How to use a DAC to improve audio quality on your Nintendo Switch

By Jaz Brown
last updated

The Nintendo Switch is arguably one of my favorite consoles to come down the pike in recent years. Nintendo managed to jam a whole lot of amazingness into a tiny little form factor. The only problem is that when you start putting a lot of awesome into a small space, there are bound to be some sacrifices made.

In the case of the Switch, one of the sacrifices that were made in order to save space was in the realm of audio. For many users, I am sure that this is not a huge issue. However, there may be some, cursed with a hypercritical ear that may hear a slight hum perpetrated by the proximity of the fan to audio components. Lows and highs could also be categorized as somewhat flat when listening to your Switch through good headphones.

Fortunately, there is a solution for those looking to improve their audio quality. The Nintendo Switch actually does support DAC's or digital-analog-converters. The simplest way to describe what a DAC does is to say that it takes a digital audio signal and rounds off the edges in order to provide an analog output which will give a warmer and fuller sound.

There is an incredibly broad price range when it comes to DACs. You can spend anywhere from a few dollars to hundreds. I recently tested out one that comes in toward the bottom of the price scale and found it to be incredibly easy to install and use. I even saw a bit of an improvement in the sound quality.

All USB DACs that work with the Switch are plug and play so install is a breeze. Simply plug your DAC into the USB port on your dock and then plug your headphones into the DAC and you're good to go. You can get the simple little device I used for only $8 on Amazon.

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The Following is a list of all the other DACs that have been confirmed to be working with the Switch.

Those who desire the very best sound quality out of their devices may find the Switch leaving a bit to be desired in that department. Hopefully, this little workaround will provide an audio upgrade make the Switch gaming experience that much more enjoyable.

Have you made any adjustments to improve the audio quality on your Switch?

Let us know!

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2 Comments
  • > "The simplest way to describe what a DAC does is to say that it takes a digital audio signal and rounds off the edges in order to provide an analog output which will give a warmer and fuller sound." Come on, that is not what a DAC does and you know it. It also doesn't even cover why using an external DAC fixes the problems you bring up. You could at least mention that this improves the audio by moving the analog amp necessary to drive the headphones outside the case of the Switch.
  • I use my Bowers & Wilkins PX headphones and they support usb-c audio, they work great and sound very detailed over usb sending the audio to the DAC in the headphone.