Name: D1 24-bit DAC/ Headphone Amp
SKU: D1-DACHeadphoneAmp
Price: 169 USD
Availability: InStock

Tech Specs

High-Performance Headphone Amp
USB Audio Input
Optical Audio Input
Analog Audio Output
Plug & Play

View All Tech Specs

ENHANCE YOUR SOUND

HIGH QUALITY AUDIO

Perfect for providing high quality audio to speakers or headphones, the D1 is a premium 24-bit DAC and headphone amplifier for your computer, TV, and more. The D1 connects to your computer’s USB port or optical output without any software to download, making the D1 quick and easy to set up.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT

BENEFITS

High-performance DAC and headphone amp
USB and optical inputs
Stream bit-perfect 24/96 HD audio
Desktop or portable DAC
Mac or PC, no driver to install

PREMIUM 24-BIT DAC

DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG CONVERTER

Audioengine D1 Premium 24-bit DAC (digital-to-analog converter) allows you to bypass your computer’s soundcard or headphone output and send audio through USB or optical.

D1 will process digital audio at any bit depth up to 24 bits and any sample rate to 192kHz. With it’s high signal-to-noise ratio and low distortion, the D1 delivers sound quality generally heard only in more expensive DACs. The high-performance headphone output was designed for a wide range of headphones and will satisfy even the most demanding headphone enthusiasts.

D1 is the perfect digital interface between your computer and music system and will improve the sound of ALL your music.

PLUG-AND-PLAY

ALWAYS READY TO GO

The D1 accepts inputs from both USB and optical and has outputs for any audio system or headphones. The D1 DAC is the perfect way to get great-sounding music not only from your computer but from your TV, Apple TV, Blu-ray player or CD player. DirecTV and Comcast also have optical outputs for high-res audio.
Setup is easy and no special software, app, or driver is needed, making D1 a true plug-and-play digital audio solution.

HEAR THE DIFFERENCE

YOUR MUSIC WILL SOUND BETTER, GUARANTEED.

The D1 reflects traditional Audioengine design and the audio fidelity is typical of Audioengine’s commitment to great sound at an affordable price. Even if you’re not an audio enthusiast we guarantee your music will sound better!

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What's in the Box

Questions & Answers

Question:

Where can I download drivers for the D1?

Answer:

The D1 is a USB Plug-and-Play audio device. which means that the drivers it uses are developed and provided by the developer of your computer's operating system. Because of this, you shouldn't need to download or upgrade any drivers to use your D1.
Question:

How do I use the optical input of the D1?

Answer:

When you connect an optical cable, the D1 will sense that an optical input is present and give that input priority. If using D1 with optical outputs from your TV, DVD player, Apple TV, etc you will need an AC USB power adapter (sold separately) to power D1. When using the optical output from your computer, you may power D1 via the computer's USB power and therefore no external power supply is needed.
Question:

What volume level should I set my D1 and/or speakers to for the best results?

Answer:

There's not really a right or wrong when it comes to volume settings. I'd recommend setting it up whichever way is more convenient, and dialing in a combination of settings to give you the smoothest ramp-up. If you intend to use the D1's volume as your main control for example, try this: set the speakers to zero volume, and the D1 to max volume. Then with music playing, adjust the speakers up until the volume is as loud as you would want to listen to it. Then simply adjust from the your D1 to mood.
Question:

How easy is it to set up the D1?

Answer:

To get things up and running, you would just need to first connect the included USB cable from your computer's USB port to the D1; then you'll need to connect the RCA outputs to your powered speakers/ AV receiver or your headphones to the headphone output on the front of the D1.

Next, if using a Mac, you will need to go to System Preferences/Sound, and select "Audioengine D1"; 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 play music from iTunes or your favorite media player and that's it! Setup really is that easy!
Question:

How can the D1 external computer DAC improve my music?

Answer:

The D1 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 receive will be clearer, with a lower noise-floor, and with a more pronounced dynamic range over your internal sound card.
Question:

Is D1 USB input isochronous or asynchronous?

Answer:

The D1 is asynchronous, which means it controls the data streams timing using it's own internal clock to minimize jitter.
Question:

Can I use the D1 with an Apple iPhone or iPad?

Answer:

Yes! You will need an Apple USB 3 camera adapter. What you would need to do is connect the D1 and its USB cable to the USB A port on the Apple USB 3 camera adapter, and then the male lightning end of the Camera Adapter to your iOS device. You will also need to have a power supply that can power enough to the D1 and your device. Apple's USB C Fast charger is recommended for this.
Question:

Can I use the D1 with my Airport Express for even better sounding Airplay?

Answer:

Absolutely! We've had a lot of really good feedback from our customers on this, and its really easy to add to an existing Airplay setup. You can connect your Airport Express into the D1s optical input using a mini-Toslink to Toslink cable to pass a digital signal to the D1. Like other setups without a computer you'll still need to connect the D1 to a USB connection for power - Either a USB AC adapter like we offer in our accessories, or a nearby USB port capable of delivering a minimum of 500mA. Please note that the USB port on the Airport express is intended only for lower powered or self powered devices (like a printer) and will not reliably power the D1.
Question:

Why do I lose system volume control when using the D1 with my computer?

