What Are The Best External Sound Cards in 2025

High resolution external USB Sound Card with Headphone Amplifier

The Creative Sound BlasterX G6 is a high-resolution external USB sound card with a headphone amplifier. It offers Dolby Digital decoding, 7.1 virtual surround sound, sidetone-speaker volume control, and Sound Blaster's legacy of impressive sound enhancement features. It enhances the audio for any USB system, making it perfect not only for serious gamers but also for movie lovers and music enthusiasts.

External Sound Card designed for gamers with Hi-Res audio.

The Creative Sound BlasterX G6 is an upgrade over the G5 with improvements in DAC chip, headphone amp, and microphone input. It features a 130dB DNR, 32-bit 384kHz DAC, Dolby Digital decoding, 5.1 virtual surround sound, sidetone-speaker volume control, and Sound Blaster's legacy audio enhancement features. It also has a 600 ohm headphone amp for studio-grade monitoring.

Compact USB DAC/Preamp/Headphone Amp with 32-bit ESS Sabre Chip

The AudioQuest DragonFly Black v1.5 is a plug-in USB DAC, preamp, and headphone amp. It uses a 32-bit ESS Sabre chip to improve the sound quality of your music. The DragonFly Black can play any music file from MP3 to high-resolution. It's compatible with Apple and Windows PCs, as well as iOS devices when paired with an Apple Lightning-to-USB Camera Adapter.

Plug-in USB DAC, preamp, and headphone amp for enhanced audio.

The AudioQuest DragonFly Black v1.5 is a USB digital-to-analog converter that delivers far superior sound by bypassing the poor quality sound card that is built into your computer. It features 32-bit ESS 9010 Sabre DAC and provides 1.2 volts output. This device is compatible with Apple and Windows PCs, as well as iOS devices (with Apple's Lightning-to-USB Camera Adapter) and Android devices (with USB Adaptor).

5.1 USB Sound Card with High Performance Headphone Amp and Integrated Beam Forming Microphone

The Creative Sound Blaster Omni Surround 5.1 USB Sound Card is an easy-to-use, powerful sound upgrade for your PC or Mac. It features a built-in dual microphone with CrystalVoice technology to deliver clear vocal clarity and stunning surround sound effects. The sound card is also equipped with a 600-ohm headphone amplifier for studio-grade monitoring. It supports both Windows and Mac OS, offering a plug and play solution without the need for additional drivers.

USB Audio Adapter External Stereo Sound Card with 3.5mm Headphone and Microphone Jack

The UGREEN USB Audio Adapter External Stereo Sound Card adds a 3.5mm aux TRRS port (integrated audio-in and audio-out interface) to your computer, which enables you to connect your existing headphones, headset, speakers, or microphone with 3.5mm jack to your PC through a USB interface. It's a plug and play device that does not require any drivers and is compatible with various systems including Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. The adapter also features superior sound quality with noise reduction and high sampling rates.

Desktop Digital to Analogue Converter & Headphone Amplifier with high-quality audio.

The Audioengine D1 is a premium 24-bit DAC and headphone amplifier for your computer, TV, and more. It features a high-performance DAC and headphone amp, USB and optical inputs, stream bit-perfect 24/96 HD audio with low jitter, and desktop or portable DAC. It can power any headphones from 10 ohms up to 600 ohms and has a high signal-to-noise ratio.