What a dongle does, and why it is the cheapest upgrade
A dongle DAC takes the digital audio from your phone or laptop over USB-C and converts it with its own chip and amplifier instead of the one built into the device. The differences you can check before buying are concrete: whether it has its own volume control, whether it offers single-ended 3.5 mm only or also a balanced output, the formats it accepts, and — often missed — whether it passes microphone audio so a headset can make calls through it.
1. The units we track, with prices read on September 17, 2026
| Model | Price checked 2026-09-17 | Sold by / fulfilled | Published chip and format | Check before buying |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FiiO KA11 | CAD 21.99 | listing at ASIN B0CS62JGW2 | Cirrus Logic CS43131 · PCM 384 kHz/32-bit, DSD256 · USB-C to 3.5 mm | FiiO's published output power is 200 mW into 32Ω. It does not pass microphone audio |
| iFi GO link | CAD 95.82 | Amazon US | ESS ES9281AC Pro · PCM 384 kHz/32-bit, DSD256, MQA (from our product records, not re-verified against the manufacturer on the check date) | A US-fulfilled listing on a Canadian page; read its own delivery and return terms |
| TempoTec Sonata BHD Pro | CAD 106.05 | TempoTec Official Store, ships from Amazon | Dual ES9219C · PCM 384 kHz/32-bit · 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced · three gain levels, volume buttons | The balanced output is the reason to pick this over the two cheaper options |
| SMSL SU-1 | CAD 108.99 | LEAUDIO, ships from Amazon | AK4493S · PCM 768 kHz/32-bit, DSD512, MQA · USB-C, optical and coaxial inputs · RCA line out | A desktop DAC with no headphone jack: it feeds powered speakers or an amplifier |
| Fosi Audio K5 Pro | CAD 99.99 | Fosi Audio, ships from Amazon | USB-C, optical and coaxial inputs · 3.5 mm microphone input · 3.5 mm headphone out · RCA out · up to 24-bit/96 kHz over USB, 24-bit/192 kHz optical | The only unit here with a microphone input — the desk answer for headset users |
| Topping DX1 | CAD 199.00, listed as currently unavailable | not read | AK4493S · 280 mW into 32Ω · PCM 384 kHz/32-bit, DSD256 | Included for completeness only; there is no price to compare on an unavailable listing |
Two units in our catalogue — the FiiO BTR15 and the Qudelix-5K — are linked to Amazon search results rather than a fixed product page, so we cannot quote a price for them. They are recorded as unverified rather than guessed at.
2. The microphone trap
The KA11 is the cheapest sensible recommendation on this page and it is also the one that will annoy you if you wear a headset with a microphone. FiiO's own FAQ entry on the unit states that it does not support the microphone path, and independent reviews repeat it: calls do not route through the dongle. If you take calls with wired headphones, either use the K5 Pro's dedicated microphone input at a desk or check microphone support on the exact listing before buying any dongle. For the other units in the table we have not verified microphone behaviour and we are not going to guess.
3. Do you need the power?
Usually not. These are the electrical figures from our product records for the models we cover:
| Model | Impedance | Sensitivity as published | Connector | Plug |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIMGOT EW200 | 16Ω | 126 dB/Vrms | 0.78 mm 2-pin | 3.5 mm |
| Truthear x Crinacle Zero:RED | 17.5Ω | 117.5 dB/Vrms | 0.78 mm 2-pin | 3.5 mm |
| Moondrop Chu II | 18Ω (±15%) | 119 dB/Vrms | 0.78 mm 2-pin | 3.5 mm |
| Sennheiser IE 200 | 18Ω | 119 dB (1 kHz/1 Vrms) | MMCX | 3.5 mm |
| Tangzu Wan'er S.G | 20Ω | 107 dB (1 kHz) | 0.78 mm 2-pin | 3.5 mm |
| Truthear Hexa | 20.5Ω | 120 dB/Vrms | 0.78 mm 2-pin | 3.5 mm |
| 7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 | 32Ω | not recorded | 0.78 mm 2-pin | 3.5 mm or Type-C, variant dependent |
| Kiwi Ears Cadenza | 32Ω | 110 dB SPL/mW | 0.78 mm 2-pin | 3.5 mm |
| Philips SHP9500 | 32Ω | 101 dB SPL | detachable 3.5 mm | 3.5 mm |
Nothing on that list is hard to drive. A dongle rated at 200 mW into 32Ω is not being bought for headroom on a 16Ω in-ear; it is being bought for a lower noise floor than a phone jack, independent volume steps and the option of a balanced cable later. If your headphones are high-impedance or low-sensitivity, that is a different shopping problem, and a proper desktop amplifier is the honest answer rather than a dongle.
