[DanBa]

A gift for the next Christmas: Virtual Reality (VR) headset for movies / music / …
 
https://twitter.com/DanielBa78/status/562696761966624769
https://plus.google.com/u/0/105825420892988415796/posts/HV243vvq2er
https://www.facebook.com/ba.dan.5/posts/10206301606444956
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/5940#post_11158898
 
The main asset of mobile-based VR is that people have already their mobile phone; they simply need to add an affordable phone accessory, a VR headset, for next-generation entertainment in the virtual environment: giant screen movie theater, concert, tour, games, ...
 
Mobile-based VR for the time being: Samsung Galaxy Note 4 + Samsung Gear VR
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/6210#post_11271659
https://twitter.com/Qantas/status/561289250302222336
 
audio-video file > VR player running on a 2560*1440-screened Galaxy Note 4 phone slotted into a Gear VR headset > headphone out >> headphones
 

 
 
Apparently, the killer app for mobile-based VR entertainment could be the player of movies (i.e. traditional 2D / 3D movies or new VR movies).
 
In order to have a great movie experience, the mobile VR device (i.e. mobile phone + VR headset) should provide the cleanest and most immersive audio possible:
 
. Clean audio via USB out port:
movie file > VR movie player running on a mobile phone slotted into a VR headset > PCM audio stream > VR headset's USB out >> standard USB DAC/amp >> standard headphones
 
. Immersive audio via virtual surround sound engine (Smyth Research's SVS, ...):
5.1/7.1 audio-encoded movie file > VR movie player with virtual surround sound engine running on a mobile phone slotted into a VR headset > PCM audio stream > USB audio out >> USB DAC/amp >> headphones
 
In order to have an immersive viewing enjoyment, the mobile VR device should provide most natural images possible at the highest possible resolution:
 
. Highest possible resolution in the next future: 4K or 3840*2160 (i.e. 1920*2160 per eye)
movie file > VR movie player with virtual surround sound engine running on a mobile phone with 4K display slotted into a VR headset > USB audio out >> USB DAC/amp >> headphones
 
. Most natural images possible using High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology (Dolby Vision, ...):
upcoming HDR-encoded movie file > VR movie player with HDR & virtual surround sound capabilities running on a mobile phone with 4K display slotted into a VR headset > USB audio out >> USB DAC/amp >> headphones
 
 
USB audio out, virtual surround sound, 4K display and HDR are obviously useful for other potential VR killer apps like games or videos (VR concert, VR tour, ...).

 

[head-hi]

We're gonna need a bigger boat.

http://www.engadget.com/2015/02/03/arm-cortex-a72-processor/

 

[seeteeyou]

Yay, Android version of Onkyo HF Player was updated with support for Hi-Res Audio formats 
 
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onkyo.jp.musicplayer
 
Unlocker required for Hi-Res Audio formats
 
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onkyo.jp.hfplayer_unlocker
 
Real-time DSD-to-PCM conversion is only available for the Japanese version
 
http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/review/minireview/20150203_685878.html
 
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onkyo.jp.musicplayer&hl=ja

 

[kawaivpc1]

  Yay, Android version of Onkyo HF Player was updated with support for Hi-Res Audio formats 
 
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onkyo.jp.musicplayer
 
Unlocker required for Hi-Res Audio formats
 
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onkyo.jp.hfplayer_unlocker
 
Real-time DSD-to-PCM conversion is only available for the Japanese version
 
http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/review/minireview/20150203_685878.html
 
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onkyo.jp.musicplayer&hl=ja

This is still not a good app.
It doesn't have a folder navigator. It's useless to a person who uses a 256GB SD card.

 

[surf2008]

Hello!
 
 I have a problem connecting android and ios phones.
 
.. IPHONE4S - CCK - UD120 - 3,5 to 3,5 stereo plug adapter - Fiio E11K - headphones Vsonic VC1000 on E11K
when i connect it like this is says: no enough power...what can i do ?
 
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 2...- otg cable - UD120  - 3,5 to 3,5 stereo plug adapter - Fiio E11K - Headphones ( Vsonic VC 1000 )...music comes from the Samsung note 2..not from the headphones..if I have tried with application USB AUDIO PLAYER PRO..it cannot recognize hardware, no hardware detected...
 
( EDIT : I have changed the otg cable on SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE and now UAPP can recognize the hardware and can play music only through the UAPP. .(youtube..deezer still not working )
 
 Is there any other way to make it work ? cos i would like to connect it through my phones...
 
Greetings!

 

[ramordep]

Has anyone tried using audioengine d3 as usb dac on any android phone? I have sony z2 and just ordered d3.. And heres hoping it's gonna work

 

[mejobloggs]

I've just got Android L on my Moto G, yusss.
 
