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Fulla

DAC/AMP for Gaming (and Communications!)

$109.00

Ships 1-2 weeks

Description

Specs

FAQ

Reviews

Downloads

Fulla E is pretty much the answer to the question, “What’s the most affordable way I can get into great sound for gaming…or music…or even remote office work?” Because Fulla E is a great DAC/amp with top-shelf components—that also has a very nice microphone input, too. 

Total Flexibility for Gaming, Music, and Communications
Plug Fulla E into virtually any USB port, connect your headphones and microphone, and you’re set for amazing sound. But that’s only the start:
  • Use it for gaming. Fulla E works seamlessly with many popular consoles like PS4, PS5, and Switch, as well as PCs, Macs, and tablets. 
  • Use it for working at home. It's ideal for use with a headset for remote office environments— the audio quality of both the headphone and mic provide crystal-clear communications.
  • Use it for music or movies. You don’t need to be a gamer to appreciate the quality of Fulla E—use it just to listen to music, or connect to virtually any smart TV with the included optical port.
  • Use it as a DAC/preamp. Connect to powered monitors or speaker amps using the preamp output, to create a complete system.
  • Use it with phones, tablets, or computers with low-powered USB ports. We’ve included a second USB port for power input. Plug in your phone charger (or any other 5V DC source with micro-USB output) and Fulla E tells your source it doesn’t need any power.
Top-Shelf Components
Fulla E is based on the ESS ES9018 D/A converter, coupled with an Alps RK09 potentiometer, high-quality filter and amp stages from Texas Instruments, and well as precision thin-film resistors and film capacitors. Fulla E delivers performance far beyond its modest price. 
 
Plenty of Headphone Power
Fulla E delivers a super punch, up to 300mW into 16 ohms, together with a vanishingly low noise floor and low output impedance. Or, in English, this means it’s a great match for virtually any headphone.
 
Amazing Mic Input
Your friends may think you’ve started your own podcast when they hear Fulla E’s 24-bit microphone input with TI analog-to-digital converter. And, automatic gain control makes the mic adjustment-free and super simple to use.
 
Designed and Built in the USA
By “designed and built in the USA" this is what we mean: the vast majority of the total production cost of Fulla—chassis, boards, assembly, etc—goes to US companies manufacturing in the US. Our chassis are made in California. Our PCBs are made in California or Nevada, and it all comes together in our Corpus Christi facility.

2-Year Warranty, 15-Day Easy Returns
Fulla is covered by a 2-year limited warranty that covers parts and labor. And if you don’t like your Fulla, you can send it back for a refund, minus 15% restocking fee, within 15 days of receiving it.

Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, +/-0.5db 

Maximum Power, 16 ohms: 300mW RMS
Maximum Power, 32 ohms: 200mW RMS
Maximum Power, 50 ohms: 150mW RMS
Maximum Power, 300 ohms: 40mW RMS

THD: <0.001%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 1V RMS
IMD: <0.001%, CCIR
SNR: >108db, A-weighted, referenced to 1V RMS
Crosstalk: >-80dB, 20Hz-20KHz
 
Output Impedance (headphones): 0.5 ohms
Output Impedance (line out): 75 ohms
Input Impedance (rear 1/8" jack): 10k ohms
 
USB Receiver: C-Media CM6635
DAC: ESS ES9018 with TI OPA1654-based filter stage
ADC: TI PCM1808
Sample Rates and Bit Depths: 16/44.1 to 24/192 supported without drivers on Windows 10, Mac, Linux, Android (UAC 2 device)
 
Output Stage: TI OPA1656 (2 amplifiers per channel) 
 
Power Supply: Via USB, with +/- 5V rails via high-current dual-polarity switching regulator, with inductor filtering and local regulation
 
Power Consumption: 0.8W typical
 
Size: 3.5 x 2.5 x 1.375” (including knob)
Weight: 9 oz
 

So why do I need a Fulla E?
You don’t need one at all. Let’s face it. Nobody “needs” a DAC/amp. Nobody really needs a smartphone with 108 megapixels or a 86” TV, either. So there’s that.  

