The best headphone DACs 2024: top desktop and portable DACS to make music sing

The Chord Mojo 2 against a yellow background
(Image credit: Chord Electronics)

The best DAC players can transform your music listening experience. A DAC, or digital-to-analog converter, turns digital audio files into the analog sound we all hear. While every device has a built-in DAC – because humans can't hear digital signals directly – these built-in converters often fall short in delivering high-quality sound.

That’s where the best portable DACs or desktop DACs come in. They handle digital-to-analog conversion with far greater precision and can process more complex audio files than the basic DACs found in most smartphones and laptops. By using a dedicated DAC, your music is routed through this superior converter, bypassing the standard chip in your device. The result? Crisper, clearer, and more dynamic audio quality, especially when paired with the best wired headphones.

In the list below, we've selected the best DAC players, thoroughly tested to ensure they deliver top-notch, audiophile-grade sound along with useful features like driving multiple headphones or offering wireless options. We test them with high-quality headphones and audio sources, to ensure that they're capable of delivering something a cut above the default. If you're passionate about the way the music on your phone or laptop sounds with the best headphones, keep reading.

The quick list

Looking for a simple way to find the best portable DAC with the features and price range you want? Use our quick list below and click to see a longer write-up of each product for more in-depth information.

Written by
Senior audio staff writer Becky Scarrott, in a field
Written by
Becky Scarrott

I've reviewed over 150 audio products since becoming a tech journalist, ranging from super-budget earbuds to high-end Hi-Res Audio music players. Before joining TechRadar, I spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing everything the world of audio had to offer; before that, I was a professional dancer. My love of music ties it all together.

Recent updates

August 2, 2024
Overhauled this guide to better tailor our recommendations based on specific DAC types, where you'd use them, and how affordable they are. Also added the iFi Zen DAC 3 as our best mid-range desktop option.

Best portable DACs of 2024

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The best portable USB-C DAC for phones

The Helm Audio Bolt portable DAC

(Image credit: Future)
The best portable USB-C DAC for phones

Specifications

Inputs: USB-C
Outputs: 1 x 3.5mm
Bluetooth: No
Dimensions: 101.6 x 6.4 x 6.4 mm (28.35g)
Sample rate: 32bit/384kHz

Reasons to buy

+
Punchy and deft audio performance
+
As portable as can be
+
Properly made

Reasons to avoid

-
Minimal user interface
-
Can get shouty at volume

The Helm Audio Bolt USB DAC/headphone amp is a device that we found to be both small and elegant in its simplicity when we tested it. Like most of the DACs in this guide, it's designed to make the sound coming out of your laptop or smartphone far better than it otherwise would be. The good news with this option from Helm is that it's priced to make its talents available to as many people as possible and our best choice if you're looking for a portable USB-C DAC, especially for phones.

The Bolt is in its element when it comes to high-resolution audio content. It can handle 32-bit/384kHz, DSD256 and MQA stuff easily, generating enough power to drive most headphones we tested to workable level. It’s also genuinely portable, with a design that's small and light enough to slip in a pocket.

Overall, it delivers an enjoyable listen. Push up the volume to extremes and it can sound a little hard and two-dimensional, but otherwise we found it a pleasure to test. The levels of details are high here, frequency extension is impressive at either end of the range, and the soundstage it creates is convincing, not to mention fun.

Read the full Helm Audio Bolt review

The best budget desktop portable DAC

The iFi Uno portable DAC on top of a laptop

(Image credit: Future)
The best budget desktop portable DAC

Specifications

Inputs: USB-C
Outputs: 1 x 3.5mm
Bluetooth: No
Dimensions: 88 x 81 x 26mm (150g)
Sample rate: Up to 384kHz

Reasons to buy

+
Robust, confident and informative sound
+
Excellent specification at the money
+
Usefully compact

Reasons to avoid

-
Lopsided output at very low volumes
-
Can sound slightly edgy at bigger volumes

The iFi Uno DAC is one of the most affordable options on our list, but during our testing we were surprised to find that the improvements it makes to your sound experience are massive. 

We learned that, as long as you don’t intend to listen at either very quiet or very loud volume levels, the sound of your laptop once the Uno is plugged in is improved dramatically. We think even those who don't consider themselves audiophiles will recognize the improvement and agree that it's up there with the best portable DACs. 

In our iFi Uno review we commended this portable DAC for its detail retrieval, low-frequency extension, sound staging, transient response and stereo focus. These are all essential qualities that go towards delivering a genuinely enjoyable and convincing sound reproduction.

Read our full iFi Uno review

The best premium portable DAC

The iFi xDSD Gryphon on a stool

(Image credit: Future)
The best premium portable DAC

Specifications

Inputs: USB-C, 3.5mm digital coaxial
Outputs: 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Bluetooth: Yes
Dimensions: 123 x 75 x 19 mm
Sample rate: 32bit/768kHz

Reasons to buy

+
Eloquent, informative and entertaining sound
+
Thoroughly specified and then some
+
Appropriately well made and finished

Reasons to avoid

-
Interface is not exactly intuitive
-
Needs decent headphones
-
Doesn’t really look like the money’s worth

The iFi xDSD Gryphon widens the operability and relevance of audio company iFi's DAC and headphone amp range by offering wireless, as well as wired, connectivity in a design that's small, light and portable. No, the xDSD Gryphon is not cheap, but the way it performs justifies the price and means it's our top premium portable pick. 

The iFi xDSD Gryphon brings you major flexibility in terms of connectivity and digital audio content. It'll happy work with digital files of many types. In fact, we bet there’s no chance it can’t deal with what you give it. From there, it delivers what we described as "a completely confident and convincing sonic attitude" in our review – just make sure you use headphones that are up to the iFi xDSD Gryphon's high standards. 

If you're looking for a device that’s more than capable of doing the audio business, regardless of which digital film you're using and whether you want desktop or portable listening, it’s a no-brainer.   

Read our full iFi xDSD Gryphon review

The best mid-range desktop portable DAC

The iFi Zen DAC 3 on a table

(Image credit: Future)
The best mid-range desktop portable DAC

Specifications

Inputs: USB Type-C
Outputs: 6.35mm and 4.4mm
Bluetooth: No
Dimensions: 158 x 115 x 35mm (456g)
Sample rate: 768kHz

Reasons to buy

+
Clean, punchy and convincing sound
+
Good feature set, great specification
+
Nicely made and finished

Reasons to avoid

-
No fan of sub-standard headphones
-
Not all that impressed by small, compressed digital audio files either

Our best mid-range desktop portable DAC pick is the iFi Zen DAC 3, effectively turning your laptop or phone into a hi-fi system. It's incredibly easy to set-up with a simple USB-C input for both power and data, with multiple power options to pick from. It also boasts the ability to function as a decoder, too.

Assuming you're using a good pair of headphones and high-quality digital audio files, the iFi Zen DAC 3 makes music sound excellent. In our review, we wrote that it delivers a "musical, informative and entertaining listen". We particularly rated this DAC for its punchy sound and tonal balance. But we were also incredibly impressed by the soundstage, writing in our review that the soundstage is "open, properly defined and allows every element of the recording the space it needs in which to express itself."

With a metal exterior crafted into a vaguely trapezoid shape that looks like a beautiful hip flask, this DAC definitely looks like it belongs to the iFi family. Although some minor design changes have been made, including a recessed fascia that serves as the bulk of the chassis. It's not the most portable device on the list, but it's not so bulky that it won't fit nicely on your desk. 

Read our full iFi Zen DAC 3 review

The best premium desktop portable DAC

The Chord Mojo 2 portable dac

(Image credit: TechRadar)
The best premium desktop portable DAC

Specifications

Inputs: Five digital inputs: coaxial, dual-data coax, optical, Micro-USB and USB-C
Outputs: 2 x 3.5mm
Bluetooth: No
Dimensions: 23 x 83 x 62mm / 185g
Sample rate: Up to 768kHz

Reasons to buy

+
Eloquent, engaging and endlessly listenable sound
+
Extensive specs and lots of input options
+
Can drive two pairs of headphones at once

Reasons to avoid

-
Staggeringly unintuitive interface
-
A bit big and heavy to be a truly mobile device

The original Chord Mojo DAC was at the top of our best portable DAC list for a long time, but it's been replaced by the Chord Mojo DAC 2, which is our top premium pick for desktop listening. Replacing a product that’s borderline iconic can’t be easy - which is maybe why it’s taken Chord Electronics seven years to replace its original Mojo DAC / headphone amp. 

The Chord Mojo DAC 2 is very easy to use. All you need to do is hook a digital source into one end of the device, and some wired headphones into the other. 

During testing, we found this to be a brilliantly accomplished device, able to deliver all the musicality, all the detail, all the refinement and all the excitement hidden in what previously sounded like quite humdrum digital audio files. In pure performance terms, the Chord Mojo 2 almost constitutes a bargain. 

But there are several drawbacks, too. The Mojo 2 is bulky (the same size and weight as the original it's replacing) and it doesn't have wireless connectivity. What's more, its control interface can be confusing. Given its size, we'd recommend it as a desktop option and given its high price tag, it's our premium pick.

