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The hip-dac 2 is a notably capable little portable DAC/headphone amp, and at £115 it looks like a strong deal rather than merely fair. That sits below the £127 median and comfortably above the £64 25th-percentile boundary, making it attractive against the 17 comparable listings without looking implausibly cheap.
Its appeal is the useful combination of USB DAC performance, MQA decoding, and both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs in a genuinely pocketable format. The balanced output can bring useful headroom with suitable headphones or IEMs, while the hip-dac 2’s battery-powered design suits laptop and phone listening. At this money, check that the battery still holds a worthwhile charge and that the 4.4mm socket, USB input, charging lead, and gain/bass-boost controls all work, but there is no obvious pricing reason to pass.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
MQA emerged in December 2014 from the innovative labs of UK-based Meridian Audio, founded by digital audio pioneer Bob Stuart. As a proprietary codec—Master Quality Authenticated—MQA was designed to deliver studio-master sound quality through efficient encoding, folding high-resolution audio up to 192kHz into standard 44.1kHz files while addressing perceived timing inaccuracies in digital playback. Meridian, renowned for its high-res contributions like the MLP format for DVD-Audio, spun off MQA as an independent company, MQA Limited, to champion this streaming-era solution.
Unlike traditional hi-fi hardware makers, MQA focuses exclusively on audio technology licensing rather than physical products like amplifiers, speakers, or turntables. Its core offerings include encoders for labels, decoders integrated into DACs, streamers, and apps, plus extensions like the Arya Bluetooth codec (formerly SCL6/MQAir) for wireless high-res transmission. Bluesound, NAD, and PSB products have prominently featured MQA decoding, embedding the tech into high-performance streaming DACs and amplifiers.
Positioned as a high-end niche player, MQA garnered initial acclaim for promising authenticated artist-intended sound but faced fierce debate over its claims of superior fidelity and lossless efficiency, dividing engineers and reviewers. After administration in April 2025, Lenbrook Industries—owners of NAD, PSB, and Bluesound—acquired its assets, signaling potential revival and renewed integration into premium hi-fi ecosystems for discerning streaming enthusiasts.
See all MQA listings on RADAR.
