DACs
A DIGITAL-TO-ANALOGUE CONVERTER IS A MODERN HI-FI MUST
Up to £300
Zorloo Ztella $99
August 2020 (issue 437) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
if you want to improve your smartphone sound, but don’t want a USB stick hanging off the end of it, this is a bit of a no brainer. Online only for now.
Size 11cm long Resolution PCM (up to 384kHz), DSD (up to 5.6MHz), MQA
AWARD WINNER
Cyrus soundKey £99
Best DAC under £100, Awards 2020 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
An affordable, compact DAC that turns mobile listening into an authentic high-fidelity experience. iOS users may find connectivity a little inelegant.
Size 2x 5x 1cm Resolution 24-bit/96kHz
AWARD WINNER
iFi Zen DAC £129
Best DAC £100-£200, Awards 2020 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Compare the iFi with price rivals and it’s clearly up there with the best for sound quality. But it also offers a degree of versatility that those rivals don’t.
Inputs USB 3.0 Size 3x 10 x 12cm Res 32-bit/384kHz; DSD256; MQA
Audiolab M-DAC nano £149
Best DAC £100-£200, Awards 2019 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
If you’ve got a good pair of wired headphones and want to improve your sound on the move, the Audiolab M-DAC nano makes a mighty strong case.