Schiit Fulla 2 Review

The Schiit Fulla 2 is a DAC (digital-to-analog converter) that converts your digital audio files to an analog signal. The Fulla 2 is the second generation of the original Fulla. If you are unfamiliar with the original, it was an incredibly small DAC, about half the size of the Fulla 2.

The truth is that just about every digital product that supports audio has a built-in DAC. Speakers and headphones use speaker drivers, which are analog devices. To produce an analog audio signal that our ears can hear, there has to be a digital-to-analog conversion somewhere between the audio source and the speaker. This includes your CD players, PCs, mobile phones, TVs, etc. So why not use the DAC inside these devices?

Built-in DACs are made to support most but not all devices, and headphones are regularly available in high impedance that need more power than a built-in DAC can provide. Additionally, DACs can improve audio quality and give easier methods of audio control.

Back to the Schiit Fulla 2…

The Fulla 2 delivers from 40mW into 300 ohms up to 550mW into 16 ohms, which is enough to drive just about every headphone on the market.

Aesthetically, the Fulla 2 looks sleek and stylish. It has a single rotary knob with what appears to be circular air vents along the sides and on top of the device. The Fulla 2 does get warm during operation, so these are not just for aesthetics. One thing that is missing is an LED to indicate whether or not the Fulla 2 is actually powered on. Schiit’s other DACs have an LED power indicator; it’s unclear why the Fulla 2 does not.

Input / Outputs

On the rear are two micro USB ports and two ⅛-inch outputs. The first USB port is for signal and power, while the second USB port is for power only. The first micro USB is great if you connect the Fulla 2 to your PC or large device, which can pass audio and power.

It has a ¼-inch headphone output and an ⅛-inch line in. Having these two connections on the front makes sense, allowing for easier use of the DAC. The headphone line goes to your headphones, and the line-in is connected to your phone or another audio device. When you plug a source into the line-in, the DAC is bypassed, and only the headphone pre-amp and ¼-inch output will work.

But what if you’re connecting a device like a mobile phone to the power/signal USB port? In this case, the mobile phone won’t power your Fulla 2. When using small audio devices connected via USB, you can use the second USB to power the Fulla 2. If you have both USB ports connected, the Fulla 2 will draw a signal from the audio/power port and power from the power port.

⅛-inch Outputs

Next to the micro USB ports are two ⅛-inch outputs. The first output is a line-level out, and the second is a ⅛-inch line level pre-out, which could be connected to a pair of powered speakers, for example. Keep in mind that the ⅛-inch pre-out will be disabled when a device is plugged into your ¼-inch output on the front. One sticking point with the ⅛-inch connections is the lip of the casing prevents larger ⅛-inch adapters from inserting all the way. This can be annoying if you don’t have small ⅛-inch connectors. My advice is to purchase a ⅛-inch to RCA cable and a ⅛-inch to ⅛-inch cable with small enough ⅛-inch adapters when you buy your Fulla 2.

Lastly, the sound. You have to keep in mind the Fulla 2 is an affordable DAC and headphone preamp. While the Fulla 2 does sound significantly better than your PC’s DAC or headphone preamp, it’s not as good as a premium DAC or headphone pre-amps. If you’re just looking for something compact and affordable, the Fulla 2 is the way to go. It is a feature-packed device that allows you to connect devices in several different configurations.

Where the Fulla 2 begins to fail is with the headphone preamp. When you go past 50-60%, depending on your headphones, the Fulla 2 begins to break up and distort in the higher frequency range by 80-100%. You have full distortion. Before 50%, the Fulla 2 sounds great for a budget preamp. and I don’t feel you need to push past this volume for most headphones, as this is a significant amount of power. But it is something to note, and you might want to test this with your preferred headphones.

Schiit Fulla 2 – Conclusion

If you’re looking for an affordable DAC/headphone preamp combo, then I feel the Fulla 2 is the way to go. At the $100 price point, the Fulla 2 definitely outshines the competition with features and audio quality.