AIYIMA DAC-A2 Headphone Amplifier DAC with Bass Treble Controls PC-USB/Optical/Coaxial Inputs, RCA/3.5mm Headphone Ouput Digital to Analog Desktop Audio Converter DC 5V 24Bit 192kHz

The DAC-A2 is a tremendous value in audio. Not terribly expensive but the ROI is phenomenal. I pared it with the OneOdio Studio Max 1 and it's an immense joy. The Aiyima provides exactly the controls that I'm looking for while offering near exacting audio reproduction. This is a small device but it requires some connections. There are two USB cables. One cable powers the device which is required. The other USB cable allows the Aiyima to pull digital audio from the PC and converts it fantastically. The volume can be incredible and was exactly what I was looking for. Optical and Coaxial input connections are available. It's solid, feels very well made. Metal, what's not to like.

Connected to DAW using USB and has worked perfectly for me. No noise no added distortion and has been consistent. RCA out to an amp that powers 4 JBL passive speakers and a powered Elac sub. The separate bass, treble and volume that is on the unit are turned all the way up and use the amp to control along with software eq. Have always had a power conditioner attached to the unit along with the DAW, amp and eq as to ensure no noise coming over and consistent power. Over 2 years with it constantly on and it's been flawless.

Edit (4/14/25): The seller saw my review and decided to work with me to see if we could fix the high pitch I was hearing. While we couldn't in the end, it does seem to be a rare issue and they offered me a full refund to purchase a new one. Changing from 3->5 stars because of the exceptional customer service. ----- I bought this DAC as an affordable option for my office setup, and overall, it performs well. The build quality is solid, with responsive dials and more than enough power for my needs. Setup was straightforward, and the sound is clear, especially at lower volumes. However, I did notice a high-pitched whistle when using the USB input from my desktop. Even turning the treble all the way down didn’t eliminate the noise entirely, so I had to lower the volume to mask it. While this issue is disappointing, it doesn’t detract too much from its usability for casual listening. If you’re looking for a budget DAC and can work around minor noise issues, this could still be a worthwhile choice.

So far, so good. Haven't had very long. I use it to add Bass & Treble to improve a wide v-shaped EQ. I had first done this in iTunes to improve the detail on some overly mid-focused Polk bookshelf speakers. But I heard too many clicks that sounded like distortion. So this DAC seems to solve the EQ problem without that somehow. No idea on the quality level of the Sabre chip in it. Bit-depth seems like it could be better, as you only get 192 over optical. That being said, I don't think I've heard the difference when I tried it on other DACs. So, it does the job of adding more distortion-free detail on my specific speakers. Haven't tried the headphone out, so no idea on that.

The AIYIMA DAC-A2 is a versatile desktop audio solution that significantly improves the sound quality from a PC or gaming console. The dedicated bass and treble controls allow for easy customization of the sound signature to match your headphones. It is a compact and well-built unit that provides a clean, hiss-free output, making it a great upgrade for anyone looking for better audio clarity and more power.

Initially this unit is great - both sound quality and functionality. Unfortunately, I returned the first one and ended up having the same issue on my replacement. The issue is that after a couple of months, when adjusting the volume, there is a loud static/crackling sound when adjusting. Also, the left and right channel volumes are not consistent and it takes some trial and error to get them closely aligned again (sometimes not ending up on the volume you want). I contacted the seller and I don’t know if there was perhaps a language barrier but the response is that this is perfectly normal. I think most will agree that this is not a normal or desired behavior on a DAC where volume needs to be adjusted and it is important for left and right channels to be consistently aligned. Buy at your own risk as I can almost guarantee you will face these issues unless you do not need this device for volume adjustment.

I added this DAC to my rather "unconventional" signal chain today as a way to input from over USB from a Macbook Air. The full chain is: Macbook Air (Source, VOL 100%) AIYIMA DAC-A2 (VOL 80%) Douk EQ5 (Primary Vol Control) Douk TUBE-T5C (VOL 80% Aiyima T9 (Highs, VOL 80%) [Polk RTi A1 Tweeters] Aiyima T9 (Mids/Sub VOL 80%) [Polk RTi A1 Woofers Polk PSW404 Sub (from pre-out on Mids/Sub Aiyima T9) Bass and Treble controls on DAC-A2 and Douk TUBE-T5C are all set flat (just very slight boos to Bass on the T5C). EQ5 is used as master volume, and tone control. I'm actually very impressed with how well the DAC-A2 slotted into the signal chain with very little fiddling. I know some reviews mention "scratch" issues with the volume control, but I haven't experienced that at all. Tone and Bass pots are "clicky" so it's easy to get them centered for flat tone response. I haven't experimented with the optical input from a WIIM Pro, but that is the next step. Overall I like this configuration, just wish there was an on/off switch instead of the Volume Pot combo, but the same can be said fro the T5C. Other than a dedicated on/off switch like the T9 and perhaps a "bypass" of the tone controls I haven't got any criticism for this device (just those two suggestions). It does what it says on the tin, and price was great!

Don't get me wrong... This is a great a little unit while it works. I understand things break. It happens. But my dac is only 4 months old, now having static with the volume knob, and I can't get customer service to help me with it. Maybe it is a communication break, but after two emails, both with the response not making sense, now there is nothing. I would look further for a better company. 2 stars because it was great while it worked, but didn't work long.

ヘッドフォンBose QC15での感想です(古くてすいません） DAC通すと高音のきめ細やかさの違いが感じられます（高音の出方が違います） 特にボーカルの息使いが聞こえます（ここはすごく感じられました） 古いヘッドホン利用者なら このDACを通した音を聴くと再度愛着が湧きますよ 音質向上目的でDAC投入して良かったです しかも安いし😄

Had bought a higher priced DAC to set up a headphone listening station. Was so impressed getting back into my old cd's decided to get a dac for the computer in the bedroom after starting a Tidal streaming trial, but didn't want to spend much money. This item has really surprised me. Very tiny but with tone controls and a headphone output. Using the usb input from the computer listening through headphones I was very impressed with the sound. So much so dusted off old Rotel pre and power amp feeding Coincident Conquest floor standing speakers and the sound is astounding! Busy exploring Tidal listening old tracks and artists. Bringing back a lot of fond memories.

音質の再現、UP音楽の録音する状態まで把握できる感じで、予算のない自分にはぴったりでした。物足りなさは直接パワーアンプに繋いでいるので音の大きさが物足りない感じです。

The DAC-A2 is a very solid device and incredible value for the price. Not only are you getting a quality 24-bit 192 kHz DAC, but you're also getting a headphone amplifier as well as a pre-amp with bass/treble tone controls. I'm using it for the latter to feed an Aiyima A20 amplifier and ELAC 6-ohm bookshelf speakers and everything sounds great.

音質はとても良いです。サイズも小さく置き場所に困らないです。 安価なのに高級感のある見た目は素晴らしい！ トーンコントロールが有るのは有難いですね！bass・tre共に2時辺りから音圧が増す感じで心地良いです。 頻繁ではなく忘れた頃に音が2~3秒途切れるようになりました。音が途切れるのは音楽を楽しむ上では致命的なので☆3にしました。 電源の問題なのか、本体の不具合なのか不明です。本体の不具合では無かった時は☆5にしたいと思います。