The Apogee Groove is the best portable USB DAC and headphone amp for listening to music on your Mac or PC. Groove takes the same high quality audio technology found in the world’s most prestigious recording studios and delivers it to your laptop. Connect Groove to your computer’s USB port and your headphones or powered speakers to Groove’s audio output. It’s that easy. Groove’s output provides ample power at any impedance and Apogee’s Constant Current Drive™ technology makes your headphones sound their best. You’ll be amazed by the difference in sound quality – the precise stereo image, punchy bass and stunningly clear high-hats.
Constant Current Drive
Groove’s Constant Current Drive output stage dynamically compensates for the nonlinearities – acoustic, mechanical or electrical – of any connected headphones, resulting in lower distortion and a more linear frequency response. Whether listening through earbuds or “hi-fi” headphones, you’ll discover a new level of fidelity, clarity and detail.
Quad Sum DAC™
Groove also features a Quad Sum DAC design which employs four digital-to-analog converters per channel to achieve the highest dynamic range and lowest distortion (THD+N) of any device in its class.
ESS Sabre DAC Technology
ESS Sabre32 32-bit Hyperstream DAC with Time Domain Jitter Eliminator offers unequaled dynamic range, ultra low distortion, and unmatched audio clarity free from input jitter.
Features:
- USB 2.0 connection to Mac and PC
- Up to 24 bit / 192kHz audio
- ESS Sabre DAC
- Enhances your iTunes, Tidal, Spotify, Pandora or other music listening experiences
- Constant Current Drive™ provides smooth frequency response with any headphones
- Quad Sum DAC™, 4 DACs per channel for highest dynamic range and lowest distortion
- Asynchronous clocking
- Multi-color LEDs for status and level indication
- Powered by USB
- Top panel buttons adjust and mute volume
- Compact and portable (95mm L x 30mm W x 16mm H)
- Premium aluminum build quality
- Built in the USA
D/A conversion :
- THD+N: -107 dB with 600 Ohm load @ 16 dBu
(-109 dB with 600 Ohm load @ 16 dBu-Anniversary Edition) - THD+N: -100dB with 30 Ohm load @ 10.5 dBu
(-101dB with 30 Ohm load @ 10.5 dBu-Anniversary Edition) - Dynamic Range: 117dB a-weighted
(119dB a-weighted-Anniversary Edition) - Frequency response: 10Hz – 20K +/- 0.2dB
(10Hz – 20K +/- 0.1dB-Anniversary Edition) - Max output level:
- 225mW into 30 Ohm
- 40mW into 600 Ohm
- 8 channel ESS DAC (4 DACs per channel)
System Requirements
Mac OS:
- Computer: Intel Mac 1.5GHz or faster
- Memory: 2 GB RAM minimum, 4 GB recommended
- OS: 10.8 or greater
- Connection and power: Any available USB port
- Driver: Mac Core Audio. No download or installation necessary.
Windows OS:
- PC or laptop manufactured after January 2006
- Intel Core 2 @ 1.6 GHz or AMD equivalent
- Memory: 1 GB RAM minimum
- Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit) or greater
- Connection and power: Any available USB port
- Driver: Register to download from Apogee’s website