4 ms·

The $199 is why most people will question if you really need it. My laptop costed me a little bit over that, so maybe there is something in the market that goes

The $199 is why most people will question if you really need it. My laptop costed me a little bit over that, so maybe there is something in the market that goes 80% of the way for about 20% of its price?

Dah00n 3y ago
This exactly. As a former PA/recording engineer I like good audio quality too, but it is hard to know which devices are worth it when most lists are made by people that always like the $200 (or $2000) option better than the $2, $20 and $199 option. I know for a fact from actually using audio equipment where good quality is needed that the expensive options are often not worth it at all, but more often than not swap a tiny (if any) bit of extra quality for a monstrous price hike and worse hardiness. Of course, I'm not saying it isn't worth it at all. That depends on one's budget and ears. But most lists see the expensive option as the best, while most peoples needs and ears have zero use for the expensive option. I'd go so far as saying you could get 95% of the way for 10% of the price.
- cwillu 3y ago
  It's like the old story: - one high quality capacitor: $1 - knowing where to put it: $799 [dark timeline: “knowing it doesn't matter where you put it: $12999”]
daggersandscars 3y ago
The USB-C headphone adaptors sold by Google / Apple / Samsung / etc are DAC + headphone amps. They're inexpensive (under $20, some under $10) and can have better components in them than a phone, laptop, etc. These should also work on laptops / desktops. Do some research first for your use case, but I suspect one can find one that will work for your machine + headphones. Soundguys has a review from October up on this topic: https://www.soundguys.com/best-usb-c-headphone-adapter-101302/ https://www.soundguys.com/best-usb-c-headphone-adapter-10130...
- alright2565 3y ago
  My favorite part about these dongles is that for once, Apple actually has the best performance / price! It compares favorably against equipment hundreds of dollars more (focus on SINAD & Output Impedance graphs): https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-apple-vs-google-usb-c-headphone-adapters.5541/ https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/r...
  - standeven 3y ago
    Does Apple not usually have the best performance / price? Looking at M- and A- series chip benchmarks, Apple is way ahead of the competition.
    - Fatnino 3y ago
      Apple prices are also way above the competition so they hamstring themselves somewhat.
      - bitwize 3y ago
        Apple prices are comparable to the competition for comparable gear. If you don't want to spend much money, PC vendors will happily sell you garbage -- Apple won't.
        Fatnino 3y ago
        For the same money I can get a better machine that what Apple will sell me. Admittedly this calculus may have shifted in Apple's favor a bit when they rolled out their own silicon.
        dijit 3y ago
        This is a myth, only supported by looking at nothing but spec sheets. I admit, I was one of these people, but when you look at incidentals (ironically the DAC such as this thread, but also things like keyboard, calibrated display, the nebulous concept of “build quality”) Apple is comparable in price to contemporaries. The issue is that Apple computers are built like higher end business laptops, and people dont typically buy those: they look at the spec sheet and try to buy the best bang for the buck which makes all of the quality run out the door. Apples lowest end machines generally are priced cheaper than equivalent machines, but Apple price segments (read: gouges) on upgrades. A high end Macbook pro 14” and a Dell XPS (55xx) are comparable in price.
snvzz 3y ago
If you need both good measurements that should by ample margin be audible transparent, as well as enough power for virtually any headphone save those that need a special amplifier (electrostats like STAX's), you'll find it hard to go under $200. This device is actually a gem for the price, and most popular recommendations will go higher in price and give you less. I have been there and done the digging, you're welcome to repeat the process. At some point, new devices or new prices will change this. But, as far as I am aware, this is how it is right now.
- jleahy 3y ago
  The Topping MX3 is also pretty good in my opinion and about half the price. That’s probably next down on the pareto frontier.
prima-facie 3y ago
Not if you want decent sound quality. I think my absolute minimum recommendation would be the Fiio K3 dac-amp with a pair of headphones like the DT770 or the SHP9500 if you can find them cheap.
- snvzz 3y ago
  HD600>HD560s>SHP9500 according to budget. If there's any money left, it can be allocated to a dac/amp combo, but priority to headphones, as they matter the most.

