USB-C dongle DACs, portable DAC/amps and Bluetooth DAC/amps for phones and laptops, compared by DAC chip, outputs, power and price.
E1DA 9038SG3 Susumu USB DAC/Amp — read reviewA small USB DAC and headphone amp with a balanced 2.5mm output, listed from $93.99, or $96.99 with a C to C cable. It suits listeners who want a very small balanced source and can work with a page whose text and specification section differ.
E1DA 9038D6K USB DAC/Amp — read reviewAn ES9038Q2M USB DAC and headphone amp weighing 12g, with one unbalanced 3.5mm output, listed at $135. It suits listeners who want a single-ended USB source with power stated at 32 Ohm and 16 Ohm.
E1DA PowerDAC v2.1 USB DAC — read reviewA USB-powered E1DA DAC with a balanced 2.5mm TRRS output, an iOS and Android DSP app and three output modes, listed at $79.99 with a 2.5/3.5 adapter and a Type B to A cable. The spec section lists over 320mW at 32Ohm, 68g and noise and distortion figures at several levels.
E1DA 9038SG3 Susumu3000 USB DAC/Amp — read reviewA USB DAC and headphone amp built on the ES9038Q2M, listed from $100 with a $103 option that adds a C to C cable. The listed output is a single balanced 2.5mm jack with A&K pinout, and the spec section lists over 340mW at 32Ohm. It suits buyers who already use balanced 2.5mm cables.
TANCHJIM Space II USB DAC/Amp — read reviewA USB DAC/amp with two CS43131 chips, a Clean Bridge USB input chip the page calls self-developed, and online DSP, listed at $114.80 in Gunmetal, Black or Blue. The page gives 235mW at 32Ω and a 15.1-gram weight. It suits buyers who want an in-line mic input and app-based tuning.
iBasso DC06 Portable USB DAC/Amp — read reviewA portable USB DAC/amp built on two ES9219C Sabre chips, listed at $119 with a single option. The spec section gives distortion, voltage, SNR and impedance figures for each of the 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs, and the text states 320mW at 32Ω. It suits buyers who want per-port figures.
TANCHJIM Space Pro USB DAC/Amp — read reviewA portable USB DAC/amp with two CS43198 chips and two ES8262 amp chips, listed from $145.20, with a $171.60 Asano Tanch edition. The spec section lists 8Hz~80kHz, THD+N 0.000206% and 131dB SNR, and the page claims up to 618mW at 26Ω. It suits buyers who want listed figures and an app with PEQ.
xDuoo XP-2 BAL Bluetooth DAC/Amp — read reviewA portable Bluetooth V5.0 DAC and headphone amp from xDuoo with an ES9018K2M DAC chip, LDAC and a 4.4mm balanced output, listed at $169. It suits phone users who want wireless codecs and a built-in microphone, per the page.
FiiO QX13 Portable DAC/Amp — read reviewA portable USB DAC/amp from FiiO with an eight-channel ES9027PRO DAC, a Desktop Mode listed at up to 900mW per channel and a spec section, from $219.99 in Titanium Gold or $239.99 in Black. It suits listeners who want weight and size stated.
iBasso DC-Tonfa R2R DAC/Amp — read reviewiBasso's DC-Tonfa is an 8-channel R2R DAC and headphone amp with 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm single-ended outputs and a weight of 45g, listed at $339.99. It suits buyers who want a spec section with output power stated at 32Ω.
Moondrop Echo-A 3.5mm USB-C DAC/Amp — read reviewA USB Type-C to 3.5mm portable DAC/amp from Moondrop, listed at $21.99. The page gives 32-bit/384kHz decoding and a 100dB(A-Weighted) SNR. It suits phone or laptop users who have 3.5mm headphones or IEMs and want a low price.
Moondrop Echo-B 4.4mm DAC/Amp — read reviewA USB Type-C to 4.4mm fully balanced portable DAC/amp from Moondrop, listed at $24.99. The page gives a 117dB(A-Weighted) SNR, 0.001% THD+N, five built-in tuning settings and parametric EQ through an app, for owners of 4.4mm headphones.
