[kostaszag]

Hi Doc, I have the Z3c too, what's the best DAC you've found for it so far?

Testing Geek Out 450 and sharing some experiences in case useful for others.

There seemed to be relatively few reports on whether GO works different phones. Also, UAPP lists the compatibility as highly phone dependent.

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Sony Xperia Z3 compact with stock Android 4.4.4. and UAPP/Spotify/Walkman/Tidal/Deezer --> USB-OTG-cable --> Geek Out 450 --> Amp:

Does not work. Either gives a "too much USB power draw" error or just fails to recognize the DAC and in any case GO does not produce any sound.

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Sony Xperia Z3 compact with stock Android 4.4.4. and UAPP/Spotify/Walkman/Tidal/Deezer --> USB-OTG-Y-cable with additional power --> Geek Out 450 --> Amp:

Can be made to work but really tricky for UAPP:

1) You need to first connect the additional power to the GO (via the Y-cable), and only then gonnect the GO to the phone. Well, obviously, to work around the power requirement.

2) I cannot make it work with UAPP right away. The UAPP does ask permission to use the DAC (GO), but then produces slight crackling sound only or fails to initialize the DAC. I have tried all the UAPP USB tweaks, buffers etc. one by one and then all of them on and finally some combinations (although not all as there are quite many of those), but no luck so far.

However, the other players on my phone do work and produce the sound out of the GO if I start them before UAPP(!).

They do not work after trying UAPP. Spotify has volume control, the others not, and GO shows Spotify at 48kHz and the others at 44,1kHz. Guess the Spotify player is using the Android USB framework and the others somehow connecting directly via Sony specific drivers.

Here is where it gets tricky: It is possible to get the UAPP to work by the following procedure:
0) plug in the your headphones to the GO
1) plug in power to the GO
2) plug the GO to the phone
3) start Walkman and set a song playing (careful with your headphoes and ears as the GO output is at full volume!) and stop playback. Exit Walkman by back button but do not kill the Walkman application.
4) start UAPP and start playing a song. Typically the UAPP either does not ask permissions for the USB DAC or cannot initialize it. Go back from UAPP, confirming exiting UAPP.
5) start UAPP again, the USB dac permission is asked for, and the USB DAC is initialized.
6) hit play and start enjoying the music!

I have tested several shortcuts and variations to the above procedure but so far did not find one that works reliably.

Another oddity requiring the step 0) above is that if I plug or unplug the phones from the GO, the USB connection to the phone is often lost, and then its back to the crackling with the UAPP.

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Would appreciate your input if anyone has experience with Geek Out:

Has anybody been able to get the Geek Out to work with Sony Xperia Z series and UAPP without the need for the above procedure, and if so, what kind of tweaks to the phone or UAPP settings were needed?

Or with any phone with Android 4.x and UAPP, for that matter?

I believe I have posted before on the subject, but I ll give it another go: My Xperia Z2 on Android Lollipop works fine with Geek Out 450. All I have to do is see that my IEMs are connected on the 47Ohm output, not the 0,47 which should be the right choice, and always start the UAPP after connecting the GO.  

 

[Dr J]

 
I believe I have posted before on the subject, but I ll give it another go: My Xperia Z2 on Android Lollipop works fine with Geek Out 450. All I have to do is see that my IEMs are connected on the 47Ohm output, not the 0,47 which should be the right choice, and always start the UAPP after connecting the GO.  

 
Yep, saw your post earlier, but if I understood correctly this post was on what DAC I considered best. My earlier question on GO with Xperia just got quoted again as part of the post.
 
However, on that topic, the trick and one of the reasons I went for the ODAC for regular use instead of GO was that my IEM impedance is around 24 Ohm with wide variation of impedance across frequencies, and I suspect 47 Ohm output impedance would play havoc with the frequency response (going by the thumb rule of needing 4 or 8 or 10 times higher amp output impedance compared to the phone impedance to avoid frequency response being audibly modified). Need to test it some day.

 

[REXNFX]

Thanks for that, so far I've tried the Calyx PaT, Chord Hugo and Sony PHA 1a and like the Sony best but am keen to try a desktop DAC/preamp as want to use with my HiFi. Is there a mini USB to USB B cable that would work in such a setup?

Hi REXNFX, well, best depends on your intended usage and preferences, as usual.

My goal was to build one that is smallest possible but still high quality sound portable set for commuting and flights with IEMs. In addition, I wanted to build another transportable high quality sound set for office use where the size is not so critical but I am using orthos so a bit more robust amp is needed.

I selected the DACs and amps based on form factor and reading reviews on sound quality and experiences on whether the DACs work with Z3c, here and on other sites.

I have not really done any thorough side-by-side comparisons on the sound quality of DACs, so unfortunately cannot give you real information on that, except to say I am very happy with what I am hearing.

I went with ODAC for the portable set, together with Leckerton UHA-6S.MKII amp. JDS Labs can provide a very compact case ODAC if you ask them.

For the transportable set I re-used the CLAS-DB I had from my iPod-based set in my signature.

