[h1f1add1cted]

@DanBa
 
Thanks a lot, but I read in a German review that the Moto with a USB OTG cable with a attached USB pen are working fine. Is there a difference between a simple USB pen and the USB dac, from USB OTG side of view?

I will try tomorrow in the city on a shop the Moto E with a USB OTG cable and some devices, because I already read in the internet that the Moto E doesn't have OTG functionality, but why is the reviewer (from androidnext.de) telling that USB OTG works for him without problems. Really confusing for me, because the Moto is a really good small Android which would be perfect for my new DAP with the iFi nano iDSD.

 

[indieman]

Yes, it works with Spotify for example.

This is what I use:
Phone: Samsung Galaxy S4  (Android 4.4.2)
DAC/Amp: Total Bithead
Headphones: Grado SR325e

Is there something that has to be enabled in settings? I plugged in the df, but no sound when i played music?

 

[SubSTI]

  I have the Ifi Nano idsd dac and have bought UAPP app from the Play Store to hear flac files BUT my Samsung Galaxy Nexus gives me sound full of skips and pops. I am in the quest for a new android phone. Nexus 5 and Moto G are in the top of my list. I want to ask you based to YOUR EXPERIENCE, and not what you read in the internet, if these compinations work flawlessly. If I use a micro-SD card in the 4g Moto X will the flacs play? Any recommendations for the Ifi based on your experience except Samsung?  

Motorola Moto G 8GB 4G (latest model with microSD card and 4G support) running on 4.4.3 - USB OTG is working with IFI Nano iDSD but requires UAPP. 

 

[DanBa]

  @DanBa
 
Thanks a lot, but I read in a German review that the Moto with a USB OTG cable with a attached USB pen are working fine. Is there a difference between a simple USB pen and the USB dac, from USB OTG side of view?

I will try tomorrow in the city on a shop the Moto E with a USB OTG cable and some devices, because I already read in the internet that the Moto E doesn't have OTG functionality, but why is the reviewer (from androidnext.de) telling that USB OTG works for him without problems. Really confusing for me, because the Moto is a really good small Android which would be perfect for my new DAP with the iFi nano iDSD.

 
As far as I understand, a standard USB pen is a USB peripheral like a standard USB DAC.
 
USB OTG retains the legacy master-to-slave or USB host-to-USB peripheral communication model.
A USB OTG device is a dual-role USB device, sometimes a USB host, sometimes a USB peripheral:
. a USB OTG-capable Android device operating as a USB peripheral can interwork with a PC operating as a USB host
. a USB OTG-capable Android device operating as a USB host can interwork with a standard and compatible USB DAC or a standard USB pen always operating as a USB peripheral.
 
However a USB pen requires less power from an Android device than a bus-powered USB DAC.
There is no more difference if a USB DAC is connected to the Android device via a self-powered USB hub.

 

[DanBa]

Is there something that has to be enabled in settings? I plugged in the df, but no sound when i played music?

 
The DragonFly and the Total Bithead don't have the same USB audio implementation, and the USB specification allows variability.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/4080#post_10270550
 
 A USB DAC can only work with an Android device if their USB audio developers have the same understanding of the USB specification:
. developers of the DragonFly and the USB audio soft driver of UAPP have the same understanding
. developers of the Total Bithead and the native USB audio of the Galaxy S4 have the same understanding
. developers of the DragonFly and the native USB audio of the Galaxy S4 don't have the same understanding of some part of the USB specification.
 
How to be compatible with the USB audio jungle: very likely testing before product delivery.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/5130#post_10744595

 

[indieman]

It works on my iPhone 5s? Weird.

 

[DanBa]

A new UAPP-compatible wireless portable drive: WD 500GB / 1TB / 2TB My Passport Wireless
http://www.cnet.com/products/wd-my-passport-wireless/
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/5325#post_10867634
 
music files stored on a WD My Passport Wireless >> wireless SMB / Samba link >> Android device using USB Audio Player PRO >> USB DAC/amp >> headphones
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
"Streaming video via SMB to 4 simultaneous connected devices"
http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Storage/Western-Digital-My-Passport-Wireless-Mobile-Wireless-Terabytes
 
 
 
 

 

[imackler]

I'd like to read through this whole thread...but...
 
Are there any Android devices that have stellar audio performance without an external dac? 
 
And if so, are there any of those that either have a line out or also have an excellent amp? 

 

[MikeyFresh]

  I'd like to read through this whole thread...but...
 
Are there any Android devices that have stellar audio performance without an external dac? 
 
And if so, are there any of those that either have a line out or also have an excellent amp? 

I can vouch for the sound quality of the LG G2 as the best I have heard from any phone.
 
Full disclosure, I do not own this phone but have been able to test it extensively by the kind allowance of a co-worker lending it to me a few times.
 
