The one-tool-option for the small office on the go - I can understand the need for a black, red or cobalt
also if an 1k Andromeda benefits from the DAC - here you find an(for me hardly haha) reasonable amount of relation between cost for the items and demm. returns
like “no sound” beeing notebook internal DAC with hiss and poor sq and “good sound” with one of the Dragonflys
Edit: not every one has “proper line-out” as @torq explained in the audio learning thread
Edit: the variable voltage going out as DAC or DAC/Amp with different frequencies was always logical to me but never found fitting specs - thankfully read another interesting comment from @torq /Ian
so take the following with a grain of salt
my wifes Fiio BTR3(DAC chip：AK4376) runs for about 79 and also tames down highs by quite a bit (Tin Hifi T2 Pros for example)
my Earstudio ES100(Dual AK4375a) for 99 or even 79(in sale) with the app und different filters, Bluetooth LDAC … maybe an “old DAC-Chip” but new ones get also old in maybe half a year or a year
my ifi xDSD (with Burr Browns) for me quite transparent/neutral - ok 449 Euros and 10 times bigger with mqa support like the smaller above named brother(nano) for 200
my Fiio Q1 II (AKM AK4452) also tames down highs - especially balanced - bought this for 50 used and stays in the backpack as backup
if size, mqa support and bluetooth is not your priority, the sound should be. The hole chain should be considered. But that is deep digging knowledge for noobs.
At the beginning(not long ago) I looked at specs, functions and read reviews… but you first find the biggest sources, if not knowing the market there comes Z - ok lots of fun and everything is “THESE” are special or somewhat. A year later I found @Resolve - what a wonderful youtube content and a day after I wrote a comment on his last video, asking for dac/amp reviews - here it comes! hope for more!
German forums are not very nice. (Edit: we in munich have a few dealers with most of the brands(of course except ZMF) and I was at munich high end in may… but to untrained ears… to short amounts of time, you invest or get on a show or at a dealers shop, then asking the right questions, what fits my needs and liking and my other existing equipment - care less about budget or what is new has to be better).
You people are very professional and kind to each other. Big thumbs up
Sorry for the long text