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What is a Dongle DAC?
A Dongle DAC is a small adapter that connects between a wireless device and wired headphones. Its purpose is to improve the digital audio quality of your smartphone or tablet and give users a higher quality and more powerful headphone amplifier in the same package.
It accomplishes this by bypassing the DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) circuitry built into phones which are generally low quality. By offloading D/A processing and amplification, Dongle DACs offer a step-up in sonic performance and can also breathe new life into older devices.
The Dongle DAC Market in 2025
Even with the rocket-like rise of wireless headphones and TWS earbuds, Dongle DACs continue to find favor with listeners who aren’t ready to jump fully into the wireless deep end — and who have zero interest in dropping $500 to $3,000 on a dedicated portable DAP (digital audio player) when there’s already a perfectly capable smartphone in their pocket. And honestly, that last point is still the biggest selling argument: why buy a standalone music player when the money you save on a high-quality Dongle DAC can instead go toward better headphones or IEMs? That’s real-world value, not audiophile fantasy math.
After nearly four years of explosive growth, the dongle market has finally calmed down… sort of. The standout 2024 models — iFi’s GO BAR Kensei, the entire Questyle lineup, and FiiO’s sprawling range — are still absolutely worth a look. Both Questyle and FiiO have new models we’re testing right now, but they didn’t make the cutoff for the 2025 list.
Why Should you Buy a Dongle DAC?
It’s fair to ask: why buy a dongle DAC at all? The answer is simple. If you still prefer wired headphones — especially higher-impedance cans or more revealing IEMs — and your laptop or smartphone is your primary streaming source, you need a dongle DAC. It’s the cleanest, most affordable way to step into real high-resolution performance without burning cash on redundant hardware. Yes, the tether is annoying. Yes, you will snag a cable on a doorknob at some point and swear loudly. But performance is performance. And with products like iFi’s GO Blu Air pushing Bluetooth into genuinely high-fidelity territory, the “tethered era” may not last forever.
For now, though? A good dongle DAC is still the smartest $59 to $500 you can spend if you care about sound quality in a world obsessed with cutting the cord. For a deeper dive, check out our YouTube video about choosing between a DAP, Dongle DAC or DAC/Amp.
Best Dongle DACs of 2025
Questyle QCC & QCC Pro ($59 / $99)
The Questyle QCC and QCC Pro finally give iPhone and iPad users something Android owners have enjoyed for years: higher resolution Bluetooth audio. Both ultra-compact dongles—just 2.5 cm long and weighing almost nothing—plug directly into an iPhone or iPad via USB-C, granting access to Snapdragon Sound–certified wireless streaming with aptX Adaptive and legacy aptX codecs. The Pro model ups the ante with LDAC support for Sony and other hi-res gear, making it the clear choice for those who demand top-tier Bluetooth quality. Each unit fits snugly against the device, adding no noticeable bulk and staying secure during everyday use. The Questyle app is simple, clean, and functional, providing easy access to codec selection and device control.
Performance is smooth and stable, with a clear sonic upgrade over standard Apple Bluetooth, delivering cleaner highs, fuller bass, and tighter imaging through compatible headphones. These tiny adapters effectively bridge Apple’s codec gap without needing extra hardware. However, they’re strictly iOS-only—no Windows or macOS drivers—and thicker phone cases can interfere with a solid USB-C connection. Leaving one plugged in can cause minor battery drain, and enabling Game Mode disables mic input. Still, for Apple users tired of codec envy, the QCC and QCC Pro are affordable, elegant fixes that finally unlock true hi-res wireless sound.
Go to full review | $99 at Amazon
iFi GO blu Air ($129)
The iFi GO blu Air proves that great sound doesn’t need to come with a tangled mess of cables or a heavy metal chassis. This 5 cm, 30-gram Bluetooth DAC/amp clips anywhere—belt, hoodie, or bag strap—and packs serious tech into its thumbnail-sized frame. It runs a Qualcomm QCC5144 chip for Bluetooth 5.2 with every major codec on board (LDAC, LHDC, aptX Adaptive/HD, AAC, SBC), and a Cirrus Logic MasterHIFI DAC with twin-mono amplification for natural tonality and punch. The 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm S-Bal outputs cover everything from sensitive IEMs to moderate-impedance over-ears, while iFi’s XBass and XSpace features let you fine-tune the low end and soundstage on the fly. The ChronoDial volume control, 10-hour battery life, and magnetic clip make it one of the most practical portable DACs around—basically a Swiss Army knife for your pocket.
Sonically, the GO blu Air delivers a clean, detailed, and surprisingly weighty sound signature for its size. Vocals and acoustic instruments are rendered with clarity, piano and brass have lifelike texture, and percussion lands quick and tight. It won’t power 600-ohm dynamics or rival the refinement of iFi’s pricier GO Bar Kensei, but it nails the balance between portability, power, and sound quality. The small controls can be fiddly, and the bass boost is more polite than pounding, but for daily use—wireless or wired—the GO blu Air hits a sweet spot of performance and convenience few competitors manage at this price.
