Review on 🎧 UGREEN USB Audio Adapter - External Stereo Sound Card with 3.5mm Headphone and Microphone Jack for Windows, Mac, Linux, PC, Laptops, Desktops, PS5 - Black by Brandon Addison

As a simple USB DAC for output (i.e. computer/device sound is played through headphones), this device works quite well. The frequency response is pretty good, but that's no surprise given that CMedia's chipsets do a good job, given that the company has had almost two decades to finalize its chips. However, the problems started with the input (i.e. the microphone). Testing conducted using MacBook Air (2017 model), OS X 10.14.6 and Sennheiser GAME ONE headset with built-in microphone. Most reviewers would write that "the mic wasn't working," so I'll be more specific: when OS X's USB mic input volume was set to maximum, there was no sound unless I literally in afterwards the microphone screamed. The recorded sound was very quiet, but it sounded compressed (distorted, crackling). It was like the peak/gain was through the roof, something controlled only by the DAC itself. I received a replacement from Revain thinking the problem might just be a bad port, but the same problem occurred. Although anecdotal, I suspect the problem is with impedance (aka resistance). The GAME ONE headset is a high impedance headset and the mic is likely to have the same impedance levels as the banks themselves (although for mics this is the output impedance, not the input impedance!). On other audio chipsets (e.g. Realtek) a feature called "Mic Gain" fixes this by allowing the user to select +10/20/30 dB mic "Gain", effectively providing more voltage. For this to work, the actual audio chip must support it and the operating system must provide control over it. The USB audio class specification does not provide a native way to toggle this feature (if available), but often the device manufacturer's drivers can provide this (however, the USB specification, particularly the descriptor data, indicates whether the port is bus-powered ). or not - but I didn't print the descriptor to see if it was enabled or disabled). has no spacing issues with other nearby laptop ports: DuKabel's DUSB352FB, aka "USB Audio Adapter, 3.5mm USB Gaming Headset." The TRS AUX adapter with a built in USB to headset sound card chip with a separate socket [metal body and strong braid]" worked great. They also release a 4 pin (i.e. TRRS compatible) version called the DUSB351FB. Also worth mentioning is that DuKabel products also use the CMedia chipset DuKabel products experienced extremely minimal crosstalk between output (headset) and input (microphone) (which can probably be explained by the use of analogue jacks on the stubs; DuKabel had to do something UGREEN ie kept the connectors as close to the IC as possible and only used one cable between the IC and the USB port/connector) but at least it worked!