amazon Audioengine D3 reviews
The Audioengine D3 is impressed by its stylish, high-quality sound in a compact, rugged design. However, the product is not yet a priority choice for difficult ears.
The D3 is one of a number of USB DACs designed by Audioengine (USA) – a brand that makes quite a few speakers / DACs with attractive prices. And the sound quality promises to satisfy even the most connoisseurs.
The D3 is designed by Audioengine to target customers who want to maximize the sound quality when entertaining with music with headphones. Therefore, the appearance of the product is also designed compact, like a USB pen so that users can easily carry with him whenever needed. Compared with the Audioengine D1 (the first USB DAC product introduced in late 2011 in the US market), the D3 is neat and lightweight. The Audioengine D3 is also quite refined in its design when it comes with a thick, glossy and rugged aluminum chassis with 4-screw design on the underside of the device.
Although compact, the Audioengine D3 still supports “processing” digital audio signals with a maximum bit depth of 24 bits and a sample rate of up to 96 kHz – promising “re Recreates all the frequencies that human ear can hear. To do this, the product is equipped with high-quality 24-bit AKM AK4396 digital audio codec as the Audioengine D1 and to maximize the power of the DAC, the D3 also incorporates the LME49726 (headphone amplifier) headphone amp, which is designed not only for high performance but also for compatibility with many types. Different headset on the market. However, not only in entertainment with headphones, the Audioengine D3 can also be easily integrated with its built-in active speakers, a Preamp; Or any entertainment system that supports 3.5mm input, RCA.
This compact USB DAC also uses a single USB (standard A) connector for digital audio from the computer and a 5V DC power supply for the device. However, the sound quality is still controlled to the best – because, according to information from the company, D3 uses the mechanism of heterogeneous data transfer between the computer and the device.
From the initial exposure, Test Lab found that the Audioengine D3 has a very solid exterior design that looks like a small USB thumbdriver without a cover attached. Attached is a small wool bag with a lid so it is also quite convenient for the purpose of protecting the device when not in use as well as when to carry with you. Audioengine D3 is simply because the design does not support the volume control button on the device body as some other USB DACs. Therefore, users only have the option to adjust the headset volume from the computer. To use the product, users just need to connect Audioengine D3 with a blank USB connector on the computer; And connect the headphones through the 3.5mm socket on the DAC body. By default, you do not need to install any additional drivers on your system, as the device is preconfigured with plug-and-play functionality as well as compatibility with both Windows and MAC platforms.
where can you get a Audioengine D3 online
Audioengine D3 Portable DAC & Headphone Amp: Buy it now
To test Audioengine D3 audio reproduction, Test Lab first incorporated the device with a Sennheiser HD 419 headset and began listening to the CD quality (16 bit / 44KHz) with Foobar 2000 software. 1.0.3 is often heard. Normally, if you connect the Sennheiser HD 419 directly to a PC using the Foxconn Cinema II BMC, this headset gives you a fairly warm overall sound with high, clear midrange ranges. However, according to Test Lab, the midrange range of the Sennheiser HD 419 is not as smooth, as if it were a box of speakers blocked by a thick film of fabric in front. But when combined with Audioengine’s D3 DAC, the Sennheiser HD 419 truly delivers a completely different audio experience. For example, the high-quality Avemaria record in the Audiophile Reference I Classical Music album exposes a vast sound space with a gentle bellow that blends into the clear and melodic sound of the percussion. At the end. The guitarist’s fingers on the album Tropical Cafe 2006 of Johannes Linstead as prominent with the rhythm of the rhythm, but still very harmonious with other instruments support. With the help of Audioengine D3, the bass notes on the HD 419 are also “honed” considerably, the low bass notes that can normally be mixed with the voice of Allan Taylor also be overcome completely when Test Lab listen to the song The Beat Hotel.
If you set the same sound level on your PC, the Sennheiser HD 419 gives you a much larger volume when using the DAC Audioengine D3. Test Lab must admit that the soundstage of the Sennheiser HD 419 also becomes more evenly distributed at almost every sound level. And, in short, Audioengine D3 delivers a sound quality not as sophisticated or stylish as some other USB DACs in the market. Audioengine D3’s sound reproducibility is also impressive, though it’s not comparable to the Audioengine D1.
Try combining this USB DAC with some models of headphones like the Sony MDR-MA102TV which has natural sound quality, not strong bass, Test Lab found that the sound quality of the product has also been upgraded. Audioengine D3 still can not help to improve many bass due to limited ability to perform bass notes of this headset.
Audioengine D3 is much more expensive than the test headsets. But the power and sound quality of the D3 overwhelmed the sound experience better than the integrated circuit of the PC or Laptop. If you really love the compact design of the product; And for a better audio experience for headphones under $ 100, Audioengine D3 may be a good choice. However, if set high requirements on the degree of dynamics, the detail of sound; And without having to worry about the cumbersome cable connection, Audioengine D1 or another option will be a perfect solution. It should also be noted that the quality of the Audioengine D3 as well as any expensive USB DACs is always governed by the integrated audio player (speakers, headphones).
