The portable digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) is such an underrated headphone accessory. Not only does it boost the audio quality on standard and poorly converted music files (think of those awful-sounding LimeWire downloads sitting in your Apple Music library) but it can reduce distortion and unwanted noise. It’s also a more affordable and travel-friendly alternative to your home hi-fi system.
That’s what EarFun’s new $80 UA100 Portable USB DAC showed me after a two-week test drive. This unexpected release launched alongside the $100 EH-100 Triple-Driver Hybrid Earphones in celebration of the brand’s five-year anniversary and can be purchased individually or as a bundle for $116 on EarFun’s website.
Having plenty of positive experiences with EarFun’s wireless earbuds, including the Air Pro 3 and the Free Pro 3, I was curious to hear if this cost-effective DAC could meet my audiophile standards. It did more than that. The E100 earned its spot on my Android smartphones and encouraged me to indulge in more wired listening.
Certified Hi-Res Audio support, powerful decoding and universal compatibility packaged into a compact design make the EarFun UA100 Portable USB DAC a bargain for mobile and PC users. You can currently save an additional 30% on the UA100 with our exclusive code EFHIFICNN.
What we liked about it
Hi-resolution audio on all devices and platforms
The UA100 comes with a ES9038Q2M DAC chip & Dual RT6863 Amp chip that meet Hi-Res Audio certification. In other words, it delivers CD-quality audio and original sound reproduction. You’ll need a premium subscription to a hi-res music streaming platform (e.g., Deezer, Tidal) for this level of quality.
This DAC is also serviceable for other popular music streaming services. It does a terrific job of upscaling audio on lossless Apple Music and standard Spotify tracks, plus locally stored files.
For testing purposes, I paired the UA100 with both luxury and super-cheap headphones: the $429 Bose QuietComfort Ultra and the $15 Sony MDR-ZX110. I’ve already reviewed both models and praised their sound capabilities, and I enjoyed the sonic lift this DAC provided them.
Let me start with the less powerful Sony MDR-ZX100. When I used them on their own, I could hear the background static on certain tracks like Empire of the Sun’s “Walking on a Dream.” The synthesized vocals were a bit tinny as well. Adding the UA100 into the mix cleared up the soundscape by increasing clarity and depth on instruments and vocals. Music had a more natural feel to it.
The high-end Bose QC Ultra already sound excellent and utilize advanced codecs like aptX Adaptive that produce high-resolution Bluetooth playback. Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” had a vibrant bop when listening in wireless mode; however, pairing the headphones to the UW100 emphasized mids and highs. The King of Pop’s voice was more domineering and upfront. My ears also picked up sounds that I’d never heard before on this track: There was a low-pitched maraca shaking incessantly that can be heard between the teetering cymbal effects.
Near-universal compatibility and handy controls
You don’t need a specific connection port to use the UA100. It comes bundled with standard USB-A and USB-C adapters that are compatible with most current media players, PCs and smartphones, including the all-new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Those with Lightning-compatible iPhones aren’t left in the dark either. Any USB-C to Lightning cable should work, though one is not included.
Another perk of the UA100 is its built-in playback controls. The mode button on the side doubles as a play/pause button, which isn’t something I’ve seen on any portable DAC and is a useful feature when using wired headphones without inline controls. The function doesn’t seem to work with certain Android devices (such as those from OnePlus), but it offered solid tactility and responsiveness when employed on other Google-operated devices like my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. It also worked well on my MacBook Pro.
It can double as a headphone splitter
Adding 3.5mm and 4.5mm ports to the UA100 was a clever decision. The benefit of this isn’t just to support different headphone outputs. Apparently, the UA100 can also be used as a headphone splitter to share audio with another wired headphone user. I haven’t been able to test it, but EarFun did confirm this functionality. However, the company mentioned that doing this “may affect the 4.4mm port difference signal.” Either way, that’s a cool feature that other portable DACs might want to consider adopting.
Bottom line
The UA100 is a surprisingly good portable DAC, especially for the price. Its design couldn’t be any more portable, and the aluminum casing with braided wiring ensures it’ll be around for at least the next few years. Most importantly, it’s an awesome upgrade for mobile listeners that want hi-fi sound from their wired headphones without splurging on expensive audio equipment.
