Android phones and USB DACs
Jan 27, 2013 at 11:10 PM Post #1,532 of 9,526
i want a portable dac/amp to go with my i9300 and ue6000 headphones that's under $150. Any suggestions? I am thinking of getting the xperia z soon so I want a dac that can give me better sound with the z than I can get with the s3 w/ wolfson dac. 
 
Jan 28, 2013 at 12:35 AM Post #1,533 of 9,526
Quote:
Has anyone successfully gotten an AudioQuest DragonFly to work with Android natively without USB Audio Recorder PRO?
 
Here's my current setup:
 
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-PDQ1S4nzLrw/UQWvLk4_v1I/AAAAAAAAC4g/1tGqqwcre00/s1095/IMG_20130127_174947.jpg
 
External battery powering the DragonFly, with one end of the Y cable going to the DragonFly and the other to the battery, plugged into the Nexus 7 via an OTG cable. I cut off power supply from the Nexus to the DragonFly by taping down the +5V pin on the Y cable, so the only thing powering it is the battery.
 
The Y cable/battery rig works fine when plugged into a computer rather than an Android device. It also works fine with USB Audio Recorder PRO (after tweaking some settings - namely setting the buffer to the highest setting). But Android won't natively output sound to it.
 
I got the idea of running an external battery off a Y cable after reading that some devices might not be able to supply a full 500 mA to the DragonFly, but it seems to work fine on my Nexus 7 with USB Audio Recorder PRO under both circumstances (battery or not). If I can't get this working, I guess I essentially get a battery powered DragonFly, though I'm not sure how clean power coming out of the Powergen battery is compared to my laptop anyway...

Have you tried comparing use time of your 7 and DF with and without the external battery?
 
Jan 28, 2013 at 12:40 AM Post #1,534 of 9,526
Quote:
i want a portable dac/amp to go with my i9300 and ue6000 headphones that's under $150. Any suggestions? I am thinking of getting the xperia z soon so I want a dac that can give me better sound with the z than I can get with the s3 w/ wolfson dac. 

 
Going off reputation only, I'd say the iBasso D-Zero might be a good fit. I researched those, found pretty much universally positive reviews, and ordered one for my mom. Hasn't come in yet, so I don't have her impressions and I haven't heard it yet, but there are tons of reviews online if that helps. 
 
Jan 28, 2013 at 1:15 AM Post #1,536 of 9,526
Anyone know if USB audio works when video is being run through HDMI out? Please help me justify an external DAC/amp. My fathers home theatre system doesn't do hdmi sound so if it works I have a perfectly logical reason for spending the money on head-fi gear
 
Jan 28, 2013 at 2:32 AM Post #1,537 of 9,526
Quote:
Has anyone successfully gotten an AudioQuest DragonFly to work with Android natively without USB Audio Recorder PRO?
 
Here's my current setup:
 
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-PDQ1S4nzLrw/UQWvLk4_v1I/AAAAAAAAC4g/1tGqqwcre00/s1095/IMG_20130127_174947.jpg
 
External battery powering the DragonFly, with one end of the Y cable going to the DragonFly and the other to the battery, plugged into the Nexus 7 via an OTG cable. I cut off power supply from the Nexus to the DragonFly by taping down the +5V pin on the Y cable, so the only thing powering it is the battery.
 
The Y cable/battery rig works fine when plugged into a computer rather than an Android device. It also works fine with USB Audio Recorder PRO (after tweaking some settings - namely setting the buffer to the highest setting). But Android won't natively output sound to it.
 
I got the idea of running an external battery off a Y cable after reading that some devices might not be able to supply a full 500 mA to the DragonFly, but it seems to work fine on my Nexus 7 with USB Audio Recorder PRO under both circumstances (battery or not). If I can't get this working, I guess I essentially get a battery powered DragonFly, though I'm not sure how clean power coming out of the Powergen battery is compared to my laptop anyway...


Did you try the jacknorris' USB Hotplug patch thats on XDA Developers yet?  Which kernel are you using? 
 
I have both the the USB hotplug patch, and flashed Timur's kernel on my Nexus 7.  I had a chance to do a quick 10 minute test with the DragonFly.  When I plugged in the DragonFly straight into the N7 via the OTG cable, the dragonfly lite up (a good sign), but both Neutron MP and the stock music player produce any music.  I think the problem is the volume control... as of right now, there is no way of controlling the volume when you have the DragonFly plugged in.  Once jacknorris tweaks the patch, then it might work.
 
Jan 28, 2013 at 11:47 AM Post #1,538 of 9,526
Sorry if this is not the right place to post this, but this seems to be the central place for android-DAC discussions (and couldn't find an answer elsewhere...)
 