I'm also no Android fan boy, I am less than impressed with many things Android, but not the G2, it is outstanding IMO.
 
While the G2 did not equal the sound of an attached external DAC (Resonessence Labs Herus), it came surprisingly close, lacking some of the dynamic punch and drive capability, and just a bit of the detail retrieval while it substituted for a small degree of tonal neutrality with what could be perceived as warmth, always a good trade off when compromises must be made in voicing on the design end of things.
 
The above is my personal experience with Yamaha EPH-100, Sennheiser PX-100, and Beyerdynamic DTX 501p headphones which are all typical for mobile use and easy to drive. The above should not be construed as an all encompassing statement to defy all others, or an invitation to start a thread war on the efficacy of the G2 nor any other smart phone that someone might personally prefer to the G2 (I'm looking at you Samsung fan boys, save it).
 
If you buy a G2, I see no way it could end in any kind of disappointment, it's a great all-around phone that happens to excel in audio playback. I have not had an opportunity to try the newer G3 and don't know if it is better or worse or the same as the G2 in terms of audio.

 

[kaixax555]

I can vouch for the sound quality of the LG G2 as the best I have heard from any phone.

Full disclosure, I do not own this phone but have been able to test it extensively by the kind allowance of a co-worker lending it to me a few times.

I'm also no Android fan boy, I am less than impressed with many things Android, but not the G2, it is outstanding IMO.

While the G2 did not equal the sound of an attached external DAC (Resonessence Labs Herus), it came surprisingly close, lacking some of the dynamic punch and drive capability, and just a bit of the detail retrieval while it substituted for a small degree of tonal neutrality with what could be perceived as warmth, always a good trade off when compromises must be made in voicing on the design end of things.

The above is my personal experience with Yamaha EPH-100, Sennheiser PX-100, and Beyerdynamic DTX 501p headphones which are all typical for mobile use and easy to drive. The above should not be construed as an all encompassing statement to defy all others, or an invitation to start a thread war on the efficacy of the G2 nor any other smart phone that someone might personally prefer to the G2 (I'm looking at you Samsung fan boys, save it).

If you buy a G2, I see no way it could end in any kind of disappointment, it's a great all-around phone that happens to excel in audio playback. I have not had an opportunity to try the newer G3 and don't know if it is better or worse or the same as the G2 in terms of audio.

You made me curious about the G2...gonna loan from my friend for a test listen

 

[MikeyFresh]

You made me curious about the G2...gonna loan from my friend for a test listen

 
By all means give it a shot if you have access to a G2.
 
All of my testing was done using lossless .flac files, at both 16 and 24-bit resolutions. I saw little/no point in using .mp3 tracks.
 
The stock/included LG music player app appeared to render the files in their native resolutions, however perhaps my only small gripe was the UI just displayed a little blue icon that said "Hi-Fi" when playing back the 24-bit material.
 
Better yet would have been some firm indication of the exact bit depth and sample rate. Maybe that has been corrected/improved since my testing 8 or so months ago via a software/firmware update? Or maybe there is a way to see that information and my relative unfamiliarity with Android prevented me from figuring it out. There was no obvious sound quality issue that pointed in the direction of any down-sampling.
 
When using the UAPP music player app, it did playback all resolutions up to 24/192 with no down-sampling. At that time UAPP did not support DSD files, but it now does, I've just never tested it on the G2.

 

[imeem]

Does anybody know if the fiio E17 will work with Oneplus One? Or is the power draw on the E17 too great? I read somewhere mentioning that the E18 works tho.
 
EDIT: seems like this does work
 

 Confirmed the OPO will work with FIIO E17 via USB

 
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/opo-usb-audio.20694/page-3

 

[DanBa]

There is a list of standard USB DAC working with the OnePlus One at the following link:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-one/accessories/external-dacs-opo-best-t2845309

 

[DanBa]

A US$100 Android One phone: Spice Dream Uno
http://gadgetstouse.com/full-reviews/spice-dream-uno-review/25182
http://googleblog.blogspot.fr/2014/09/for-next-five-billion-android-one.html
 
It supports OTG: it is very likely compatible with the high resolution audio-capable USB Audio Player PRO.
It runs Android 4.4.4 KitKat, and is upgradeable to Android L: it will have a native USB audio feature.
 

 

 
 

 

[DanBa]

A 900 euro high-end Android phone: Panasonic CM1 with a massive 1-inch 20-megapixel sensor attached to a f/2.8 Leica lens
http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/15/6151671/panasonic-leica-cm1-android-cameraphone
 
As it has a Snapdragon 801 SoC like the Samsung Galaxy S5, it should support USB OTG / USB Host: it is very likely compatible with the high quality USB Audio Player PRO.
 
It runs Android 4.4 KitKat, the last update before Android L: it should have a native USB audio feature running Android L.