Technology news and discussion on TalkFuse.
External DACs can improve hi-res music with wired headphones
The article explains when a phone user might benefit from buying an external digital-to-analogue converter (DAC): mainly when using wired headphones for lossless or high-resolution music. Streaming services now offer higher-quality audio, but the phone, connection and headphones all need to support it for listeners to hear the benefit.
A DAC converts digital audio into an analogue signal and most phone models include an amplifier. When choosing an external unit, check that it matches the phone’s USB-C or Lightning port, has the right headphone connection, and supports the audio formats and rates you want. The article notes that Apple’s USB-C connection for AirPods Max supports lossless audio, but hi-res audio above 48 kHz requires an external DAC; Apple Music offers up to 24-bit/192 kHz. Wireless listeners can instead consider Bluetooth adapters supporting higher-quality codecs.
In short
- External DACs can help phones play hi-res audio through wired headphones.
- Check port, headphone jack and audio format compatibility.
- Apple’s hi-res audio support via USB-C is capped at 48 kHz without a DAC.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Engadget as “This is when external DACs for your phone are worth buying”.