Syba USB 24 Bit 96 KHz DAC Digital to Analog Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital/Coaxial Output and RCA Output (SD-DAC63118)

Sounds great when paired with the right headphones. It works best with fairly low impedance headphones. I have a couple of 32 ohm headphones that work great. This is an inexpensive way to upgrade your sound. If your on board sound has too much hiss, this will make it better.

My Encore mDac has been working intermittently as of late. I have the pleasure of listening to headphones for about 6 hours of my work day, so having a DAC/Amp combo at my desk is nice. However, with a 4 week old baby, my budget was super limited. I came across the Syba Sonic SD-DAC63057 and decided to give it a try. It checked all the boxes. Cheap ($37). No driver install needed (work computer, can't install anything). Enough power (100mw) to drive my IEMs and more sensitive over ears. USB only power.Full specs can be found hereThe unit features variable line outs, top mounted volume knob, optical out, coax digital out, usb in (for power and signal), mic input, 3.5mm input, 3.5mm headphone out, and 1/4" headphone out (both headphone outputs work simultaneously.The unit has indicator lights to show what signal is being received (96, 44, or 44.1), and an indicator light of sorts that flashes with the music, that comprised of a red and blue LED. Kind of neat. The unit also features a hardware EQ that includes a 7db (yes, 7db!) treble boost, a direct no EQ option, and a 7db bass boost. The hardware EQs are a bit much for me, and I find I leave the unit set to direct most of the time. However, there is one expectation. I have set of custom reshelled Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10's, and in the process, the treble took about a 6db drop. So, for that one set of CIEMs, the treble boost is just right. However, that is a pretty oddly specific scenario, and I would imagine most people won't want to use the hardware EQ.Of note, the device is always on, as there is no power switch. The volume knob has the most minute channel imbalance as the absolute lowest setting. And, there is an uncomfortable audible crackle / pop when plugging in sensitive headphones to the 3.5mm headphone out. All be it, it doesn't seem to be enough to damage anything.I have successfully used the Syba Sonic DAC/Amp with my Chromebook, MacBook Air, and my Windows 7 work PC. I have not tried it on a Windows 10 device, but after scouring the Amazon “reviews” it seems that it may not play nice with all Win10 installs so YMMV. As the unit is not battery powered, it won’t work with mobile devices.When compared head to head with my Encore mDac, the Syba Sonic unit sounds a tad better. The bass is a bit fuller and the treble has just a hair more sparkle. Detail representation is on par, if not better than anything in this price range. All in all, for $37 I am super pleased with the purchase. I love the design with the volume knob on top. And the fact that the RCA outs are variable makes this a great option for those that want a budget option to use with powered monitors.I have run the unit, as mentioned, with my CIEM reshelled TF.10's, as well as with my UM3X, Fischer Audio FA-003 wooden cup over ears, NAD VISO HP50's, AKG K7XX, and handful of other mid-range to lower IEMs. I did find that it struggled a bit to run the K7XX with any authority, but all the other headphones / IEMs I have tried have worked just fine. The only other negative is that, with the volume knob at full tilt, there is an audible hiss on most sensitive headphones (read: 32ohm and below).I would recommend this unit for anyone with a tight budget that wants a somewhat feature rich DAC/Amp. It would also make a great external sound card thanks to the mic input.

I bought this around September (2019) to go along with my recently gifted Philips Fidelio X2HR and I would classify myself as a "beginner" audiophile if there is such a statement. Heard from some reviewers that this was a great cheap option for someone who doesn't have a lot of money, but would like to improve their sound and drive their headphones much better than your onboard sound card could, and for the price it does exactly that!The ability to use either 3.5 mm or 6.3 mm is nice for such a small compact DAC/amp, and it supports 3.5 mm microphone input as well for those with dual cord headset setups. I have even tested using two pairs of headphones at the same time (SHP9500s and my X2HRs) and it output sound to both at relatively high volume like a champ! Though I didn't do so for very long as I was only testing, so I don't know the effects of long term dual use as I only use one pair of headphones, nor do I know the effects on headphones with high impedance.I don't have standalone speakers and haven't used the other connections on the back of the DAC besides USB, but USB has worked great so far and I haven't had any crackling or muddy audio while using this. The sound comes out very crisp and clear, and my ears have been enjoying all the new nuances I can pick up from the music I used to listen to daily!The EQ on the front also works fine, albeit the notch is very stiff as others have stated, with three options for Treble (T), Direct (D), and Bass (B). I keep it on Direct most often for all of my listening and gaming as there is no boost to any frequencies, but there is a slight difference when switching between the "presets" if you will and the option to change based on your preferences is nice either way.The DAC itself is relatively cheap looking, so care should be taken in making sure this doesn't fall or rapidly disassemble on any hard surfaces.My only gripe with this DAC/amp is the problems it has with environments that experience more static than usual. In the room I used to have this DAC in, there was a washer and dryer a room over, but still far enough away that I never had any problems with static on any other electronics. When using this amp for the first time, it cut out on me after about 3-4 hours due to static discharge leading me to have to plug the DAC out and back in again. I eventually figured out that every time someone opened the dryer, the DAC would cut out due to all of the static electricity released into the environment, so fair warning for those of you looking at this product living in a similar situation. The DAC was never damaged, however, and worked for over 10+ hours after re-plugging it back in again, but it was an annoyance. After moving and being far away from any static sources, it hasn't cut out on me since.Overall, very pleased with this product as a temporary solution until I can afford something much better.