Rhodium DAC
$49.00$39.00 USD
Description
NOTE: New packaging coming! As soon as we’re out of the old box, the new box will be used. See photos for the new look packaging! But rest assured, it’s still the same Rhodium as always!
Rhodium is a mobile HiFi Swiss Army Knife, and the best value High Resolution Audio DAC/Preamp/Amp In The World.
If you want to experience the pinnacle of Mobile-HiFi, Rhodium + Nickel + a set of our IEM’s guarantees you category leading ‘Megabuck’ HiFi performance, that will fit in your pocket.
If your Android phone or tablet doesn’t have a 3.5mm output, Rhodium provides a 32bit/384kHz DAC & High-Power Amplifier output stage for your wired headphones.
If you want to improve the quality of your Windows or MacOS computer’s headphone output, or microphone input, Rhodium is just the ticket.
If you want to transform your Android device, Windows computer, or MacOS computer into a High Resolution DAC/Preamp, Rhodium has your back.
NOTE: iOS devices aren’t well supported; we’ve confirmed that a 4th gen iPad, running iOS 14.3 works, but most iOS devices would require use of the Apple Camera adapter, and even then, your success is not guaranteed.
Specially selected audio-grade caps of C0G tolerance in all audio pathways, high-speed, high-stability X7Rs for all power supply bypasses results 10 dB lower noise and 1/2 the distortion of any competing product on the market anywhere near Rhodium’s price point.
Proprietary high-strand OFC wire with polyethylene woven jacket and molded aluminum shells guarantees years of reliable use.
The result is stunning. Near-sonic perfection in something that weighs less than a nickel (the coin, not our awesome amp).
Specifications
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Frequency Response | 2 Hz to 192 kHz, +0/-3 dB |
| Dynamic Range | 113 dB |
| SNR | 108 dB A wt. |
| THD | Less than 0.007% |
| Output Power | 31 mW @ 32 Ohms |
| Current Consumption | 23 mA @ 1 mW output |
| Physical Properties | |
|---|---|
| Cable Length | 63mm |
| Mass | 4.4 grams |
| Operational Temperature | -20 to +50° C |
| Operational Humidity | 0-95% Relative Humidity |
| Retention Force | 1.8 Newtons |
| Overall Length | 117 mm |
| Max Width | 10.8 mm |
| Max Thickness | 6.9 mm |
| Material Properties | |
|---|---|
| Melting Point | 2237 Kelvin |
| Speed of Sound | 4700 meters per second |
| Young’s Modulus | 380 Gigapascals |
| Brinell Hardness | 1100 Megapascals |
Additional information
| Weight | 0.1 kg |
|---|
Description
NOTE: New packaging coming! As soon as we’re out of the old box, the new box will be used. See photos for the new look packaging. But rest assured, it’s still the same Rhodium as always!
Rhodium is a mobile HiFi Swiss Army Knife, and the best value High Resolution Audio DAC/Preamp/Amp In The World. Take a Rhodium, add a pair of our great IEMs (like Be or Carbon) and have a world-class wired stereo in your pocket!
Rhodium rocks you with 32 bit / 384 kHz PCM capability, meaning just about any audio file (including 99% of all high-res files) will be reproduced with absolute accuracy. Rhodium also has a full 1Vrms output, meaning your headphones will benefit from 30 mW of power per channel, plenty to drive nearly all ‘phones – IEMs or cans – to high volume levels.
Android, Windows, macOS, iPadOS, Linux? Just plug right in to any USB port (use the included type C to type A adapter if needed) and enjoy your music. No driver or download needed – native support!
NEW: for those with iPhones and the Lightning port, we have you covered! Our Electron USB C to Lightning adapter comes to the rescue! Plug Rhodium into the adapter, the adapter into your iPhone and get all the benefits of high res, high power DAC-dom with your device. It’s normally a $9.95 adapter, but just $5 when paired with Rhodium.
Why does Rhodium sound so good? Specially selected audio-grade caps of C0G tolerance in all audio pathways, high-speed, high-stability X7Rs for all power supply bypasses results 10 dB lower noise and 1/2 the distortion of any competing product on the market anywhere near Rhodium’s price point.