I also tested the Geek out 450 as you saw, and while it does sound very good and I would have no hesitation using it based on the sound quality, and it is a very compact dac+amp, there are the hiccups with using it. Also the fact that it gets really hot worries me if I were to use it in a portable set that is kept in a pocket or a pouch. Maybe the GO V2+ would be a good option, as early reports on its sound quality seem to be promising.

Incidentally, I assume Z3c can be made to work directly or via the Schiit Wyrd with also high end desktop DACs. I reported some experiences in this thread.

Hope this helps.

 

[NehPets]

Hello Head-Fiers.
 
I've been trying to use a Resonessence Concero HP with my SG Note II, which is running Android 4.4.2. With both UAPP and HFPlayer, the Concero HP enumerates as a USB DAC and also as a Human Interface Device, allowing software volume control using the HP's volume dial, however, playback is very quiet and only one channel. When I turn the volume dial, the volume slider on the player app moves accordingly, but the output volume doesn't change.
 
Has anyone else had a similar experience and found a solution? If so, could you enlighten me?
 
Thanks in advance.

 

[wavid]

Finally got the update for 5.1 on my Moto G 4G 1st gen!! My Dragonfly DAC v1.0 works perfectly with it! using PowerAmp...
 
Can i use something like this to have the Dragonfly in the female and plug the other end into my Anker battery pack?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Micro-Female-Cable-Power-Splitter/dp/B00NSBVNCM/ref=sr_1_4?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1434593316&sr=1-4&keywords=usb+splitter+otg
 
 
EDIT: just noticed that whatever i put on the Dragonfly glows blue....
hmmmmm

 

[Dr J]

Thanks for that, so far I've tried the Calyx PaT, Chord Hugo and Sony PHA 1a and like the Sony best but am keen to try a desktop DAC/preamp as want to use with my HiFi. Is there a mini USB to USB B cable that would work in such a setup?

 
You would need a "USB on the go" cable with right connectors, possibly via a powered USB hub or the Schit Wyrd I mentioned if the power draw is too much for the phone or some other compability issues. DanBa publishes every now and then a very comprehensive info package on these in this thread, I would recommend checking that for compability and possible cables, and also searching in this thread.

 

[Dr J]

Originally Posted by wavid /img/forum/go_quote.gif
EDIT: just noticed that whatever i put on the Dragonfly glows blue....
hmmmmm

 
From what I read, the Lollipop natively outputs everything at 48kHz, resampling all sources to this frequency.
 
This is one of the reasons I have not yet upgraded yet to Lollipop. I would need to first ensure that e.g. Tidal and Deezer and preferably Spotify, in addition to UAPP, can output bit perfectly 16bit/44.1KHz. This works in my Sony Xperia Z3 compact with Andoid 4.4.4.

 

[NehPets]

Hey All.
 
With a bit of fiddling and some guidance from Davy Wentzler, I've got my Resonessence Labs Concero HP working properly under Android 4.4.2 with UAPP. Nice. Big thanks to DW.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Davy is such a nice guy. He's there always to reach out and help.

 

[variable]

If I'm reading all of this correctly, 
 
I can get google music to stream natively running over a USB DAC:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWVDPC0/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1WVZ1GUX1FOMG
on a Moto G running Lollipop whilst charging using this cable:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V81L9M8/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A36PN40E750046
 
Is that correct?

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Not charging the phone (see product's Q&A in Amazon). 
 
The OTG Y Cable in question (w/c I have also) will POWER the DAC but NOT PHONE .
 
Still looking for a Y cable that will charge phone.

 

[lofthanza]

My samsung tab s is using android 5.0.2, yet I still dunno how to make usb audio work. With UAPP, it works great, but isnt this version of android supposed to work natively? Am I missing something?

 

[h1f1add1cted]

No, it's a bug on 5.0.x. I've read with Android 5.1.x it should work again like in 4.4.2 or 4.4.4. I will try soon on my Sasmung S4 the Android 5.1.1 optimized build based from CyanogenMod.

 

[dazzerfong]

  No, it's a bug on 5.0.x. I've read with Android 5.1.x it should work again like in 4.4.2 or 4.4.4. I will try soon on my Sasmung S4 the Android 5.1.1 optimized build based from CyanogenMod.

I hope to God that's the reason my Z1 Compact refuses to work with my ODAC when it's on Lollipop.

 

[01ps]

I just got a Fiio Andes and am having a bit of trouble with it.
 
When I plug it in to my Samsung Galaxy S5 with Android 5.0 (USB port using an OTG cable), almost always it sounds slow and garbled, choppy.  I tried different music apps and both streaming and mp3 files.  I then have to unplug it and plug it back in (usually several times) and then it will work fine for as long as I am using it and sounds great.  If I unplug it I have to go through the same rigamarole again.
 
I have a Samsung Galaxy tablet with Android 4.2.2 and it works perfect (its a bit louder too).  Same with my PC, works perfect.
 
I know the Andes is not officially approved for Android use, but I have read about many people using it. Plus it works fine on my other device.
 
Any suggestions? Did I get a dud and should I exchange it?  Am I harming anything by using it?