[fuzzybabybunny]

My Samsung S5's DAC pales in comparison to whatever DAC is built into my laptop. I consistently enjoy my music more through my laptop than my S5, but the S5 is way more portable. I have the Westone W60 so I feel it's pretty important to get a good DAC.
 
Anyway, I don't know much about DACs. I'd like to keep the budget under $150 USD. 
 
I initially thought that the chipset used in the DAC was the most important thing, but after reading this website I'm not sure anymore: 
 
http://www.musicservertips.com/product-reviews/dac-buyers-guide/
 
"I’ll be upfront with you – sonic differences between various DACs nowadays are miniscule. "
 
"Having experimented with digital-to-analog converter circuit development, I know that in order to get good performance it’s not about a single “magic chip” as the killer ingredient."
 
So I don't know anymore. Got any tips or recommendations? I'd also like to plug the DAC in via the wider and more secure Micro USB 3.0 plug. I figure though that this is simply a matter of getting the right USB OTG cable, right?

 

[PurpleAngel]

So you want to get an external DAC, with a built in headphone amplifier, that you can connect to the USB port on your Samsung S5 smartphone.
Maybe get a FiiO E18, portable DAC/amp.
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/fiio-e18
 
Or get a FiiO X3 Gen II DAP, you would use it as a stand alone portable audio player (not connected to phone),
and also connect it to a computer (like you laptop) and use it as a external DAC/amp.
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/fiio-x3-2nd-generation-player

 

[florencephile]

  My Samsung S5's DAC pales in comparison to whatever DAC is built into my laptop. I consistently enjoy my music more through my laptop than my S5, but the S5 is way more portable. I have the Westone W60 so I feel it's pretty important to get a good DAC.
 
Anyway, I don't know much about DACs. I'd like to keep the budget under $150 USD. 
 
I initially thought that the chipset used in the DAC was the most important thing, but after reading this website I'm not sure anymore: 
 
http://www.musicservertips.com/product-reviews/dac-buyers-guide/
 
"I’ll be upfront with you – sonic differences between various DACs nowadays are miniscule. "
 
"Having experimented with digital-to-analog converter circuit development, I know that in order to get good performance it’s not about a single “magic chip” as the killer ingredient."
 
So I don't know anymore. Got any tips or recommendations? I'd also like to plug the DAC in via the wider and more secure Micro USB 3.0 plug. I figure though that this is simply a matter of getting the right USB OTG cable, right?

I can't recommend anything specifically in your budget, but from my experience, DAC differences are to each his own, but my ears notice a major difference.