You likely know that your smartphone and laptop don’t have the greatest built-in DAC (digital-to-analog converter) and headphone amplifier. Thus, when you plug your wired headphones into them, they won’t sound their best.
The primary reason for this is cost and space constraints. Plus, given that most people use just use wireless headphones anymore, it doesn’t make sense for manufacturers to go all out on premium audio components.
The good news is that there are external DAC/amp dongles available for purchase that can take over the audio responsibilities from your device, effectively breathing new life into your wired headphones.
Many of them are quite affordable, like the AZLA A100.
AZLA A100
A DAC and headphone amplifier
AZLA is an audio company known for its premium memory foam eartips, which are meant to improve the fit (and sound) of many of today’s most popular wireless earbuds, including AirPods Pro.
Now the company is branching out into the world of portable DAC/amps with AZ100. It’s a USB-C to 3.5mm dongle that allows use to use your traditional wired headphones with your current iPhone or Android smartphone.
