The EarFun UA100 is a little beast of a DAC. Jack Wallen/ZDNET
You might think that the best way to get great sound from your smartphone or laptop is to use a good pair of headphones. For some, that’s enough. However, if you’re serious about improving the sound, you might need a little help.
A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is one way to give your sound a serious boost. But good sound isn’t just about volume. A digital-to-analog converter converts digital sound to analog sound, so that the signals can be understood by the human ear. The better the DAC, the better the sound. The problem is that many phones and laptops don’t come with the best DACs.
Therefore, if you really want to get the most out of the quality headphones you have purchased, a digital to analog converter may be necessary.
I was recently sent the EarFun UA100 DAC and tested it with a pair of wired earphones and headphones: the EarFun EH100 and the V-Moda Crossfade 3 Wireless. Well it’s quite impressive!
EarFun UA100 DAC specifications
First of all, let me introduce you to the features of EarFun UA100 converter.
- Embeds an ES9038Q2M DAC chip and a dual RT6863 amplifier chip.
- Supports 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 files
- High signal-to-noise ratio and 195 mW@32Ω output power
- 3.5mm and 4.4mm headphone jacks
- Uses CT7601 USB audio transmission chip to ensure compatibility with smartphones.
- Advanced voltage regulator for high-fidelity sound without noise (interference)
- LED indicator displays sample rate for true DSD playback
- Made of aluminum
- Weighs only 10.6g
- Price: €80.
The EarFun UA100 is a plug-and-play device, so there are no drivers to install and it should work with almost any operating system you use (including gaming consoles).
My experience with the EarFun UA100 DAC
As a preamble, I would like to point out that I consider myself an audiophile. I collect and listen to vinyl when I’m at the office and often find digital sound lacking in character. With devices like the UA100, it’s possible to get more warmth from digital sounds played by devices with digital-to-analog converters that aren’t up to the standard of sound coming out of turntables.
I tested the UA100 on my Pixel 7 Pro and MacBook Pro. The first thing I realized is that this DAC seriously increases sound levels. After plugging it into my MacBook Pro with the sound level set to maximum, I urgently had to press pause because it was so loud.
To use the UA100, simply plug it in, select it as the output source and enjoy the music. Jack Wallen/ZDNET
When using the DAC on some operating systems (such as MacOS), you need to open the sound settings and select the EarFun UA100 as the output device.
Select the UA100 DAC as the output device in MacOS Sonoma. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Once I readjusted the level, I immediately got a warmer sound, closer to analog than digital.
I tested the sound of the UA100 with the original music from the film Hunted (a brilliant film, by the way) by Joseph Trapanese, and with Tom Sawyer of the band Rush, my reference for sound tests.
In both cases, the sound improved significantly. Of course, results may vary in some cases. Indeed, if you can’t hear the difference between a good and great pair of headphones, you certainly won’t notice the change.
Additionally, audiophiles might tend to scoff at such a cheap DAC. No, the EarFun UA100 will not beat the FiiO Q7 DSD512 MQA (which costs €800). But for those who want to get more volume and warmer sound from their smartphone, laptop or gaming console, the UA100 is hard to beat and at this price.
Another remarkable feature of the EarFun UA100 DAC
Aside from the improved sound, one of my favorite features of the device is that you won’t have to use a 3.5mm to USB Type-C adapter to use wired headphones on your smartphone . Plug your 3.5mm headphone into one end of the DAC, then, using the approximately 11cm USB Type-C cable provided, connect the DAC to the smartphone. And if your headphones have a 4.4 mm plug, you can also connect them to the EarFun UA100.
ZDNET’s purchasing advice about the EarFun UA100 DAC
For most users, the main advantage of the EarFun UA100 is that it allows you to increase the output volume of your device. At the same time, you should use this DAC with caution because the high sound levels can be dangerous.
For those with finer ears, the extra warmth provided by this DAC will improve your audio experience enough to enjoy analog sound even more.
In my opinion, this inexpensive DAC is definitely worth it.
Source: “ZDNet.com”