The Conexant CX31993 is a popular, high-performance USB-C audio decoder chip designed to bring high-quality audio to devices that lack a traditional headphone jack. You'll most often find it inside affordable USB-C to 3.5mm dongles, portable DAC/amps, and even some budget-friendly USB audio adapters. Despite the "Conexant" branding, the chip is now owned by , which is why you might sometimes see the device labeled as "Synaptics CX31993" when plugged into your computer.
~117dB to 128dB (depending on specific implementation) Dynamic Range: >117dB Total Harmonic Distortion (THD+N): -95dB Output Power: ~65mW into 32 ohms
Yes (supports standard in-line controls and voice calls) Do You Actually Need a Dedicated Driver?
Plug and play. Windows will automatically assign a generic USB Audio Class driver. Plug and play on macOS X 10.10 and later. audioreviews.org Detailed Driver & Installation Steps (Windows)
Last updated: October 2025.
The Conexant CX31993 has become one of the most popular system-on-chip (SoC) audio codecs for budget-friendly USB-C to 3.5mm DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) dongles. Renowned for delivering high-resolution audio (up to 32-bit/384kHz) at a fraction of the cost of premium setups, this chip is widely used in portable amplifiers.
If your computer fails to recognize the dongle, or if you experience audio stuttering, follow these steps to reset or update the driver. Step 1: Use Windows Update
The Conexant CX31993 chip remains one of the best values in portable audio. Its hardware measures exceptionally well (low noise floor, low distortion). Unfortunately, the software ecosystem lags behind. For 99% of users, the native Windows driver is the safest, most stable choice. For the 1% who demand absolute perfection, hunting down the specialized Conexant driver is a rite of passage.
Press Win + R , type mmsys.cpl , and hit Enter to open the Sound Control Panel.
However, to unlock the full potential of this hardware, having the correct driver configuration is essential. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about finding, installing, and optimizing the Conexant CX31993 driver on Windows, Android, and macOS. What is the Conexant CX31993 Chip?
The is a popular, low-cost Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) chip found in many USB-C to 3.5mm headphone adapters, dongles, and budget audio interfaces . Known for its ability to deliver high-resolution audio (32-bit/384kHz) in a compact form factor, it has become a staple for smartphone and laptop users seeking better audio quality than built-in DACs.
It uses or UAC2 (depending on firmware), which is natively supported by:
| Feature | Conexant CX31993 | Realtek ALC5686 | Qualcomm WCD9385 | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | None (native) | None (native) | None (native) | | Max PCM | 32/384 | 32/384 | 32/192 | | DSD support | No (PCM only) | DSD64/128 | No | | Power draw | ~100mW | ~120mW | ~80mW | | Typical cost (dongle) | $8–15 USD | $15–25 USD | $20–40 USD |
Many CX31993 dongles support inline headphone microphones (TRRS). If your microphone isn't picking up sound: