Best DACs 2024: USB, desktop and portable digital-to-analogue ...
Sep 5, 2024 · Most DACs nowadays support a wide range of hi-res PCM files – FLACs, for example, often up to 32-bit – but further compatibility should be considered if you wish to play or stream more niche music formats such as DSD or MQA.
How to play hi-res music on your iPhone | What Hi-Fi?
May 31, 2023 · If you want to play hi-res music you are limited by the DACs inside Apple’s devices. To listen via a pair of wired headphones, you need to use Apple’s Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter which is limited to supporting 24-bit/48kHz.
High-resolution audio: everything you need to know | What Hi-Fi?
Feb 5, 2024 · ALAC (hi-res): Apple's own lossless compression format also does hi-res, stores metadata and takes up half the space of WAV. An iTunes- and iOS-friendly alternative to FLAC. DSD (hi-res): The single-bit format used for Super Audio CDs. It comes in 2.8MHz, 5.6MHz and 11.2MHz varieties, but isn't as widely supported as some of the formats above.
What is a DAC? And why do you need one anyway? - What Hi-Fi?
Aug 22, 2024 · DACs come in all shapes and sizes and offer varying levels of input options and functionality, so you’ll need to think about how you want to use one, not to mention the budget you have set aside. Compact USB or USB-C DACs offer …
The iPhone 15 has USB-C, but is it the hi-res audio upgrade we've …
Sep 12, 2023 · The iPhone 15's move to USB-C could be a game-changer in portable hi-fi, with an easier path for using DACs and wired headphones.
iFi hip-dac 2 review - What Hi-Fi?
Jan 24, 2022 · The hip-dac 2’s new-generation 16-core XMOS chip boasts double the clock speed and four times the memory of its older sibling. It also houses an updated version of iFi’s GMT (Global Master Timing) circuitry, featuring a new crystal clock in a bid to further eradicate jitter in the digital-to-analogue conversion process.
iFi Zen DAC review - What Hi-Fi?
May 1, 2020 · The Zen DAC clearly outperforms our MacBook Pro laptop easily, sounding clearer and more detailed. We listen to Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and are impressed by the iFi’s expressive dynamics and its ability to reproduce the piano’s harmonic richness convincingly.
iFi hip-dac 3 review - What Hi-Fi?
Nov 20, 2023 · The iFi hip-dac 3 continues to build on the foundations laid down by its predecessors, delivering a pleasing performance in a sleek, powerful package.
Best music streamers 2024: top network audio players ... - What Hi …
4 days ago · Music streamers do have more versatile streaming features and usually include a built-in DAC (which music servers don't always have). A server is most useful if you have a large, dedicated collection of downloaded hi-res or DSD files, while a streamer is best if you listen to online streaming platforms more frequently.
MQA audio: what is it? And should you care? - What Hi-Fi?
Jan 15, 2024 · MQA stands for Master Quality Authenticated, an audio technology that made hi-res audio streaming a reality. But what is it, exactly?