The best DACs for Apple Music Lossless in 2025

Apple Music is among the few streaming providers that gives high-resolution audio (aka “lossless”) at no additional cost. However having fun with that additional high quality in your telephone normally requires some additional {hardware}. That’s the goal of this information, — that will help you discover precisely what you want relying on how you favor to pay attention. Each product listed under will provide help to squeeze extra audio high quality out of your Apple Music subscription. In reality, no matter music service you utilize, your listening expertise shall be enhanced. Better of all, most of those suggestions are appropriate with Android, Mac and Home windows gadgets, too.Luckily, as information plans change into extra beneficiant and expertise advances, listening to those larger-files of their full glory is much less of a problem. There are nonetheless some {hardware} hurdles although, particularly when you use AirPods (or any wi-fi headphones) as Bluetooth expertise is theoretically able to delivering some higher-resolution audio, and Apple merchandise don’t assist the required expertise (codecs comparable to Aptx, LDAC and so on.). Confusingly, there are additionally completely different ranges of “lossless” on Apple Music, with normal “CD high quality” audio after which “Hello-Res Lossless” information which can be recorded at even larger information charges. However don’t fear, we’ve an answer for you under, irrespective of how you favor to hearken to your music.After all, a DAC or dongle is just a part of the equation — your headphones or audio system are additionally simply as necessary. So when you’re searching for the best possible audio expertise make sure you try our information to the very best headphones. Though these choices are wi-fi, many can be utilized with a cable, too, making them the right pairing for our suggestions under.Finest DACs for 2025James Trew for EngadgetFiio’s reasonably priced KA11 dongle accommodates a DAC with a most decision of 32bit/384kHz — which is nicely above Apple Music’s top-tier “Hello-Res” lossless format (24bit/192kHz) — so you possibly can ensure that you’re getting each final little bit of high quality out of no matter you’re listening to. Better of all, the KA11 is highly effective, too, with a better quantity output than Apple’s on headphone adapter (extra on this under). At round $30, this dongle is the very best bang on your buck relating to upgrading the audio expertise in your iPhone, Android, PC or Mac. There’s even a Lightning model out there for these with older iPhones and iPads. We significantly just like the simplicity of Fiio’s KA11 because it’s plug-and-play without having to cost it. It’s solely barely greater than a typical headphone adapter and it comes with a rugged, woven cable, so it may possibly deal with a whole lot of put on and tear. There’s even a small LED on the entrance that permits you to know when you’re listening to plain, excessive, or higher-resolution information so that you might be assured you’re getting essentially the most out of your music in actual time. $33 at AmazonAppleYes, it’s the Apple headphone adapter you understand and (possibly) love, however it’s price contemplating in order for you one thing tremendous light-weight and much more reasonably priced. Apple’s dongle doesn’t assist the bigger, Hello-Res information out there on its music service, however it may possibly deal with the usual lossless (24bit/48kHz) format no drawback. As you’d count on, it’s out there in Lightning and USB-C variations relying on which Apple gadget you’re connecting it to. Certain, essentially the most demanding listeners may lament the dearth of assist for the upper resolutions, and it may be a little bit quiet with some headphones which can be excessive impedance (usually costlier “audiophile” fashions). For the overwhelming majority of customers, although, Apple’s dongle will do the job. If you happen to’re undecided, verify the guide on your headphones and search for Impedance (typically listed as Ohms) — something under round 150Ohms and you need to be effective. Something above that, and also you may need to contemplate Fiio’s dongle as an alternative. $15 at AdoramaiFiWhile this information is primarily centered on Apple Music, many of the gear right here will unlock lossless audio irrespective of the place you pay attention. If Tidal is your platform of alternative, you is perhaps aware of the MQA codec, which the corporate used for its high-resolution audio till finally switching to FLAC in 2024. MQA may not be as widespread in streaming anymore, however when you nonetheless need to ensure you can hearken to music from shops or providers that present it, the iFi GO Hyperlink can have you coated, together with the usual Apple Music excessive decision audio codecs, and anything, as much as 32-bit/384kHz. $59 at Macy’sJames Trew for EngadgetSennheiser’s BTD700 is a wi-fi adapter that plugs into your telephone, upgrading its Bluetooth capabilities with the most recent high-resolution codecs comparable to Aptx Adaptive and Aptx Lossless. iPhones don’t assist any of those natively, however with this small dongle, you possibly can unlock the total potential of Bluetooth audio and the upper bitrates (and in concept audio high quality) Aptx Lossless gives. There’s a small caveat, although: you will have Bluetooth headphones that additionally assist considered one of these codecs comparable to these or these (or verify the product web page of the set you personal or are contemplating). The BTD700 is easy to make use of, simply plug it in to your telephone’s (or different gadget’s) USB-C port, pair your headphones to it and off you go. An LED on the dongle lets you understand which of the six completely different Bluetooth “qualities” (codecs) you’re having fun with so you’ll know whenever you’re listening to lossless audio. The helpful half? When you’ve paired your headphones with the dongle, you gained’t have