Best Dongle DACs of 2022 and Why You Might Need One?

We award our favorite 4 dongle DACs of 2022 and one honorable mention. Don't miss out on high quality listening through wired headphones connected to your Android smartphone or iPhone with any of our top picks at various price points.

Winners:
02:00 ddHiFi TC35i/TC3B ($40-$60)
03:50 Hidizs S9 Pro ($116)
06:20 Questyle M12 ($139)
09:34 Questyle M14 ($269)

Honorable mention:
13:33 iFi Go bar ($329)

Learn more about each winner here:

Full Reviews:

Where to buy:

ddHiFi TC35i
ddHiFi TC35B
ddHiFi TC35C

Hidizs S9 Pro

Questyle M12

Questyle M15

iFi Go bar

#dongledacs #headphones #earphones

[willie]

That's why I still use my LG v60 and the quad DAC is excellent. I still bought the Questyle M15 though just in case. 😉

[doctorbritain]

A warning on the hidizs. I have owned two having had the first replaced. They appear to have a rather delicate usb socket which becomes very flaky very quickly. I absolutely babied the second one and it still ended out cutting out with the slightest movement. It also gets extremely hot. I would avoid tbh.

[TheMMadmaXX]

Went out to buy a dongle DAC the other day and came back with a Chord Mojo 2

[tonystoll]

What are the best DAC’s for the car that has a Optical Out?

[NismoPhx]

Looking for a little insight. My primary headphones are Focal Clear Pros (non MG) and I currently have an Hidiz S9 Pro that I use via the 4.4mm for listening away from the desk. I feel like I notice a bit of an improvement in stage and dynamics while at the desk and I am wondering if the M15 would be a worthwhile upgrade to get closer to desktop performance. Your input is appreciated!

[NowhereMan]

How did the Questyle M15 compare with the AudioQuest Cobalt. I have an iPhone 13, use Spotify, and am looking at a B&W S8 so want what works best with the latter.

Also, what would work with CarPlay (with USB connection), between the two dongles? Or would the dongles my unnecessary in a car?

My interest is in sound quality and battery drain. I realize Spotify is not lossless.

Thanks. Enjoy your video series tremendously.

[masterazlan]

Q5s tc from fiio with thx amp modules And decent size to be in pocket. It can hit 800mW with amp5 modules. Yup balanced pentaconn. peace!

[Andyhandle]

Great discussion.
I have planar IEMs as well as headphones and was wondering about a dac though my phone has a ESS Sabre quad DAC and 3.5mm headphone socket, do perhaps for next year!

[denislemieux]

@ecoustics Thanks for this video. I’m still very confused. I’m a “normie” or “lay person” in this audio world.

I have an iPhone. I’m using their $9.99 white 3.5 to lightning connector (dongle?). I’m currently using Koss KSC75 and their KPH40.

What am I not getting? In other words, these dongle products are offering something more? I apologize for my ignorance. I think a lot of people might benefit from maybe a vid on what all of this means?

Thanks. Tim

[macgeek]

I'm wondering how my Oppo HA-2 SE (ESS Sabre32 Reference ES9028-Q2M) holds up against newer devices. Of course the Oppo is an amp as well as a DAC and it sounds amazing to me.