Fix the Nintendo Switch 2's biggest design flaw with less than $100 worth of audio gear
I love my new Nintendo Switch 2. The Joy-Cons are more comfortable than the last pair, the 4K TV mode looks amazing on my Samsung S95D, and the top-mounted USB-C charging port allows me to keep my console juiced up while I play in bed with the Switch planted in a pillow.
My chosen playing position raises a new issue, however. The speakers are mounted on the bottom, leaving me with muffled audio.
The speakers are 'just ok' at the best of times, but now they were next-to-impossible to hear. Enter, then, some of my favorite ways to make my Nintendo Switch 2 sound excellent in handheld mode — and they can all be had for under $100.
Nintendo's implementation of Bluetooth might be one of the best of the current crop of consoles. Unlike the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, the Switch 2 can connect to any pair of Bluetooth headphones and play game audio wirelessly.
This, in my mind at least, is a game changer. You can buy some of the best wireless headphones for under $100, and that means you won't have a dongle awkwardly dangling from the USB-C or headphone port.
Even if your preferred headphones don't natively support spatial audio, there's a virtual 360-degree audio option in the Switch 2's settings menu. I found it worked very well as I fought monsters in Rune Factory and raced Peach in Mario Kart World.
There are a couple of restrictions. You can't seem to use the mic in your headphones as a headset mic, and if you're a little further away from the switch while wearing your headphones, the connection can get spotty.
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But given the Switch 2's built-in mic is actually really, really good and you're rarely going to be that far from your Switch, these aren't going to cause you any massive issues.
Here's how to connect a pair of Bluetooth headphones to your Nintendo Switch 2.
The Moondrop Edge are a cheaper pair of headphones, but they feature some great sound quality and decent ANC. They are really comfortable as well, and their style matches the Switch. You can find them for under $100, and they easily connect to your Switch 2 over Bluetooth.
Of course, sometimes you don't want to wear a pair of headphones while gaming, and thankfully it's just as easy to pair a Bluetooth speaker as it is to pair some headphones.
Using the same connection method as Bluetooth headphones, you can hook up one of the best Bluetooth speakers for a massive jump in sound quality over the Switch's standard speakers. There are some audio-based caveats here, though.
The only downsides here are that you'll miss out on the Switch 2's virtual surround sound, and you might find it weird that the game sound comes from somewhere that's not your Switch 2. I found I got over the latter point fairly quickly, though, and the virtual surround was never good enough for me to miss it when it was gone.
It's easy to get connected, and it's a great way to get some better sound if you just don't like the thin sound of the Switch 2's internal speakers.
This $90 Bluetooth speaker is a great, relatively inexpensive way to make your Switch sound even better. You can even connect two together with a handy button on the speaker for stereo sound while playing. It connects to the switch super easily over Bluetooth.
Circumventing the speakers with a pair of headphones or a Bluetooth speaker will definitely result in better sound. But a DAC will be the ultimate upgrade.
The DAC I used is actually the Chord Mojo 2, which sets you back more than the system itself. It connects to the USB-C port of the Switch, and then amplifies and improves the audio signal that it then sends to a pair of wired headphones.
You don't have to spend the $650 to get the Chord Mojo 2, although you do have to be careful with compatibility. We're still in the early days of Switch 2, and extensive DAC testing hasn't yet taken place. Neither has Nintendo given us a definitive list of DACs that connect to the Switch.
I found this Reddit thread helpful when finding out what DACs to use with the Switch 2. The list is small at the moment, although there are likely plenty out there that currently work with the Switch 2.
Using the Mojo 2 was completely straightforward — the Switch 2 even recognized it, named it, and then relinquished volume control. I turned off virtual headphone surround for greater compatibility, and then enjoyed excellent sound over my favorite wired headphones; models that wouldn't have sounded anywhere near as good if I just used the system's standard headphone output.
Is this for everyone? No, but you can get fairly cheap DACs that will improve the sound of any headphones you plug in.
This is a great, cheap dongle DAC that will upgrade the sound of your Switch when you want to use some wired headphones. It connects over either USB-C port on the Switch, so you can still use it if you've got the Switch buried into a pillow (like me), or if it's sitting on its folding stand.
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