Answer:

Optical and USB outputs are all digital, so both Windows and Mac OS X will disable the system volume control when they are in use. You can still control the volume directly in iTunes (or any media player), with the front panel volume control on the D1, or with the volume control on your audio system.
Question:

What media player software and audio file formats are compatible with the D1 when using it with a computer?

Answer:

When connected via USB with a computer, the D1 acts like a USB sound-card. Because of this, once it's set as your default playback device, it should work with any application on your computer playing audio, and with any file format the software supports.
Question:

When I plug in headphones will the D1 RCA outputs be muted?

Answer:

Yes, the output will mute and audio will only play through your headphones.
Question:

Is there a recommended "break-in period" for the D1?

Answer:

Your D1 will sound great out of the box and will get better over time, however, it's best to play music for 40 to 50 hours first before doing any critical listening.
Question:

Will the D1 work with my low-impedance headphones?

Answer:

The D1 includes a headphone amp based around the TI OPA2134 low noise opamp. This headphone amp is able to provide low-impedance, high-fidelity audio to a wide range of headphones and supports headphones with impedances 10 ohms and higher.
Question:

How do I find out more information about DACs and computer audio?

Answer:

There are some excellent online computer audio forums and a quick search will turn up everything you need to know about the best hardware and software and how to get started on any budget. Computer audio is quickly evolving so we suggest to check and make sure the information you find is up to date.
Question:

Should I be using the optical or USB input on my D1?

Answer:

Both USB and Optical should provide the same high-quality digital signal to your D1. In most cases where both USB and optical are available, we usually recommend USB since it's a shorter signal path. The only real difference is that the optical input on the D1 can support up to 192KHz input if your source supports it. We'd certainly recommend trying both if you have them available to see if you can notice any difference in your setup, and with your audio files.
Question:

Can I send audio to both the optical and USB inputs at the same time?

Answer:

The Optical connection on the D1 takes priority, so when the D1 receives an optical signal it will switch to this automatically. Some devices will deactivate their optical out when no audio is playing. Others will leave it active and send an empty signal when no audio is playing, meaning depending on how the optical output on that source acts you may have to shut the source off. You can use something like an optical switcher so that you can toggle between the optical source and the USB input.
Question:

How do I make sure that the D1 DAC is set to 24-bit/96KHz audio?

Answer:

If using a Mac, open the Audio MIDI Setup utility in Applications->Utilities, under Audio Devices, choose "Audioengine D1" and check that the format is set to 96 and the bit depth is set to 24bit. On a PC, open the sound options through the control panel. Then choose Speakers - Audioengine D1" and select Properties. You can select the output format from the dropdown in the advanced tab.
Question:

Are the RCA connections on the rear of the D1 fixed or variable?

Answer:

These RCA outputs are variable, adjusting the volume on the D1 will adjust the output of any speakers or amp connected to this output. This makes the D1 a handy way to control the volume of both your speakers AND headphones.
Question:

I have the original Audioengine 5 (not the A5+ Classic), will the D1 / D2 DAC work with the inputs on that original model?

Answer:

You can use Audioengine DACs with your original A5s, no problem. You would simply use a standard RCA cable and the RCA to mini-jack adapter that came with the A5 to connect the RCA output from the DAC in to one of the mini-jack inputs.
Question:

Can I connect the D1 DAC to a USB hub?

Answer:

Although D1 may work just fine when connected to most USB hubs, this is not recommended as the data rate may not be fast enough for higher-resolution music. We therefore suggest you select a high-speed USB bus all by itself and don't use a USB port on your keyboard, for example.
Question:

Are Audioengine products compatible with Bluetooth 5.0?

Answer:

Yes! We incorporate all the relevant functions and features from Bluetooth 5.0 that apply to our products! These features include; extended range, low latency (so that video and audio sync properly), as well as higher level aptX-HD, aptX, and AAC codecs (with the exception of our 512 portable speaker which supports SBC only). Keep in mind that the capability of the source is what controls the Bluetooth experience.
Question:

Will the D1 work with USB 1.1?

Answer:

Yes, however, note that 24/96 HD digital audio pushes the limits of USB 1.1 speeds. Due to this it's highly recommended that you connect to a higher-speed USB 2.0 port.
Question:

The D1 is connected to the optical output of my TV but I'm not getting any sound. What can I do?

Answer:

In your TV menu verify that "PCM STEREO" is selected and "DOLBY DIGITAL" is off.
Question:

My D1 occasionally makes a clicking noise during playback. How can I avoid this?

Answer:

Try removing all other USB devices temporarily, and try each USB port on your computer one at a time to see which one works best in your setup. USB audio needs quite a bit of bandwidth, so for best results ensure your D1 is on a "High-Speed" bus and not a "Full-Speed" bus.
Question:

Is it normal for the D1's USB cable to be loose?

Answer:

It's normal for USB B connections to have a little play as well as some of the metal to be showing when they are plugged in, so no need to worry. It will be fully connected once you feel and hear the click noise from the connection.
Question:

I'm having trouble using my D1 with Foobar in WASAPI and KS mode. What do I do?

Answer:

In the Foobar control panel, under Preferences->Output, set the buffer length to minimum. A few customers have mentioned that WASAPI mode is more stable when used under WinAmp, so try that as well.