More dongle DAC madness, this time from Astel&Kern.
The AS USB-C Dual DAC Cable pretty much tells you what it is — a dongle DAC with a USB-C input and a 3.5mm connector for output. The company claims the tiny USB-C Dual DAC, which sports an analog amplifier and comes wrapped in a full metal body, can drive high impedance headphones with a 2Vrms (Condition No Load) output level.
A pair of Cirrus Logic CS43198 MasterHIFI DACs reside inside which can handle native DSD to DSD256 and PCM resolutions up to 32-bit/384kHz.
That 3.5mm plug supports 3-pole and 4-pole plugs, but the in-line controller and microphone functions built into 4-pole earphones and headphones are not supported. As is the case with every USB-C-endowed dongle DAC, iPhone owners will need to add a USB-C to USB adapter and Apple’s Camera Connection Kit to mate with the USB-C Dual DAC.
The USB-C Dual DAC Cable is available now for $149.00 direct from Astel&Kern.