Like so many of you I've had several external DACs (including audio interfaces) over the years. My use of them is for desktop usage driving headphones and monitors, and for some time even a microphone so much needed during the pandemic working from home. I don't recall any sound quality differences between them apart from the obvious like power output and DSP when driving my headphones with impedance of 250 Ohm.
Creative E-MU 0202
Had it for a few years at work as a headphone amp but gave it up in the time when we switched to 64 bits version of Windows and drivers where lacking. It became an ugly paperweight and long time given away. Later on I saw that Creative released 64 bits drivers but too late for me.
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FiiO Olympus (model E10)
Nifty little USB DAC that was used at work and at home for years. I got two of them but they are not in use any more.
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RØDE AI-1
An USB audio interface that I bought as a kit along with the nice RØDE NT1 condenser microphone, and is compact and well built. The headphone specs says it can output 390 mW into 300 Ohms and could rive my 250 Ohm Beyerdynamics more than loud enough. Sadly the interface started to make distorted sounds during playback that only could be "solved" by unplugging it, but it was out of warranty. I was pretty pleased with the interface otherwise so I bought a new one. Even that one started to make the distorted sound
and apparently I'm not alone. A new firmware has been issued and the issue has not been noticed on my wife's PC after the firmware update. I still have them both the AI-1 but only one is in daily use.
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MOTU M2
An excellent USB audio interface with no issues at all for me, and is now only used as a microphone amp after I bought my newest DAC as I wanted a more powerful headphone amplifier.
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RME ADI-2-DAC FS
My latest DAC fresh out from the packaging. A powerful headphone amp, but has a dynamic loudness function as well as a 5 band PEQ and low/high shelf filters, and tone control. Includes a remote. Preferably I would want an audio interface as not to have to use the MOTU M2, and the new RME FireFace UCX II was considered. What sold me on the ADI-2-DAC FS was the dynamic loudness function, which should not surprise those of you that knows that I like the Audyssey Dynamic EQ.
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