Related
Here's a list of DACs reportedly working with the OPO:
The Audioquest Dragonfly works with USB Audio Recorder/Player Pro (as long as Tweak 1 is installed, according to chazman1117)
The FiiO E07k, according to this OnePlus One Forums member.
The Fiio E10 actually works with "an OTG cable and no external power," as reported by benoitb and confirmed by me! The E10 doesn't require UAPP/UARP to work; it receives signal from every audio player I've used, and EQ utilities also have a direct effect.
But since I've read that using an unpowered USB DAC with an unpowering source can damage said source, I don't think I'll be making a habit of using an E10 with my OPO -- especially in light of this week's exploding battery fiasco.
The FiiO E17 works well with the CyanHacker ROM and possibly stock CM as well (according to sandels' findings)
The FiiO E18 (confirmations appear here and here, though it's a tad unclear whether the latter poster's talking about an OPO or a "graveyarded" Nexus 5)
The FiiO E7 is working with the OPO, according to Head-fi's Cattlethief.
The Apex Glacier DAC, Poimandres of Head-fi assures us, not only works quite well with the CM's 38r 24/192-ready update but "streams USB audio from Neutron divinely." (Apex wants you to know that the Glacier uses a "bipolar power supply" -- best to listen to demanding headphones when it's not in the manic phase, apparently!)
The HiFiMeDIY TinyDAC works with KitKat but not Android L, reportedly; I know from personal experience that it works with an OPO running CM11 stock.
The HRT Music Streamer II is working with the OPO, according to Head-fi's Cattlethief.
The iFi Nano iDSD is reportedly working with the OPO according to this post by Head-fi member cattlethief.
The NuForce uDAC-2 is reportedly working with the OPO according to this post on Head-Fi (to which DanBa was kind enough to drop in and link).
The Rega DAC works with the OPO without any issues according to mapin0518, who used it with Google Play Music and this Micro USB to USB OTG Adapter.
The Sony PHA-1, according to this Head-fi member.
The Stoner Acoustics UD120 DAC is working with the OPO, according to Head-fi's Cattlethief -- though only with UAPP.
The Vamp Verza works with stock music players as well as UAPP/UARP according to chazmann1117's findings. Update: Chazmann now reports that, "when using the settings required by the DAC for an android phone," there is "barely audible" noise. The noise goes away if you switch to "apple mode" on the Verza, but that makes the battery drain far more quickly.
The YuLong U100 works a treat with the OPO, according to mrruin.
(I recall reading that the JDS Labs C5D also works with the OPO, but I'm still looking for concrete verification.)
* * * * *
History
Most people who are interested in using external DACs with Android phones have been following DanBa's Android DAC thread on Head-fi for the past few years.
DanBa is focused on DAC compatibility with mainstream devices by Samsung and Nexus because the former has been the most popular maker of Android phones and the latter is Google's intersection with chosen hardware companies. Samsung and Nexus devices, DanBa reasons, will affect Google's implementation of USB audio most directly and so are most deserving of his time.
That's why it's unlikely he'll create a list of DACs that work with the OnePlus One.
It's also why I thought we might create one ourselves.
I have a Fiio E17 and it's working. I've had a couple issues with the apps crashing but I've only just started testing so I'll update when I know more. Plays both MP3 and FLAC fine.
I'm running CyanHacker ROM.
OnePlus One > USB OTG adaptor > USB cable > Fiio E17 > Earphones > Ears
After more days of listening I can confirm that Fiio E17 works great with the OPO. I suspect the first few crashes were ROM related. Let me know if you have any questions and I can test stuff.
I have the OPO and can conform that the Audioquest Dragonfly and the FiiO E-7 work fine, although I had to enable USB tweak 1 in the USB Audio Player Pro as I would randomly lose sync with the DAC.
I will update this post later today as I will have the opportunity to test the V-Moda Vamp Verza.
I would appreciate feedback on DACs without using UAPP since the app brings its own driver interface to communicate with DACs. Outside the app DACs quickly loose the ability to work with various phones.
So if you have a DAC and a OPO phone, please give feedback without using UAPP and see if it works with a standard music player. Thanks!
My Yulong U100 works, but it is not a portable or widely available DAC.
mrruin said:
I would appreciate feedback on DACs without using UAPP since the app brings its own driver interface to communicate with DACs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't used or installed UAPP at all. Apps I've used are Apollo, Soundcloud, Youtube, Chrome, and various games. System sounds and the like are all fine as well. As far as I'm can tell the E17 + OPO works with anything and everything.
mrruin said:
I would appreciate feedback on DACs without using UAPP since the app brings its own driver interface to communicate with DACs. Outside the app DACs quickly loose the ability to work with various phones. So if you have a DAC and a OPO phone, please give feedback without using UAPP and see if it works with a standard music player. Thanks! My Yulong U100 works, but it is not a portable or widely available DAC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Then again, perhaps other people might like to know which DACs work with the OPO in whatever capacity -- with UARP or without. Anyone who's gracious enough to test their DAC with their setup and report their findings here has my gratitude whether or not they have to use UARP -- yourself included. (I believe the Dragonfly does require UARP, hence chazman's specific feedback, if I understood him correctly.)