Go to full review | $129 at Amazon
Audioengine HXL ($169)
The Audioengine HXL takes the portable DAC/amp game seriously, packing dual CS43131 DACs, a 60-step digital volume control, and balanced 4.4mm and single-ended 3.5mm outputs into a compact, CNC-machined aluminum chassis. It connects directly to phones, tablets, or laptops via USB-C, drawing power from the host device, and supports up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 natively. Output performance is strong for the size—4.09 Vrms balanced and 2.06 Vrms single-ended—with a signal-to-noise ratio up to 132 dB and ultra-low output impedance under 0.5 Ω. It’s clean, powerful, and precise—essentially a miniature desktop amp you can slip into your pocket.
Despite its size, the HXL feels built for real-world use, with plug-and-play support across all major platforms, rugged construction, and a handy LED display that shows playback resolution. The sound is open, controlled, and free of background noise, with excellent channel separation and headroom that makes even demanding headphones behave. It’s not perfect—there’s no onboard EQ or app integration, and the digital volume wheel lacks the tactile feel of an analog dial—but at $169, the HXL delivers a level of transparency and drive that punches well above expectations for its size and price.
Learn more | $169 at Amazon | Crutchfield | Audioengine
Campfire Audio Relay ($229)
The Campfire Audio Relay brings the brand’s craftsmanship and sonic flair to the dongle DAC world with an ultra-compact, CNC-machined aluminum body and a window showing off its AKM Velvet Sound AK4493SEQ DAC. Measuring just 57 x 23 x 10 mm and weighing 56 grams, it’s impressively portable yet feels premium and durable. It supports PCM up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD256, with both 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced outputs delivering up to 4 Vrms of clean power. The twin low-noise output drivers feed each channel independently for excellent control and dynamics, while six selectable digital filters let users fine-tune the sound (though real-world differences are subtle). Compatibility is universal—Windows, macOS, iOS, Android—and the included braided USB-C cable keeps it plug-and-play simple.
Sound-wise, the Relay hits hard and fast. It’s punchy, articulate, and full of drive, with deep bass texture, crisp midrange clarity, and a lively treble that lights up detail and microdynamics. The presentation is clean but not polite—its forward energy can edge toward brightness on certain pairings, so those sensitive to treble may want to tread lightly. Still, for its power, precision, and build quality, the Campfire Relay offers outstanding value in the portable DAC category—a small, stylish powerhouse that proves Campfire can do more than just IEMs.
Go to full review | $229 at Amazon
The Bottom Line
This year’s standouts — the Campfire Relay, Audioengine HXL, iFi GO blu Air, and Questyle QCC / QCC Pro — signal a rare moment of rational thinking in portable audio. Instead of chasing boutique pricing or feature bloat, brands focused on what listeners actually need: stronger codec support, more usable output power, and both single-ended and balanced connections at prices that don’t make you wonder if the industry lost the plot.
Campfire’s Relay delivers a clean, confident presentation with hardware that feels built for people who still care about wired sound on the go. Audioengine’s HXL gives you real headroom and clarity without dragging around an external power supply. iFi’s GO blu Air shows just how far Bluetooth has come, flirting with wired performance thanks to LDAC, LC3, and a design that doesn’t smother your music in processing. And the Questyle QCC and QCC Pro function as higher quality Bluetooth transmitters that finally open the door for iPhone users to experience LDAC and aptX-family codecs with wireless earbuds and headphones. That’s a huge deal in a market where Apple’s codec limitations have held listeners hostage for years.
Prices have leveled out, performance has jumped, and the feature sets are smarter rather than louder. Has sanity fully returned? Maybe not. But this is the closest the category has felt to grounded in a long time.
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J
November 6, 2022 at 7:50 pm
Uh, you missed the Apple Lightning DAC. It is by far the smallest and best bang for the buck. While it can’t do dog level, high end DAC numbers, it’s performance measurements are great. About $9. Buy two in case you loose one. I never have though.
USB C version is also excellent too.
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMX62AM/A/lightning-to-35-mm-headphone-jack-adapter
W. Jennings
November 10, 2022 at 4:43 pm
No we didn’t miss it as it is not compatible with non-Apple products due to the Lightning only connector. All of our picks work equally well on Android and Apple devices and we ruled out several devices for failure to work with Apple products so only fair to rule that one out based on its lack of support for anything other than Apple products.
WJ
Steve H
December 17, 2024 at 7:10 pm
Will, too many of us have measured and listened to the Apple USB C headphone dongle with Android phones. They have two types available. Still isn’t better than my LG V60 Thin Q with its internal DAC.
John
March 24, 2023 at 1:13 pm
Will, what’s your recommendation for best dongle DAC for iOS? I find that it’s not worth running balanced on them as they cut out at high volumes due to the available power via Lightning, and even unbalanced at high volumes. I’m using an S9 Pro and a ddHiFi TC44B.