Search results for best portable DACs

The best headphone DACs 2025: top desktop and portable DACS to make your music sing, all tested by TechRadar

By Becky Scarrott last updated

The best headphone DACs (or digital-to-analogue converters) are a must-buy accessory for audio-lovers.

Hidizs just released the best-looking $99 portable DAC I’ve ever seen

By Carrie Marshall published

Hi-res audio needn't come with a sky-high price tag: this USB DAC is eminently affordable.

This teeny tiny headphone DAC adds hi-res wireless tech to any wired headphones, so you can go audiophile anywhere

By Carrie Marshall published

The iFi Go Blu Air promises big sound from a super-small package

Left your shopping to the last minute? Here are 9 portable DAC gifts for hi-fi enthusiasts

By Becca Caddy published

Keep the audiophile in your life happy with one of these top portable DACs and the must-have accessories to go with them.

Our favorite budget audiophile brand just launched a new tiny add-on to bring aptX Lossless and LDAC to any phone – yes, including your iPhone

By Carrie Marshall published

Could Air Link be the FiiO DAC of your dreams?

This super-cheap, super-tiny Hi-Res Audio 3.5mm adapter is perfect for iPhones, and comes from our favorite budget audiophile brand

By Carrie Marshall published

FiiO's Snowsky Tiny is a little USB-C DAC delivering Hi-Res Audio, and has two options depending on your priorities

Join the resistor-ance with FiiO's new super-smart (and refreshingly affordable) desktop DAC

By Carrie Marshall published

FiiO promises 'a brand new kind of listening experience' for your high-end headphones and IEMs with its new K13 R2R headphone amp/DAC.

This funky Walkman-esque 'music player' doesn't look like a DAC, but it quacks like a DAC

By Carrie Marshall published

FiiO's new and wonderfully retro music player isn't really a music player: it's a DAC, amp and remote for your device.

This cheap Hi-Res Audio music player is like a modern iPod mini, with the funky colors to match

By Carrie Marshall published

This dual-DAC audio player mixes cute colors with serious specs for wired wired or wireless headphones

Sound Blaster’s new modular DAC lets you hyper-customize Hi-Res Audio from phones, PCs and games consoles… and yes, it has AI

By Carrie Marshall published

The Sound Blaster Re:Imagine "redefines what a sound card can be"

iFi’s GO Bar Kensei claims to be the world’s first DAC with innovative K2HD tech for lossless audio

By Carrie Marshall published

This Japanese warrior-inspired portable DAC promises to restore audio so you hear what the original artist intended.

FiiO's new wireless headphone DAC and amp promises desktop power that fits in your pocket

By Carrie Marshall published

FiiO's BTR17 boasts support for LDAC, aptX Adaptive 96kHz/24-bit and aptX Low Latency and a special desktop mode for power-hungry headphones.

Campfire's portable USB headphone amp/DAC proves an interesting listen but you should try before you buy

By Simon Lucas published

The Campfire Audio Relay is a solid and compact headphone amp/DAC but needs a performance taste-test before you buy it.

Activo P1 music player review: Astell & Kern audio quality for considerably less cash

By Carrie Marshall published

Astell & Kern's new, more affordable audio brand hits the ground running with great sound and a decent price too.

Hidizs S8 Pro Robin review: the tiny DAC/headphone amp that almost could

By Simon Lucas published

A tiny product with a tiny price-tag that wants to make a big difference to your listening experience – and to a degree, it succeeds.

Hidizs' new USB-C wired earbuds look like a dream for iPhone 15-owning audiophiles

By Carrie Marshall published

With hi-res audio support and a built-in DAC, these in-ears could be a serious audio upgrade for your iPhone 15, Android phone, Mac or PC.

Our favorite budget audiophile brand has a new affordable hi-res music player, with a desktop mode to make it part of your hi-fi setup

By Carrie Marshall published

The FiiO M21 offers high-spec hi-res without a high price – and has a cool cassette deck case, because why not

iFi GO Bar Kensei review: the stylish steel swordsman of portable DACs

By Simon Lucas published

The iFi GIO Bar Kensei is a stylish portable headphone amp/DAC that might be perfect if it weren't for a couple of niggles.

This affordable new hi-res music player is the iPod replacement I've been waiting for

By Carrie Marshall published

FiiO's JM21 promises awesome audio for an amazing price.

Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 review: hardly an entry-level Hi-Res music player, but so, so worth it

By Simon Lucas published

Recalibrate your understanding of what ‘entry level’ means and there’s just so much to love about the A&norma SR35.

I love this headphone amp/DAC's confident sound, but it's far from the only game in town

By Simon Lucas published

The FiiO QX13 is a headphone amp/DAC with open and detailed sound to make your smartphone sing, but it's a little fiddly and has plenty of competition.

I tested this digital audio player and its sound dominates almost any rival, but there's a catch

By Simon Lucas published

The Astell & Kern A&ultima SP4000 is remarkably accomplished but let down by a hefty price

Questyle's tiny wireless transmitter is the Bluetooth audio upgrade your phone so desperately needs

By Simon Cohen published

With advanced codec support, this tiny plug-and-play device sends top-tier sound to your wireless headphones

iFi hip-dac 3 review: delicious audio and features in a beautiful portable DAC

By Becky Scarrott published

Level up your smartphone, tablet or laptop's sound with the added benefit of colleagues asking "Ooh, what's that?"

Best MP3 player 2025: top portable hi-res music players for any budget, all tested by our experts

By Becky Scarrott, Becky Scarrott last updated

Looking for the best portable hi-res music player? Here's our pick of digital audio players from Astell & Kern, Sony and more.

The Campfire Audio Relay on the left, and the Pro-Ject Head Box E on the right

Two hi-fi greats just released very tempting small headphone amps: one for your phone, one for your desk

By Carrie Marshall published

Campfire Audio and Pro-Ject promise big audio upgrades in small packages, and with very reasonable prices

iFi GO Link Max review: a USB-C DAC that's one of the best ways to get affordable hi-res audio from your smartphone we've ever found

By Simon Lucas published

If there’s a more cost-effective way of turning your smartphone into a viable source of high-resolution audio content, it hasn’t come our way yet…

This super-cool portable CD player has aptX for high-quality wireless listening – and works as a Hi-Res Audio DAC over USB-C as a bonus

By Carrie Marshall published

This little CD player has a lot of talents: it's a CD ripper, DAC and Bluetooth transmitter too.

HiFi Rose RD160

HiFi Rose's new DAC costs more than my entire hi-fi system, and I still want it

By Becky Scarrott published

The HiFi Rose RD160 DAC looks elegant, ethereal and oh-so expensive – because it is.

The 9 best wireless earbuds gifts for music lovers this Christmas: Apple, JBL, more

By Becky Scarrott published

Looking for earbuds this festive season? Whether you're giving them away or treating yourself, you can't go wrong here.