Apple Music has one of the best features for Audiophiles — Apple Music Lossless. That allows you to listen to lossless quality audio directly from your iPhone, although if you want to get the most out of the service then you'll need something extra.
You see, your iPhone doesn't quite have the chops to handle those more impressive tracks, and so it needs a little extra help. That help comes in the form of an external DAC. That will take the tracks, and using some audio wizardry, convert them to a listenable format over a wired pair of headphones. But which ones should you buy? These are the best external DACs that you can buy for your iPhone.
Quick list
Best overall
The FiiO Q3 DAC is MiFi certified, so you have guaranteed compatibility with your iOS device. It has a full metal exterior that protects it from electromagnetic interference when used with your iPhone or iPad. The volume knob features an oblong design to help if you use the DAC in a tight space. Thanks to the magic of USB, you can easily hook the DAC up to an iPhone.
Most compact
With its built-in battery and sleek, metal case, the portable iFi Hip-DAC is one of the coolest little music devices. It connects over USB, and there are plenty of extra options to make sure that you can dial in the sound just right. The blue is quite fetching as well.
Best USB-C
The Fiio K3 DAC contains a modern USB-C connection, perfect to use with your new iPad Pro or iPad Air 6. Be aware that this DAC is not portable and is for use at your desk. It features an all-aluminum body, two modes of USB audio, and coaxial and optical digital outputs.
Best desktop DAC
The Fosi DAC converter is a portable solution with USB-C and USB-A inputs. This bundle works with smartphones, tablets, and even gaming consoles. The built-in ESS9038Q2M chip allows for low distortion and high power. Perfect to stick next to your MacBook or Mac.
Best Budget
The FX Audio USB DAC is great for popping in a pocket or sticking on a desk thanks to its built-in battery and DC power socket on the back. There's only one output on this one, but it's very well priced — perfect for the beginner.
Q&A
What is a DAC?
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A digital to analog converter (DAC) is simply a device that converts a digital signal to an analog one, so you can listen to your music through wired headphones or speakers. So, why all the talk about DAC's recently? Apple announced that it will soon stream all 75 million of its Apple Music tracks in Apple Lossless Audio. This means that Apple will compress the song without losing any data so it will sound exactly as the artist intended. However, the hook here is that you can't listen to Lossless tracks over Bluetooth, thus eliminating the use of Bluetooth headphones.
If you want to listen to Apple Lossless Audio, you will need a pair of wired headphones. If you want to best sound quality possible, Apple will also stream in Hi-Resolution Lossless Audio. To take full advantage of this, you will need wired headphones as well as a DAC. Simply connect the DAC to your iPhone or iPad, and then connect your wired headphones to the DAC.
Which DAC should I buy for my iPhone or iPad?
Our favorite DAC is the FiiO Q1 Mark II. It's MiFi certified, so it's ensured to work perfectly with your iOS device. It has a full metal body and unique volume control. The FiiO includes a lighting to micro USB cable to let you connect to your iPhone out of the box.
If you have an iPad Pro or iPad Air 4 with a USB-C connection, check out the Fosi Audio K3. It contains a USB-C and USB-A connection and an OLED front panel display, and an attractive silver aluminum body.
