The BEST Gaming Headphone Amps / DACs Right Now in 2021!
The BEST Gaming Headphone Amps / DACs Right Now in 2021!
One of the first steps of creating the best gaming audio setup in 2021 is to find the best headphone amp or DAC for the money they you can afford. In this video we review headphone amp / DAC combinations from Sound Blaster, EPOS, Schiit, Mayflower, Fosi and Syba including sound testing, software and microphone quality.
Buy items in this video from Amazon at the links below:
Fosi Audio Q4 DAC – https://geni.us/FOSIQ4
Mayflower ARC mk2 – https://geni.us/ARKMK2
Sound Blaster X3 – https://geni.us/SBX3
Epos GSX 300 – https://geni.us/GSX300
Epos Sennheiser GSX 1000 – https://geni.us/GSX1000
Syba Sonic DAC Amp – https://geni.us/SybaDAC
Schiit Fulla 3 – https://geni.us/FULLA3DAC
Schiit Hel – https://geni.us/HELDAC
Razer Blackshark V2 – https://geni.us/BlacksharkV2
Razer Blackshark V2 X – https://geni.us/BlacksharkV2X
Buy the Razer BlackShark V2 & Razer BlackShark V2 X direct from Razer:
BlackShark V2 X – https://razer.a9yw.net/bx3EB
BlackShark V2 – https://razer.a9yw.net/zEa7m
Timestamps:
0:00 – Best Headphone Amp / DAC Intro
0:49 – The DAC / AMP Round Up
1:36 – Schiit FULLA 3 Review
2:59 – Fosi Q4 DAC Review
5:32 – EPOS GSX 300 Review
6:56 – SYBA Sonic Gaming AMP review
8:43 – Sound Blaster X3 Review
10:48 – EPOS GSX 1000 Review
11:58 – Schiit HEL Review
12:53 – Mayflower ARC MK2 Review
15:19 – Microphone Testing Roundup
17:37 – Best Headphone Amp / DAC Conclusion
Individual reviews:
GSX 1000 – https://youtu.be/MGX069Zo8kE
GSX 300 – https://youtu.be/rnIrQLEZdjA
Fulla 3 – https://youtu.be/-HLlmBtyYGw
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Review unit provided free of charge by the companies listed or were purchased by Hardware Canucks. This video is sponsored by be quiet!. As per Hardware Canucks guidelines, no review direction was received from manufacturer. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Gear list (Available on Amazon):
Main Camera (Dmitry) – https://geni.us/SONYA7III
Main Lens (Dmitry) – https://geni.us/Tamron2875
Main Camera (Eber) – https://geni.us/CanonEOS-R
Main Lens (Eber) – https://geni.us/dLL
Main 2nd Lens (Eber) – https://geni.us/Canon24-70MKII
Main Camera Mic (D & E) – https://geni.us/RODEMIC
Cheap 4K Camera (Panasonic G7) – https://geni.us/24nm
Awesome Slider – https://geni.us/1Hwt
Our Shotgun Mic – https://geni.us/Sennheiser-MKE600
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#bestheadphoneamp2021 #bestgamingdac #hardwarecanucks
can i use this on earbuds?
Fosi is the best in my opinion.
Can I use ”DT990 Pro” with a (SYNA SONIC 24bit) to aux on my monitor and get amazing audio compared to my current headset (Razer Nari Ultimate)
Are any of these cards superior to the CREATIVE X3 or G6? For listening to music, any better quality than the X3/G6?
the syba sonic has a disconnecting problem and i have no idea how to fix it. 🙁
hey i have a prodigy cube for headphones.And im using it for last 7 years and i want to know should i change it??? for Fosi or idk any suggestions plz im more stereo person and music thank you*
I would like to thank content creators from different worlds for always including at least two budget items to review. God bless your souls.
What’s a good dac/ amp for PC38X?
i have The Objective2 (O2) would you say that’s much better than Behringer Micro amp HA400? which im currently using atm because the Object 2 power supply is faulty so need to replace it
Hi, I need help. I usually direct plug in my headphone to PC and use Sound Blaster Cinema 3 software while playing FPS games. It has surround effect and right positional.
But when I switch my iFi Zen DAC/Amp + Zen CAN Amp (Stack),
Sound Blaster Cinema 3 software auto-disable. There is no surround effect and the positional feels very weird which only has left and right positional.
So how to get surround effect and right positional while using external DAC AMP? (except those dac amps come with surround sound like sound blaster x3)
Or is it there is no way as getting an external DAC would mean no surround sound for movies and gaming, just stereo 2-channel sound?
do all these amplifiers work with the DT990 headset?
NO NO NO NADA DE ESO SIRVE, DONDE DEJASTE EL MOJO CHORD 2
Is the fosi audio q4 good enough or should i stretch my budget to go for a spundblaster g6?
Is there a dac for bluetooth earbuds?
We need a 2023 video 🙂
Lowered the bass and increased the trebble?!?! Are you insane? MORE BASS! Hehe j/k 😀
Yikes…
Me using an asus Hero VII (4790K) and I listen to this video at 5% volume (30 Ohms head-set)…
Movies do require going up as high as 40%, same as classic music. 100% would surely harm your ears in the long run.
