Audiolab Portable Headphone Amplifier Audio Powered USB DAC Headphone Amp for Phone (Android,USB-C Port)

I like how compact, small and the fact that the product is a USB C DAC and headphone amp that you just just plug into your phone. I use it with my OnePlus 6T, and it's been a very nice upgrade to the stock dongle. You can tell it does amplify as vs. the stock dongle as the volume is louder and I have to turn the volume down to get it to my comfortable volume. It heats up a little, but not any hotter than comfortable for you to hold in your hand.I have been using it for more than a year, and it works well most of the time. The general build is very good, but the cable is quite fragile, because I have issues with the sound at certain bends of the cable, where it seems to disconnect. Using the P-DAC while walking around can wear out the cable a little faster, because I noticed the disconnects being more frequent after about 4 months. I rarely do so as I have V-Moda Crossfade 2 Wireless headphones and only connect them to the headphones when the battery dies.The V-Moda Crossfade 2 Wireless have Hi-Res certification while wired, and I can also hear improvements vs. when I used the internals of the V-Moda. They are 32 ohms so they aren't the hardest to drive but they can also drive my 300 ohm headphones as well. Because of COVID-19 I have been using these at home more often as well with my Massdrop X Sennheiser HD6XX (the 300 ohm headphones) open-back headphones. In comparison to even headphone amplifiers included in some integrated amps and AV receivers I've tried it with (NAD T747, Rotel A14), the P-DAC is much better in terms of smoothness, resolution and overall sound-stage imaging. This is quite the bang for the buck at $50 when I had bought it.My critical listening was mostly made using the HD6XX as I know it is a headphone that has a sound characteristic that depends a lot on what components drive it. What you call a revealing headphone. Overall it has a sound that kind of accentuates the bass a little, with just the right high frequency brightness to present a nice realistic sibilance to vocals, so everything sounds nice, quality and full. When listening to music that has a lot going for it, such as rock music, you can hear separation in the instruments, so you can separate the electric guitar, drums keyboard/piano, and vocals, all in a spacious sounding stage. If I move back to the included dongle with my phone the sound can be harsh and the sound constrained, close together vs. the P-DAC. I have access to Qobuz and it's 24-bit 192kHz resolution library, it does as advertised and is able to play songs at that resolution, but I don't have a dedicated headphone amplifier to compare this to. Vs. playing a song available on both Spotify (premium with the full 320kbps MP3 resolution) and Qobuz, I can notice more overall resolution with 24bit 192kHz in that accuracy in playback is improved. Just means that for example, if playing the same song, violins and vocals seem to be more refined and more realistic vs. playback on lower resolution via Spotify. Even if I don't have a dedicated headphone amplifier to compare, with what I could compare with, this is a very good DAC and headphone amplifier for the price.Even at $89.99 (at the time of writing) I think it's a great buy for anyone looking for on the go high-res music with a modern phone with USB-C. I had no issues with the P-DAC not working with my phone (NOT considering the cable connection issues) and recognizes the device all the time when I plug in. I personally use this a lot more when I'm stationary, so I naturally don't actually run into the disconnection issue, but it is a little annoying when it happens. Not considering that, this is a very good buy in terms of sound on the go.

When I switched from my LG V20 to the Note 10, I was worried that I will miss the headphone jack and the infamous LG Quad DAC. The Quad DAC sets LG apart as the cell phone for audiophiles trying to soothe their longing for their home system. So instead of getting angry at Samsung for pulling the plug on the headphone jack, I treated it as an opportunity to find a USB-C DAC to further improve the sound quality of my phone.I tested the Hidizs Sonata HD and the Audiolab P DAC with my collection of Smooth Jazz (Botti, Acoustic Alchemy, Taylor, R. Lewis, et al) from my Bose QC25.First I tested the lossless files with the Note 10 and the Hidizs. I was left unimpressed. Yes, the sound quality comes close to my V20 QUAD DAC, but the music just didn'tcome alive. Then just for giggles, I tried the Hidizs with my V20. First test was with the V20+Quad DAC via standard 3.5 mm connection. Then V20+DAC via USB-C connection. The sound comes more naturally with the built in DAC. But what a difference when I switched the Hidizs with the Audiolab. It blew the Quad DAC away by a mile. Then I switched the Audiolab to the Note 10 and I was sold. At $70, this Audiolab P DAC is a WINNER and a keeper.For those who couldn't make it work with Android Pie, go to the Developer Option and set your Default USB config to "File Transfer."Good work Audiolab engineers. You brought back the smile of this audiophile.

I give it a 5 for audio quality but the amp is not powerful enough to my HD 6xx 300 ohm headphones. There is another USB-C option that I ended up buying that has a better amp for power hungry headphones. If you have more efficient phones then this will probably suit you just fine.

great portable device which has enough power to handle most IEMs and standard headphones. Not sure on how it may handle more demanding headphones which need more power to drive them.

The DAC worked well for about two months, but has begun cutting out frequently. I believe that the audio cable has started to break. The slightest movement will result in the audio stopping, though if I don't move at all, I can continue to use the DAC.While it worked, it worked well and made an improvement in the audio quality from my phone. Unfortunately, the build quality of the DAC seems like it might not be great.

My laptop already has the same ESS chip for the amplifier circuit. So I knew what to expect and I got exactly what I wanted.The bass is better - ESS chips are known for their punchy bass. The volume is a lot better, music sounds better because it's a lot more clear.Switching between the headphone jack on my phone to this - the difference is night and day.The body is built of aluminum alloy and will probably last a very long time. One look and there's no confusion that this is a premium product.It does get a bit warm, and it does need power from your device - both as described.The one and only area of concern, and I might be worrying too much here, is the place where the cable emerges from the body of the DAC - that area flexes a lot and puts a lot of stress on the cable which thankfully, is braided.Update: 02/28/2020This DAC started cutting out and pausing music after maybe 2-4 months or so and the seller was super helpful and sent me another one.Now it's around 6 months since I received the replacement and it's doing the exact same thing at the exact same spot in the cable. I'll try to setup another return but not sure what will happen.