Best DACs 2019: USB, portable and desktop DACs

[What Hi-Fi?]

The digital-to-analogue conversion process is absolutely critical, so make sure you enlist the help of a decent DAC.

Best DACs 2019: USB, portable and desktop DACs : Read more

 

[djh1697]

The MARCH USB DAC is only £260, and made the Naim DAC sound pale! Works great with Tidal/Qobuz/Roon. Grab one while you can! They are superb! The will take DSD64 and 384/24 PCM

 

[aaadavid]

I had a Rega Dac R - just upgraded to this DAC : RME adi-2 fs dac - astonishing improvement - see this review as an example https://www.themasterswitch.com/rme-adi-2-dac-review
I have no affiliation with RME
If you want the best DAC this is it.
Please review What HiFi !!
David

 

[Jacore]

Nice list. Would be good to see some reviews of R2R ladder DACs. Massive analogue dynamic sound. I’m currently running the Denafrips Ares II and it sounds astonishing. Like having my LPs on demand 🙂

 

[jgladden]

Agree w aaadavid, huge miss excluding rme adi-2. Either the list is wildly out of date or whathifi is getting a kick back from chord. The rme costs less than the qutest, offers mind blowing options to dial in the sound, superior reproduction across the frequency range, balanced and unbalanced output, much quieter output (the qutest hiss is a thing folks), qutest might edge out the rme in regards to wider soundstage - it remains hotly contested which is the better DAC, but missing the rme entirely is unforgivable. Come on whathifi, its 2020, test a wider range of product please!

 

[david_malcolm]

I agree that not featuring the RME ADI-2 and R2R ladder DACs seem to be either oversights or commercial decisions in this review.

 

[Jota180]

The digital-to-analogue conversion process is absolutely critical, so make sure you enlist the help of a decent DAC.

Best DACs 2019: USB, portable and desktop DACs : Read more

No RME, no list.

 

[Jota180]

Agree w aaadavid, huge miss excluding rme adi-2. Either the list is wildly out of date or whathifi is getting a kick back from chord. The rme costs less than the qutest, offers mind blowing options to dial in the sound, superior reproduction across the frequency range, balanced and unbalanced output, much quieter output (the qutest hiss is a thing folks), qutest might edge out the rme in regards to wider soundstage - it remains hotly contested which is the better DAC, but missing the rme entirely is unforgivable. Come on whathifi, its 2020, test a wider range of product please!

Agree with all of this. I was thinking of pulling the trigger on the Chord and was looking around the internet and I'd never heard of RME beofre, but once I'd read up on it, looked at the specs and feature list it's an absolute no brainer.
It's just so well specced with useful things, well thought out and the two plugs for headphones and in ear phones is the icing on the cake.
I'm so glad I found this one because the sound and features makes this unbeatable in my view.

 

[Friesiansam]

I would want to see far more than just that one review about the RME. It tells us that the noise floor is low, timing is good and clarity is good but, there is lot more that affects perceived sound quality and this review tells us nothing else about the sound it delivers. Make sure to buy from a retailer that will facilitate easy returns.

 

[gaburko]

Again no RME? Guys, your objectivity has always been questionable, but when you persistently ignore one of the best products out there for years, it makes me think you might have other things on your mind apart from product quality.

 

[TenTonTarantula]

No Schiit, Denafrips, RME....in general in WHF, not just this list. Must be something to do with not upsetting established relationships with manufacturers, but would make WHF much more interesting if they covered the full range of the industry, not just the same old roster of incumbents. Might given the reviewers a bit more excitement too...and even the chance to give something less than four stars for a change.

 

[Bogdan]

Mytek Brooklyn dac+, RME adi-2 ,..

 

[Jasonovich]

The main actors, Chord Cambridge Audio, ifi, Audiolab et'al feature prominently on What Hi-Fi 's DAC Hall of Fame and well founded and excellent choice I'm sure.
However, the tsunami that is flooding the other audiophile forums seems to have by-passed the What Hi-fi editing desk.
My God, the DAC Chinese manufacturer Topping has been stirring up a storm in it's wake, how is that not featured in What Hi-Fi's top 5?
My Topping D50 USB DAC at a fraction of the price of it's British Competitors is absolutely sublime in terms of transparency, timber and rare emotion that allows you to transcend to another place.
Please What Hi-Fi do your due diligence, and give this little gem the spotlight it deserves.

 

[nopiano]

The main actors, Chord Cambridge Audio, ifi, Audiolab et'al feature prominently on What Hi-Fi 's DAC Hall of Fame and well founded and excellent choice I'm sure.
However, the tsunami that is flooding the other audiophile forums seems to have by-passed the What Hi-fi editing desk.
My God, the DAC Chinese manufacturer Topping has been stirring up a storm in it's wake, how is that not featured in What Hi-Fi's top 5?
My Topping D50 USB DAC at a fraction of the price of it's British Competitors is absolutely sublime in terms of transparency, timber and rare emotion that allows you to transcend to another place.
Please What Hi-Fi do your due diligence, and give this little gem the spotlight it deserves.

Welcome to the forum.

This thread began in 2019, so may be not the best place for your thoughts.

FYI, the magazine will only review products submitted by the manufacturers. I’m not aware whether Topping have a UK distributor or not, but they seem to proliferate on eBay. Topping get lots of reviews on ASR because they’ve learned how to engineer a very high SINAD rating, even though nobody needs a DAC that 30dB quieter than inaudibility! (A 180mph car isn’t any faster on a 70mph motorway than a 130mph one)

 

[JennaChaplin]

"...t'll take a bit of running in time before the Qutest really starts to sing"

I totally disagree with this. What is really happening is that the listener's brain is learning how to hear the sound generated by the device. The electronic hardware does not change from the day it is manufactured until the day it dies.

Disagree? Please let me know.

 

[HomelessBum]

Ah yes, all the usual ad paying companies. Do you have any imagination to go beyond the normal names that give you stuff to reviews? What HiFi has the money to buy in a few items here and there.

Or ask more companies!

Sticking to the usual suspects is so lame and untrustworthy.

Oh and how about making an actual new list. Rehashing a years old list? Nah, that’s not lazy at all

 

[Friesiansam]

"...t'll take a bit of running in time before the Qutest really starts to sing"

I totally disagree with this. What is really happening is that the listener's brain is learning how to hear the sound generated by the device. The electronic hardware does not change from the day it is manufactured until the day it dies.

Disagree? Please let me know.

I agree there is no point to “running-in” solid state electronics but, as they get old, electronic components do deteriorate.

 

[Mrmason62]

The Qutest is an incredible bargain. Its the Hugo 2 without the so called portability etc
So you have an £1800 DAC for £1200.
Or youve got a £1200 DAC for £1800!!
Factor in the brilliant Chord FGPA chip from the leading DAC manufacturers around and you have a bargain.
Sounds rather good too.

 

[Mrmason62]

The main actors, Chord Cambridge Audio, ifi, Audiolab et'al feature prominently on What Hi-Fi 's DAC Hall of Fame and well founded and excellent choice I'm sure.
However, the tsunami that is flooding the other audiophile forums seems to have by-passed the What Hi-fi editing desk.
My God, the DAC Chinese manufacturer Topping has been stirring up a storm in it's wake, how is that not featured in What Hi-Fi's top 5?
My Topping D50 USB DAC at a fraction of the price of it's British Competitors is absolutely sublime in terms of transparency, timber and rare emotion that allows you to transcend to another place.
Please What Hi-Fi do your due diligence, and give this little gem the spotlight it deserves.

The toppings DAC chip sells for less than £20. Sheer class obviously.