DUNU DTC 100 Pro USB-C DAC/Amp — read reviewA DUNU USB Type-C portable DAC/amp with a CS43198 DAC chip, an SGM8262 amplifier chip and a single-ended 3.5mm output, listed at $38.90. The page gives 200mW at 32Ω and 235mW at 16Ω, so it suits buyers who want stated power figures for 3.5mm IEMs or headphones.
DUNU DTC480 Dual CS43198 DAC/Amp — read reviewA DUNU portable USB DAC/amp with dual CS43198 chips, 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs and up to 150mW at 32Ω on the balanced output per the page, listed from $69.99. A Lightning option costs $79.99. It suits phone, console or laptop users who want 60-level hardware volume keys.
SMSL DS20 Portable DAC/Amp — read reviewA portable USB DAC/amp from SMSL with four CS43131 DAC chips, 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs and a 6000mAh battery, listed at $189.99. It suits IEM and headphone owners who also want UAC1.0 compatibility with game consoles, per the page.
QULOOS MC01 and MC01se DAC/Amp — read reviewA portable USB DAC/amp with two CS43131 DAC chips, sold as the MC01 with 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs at $224.99 or as the single-ended MC01se at $215.99. It suits IEM and headphone owners who want an OLED display and a choice of outputs.
Moondrop MOONRIVER2 Ti DAC/Amp — read reviewA titanium-shell variant of Moondrop's Moonriver 2 portable DAC/amp with two CS43198 chips, 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs and a stated output of up to 4Vrms/250mW, listed at $219.99. It suits IEM owners who want a see-through back window and 100-level volume control.
xDuoo DM01 Tube Hybrid DAC/Amp — read reviewA robot-styled DAC and headphone amp from xDuoo with a CS43131 chip, a 12AU7 tube stage and Bluetooth V5.4, priced at $279. It suits desk listeners who want a tube-and-transistor hybrid; the page text names no headphone sockets and no battery.
QULOOS MUB1 Quad-DAC Bluetooth DAC/Amp — read reviewQULOOS pairs four CS43131 DAC chips with four BUF634 amp chips in the MUB1, a Bluetooth and USB DAC and headphone amp priced at $449.99 with $499.99 crossed out. It suits buyers who want a digital output and line-out; the page text gives no load for the 1100mW maximum.
iBasso PB6 MACAW Tube Headphone Amp — read reviewA portable tube headphone amplifier from iBasso with four JAN6418 tubes, a Class AB mode, 3.5mm and 4.4mm ports and a stated 2300mW per channel with external 12V DC power, priced at $499. Its page text lists no DAC, so it suits buyers who already have a source.
FiiO BTR13 Bluetooth DAC/Amp — read reviewA portable Bluetooth 5.1 and USB DAC and headphone amp with two CS43131 chips and 3.5mm plus 4.4mm outputs, listed at $69.99. It suits phone and laptop users who want one device for both sources.
MUSE HiFi U3 USB DAC/Amp — read reviewA USB DAC/amp from MUSE HiFi, listed at $29.99, with dual SGM8262 op amps, an output of up to 125mW (no load in the page text) and multi-band PEQ. It suits listeners who want app-based EQ for IEMs in a source the page lists at 18.8 grams.
FiiO Snowsky Retro Nano DAC/Amp — read reviewA Bluetooth 5.1 and USB DAC/amp with tape-player styling, dual CS43131 DAC chips and 3.5mm and 4.4mm jacks, listed at $59.99 in blue or white. The page claims up to 7.5 hours from a replaceable 3.7V battery; it suits listeners who want wireless and wired modes in one unit.
Moondrop Dawn Pro 2 DAC/Amp — read reviewA Moondrop USB DAC/amp with dual CS43198 chips, 3.5mm and 4.4mm jacks and a detachable Type-C cable, listed at $59.99. The page claims 4Vrms or 124mW per channel; it suits sensitive-IEM owners who want 100-level volume control and app EQ.