Not only is this DAC inexpensive, but it can also be used away from the desktop if you want to take it with you.

Back before he became the main photographer for bunches of audio magazines and stuff, Nathan was fiddling with pretty cool audio gear all day long at TouchMyApps.

A premium digital-to-analog converter, the D1 bypasses your computer’s internal DAC or sound card and routes audio through USB or optical.

But If I do find that the power is a bit weak, I guess I could use a standard USB Power Adapter and the optical input instead. Since this device has RCA outputs (on the back), you can connect it to powered speakers and listen out loud. Pair the speakers with a non-consumer, audiophile-grade linear amp (class A, A/B, triode, ultra linear etc). Go to you tube, and play any music video, then look for that same music track or video on high res, flac, lossless wma or dsd. Processing audio up to 24-bit depth rate, the D1 DAC delivers high sound quality with a high signal-to-noise ratio and low distortion and a sample rate up to 192 kHz.There is no bottleneck in the performance of the HD600 in the sound field, and there is no tightness, and the details can be fully displayed. Larger units do, however, have space for more inputs and outputs – the main benefit of choosing a bigger DAC.

In terms of DACs the Joutenheim’s is just a little add-on board and doesn’t support DSD (which the 4490 supports natively), whereas the CMA600i is a real DAC. During the listening, I experienced the overall improvement in sound quality brought by the over-sampling rate and high signal-to-noise ratio of Audioengine B1. If I can't find a better DAC for my HD6 speakers, I will probably purchase the LS50w speakers for music and keep my HD6 speakers for my TV.

On one hand, it conserves space on your surge protector or outlet on the wall, but also limits your options. All the DACs we’ve recommended below include a built-in amplifier, so you can plug your headphones straight into them and pump up the volume. If you want to see where it stands out (or doesn’t) among the competition, you’ll want to stick around until the end. When using such a system collocation, a better sense of hearing can be obtained, and it is easier to exert the strength of the headset. Audioengine D1 Premium 24-bit DAC (digital-to-analog converter) allows you to bypass your computer’s soundcard or headphone output and send audio through USB or optical.

Fed a series of uncompressed and high resolution recordings (up to 24Bit/96kHz) the D1 delivers a tonally well balanced and informative sound. This earbud’s sound performance is neutral, and the tone is warm, which is loved by many enthusiasts.Audioengine B1 uses the most common Micro USB port for charging, which means it can be connected to a cigarette lighter in the car, or even a mobile power bank for outdoor use.