No need to limit the scope of this thread to the setup you desire. Your interests will still be covered.
2. It sounds as though your Yulong U100 works without UARP, since you didn't mention using it and are interested specifically in avoiding it, correct?
Reignogleph MMXI said:
1. Then again, perhaps other people might like to know which DACs work with the OPO in whatever capacity -- with UARP or without. Anyone who's gracious enough to test their DAC with their setup and report their findings here has my gratitude whether or not they have to use UARP -- yourself included. (I believe the Dragonfly does require UARP, hence chazman's specific feedback, if I understood him correctly.)
No need to limit the scope of this thread to the setup you desire. Your interests will still be covered.
2. It sounds as though your Yulong U100 works without UARP, since you didn't mention using it and are interested specifically in avoiding it, correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Generally from what I have seen almost any DAC with standard USB interface will work with UAPP. They really did a good job with that app and its driver interface, no doubt. But it is also no native support, there is an interface layer in between.
What would be perfect is that everyone who tries to use their DAC with their phone not only tries UAPP but also "normal" operation. Too often that information is missing. However if a DAC works without UAPP it will work with Ultimate Audio Player Pro as well.
So in my case the U100 works systemwide, with any audio/video app I tried. Stock and CM based roms.
sandels said:
I haven't used or installed UAPP at all. Apps I've used are Apollo, Soundcloud, Youtube, Chrome, and various games. System sounds and the like are all fine as well. As far as I'm can tell the E17 + OPO works with anything and everything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
perfect, thanks
mrruin said:
Generally from what I have seen almost any DAC with standard USB interface will work with UAPP. They really did a good job with that app and its driver interface, no doubt. But it is also no native support, there is an interface layer in between.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It isn't always true that any USB DAC will work with UARP. The success is very much dependent on the player and the DAC. Another factor is power, of course. If, for example, a USB DAC intended to be powered by the computer for which it was designed (cf. the Dragonfly) only worked with the OPO when an external powered hub was added, I'd want to know that as well.
mrruin said:
What would be perfect is that everyone who tries to use their DAC with their phone not only tries UAPP but also "normal" operation. Too often that information is missing. However if a DAC works without UAPP it will work with Ultimate Audio Player Pro as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just did a search for "Ultimate Audio Player Pro" on the playstore and found nothing. Are you certain you don't mean USB Audio Recorder Pro?
Also: When people say that a DAC works with USB Audio Recorder Pro, I believe they're trying to say that it doesn't work without UARP. The convenient shorthand for them might be to add the word only:
"Schiit-on-a-Wheel Audio's Nordic Conquest DAC works with CM OS and the stock music app, but Megathrum's MeagerDAC works only with UARP and revision 340.2(c) of the ThermalCup ROM."
that's the one
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extreamsd.usbaudioplayerpro
it is "USB" not "Ultimate" Audio Player Pro. Same developer.
chazman1117 said:
I have the OPO and can conform that the Audioquest Dragonfly and the FiiO E-7 work fine, although I had to enable USB tweak 1 in the USB Audio Player Pro as I would randomly lose sync with the DAC.
I will update this post later today as I will have the opportunity to test the V-Moda Vamp Verza.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am listening to the V-Moda Vamp Verza right now using Poweramp. Works flawlessly, sounds awesome. Also works with Google Play music as well as USB Audio Player Pro.
mrruin said:
that's the one
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extreamsd.usbaudioplayerpro
it is "USB" not "Ultimate" Audio Player Pro. Same developer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got it: You meant to type USB but typed Ultimate -- perhaps because it turns out you're not alone.
I point this out not to be a vast hulking dink but because (1) there's an app called "Ultimate Audio Player," which people might mistakenly download instead, and (2) I googled the name "Ultimate Audio Recorder Pro" and found threads like this one, in which Head-fi members used the incorrect name for the app -- and one of them happens to be NZtechfreak -- a dedicated cataloger of USB DACs.
Note, too, that user phi303 had the same experience I did: S/he looked for Ultimate Audio Player Pro on the Playstore and found nothing. It's interesting that that's happened more than twice.
For the above reasons, I think it's worthwhile for people to know we're talking about USB Audio Player Pro sans the word Ultimate. Since I wasn't familiar with that UARP offshoot until you made me aware of it, I wouldn't expect every DAC user to know it either -- not automatically, at least.
Both UARP and UAPP use drivers that bypass the limitations of source software, which is why I suspected they had to be the same software with an incorrect initialism or variants of the same original software.
another +1 for fiio E17 working on oneplus one (i'm assuming the OP is using on the stock rom)
Confirmed the OPO will work with FIIO E17 via USB
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Click to collapse
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/opo-usb-audio.20694/page-3
chazman1117 said:
I am listening to the V-Moda Vamp Verza right now using Poweramp. Works flawlessly, sounds awesome. Also works with Google Play music as well as USB Audio Player Pro.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update--
After extensive listening I had to return the V-Moda Vamp Versa DAC. When using the settings required by the DAC for an android phone there is audible (barely) noise. If you change the settings to apple mode - the noise goes away, but the battery drains extremely quick. No Bueno.