Read our full Chord Mojo 2 review

The best portable DAC for design

iFi hip-dac 3 held in hand on white background

(Image credit: Future)
The best portable DAC for design

Specifications

Inputs: USB-C
Outputs: 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Bluetooth: No
Dimensions: 101.6 x 71.12 x 15.24mm
Sample rate: 384kHz

Reasons to buy

+
Classy and refined audio
+
Looks stunning next to your smartphone
+
Useful gain and XBass features

Reasons to avoid

-
Volume is easy to tweak accidentally
-
Rival options sound marginally more punchy
-
-

If want want a DAC that doesn't just sound good, but looks great too, then meet iFi's hip flask-esque hip-dac 3. 

It may look a little dull in the static photos from our review, but it comes in a shade called 'Titanium Shadow', because it was purported to "change tone in different lights, with hints of bronze and vintage gold." And, in real-life, it looks just as special as that description sounds. We think it'll pair fantastically well next to your shiny new iPhone.

Looks aside, how does it sound? Fantastic. In our iFi hip-dac 3 review we wrote: "once you've heard it, you'll struggle to go back to listening without it for detail, neutrality and clarity." We were right, this is one extremely enjoyable listen, delivering a classy and refined audio experience.

Read our full iFi hip-dac 3 review 

The best portable DAC if money is no object

iFi iDSD Diablo 2 and Sennheiser iE900, on a wooden table

(Image credit: Future)
The best desktop DAC if money is no object

Specifications

Inputs: 3.5mm, 4.4mm, 2x USB-C
Outputs: 6.3mm, 4.4mm
Bluetooth: Yes, 5.4
Dimensions: 29 x 85 x 166mm (HxWxD)
Sample rate: PCM 32 bit / 768kHz, DSD512, and MQA (decoder), aptX Lossless (when Bluetooth streaming)

Reasons to buy

+
Positive, eloquent sound from all sources
+
Extensive specification
+
Classy build and finish

Reasons to avoid

-
Doesn’t enjoy ‘brighter’ headphones
-
Not as dynamically nuanced as it might be
-
Some unhelpfully short cables

If you're prepared to give it the proper source material, connected to serious headphones, the iFi iDSD Diablo 2 is a very impressive DAC and headphone amplifier indeed.

The design is even better than the original Diablo; see the darker red and reworked chassis that replaces the original Diablo’s smooth casework, with an arrangement of 22 ‘rails’ to help with cooling. Eight of these rails can accept one of the four ‘wings’ supplied with the DAC, which allows it to be positioned either vertically or horizontally, but slightly elevated, too. 

It’s a vividly articulate, balanced and precise listen, handling even intricate mixes with a surgical hand. It's also capable of extruding every last milligram of information from your digital audio files with flair and ease. This is high-end territory and as such, we notice more. So, some may hanker after a little more low-frequency impact; others may feel that the iDSD Diablo 2 could benefit from just a little more dynamic headroom. Yes, we're nitpicking – because despite this, the second-gen iFi is a truly impressive proposition and one that will take some beating at the level. 

Read why we love it in our in-depth iFi iDSD Diablo 2 review

Other portable DACs to consider

iFi GO Bar Kensei: This is a beautiful steel swordsman of a DAC, but there were just a few issues with it through the top end, for us. We tested a second unit to make sure, but this turned out to be a disappointment by iFi's high standards, as our iFi GO Bar Kensei review digs into.

iFi iDSD Diablo: Elsewhere in iFi-land, the excellent iFi iDSD Diablo was superseded by the newer iFi iDSD Diablo 2, so while both are excellent, we've swapped in the newer model as a worthy replacement in this guide. But this means that if you see a deal on the original, it might be a great little bargain, so we've given it a place in this little section.

Hidizs S8 Pro Robin: Hidizs launched this earlier in the year with a shockingly low price tag of just $99 in the US and £79 in the UK. Could the S8 PRO Robin knock the iFi Uno off as our top budget buy recommendation, given that it has the same hi-res support – PCM files of up to 32bit/384kHz resolution and DSD256? Well, you've seen the list, you know it didn't. The iFi Uno is simply a better-sounding, better-value buy all round, as you can read in our full Hidizs S8 Pro Robin review. Looks like Robin will remain a sidekick a little longer, at least.

How to choose the best portable DAC for you

OK, we'll level with you. This isn’t the most glamorous tech purchase you'll ever make. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t demand for it and that you shouldn't buy one. Au contraire, if you care about the quality of your music, you should! 