If he can barely game at max volume I guess he is using a 600 Ohms head-set and those things can’t do movies or classic music at all to be honest (at that level).
I’m sure volume is a feature but for most parts is something they limit to protect the consumers, resolution, response to frequency, noise, crosstalk…so many things beyond signature alone.
Most DACs have no surround sound, is a nice feature for movies and games you don’t wanna miss out, the big plus of having a soundcard that can comunicate with the PC via software.
I’m kind of sold on the senheisers DACs, wish I could afford one 🙁
I love you man lol youre funny!! thx for the video
A lot of these sound really good, definitely a good purchase.
The other end of the spectrum would just be getting an actual audio mixer such as a GOXLR or Rodecaster Pro
why no sound blaster gc7?
Do you have for 2022?
how do you connect a usb headphone? like a HS80 Corsair to a Creative Labs Sound Blaster X3 External Sound Card ?
Can you do this over but have Dac/headset combos at certain price points ?
I want dt990s,but hesitant to purchase the right Dac to power it
Does the headset mic work with fosi q4
Do i need 2 y cables to connect my headphones, mic to amp then my pc?
Any sound system is only as good as the speakers, or in this case, headphones. And it’s true that headphones sold as "gaming", are usually lower in quality as they only have to deal with the voice or in-game sounds. They don’t have to deal with all the nuances of music. As such, any amp is perfectly good for "gaming". In fact, for "gaming", you don’t need an amp at all so save your money.
Fosi actually has a version of the Q4 with a microphone input, called the K5. I’ve been eyeing it but there are no reviews on the internet unfortunately.
So say if I was going to go for the DT 1990 pro what amp would I use?
Hello ,i have seen the upgraded version of Fosi Audio Q4 K5 PRO on the amazon ,could you please to have test for us that we can know more about the new version,thank you
Hi I just got my prebuilt and obviously the audio is waayyyy different than my series x. I currently have a pair of steelseries 9 and I am having difficulty changing between game audio and discord audio. I do not know anything about this stuff but I want tot learn. So my question is, Will one of these act as an external volume setting for both discord chat and game audio??
Get a Sharkoon DAC Pro S – all you need. Perfect on a Notebook or PC.
Wish i could use it on iPhone. Awesome little thing.
Does anyone know if you can use both headphone outputs for 2 sets of headphones on the Syba sonic gaming amp? Looking for a dac/amp that can have both my sennheiser HD569 and 599’s (both 50 impedance).
The best gaming DAC/amp are non gaming oriented ones
02:35 – Hahahaha.
Can we get 2022/2023 edition of this video? Thanks
Schiit, how haven’t I seen this yet?
If audio in gaming was as important as having good aim, pros wouldn’t be using pice of shit headphones.
Any recommendation for a work pc that doesnt allow 3rd party drivers or software. Mostly looking to amplify my mic for "hard to hear" customers and play with volume for customers that scream or are too quiet. I hate yelling over my mic for old people
Would love a review of the Fosi Audio K5 which does include a microphone Jack.
Bought an Aiyima DAC A-2 myself, its the same as the Fosi Q4 DAC. Experience so far using it for the past whole months with my Samson SR850 has been solid. It delivers wayyy more power than my headphones need LOL. At the loudest I would have it would be 12’o clock on the volume. I use the Bass and Treble knobs and have them set at 9 & 8’o clock respectively as setting them to the minimum made the sound mostly mids and not that lively.
Yes, soundstage became a bit more forward as Dmitri said. But compared to my motherboard’s on board audio its a bit cleaner especially when there’s nothing playing.
Hey Canucks,
You do such great videos , can just tell it over and over again.
But now i am hella confused of what i should by myself
I want to use it only on my PC-Setup
The first question, where peoples opionion splits is —–> DO I WANT DAC+AMP-Combo or is just an AMP enough?
Devices i researched and i want to decide between are:
DAC/AMP:
Creative Sound Blaster X3
Creative Sound BlasterX G6
Schiit Fulla 4 – E
Syba Sonic
AMP:
Schiit Audio Magni // Heresy
iFi Audio Zen CAN
FiiO K5 Pro
Fosi Audio Q4 DAC
JDS Labs Atom Amp
iFi Hip DAC
What would you say i should go for?
Regards,
Benny
is there one with a normal usb connection ? how can i use that then ?
2:36 "almost pulled the Linus" 💀💀💀
I don’t understand why you don’t include “regular” audio interfaces like Audient and Arturia..?
Can you review the new Fosi Audio K5 Pro Gaming DAC Headphone Amplifier? or make latest gaming DAC 2023 edition?
In my world headsets and headphone amps are dying, a USB interface can give you the same and a bit more for the same money today, shure its bulky with an microphone but at the same time you can get a 20-30$ one that sound WAY better than any headset out there.
Question bro, even if the fosi Q4 does not have independent micro plug in. The micro in my headsets will still working? Thanks
Dmitry we need a 2022 update.
Im a little late to the (DAC) show, as I’ve just purchased a Asus z690-a motherboard. Did not realize there was no optical digital output on the back of the MB when purchasing and the system is all built up. As I have ‘Edifier R1850DB Active Bookshelf Studio Speakers’ which DAC would be a good setup for these speakers? I suppose I will need to use the audio out 3.5mm out the back of the motherboard, and not a USB connector.