Rega DAC works
My OnePlus One recognized my Rega DAC without any issues. I used it with Google Play Music.
OnePlus One -> USB Micro OTG to USB 2.0 Adapter -> USB cable -> Rega DAC -> Rega (or any) Amp
Cable: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005QX7KYU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
DAC: http://www.musicdirect.com/p-12208-rega-dac.aspx
Thanks, mapin and chazman -- and thanks to DanBa for dropping me a note about the uDAC2.
List updated; it now includes a few new findings from users on Head-fi's OPO thread.
Added to list: the Apex Glacier, Stoner UD 120, HRT Music Streamer 2 and FiiO E7.
Thanks for those updates go to Poinmandres, cattlethief and DanBa.
The Aune T1 works great!!great sound!using a USB micro otg tot USB 2.0 adapter.
i also confirm fiio17 works with oneplus one (usb audio player pro). A nice combination but not to portable is to connect to e17 a e12 as headphone amp(with fiio l7). It drives my sennheiser hd600 excellent and even my ie8.
User confirms cd5 works with opo
http://www.reddit.com/r/androidaudio/comments/2ro7r3/my_android_audio_setup_is_complete/
So I found a Behringer UCA202 DAC online for really cheap and thought why not try it just for fun. Everything I've read says having one can help a bit and I figured at the least it would sound the same, but I plugged it into my Nexus 5 via OTG then plugged the AUX cord to my Jeep into the DAC and all bass and pretty much any other level of detail is gone from my music whether it's from Pandora, YouTube HD, or FLAC audio files. Audio sound quality is equal to listening to music over old mono bluetooth, you hear it fine but any highs and lows are removed. Has anyone else used this DAC that could give some suggestions?
Otherwise it's just as I assumed, DACs are pointless on good quality phones and that's why I can't find any DAC threads with the Nexus 5 involved.
herqulees said:
So I found a Behringer UCA202 DAC online for really cheap and thought why not try it just for fun. Everything I've read says having one can help a bit and I figured at the least it would sound the same, but I plugged it into my Nexus 5 via OTG then plugged the AUX cord to my Jeep into the DAC and all bass and pretty much any other level of detail is gone from my music whether it's from Pandora, YouTube HD, or FLAC audio files. Audio sound quality is equal to listening to music over old mono bluetooth, you hear it fine but any highs and lows are removed. Has anyone else used this DAC that could give some suggestions?
Otherwise it's just as I assumed, DACs are pointless on good quality phones and that's why I can't find any DAC threads with the Nexus 5 involved.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ummm, it's not a DAC. It's an interface.
theesotericone said:
Ummm, it's not a DAC. It's an interface.
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Click to collapse
Yes, with a DAC in it. You need a DAC to get audio output through USB, there is no analog audio output through USB/USB OTG...
herqulees said:
Yes, with a DAC in it. You need a DAC to get audio output through USB, there is no analog audio output through USB/USB OTG...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it has a DAC but it's not meant as a stand alone DAC. It's an interface or soundcard. Does your phone have enough juice to even operate the thing? Also for a device that sells for less than 30 bucks what exactly where you expecting? Get a real DAC. You will notice a huge difference. Until then do some more research on what you have and see if your meeting it's power requirements.
This is actually a pretty good review of the unit with lots of technical info.
http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/behringer-uca202-review.html
theesotericone said:
Yes it has a DAC but it's not meant as a stand alone DAC. It's an interface or soundcard. Does your phone have enough juice to even operate the thing? Also for a device that sells for less than 30 bucks what exactly where you expecting? Get a real DAC. You will notice a huge difference. Until then do some more research on what you have and see if your meeting it's power requirements.
This is actually a pretty good review of the unit with lots of technical info.
http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/behringer-uca202-review.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I can't see power being an issue I suppose I'll test with my Nexus 7 and laptop. I know it's a cheap DAC but I've read many reviews using this DAC with tablets and phones for car audio, along with the nwavguy in-depth review and testing showing how it's not a multi-hundred dollar unit but still does amazingly well. My issue is it doesn't even sound decent. It sounds like I'm playing rap/hip-hop through an old Nokia on speaker phone, you can hear it clearly but there's no depth.
So I tossed this DAC in a closet after I got bored of trying to make it work right and forgot about it for a year or so till earlier today when I found it while cleaning. My Nexus 5 has been retired and serves no purpose other than a security camera now. I now have a Samsung Galaxy S5 and an RCA Maven Pro tablet. The RCA Maven Pro is an 11.1inch 2-in-1 Android tablet with detachable keyboard for around $120. You'd assume it's horrible thanks to the brand and price but they managed to cut corners in all the right places it seems. Downsides are no GPS, 1GB of RAM, terrible cameras, and a horrible speaker. Other than that it has faithfully replaced my $1200 laptop with zero issues other than adjusting to ditching Windows.
