Android phones and USB DACs
Nov 15, 2015 at 2:57 PM Post #7,411 of 9,526
  So, the USB host mode or the USB peripheral mode of a Dual-Role Device must be determined by other means:
. OTG storage menu item
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/7380#post_12078210
. Pop-up menu screen whenever a USB cable is inserted into the Dual-Role Device

 
Yeah. The pop-up menu only allows you to select between charging in, charging out, MTP, PTP, or MIDI, nothing about whether it's a host or slave. And unfortunately, the OTG storage doesn't show up unless you plug in a storage device. But that's confusing to me, because some people have said they needed to check that box first, and some have said they didn't.
 
Nov 15, 2015 at 2:57 PM Post #7,412 of 9,526
 
 
I just know that my Nexus 6P works with the DACs I have available using the cables I listed without having to change anything.

 
Do you use your Nexus 6P connected to a PC / Mac?

 
I use the USB-C to USB-C cable I bought directly from Google.  My motherboard has a USB-C port on it.  It is recognized without issue.
 
Nov 15, 2015 at 3:01 PM Post #7,414 of 9,526
Nov 15, 2015 at 3:08 PM Post #7,415 of 9,526
 


Aye, thanks. Reddit search shines again it seems. I definitely had good keywords for finding that.

I don't think that's the issue for me, since I've used MTP a number of times without any issues.

 
Yeah, different issue, but there are indeed others having problems.  If you can do an RMA I would say to go for it so you know you have a fully functional phone.
 
Nov 15, 2015 at 3:11 PM Post #7,416 of 9,526
Yeah, different issue, but there are indeed others having problems.  If you can do an RMA I would say to go for it so you know you have a fully functional phone.


Yeah, definitely still considering it. The thing I'm afraid of is getting a flawed one back, with all the yellow screen issues etc. that I've been hearing about. Mine's great so far. Also because I have the same issue on the Nexus 5 as soon as I upgraded to 6.0, so I'm still questioning whether it has anything to do with the phone, cables, or device, and thinking it might just be a software thing.
 
Nov 15, 2015 at 3:25 PM Post #7,417 of 9,526
   
Yeah. The pop-up menu only allows you to select between charging in, charging out, MTP, PTP, or MIDI, nothing about whether it's a host or slave. 

 
Charging out: a USB host supplies power to the other connected device.
 
Android USB audio
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs
The basics
http://goo.gl/MCFY2x
 
Nov 15, 2015 at 3:29 PM Post #7,418 of 9,526
   
I use the USB-C to USB-C cable I bought directly from Google.  My motherboard has a USB-C port on it.  It is recognized without issue.

 
So, as far as I understand, you use the USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable when connecting / using your Nexus 6P to your PC / Mac, and you use the Cable Matters USB 2.0 Type C (USB-C) to Micro B (Micro USB) cable when connecting / using your Nexus 6P to your USB DAC without changing the configuration of your Nexus 6P.
 
By the way, about Cable Matters USB 2.0 Type C (USB-C) to Micro B (Micro USB) cable:
http://www.amazon.com/forum/-/Tx2X3B6YZ58K26C/ref=ask_dp_dpmw_al_hza?asin=B00UUBRX0Y
 
"Hello Charles,
Unfortunately this cable does not support USB OTG. Please contact tech-support@cablematters.com for more information.
Thanks
Cable Matters Support Team
Cable Matters  SELLER  answered on October 27, 2015"
 
Nov 15, 2015 at 3:51 PM Post #7,419 of 9,526
 
   
I use the USB-C to USB-C cable I bought directly from Google.  My motherboard has a USB-C port on it.  It is recognized without issue.

 
So, as far as I understand, you use the USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable when connecting / using your Nexus 6P to your PC / Mac, and you use the Cable Matters USB 2.0 Type C (USB-C) to Micro B (Micro USB) cable when connecting / using your Nexus 6P to your USB DAC without changing the configuration of your Nexus 6P.
 
By the way, about Cable Matters USB 2.0 Type C (USB-C) to Micro B (Micro USB) cable:
http://www.amazon.com/forum/-/Tx2X3B6YZ58K26C/ref=ask_dp_dpmw_al_hza?asin=B00UUBRX0Y
 
"Hello Charles,
Unfortunately this cable does not support USB OTG. Please contact tech-support@cablematters.com for more information.
Thanks
Cable Matters Support Team
Cable Matters  SELLER  answered on October 27, 2015"

 
If I want to transfer files I just pull down the menu and tap the USB settings:
 

 
And then choose the File transfers option:
 

 
 
I don't really ever change this setting because I have everything sync automatically to Dropbox.  When I have the phone plugged in to a DAC it automatically shows up as Charging on the USB menu.  The DACs I have aren't made to provide current so the phone doesn't say that it is charging when plugged into them.  So in short, I don't ever really change the option from Charging.  If I do need to change it it takes all of 3 seconds.
 
Edit: As for the USB-C to Micro cable, I'm not sure.  I don't have a DAC with a Micro USB port to test, just my old phone (LG G4) and that is able to make a data connection between the two.
 
