M15C Headphone Amplifier Portable USB DAC Amps 32Bit/384kHz DSD256 Decoder with 4.4mm and 3.5mm Dual Outputs High Resolution Lossless for Smartphones/PC/Laptops

I was introduced to the concept of DAC amps by a friend, who has been an audiophile for years. I have always liked music, and thought the Cd's were the greatest invention. However, I have noticed that it is difficult getting my 80's music to sound the way it did in the 80's with cassettes and LP records. Some of the song is crystal clear digital sound, while details get muddy in the middle. Music indeed has a resolution not unlike digital photos. So at lower resolutions (lower bitrate) music loses detail. These devices uses microprocessors and circuitry and some magic to convert from digital to analog, while setting free some of the captured details left out by the binary code digital playback. Who knows how they do it, but it works. It works better if you use the highest bitrate music you can access on your budget. One of the benefits I have experienced, is less listening fatigue. I thing my hears would get tired of being bombarded with square waves and harsh digital playback. Whereas with this DAC and can once again listen to music for hours at a time. I was also able to hook up the DAC output to my JBL PartyBox and listen to my music amplified in my house. Finally, I also had the idea to output my ROKU audio through this Questyle M15c DAC and it real brought out the voice audio, which I find gets lost in the 5.1 or 7.1 Dolby Theater mix we have become accustomed to listen to while viewing Television and Movies. I am hoping to get an invite to Amazon Vine, so I can do more reviews like this, so keep listening folks. I paid for this with my own money, and it was well worth it. Let me know if you guys want to see how I was able to hook this DAC up to ROKU audio, it is tricky, so I can share a video if there is some interest.

Absolutely great sound for a tiny amp

My first unit was defective…butUpdate: Questyle replaced the unit and so far so good. The sound is a bit softer than ESS chip devices but still resolving..More to follow...Update: the current unit is working just fine and sounds really really good, especially for the price. I highly recommend it for a smooth, sounding highly powerful dongle.

Constant disconnections, very minimal difference between low vs high gain, randomly drops audio regardless of device. Connected to iPhone, then iPad, then desktop gaming pc. Awful experience. It constantly disconnects from the source even though the red LED connection (lossless/hi-res) light is still lit. To “fix” the issue, you have to physically disconnect the DAC from whatever device it is connected to and disconnect the audio jack from that device then start over. Not worth the $100. Not even worth $40 in my experience. Just a subpar, poorly manufactured device that costs more than some or most brand name DACs on the market. Strongly not recommended.

Excellent sound. Easy to use. Using Anker usbc to usbc with iPhone and having no issues. Some of the issues raised by other may be because the usbc cable that comes with the device is not optimal, but not sure.

The M15C is Questyle‘s latest high performance compact portable DAC, following in the venerable footsteps of the M15 and M15i. I’ve had a few weeks of listening now, and can say it’s a fantastic DAC/amp for your headphones.It is identical in size and most specs to the M15i, but comes in at close to half the price. You get a compact aluminum body, a cool window that lets you see the circuit board, both 3.5 and 4.4 mm balanced outputs, and a gain control to support different headphone requirements. Both draw power from the USB-C port, though I haven’t had any problems driving headphones from either, I find the apparent gain to be higher from the M15C on both settings.The difference is in the details. While the more expensive M15i features the ESS flagship DAC ES9281AC, the new M15C is built around the Cirrus Logic flagship DAC 43198. As a practical matter, this means that the M15C can decode PCM 384 and DSD 256, while the M15i can handle PCM 768 and DSD 512. The distortion is also reportedly 0.0001% higher on the M15C. For most of us mere mortals, these distinctions are immaterial. The important question: how does it sound?Darn good. Borderline amazing. Powerful bass. Compelling vocals. Ethereal highs. Punch and presence in the dynamics, but without losing details, and a soundstage with plenty of space. Using the balanced port enhances all of the above, with additional detail, oomph and extended dynamics. It’s the sort of DAC/amp that makes you want to listen to your favorite music again to hear what the DAC reveals was hiding in there all along. Questyle pretty much knocked it out of the park, particularly considering the dramatic price difference between this and their flagship M15i. Comparing the two, the M15C is a bit more lively and fun, while the M15i provides a smoother, more harmonized experience.In sum, if you’ve been looking for a serious portable DAC/amp, this is not only spectacular, but pretty spectacularly affordable for the sound it delivers.

The dual outputs of the Questyle M15C Mobile Headphone Amplifier with DAC, make this a versatile piece of kit for the audio enthusiast. The side-mounted control switch allows you to easily set the gain exactly to your liking. After getting a taste of the clear, crisp, and punchy sound on offer with this device, I'll never go back to what I had before. You really get what you pay for with the Questyle M15C Mobile Headphone Amplifier with DAC. It's small and lightweight, but very robust, and its earned a place in my gear bag and deserves one in yours. 5 big stars for this one!

This is my first DAC, so I have nothing to compare it to, but it certainly sounds better than when I had my sennheiser 650s plugged in via aux