Q. I have Meze 99 Classics headphones that I use with my Apple headphone adapter, which plugs into the USB-C port of my iPhone. Everything sounds great, but I am wondering if I add a high-end amplifier DAC headphone adapter like the GO Link if it would be worth the $60 to $80 investment.

—J.T., Milwaukee

A. I do think you would hear an improvement. The GO Link products have premium amplifier and digital-to-analog conversion circuitry for cleaner, more detailed sound than provided by the Apple adapter. That said, the Apple product does a pretty good job with headphones such as yours, which do not have high power demands. The GO Link really shines with very high-end headphones and power-hungry planar magnetic headphones from companies like Hifiman and your headphone brand, Meze. Meze makes some of the best planar-magnetic headphones around, but they cost thousands of dollars.

There is an alternative that will provide more utility for your dollar. Fosi Audio makes several small headphone adapter/amplifiers, including the D2 USB-C DAC. The D2 is sized between the GO Link and the Apple adapter, with sound quality closer to the GO Link. You can get the D2 in a combo with the Fosi IM4 in-ear monitors, which are premium open-back wired earbuds with luscious, rich and engaging sound. The IM4 earphones are solid like they are made of a single piece of metal, include high-quality wiring and come in a semi-hard case.

Because the IM4 earbuds are open-back earphones (a rarity, comparable to open-back headphones preferred by audiophiles) they are not a good choice for airplanes or crowded places. But when used in the right environment, they might be the best-sounding earbuds you have ever heard. The IM4 + D2 USB-C Dac Standard Listening Combo sells for $119.99 on fosiaudio.com and the code Fosi35 reduces the price to $84.99. For about the same as a GO Link you can upgrade your DAC and get a new set of wired hi-fi earbuds that offer something new to your audio arsenal.

If you do foresee getting planar-magnetic headphones someday you would be better served with the GO Link. But if your objective is to improve the performance of your current wired headphones, I'd get the Fosi combo and enjoy those wonderful IM4 in-ear monitors in the bargain.

Q. My husband claims there is no safe way to clean the speaker grill cloth on our 20-year-old Polk TSi series speakers. The cloth has been stained by our collies walking too close to the speaker over the years. Is there really no way to safely take off and clean these speaker covers?

—K.B., Minneapolis

A. Those are some pretty nice speakers you have there and they are worth preserving. You have several options to get that grill cloth looking good again.

Take the grill off and use some warm water with a mild detergent such as Dawn dishwashing liquid. Use a microfiber cough to gently clean the area, then use another microfiber with just water to rinse it. This may remove the stain. For a more deep cleaning, you can put a very thin layer of water in the bathtub (just enough to cover the cloth without immersing the grill frame) and lay the grills inside one at a time, also using a microfiber cloth and a little bit of Dawn detergent.

If this doesn't work, just recover the grills. My favorite speaker repair company is Speaker Exchange, found online at reconingspeakers.com. They cut grill cloth to order and you can also contact them about sending them in for recovering.

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