Amps & DACs
HeadRoom Micro DAC
The Information Age has brought us amazing access digital streams of audio on low cost electronics, but those same low cost electronics are not very good at turning that digital information into beautiful music. The Micro DAC is the perfect companion for your computer or other digital audio device, using Cirrus Logic's flagship digital to analog coverter (DAC) chip, it precisely reconstructs the analog audio signal you hear. The Micro DAC can receive inputs from three sources: USB computer, and coaxial and optical S/PDIF digital inputs.
Product Features:
- Produces high-fidelity audio from digital signal sources.
- Stacks securely and neatly on the Micro Amp; a perfect pairing!
- Accepts all valid S/PDIF formats and rate; accepts USB to 16/44.1kHz
- Inputs selected from front panel three-position switch.
Applications:
Today's audiophile lives surrounded by gadgets filled with ones and zeros, but getting them out and converted into a signal that sounds really great can get tricky. Not any more! Plunk down a Micro DAC next to any digital audio source, whether it's your computer at work or the SqueezeBox in the bedroom, and listen to the beautiful-sounding numbers fly by. Couple it with one of our Micro Amps, and enjoy a little stack of audiophile sweetness on your desk or nightstand. (And... if you're looking for some serious 1's and 0's magic, don't forget to check out Ultra Micro DAC.)
How it Works
The Micro DAC is simplicity itself to use: plug in your computer to the USB input, and/or other digital sources to the optical and coaxial S/PDIF inputs; select the desired source using the front panel switch and, voila', your carefully decoded and lusciously tasty analog signal appears on the rear panel line-out. From there you can take the line-out and plug it into another headphone amp, pre-amp, or integrated amp. Keep in mind the HeadRoom Micro DAC is a 'stand-alone', non-amped device and MUST be connected into a dedicated headphone amp stage for final amplification to headphones.
Electronics
Cirrus Logic would scratch their collective head if they saw their flagship DAC tucked away in the tiny Micro DAC. The CS4398 is the best performing DAC chip in their line-up with numbers like 120dB dynamic range and -107dB THD+Noise. And it's not alone in there: the Micro DAC has independent power supply regulators for analog and digital sections; digital listening and decoding is done by the CS8416 digital receiver chip before passing numbers off to the DAC; a TI PCM2902 handles the computer USB to S/PDIF conversion before sending the number to the DAC (the analog outs of the 2902 aren't up to the task for this sweet DAC); local decoupling with ultra-low ESR polyphenylene-sulfide film capacitors is provided at each active analog stage; resistors are low-drift, low-noise, 0.1% metal film parts throughout; and a multi-layer circuit board holds it all together while keeping the signals apart. Hard to believe we fit all that in there!
For a photo of the Micro DAC circuit board and more information about the electronics take a look at our DAC Features Page here. *(Note: iPods, nor any other current hard-drive player, do not have a digital outputs! A headphone jack is an analog output, so the Micro DAC does not work with such players. You need an optical, coaxial, or USB output to use the Micro DAC.)
Accessories
An external AC power-supply "wall-wart" is included with the Micro DAC. An upgraded international-use Astrodyne Power Supply is optionally available for audiophiles wanting to fully maximize the audio performance of the Micro DAC.
*The Micro DAC does NOT include any interconnect cabling. If using the optical digital input, you will need an optical cable, and if using coaxial digital input, you'll need a coaxial cable-- which can be found here. To hook up your Micro DAC to the Micro Amp, you will need a mini 1/8 to 1/8 cable. We recommend the Cardas 6 inch mini to mini cable. For additional cables and lengths, browse all of our cables. All HeadRoom Micro DACs are hand-built in Montana, USA.
Additional Resources:
- Product Manuals
- Micro DAC & Ultra Micro DAC Manual
- Product Info
- Micro DAC & Ultra Micro DAC Set Up
Average Customer Rating: by Phreejax from Lake Tahoe, CA on 2010-01-15
Pros: Built like a tank, flexible inputs, instant sound upgrade
Cons: Not cheap, and you won't know how great it is until you hear it
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I use a HeadRoom Micro Amp and Micro DAC with a Logitech THX desktop speaker system (or, AKG's very neutral K-272HD cans; or Ultimate Ear's almost-top-of-the-line earbuds). No matter what the music source (laptop MP3's, iPod, CD player) and no matter what output source (speakers, cans, buds), the DAC provides a VERY clear improvement over using just the Micro Amp alone. I have listened to every sound source with and without the Micro DAC -- including a top-end Sony Vaio, an iPod Classic, and Marantz CD player -- and in every case the improvement in sound was instantly noticeable. Especially with jazz, acoustic or classical music, the soundscape is broader, and the individual instruments are clearly articulated and placed. This improvement is also true of some well-recorded and mastered rock (like Steely Dan re-issues) but if the sound source is already a bit muddy (like old Stones CDs, or very lossy MP3's) you will hear the defects even more clearly with the Micro DAC.
The Head Room web site is correct: even some not-so-low-cost electronics do not have a good quality on-board DAC, and you can indeed hear the difference when you by-pass it and use the Micro DAC instead. A surprisingly useful component ... you will know it when you hear it.
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by Xyrax from Lincoln Park, NJ on 2010-01-17
Pros: Excellent sound, small size
Cons: Digital coax port
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I'm amazed at the difference something this small has made in my headphone setup. For someone like myself with extremely limited desk space this DAC is perfect.
The only thing I would change is the digital coax input jack. This is the only device I have where the digital coax jack is a 3.5mm jack and not an RCA jack so I couldn't use one of the cables I already had.
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by EvilElvis from Savannah GA on 2010-01-15
Pros: Great value
Cons: none
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I finally went for the DAC as an upgrade to my Micro Amp and I couldn't be happier. Running from the USB of my laptop, it has no noise and the pair really make my HD600s sing! We compared the SoundBlaster Xfi Notebook my friend was using and it was really no comparison. It choked on the Sennheisers and although nice for surround sound simulated gaming w/ ear buds, not in the same league. Price for the two Headroom is allot more but soooo worth it if you want to actually enjoy your music from your computer.
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by jcbryan349 from Stillwater, Ok on 2010-01-15
Pros: build quality
Cons: could probably sound a little better
Would you recommend this product: Yes
The headroom micro DAC is my first DAC purchase, and I am fairly impressed with the quality of the product. However, since i don't have a lot of spending case it was a rather significant purchase, and I would of expected a significant improvement in sound quality.
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by Homeros8000 from San Jose, CA on 2010-01-10
Pros: Detailed, Excellent Sound Stage, Practical to use
Cons: Non
Would you recommend this product: Yes
Buying the HeadRoom Micro DAC and AMP were a great experience in my life. I bought the Bithead previously but the upgrade to Micro was realy worth it. The music started to breath in a wide soundstage with beautiful details revealed by my UE Triple Fi 10 IEMs.
Highly recommended for serious audiophiles!
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