DACs & amps for competitive FPS
A DAC/amp removes a ceiling — it doesn't add detail. It only matters if your headphones are hard to drive; an easy pair gains nothing. These are the amps AimBench tracks, by price. Power and damping (output impedance) are what count, not the badge.
Budget
Cheapest that clears the floor- Apple USB-C 3.5mm dongle30 mW @ 32Ω · Zout 0.9Ω
Value
The sweet-spot picks- Schiit Magni Unity2500 mW @ 32Ω · Zout 0.1Ω
- JDS Labs Atom Amp 22600 mW @ 32Ω · Zout 0.7Ω
- FiiO K111400 mW @ 32Ω · Zout 3.1Ω · balanced
Premium
Diminishing returns past here- FiiO K5 Pro ESS1500 mW @ 32Ω · Zout 1.2Ω
- Topping L30 II2500 mW @ 32Ω · Zout 0.1Ω
- Creative Sound Blaster G6130 mW @ 32Ω · Zout 1Ω
- Topping DX3 Pro+1800 mW @ 32Ω · Zout 0.1Ω
Flagship
Preference / enthusiast grade- FiiO K71220 mW @ 32Ω · Zout 1Ω · balanced
Price classes are coarse, drift-proof bands (the live local price is on the buy link). "Enough is enough": for amps and mic chains, the goal is sufficiency — once a tier clears your needs, a pricier one rarely sounds better. Buy links are affiliate links to your regional store.
Other audio categories
Headphones & IEMs →
Positional audio — hearing a footstep's direction first — is the one genuine audio edge, and it saturates at a competent open-back.
Microphones →
Mics are for teamplay, not aim — but clear comms still win rounds.
Interfaces & preamps →
An XLR mic needs an interface for clean gain and (for condensers) 48V phantom; a low-output dynamic like the SM7B often wants an inline preamp on top.