Introduction

Sunrise Audio's new Ray DA-P1 is an interesting little DAC and headphone amplifier combination. It incorporates a Wolfson WM8740 DAC and is compatible with Android, which allows you to get the digital-out from any Android 4.0- and forward device if the ROM has integrated USB Audio, and the DA-P1 is very small and has a good battery life, making it ideal for use with your smartphone. That said, letting the DA-P1 handle the digital-to-analogue conversion and headphone amplification will also completely bypass the DAC integrated into your phone to increase the sound quality as the headphone amplifier of the DA-P1 is much more powerful than anything in a current smartphone. You can now get good sound quality on the go without a dedicated high-end player, reducing both bulk and hassle--most phones also come with a much better graphical user interface than what is available on current high-end players from Cowon, HiFiMAN, Colorfly, and so on.

Specifications

• Plug and Play compliance with USB (Windows and Mac OSX)
• Wolfson WM8740 DAC chip + TI PCM2706 USB receiver
• Works as a DAC/AMP combo or a standalone AMP
• Rechargeable Li-polymer battery with integrated charging system for 30 hours of play time
• Slim and small, ultra-portable design
• Product Size: 90mm x 60mm x 15mm (L x W x H)

Closer Examination

You get a decent bundle with the Ray DA-P1 DAC / Amp. There is unfortunately no compact OTG cable in the bundle. Given their scarcity online, it would have been a great feature to bundle with the device. You simply get a normal USB to mini-USB cable, which will not allow for a direct connection to an Android device, but the carrying case is big enough to both fit the DA-P1 and a set of earphones. There is also a charger, a mini-jack to mini-jack cable, and an Apple LOD to mini-jack cable.


The unit is very well built. Its case is made out of aluminium. Both the dial and jacks seem to be integrated well, which is essential for a device that is for use on the go.


The front has both the input for the headphone amplifier section and the headphone out. Moving the volume control or plugging jacks in and out is never difficult due to space limitations, and the device is small.


The backside of the DA-P1 features the USB input. The unit is also charged over USB. Layout-wise, this little amplifier is very well off.


Even though the O2+ODAC is small, its compactness is not even in the same ballpark when compared to the DA-P1. The size is right at the limit for not being a hassle on the move.