I’d prefer a less smartass answer, please. Can you do that?
I’m sorry, but our ration of seriousity was used up when writing the FAQ for Hel 2. Which is kinda like a big Fulla E. Which is also something you don’t really need.
 
Okay, then. Why do I want a Fulla E?
Cool. We can answer that one, but it kinda breaks down by what you’re gonna use it for. Basically, if you want better sound for your headphones from virtually any source—and we’re talking computers, tablets, game consoles, TVs, phones, heck, even CD players—and you also want to have crystal-clear voice communications from an external microphone (whether you’re talking to your raiding party or Zoom co-workers), all in one convenient, inexpensive, USB-powered package, then Fulla E fits the bill.
 
Wow, that’s a lot of words. Let’s say I’m a gamer. What’s Fulla E got for me?
Fulla E plugs into PCs, Macs, Sony PS4s and PS5s, and Nintendo Switches via USB and provides powerful headphone drive and podcast-quality voice communications from one small box with one small USB cable. It also plugs into any monitor that offers optical output with its included optical port.

And if I’m working in a home office?
Then Fulla E will help make you the envy of your peers, with clear and powerful voice communications, as well as exceptional headphone sound. You can also connect to powered monitors for a complete desktop system, or to virtually any smart TV with the included optical port.
 
And if I just want to listen to music?
Then Fulla E is still a great choice, delivering far more power than any computer or phone source. Plus, it’s a convenient, transportable device—it just plugs in via USB and it’s ready to go.
 
Can you break this down a bit further? I’m a features and benefits kind of guy.
Yep. Here you go. A Fulla E offers:
  • A big-ass volume knob connected to a well-matched Alps RK09 pot (like we use in Magni) for fingertip control of volume
  • A 1/4” headphone output, like they use in studios, for serious headphones, plus an adapter for 1/8” connections as well
  • A 1/8” preamp output, so you can use it with powered monitors, or a speaker amp, to create a complete system
  • A 1/8” mono electret mic input, so you can use it with most electret mics, both those attached to headphones and those that are separate, for podcast-quality sound
  • USB-C inputs for both data/power and power alone (the second power input allows you to connect your phone charger or other 5V supply and bypass USB power.)
What’s the difference between this and the Fulla 3?
Lots of differences. Let’s break it down:
  • More compatibility: Fulla E has built-in UAC2/1 switching, which means it’s now compatible with many gaming consoles like Sony PS4, PS5, and Switch. 
  • More connectivity: Fulla E adds an optical input, so you can connect it to any TV with an optical output.
  • More modernity: Fulla E uses USB-C connectors, rather than Hel’s USB-micro.
  • More quality: Fulla E offers lower noise and distortion than Fulla 3.

Wait! Wasn't there a Fulla 4?
Yes. It was a brief sighting. The Fulla 4 used an AKM DAC and an AKM ADC, both of which are (a) unavailable due to a tragic factory fire in November 2020, and (b) not slated to come back into production, ever. Hence Fulla E.

And all of this is only $10 more than Fulla 3?
Yep! Sorry about the price increase, but you’re now getting a device that connects easily to many consoles and pretty much any smart TV, as well as computers, tablets, and phones. And it has lower noise and distortion, thanks to some fancy new TI op-amps. We did have to drop the analog input, but does your phone have an analog out anymore anyway? 
 
And you still design and build everything in California or Texas?
Yep! This one is made in Texas, by the way. But the principles are the same. Local USA sourcing of the vast majority of the cost of the product, with us doing the final assembly and testing. Did you know that every single one of our products is listened to before going out of the shop, as well as being subjected to instrumented test?
 
I thought we were asking the questions here!
And sometimes we use the Socratic method. 
  
