If your DAC is reaching temperatures over 50°C, you can implement external cooling: Apply Heatsinks : Users on the HifiGuides Forums

Despite its low-power design, some users have had the opposite experience. In a Reddit discussion about the best budget DACs, one user stated, “The reviews say it runs really hot though... It's why I decided to buy something else”. The question is, why would this low-power chip suddenly generate excess heat?

Most $3 dongles from AliExpress skip this. They use a 2-layer PCB with no thermal vias. The EPAD is either unsoldered or attached to a tiny copper island. Without thermal conductivity, the chip surface reaches 85°C in 2 minutes.

Install a thermal pad between the chip and the aluminum chassis. High current draw from low impedance Use an inline impedance adapter plug (30Ω+).

According to manufacturer reference designs and Concept Kart's CX31993 Profile , the baseline architectural metrics include: Conexant (CX-Pro) CX31993 USB-C Amp/DAC Review

Frequently paired on-board with a dedicated MAX97220 amplifier chip to boost driving power for high-impedance loads. Why the CX31993 System Runs Hot