to re-pair when you join the BTD700 to a PC or Mac. This little adapter successfully offers something with a USB-C port an audio improve, and there’s even a low-latency mode for gaming. Observe, there’s no Lightning choice right here, so when you’re on an older telephone you may need to reside with utilizing an adapter. $60 at Macy’sJames Trew for EngadgetIf you’re trying to take issues to the following stage with out spending “high-end” cash, there’s lots to like in regards to the Melody DAC from Snowsky. Not like a easy dongle, the Melody has onboard controls and two headphone jacks. A kind of is for normal 3.5mm headphones, however the different is for 4.4mm “balanced” headphones, which implies the Melody can develop with you in case your audio journey takes you deeper into the world of audiophilia. The wooden end offers it a cultured really feel and though it’s gentle, it nonetheless delivers that high quality “Hello-Fi” really feel. As for sound high quality, there’s assist for 384K/32bit pattern charges, which covers every little thing Apple Music can ship. The built-in amplifier can simply go louder than you need to most likely ever pay attention and there are different luxuries, too, comparable to assist for inline microphones — so you possibly can nonetheless deal with calls and take conferences in your telephone. We additionally love that you could tailor the sound to your choice by way of the Fiio Management companion app. $40 at AmazonFanmusicWhile you possibly can squeeze a formidable quantity of audio tech right into a headphone adapter, a barely greater gadget affords an honest step up in each specs and options. Moondrop’s Moonriver T2i DAC is barely bigger than a pack of gum, and it has a trendy design that doesn’t appear to be a boring, generic dongle. Importantly, the Moonriver T2i builds on the success of the corporate’s Moonriver 2 DAC. The “2” partly refers to the usage of twin DAC chips right here, which delivers a “balanced” sign. Every channel can deal with as much as 32bit/384KHz decision and there are two headphone ports. One for normal 3.5mm headphones and one other for 4.4mm connections — making use of that balanced output. If that is your first step into the world of Hello-Fi DACs, you’re completely effective with 3.5mm headphones, however some choose the 4.4mm connector because it gives extra energy and potential sign advantages, particularly when you’re utilizing a headphone amp. With the Moonriver T2i you may have a pair extra sensible benefits. For one, there are bodily quantity controls on the gadget itself. If you happen to ever felt that the 16 ranges of loudness on the iPhone (I simply counted) weren’t sufficient, then the 100 steps of adjustment on the Moonriver T2i (by way of companion software program) eradicate any worries about setting the music to the right stage. In case your headphones have an in-line microphone, the excellent news is that this dongle will cross that by way of to your telephone or PC so that you gained’t want a separate gadget for calls. Most significantly, the sound that comes out of the Moonriver T2i is shiny and daring. You’ll hear audiophiles speak about sound stage, element and width, all it’s worthwhile to know is that this DAC ticks off all of the buzzwords and serves up shiny, sturdy sound that’s going to make any lossless/hi-res music actually shine. $198 at AmazonFiiOWho mentioned a DAC must be a dongle? If you happen to’re searching for one thing a little bit extra all-in-one then the SP3 BT energetic audio system from Fiio are an incredible choice. We like that, for a similar value as many standalone DACs, you may have every little thing it’s worthwhile to decode high-resolution music from nearly any supply with USB-C and Aux inputs for telephones together with normal Hello-Fi connections comparable to optical, RCA and coaxial. These audio system didn’t make it to our testing bench, however the SP3 BTs repeatedly obtain reward for his or her sound and premium construct high quality at an affordable value. For Bluetooth listening, there’s assist for each Aptx Adaptive and HD together with Sony’s rival LDAC making these audio system one thing of an audio swiss-army knife. Whereas these audio system will make an ideal companion to your house workplace or workspace, they will simply discover a house in your lounge or den connecting to another music gamers you may need (for vinyl you’ll nonetheless want a pre-amp). $350 at AmazonJames Trew for EngadgetIf you’ve had some expertise with DACs and need to ratchet issues up a notch or three, then the Mojo 2 from British firm Chord desires to have a phrase. At $650, that is positively within the high-end value vary, however the expertise and options it gives make it price contemplating for critical audiophiles. However the brains behind the Mojo 2 have been making digital to analog converters just about since there was digital music to even convert. That have is what makes the Mojo 2 a favourite amongst music followers. Most choices on this information are designed for cellular gadgets first, the Mojo 2 is extra of a hybrid gadget. The cellular dongles above all take their energy from the participant you join them to, which is handy, however clearly is much less type to your telephone’s battery life. The Mojo 2 has an inner cell so gained’t tax the one in your telephone or laptop computer. It’s sufficiently small to be transportable, however substantial sufficient to reside in your desk. Not like most DACs that use off the shelf chips to deal with the digital-to-audio conversion, the Mojo 2 makes use of area programmable gate array (FPGA) expertise to create its personal customized “chip.” It’s additionally highly effective sufficient to behave as each a DAC and a preamp, driving even power-hungry headphones with ease. We’ve seen FPGA achieve reputation in gaming circles for its potential to mimic varied consoles, however that very same flexibility is what makes it fascinating to the audio engineers at Chord. If you happen