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Audioengine D3 Portable DAC/Amp
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Audioengine D3 Portable DAC/Amp
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Product Description
Powered by USB, stocked with high-quality components, and small enough to slip in your pocket, the Audioengine D3 DAC/amp gives you a tiny attachment that vastly expands your computer’s output. After plugging in through the USB input, the D3 bypasses your computer’s sound card in favor of a superior processing system Read More
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keyboard_arrow_downDoctorX
301
Mar 25, 2018
Audioengine has refurb D3 for $45: https://audioengineusa.com/shop/factory-refurbished/d3-24-bit-dacheadphone-amp-2/
Bob3600
200
Apr 20, 2018
Sold the AQ RED in 20 minutes on ebay. Love the Audioengine D3!! I almost always use my Oppo HA-2 anyway and it blows both away. A matter of money for me lol.
OneLove
2962
Apr 20, 2018
Bob3600Wait until you try the new Fiio Q5. So many inputs. Blows Oppo HA-2 away.
Brosefstalin42
260
Mar 28, 2018
SeanMRI haven't seriously A/B tested them, but both are good units, I find this to be the better deal since stick DAC/Amps aren't really going to blow each other out of the water unless they use terrible parts (my behringer 222 DAC has a headphone port that sounds hollow and tinny from digital audio, it was meant more from a mic or instrument so there is zero amping of the signal, it's just to connect from and to analog components). Audioquest tends to have more buzzwords than Audioengine, and seems more like they try to create pricier offerings just because of their name and advertising (like most Apple products, they get name and recognition, but others have similar to better performance at a cheaper price).
I'd give the nod to the D3, but with the caveat that it takes more power than the dragonfly red, so if you were to try to connect to a phone it may not function with it as the dragonfly red will. I hooked both up to a PS4, it didn't supply enough power to power headphones without another amp, but with a powered hub the dragonfly red worked perfectly, the D3 tended to give off hum or cut out occassionally so it seems like it needs more power (it does get louder with clarity better than the dragonfly red, so it would power hungrier headphones like the HD6XX slightly (and I mean slightly, as you aren't pumping much more than 2.5 volts into the stick when desktop amps go from 5 to 22 volts or more for the class A high powered amps) better, so if you are sticking to USB from a laptop/netbook/Chromebook, the D3 will likely be better all around, but if you are thinking to use it with a usb-c phone with an adapter, the dragonfly red will edge out the D3.
I can't say as to acoustic preference (like enhancing bass/treble or sounding too dark or bright, or soundstage) without seriously A/B-ing, which I can't do until after this drop ends, so if someone else can, please enlighten me so I can see if my ears pick it up or not.
I'd give the nod to the D3, but with the caveat that it takes more power than the dragonfly red, so if you were to try to connect to a phone it may not function with it as the dragonfly red will. I hooked both up to a PS4, it didn't supply enough power to power headphones without another amp, but with a powered hub the dragonfly red worked perfectly, the D3 tended to give off hum or cut out occassionally so it seems like it needs more power (it does get louder with clarity better than the dragonfly red, so it would power hungrier headphones like the HD6XX slightly (and I mean slightly, as you aren't pumping much more than 2.5 volts into the stick when desktop amps go from 5 to 22 volts or more for the class A high powered amps) better, so if you are sticking to USB from a laptop/netbook/Chromebook, the D3 will likely be better all around, but if you are thinking to use it with a usb-c phone with an adapter, the dragonfly red will edge out the D3.
I can't say as to acoustic preference (like enhancing bass/treble or sounding too dark or bright, or soundstage) without seriously A/B-ing, which I can't do until after this drop ends, so if someone else can, please enlighten me so I can see if my ears pick it up or not.
Saeulf
102
May 15, 2018
I recently acquired this and like it a lot. One tip I have is to check the Audioengine website for refurbished ones. I got mine for $45 shipped. Drives my HE-4XX headphones really well. It gets VERY loud.
wcg66
139
Keyboard Club Member
Jun 19, 2018
SaeulfI bought a refurb as well based on your post. It's a nice dac and works great. As you say, it has plenty of power (it gets warm with use as well.) I did use it with an OTG cable to my phone but beware, it sucks a lot of power!
CraigL
14
Dec 20, 2018
Just an FYI, while the D3 is technically compatible with an iPhone using a camera adapter, it draws too much power and therefore will only work while the phone is plugged into external power. For me anyway this makes it basically useless for this purpose.
PotfOra
7
Apr 4, 2019
If someone is interested:
Review and Measurements of Audioengine D3 DAC & Amp
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-audioengine-d3-dac-amp.7218/
OneLove
2962
May 15, 2018
I just recently tried an Audioquest Dragonfly Red. I have to say wow! It's now my goto portable DAC. I compared the D3 to the DR and the D3 is brighter sounding, but the DR sounds better overall with great lows. The DR also has MQA support.
Audioquest finally fixed the Andriod low volume issue with firmware update 1.07.
Audioquest finally fixed the Andriod low volume issue with firmware update 1.07.
twowarcrackpot
9
Jun 18, 2014
d3 vs d1, anyone ever compared these two... ? is it just a size difference with similar quality?
anyone ever compared this with ODAC?
anyone ever compared this with ODAC?
Feanorean
75
Jun 18, 2014
twowarcrackpotI have both the D3 and ODAC/O2. I would say the ODAC is slightly cleaner while the D3 has a little more low end presence, but both are very enjoyable.
matkam
10
Jun 20, 2014
twowarcrackpotFrom what I understand the sound is similar, but the D1 has more features while the D3 is more portable. The D1 has RCA out, optical in, volume knob, and a more powerful amp.
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