Now back on track when I listen to music I'm either using an aux cord plugged into my work truck or bluetooth when using headphones or in my new car. When doing a side by side comparison bluetooth, to no surprise, shows no difference between my Maven and S5. However when using an aux cord the RCA doesn't put out as much bass and highs are... I guess not as clear? I think audiophiles are insane most of the time so it's hard for me to describe when I do notice a difference. Anyways I plugged the UCA202 into the RCA's USB port (no OTG here, it has a full size USB port) and plugged my Sony MDR-XB950BT headphones in to it with an aux cord (these headphones are 100% passive when wired, no bass boost or other enhancements) and sound quality is just as great as my S5, all bass and highs are restored. Just to further the test I plugged it into my S5 and did the same test with the same results. These are the same FLAC song files from the same network location that my Nexus 5 was playing a year ago.
The whole time the issue was something in my Nexus 5. What it was I don't know and sorry you guys I don't plan on investigating, I just wanted to inform everyone that the Behringer UCA202 is in fact a quality budget DAC since this thread is a top Google result for "Behringer UCA202 Android". If you have a cheap device that you want the audio to be on par with the high end phones this will do it, and for my original purpose of at the same time giving a bit of amplification for a weak head unit without distortion it does that decently too. To finish this off I am NOT an audiophile. Just a human with human hearing that likes songs with bass on car head units that weren't always designed for it (I glued a 80mm CPU fan to the back of the HU in my Jeep ) So take my finer details however you'd like.
the DAC works great for my Nexus 7 2013 model.
maybe otg cable is sh1tty
Sent from my D820 CAF using Tapatalk
I use my n5 as my mp3 player in my car but the sound sucks. I'm thinking of getting a dac to fix this.
I have a otg cable to plug in my usb key that contains my mp3 library. So first I know i will need a y otg, have some all ready but not sur I have the right one but that is a detail. I dont really care about simultaneously charging my phone.
So what good dac do you suggest. Keep in mind I don't have a lot of money, not to sure what kind of budget yet.
Thanks
Please
nitramus said:
I use my n5 as my mp3 player in my car but the sound sucks. I'm thinking of getting a dac to fix this.
I have a otg cable to plug in my usb key that contains my mp3 library. So first I know i will need a y otg, have some all ready but not sur I have the right one but that is a detail. I dont really care about simultaneously charging my phone.
So what good dac do you suggest. Keep in mind I don't have a lot of money, not to sure what kind of budget yet.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure you have not a faulty cable/ nexus 5 connector or bad regulated equalizer on nexus 5?
I ask you cause I m not an audiophile but nexus 5 sound great to my ears, almost like nexus s which feature one of the best DAC on portable devices
nitramus said:
I use my n5 as my mp3 player in my car but the sound sucks. I'm thinking of getting a dac to fix this.
I have a otg cable to plug in my usb key that contains my mp3 library. So first I know i will need a y otg, have some all ready but not sur I have the right one but that is a detail. I dont really care about simultaneously charging my phone.
So what good dac do you suggest. Keep in mind I don't have a lot of money, not to sure what kind of budget yet.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try dragonfly by Audioquest or Cambridge Audio USB DAC. They sound awesome. I prefer the latter one. =)
Thanks for the reply. Everything I get gives me more info to search and get informed.
If you want a good dac at reasonable money try fio,get from Amazon
Sent from my Nexus 5
"Sucks" is a subjective term, but I agree with Axel85. If you're currently getting terrible sound, a USB DAC is a costly hail-mary that likely won't solve your problem. USB OTG DACs are great way to salvage an aging phone as a media player or to bypass a damaged the 3.5mm output. Otherwise, they're a way to turn already "great" sound into "exceptional." I can say with complete confidence that, even over bluetooth, the Nexus 5's built-in audio is impressive. If it "sucks" on your setup, then you definitely want to ensure that the problem doesn't lie elsewhere before investing in a DAC. If it is, in fact, the Nexus 5, ship that sucker back to Google, because a DAC definitely won't help. Just be sure there aren't other elements in your setup putting the constraints on your sound reproduction.
Now if you're truly blessed (cursed?) with golden ears and an audiophile's insatiable desire for perfection, then "sucks" probably has a different meaning for you; Otherwise, it's best to rule out everything else before plopping down substantial cash on a USB DAC. On that note, the Nexus' internal DAC crushes any entry-level/ low-end ($30-$50 DAC), so you'd really only want to consider the next step up, and it is a big step in price. Great units from $120-$200 from Fiio or Cambridge Audio. I've heard the Audioengine D3 on a laptop and it was fantastic, the form factor is great, as well, but I haven't investigated whether it plays nicely with lollipop OTG. There are a lot of issues to consider -some are legitimate headaches. Aside from the additional clutter of more cables and another powered device, the effect on your phone's battery is not one to take lightly. You may be able to currently stream pandora all day long, but with your phone acting as a USB host, you have to be conscious of the potential power draw from any USB DAC. A big amplifier can drain that battery quickly without its own power source to supplement. Many DACs are even equipped with their own internal batteries, but regardless, the power question is not something to minimize. Depending on the unit, powered USB hubs and the right cables can provide an easy fix.
