There are a lot of reasons to get a DAC for your phone, most of them being that, while Bluetooth is wonderfully convenient, you lose a lot of audio quality for that convenience. Any audio nerd will tell you that wired is the only true way to live if you want to fully experience a song. Now that most phones don’t have 3.5mm jacks, and you need an adapter anyway, you may as well get one that will improve the listening experience, like the Khadas Tea, rather than just be a go-between like the standard Lightning and USB-C dongles.
I’ve tested a few portable DACs over the years, ranging from $99 to $7,000, and the Khadas Tea ($299) seems to strike the right balance where it’ll work for most people without going into unaffordable audio wanker territory. Here’s what’s good, what’s fine, and what could have been better:
Khadas Tea specs
There’s a lot that separates the Tea from other portable DACs, but the first most obvious thing is the shape. It’s a thin rectangle, rather than the ‘pack of gum’ of other mini devices or ‘ghost busting device’ style of more premium portables. The change in shape is for two extremely convenient reasons:
- It has a built-in battery that allows for 8-hours of audio playback on each charge. This is helpful, because a lot of DACs just drain your phone battery.
- It has MagSafe built-in, so if you have an iPhone 12 or newer (or a magnet case for your Android, like a Quad Lock Mag case), it’ll grip on to the back of your phone instead of just floating free in your pocket, waiting to get lost or caught on things.
Another spec that makes the Khadas Tea a bit different is that it has Hi-Res Bluetooth and microphones built in so you can wear your premium headphones and still take calls over Bluetooth. You can connect the Tea to your device using Bluetooth (say, if you’re charging, or if it’s a computer and you want to be on the other side of the room because you can), and then plug your headphones into the Tea. I was surprised at just how good it sounded when connected to my Mac Studio via Bluetooth. Like, not just “wow, how good for Bluetooth”, but just straight up good. Not as good as fully wired, but close enough that not many people would notice the difference. The microphones were “fine” at best, but they’re more of a nice to have than an essential on a DAC
You can see the full specs here if you want to check them out in more detail.
OK, but does it sound good?
Yes. Yes, it does. My usual wired in ear monitors are the Sennheiser IE600, and everything already sounds utterly incredible on them, but the Khadas Tea does what DACs do and gives the sound a bit more oomph, so to speak.
‘Simmer’ by Hayley Williams is a song I’m in awe of. It has so much power, and the technical skill and restraint of every musician involved is so impressive. It sounds so contained, restrained and simple until you really focus on each element. Listening on this combination of the IE600 and Khadas Tea, it sounds even more alive. The controlled rage, the quiet sadness, and not knowing what to do with all that grief really comes across so clearly. It sounds like how I’d think the artists and the producers wanted you to hear it.
Same with ‘Everything At Your Feet’ by Odesza. It’s a great song at the best of times, but with this combo it is the audio equivalent of watching the clouds clear on a cool, but sunny day. The mid tones, which I often miss on Bluetooth headphones are there so much more clearly and powerfully, while the bass comes through solidly.
‘Full Heart Fancy’ by Lucky Chops sounds bright and cheerful and full of little details that I usually don’t get to hear. As a drummer, my usual frame of reference for music starts from the drums, and here it sounds almost like I’m sitting at the kit. I can’t quite tell if he’s playing with nylon-tipped sticks, or just particularly hard, new wood tips, but I can hear the way the sticks strike the ride, and not just the ring of the cymbal, and I don’t think I’ve noticed that detail as much before. I can hear the little sizzle and brightness of the ride more clearly than usual.
While the upgrade on good headphones isn’t as life-changing as the higher-end DACs, it is a noticeable difference that I found further immersing me in songs that I already know and love, as well as newer discoveries. I mean, the depth on ‘Surrender’ by Maggie Rogers is stunning on this combo. I haven’t yet listened to a song or genre that I haven’t thought was improved by using the Tea paired with Lossless audio on Apple Music compared to my previous $150 Creative DAC, or just plugging my headphones in directly with the lightning dongle. Like, my god, music just has so many more layers when you use good quality equipment, and it’s always nice when that good quality equipment doesn’t cost thousands of dollars.
Even using them with the much more affordable “budget” audiophile option from Sennheiser, the IE300, the difference is still remarkable.
Is the Khadas Tea good?
Absolutely, unequivocally yes. Given how much it can do, and how easy it is to use. If I wanted a DAC, and my budget was under $500, and I had an iPhone or a phone with a Mag case, this is the DAC I would buy. I have been using it for around a year now, and frankly I don’t use wired headphones without it anymore (unless I’m reviewing a fancier, more expensive DAC).
Music is one of the most incredible things people can create, and being able to enjoy it at its best is one of the greatest pleasures in life. It’s wonderful to see more affordable and accessible DACs that allow people to get closer to music, rather than just having that joy reserved for the ultra-rich.