Support: DAC3 Headphone Amplifier

Questions & Answers

• Question:

  Why does the light on the DAC3 light up when first connected to my phone but then turn off?

  Answer:

  If you do not have headphones connected to the DAC3, the LED light will turn off after cycling through 'Blue/Green/Red'.  This is an intended feature to help save device power when headphones are unplugged.

• Question:

  Will my device be sufficient to power the DAC3?

  Answer:

  The DAC3 only needs 200mA USB power to work, which most all modern source devices are capable of.

• Question:

  What DAC chip does the DAC3 use?

  Answer:

  The DAC3 uses the ES9281A PRO DAC chipset

• Question:

  How easy is it to set up the DAC3?

  Answer:

  To get things up and running only takes 3 simple steps. You would just need to first connect the included USB-C cable from your device's USB port to the DAC3; then you'll need to connect the mini-jack output of your DAC3 to headphones, or any audio input of your powered speakers, stereo system, etc.

  Next, if using a Mac, you will need to go to System Preferences/Sound, and select "Audioengine DAC3"; if you're using a PC, no setting changes are needed as the computer will automatically find the USB driver. Finally, you'll just need to adjust the volume on your device and DAC3 to medium and you’re ready to play music from iTunes or your favorite media player and that's it! Setup really is that easy!

  
  
  

• Question:

  Can I connect the DAC3 to my Android device?

  Answer:

  The DAC3 will work with Android or any device that can operate as a USB-C host, can provide enough power via USB, and includes generic drivers for standard USB audio playback.  A device with Android 5.0 or later should have both USB host mode and native plug-and-play functionality for USB audio, so you could connect the two together using the included USB-C cable.

• Question:

  How can the DAC3 external computer DAC improve my music?

  Answer:

  The DAC3 is essentially a very high-end external sound card. Its components and implementation of those components make it more capable than what might be built into a computer, not to mention the benefit of moving those sensitive components outside and away from the potentially noisy interior of your computer. All of this means the signal your speakers or wired headphones receive will be clearer, with a lower noise-floor, and with a more pronounced dynamic range over your internal sound card.

• Question:

  How powerful is the headphone amp in the DAC3? Will it drive my headphones?

  Answer:

  The DAC3 includes a headphone amplifier based on the ES9281A PRO Ultra DAC delivers 32-bit precision, high dynamic range and ultra low distortion. This headphone amp is able to provide low-impedance, high-fidelity audio to a wide range of wired headphones.

• Question:

  Can I use the DAC3 with an Apple iPhone or iPad?

  Answer:

  Yes! All you would need to do is connect your iOS device to the DAC3 using the included Lightning to USB-C cable.

• Question:

  Will DAC3 work with lower impedance headphones such as my Beyerdynamic DT-990 and Hifiman HE500?

  Answer:

  DAC3 can easily drive wired headphones with impedances of 12 ohms or higher.

• Question:

  Does DAC3 support MQA files?

  Answer:

  Yes! DAC3 offers broad support for standard hi-res audio formats including MQA, PCM and DSD.

• Question:

  My DAC3 is connected as shown, but there is no music output.

  Answer:

  1. Verify that one of the included cables is completely plugged into the DAC3 and your source device.
  2. Also verify that a 3.5mm mini-jack is firmly plugged in.
  3. Try disconnecting and reconnecting both the USB and 3.5mm cable.
  4. You will see an LED light confirming the DAC3 is getting power and is connected to an output.
  5. Check the volume level on your source.
  6. If connected to a computer, verify that the DAC3 is recognized and the active output device.
  7. Try restarting your computer.

  If none of the above helps resolve your issue, please contact our Support Team for additional assistance.

• Question:

  The output level from the DAC3 is low.

  Answer:

  Please check that the volume control on your phone/tablet/computer is up and at a good level; 75% should be a good level. Also try adjusting the volume on the DAC3 as well.

• Question:

  Only one channel plays music.

  Answer:

  Check the cables between DAC3 and your headphones or sound system. Also check your audio player and OS audio controls to ensure that the audio balance is centered as well.

• Question:

  I am playing HD files or streams but the DAC3 HD indicator LED is not illuminated.

  Answer:

  Verify that the sample rate selection in your computer's OS is set correctly. Your OS's output settings will determine the color of the LED on the DAC3 -- not the specific file being played.
• Question:

  A hum or buzzing sound can be heard.

  Answer:

  Verify that the audio cable from the D3 is plugged in and in working order.
• Question:

  Are firmware updates or driver downloads needed for my Audioengine product?

  Answer:

  No, there are no firmware updates or special drivers needed unless you own our A1-MR multi-room speakers or our B-Fi multi-room wireless streaming device.

  If a firmware update is released for the A1-MR or the B-Fi, you will be notified of the update the next time you open the Audioengine Control App.  If an update is needed, simply click "update" on the DEVICES page next to the product that needs to have the firmware update applied.  The app will handle the rest of the process from there!

  Standard plug-n-play drivers that are provided by your computer's OS are utilized when using the USB input on our A2+, HD3, and HD4 speaker models.

  And all of our Bluetooth speakers/products are compatible with any device that supports Bluetooth, and the A2DP profile for streaming stereo audio. This includes most smartphones, tablets, and computers. For computers that don't include Bluetooth support out of the box, you can simply add a USB Bluetooth adapter.