Audiolab’s M-DAC+ is official

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We first caught wind of a new Audiolab DAC back in August last year, but now the company has officially taken the wraps off the newest member of the M-DAC family.

The M-DAC+ (£800) is being touted as a significantly upgraded version of the standard M-DAC, itself a former What Hi-Fi? Award-winner.

Available in silver or black, the new model is based on the same 32-bit ESS Sabre chipset as the original, but there's been a number of major upgrades and design tweaks. These include DSD and 32-bit/384kHz support over USB, and up to 24-bit/192kHz support over its coaxial and optical inputs.

You're provided with the same seven filter settings but the new model gets four additional filters specifically for DSD playback.

The eagle-eyed will also have spotted a new look, which includes a rounded OLED display, dual rotary control set-up and a redesigned remote.

The power supply is now built into the chassis, which helps account for the larger casework, while the M-DAC+ is armed with additional inputs, including an AES/EBU socket and type A USB input - the latter can be used to connect Apple devices.

The M-DAC+ won't replace the existing M-DAC, but will sit alongside it as part of an extended line-up. If you want to catch a glimpse of Audiolab's latest piece of kit in the wild, the M-DAC+ will have its first UK outing at the Headroom show, 29th-30th January at Metropolis Studios, London.

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Andy Madden
Andy Madden

Andy is Deputy Editor of What Hi-Fi? and a consumer electronics journalist with nearly 20 years of experience writing news, reviews and features. Over the years he's also contributed to a number of other outlets, including The Sunday Times, the BBC, Stuff, and BA High Life Magazine. Premium wireless earbuds are his passion but he's also keen on car tech and in-car audio systems and can often be found cruising the countryside testing the latest set-ups. In his spare time Andy is a keen golfer and gamer.