The sound of my old ipod is bad, but still better than my quite crappy HTC sensation. Since i already have a Fiio E7 i now eye a chance of playing music through the E7 using the HTC! This would allow me to completely forget about the ipod + itunes combo, while enjoying vastly improved sound quality!
 
So the questions:
 
1) Which version of android is necessary (i have 4,0,3)?
 
2) Which cable is necessary? Does it have to be OTG capable?
 
3) Does the android device automatically use the best bit-rate (most of my files are FLAC/apple lossless)? Maybe it is a matter of using the right player app (i use PowerAmp currently)?
 
Any help is greatly appreciated!
 
Jan 28, 2013 at 1:07 PM Post #1,539 of 9,526
Quote:
Did you try the jacknorris' USB Hotplug patch thats on XDA Developers yet?  Which kernel are you using? 
 
I have both the the USB hotplug patch, and flashed Timur's kernel on my Nexus 7.  I had a chance to do a quick 10 minute test with the DragonFly.  When I plugged in the DragonFly straight into the N7 via the OTG cable, the dragonfly lite up (a good sign), but both Neutron MP and the stock music player produce any music.  I think the problem is the volume control... as of right now, there is no way of controlling the volume when you have the DragonFly plugged in.  Once jacknorris tweaks the patch, then it might work.

I'm using jacknorris' USB hotplug patch on top of a stock 4.2.1 ROM, and the 4.2.1 kernel in his thread. 
 
BTW - what color does your DragonFly light up when plugged in? Mine is always pink unless USB Audio Recorder PRO overrides it. 
 
I did see an ALSA error message in the kernel log. The kernel is definitely detecting the DragonFly but still no sound comes out. I'm no stranger to the Android framework and kernel so if it's an easy fix I might look into it myself.
 
Jan 28, 2013 at 2:46 PM Post #1,540 of 9,526
Quote:
The sound of my old ipod is bad, but still better than my quite crappy HTC sensation. Since i already have a Fiio E7 i now eye a chance of playing music through the E7 using the HTC! This would allow me to completely forget about the ipod + itunes combo, while enjoying vastly improved sound quality!
 

 
 
The HTC Sensation is on the not working Android device list of the USB Audio Recorder PRO website.
http://www.extreamsd.com/USBAudioRecorderPRO/
 
Jan 28, 2013 at 3:16 PM Post #1,541 of 9,526
Any suggestions on getting hotplugging working on a Nexus 7?
 
I am forced to reboot the device with the DAC plugged in to get it working which is frustrating.  
 
ROMs tried: ParanoidAndroid, LiquidSmooth
Kernels: M-Kernel, Timurs
DAC: Audio-GD FUN
 
Thanks!  
 
Jan 28, 2013 at 9:31 PM Post #1,542 of 9,526
I'd just like to report that I've been using jacknorris's (1.1) patch on my i747 S3 with LiquidSmooth (2.1 beta 3.2) the last couple days, and I'm delighted with it. The main audio output switches beautifully to my Intruder when I plug it in and back when I remove it. And I love this google-experience ROM as well. (I'm a CM & Paranoid Android fan, too.) I've noticed that the audio doesn't switch to the minijack port when you plug in some headphones or whatever, but it's not killing me because I use bluetooth for podcasts and the big guns for music enjoyment.

Also, I managed to get DSub to stream pure FLAC from my server, so I kind of have a bottomless collection of lossless music on the ready on my phone.

I've been waiting years for this moment. lol.
 
Jan 29, 2013 at 8:00 AM Post #1,545 of 9,526
Apparently, the new HRT microStreamer USB DAC/amp can interwork with Android devices:
http://highresolutiontechnologies.com/microstreamer
http://www.head-fi.org/t/647693/sonic-satori-hrt-levels-the-field-with-the-microstreamer#post_9091996
 
"A microStreamer can be used with an applicable Android platform if used with an OTG host mode cable."
[Kevin Halverson, HRT CTO]
 
"I need to say this: driving my Audeze LCD3's with the microStreamer (not the easiest headphones to drive well enough to truly show their magic) had me talking to myself when I first heard the magnificent combination! My wifey would hear me saying things like, "this can't be ******* happening," and "this is unreal"...
 
The HRT microStreamer has raised the bar so high in its category I hope it gets all the accolades it deserves. In uber-portable headphone amp/DAC combo solutions for the computer I can't think of another component outside the Audioquest Dragonfly, which to my ears doesn't have quite the dynamic punch of the microStreamer that even approaches the sonic performance of this miraculous little aluminum brick. It's like an audiophile’s reference-system-in-a-box. You have to hear it to believe it."
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue65/microstreamer.htm
 
 

 

 
 
 
 

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