For those who want to up their telecom (or gaming) game, Rhodium also works with microphones on your headphones. Plug it in, and you’ll get Rhodium’s 24 bit, 48 kHz conversion of mic audio streaming back into your device, so your voice comes through crystal clear – limited only by your microphone (NOTE: might not work with all iPhones – iOS is picky when it comes to telecom).
Proprietary high-strand OFC wire with polyethylene woven jacket and molded aluminum shells guarantees years of reliable use.
The result is stunning. Near-sonic perfection in something that weighs less than a nickel (the coin, not our awesome amp).
Nerd Layer
Why does it Sound So Good? It’s just a Realtek Chip!
Yes, we use a Realtek ALC5686. Lots of people use it. It’s supported by nearly every platform on the face of the Earth – because Realtek IS that big. So everything supports it when it plugs in. And it’s got good functionality and a good price. So lots of companies use it. But why does ours measure and sound so much better?
It’s simple. We sweated ALL the details. Not just the chip (we weren’t making our own chips back when we launched Rhodium). We worried about all the components around the chip. Most importantly, the capacitors. We selected specific temperature grades of voltage ratings such that pumping of power supplies was brought to an absolute minimum.
We used shielded components, too, to keep EMI to a minimum. Add in a full 4 layer board with a FULL ground plane, and the result is performance at the limits of what the ALC5686 can do – and WAY beyond what anyone else would do.
It’s the Periodic Way.
Specifications
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Frequency Response | 2 Hz to 192 kHz, +0/-3 dB |
| Dynamic Range | 113 dB |
| SNR | 108 dB A wt. |
| THD | Less than 0.007% |
| Output Power | 31 mW @ 32 Ohms – RMS Per Channel |
| Current Consumption | 23 mA @ 1 mW output |
| Physical Properties | |
|---|---|
| Cable Length | 63mm |
| Mass | 4.4 grams |
| Operational Temperature | -20 to +50° C |
| Operational Humidity | 0-95% Relative Humidity |
| Retention Force | 1.8 Newtons |
| Overall Length | 117 mm |
| Max Width | 10.8 mm |
| Max Thickness | 6.9 mm |
User Manual and Support
Sorry, no user manual exists. If you can’t figure out how to run Rhodium (plug into USB, plug headphones in, done), you probably had someone print out this web page on paper for you to read, as operating a computer or even a cellphone would prove to be a challenge.
USB C goes into phone or computer (or use the included Type C to type A adapter). Headphone plugs into the 3.5mm jack. Done. That’s it.
Buy Rhodium DAC For only $39.00 USD
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Walter W –
Do you want loud, and clean audio in a small package?
Buy this DAC now. It’s the best DAC I’ve ever owned.
KD Kevin –
Bought a Rhodium and the Electron and it worked perfectly with my iPhone! Finally a decent DAC that’s affordable that works with iPhone. Great sound, drives my own Periodic Carbon IEMs and my at-home Sennheiser HD580s with ease, plenty of detail and volume in either case.
Mattie –
Bought a rhodium and electron and it sounds great. Works fine on my iphone and I also plug it into my laptop when I’m mixing beats. Drive my Westones way loud and clean. Can’t believe $49 makes such a difference to the way I hear and experience music. Must-have upgrade!
Tyler D –
It just works. I plug it into my personal phone (Samsung S22U), my work phone (iPhone 13 – I now use their Electron adapter because it’s really small), laptop (Dell) and it just works. Nothing needed, no drivers, no switches, no LEDs, nothing. I like tech like this that makes it easy to use just plug in and it goes. I don’t have to do anything other than enjoy. For $49 it goes everywhere with me, it’s in my small headphone case.
D. Fuhriman –
Echo above. Works, sounds great, simple use, plenty of power for IEMs and even a few over ears. Tiny, it lives on my AKG headphone cable most of the time without an issue like it’s part of the cable.
Mason –
Works great!! Not only do I use this for my headphones but I use it with my large speaker as well. Works great