One of the best DACs for Apple Music Lossless in 2024

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

When you’re searching for the only method to take heed 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 best manner. 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. Obtainable 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 high of the help for very excessive audio resolutions, the KA11 additionally has a a lot larger output than most adapters — together with Apple’s. The result’s a lot louder music than your telephone affords 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 pricy headphones with a low sensitivity (as many larger finish fashions are typically) then the KA11 will possible nonetheless have the ability to drive them. You may even take into account 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 reality, it’s possible a good improve over the built-in sound for nearly something you plug it into. That’s true for all the merchandise really helpful on this information, however you may be stunned to seek out that one thing this small may give your PC’s audio system a critical enhance. If there was a minor destructive, it might be that the KA11 doesn’t help headset microphones, so when you have been hoping to have the ability to deal with calls along 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 immediately on the telephone or laptop. The one suggestions you might have is a single LED that may change shade 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 won’t. If in case you have an iPhone, it positively doesn’t help aptX and neither will any Macs — Apple units solely provide customary Bluetooth with AAC encoding (320 kbit/s max bitrate). If you wish to be sure to’re getting extra bits (as much as 430 kbit/s) out of your music, throughout all of your units, Creative’s BT-W5 Bluetooth adapter is each sensible and reasonably priced.

The BT-W5 affords aptX, aptX HD and aptX Adaptive (which helps as much as 24-bit/96 kHz) and it’ll mechanically select the perfect one on 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 Change, for instance, with none lag.

If in case you have an iPhone with a Lightning connector, the BT-W5 gained’t work with out an adapter, nevertheless it’s a neat method to get essentially the most out of your headphones with out having to improve all the things else. The BT-W5 can keep in mind as much as 4 units of headphones, too, so if 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

Whilst you can squeeze a formidable quantity of audio tech right into a headphone adapter, a barely larger gadget affords a good step up in each specs and options. Moondrop’s Moonriver T2i DAC is barely bigger than a pack of gum, and it has a trendy design that doesn’t appear to be a boring, generic dongle.

Importantly, the Moonriver T2i builds on the success of the corporate’s Moonriver 2 DAC. The “2” partly refers to using 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 normal 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 tremendous with 3.5mm headphones, however some choose the 4.4mm connector because it gives extra energy and potential sign advantages, particularly when 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 gadget 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 (by way of 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 cross that by means of to your telephone or PC so that you gained’t want a separate gadget for calls.

Most significantly, the sound that comes out of the Moonriver T2i is brilliant and daring. You’ll hear audiophiles discuss sound stage, element and width, all you want to know is that this DAC ticks off all of the buzzwords and serves up brilliant, 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 positively within the high-end worth vary, however the expertise and options it affords make it price contemplating for critical 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 gadget. The cell dongles above all take their energy from the participant you join them to, which is handy, however clearly is much less type to your telephone’s battery life. The Mojo 2 has an inside cell so gained’t tax the one in your telephone or laptop computer. It’s sufficiently small to be transportable, however substantial sufficient to reside 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 achieve recognition in gaming circles for its capacity to mimic varied consoles, however that very same flexibility is what makes it fascinating to the audio engineers at Chord.

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

The Mojo 2 has customary 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 that you may solely cost the Mojo 2 by way of microUSB. In fact, there’s a cable supplied for this, however when you’ve absolutely made the change to USB-C, it’ll imply you need to guard the charging cable intently.

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 good place to start out. The world of desktop DACs and headphone amplifiers may fill its personal information, however the K7 is each succesful, feature-filled and fairly priced. It capabilities 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 information all the way in which as much as 384 kHz at 32-bit – good for many who demand a greater DAC for high-resolution information, whether or not you are listening by way of 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 won’t be essentially the most razzle-dazzle, it does have an RGB LED across the dial to present it a pop of shade (it additionally adjustments shade relying on the “high quality” of your audio supply).

There are two variations of the K7, and when you plonk down one other $50 you get Bluetooth receiver performance. This doesn’t imply you possibly can join wi-fi headphones, moderately you possibly can take heed to music from wi-fi sources, resembling 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 might’t, learn concerning the BT-W5 above) you possibly can take heed to it by means of the K7.