Dual Chip USB-C DAC

​⚡ CX31993 + MAX97220 | The "Pro" Performance Bridge

In the budget audiophile world, this is known as the "Giant Killer." By pairing the ultra-clean Conexant CX31993 DAC chip with a dedicated MAX97220 secondary amplifier stage, this dongle effectively triples the driving power of a standard phone jack. It is designed for the listener who has moved beyond entry-level IEMs and is starting to experiment with higher-impedance headphones or planar magnetic drivers that need a serious "kick" to sound their best.

• ​Dedicated Amp Stage: While most dongles use an "all-in-one" chip, the MAX97220 is a specialized amplifier. It pushes the output from a modest 65mW to a staggering 125mW+ @ 32Ω, providing the physical power needed to make bass hit harder and more precisely.
• ​The "Zero-Noise" Floor: The MAX97220 is famous for its high Power Supply Rejection Ratio (PSRR). This means it filters out the "dirty" electrical noise from your phone's charging port, resulting in a pitch-black background even with ultra-sensitive IEMs like the Kiwi Ears Belle.
• ​High-Res Signal Path: It maintains the full 32-bit/384kHz PCM decoding of the CX31993, ensuring that your audio is converted with surgical precision before the amplifier gives it that final boost.
• ​Click-and-Pop Suppression: Integrated circuitry prevents that annoying "pop" sound in your ears when you plug the device in or switch between tracks.

​🎮 The Gamer’s Perspective: "Headphone Ready"

​Most budget dongles struggle to power full-sized gaming headsets. This combo is different.

• ​Driving Power for Headsets: With 125mW of output, this DAC can easily power larger over-ear gaming headsets (up to 150Ω) that usually sound "thin" or quiet when plugged directly into a laptop or console controller.
• ​Explosive Dynamic Range: The dedicated amp provides better "swing" for low-end frequencies. In-game, this means explosions have a physical weight and cinematic rumble that you simply won't get from a standard 1-chip adapter.
• ​Micro-Detail Retrieval: Because the signal is so clean and powerful, subtle environmental cues—like the specific sound of a grenade pin being pulled or grass rustling—are much more audible in the mix.

​⚙️ Technical Specifications

📦 What’s in the Vault?

• ​1x CX31993 + MAX97220 High-Power DAC Dongle
• USB-C to USB Adapter 

​The Real Deal

​This is the "Audiophile’s Best Kept Secret." It looks exactly like the cheaper dongles, but the internal hardware is on a completely different level. If you are using multi-driver IEMs or plan to use your dongle with full-sized headphones occasionally, this is the version you want. It provides a level of control and "slam" that usually costs $50 or more in a branded unit.

​The Trade-Off

​"The Battery Draw." Because it has a dedicated amplifier chip, it does draw slightly more power from your phone than a standard 1-chip dongle. You won't notice it in a 30-minute session, but on an 8-hour gaming marathon, your phone’s battery might drop a few percentages faster. It’s a small price to pay for desktop-level audio quality in your pocket.