Schiit Audio is also entering the lucrative market for portable DACs with its brand-new—and attractively priced—Vestri.
The Schiit Vestri is a compact USB-C DAC dongle designed to significantly improve the sound quality of the average smartphone. Ideal for devices that do not support true hi-res playback, or simply for phones and tablets equipped with mediocre onboard DACs.
Thanks to both 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm mini-jack outputs, users can connect either single-ended or balanced headphones. Internally, the device uses Schiit’s proprietary Mesh D/A conversion architecture. According to the manufacturer, this design optimizes conversion in both the time and frequency domains. Maximum output power is rated at 400 mW.
Schiit deliberately chose not to include a display. Screens only wear out and scratch over time, the company argues—and on a device like this, users rarely look at one anyway. Instead, traditional LEDs are used to communicate any necessary information.
The Schiit Vestri is fully plug-and-play, requiring no additional apps or software. Pricing for this “Made in USA” product is set at $99. What it will ultimately cost outside the United States remains unknown and, these days, depends on a wide variety of factors.