Android phones and USB DACs - Page 40

Am I correct in understanding that in order to run an Android device out to a USB DAC, I need both the device to be OTG capable and to use an OTG cable? If so, would that hakshop cable eliminate the need for an OTG cable >> micro USB cable between the device and the DAC? I'm all about the one-cable solution...

I have an E17 right now, so for me my interests may be slightly different because of the E17's USB being... well, slightly different. However, in this review of the Meizu MX 4-Core, they clearly mention using SPDIF through the MHL-capable USB port. I'm assuming this to be a function of MHL, meaning any other phone with MHL-capable USB ports can do the same thing. The E17 accepts SPDIF input. Therefore, another one-cable solution for me and other E17 users might be a micro-USB-to-SPDIF cable like what I brought up here; something to cutout the middleman of a separate adapter and just build it into the cable.

The Meizu phone does support USB OTG, same as an S3 and (many? most?) other phones with MHL-capable ports. I do not know if the engineering sample adapter used in that review was also OTG capable.

Also, I don't know if the OTG capability of a cable is in the plug(s), the cable, or both. Maybe with an MHL-capable USB port, USB audio and OTG support on the phone, and a <micro USB in SPDIF out> single cable solution, OTG support on the cable won't be needed. If it is needed, I don't know if it's possible to build a USB OTG cable with a micro USB side for the phone and SPDIF plug for a DAC.

Or maybe I'm overthinking the whole thing. Maybe a phone with USB audio & OTG with an OTG dual-male cable is all I need. I'm still trying to learn all of this stuff and it's a lot more complicated than I first thought.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachchen1996 


Would the one that anakchan is selling work too?

AnakChan and I are talking about that in PMs and he brought up an interesting fact about some phones working (S3) with it and the GO DAC and others (Xperia models) not. Hopefully he can clarify which Xperia phones it didn't work, because at least three newer Xperias have OTG support natively: the Acro S, P, and V.  Of those, the V also has MHL. Depending on which Xperia phones are mentioned, it might be the MHL capability that is needed.

In standard USB audio, a PC / Mac / Galaxy S3 / Galaxy Note 2 operating as a USB host (i.e. a USB A-device) interworks with a USB DAC operating as a USB peripheral (i.e. a USB B-device).

The Galaxy S3 / Galaxy Note 2 is a USB On-The-Go device.

A USB OTG device can act as a USB host or as a USB peripheral.

Simply put, a USB OTG device like a Galaxy S3 / Galaxy Note 2 can act acts as

. a USB peripheral when a Micro-B plug is inserted [regular cable]

. a USB host when a Micro-A plug is inserted ["OTG cable"]

S3 as USB peripheral:

. S3 – regular cable – PC / Mac as USB host

. S3 – regular cable – upcoming specific Android Jelly Bean-compliant USB DAC as USB host

S3 as USB host:

. S3 – "OTG cable" – USB mouse as USB peripheral

. S3 – "OTG cable" – standard USB DAC as USB peripheral

where

"OTG cable" = micro-A plug + USB cable + micro-B / mini-B / type-B plug

micro-A plug to be inserted in an A-device (i.e. a S3)

micro-B / mini-B / type-B plug to be inserted in a B-device (i.e. a standard USB DAC)

So the micro A plug is what makes a cable OTG compatible, meaning the theoretical micro-USB-in-SPDIF-out that supports OTG is possible. It also means it's easy for cable modders to DIY up cables in shorter lengths pretty easily, since it would take no extra work in connecting the cables, right?

I'm guessing the new UM PP6 thing would work with gs3 and note2?

An Android OTG smartphone/tablet to micro-B plugged USB DAC cable:

http://venturecraft.jp/gadget_jp/category.php?category_id=6

http://www.head-fi.org/t/632019/apex-glacier-amp-dac-review-and-appreciation-thread/30#post_8802850

Edit: "take care....this cable will not work with the Apex Glacier or other dac/amps..."

http://www.head-fi.org/t/632019/apex-glacier-amp-dac-review-and-appreciation-thread/60#post_8810636

Bought a Hifimediy usb dac to test since nobody seems to have tried this one yet. ( info )

Hooked it up to my sgs3 with an otg usb cable but it doesnt work.

Do i need to change settings in the phone?

Got international sgs3 with omega rom 27.2 and siyah 1.7b6+ installed

Weird!
The Galaxy S3 can interwork with an ODAC using the same Tenor TE7022 USB controller and the same ESS Sabre ES9023 conversion chip.

Are you sure of your OTG USB cable? You could use a USB mouse to test it.
Does the HifiMeDiy Sabre USB DAC require too much power? You could use a powered USB hub to provide the required power for the HifiMeDiy Sabre USB DAC.
Could you replace the modded software by the stock software just for HifiMeDiy Sabre USB DAC interworking test purpose?
Could you provide a dmesg output? It should be interesting for Samsung developers to know what is going on between the Galaxy S3 and the HifiMeDiy Sabre USB DAC at the Linux kernel level.