Massdrop Liquid Carbon X + SDAC DAC/Amp

This DAC/amp brings two of the community’s favorite designers together in one convenient, great-sounding package. It features the Massdrop x Alex Cavalli Liquid Carbon X amp, built by the founder of Cavalli Audio—a legend in the world of headphone amps. For the DAC section, it uses the Massdrop x Grace Design Standard DAC (or SDAC), a collaboration with a company long known for its incredibly accurate, transparent studio gear. The result is an all-in-one unit made of high-grade, CNC-milled aluminum that’s more portable and easily stackable than the sum of its parts. It works well with a variety of driver types and impedances, including all previous Massdrop over-ear headphones.

The Standard DAC sets a new standard in entry-level DACs. Designed with the objectivist audiophile in mind, the SDAC delivers objectively good performance meant to meet or exceed the measurements of the popular ODAC while retaining many of its other benefits. It’s equipped with the new AKM AK4452 digital-to-analog conversion chip and can process the most common file types up to 24 bit/96 kHz with no harshness or edge and the kind of resolution and detail that’ll make you want to listen on and on. It runs off of USB bus power with plug-and-play operation, which means you won’t need drivers or any special software to get started.

The Liquid Carbon X is a solid-state, fully balanced, bridged amp with a clear, transparent, non-fatiguing sound. It has the same topology as the celebrated Liquid Carbon, along with updates to the form factor, switching power supply, and input and output jacks. The four amplifier sections—two per channel—create a clean, distortion-free signal and a quiet background. It retains the Liquid Carbon’s single-ended output for convenience with unbalanced cables, and also has a balanced output for when you need more power and ultimate performance. The Liquid Carbon X adds a protective offset detector, and for quieter operation and compatibility with worldwide voltages, moves the power supply out of the chassis. Plus, you can adjust the gain on the front panel for different headphones.