4. Ear tips and cables: what to check before buying elsewhere
We do not currently carry ear tips, cables or adapters in the catalogue, so this section contains no product links — we are not going to publish a "best tips" list we cannot verify. What we can do is tell you the specification that decides whether a purchase will fit:
- Connector type first. Seven of the nine models above use 0.78 mm 2-pin; the IE 200 uses MMCX; the SHP9500's cable is detachable with a 3.5 mm plug. A cable bought for the wrong one is unusable, not "slightly tight".
- Recessed sockets differ by model. Two cables can both be 0.78 mm and still differ at the plug housing. Compare the housing in the listing photo with the socket on your earphone.
- Tip size is a fit measurement. Nozzle diameter and your own ear canal decide it; buy a mixed multi-size pack before committing to one size.
- A balanced cable only matters if the dongle has a balanced output. The Sonata BHD Pro's 4.4 mm socket is the case on this page where a 4.4 mm cable changes what you can plug in. On a 3.5 mm-only dongle it does nothing for you.
5. Where the bargain is
For one budget in-ear and one phone, the CAD 22 KA11 is the whole upgrade — as long as you are not taking calls through it. For a desk setup with a microphone input, the K5 Pro at CAD 99.99 is the cheapest verified option in our data. The CAD 95–110 tier (GO link, Sonata BHD Pro, SU-1) is a different purchase: you are paying for a better chip, a balanced output or line-out flexibility, and you should be able to name which of those three you want before spending it.
FiiO KA11 — CAD 21.99
CS43131, 200 mW into 32Ω, PCM 384 kHz/32-bit and DSD256. No in-line microphone support, so it is the wrong pick for a headset.
Read the compatibility notes
TempoTec Sonata BHD Pro — CAD 106.05
Dual ES9219C with 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced outputs, three gain levels and volume buttons.
Read the product notes
SMSL SU-1 — CAD 108.99
AK4493S, PCM 768 kHz/32-bit, DSD512 and MQA, with USB-C, optical and coaxial inputs and RCA line out. A desktop DAC with no headphone jack.
Read the product notes
Fosi Audio K5 Pro — CAD 99.99
USB-C, optical and coaxial inputs with a dedicated 3.5 mm microphone input — the one unit here that handles a headset properly.
Read the product notes6. What we could not verify
- Microphone support on the GO link, Sonata BHD Pro and SU-1. Only the KA11 (no support, per FiiO's FAQ) and the K5 Pro (dedicated mic input) are stated here with a source.
- Manufacturer re-verification of the GO link, Sonata BHD Pro and SU-1 spec rows. Those values come from our product records; the KA11's figures are additionally sourced to FiiO's own material.
- Whether any of these prices hold. All six were single-day reads on September 17, 2026, and we have watched prices on this category move within a single day.
- Anything about how these units sound. No measurements, no listening notes, no ranking.
- Ear tips and cables. We carry none and have verified no third-party product, which is why that section has no links.
Sources
- Amazon.ca listing for the FiiO KA11 (ASIN B0CS62JGW2) — CAD 21.99, read September 17, 2026.
- Amazon.ca listing for the iFi GO link (ASIN B0BN6MM822) — CAD 95.82, sold by Amazon US, read September 17, 2026.
- Amazon.ca listing for the TempoTec Sonata BHD Pro (ASIN B0CDWNH4ZB) — CAD 106.05, TempoTec Official Store, read September 17, 2026.
- Amazon.ca listing for the SMSL SU-1 (ASIN B0C1Y7C9HH) — CAD 108.99, LEAUDIO, read September 17, 2026.
- Amazon.ca listing for the Fosi Audio K5 Pro (ASIN B0BFHFSX4C) — CAD 99.99, read September 17, 2026.
- Amazon.ca listing for the Topping DX1 (ASIN B0BJ2RDQX2) — CAD 199.00 with "currently unavailable", read September 17, 2026.
- FiiO FAQ entry on the KA11 microphone question, read September 17, 2026.
- FiiO release note for the KA11 (CS43131, power output, supported formats), read September 17, 2026.
- Fosi Audio K5 Pro product page (input and output configuration), read September 17, 2026.
Prices are dated single-day reads; specifications are the manufacturer's or retailer's published values, labelled where they have not been re-verified. Our stored catalogue prices for the KA11, GO link, Sonata BHD Pro and DX1 do not match these live listings, so the live figures above are the ones to trust. See the import cost guide before ordering a DAC from an overseas store.