with a giant ol’ quantity dial. Whereas its Hello-Fi aesthetic may not be probably the most razzle-dazzle, it does have an RGB LED across the dial to provide it a pop of colour (it additionally modifications colour relying on the “quality” of your audio supply).

There are two variations of the K7, and should you plonk down one other $50 you get Bluetooth receiver performance. This doesn’t imply you possibly can join wi-fi headphones, fairly you possibly can hearken to music from wi-fi sources, comparable to your telephone whereas sustaining a bodily connection to your PC. In case your telephone can serve up music in higher-resolution codecs like aptX HD, aptX Adaptive or LDAC (or if it could’t, learn concerning the BT-W5 above) you possibly can hearken to it by way of the K7.