Tag: mqa dac
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Bluesound Tweaks A Winning Formula With New NODE and POWERNODE Music Streamers
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in Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Power Amps, Preamps, Software, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessDespite already having two of the best High-Res audiophile music streamers on the market, Bluesound has revealed new and improved versions of their best-selling NODE and POWERNODE devices. Both models now get upgraded (read: faster) processors, new “audiophile-grade” DAC sections, and new touch panel controls with music presets. As far as the POWERNODE streaming amplifier…
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iFi Audio Unveils New And Improved ZEN DAC V2 DAC Amp, Available In May
Today, via their official Twitter account, iFi Audio unveiled a new version of its super-popular ZEN DAC USB DAC/ Headphone Amp, called the ZEN DAC V2. The new model improves upon the original with a more powerful 16 Core XMOS digital processing chip, transforming the new ZEN DAC Dac Amp into an MQA Decoder instead…
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Best Buys: The Best Portable USB DAC Amps Under $500!
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in Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Reviews, Software, Streaming, Uncategorized, VideosDAC’s or Digital to Analog converters have become an easy and inexpensive way to improve the sound coming from your laptop or smartphone. The easiest to use and most affordable is the portable DAC, which usually incorporates a headphone amp, hence the name DAC Amp. They also obtain the digital audio signal via a USB…
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Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M Review: This Affordable Dac Amp Is Breathtaking!
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in Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Preamps, Reviews, Software, Speakers, Streaming, Uncategorized, Videos, WirelessSummary Cambridge Audio’s DacMagic DACs have long provided solid functionality and impressive performance for the money. Their latest DacMagic product, the DacMagic 200M, is their most admirable effort yet. The 200M supports the highest bit rates ever decoded in a DacMagic DAC (32-bit/768kHz), handles DSD and MQA, plus has built-in aptX Bluetooth (previous models needed…
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World Premiere! THX Onyx Review: Their First DAC/Headphone Amp Combo Is Marvelous!
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in Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Portable Audio, Reviews, SoftwareOverview The portable DAC/Amp market is a crowded one. I’ve reviewed a bunch of them, and I have a couple on deck waiting for evaluation. To make noise in this product category, you have to come up with something special. Enter THX and their new THX Onyx, a $199 DAC/Amp that happens to be their…
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iFi iDSD Diablo Review: The Best Portable Dac/Amp Combo?
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in DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Portable Audio, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, VideosIFi’s Latest Portable Dac/Amp Combo Has Unrivaled Power And Refinement At Its Price! It’s no secret that I have a bit of a soft spot for iFi products. Their combination of innovative design, thoughtful features, and build quality is unmatched at their price points. They always seem to give you more for your money. The…
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Now That’s A Good Question…What’s A Good DAC/Amp For The Hifiman Sundara?
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in Budget, DACs, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Portable Audio, Power Amps, Reviews, Streaming, Videos, WirelessChoosing a DAC Amp for the Best Value Headphone under $500! A Reader Writes: I’m wondering if you can give me your recommendation for pairing up a DAC for the Hifiman Sundara headphones. I have not purchased either item but I’d like to do so as soon as today. I’ve been unable to confirm what…
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Khadas Tone 2 Pro Review: This Revolutionary DAC Amp Will Make Your Headphones Sing!
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in Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, MQA, Music, Portable Audio, Preamps, Reviews, Videos, WirelessI’ve reviewed quite a few dongle style DAC/Headphone Amps over the last year or so, and I must say I dig them. Their compact size coupled with their affordability makes them an ideal way to upgrade a smartphone or laptop’s sound while on the go. Recently, I was really wowed by the $99 HELM Audio…
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Now That’s A Good Question…Bluetooth vs. Wi-Fi Music Streaming?
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in Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, News, Power Amps, Preamps, Software, Streaming, Videos, WirelessA reader writes: Would a music streamer, like Andover’s Audio Songbird Music Streamer, be necessary for a system with a PS Audio Sprout since the Sprout has Bluetooth? Thanks M.B. Hello M.B, Not necessarily. If you’re happy with the sound from Bluetooth, then you may not need a Wi-Fi streamer like the Songbird. However,…
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Shanling BA1 Desktop Hi-Fi Bluetooth Receiver Review: Exquisite Bluetooth DAC For Headphones And Speakers!
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Remarkable Wireless Sound For The Money! It wasn’t long ago, the phrase “Hi-Fi Bluetooth Receiver” would’ve been considered something of an oxymoron. Even a couple of years back, the sound quality of Bluetooth was pretty poor, and most audiophiles would’ve scoffed at the idea of “Hi-Fi Bluetooth.” But in the last year or so, new…
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Check Out Cambridge Audio’s First MQA DAC/Headphone Amp, The Remarkable DacMagic 200M!