But before you go pulling the trigger on a DAC, let me suggest a few things and some troubleshooting steps...
On the software side:
Play with built-in equalizer/AudioFX/DSP (it may do nothing at all with your ROM & kernel). I also highly recommend that you try playing your media through an app called PowerAmp. If that doesn't give you the fidelity boost you're looking for, then give Viper4Android a whirl. It requires a slightly more complicated installation (depending on the ROM), and the tweaking can get advanced, but the results are truly impressive with the right music. "FauxSound" is a custom kernel I'm yet to experiment with because it's (currently) incompatible with CM12.1 CAF, but the reviews in the forums seem overwhelmingly positive. When it comes to sound, perceptible differences vary from person to person.
As to troubleshooting the phone's output:
It should go without saying, but if your factory head unit and speakers and are junk ...if music has never sounded good on your system, a USB DAC isn't the miracle worker you need. Spend the money on a decent head unit and/or upgrade your speakers. An underpowered, factory installed head unit can turn otherwise decent speakers into muffled distortion makers, so take stock of the equipment you're working with and manage expectations. If you're an audiophile, you can likely ignore much of this, but for the sake of anyone else in a similar boat, considering a DAC to improve audio, lets go down the troubleshooting checkbox:
1) First and foremost, check your source files. If you're streaming, make sure it's high quality. You may need to go into the app's advanced settings. For most people's ears, there are diminishing returns above 320kbps MP3 /256AAC vs. the storage requirements. With the right gear and the right source though, "lossless" music can bring out elements you never heard on your favorite tracks: fingers lifting and moving along frets, or a half-note you never caught. If your ROM is capable of natively playing 96000Hz 24-bit FLAC, by all means, give it a go (or any other lossless).
2) Test your 3.5mm headphone connection with decent pair of actual headphones. Still sucks? Spray the jack with compressed air and see if it helps. Try with another set of headphones. Try with a friend's car, try on your home stereo. Then connect to your car and compare. If it's worse, swap out the cable before anything else. Quality matters here. The difference between the the $0.99 cable you buy at the gas station and the $12 cable at BestBuy can be huge. A quality cable means one sheilded for interference with wiring and connectors made of materials that optimize conductivity (often a thin gold plating). Many are even cut specifically to ensure a solid connection through the narrow opening of an aftermarket case/protector. A better connection means better sound.
3) If all is well with the 3.5mm, plug it into your mobile charger. Audio still clean? If not, try another charger. Still sounding crappy? Is this limited to the car or did you hear it on your headphones? How about over bluetooth? If it's only in the car, and sound gets worse on the charger, there might be a ground loop somewhere in the car's electrical system (often this manifests as a high frequency whine that increases as you accelerate, or changes frequency when you turn on the A/C, headlights, etc). This could be as simple as something plugged into the cars cigarette lighter, or a bad connection somewhere in the vehicles electrical system... The problem is the "somewhere" part, and tracing it down can mean pulling fuses all day long.
3) If you connect over bluetooth (not optimal) perform the same tests. If bluetooth degrades audio quality significantly, then your car stereo may be on an older standard that simply can't operate at the bandwidth capabilities for high-bitrate audio. Aside from just not using bluetooth, there's no simple fix for this. If you dont get a drop in audio quality when connecting to another bluetooth device, then your in-car options are limited: connect via 3.5mm out, replace the head unit with a newer one, or install a bluetooth 4.0+ adapter to the car stereo's auxillary inputs. It's worth at least mentioning that, although unlikely, interference from other devices could be an issue. Anything that operates within the same wireless spectrum as bluetooth could be a source of interference. A bluetooth obdii reader, a wireless transmitter from a rear view camera, even other phones in the car that have been paired with the stereo.... Anything on 2.4ghz Normally, there's a preamble before transmission that keeps devices operating on these frequencies from interfering with each other, but if there's a bluetooth device in the vehicle on an early standard, that may not be the case. Also, if there's any USB 3.0 connection (powered hub, thumb drive) in close proximity to bluetooth, get rid of it or buy a shielded extension cable -noise emitted at the connection crushes bluetooth throughput and connection reliability.
Regardless, just make sure that the rest of your system is up to the task before investing in a DAC. Don't get me wrong, they are fantastic with the right gear, but each component of your setup can improve output as much as it can act as a bottleneck on the quality of the sound it reproduces. Make sure the investment is worth it by ensuring your system is ready for it. If not, put your money towards the fundamentals: Head unit + speakers.
mborzill said:
If your ROM is capable of natively playing 96000Hz 24-bit FLAC, by all means, give it a go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you aware of any such ROMs?
