I'm partial to this Head-Fi review [1]. It's a really interesting read, just from the perspective of comparing a $9 USB DAC to ... pretty much anything else an

I'm partial to this Head-Fi review [1]. It's a really interesting read, just from the perspective of comparing a $9 USB DAC to ... pretty much anything else an "audiophile" might get. > There is absolutely no reason at all to pay more for a USB DAC, at least when it comes to pure sound quality with headphones. It does mention the possible desire for more features, of course. And it's possibly worth mentioning the power output is half of what you get from other DACs, but you should consider whether that means anything to your setup. I have a pair of Hifiman Edition XS connected to a Schiit Magni and the Apple USB C DAC, and I never put the Schiit volume above about 30%. (As to the amp: I do hear a bit of an improvement connected to the amp vs just the DAC. It's not huge, though; mainly I like having a physical volume knob.) 1: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/apple-usb-c-to-3-5-mm-headphone-jack-adapter.23420/reviews https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/apple-usb-c-to-3-5-mm-headp...