What exactly can I connect to this product?
Good question. Fulla E works with:
  • PCs. Any Windows 10 PC is good to go.
  • Macs. Any Mac 10.10 or later is fine, too.
  • Many consoles. We’ve tested on PS4, PS5, and Switch. Any UAC1 console should be fine. Sorry, not Microsoft. Talk to them about supporting a USB audio standard that even Sony is happy with.
  • Linux. Any distro supporting UAC2 is fine.
  • iOS. Also fine, though you may need to plug in the external power supply to avoid a “draws too much power error.
  • Android. Mostly fine, though you may need an app like USB Audio Player Pro to get it to play nice.
Okay. Fine. Let’s talk power. Are you saying that if I plug my phone charger into the power-only USB input, that means the Fulla E tells my computer that it doesn’t need any power?
Yes. Or your phone, or tablet, or any other device plugged into the Data/Power USB port. Technically, Fulla E tells your computer or phone it needs the full 500mA a USB2 port can supply, unless you plug in a separate power USB.
 
So, also on this USB power thing, does that mean I can use a super-crazy linear supply that costs 3X as much as the Fulla E to get better performance?
Go back and read what you just asked. Seriously, just use your phone charger or something.
 
Yeah, I hear you, but I really really really want to spend a lot of money on a linear power supply that does nothing!
We understand. And you should be free to waste your money any way you'd like. But really, your super-pristine linear supply with the Regurgitson Ultraregulators isn't gonna do anything, since it's running through a switching supply anyway. You know, just like lots of other, more expensive products do...except we tell you this, and don't encourage you to throw money down the loo.
  
Can I use this with both headphones and powered monitors? 
Yep!
 
Can I use this as just a DAC?
Yep! It has variable output, with a marker for typical line-level output.
 
If I plug in headphones…
It automatically mutes the preamp outputs. See, we’re getting good at predicting what you’re gonna ask. Kinda like autocorrect. But with less embarrassing mistakes. We hope.
  
Why would I step up to a Hel 2E?
Because you want more power or flexibility. Hel delivers 6x the power of Fulla E, it has a gain switch for harder-to-drive or more sensitive headphones, it has a switchable analog input, and it has front-panel adjustable microphone gain and a stereo mic input. If any of those features are important, it might be worth $90 more than Fulla E for your needs.
 
So why would I step up to a Magni/Modi stack? 
More power, more flexibility, bigger wallet, bigger desk—remember, Magni/Modi/Vali combos range from $198 to $398, and cover basic USB-powered DACs to True Multibit DACs, solid-state to tube amps. Also, they don’t provide microphone input for gaming. 
 
So is this gonna sound great with my headphones?
For most headphones, yes. There are some headphones out there that are very hard to drive, or insanely sensitive. Check with the headphone manufacturer if you're unsure.
 
What comes in the box, besides the Fulla? Do I get a cable with this?
Yes, we supply a USB-C to USB-A cable. 
  
Can I use a fancier cable to get better sound?
You can do whatever you’d like, including dancing by the light of the full moon and making small, non-living sacrifices to the audiophile gods.
 
No, seriously.
We are being serious.
 
I’m asking specifically about the cable.
As long as it’s a USB 2.0-minimum-rated cable, 2m or less in length, terminated with a USB-C plug on one end, you can use it, sure.
 
And it’ll sound better?
Probably about as much as taping $100 bills to your headphones. Or sending the $100 bills to us. We prefer the latter.
 
You’re messing with me!
Just a little.
 
So what’s Fulla in Norse?
Fulla is a goddess, “bountiful”, and a healer. And if you’re looking to relax to some great tunes on the go, the Schiit Fulla can definitely be a bountiful healer. And that’s not fulla schiit. 
A Headphone Amp That’s Fulla Schiit!
AVgadgets, Andrew

"Finally, a headphone amp that's not Fulla Schiit! I said that and I mean it! The Schiit Fulla E is a cost effective, and high-performing headphone amp. At $109, I think you would be hard pressed to find a headphone amp with a audiophile grade DAC integrated that can best it."

Read Full Review ->

Fulla E Manual