What is DAC? DAC is a digital-to-anologue device. It can convert the digital signal into the analogous signal. So, you can hear the sound that your headphones make. And now, almost all the devices have DAC. But why do you need a DAC? Here are the reasons. If your device is making noise while producing the sound, then you might want to fix it. If you want to improve the overall audio quality, then you must buy a proper DAC. That will enhance your overall listening experience.
Today, in this post, we will focus on Tidal DAC. Here you may wonder do I need MQA DAC for Tidal? If you want to listen to music more fun, you need the best DAC for Tidal MQA. Here we list some DAC Tidal below. You can check them out and choose one to listen to Tidal music in Masers quality. Besides, you will get one more tip to help enjoy Tidal music anywhere and anytime.
Part 1. Top 10 Best DAC for Tidal MQA
Which DAC with MQA support? We know that Tidal has partnered with MQA to improve our listening experience and provide us with mastered quality recordings. If you have a Tidal HiFi membership, then you can enjoy better listening. In this part, we'd like to suggest the 10 best DAC for streaming Tidal MQA to you. And we will discuss them in detail.
No 1. Zorloo Ztella Headphone DAC/Amp
This device is perfect if you want to enjoy Tidal MQA songs. It is compatible with all the OS platforms, and it is light in weight. It is elegant in its structure. Besides, it is simple and efficient, and it is the best MQA DAC for Tidal.
Features:
- It will provide you with HD Audio PCM sampling frequency up to 384kHz.
- This device has HD Audio DSD sampling frequency up to 5.6MHz.
- It is MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) Renderer.
- The MQA version of Ztella has MQA+PCM-384K, and it also has DSD-5.6M.
- Ztella Standard version (PCM-384K + DSD-5.6M).
Price: $99
Sample Rate: Up to 384kHz
Pros:
- Small and portable
- Can work with multiple OS system
- Simple to use
Cons:
- Only USB-C for mobile phones
- No volume buttons
No 2. iFi Hip DAC Headphone DAC/Amp
This Tidal DAC is perfect for music lovers as it will give them a perfect listening experience. If you are looking for a high-quality portable DAC for Tidal, then you shouldn't miss it.
This device has a perfect design and an amazing color, which will make it look amazing. As it is lightweight and small in size, you can take it anywhere. And you can connect it with your laptop or smartphone. It will also help you to enjoy Tidal MQA songs with ease.
Features:
- You can connect it with the help of a USB, or you can insert your headphones.
- Because of the Burr-Brown chip, the audio will become just perfect.
- This device supports hi-res PCM up to 384kHz, and DSD256.
- It supports the 4.4mm balanced output.
- This hip-DAC will give you a perfect bass.
- You can enjoy a good quality of sound for at least 8 hours.
Price: $149
Sample Rate: Up to 384kHz
Pros:
- Offers an excellent audio quality
Cons:
- Charge at a slow speed
No 3. iFi ZEN DAC Desktop Headphone DAC/Amp
This device will provide you with ethereal voice quality. It will give you sound as good as perfect, even in a noisy situation.
After using this best Tidal DAC with your smartphone or desktop, you can notice a difference in clarity and the quality of the sound. This device is smart and stylish, so you can carry it and use it anywhere.
Features:
- It can also support PCM and DXD, which have 32-bit/384kHz. It can also support DSD256 and MQA.
- Due to the burr brown chip design, the direct stream digital remains perfect.
- This device supports Pentaconn 4.4mm outputs at both the front and back. It also has a 6.3mm headphone socket.
- This device has a switchable gain so that we can match it well with our headphones.
Price: $129
Sample Rate: 32-bit/384kHz
Pros:
- Has an excellent bass
- Beautiful design
Cons:
- USB is the only input
- A little expensive yet has limited features
No 4. Dragonfly Cobalt USB DAC/Headphone Amp
This USB DAC is nice for those who love to listen to music while traveling. As we can see, it is small in size and stylish. It will provide you with addictive sound quality.
