Headphone Zone and Muse HiFi launch M3 Ultra portable tube DAC in India

Headphone Zone and Muse HiFi have launched the M3 Ultra in India, a portable vacuum tube DAC and headphone amplifier. The device features dual JAN6418 military-grade vacuum tubes originally produced by Raytheon, integrated into a compact design measuring 65 x 16 x 46.5mm and weighing 55 grams.

To address the fragility of vacuum tubes in portable devices, the M3 Ultra utilizes Triple Anti-Vibration technology. This system employs a fully balanced circuit, a dedicated algorithm, and a patented silicone damper to mitigate noise and the microphone effect caused by movement. The tubes are housed behind a ‘World Gate’ open-frame structure.

Technical specifications include an ES9028Q2M DAC and an ES9603Q amplification stage. The device supports PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz and native DSD256. It offers 3.5mm single-ended output (up to 460mW at 32Ω) and 4.4mm balanced output (up to 480mW at 32Ω), with a signal-to-noise ratio of up to 121dB. It connects via USB-C to Android phones, PCs, and laptops.