M2Tech hiFace DAC Hi-End Async 2.0 Audio Class USB 384/32 DAC 100% Quick Shipment !!

By now I have three competing compact USB DACs: AQ Dragonfly ($250), Meridian Explorer ($300), and M2Tech hiFace DAC ($300). Each is a fine product for what it is claimed to do (except for the deceiving appearance of M2Tech - see below). Sonically, Dragonfly is falling behind the rest. Of the other two, when used as a line level DAC driving a regular stereo system, the difference was like splitting hair. The following key words may give you an idea about what the differences are:Meridian Explorer: smooth, rich, bigger sound stage, deeper bassM2Tech hiFace: clarity, better definition, neutral, transparentAgain, these words are just relative terms between the two. It doesn't mean that the M2Tech is harsh, or the Meridian blurry. I could choose either one for the line level performance alone.However, there is one big caveat for the M2Tech. If you're like me, by the look of the product thinking that this was made for your earphones, think again! Unlike the Dragonfly, the M2Tech does not have a built-in headphone amp, so it cannot drive usual earphones/headphones to a sufficiently loud level. It was not sufficient for my B&W C5, P3, and Sennheiser PMX-685, none of which can be considered a difficult load. After communicating with M2Tech, I learned about this and also found out that it is indeed stated in the manual. But when you buy the product, the box contains the bare unit only without any documentation! M2Tech should make this point very clear on the product front page. If the product was designed to be used as a line stage DAC for the stereo system, why does it have to be packaged in such a tiny dongle? IMO the packaging is clearly misleading and should be regarded as an ill-conceived design.In summary, sonically it is a fine product for a line level DAC in its price range. If your main use is to drive a line level pre/integrated amp, by all means give it a try. If you intend to use it as a line level as well as for headphone listening, Meridian Explorer for the same price will give you the same level of quality (yet slightly different) sound, and it also has a separate headphone amp to drive your earphones loud. If the Meridian is still too bulky and cumbersome and you just need a cool tiny solution (with fancy color changes), the Dragonfly will drive your headphones to the maximum loudness with rich and full sound (still high quality if not as refined compared to the other two).All things considered, the hiFace DAC serves as an example of bad engineering design, as there is no real merit for such a compact packaging unless it is capable of portable headphone listening. To be used as a line level DAC exclusively, the hiFace DAC is a competent, but not much superior, performer among its peers, at least not to the level to justify its price compared to so many other full function DACs with a dedicated power supply with more inputs, and even with a volume control (iFi, Micromega, Schiit, Musical Fidelity, etc. - this is a competitive market!).

I bought this DAC because I was curious about 32/284 playback. Not that I have any actual music of such high resolution - but I tried upsampling via software (JRiver MC).I laughed when I opened the packaging - a yellow piece of flimsy plastic. The build quality is really terrible - I was scared that it would fall apart every time I plugged it in or plucked it from the USB port. The packaging is nice, but certainly not what I expect from a $300 DAC.But the sound - it is *beautiful*. The other reviews comparing it to the Meridian Explorer is pretty accurate - very similar sound signatures (the USB audio 2 drivers for both install very similar looking control panel applets). But the Explorer does have SO much better build quality (and it comes with a USB cable - so I'm not worried about the DAC snapping into two)I replaced a JDS Labs ODAC with this one and it is simply a revelation. I use Emotiva AirMotiv5 near-field listening monitors and the combination is amazing. The M2Tech HiFace is significantly more musical sounding than the ODAC with a rich, full and warmer sound. If only they would work on the build quality. Call me crazy, but I like my DACs to look just as good as they sound. That's the reason I'm docking one star!

I am an audiophile and just had to sell off my Mcintosh 207 amp, Audiophysic 7 speaker suround sound system (Virgo 5, Tempo VI, Tempo IV and Celcius IV center) with Halo C 2 pre-amp and analysis plus big silver oval speaker cables. I was looking for a system that would fit into a smaller apartment and that would sound good with streamed audio. Picked up the Paradigm - Millenia CT - 2.1 Audio / Multimedia System, which sounds pretty good and hooked this DAC up to my laptop running spotify and the sound was fantastic! The depth, intrument separation, vocals and normal instrument decay were wonderful. It was a jaw dropping moment considering I was running this off of my laptop! I am impressed with what this little DAC can do for the price, so much so that I just bought another to use with my focal sound system at work!

This product was a disaster! I have an iMac totally up to date with OSX Yosemite. It took three tries to get the M2Tech HiFace DAC to appear in my output -- and 2 hours of my time. It however did not produce any sound through my audio system running through Amarra Symphony into a Lexus tube preamp. It froze at the beginning of the first audio selection. A reboot of my iMac and M2Tech disappeared from my output -- and froze my computer. I have been in higher end audio for thirty years and never had a product create suggest havoc with my system. I will return this DAC to the seller -- and have informed M2Tech of what a disaster the product is -- realizing the product is over four years old and has to update its drivers. I used the drive M2Tech provided for Yosemite and above is what followed. Do NOT bother with this product! I would give this product a O -- zero -- if that were possible on the Amazon website.

Amazing sound from this DAC, unfortunately unit only worked for around 8 months, my PC won't even recognize it connected anymore. Finding customer support for this item in the USA is practically impossible, although I must say the seller (Spearit Sound) was amazing at finding me the current USA support provider (Teac) and giving me all the required documentation to claim the warranty.*** UPDATE 11/12/14 ***After months of going back-forth with Teac they have refused to honor the warranty on this product and the manufacturer (in Italy) will not respond. I'm changing the review from 3 to 1 star. It's too expensive a device to not have a solid warranty (even though they claim to). I'm done wasting time trying to get it replaced/repaired, I'll have to write off this expense and I'm definitely never buying an m2tech product again.