Over the past year or so, there’s been something of a resurgence in sales of wired headphones because. for some people, the novelty of expensive wireless earbuds might have worn off a little. A combination of limited battery life and the ease with which wireless earbuds can be lost is persuading some music lovers to turn back to using old-fashioned wired earphones and headphones.
There’s one small problem with using wired headphones. Hardly any smartphones made these days have an analog headphone jack. Fortunately, the solution is simple. Sales of portable headphone amplifier DACs which make it easy to use wired headphones, have soared.
These small devices plug into the USB port of a smartphone and provide high-quality amplification and digital-to-analog conversion to drive a pair of wired earphones or headphones. Prices of DACs start from $50 and they offer an instant sound upgrade for streaming music on a smartphone using services like Qobuz, TIDAL and Deezer.
The MD3 MagDAC
The latest headphone amp and DAC to be launched comes from Fosi. The MD3 MagDAC is being launched this weekend at CanJam Singapore. It’s an ultra-compact, magnetic headphone amp and DAC that weighs just 20g. The device clips magnetically to the rear of any MagSafe-compatible smartphone or case.
Built around the flagship ESS ES9039Q2M DAC chipset using a true balanced circuit architecture, the MD3 has four ES9603Q op-amps for clean headroom and extended dynamic range. The amplifier circuit is designed to drive a wide range of headphones and in-ear monitors, even the more difficult models.
Designed as a complete portable signal path rather than a basic adapter, the MD3 has dual USB-C ports for attaching to a smartphone and charging at the same time. The MagSafe-style magnetic back plate uses 16 N52 high-strength magnets keep it firmly attached to a phone so there’s no need for straps, elastic bands or Velcro strips. An aluminum alloy isolation plate separates the circuitry from the magnets to avoid any magnetic interference.
Customizable Color Screen
The MD3 also has a colorful 1.28-inch LCD displaying direct on-device controls. There are also physical buttons for controlling sound levels with a 100-step digital volume control with memory. You can also change settings so the MD3’s volume can be controlled by a smartphone. However, using the controls on the MD3 is probably the better option as it offers finer steps and more volume levels.
The MD3 features internal aluminum shielding for reducing the possibility of interference and the casing is precision CNC-machined for both performance and everyday usability. There is a Vista button on the MD3 that can be pressed to enter the device’s photo album. Users can upload their own images to personalize the device to suit their tastes.
When it comes to output choices, the MD3 has both single ended 3.5mm stereo jack and a balanced 4.4mm output for pairs of high-end IEMs and headphones. If you have a pair of headphones or earphones with a balanced cable, that’s probably the best choice but it’s a fine line as the single-ended or unbalanced 3.5mm output is clean and clear.
Pricing and Availability:
The Fosi MD3 MagDAC portable headphone amp and DAC is available from May 25, 2026, from Fosi and other outlets, priced at $149.99.
Tech Specs:
- DAC/op-amp chipsets: DAC: ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M / ESS ES96030 x4
- Input: USB-C (Top) audio decoding and image transfer, charging / USB-C (bottom) audio decoding, image transfer, firmware upgrade.
- Output: 3.5mm single-ended / 4.4mm balanced.
- USB Audio Class: UAC 2.0 / UAC 1.0.
- Max sampling rate: UAC 2.0 PCM 32bit/384kHz, DSD256(Native) / UAC 1.0: PCM 16bit/48kHz.
- Max output power (1kHz, THD+N <1%): 3.5mm: ≥80mW x 2 @ 320 / 4.4mm: ≥180mW x 2 @ 320.
- Frequency response: 20Hz – 48kHz(+0.2dB).
- SNR: 3.5mm: ≥115dB, 4.4mm: ≥116dB.
- Dynamic range: 3.5mm: ≥115dB, 4.4mm: ≥116dB.
- THD+N: 3.5mm: ≤0.00075%, 4.4mm: ≤0.00084%.
- Noise floor: 3.5mm: <1.74V, 4.4mm: <2.7uV.
- Headphone impedance: 16 – 3000Ω.
- Weight(without cable): 50g.
- Dimensions: 70 x 45 x 12mm / 2.76 x 1.77 x 0.47 inches.