Dah00n 3y ago

This exactly. As a former PA/recording engineer I like good audio quality too, but it is hard to know which devices are worth it when most lists are made by people that always like the $200 (or $2000) option better than the $2, $20 and $199 option. I know for a fact from actually using audio equipment where good quality is needed that the expensive options are often not worth it at all, but more often than not swap a tiny (if any) bit of extra quality for a monstrous price hike and worse hardiness. Of course, I'm not saying it isn't worth it at all. That depends on one's budget and ears. But most lists see the expensive option as the best, while most peoples needs and ears have zero use for the expensive option. I'd go so far as saying you could get 95% of the way for 10% of the price.

cwillu 3y ago
It's like the old story: - one high quality capacitor: $1 - knowing where to put it: $799 [dark timeline: “knowing it doesn't matter where you put it: $12999”]

daggersandscars 3y ago

The USB-C headphone adaptors sold by Google / Apple / Samsung / etc are DAC + headphone amps. They're inexpensive (under $20, some under $10) and can have better components in them than a phone, laptop, etc. These should also work on laptops / desktops. Do some research first for your use case, but I suspect one can find one that will work for your machine + headphones. Soundguys has a review from October up on this topic: https://www.soundguys.com/best-usb-c-headphone-adapter-101302/ https://www.soundguys.com/best-usb-c-headphone-adapter-10130...

alright2565 3y ago
My favorite part about these dongles is that for once, Apple actually has the best performance / price! It compares favorably against equipment hundreds of dollars more (focus on SINAD & Output Impedance graphs): https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-apple-vs-google-usb-c-headphone-adapters.5541/ https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/r...
- standeven 3y ago
  Does Apple not usually have the best performance / price? Looking at M- and A- series chip benchmarks, Apple is way ahead of the competition.
  - Fatnino 3y ago
    Apple prices are also way above the competition so they hamstring themselves somewhat.
    - bitwize 3y ago
      Apple prices are comparable to the competition for comparable gear. If you don't want to spend much money, PC vendors will happily sell you garbage -- Apple won't.
      - Fatnino 3y ago
        For the same money I can get a better machine that what Apple will sell me. Admittedly this calculus may have shifted in Apple's favor a bit when they rolled out their own silicon.
        dijit 3y ago
        This is a myth, only supported by looking at nothing but spec sheets. I admit, I was one of these people, but when you look at incidentals (ironically the DAC such as this thread, but also things like keyboard, calibrated display, the nebulous concept of “build quality”) Apple is comparable in price to contemporaries. The issue is that Apple computers are built like higher end business laptops, and people dont typically buy those: they look at the spec sheet and try to buy the best bang for the buck which makes all of the quality run out the door. Apples lowest end machines generally are priced cheaper than equivalent machines, but Apple price segments (read: gouges) on upgrades. A high end Macbook pro 14” and a Dell XPS (55xx) are comparable in price.

snvzz 3y ago

If you need both good measurements that should by ample margin be audible transparent, as well as enough power for virtually any headphone save those that need a special amplifier (electrostats like STAX's), you'll find it hard to go under $200. This device is actually a gem for the price, and most popular recommendations will go higher in price and give you less. I have been there and done the digging, you're welcome to repeat the process. At some point, new devices or new prices will change this. But, as far as I am aware, this is how it is right now.

jleahy 3y ago
The Topping MX3 is also pretty good in my opinion and about half the price. That’s probably next down on the pareto frontier.

prima-facie 3y ago

Not if you want decent sound quality. I think my absolute minimum recommendation would be the Fiio K3 dac-amp with a pair of headphones like the DT770 or the SHP9500 if you can find them cheap.

snvzz 3y ago
HD600>HD560s>SHP9500 according to budget. If there's any money left, it can be allocated to a dac/amp combo, but priority to headphones, as they matter the most.