Nov 15, 2015 at 4:02 PM Post #7,420 of 9,526
Question on your post earlier, if there is no more OTG with USB-C is it just USB Audio?  I'm not really sure what the difference is but I knew that USB Audio was baked in to Marshmallow which is why I figured any cable meant for data transfer should work just fine (and has worked, so far).
 
Nov 15, 2015 at 4:48 PM Post #7,421 of 9,526
   
Charging out: a USB host supplies power to the other connected device.
 
Android USB audio
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs
The basics
http://goo.gl/MCFY2x

 
Yeah. I've tried all the options, none of them make a difference. It still plays in mono through all of them, even when it's set to MIDI or MTP.
 
Nov 15, 2015 at 5:00 PM Post #7,422 of 9,526
   
If I want to transfer files I just pull down the menu and tap the USB settings:
 

 
So, as far as I understand, the default operating mode of the Nexus 6 should be USB host, so that the Nexus 6P can work with a USB peripheral like a standard USB DAC; and when interworking with a PC / Mac operating as USB host for file transfer, you have to configure indirectly the Nexus 6P in USB peripheral mode.
 
 
  The DACs I have aren't made to provide current so the phone doesn't say that it is charging when plugged into them.  
 

 
Standard USB DAC operating as USB peripheral doesn't provide power to a Dual-Role Device Android device operating as USB host.
Android-specific USB DAC (aka accessory mode USB DAC) operating as USB host does provide power to a Dual-Role Device Android device operating as USB peripheral.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/5130#post_10762672
 
 
  Edit: As for the USB-C to Micro cable, I'm not sure.  I don't have a DAC with a Micro USB port to test, just my old phone (LG G4) and that is able to make a data connection between the two.
 


 
Anyway, no USB-C cable of your list is labelled as OTG cable.
 
 
Quote:
  Question on your post earlier, if there is no more OTG with USB-C is it just USB Audio?  I'm not really sure what the difference is but I knew that USB Audio was baked in to Marshmallow which is why I figured any cable meant for data transfer should work just fine (and has worked, so far).

 
With USB Type-C, there is no more USB OTG cable to connect a Dual-Role Device Android device to a standard USB DAC (and a regular USB cable to connect a Dual-Role Device Android device to a PC / Mac).
 
With USB Type-C, there is only a regular USB-Type C cable to connect a DRD Android device to a USB DAC (or any other USB peripheral) as well as to connect a DRD Android device to a PC / Mac (or any other USB host) if the USB DAC and the PC / Mac have the same USB plug.
And there should be a mean / mechanism to configure the DRD Android device in USB host mode or in USB peripheral mode.
 
Nov 15, 2015 at 5:34 PM Post #7,423 of 9,526
   
Yeah. I've tried all the options, none of them make a difference. It still plays in mono through all of them, even when it's set to MIDI or MTP.

 
I am a bit confused with your problem.

Apparently, your phone, a Nexus 5 running on Android 5, can fully work with your USB DAC.

And the same Nexus 5 running on Android 6 can only work in mono with the same USB DAC using a native USB audio music player (i.e. your cable is still functional, and your Nexus 5 is still operating as USB host).

And the same Nexus 5 running on Android 6 can fully work with the same USB DAC using a third-party / user space USB audio music player (i.e. your cable is still functional, and your Nexus 5 is still operating as USB host).
So, apparently, the native USB audio of the Nexus running on current Android 6 is bugged (i.e. it can't properly work with your USB DAC: incorrect interprteation of the USB desciptor of your USB DAC?).

 
Nov 15, 2015 at 5:40 PM Post #7,424 of 9,526
   
I am a bit confused with your problem.

Apparently, your phone, a Nexus 5 running on Android 5, can fully work with your USB DAC.

And the same Nexus 5 running on Android 6 can only work in mono with the same USB DAC using a native USB audio music player (i.e. your cable is still functional, and your Nexus 5 is still operating as USB host).

And the same Nexus 5 running on Android 6 can fully work with the same USB DAC using a third-party / user space USB audio music player (i.e. your cable is still functional, and your Nexus 5 is still operating as USB host).
So, apparently, the native USB audio of the Nexus running on current Android 6 is bugged (i.e. it can't properly work with your USB DAC: incorrect interprteation of the USB desciptor of your USB DAC?).

 
Yes, the Nexus 5 worked fine (native in stereo) before the upgrade to 6.0, at which point it became mono. I got a Nexus 6P a few days after I upgraded, and it has the same issue, only playing in mono. The Nexus 6P works (stereo) via a userspace USB audio player; I never tried it on the 5, but I would assume it does, too. This is why I thought it was a software-related issue, but it's been very confusing, since there are others here with very similar or identical setups that aren't having issues. When I posted over at XDA a week or two ago, there was another person that reported the same issue as me with a different DAC. I don't understand how it could be a software issue that doesn't affect certain devices running the exact same software. The only thing different here is the DAC hardware.
 
Nov 15, 2015 at 5:55 PM Post #7,425 of 9,526

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