This device is the best DAC for Tidal Masters. It will make your listening to music experience perfect. It is compatible with Apple devices, Android devices and Windows PCs. It plays all types of music files like MP3, MQA, and High-res.
Features:
- This device has a new flagship, ESS’s ES9038Q2M, which will give you a soothing sound.
- It has a 2.1-volt output, which makes it compatible with a wide range of headphones.
- By using a desktop device manager, you can upgrade it as the technology is upgraded.
- The chips that are used in this device make it capable of processing to 24-bit/96kHz.
Price: $299
Sample Rate: 24-bit/96kHz
Pros:
- Output a natural and smooth sound
- Small and easy to carry
Cons:
- A litter quite expensive
- Has a limited high-res decoding
No 5. Topping D90 MQA Dedicated DAC
This mighty device will give you the perfect sound experience. You will fall in love with this device the moment you hear your favorite music from it. It will give you a perfect bass, and keep the sound warm and soothing no matter how loud it is.
You might feel it difficult to learn it. But after knowing its specs and its way of working, you cannot get enough of it.
Features:
- This device has a top of the line AKM Velvet Sound AKM AK4499 DAC chip, which will keep the sound perfect.
- This DAC has next-level inputs, making it easier for you to connect any kind of device with it.
- The USB and IIS (HDMI) inputs in it support up to PCM32bit/768 kHz and DSD512 Native.
Price: $799
Sample Rate: PCM32bit/768 kHz and DSD512 Native
Pros:
- Has good options for output and input
- Excellent quality
Cons:
- Cost a lot
- Difficult to use
No 6. SMSL SU-9
SMSL SU-9 should be a great Tidal compatible MQA DAC. It performs well with Tidal MQA and it cost almost $500. You can learn more features about it below.
Features:
- Support MQA decoding
- Has a 1.9'' LCD display
- Support USB/Bluetooth input
- Remote control is supported
Price: $459.99
Sample Rate: 32-bit/768kHz and DSD512
Pros:
- Has an outstanding resolution
- Has effective sound color modes
Cons:
- Will shake when stacked
- No single-ended outputs
No 7. FiiO K3
This should be a cheaper and the best DAC for MQA Tidal. It is small in size and with a USB-C port. When you power on this device, you will see the LED lights around the volume control. And it can output high-quality audio and can work with most headphones.
Features:
- Can charge via a USB as it has a built-in battery
- Has a dual channel headphone output
- Has an ADC digital volume control
Price: $119.99
Sample Rate: 32-bit/384kHz
Pros:
- Simple to use
- Great value
Cons:
- Has sync issue
No 8. Mytek Brooklyn DAC+
This DAC device comes with optional digital and analogue volume controls. It is also can be used as a headphone amplifier and a phono stage. It has a new output stage which can offer a better sound quality.
Moreover, it has a built-in MQA Hi-Res decoder which lets you to stream music from Tidal with high quality. And you can use it at home or in an office if you want.
Features:
- Offer 3D sound from both speakers and headphones
- Support USB, optical, one AES and 2 coaxial inputs
Price: $2,195
Sample Rate: 32 bit/384 kHz and DSD material up to DSD256
Pros:
- Excellent build quality
- Decodes MQA
- Support IEMs and full sized headphones easily
Cons:
- Cost much
No 9. SMSL M500
This MQA DAC has a complete MQA decoder that unfolds the MQA audio files from Tidal. In this case, you will enjoy the best listening experience. And the high-end DAC in the SMSL M500 is from ESS technology.
Yet, this device only supports MQA decoding by the USB input. That's to say, you need to stream Tidal music via USB on SMSL M500.
