This Tiny Amp Will Give Your Headphones Studio Quality

Because you know, size doesn’t matter. 

You use headphones, everyone uses headphones.  In the train, while working out, while trying to focus; you’re probably wearing them right now, listening to Spotify while you read this article. But let’s be honest: it’s crappy quality.

Headphones plugged into your cell phones have notoriously bad quality. Bottom line: you’re not experiencing everything you should be, and the new Kickstarter-funded amp Aqua aims to change that.

Aqua isn’t the first mobile amp to hit the market by any measure but it’s quite an addition to the current line-up. Sleek, lightweight, battery-less and affordable pricing make it akin to the type of approach Apple takes when entering a new product category — maybe not the first, but definitely one of the best. 

Compatible with boy iPhone and Android devices, this DAC connects to either your microUSB/lightning, port allowing it to translate more data and sound through the half-ounce device, past your headphones and into your ears, no matter the price of your phones. One of the best parts? It doesn’t drain your phone battery in the process. The company maintains that the device consumes 6% of power for about an hour of music playing on an iPhone 6.

While this technology hasn’t hit the market yet, the Kickstarter product is fully funded. In fact, it’s been funded six times their goal, which means that if everything goes to plan, it’ll start shipping come November. Pay $30 less than what they are projecting the price will be by backing their still-running Kickstarter now.