Well, some clarification is necessary... even stock kitkat should *play* a 24/96FLAC, but "Natively" isn't the correct terminology. If that were true 24/96 on the N5, this thread wouldn't exist. The Nexus 5 downsamples significantly, but the better the source, the better the sample. Quality will be great coming from a lossless 24bit/96khz source, but its not gonna be true 24/96 if its coming from the Nexus 5's internal DAC. It'll be downsampled to its hardware and software limitations. I know with kitkat this was 16bit/48khz, but I can't speak to whether or not this ceiling *actually* increased with Lollipop. In theory, the N5's Qualcomm Wolfson wcd9320 DAC supported up to 192khz, and Lollipop bumped support up to 96khz, but if I recall, it's the Snapdragon 800 that isn't capable of 24/96. Without a DAC, and downsampled to 16bit/48khz, you might get an imperceptibly lower noise floor, but other than I doubt you'd hear a difference between lossless sources.
Personally I think it's total overkill to use up that kind of space without having a DAC capable of reproducing it (or freakin golden ears) but if you're going for the most accurate reference track you can find for problem-tracing, have at it. Even Downsampled, that FLAC will sound much better than an encoded mp3.
If there's a ROM with true "native" 24/96khz reproduction on the N5 I certainly don't know about it... Or need it.
As to specific ROMs and compatibility: Cyanogenmod is my go-to. I prefer Viper4Android over AudioFX, but with major tweaking (specific to my headphones). Out of the box, AudioFX is great.
Lollipop, in general, has vastly improved audio performance. Raised sampling resolution from 16 bit PCM to 24bit and sampling rate from 44/48khz to support 96khz (if the phones hardware can support it, else USB DAC). Lower i/o latency gives the closest thing android has seen to real-time audio since the start (which has been a major issue for musicians,DJ, game developers, even VoIP). Floating point sampling is new too, which, in theory, reduces clipping, improves headroom and dynamic range.
Do I need to use a custom ROM with an external DAC like the Fiio E18 or other DAC's? Could I simply purchase any external DAC? If not what do I need to look for when shopping for external DAC's that work with the Nexus 5?
My Nexus 5 is stock currently on 5.1.
Thank you for any advice.
Viper 4 android.
Hi all,
Just wanted to put a thread together to talk around the audio capabilities of the HTC 10. From what I can see, the audio is split up into a couple of different areas:
1) Good quality internal hardware (DAC and separate amps for speakers and earphone),
2) Powerful two way speaker setup,
3) Better than normal earphones to take advantage of the hardware, and
4) Good quality software with the Personal Audio Profile System.
5) There is also Airplay support for those with 3rd party airplay speakers.
What hardware are people currently using (earphones, headphones, portable amps, portable usb DAC's)? When the phone is released, it will be good to get peoples impressions and reviews. Also to understand how different hardware affects those experiences (ie. different earphones work better or worse with this phone)??? Also, could this phone be good enough to take you away from dedicated hardware you might have (proper portable music players)?
One thing that I have noted which I haven't seen noted anywhere else is the Personal Audio Profile System being the same as what Aumeo has/is coming out with with their device (click here).
I personally have a couple of pairs of AKG over ear headphones and a pair of Flare R2Pro in-ear phones. Once I get my HTC, I will compare them with the hi-res ear-phones they come with and share my thoughts.
Open questions:
1) What DAC's are being used? What is inbuilt from Qualcomm or specialist 3rd party hardware?
2) What type of 3.5mm connector is being used (AHJ or OMTP), we believe AHJ based on previous HTC phones but could do with confirming)
rav101 said:
Hi all,
Just wanted to put a thread together to talk around the audio capabilities of the HTC 10. From what I can see, the audio is split up into a couple of different areas: 1) Good quality internal hardware (DAC and separate amps for speakers and earphone), 2) Powerful two way speaker setup, 3) better than normal earphones to take advantage of the hardware, and 4) Good quality software with the Personal Audio Profile System. Over these, there is the point that it works with Airplay which has a lot of support in terms of the 3rd party speaker market.
Just curious to see how people feel about the Audio capabilities of the 10 and whether that might be enough to take you away from dedicated hardware if you current use that?
One thing that I have noted which I haven't seen noted anywhere else is the Personal Audio Profile System being the same as what Aumeo has/is coming out with with their device (click here).
I currently have a couple of AKG over ears which I can't drive directly from my LG G4 without having a portable amp in the middle. I also have a pair of Flare R2Pro in ear phones that are quite hard to drive. Can't wait to test these out with the 10 when it comes out!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 10 recognizes that you have plugged (wired) earphones into the jack and offers you two options for customization, a 'quick question' method and a more detailed method that requires listening to tones on left then right in different frequency ranges. You then have the option to 'save' the audio profile for those earphones. If you plug a different set of earphones in, the device recognizes it and offers you to use the existing profile or create a new one (you can store multiple profiles). This does not work with BT earphones, by the way.
The sound is superior to anything I've ever heard on any audio device. It can make cheap earphones sound good (although I recommend at least midrange earphones), and with decent earphones (I use a Shure pair) it's terrific.
hgoldner said:
The 10 recognizes that you have plugged (wired) earphones into the jack and offers you two options for customization, a 'quick question' method and a more detailed method that requires listening to tones on left then right in different frequency ranges. You then have the option to 'save' the audio profile for those earphones. If you plug a different set of earphones in, the device recognizes it and offers you to use the existing profile or create a new one (you can store multiple profiles). This does not work with BT earphones, by the way.
