The final 5 years have seen the elimination of the trusty 3.5mm jack from most telephones, and whereas it began out with flagships, you may discover many mid-range telephones that do not have the ever-present jack. On the identical time, the audio business has pivoted to the true wi-fi class, delivering wi-fi choices that supply extra freedom.
Today, one can find earbuds that sound good and supply first rate battery life for as little as $30, and the greatest wi-fi earbuds sound almost pretty much as good as their wired counterparts from half a decade in the past — whereas providing just a few extra options. Whereas the wi-fi audio phase has matured, we’re now seeing a resurgence in wired audio, largely pushed by the rise of lossless music streaming companies.
With Hello-Fi gear largely restricted to the wired phase, one choice can be to choose up a USB-C to three.5mm dongle to attach wired earbuds to your telephone. However a better option can be to go along with a transportable DAC. We have seen just a few USB-C DAC/amps break floor within the final two years, and Helm Audio’s Bolt DAC is among the most fun choices on this class.
At a excessive stage, the Bolt is a $99 DAC/amp that connects over USB-C to your telephone. You may discover a USB-C connector at one finish, and on the different finish, you get a 3.5mm jack for plugging in your wired audio gear. Its diminutive profile means it is not that a lot bigger than a dongle, however you are getting quite a lot of options in that miniature chassis: it has 32 bit/384kHz PCM and DSD128 decoding, and it really works as an MQA renderer, supplying you with the choice to stream Tidal Masters straight out of your telephone. Oh, and it additionally has THX certification.
All the {hardware} for the DAC is housed inside an oblong shell that options Helm Audio branding on one aspect and the MQA label together with a tiny LED indicator on the opposite. The LED offers you a visible indicator of supply high quality; blue is for audio below 48KHz, purple is for supply audio over 48KHz, and magenta is for MQA audio. Each the USB connector and the three.5mm jack function gold plating, and the 5cm cable connecting the 2 ends is of a top quality and constructed to final.
The DAC weighs simply 7.1g, making it one of many lightest and most moveable choices you may discover in the present day. Due to its dimension and the truth that it is easy to lose, the packaging features a leather-based pouch. You additionally get a USB-C to USB-A plug that permits you to use the Bolt with different gadgets.
The Bolt is designed in such a manner as to isolate the ESS Sabre 9281A Professional DAC and the USB {hardware}, so there is no interference, and you will not discover any hiss when utilizing the DAC with delicate IEMs just like the Fiio FA7S. It additionally delivers an influence output of 1.1V over 150 Ohms, so you need to use most IEMs and headphones with this DAC.
Though designed to work together with your telephone, the Bolt DAC pairs simply fantastic with any supply machine, together with Home windows and macOS machines. It’s a plug and play choice, so you do not have to fret about putting in drivers. I used it for the final six months with over a dozen Android telephones, and it had no issues by any means. I take advantage of Tidal for streaming and USB Participant Professional for enjoying my native audio assortment, and in each conditions, the DAC was in a position to go Android’s built-in USB decoding for its personal {hardware}.
The Bolt delivers a impartial sound that is stuffed with presence and character. It’s missing in low-bass, however makes up for it with a vigorous mid-bass that shines via. Mids are equally vigorous and detailed, and the DAC handles excessive frequencies with the identical quantity of gusto, managing to ship clear notes with none harshness. It manages to faithfully recreate supply recordings with out lacking out on any key traits, and that makes the Bolt a real powerhouse on this class.
Due to the truth that it runs off a USB-C cable, it is not simple to make use of the Bolt with an iPhone — you may want a Lightning to USB-C dongle after which pair the DAC. Most dongles price $20 to $30 on their very own, so I can see why there is not one bundled within the field — it could have pushed the retail price to over $100.
There is a rising record of moveable DACs as of late, and should you’re out there for a high-quality choice that’s simple to make use of and delivers wonderful sound, the Bolt DAC is a stellar selection. The truth that it really works as an MQA renderer offers it a definite edge on this class, and its diminutive profile means you need to use it wherever.
The Bolt DAC delivers highly effective sound in a tiny package deal, making it the perfect choice should you’re in search of a transportable DAC to make use of together with your telephone. It has a sturdy design, renders MQA information with none points, and the impartial sound attribute permits your music to shine.