What's a good Android dac for my phone so I can play Spotify at decent quality in the car? (Through car stereo)

 

[bixby]

Hrt microstreamer great sound and line out

 

[mejobloggs]

Is there anything decent below $80US ?
 
Spotify Extreme quality is 320kbps, so it's not lossless and because I've that I assume there's a few features I don't need?
 
New to this audio stuff. It's just I get a noticeable quality reduction when playing music through my phone, so want DAC to upgrade that

 

[bixby]

Yes, there are dacs under $80 and I have used a few.  BUT, you will probably not really get a better sound than what you can get just by going headphone out to the aux in on your car.  Just crank up the phone volume to about 90% of max and use your car stereo volume to adjust.  Yes, I know it is double amping but really for a low cost solutiono the dac and amp in the Motos are quite good.
 
I have owned both the original Moto X and the newest Moto G.  Both sound pretty darn good with HP out.  I did hear just a bit better sound out of the HRT when used outdoors which I feel is similar to being in the car with road noise, etc.  And the HRT can keep up with many of the up to $300 dacs in this space.
 
Now remember Spotify is not pretty good but not nearly as good as CD quality that has been ripped to a lossless format.
 
When you say " a noticeable quality reduction when playing music through my phone"  what is this compared to?
 
And I think the framework of Android takes all audio signals regardless of bit rate and uses 16/ 48khz for the internal dac.  So lower bit rate MP3  and  streaming services wouldl be upsampled to this rate so the system can process.  This may or may not be better sounding than the original.  The only player I know of that does not use this framework on Android is the UAPP program.  DaBa knows lots more about this than I.

 

[mejobloggs]

Thanks for the info. I'm comparing it to Pioneer P80RS-II playing CD's.... So I guess I'm just expecting too much?
 
I'd just assumed even a little/cheap dedicated DAC would be far superior to the Moto G DAC but if Moto G is actually reasonable I'll try and be content with that

 

[bixby]

  Thanks for the info. I'm comparing it to Pioneer P80RS-II playing CD's.... So I guess I'm just expecting too much?
 
I'd just assumed even a little/cheap dedicated DAC would be far superior to the Moto G DAC but if Moto G is actually reasonable I'll try and be content with that

Depends, are you loading your Moto G with full CD fidelity files?  If so it should sound very close indeed to your car stereo.  If not, well you know the reason why, right?

 

[robob]

320kbps is very close to lossless : blind test and results.
A DAc like the HIFIMEDIY SABRE U2 ASYNCHRONOUS USB, 57$, will improve significantly the Moto G headphone output.
But does it works with your phone without UAPP ?

 

[StanD]

  Hello!
 
 I have a problem connecting android and ios phones.
 
.. IPHONE4S - CCK - UD120 - 3,5 to 3,5 stereo plug adapter - Fiio E11K - headphones Vsonic VC1000 on E11K
when i connect it like this is says: no enough power...what can i do ?
 
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 2...- otg cable - UD120  - 3,5 to 3,5 stereo plug adapter - Fiio E11K - Headphones ( Vsonic VC 1000 )...music comes from the Samsung note 2..not from the headphones..if I have tried with application USB AUDIO PLAYER PRO..it cannot recognize hardware, no hardware detected...
 
( EDIT : I have changed the otg cable on SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE and now UAPP can recognize the hardware and can play music only through the UAPP. .(youtube..deezer still not working )
 
 Is there any other way to make it work ? cos i would like to connect it through my phones...
 
Greetings!

For the iPhone, you probably need to go through a powered USB Hub to get to the DAC.
 
Perhaps your Galaxy Note 2 does not support Native USB Audio. You can check compatability between your phone and DAC somewhere in this thread. DanBa keeps posting download links to files listing compatability. Check the below link
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/6210#post_11264569

 

[surf2008]

thanks StanD!
 
I have checked the compability on that site.. but on the first link they have only tested note 3 and not note 2... on the second link they said they have tried note 2 and note 3..so i have sent them email..cos for me its not working straight away..Native usb audio ..
 
 
ANDROID, Samsung galaxy note 2, is not rooted, do i have to do that ?
firmware version : 4.4.2.
 
I have only succedded to get sound with UAPP
 
http://tinypic.com/r/2625b4p/8  
 
 
 
 
IPHONE 4S..
 
I have connected it like on the 3 pic with android phone.. except otg changed with CCK, and it WORKS: ) Deezer works straight from the phone..great!!
but now i have to find out the way to get power to usb hub because it gets power through wall socket.
 
I have bought usb male to male cable and connected it with external battery 11200 mAh and everything works but i think this is too big portable system so i hope it will work like this :
 
 
 
... self powered USB hub also exist..     http://blog.jdslabs.com/?p=838  
   
"We’ve had success with Plugable’s USB 2.0 2-Port hub, but it’s worth mentioning that some customers have received Plugable hubs that do not work. Again, a powered hub is the best choice".)