The sound is superior to anything I've ever heard on any audio device. It can make cheap earphones sound good (although I recommend at least midrange earphones), and with decent earphones (I use a Shure pair) it's terrific.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's awesome news that it does this for wired earphones!
Which pair of Shure earphones do you use? And other than these headphones, have you had a chance to try them with any other different sets of earphones?? Have you had a chance to try them with any over ear headphones, ones that might be harder to drive?
Whilst I have your attention. Have you had a play around with different audio formats / qualities? MP3 vs 24bit FLAC to see how much of a difference this makes on this setup?
Regards,
Ravi
rav101 said:
That's awesome news that it does this for wired earphones!
Which pair of Shure earphones do you use? And other than these headphones, have you had a chance to try them with any other different sets of earphones?? Have you had a chance to try them with any over ear headphones, ones that might be harder to drive?
Whilst I have your attention. Have you had a play around with different audio formats / qualities? MP3 vs 24bit FLAC to see how much of a difference this makes on this setup?
Regards,
Ravi
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't drive with earphones on (that's illegal here).
I have used the Personal Audio Profiles on 3 different pairs of earphones; a test set supplied with the test phone, Shure e3c's and an over-the-ear Audio-Technica pair. The Shure's and the test earphones are the best. The test earphones are my current daily (and may well be what comes in the box for some models, but I don't know because they don't tell us).
How do the speakers sound? As good as HTC One M7/8/9? Better?
hgoldner said:
I don't drive with earphones on (that's illegal here).
I have used the Personal Audio Profiles on 3 different pairs of earphones; a test set supplied with the test phone, Shure e3c's and an over-the-ear Audio-Technica pair. The Shure's and the test earphones are the best. The test earphones are my current daily (and may well be what comes in the box for some models, but I don't know because they don't tell us).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, to clarify when I say 'harder to drive' I mean over ear headphones that have a higher impedance. In this case, on other less powerful music players (or other phones), the headphones sound quiet even at max volume.
Trying to find out if it will have aptx hd enabled but no info. Also air play to aiport to dac should sound pretty decent
Sent from my LG-H901 using XDA-Developers mobile app
I am excited to see the phones response ranges in a test.
Would be cool to have my vinyl rips playing as good as it can get without a $1000 DAP.
Locklear308 said:
I am excited to see the phones response ranges in a test.
Would be cool to have my vinyl rips playing as good as it can get without a $1000 DAP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that the embargo has lifted, I presume we will start seeing more in depth reviews and those should hopefully include more detailed audio tests.
I use a fiio e12 to amp my current phone (LG G4). Nothing fancy but pretty sure the HTC 10 will do much better than that setup now. :victory:
madcowintucson said:
Trying to find out if it will have aptx hd enabled but no info. Also air play to aiport to dac should sound pretty decent
Sent from my LG-H901 using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am curious about this too as i will be buying the new lg bluetooth headset.
The audio is one of the main reason why I want this beast!
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
Me too! I own a pair of mid-to-top range RHA T10 and I am really anticipating how these will sound with the HTC 10. I am a audiophile and the sound quality is really important to me.
My last two phone's have been the HTC M8 and LG G4. I have found that I use my phone less for music now that I'm using the G4 than the M8 and its because I just enjoy it less. Can't wait to hear how these sound with a good pair of earphones.
Audio Jack
Does anyone know what kind of audio jack standard the HTC 10 will use? Is it AHJ or OMTP?
Then i'll know if I can use the inline controls of my RHA T20i's as currently with my HTC m8.
Edit: Btw - I strongly advise using the Neutron app if you want high-end music. Already supports FLAC but last update also added DSD support for the SACD fanatics
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neutroncode.mp
Hopefully USB Audio works as well! Have they mentioned that at all?
Heretic Infidel said:
Does anyone know what kind of audio jack standard the HTC 10 will use? Is it AHJ or OMTP?
Then i'll know if I can use the inline controls of my RHA T20i's as currently with my HTC m8.
Edit: Btw - I strongly advise using the Neutron app if you want high-end music. Already supports FLAC but last update also added DSD support for the SACD fanatics
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neutroncode.mp
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Found this.
http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...87-note-headset-standards-omtp-ahj-apple.html
Says HTC uses AHJ...
rav101 said:
Found this.
http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...87-note-headset-standards-omtp-ahj-apple.html
Says HTC uses AHJ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why on EARTH is there more than one? This would be standardized now days like USB...
Is the audio upconversion/upsampling BS something that can be disabled from settings?
I am happy with the sound quality of the 10 through the speakers as well as through the jack
What type of DAC is in the HTC 10? Because just amping the Qualcomm native DAC won't result in clean awesome audio, just louder. I'm hoping is cirrus/Wolfson or Ess Sabre premium DAC's
Since Google apparently fixed USB DAC problems in June, what dongle DACs have ppl successfully used to play music 24bit/96kHz and up? Also has anyone used the Qobuz app (not UAPP) to play hi-res? TIA
I have a Samsung dongle and it can output 24bit/96kHz with my Pixel.
