While it drives IEMs and efficient on-ears (like Grados or Sennheiser HD 599) beautifully, it struggles with high-impedance cans (e.g., Sennheiser HD 600/650, Beyerdynamic DT 880). You’ll hit the volume ceiling quickly. This is a line-level DAC first, a headphone amp second.
A brilliant line-level DAC in a cute, flawed package. Just don't plug in hungry headphones. audiolab d8
When you hear "Audiolab," you usually think of the legendary 8000A amplifier or the modern 6000 series. You don’t typically think of a device that fits in the palm of your hand. While it drives IEMs and efficient on-ears (like
~$150 / £130 / €160
What are your thoughts? Have you tried pairing the D8 with a dedicated headphone amp? Let me know below. A brilliant line-level DAC in a cute, flawed package
The Audiolab D8 is a victim of expectation. If you buy it hoping for a "mini 6000A," you will be disappointed by the headphone amp’s lack of grunt. However, if you buy it purely as a digital-to-analog converter for powered speakers or a power amp, it is fantastic.
You get optical, coaxial, and USB inputs. This makes it a fantastic bridge between a TV, a CD transport, and a set of powered speakers. The 3.5mm headphone jack also doubles as a variable pre-out, meaning you can plug it directly into a power amp.