DA-1 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier
USB, optical and coaxial in; balanced and unbalanced headphone out, plus a line output for powered speakers.
Dispatch and delivery times are confirmed at checkout.
- Enough output for 300 ohm headphones, not just efficient ones
- Class compliant USB. No driver on Windows, macOS, Linux or iPadOS
- Fixed line out feeds powered monitors from the same source
- Balanced 4.4 mm and unbalanced 6.35 mm outputs, both on the front
The detail
- Inputs
- USB-C, optical TOSLINK, coaxial S/PDIF
- Headphone outputs
- 6.35 mm unbalanced, 4.4 mm balanced
- Line output
- RCA stereo, fixed level
- Power output
- 1.1 W into 32 Ω, 190 mW into 300 Ω
- Supported formats
- PCM to 32 bit / 384 kHz, DSD256 over USB
- Gain
- Two-position switch, low and high
- Power
- External 15 V supply, included
- Dimensions
- 150 × 130 × 45 mm, 690 g
One box that does two jobs: it converts a digital signal to analogue, and it drives a headphone that a laptop socket cannot. For most people the second job is the one that changes what they hear.
Outputs
A 6.35 mm unbalanced output and a 4.4 mm balanced output on the front, with a gain switch for low and high impedance loads. On high gain it will supply 1.1 W into 32 ohms and 190 mW into 300 ohms, which is enough for the OE-90 with headroom to spare.
Inputs
USB-C, optical and coaxial. USB is class compliant, so Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and an iPad all work without a driver. It takes PCM up to 32 bit / 384 kHz and DSD256 over USB.
Feeding speakers as well
A fixed-level RCA line output runs to a pair of powered monitors such as the NF-5, so one desk source can feed both headphones and speakers. There is no remote control and no Bluetooth input.