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Cambridge Audio’s First MQA DAC Amp Has Some Serious Specs! Today, venerated British hi-fi brand Cambridge Audio announced their first MQA compatible product, the top of the line DacMagic 200M DAC/Headphone Amp. This will be their new flagship standalone DAC (a step above the current DacMagic Plus), boasting dual ESS Sabre DACs (one per channel…
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Red Hot! Take A Look At iFi’s Dazzling New iDSD Diablo DAC/Amp!
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This Pocket-Sized DAC/AMP Promises Reference-Quality Sound! iFi Audio is starting the new year off right with an impressive-looking new DAC/Headphone Amp. Called the iDSD Diablo, it’s positioned at the top of iFi’s considerable transportable DAC lineup and designed to provide reference quality sound for headphones and stereo systems. This new battery-powered product comes in a sexy…
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HELM Audio BOLT DAC/Amp Review: A Brilliant Headphone Amp/Accessory For Your Phone or Laptop!
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Helm Audio has been on a tear lately, producing an uninterrupted run of innovative portable audio gear for the last two years. They constantly seem to get the features/performance/price mix of their products right, making them attractive. A couple of months back, I took a look at their $199 HELM Audio DB12 AAAMP Mobile Headphone…
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ICYMI: The Khadas Tone Pro 2 Is The Stunning Ultra-Slim Desktop Headphone DAC Amp You Need To See!
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in Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Deals, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, MQA, Music, News, Portable Audio, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Streaming, Videos, WirelessThis Week Hifigo.com announced pre-order availability of the Tone 2 Pro from Khadas, a super-slim desktop DAC/Headphone Amp that packs a lot into a small package. Made from Aircraft-Grade Aluminum, the Tone 2 Pro incorporates a high-end 32-bit ES9038Q2M DAC chip which allows processing of PCM audio files up to 32/384, DSD files up to…
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iFi NEO iDSD Review: A Headphone Amp/DAC Combo With Captivating Sound!
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in Bluetooth, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Preamps, Reviews, Software, Streaming, Videos, WirelessThe NEO iDSD is iFi’s latest DAC/Amp Combo, and as usual, they have come up with a well-built, well-designed piece of gear. It combines a fully-balanced headphone amp section with a USB and S/PDIF DAC that handles all the hi-res formats (PCM768, DSD512, Full MQA Unfold). BTW, it also acts as a high-quality Bluetooth receiver,…
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HI-FI Trends Product Of The Year Awards 2020: Best DAC, Headphone Amps, Portable Music Players
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It’s that time again! This is when we look back at some of the best gear we’ve come across this year. The mission of HI-FI Trends is “Helping audiophiles to build affordable high-end audio systems,” and to that end, we’ve picked some of the best affordable high-end gear available right now. You can use these…
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iFi’s Jazzy New Desktop Dac Amp Is A Hi-Res Audio Powerhouse!
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in Bluetooth, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Streaming, Videos, WirelessOn Friday, iFi released their latest Desktop DAC/Amp, a sleek device called the NEO iDSD. It’s a mid-level model that sits between their entry-level ZEN DAC (a device we’ve reviewed here on the site) and their flagship Pro iDSD. It’s a 3-in-1 device that can be used as a DAC/Preamp for a pair of Active…
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HELM Audio DB12 AAAMP Mobile Headphone Amp Review: An Amazing Mini-Powerhouse!
A while back, something a little different arrived on my doorstep. It’s called the HELM Audio DB12 AAAMP Mobile Headphone Amplifier ($199), and it’s an in-line analog amp built around THX’s acclaimed AAA (Achromatic Audio Amplifier) technology. The “Achromatic” in Achromatic Audio Amplifier means “without color.” That speaks to the amp circuit’s promised lack of distortion…
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Best Buys: 5 Marvelous MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) DACs…$99 to $799!
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in Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Portable Audio, Preamps, Reviews, Streaming, Uncategorized, Videos, WirelessWhile there’s been a bit of controversy around MQA Audio (read more about it here) and its contribution to hi-fi, we here at Hifitrends believe there’s no question this technology is a positive development for music lovers. MQA packs studio master sound quality in a file format small enough to download and stream over most networks…
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IFi’s ZEN CAN Adds A Tempting New Option To The Headphone Amp Game!
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This $149 Desktop Headphone Amplifier brings quality power to the masses Late last year, iFi introduced the ZEN Series, an ultra-affordable line of desktop audio components that won over many with their modern design and excellent value. We reviewed both of the first two products, the ZEN DAC headphone DAC/Amp and the ZEN Blue Bluetooth…