I use a moshi usb-c dac
USB-C Digital Audio Adapter with Charging (Universal)
Newly updated for maximum compatibility across all USB-C devices, including the iPad Pro (USB-C). Listen to pristine, high-resolution audio using regular 3.5 mm headphones. A USB-C pass-through port lets you charge your device at the same time.
us.moshi.com
You guys streaming with something like Tidal/Qobuz or playing local media files?
I use two regularly, an IFI Hip Dac, and a Topping NX4. As for the music, when I'm streaming, I use Apple Music which will give you the option to play the songs in hi res if you have a DAC connected. I used Amazon Music HD for years before that, and have always been a life long Android fan, so never even considered Apple Music. So as much as I don't really care for Apple or their products, I have it to hand it to them on the music front. They do something with their mastering of some of the albums (called Apple Masters or something), that, to my ears, just sound better than on Amazon.
That being said, I also have a qobuz subscription, but don't use their app. Instead, I use a script from GitHub called Qobuz-dl, which allows me to download the hi res music in FLAC form. All the music I download goes to my NAS, and from there, I connect it to apps like USB Audio Player Pro, Jellyfin, Plex, etc, and listen to it that way.
@mattprice86 Did you have compatibility problems with your DACs before Google released the USB update in June? On P6Pro I'm also using Apple Music and surprised how good it is. Using
the Apple USB-C DAC, too, which works fine but is limited to 16bit/44-48kHz on Android AFAIK. So I'm looking for a dongle that does high-res streaming and better sound quality. Something like the Hidizs S3 Pro but I'm hesitating to drop the cash because of the USB issues the P6 has had
q1nt said:
@mattprice86 Did you have compatibility problems with your DACs before Google released the USB update in June? On P6Pro I'm also using Apple Music and surprised how good it is. Using
the Apple USB-C DAC, too, which works fine but is limited to 16bit/44-48kHz on Android AFAIK. So I'm looking for a dongle that does high-res streaming and better sound quality. Something like the Hidizs S3 Pro but I'm hesitating to drop the cash because of the USB issues the P6 has had
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea I did. It was unusable for me prior to the update in June. I can't remember exactly what they did every time I tried to play music, but it was something like the sound would keep cutting out, or it'd start to play a noise over the music. I just remember having to turn it off right away. I ended up switching over to my LG V40 for my music until the patch came out. I actually still use the V40 frequently now, because it has Viper4Android, and I like to load autoeq profiles for my IEMs with the convolver.
I never really used dongle DACs, tbh. I forgot to mention this in my last post, but I also have a Fiio BTR5, which would be the closest thing, size wise, to a dongle DAC, that I use with my phones, and it works really well too.
That S3 pro looks like it'd be ok too. It's using an ESS9281C DAC chip. I haven't heard that particular chip, but ESS sabre chips are in my Fiio and my Topping NX4, and I like them. They have a brighter sound than something like a Burr Brown chip, that are used in Hip DACs.
@mattprice86 Thx that's super helpful--think I'll give the S3 a try. We've got similar tastes--I have a bricked V20 I used for years and still hoping to resurrect when I get a chance
I'm on Fiio KA-3, never had any compatibility issues with it, oddly an app hiby I think caused issues detecting it but otherwise it's been great.
Just Spotify high quality and download lots of flac to throw in media server
mattprice86 said:
Yea I did. It was unusable for me prior to the update in June. I can't remember exactly what they did every time I tried to play music, but it was something like the sound would keep cutting out, or it'd start to play a noise over the music. I just remember having to turn it off right away. I ended up switching over to my LG V40 for my music until the patch came out. I actually still use the V40 frequently now, because it has Viper4Android, and I like to load autoeq profiles for my IEMs with the convolver.
I never really used dongle DACs, tbh. I forgot to mention this in my last post, but I also have a Fiio BTR5, which would be the closest thing, size wise, to a dongle DAC, that I use with my phones, and it works really well too.
That S3 pro looks like it'd be ok too. It's using an ESS9281C DAC chip. I haven't heard that particular chip, but ESS sabre chips are in my Fiio and my Topping NX4, and I like them. They have a brighter sound than something like a Burr Brown chip, that are used in Hip DACs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How's the btr5 is it '21 edition? I'm aiming for the older one. I don't need to be thattt bleeding edge. I kind of shifted from iems over to my home audio which was a mistake because there is so many more in variables than headphones
@7h the KA-3 looks good to me. Have you had any issues playing hi res flacs on it?
Another vote for btr5 from fiio. It's excellent. I also have the btr3 but the 5 is much better in every way for both wired and wireless playback.
Reporting back... I pulled the trigger and bought a Hidizs S3 Pro. Works and sounds great. Blue LED lights up for streaming 96kHz tracks directly through the Qobuz app. I'm not using UAPP so apparently Qobuz app can stream in USB exclusive mode. P6 Pro with GrapheneOS