The palm size "bus-powered" Bitzie USB DAC will easily match the sound of much bigger DACs.
It will drive a power amplifier, active loudspeakers, and as a hi-fi USB headphone amp — headphones! Its source can be an Android device, laptop, desktop etc (and iPhone6!) — which it will instantly recognise without drivers because it's plug and play.
And at the same time it will convert USB to transformer-driven coax or optical S/PDIF and send to other devices — it's a hi-fi USB to optical converter and a hi-fi USB to coax converter.
And now with its optional "power wire" (available separately), it can grab its power from other 5V sources including Virgin Atlantic USB "in-seat power" or a phone charger, as well as being made to sound even better.
For more information continue reading after the purchasing options below.
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Bus powered means the Bitzie USB DAC Preamp gets its power down the USB cable from your device.
It's economical because it only draws one USB unit of power which means it will play longer from your portable computer or Android phone (e.g. up to 7.5 hours with a Samsung S3).
It can also be remotely powered via the "power-wire" (optional extra) from a 5V USB charger, in your car, on board the plane, in fact anywhere there is 5V DC on a USB A-socket. It can also improve the sound further because of not having to share power with your device.
What you see is what you get, and the Bitzie USB DAC Preamp is supplied complete with the gold-plated adaptor above to give you three different analogue-output connection options.
As a USB preamp for hi-fi digital audio, use the adapter with a twin RCA phono to RCA phono interconnect hooked up to your power amp or your nearby active speakers for outstanding sound.
Looking for stereo headphone boosters for your portable? Use the Bitzie USB DAC Preamp as a USB headphone amplifier, use the 3.5 jack or the ¼ jack with your headphones.
Use the full range of the volume control to get the volume you want. When using high impedance headphones turn it up high - it can go fully clockwise without distorting — a great hi-fi headphone booster for use with USB sources!
From Windows 98 to Windows 10 the Bitzie is plug and play, simple!
Same goes for almost any operating system including MAC and Linux Ubuntu.
The Bitzie will be detected as "new hardware" and your computer will most likely search for drivers. A driver is not needed, and you can simply cancel the search.
To prove it's there play some music: the easiest way to get playing is to use your file explorer program (such as Windows Explorer) and locate your music folder, select the tracks you want and right click "add to media player playlist" - simple! This will open up your default music player and play the selected music.
You might want to be more adventurous and install a dedicated player such as Foobar (for Windows). You will have to select 'USB Audio CODEC' in your playback preferences output configuration for it to play to the Bitzie.
The Bitzie will also receive all the noises your computer makes - which you might want - but if this is annoying, simply turn-off your computer sounds...
Go to "settings", "control panel", and open "sounds and audio devices". Select the "sounds" tab and select "no sounds" from the Sound Scheme drop-down menu. Most operating systems have this or a similar facility.
With an "On The Go" adapter in conjunction with a USB cable, the Bitzie can take digital audio from almost any up to date Android phone or tablet - making it a great hi-fi USB headphone amplifier. It has been tested with Samsung S3, S4, S5, S6 and Huawei Ascend/EE Kestrel phones.
If you use an iPhone (including iPhone 6) or iPad you'll need the "lightning adapter" in conjunction with a USB cable (most models are compatible).
The Bitzie works straight out of the box with so many devices - you're bound to have one or more it works with.
It's a hi-fi USB to S/PDIF converter!
Even whilst playing to headphones or outputting analogue to another item, the Bitzie is always ready to convert USB to S/PDIF.
When powered up (connected to bus power or other 5VDC source) take a look round the back and you'll see a red glow around the optical connector shutter.
Simply plug in an optical cable and connect it to a S/PDIF "toslink" input and you're playing.
Hook the Bitzie up by coax cable and it's just the same - and because it's transformer isolated you won't get any noise loop issues.
The Bitzie makes a great interface when you want to send digital audio to a DAC in another room. Using optical you can output USB to the Bitzie on a short USB cable, and then run as long an optical cable as you want and not suffer data loss.
And in tests the Bitzie has driven 6 metres of coax without a hicup.
Made long enough but not too long (0.8m per leg), the power wire is three-ended.
Both parts are attached to the device A-plug where data is connected but power isn't.
Power loops back out to a second USB A-plug - connect this to your 5VDC source.
Connect the remaining USB B plug to your Bitzie, and you've now got a DAC with "its own" power supply.
Get it the wrong way round and it doesn't cause any damage - it will just wait in silence for you to swap over connections.
Add-to-basket the Bitzie with Lautus USB Power Wire and save with our special price: Bitzie plus Lautus USB Power Wire £405 (Lautus USB Power Wire cable sold separately is £110)
Lautus USB Power Wire has an additional length of cable to hook-up to a 5V USB power supply/charger. Lengths: 0.8m from computer A-plug to USB device B-plug; 0.8m from computer A-plug to power supply A-plug. For safety if the A-plugs are connected the wrong way round the cable doesn't work - when it works it's connected right! (power supply shown for illustrative purposes - not included with Lautus USB Power Wire)
The Lautus USB cable is specially made to get the best peformance out of your Bitzie - see it in our Interconnect and Cables section.