to want one thing that’s capital L loud, then the Mojo 2 is not going to disappoint. Proceed with warning right here. It’s truly highly effective sufficient to drive two pairs of headphones on the identical time and has two 3.5mm ports so you are able to do precisely that. The curious round buttons may also be used to alter sound profiles with an excruciating stage of element. The Mojo 2 has normal USB-C, microUSB, optical and coax inputs so it’s extra versatile than a whole lot of its competitors on this regard. Though it’s price noting that you could solely cost the Mojo 2 by way of microUSB. After all, there’s a cable offered for this, however when you’ve totally made the swap to USB-C, it’ll imply you must guard the charging cable carefully. $643 at AmazonDAC FAQsWhat does DAC stand for?DAC stands for digital to analogue converter. A digital-to-analog converter takes the digital (D) music out of your telephone or pc and converts (C) it into analog (A) sound you possibly can hear. All telephones and PCs have them, however since handsets moved to USB-C, Lightning or Bluetooth for music, the duty of changing that sign was typically outsourced to both your adapter or your wi-fi headphones.DACs can be utilized with telephones, laptops and desktops however are usually a lot less complicated than a daily exterior audio interface. One primary distinction is that DACs are normally for listening solely whereas an audio interface may need ports to plug in microphones and devices (however an exterior audio interface can also be technically a DAC). Some high-end DACs even embrace XLR outputs for higher connectivity with skilled audio gear.The most effective DACs are usually light-weight, making them extra appropriate for cellular use, though it nonetheless will get a little bit difficult with the iPhone as you continue to may want so as to add one other dongle to make it play good with Lightning. Additionally, not all DACs assist all the upper audio resolutions like DSD. Most standalone DACs require exterior energy or an onboard battery, although some can use the facility from no matter you plug them into — through which case count on successful to your battery life.Why do I would like new {hardware} to hearken to music?The quick reply is, you don’t. You may play “hi-res” audio information on most telephones and PCs, you simply may not be getting the total expertise. In case your gadget’s audio interface tops out at 44.1 or 48kHz (which is pretty widespread and covers the overwhelming majority of music on-line) then that’s the expertise you’ll get. If you wish to get pleasure from higher sounding music at a better pattern price and bit-depth (aka decision), you’ll want an interface that helps it and wired headphones, doubtlessly utilizing a headphone amp for an enhanced expertise.It’s price declaring that “lossless” and “hi-res” are associated phrases, however not the identical factor and can fluctuate from service to service. Apple makes use of ALAC encoding which is compressed, however with out “loss” to the standard (in contrast to the ever-present .aac or .mp3 file codecs). CDs had been typically mastered to not less than 16-bit / 44.1kHz which is the benchmark that Apple is utilizing for its definition of lossless. In audio circles, a normal consensus is that hi-res is something with a pattern price above 44.1kHz. More and more, although, the time period is getting used for something 96kHz and above.This, after all, isn’t solely about Apple’s new streaming codecs. Exterior DACs and audio interfaces are a good way to get the very best sound and improve your listening expertise typically. Particularly if you wish to get into the world of extra unique (learn: dear) headphones, as they typically even require a DAC to offer sufficient clear digital sign to drive them. For audiophile headphones, a telephone or laptop computer’s inner sound chipset typically doesn’t have the oomph wanted to ship a hi-fi expertise, that means a greater DAC may make all of the distinction in sound high quality.Okay, however can’t I simply use the headphone adapter for my telephone?No. Nicely, sure, however see above. A Lightning or USB-C to three.5mm headphone adapter typically is an audio interface and many of the ones you’re shopping for for $7 (or that come free within the field) don’t assist hi-res audio past 48kHz / 24-bit. Android is a bit more sophisticated, as some adapters are “passive” and actually simply join you to the telephone’s inner DAC like old style headphones. Others (energetic ones) have a DAC built-in and good luck discovering out what your particular telephone and the in-box adapter delivers. (Trace: join it to a PC and see if it comes up as an audio interface. You may discover some particulars there if it does).What about Bluetooth headphones?Chances are high that over the previous few years you’ve migrated from wired to wi-fi headphones (thanks, Apple). The world of Bluetooth headphones modifications issues a little bit relating to looking for higher audio efficiency. What issues right here is twofold, the headphones you’re utilizing (as these will technically be the “DAC”) and the codec — the tactic used to ship the musical information over to the headphones.It’s additionally price checking to see in case your headphones assist aptX and which model. Look out for aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and (for the best high quality) aptX Lossless that are all higher than normal and turning into extra widespread, albeit slowly. It’s price noting that each your telephone or media participant and your headphones have to assist the identical aptX codec. Presently, no iPhone helps any sort of aptX, although dongles exist that may supply that performance.Different higher-resolution Bluetooth codecs exist, like Sony’s LDAC, however Qualcomm’s AptX has wider assist because of its prevalence in Android gadgets. Some high-end wi-fi headphones may even include a headphone jack for wired connections when higher-quality audio is required.