[ikjadoon]

So, what's the state of "normal" apps with USB Audio (not USB host)? Can Spotify, YouTube, Google Maps, etc. output?

This Spotify post says that USB DACs never have and never will work with Spotify. Is that true?

 

[shuto77]

Im interested if Samsung will bring these features back in thier Note 6, or remain set on this absurd mindset. It was two of the main reasons consumers bought a Samsung and they went and stripped thier devices.

"cue what were they thinking image"

I mean I'm sure they had some marketing strategy surrounding it but I'm dying to know if that backfired on them.

I was thinking along the same lines this week, as I received my Galaxy S4 to pair with my Oppo HA-2.

I was so excited to get a device with a replaceable battery! It's funny because most (all?) cell phones before the iPhone had replaceable batteries.

Once the top Android phones from Samsung and HTC wanted to keep up with the iPhone's aesthetic appeal, they started moving away from replaceable batteries, because it was too difficult to keep the phones slim with this feature.

I'm not buying this, because LG is doing us keeping the replaceable batteries and the micro SD slot. Their devices are still very well made.

The obvious answer, to me, is planned obsolescence. At this point, if you get a high-end phone, you have no reason to replace it... until the battery goes.

 

[shuto77]

So, what's the state of "normal" apps with USB Audio (not USB host)? Can Spotify, YouTube, Google Maps, etc. output?


This Spotify post says that USB DACs never have and never will work with Spotify. Is that true?

That's not true. I was using Spotify with my HTC One M8 and my Oppo HA-2.

I'm currently using a galaxy s4 with my Oppo.

The only caveat is that DAC compatability with Android phones is quite spotty.

Some phones work every time, with no problem.

You really need to research your particular phone with the particular dac you want to use.

While it's a crapshoot, when you find a phone that works with your dac, it's a beautiful thing - and probably yields a better user experience than top of the line digital audio players that cost $650+.

 

[RamblerBoy]

galaxy s7 - microsd slot will return.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2016/01/08/galaxy-s7-5-biggest-new-features/

 

[kostaszag]

  So, what's the state of "normal" apps with USB Audio (not USB host)? Can Spotify, YouTube, Google Maps, etc. output?

This Spotify post says that USB DACs never have and never will work with Spotify. Is that true?

I don't mean to be rude, but don't you read the links you post? In the next post in that thread a user confirms that his Dragonfly DAC works via OTG with Spotify. BTW, since Lollipop ANYTHING coming out of your Android device, be it Spotify, Tidal, Youtube, whatever, can be fed to an external DAC. At least that is the way it should be, if Lollipop is correctly implemented in your device. 

 

[MikeyFresh]

  galaxy s7 - microsd slot will return.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2016/01/08/galaxy-s7-5-biggest-new-features/

Smart move, they lost me on this last go around by removing the expandable storage feature.
Of course Apple continues to pretend expandable storage doesn't exist, so I bought the Moto X Pure Edition and a Sandisk 200GB µSDXC to pair with the Oppo HA-2:
 

 
Full USB DAC compatibility via OTG, and fully supporting the 200GB µSDXC card combined with the 64GB on-board storage, along with glitch-free performance from the Onkyo HF Player app running Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
 
The only hiccups were some amount of fussiness with the Hiby music player, and to a lesser extent UAPP, so I'll stick with the Onkyo HF Player app for now.

 

[NZtechfreak]

Yep, I didn't purchase the S6 or Note 5,the Note 5 being the first in that line that I didn't get (I 'got' phablets earlier than most of the market). Between removal of SD slots and the S810 debacle, 2015 was not a very interesting year for me where mobiles were concerned, 2016 shaping up much better. Currently enjoying my Huawei Mate 8 a lot, but I always have an eye on what's next...

 

[ikjadoon]

That's not true. I was using Spotify with my HTC One M8 and my Oppo HA-2.

I'm currently using a galaxy s4 with my Oppo.

The only caveat is that DAC compatability with Android phones is quite spotty.

Some phones work every time, with no problem.

You really need to research your particular phone with the particular dac you want to use.

While it's a crapshoot, when you find a phone that works with your dac, it's a beautiful thing - and probably yields a better user experience than top of the line digital audio players that cost $650+.

 
 
OK, that's great to hear, whew. I'm pretty excited, actually,

Right, finding the right DAC is the key!
 

 
I don't mean to be rude, but don't you read the links you post? In the next post in that thread a user confirms that his Dragonfly DAC works via OTG with Spotify. BTW, since Lollipop ANYTHING coming out of your Android device, be it Spotify, Tidal, Youtube, whatever, can be fed to an external DAC. At least that is the way it should be, if Lollipop is correctly implemented in your device. 

 
Err, that's OK. But, I read even further than you did, Go one more post and this guy says he has the exact same setup, but it didn't work: not exactly comforting. Two anecdotal stories + an official Spotify for Android troubleshooter = murky. I just wanted some "on-the-ground data".
 
That's awesome to hear that anything can be outputted (if Lollipop works properly). I've been trying to nail that down: at least the OS isn't an issue (I'm on 5.1.1). 

 

[willywill]

 
Smart move, they lost me on this last go around by removing the expandable storage feature. Apple continues to pretend expandable storage doesn't exist of course, so I bought the Moto X Pure Edition and a Sandisk 200GB µSDXC to pair with the Oppo HA-2:
 
Full USB DAC compatibility via OTG, and fully supporting the 200GB µSDXC card in conjunction with it's 64GB onboard storage, along with glitch-free performance from Onkyo HF Player.
 
The only hiccups were some amount of fussiness with Hiby, and to a lesser extent UAPP, so I'll stick with the Onkyo HF Player app for now.

Nice setup, i always wanted the Yamaha but now there so many fake one you don't know if getting the real one

 

[shuto77]

This is sort of off-topic...
 
I'm looking to get a new big-screen Android phone. Can anyone name one that sounds good straight out of the headphone jack? (I have my Oppo HA-2 connected to a dedicated Galaxy S4). 
 
For reference, I thought my HTC One X was lousy, and the HTC One M8 was O.K at best. I've read good things about the new LG V10, but I don't want to pay $600 for it. 
 
I would be interested in checking out one of the Chinese manufacturers (Huawai, Xioami, etc.), but I'd be concerned about long-term firmware updates. 
 
At this point, I'm leaning toward the LG devices since they have replaceable batteries. 
 
Thanks!

 

[NZtechfreak]

The Meizu MX5 Pro is meant to sound good from the HP out, from memory an ESS DAC and a decent amplifier stage (for a smartphone).

 

[shuto77]

The Meizu MX5 Pro is meant to sound good from the HP out, from memory an ESS DAC and a decent amplifier stage (for a smartphone).

Thanks, I'll definitely check it out, then sell the One M8.

I'm at the point where I want something very specific, and I almost certainly have no need for most of the features Samsung and Apple are packing into their phones nowadays.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

 
Got a few questions about my setup and it's true portability.
Here ya go

 

[shuto77]

How big of a micro SD card can the Galaxy S4 accommodate? I'm running Android 5.0.1.

My 64-gig card just about full.

 

[headwhacker]

How big of a micro SD card can the Galaxy S4 accommodate? I'm running Android 5.0.1.

My 64-gig card just about full.

The Sandisk 200GB works just fine. both in 5.0.1 and 6.0