See also: How to Move Tidal Music to USB Drive
Features:
- Has a top-performance ES9038PRO D/A chip, which can offer high-end music quality
- Provides 32bit audio processing, and support DoP
- Reach sample rates of 32-bit/768kHz and DSD512
Price: $419.99
Sample Rate: 32-bit/768kHz
Pros:
- Support remote control
- Offer lots of digital inputs and analog outputs selections
- Comes with a full-MQA decoder
Cons:
- No gain control
- The sound is not the most relaxed
No 10. Gustard X16
Gustard X16 is a desktop DAC that offers a screen with tiny text in the screen. But it has a clean and crisp resolution. And it supports MQA and DSD.
Price: $499.99
Sample Rate: 32-bit/768kHz
Pros:
- Great value
- No background noise
- Has a great speed
Cons:
- The power switch is on the back
- Not the most powerful-sounding DAC
Part 2. Extra Tip: Play Tidal Music with a Better Quality Anywhere and Anytime
Don't like to use the best DAC with MQA Tidal music, then you can check out this part. In this part, we'd like to introduce a powerful tool for you to enhance your Tidal music. And then you can play them anywhere and anytime with a better audio quality.
This tool is DRmare Tidal Music Converter. It can convert your Tidal music to plain MP3 and other audio formats with high quality. Besides, you can define the audio format, bit rate, and more for Tidal songs. Then you can save them to your computer and use them anywhere and anytime.
Also, this tool can do the conversion of Tidal music at a fast speed. And it won't touch the original audio qualify. What's more, it will keep all the ID3 tags from Tidal music tracks. In this case, you can enjoy Tidal audio with better quality and manage the music tracks with ease.
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- Download music, podcasts, and more from Tidal
- Convert Tidal to MP3, AAC, and others with high quality
- Convert at a faster speed, save you time
- Play converted Tidal on other devices and platforms
Now, let's show you how to use DRmare Tidal Converter to convert and save Tidal songs with high quality for use on any device and platform offline.
- Step 1Install DRmare Tidal Music Converter and add Tidal songs
- Download and then open DRmare Tidal Music Converter. Then go to add Tidal audio that you want to convert to DRmare program from the pop-up Tidal app. You need to copy the URL of the Tidal track and paste it to the search box of DRmare program. Click on the plus icon, then it will load the track for you. Or, you can drag and drop any Tidal song you like from the Tidal app into the DRmare tool.
- Step 2Define output format for Tidal music tracks
- Now you can adjust Tidal audio format and the sample rate, bit rate, and the channel you like. Go to find the 'Preferences' option to start the output audio settings. After the settings, then press on the 'OK' button to keep the settings.
- Step 3Convert Tidal music
- Hit on the 'Convert' button to convert Tidal music at once. After finishing converting, you can get Tidal music offline. And you can move and play them anywhere and anytime with ease.
Part 3. FAQs about Tidal DAC
Q1: Is There Any Best DAC for Tidal MQA?
A: Yes. In Part 1, we listed the top 10 best Tidal MQA compatible DAC for you. You can go back to check them out in detail. And you can pick up the bet Tidal DAC for MQA songs if you want.
Q2: Which Is the Best Budget MQA DAC for Tidal?
A: Zorloo Ztella Headphone DAC/Amp would be your ideal choice. Among the top 10 DAC Tidal we shown you, this device costs less but offers great audio quality. You can give it a try.
Q3: Will a DAC Improve Audio Quality?
A: Yes. A DAC can help improve sound quality. It will make it by converting the digital audio files into analog sound waves. In this case, our audio systems can create higher sound quality than ever before.
Part 4. The Verdict
Above are the 10 best DAC for Tidal MQA for your reference. You can check them out and choose from them to enjoy Tidal Masters audio you like. Also, we give a bonus tip for you to convert and move Tidal music to any device for offline listening. That is to use the DRmare Tidal Music Converter. With this powerful tool, you can get Tidal output audio files in high quality with full ID3 tags. And you can convert and save Tidal songs to different audio formats for use on different devices. After that, you can move and listen to Tidal songs with high quality on any platform and device with ease.
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