Encore mDAC

Whether you work at a desk or travel, maybe you love music and own a computer, a tablet or an android phone, then you really need an mDAC. MDACs provide a wonderfully realistic sound that transports you to the recording location. Musicians need a portable quality USB DAC and headphone amplifier for monitoring, and mixing. Encore mDAC qualitative 24bit/96kHz USB converter offers a first-class sound reproduction, and makes it possible to connect digital audio from computer, tablet or phone directly to existing home theater system, but also active speakers and headphones.

HEAD-FI.ORG REVIEW - Encore mDAC portable headphone DAC/amp with 24bit/96kHz USB input - for Mac/PC, iPhone,...

A harmonically accurate and detailed presentation is always a certainty as the mDAC employs the latest asynchronous USB communication for reduced jitter performance. The utmost in transparency and precise channel tracking at low listening levels are maintained by a high performance, digitally controlled analog volume control, while a quality headphone amp enables most headphones to perform at their very best.

Genuine audiophile performance is further ensured by the mDAC's use of only the purest analog circuitry and components, which among other features includes the elimination of all capacitors from the signal path. For added versatility and convenience, the mDAC derives its operating power directly from its own rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

Offering a full 6-hours of operational charge life, the mDAC's advanced DC-to-DC conversion and battery power design offers several important advantages. While the mDAC easily travels about with you, its battery also helps to extend your mobile device's battery life. In addition, when docked with your computer or USB charger the mDAC's battery even improves playback performance by acting as a potent noise filter too. Furthermore, voltage supplied to the analog circuitry is boosted by the DC-to-DC converter stage, which substantially improves dynamic performance and overall headroom.

How the little mDAC makes such a big difference:

Due to cost and space considerations, the DAC and headphone amp stages employed in most computers, tablets and cell phones are not generally designed to deliver high-quality sound. Subtle but significant errors in the conversion and amplification processes are inevitable; therefore, audio quality suffers significantly as well. Conversely, advanced Encore design yields a warmer, more detailed and fundamentally more accurate presentation of the source. Music through the mDAC sounds natural and exhibits much better clarity in the highs, more "body" in the midrange, and significantly deeper and more powerful bass. Your favorite tunes will sound less tiring, with deeper intimacy and inner detail. Without a doubt, you will discover that finally...your favorite headphones and speakers reproduce sound to their fullest potential.

As one of the best sounding USB DACs on the market, we're sure you'll agree that whether it be with an Android phone, a Windows tablet or your trusted desktop computer, the mDAC's performance easily beats the leading portable media players costing several times its price.

Features:

24-bit, 96 kHz Discrete USB Digital Audio Converter (DAC)
Asynchronous operation provides double jitter-reduction at data input and over-sampling filter stages for harmonically accurate and detailed presentation.
No capacitors in the audio signal path
A high performance, digitally controlled analog volume control provides utmost in transparency and precise channel tracking at low listening levels
Advanced DC-to-DC conversion boosts the analog circuit voltage to improve dynamic performance and overall headroom
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery power design improves playback performance by acting as a potent noise filter

Connections:

• Input: 1 x Micro USB input
• Output: 1 x headphone output
• Power On/Off - Push the side button to toggle it on and off
• Volume Up/Down - Push the volume buttons labeled + and -
  

Specifications:

Input: USB 1.1, 2.0 compatible
Native Bit Rate: 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 kHz, 24-bit
Dynamic Range: 90 dB
S/N Ratio: 102 dB
THD+N: 0.008
Headphone Output: 80 mW x 2 @ 16-Ohm
Power: USB Bus Powered, 80 mA/5V
Dimensions: 70 x 40 x 16 mm
Included Accessory: OTG USB cable 15 cm

Remark: Burn-in at least +30 hours in order to optimize the performance.