New DACs are released all the time – large devices, smaller ones, those that are mains-powered and others that are battery-powered. You can get DACS for iPhones, as well as models with wired or wireless connectivity, too. We've explained all below, because we want you to make the right purchase for you and one you'll love for years to come. 

In this guide we’re focusing on the best of the most portable DACs around. If you give any one of these fine items a listen, then we guarantee your ears will thank you. 

What is a DAC?

A DAC enables you to hear the analog sound made by your favorite bands and artists instead of the digital file that lets you store it on a device in file formats such as MP3, FLAC, Sony's DSD or Apple's Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC).

The DAC is the bit of your phone (or other audio device) that takes the bits and bytes of a digital audio file and turns it into audio for your headphones or speakers to play. In most smartphones, the DAC's sound quality is not the only criteria: there's size, and performance, and battery usage, and all kinds of other considerations.

That means while the sound quality from a device's own DAC is never less than acceptable, it isn't always brilliant. An external DAC improves your audio experience considerably. But not every DAC is created equal as you can see from the sheer variety above.

What do I need a portable DAC for?

If you're serious about sound and have the headphones or speakers to match, a portable DAC is a serious audio upgrade.

Of course you could just get used to how your phone, tablet or computer plays music. But if you're an audiophile (or even if you shy away from that term but you just love music) that just won't do. So, if your music isn't sounding quite as spectacular as it should – and the only thing you've changed recently is the source – it's likely that your new device (a new laptop, desktop, phone or tablet) has a poor quality DAC built-in.

The second reason to shell out for a better system is the fact that some of the more premium headphones on the market are 'high-impedance' headphones, which require more power through the headphone jack on your music source in order to work properly. (Impedance, for the record, is measured in a unit called ohms, and less than 50 ohms is considered to be low-impedance.)

As a rule, the harder a pair of headphones need to be driven, the better they will eventually sound when paired with the right equipment. An external DAC helps with these headphones as it can work as a headphone amp to provide the extra power needed to drive a high-impedance pair of 'phones.

Do DACs improve the sound quality of phones?

Yes. Very much so.

There's already a DAC in your phone, but chances are it hasn't been designed solely for great audio: it's usually part of a balancing act for things like battery life, how much space is available inside the device, cost and other considerations. So you'll often find that even high priced phones have DACs that are good rather than great.

With an external DAC you're using hardware that's been designed with sound quality as the single most important feature. Flabby bass is tightened and tuned; abrasive treble is smoothed; mids punch more and the soundstage is more expansive. DACs usually support much higher bit rates than phone DACs do too, which is important if you're listening to hi-res audio.

Do DACs work with iPhones?

It's worth bearing in mind that some portable DACs won't work with iPhones – you may find that when you plug them in, you get an error message that says "the attached accessory uses too much power". If that's the case, you'll need to purchase a Lightning-USB 3 adaptor, and plug it into an outlet while using the DAC to give it the power it needs.

Alternatively, some DACs can be used with an iPhone without being plugged into an outlet - but you will still need an Apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter.

Do DACs work with Android phones?

As with iPhones, the answer is yes with a caveat: you'll need the right connector – many modern Android phones have USB-C but many DACs haven't moved to that connector yet, so you'll need to check what cables come with it – and you'll need sufficient power to drive it, something that's not always possible with some phones. For those you'll need an additional power source such as a powered USB hub.

Latest Updates

August 2, 2024
Overhauled this guide to better tailor our recommendations based on specific DAC types, where you'd use them, and how affordable they are. Also added the iFi Zen DAC 3 as our best mid-range desktop option.

June 3, 2024
Added both this update log, an author block and updated our 'Also consider' section where I highlighted why the iFi GO Bar Kensei isn't on this list – yet. Swapped in the recently-reviewed iFi iDSD Diablo 2 for the original Diablo (which it has superseded).

April 4, 2024
Checked availability of current listings, all of which are in stock in the US, UK and Australia. Added in two new sections about recent DAC releases to consider and what a DAC is. 

December 8, 2023
Added the iFi xDSD Gryphon, iFi Uno, Helm Audio Bolt to our rankings. Removed the iFi Zen and iFi hip-DAC, replacing it with its successor the iFi hip-DAC 3, and adjusted the format of this guide to include more easy navigation elements like the quick menu. 

Becky Scarrott
Audio Editor

Becky became Audio Editor at TechRadar in 2024, but joined the team in 2022 as Senior Staff Writer, focusing on all things hi-fi. Before this, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing and reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage. When not writing, she can still be found throwing shapes in a dance studio, these days with varying degrees of success.  

With contributions from