HIFIMAN Serenade Desktop DAC/Amp Review

mmorpg.com:

HIFIMAN is best known for its line of high-end headphones, but today we’re looking at its premiere desktop sound system: the HIFIMAN Serenade. Featuring its acclaimed Himalaya PRO R2R DAC and enough power for the most demanding headphones or even full-size speakers. It’s a sound system in a desktop-sized box and has a lot to offer, but you’ll already need a great pair of headphones to make the most of it.

Specifications

• Current Price: $999 (Bloom Audio)

HIFIMAN Serenade — What Is It?

The HIFIMAN Serenade is one of the first products to come from its recent acquisition of GoldenWave, a high-end DAC and amp studio that’s well-known in the audiophile community. This product represents a collaboration with each company’s strengths on full display. It’s a powerful and relatively feature amplifier that doubles as a network streamer, completed with HIFIMAN’s HIMALAYA PRO R2R ladder DAC. 

With that in mind, it’s also important to note that this isn’t the first time we’ve seen the Serenade. Before the acquisition, GoldenWave sold a version of this same amplifier with an ESS Sabre DAC. It was highly regarded, as were most of the products from GoldenWave. Given that HIFIMAN’s HIMALAYA PRO DAC is also highly regarded, it makes sense that HIFIMAN would release a new version with it included.

So what exactly is it? The Serenade is a multifunctional desktop audio processor that’s about perfectly sized to slide beneath a computer monitor. It’s able to produce high-resolution audio with a surprising amount of power, fully able to drive the most demanding headphones or even full-sized speakers. Because it combines a DAC and amp in one housing, you don’t need to invest in separate components. You can simply connect your sources and listening device and get to enjoying your music and games right away.

If you’re listening at your PC, investing in a standalone DAC/amp is a smart investment and provides an instant boost to the quality of your audio. And that’s all audio, not just music.