Add-to-basket the Bitzie USB DAC Preamp with Lautus USB cable and save with our Bitzie bundle special price: Bitzie plus Lautus USB cable £399.90 (Lautus USB cable sold separately is £96)
USB A USB B
Swipe down for Specifications and Reviews.
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| Item | Measurement/Description |
|---|---|
| USB input | 1 x standard B socket; up to 24 bits and 48kHz sampling frequency (music player software can be made to play higher resolution files) |
| Digital Outputs | 1 x Coax transformer isolated; 1 x Optical; 16 bits and up to 48kHz sampling frequency |
| Coax | |
| Distortion, THD+N | 0.001% |
| Inter-modulation, SMPTE | 0.015% |
| Frequency response | 20Hz - 20kHz +/-0.02dB |
| S-N ratio | 96dB |
| Optical | |
| Distortion, THD+N | 0.001% |
| Inter-modulation, SMPTE | 0.013% |
| Frequency response | 20Hz - 20kHz +/-0.02dB |
| S-N ratio | 96dB |
| Analogue outputs | 1 x 3.5mm jack; 1 x 1/4" jack; use either for headphones, or 1/4" jack for line-out via supplied adapter. |
| Line-out | |
| Maximum output | 1.55V rms |
| Distortion, THD+N | 0.01% |
| Inter-modulation, SMPTE | 0.15% |
| Frequency response | 20Hz - 20kHz +/-1dB |
| S-N ratio | 76dB |
| Output noise (shorted input to stage) | -96dB |
| Headphone out into 32 Ohm | |
| Maximum output | 750mV rms |
| Distortion, THD+N | 0.08% |
| Inter-modulation, SMPTE | 0.25% |
| Frequency response | 20Hz - 20kHz +/-1dB |
| S-N ratio | 72dB |
| Software | Plug & play: supported by native drivers built-in to virtually all operating systems Music player software will need to be loaded on your device, for example: Foobar2000 (FB2K), VLC media player, Google Play (on mobiles) Music player software can be made to play higher resolution files For use with Android phones, an On The Go (OTG) adapter cable is normally required For use with iPhones, a camera adapter is usually required |
Specifications subject to alteration without notice in keeping with our continuous improvement policy.
The Bitzie has an appreciable & supreme overall build quality with perfect workmanship. The outer case is made up of aluminium, and is polished & brush finished; volume knob is rubberized, and has a grippy feel to it. . . . The Bitzie is powered solely off the 5V USB line. This makes it also to work straight off an android smartphones, which is a definite advantage for travellers. . . Lows are strong and fairly accurate and go very deep. Full bodied bass with a ‘punch’. Mids sound clear, slightly intimate & with a touch of ‘valvey-ness’ if I must say. . . Highs are clean, airy, just right amount of sparkle to keep the music alive. . . Soundstage in Bitzie is very good, and realistic and to some extent, slightly lacking in width. Depth is very good. The Bitzie has a fully circular imaging, but gives out comparatively more depth and lesser width in sound stage. Detail retrieval, and dynamics are excellent, way further than any USb powered DAC/Amp I have ever heard. Overall the sonic presentation is very pleasing. Absolutely zero audible hiss/noise, and zero EMI pickup & pops. . . I can recommend the Bitzie for any music enthusiast who wants a compact portable USB amp/dac with high performance aspect. Bitzie is truly like a swiss army knife: very handy unit that fits in pocket & is very well performing. Its workmanship is of high standards, and thus very reliable & robust in operation.
- Head-Fi, June 2015
The power, control, bass and treble extension, sound stage and smoothness all took a significant upgrade over the headphone jack from the iPhone/iPod, even over another portable DAC/amp combo I shall not mention. Right there and then I dropped my deposit and will take home a brand new Bitzie tomorrow.
- forum member: GoSUV
It is one of the most natural sounding DAC's I have heard, I can hear every instrument and sound clearly, with no harshness/"glare"... Connection to my hi-fi amps and speakers was easy with the enclosed adaptor. The same clear and involving sound made the music I played sound great. Room filling sound with a wide and deep soundstage, in short as big as the recordings! It is hard to believe it is a USB DAC
- forum member: Fatmangolf
the Bitzie also drove my Audeze LCD-3's with no problem, a very decent headphone output... truly remarkable and a sure winner... it's amazing that such a great sound can be had for such a low price
- formum member: Suggs
...the glorious realisation while listening to that album was the accuracy of the guitar sound. Gibson guitars / pickups overdriven into Marshall tube amps give a delicious sound and listening through the Bitzie had the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end...
- forum member: AlieN
I have three good DACs in the house - two in equipment costing around 3-4 times more than the Bitzie, and a DAC over twice it's price. Never was the Bitzie outclassed.... I think the Lautus USB cable should be a regular part of the package, though, as it allows the Bitzie to perform to it's full potential. If you don't use a "good" USB cable it'll be like a V8 firing on 4 cylinders
- forum member: morris_minor
...the best part IMO is how it draws in the listener. Very mellow and musical
- forum member: mrarroyo