Android phones and USB DACs
Dec 18, 2012 at 4:48 AM Post #1,081 of 9,526
Well I was mistaken about the Kernal bit. I just got word from ibasso that they bypassed Android "Audio Flinger" and used their own custom driver to get 24/192 support. But also I found that the sound quality is also better on 16/44 files using the stock playler in comparison to Power Amp using Audio Flinger in 16/44 playback.
 
Quote:
 
Hi,
Thank you for your email.
Precisely, we bypassed Android's Audioflinger and used our own drivers instead of it, to achieve 24/192 playback.
Android's Audioflinger only supports 16/44.1.
 
Sincerely
iBasso Audio

 
Dec 18, 2012 at 5:36 AM Post #1,082 of 9,526
A message from the Developer of "USB Audio Recorder Pro"
 
Let me try to explain. I'm using libusb to talk to USB devices from user space. The app sends data over the isochronous USB pipeline. This data
does not go 'through a kernel' in the sense that there is some police man in there that checks if you are sending data higher than 16-bit. This
is pure nonsense. I can send 1902-bit data over there if I wish.

I can record and playback 24-bit just fine. I'm not sure if I have tried 96kHz, but I will try it on Friday. I have also ordered a FiiO E17 to
try. If your devices don't work at 24-bit@96kHz, it's simply a small bug, nothing more than that.

Kind regards,

 
 
 
 
Here you have it!
 
Dec 18, 2012 at 5:40 AM Post #1,083 of 9,526
Quote:
A message from the Developer of "USB Audio Recorder Pro"
 
Let me try to explain. I'm using libusb to talk to USB devices from user space. The app sends data over the isochronous USB pipeline. This data
does not go 'through a kernel' in the sense that there is some police man in there that checks if you are sending data higher than 16-bit. This
is pure nonsense. I can send 1902-bit data over there if I wish.

I can record and playback 24-bit just fine. I'm not sure if I have tried 96kHz, but I will try it on Friday. I have also ordered a FiiO E17 to
try. If your devices don't work at 24-bit@96kHz, it's simply a small bug, nothing more than that.

Kind regards,

 
 
 
 
Here you have it!

 
This part has me curious:
 
This data
does not go 'through a kernel'.

 
So I guess I wasn't wrong then when I said ibasso circumvented the Android Kernel and are using their own custom driver to provide 24/192 playback with the sabre chip :wink:.
 
Dec 18, 2012 at 5:55 AM Post #1,084 of 9,526
Ok, so I signed up here to answer your questions! :)
 
I'm the developer of USB Audio Recorder PRO and Audio Evolution Mobile for Android.
 
My USB audio code completely bypasses Android to get rid of all its problems and talks to Linux directly using file descriptors. That's why there are no limitations in that respect. The only problem is that this is user space code (and technically not even a driver) and does not run at a real-time thread priority. For DAC's this is no problem since you could increase your buffer size to avoid glitches, latency is no issue for playback only.
 
I know there is still some work to do with some buffer sizes not working etc for some DAC's and yes, there are reports of 96kHz not working, but give it a couple of weeks, this is just an initial version!
 
The app wasn't originally meant for DAC's either, but as a pro recording solution, but if time permits I can add playlist functionality as well.
 
Dec 18, 2012 at 5:58 AM Post #1,085 of 9,526
Quote:
Ok, so I signed up here to answer your questions! :)
 
I'm the developer of USB Audio Recorder PRO and Audio Evolution Mobile for Android.
 
My USB audio code completely bypasses Android to get rid of all its problems and talks to Linux directly using file descriptors. That's why there are no limitations in that respect. The only problem is that this is user space code (and technically not even a driver) and does not run at a real-time thread priority. For DAC's this is no problem since you could increase your buffer size to avoid glitches, latency is no issue for playback only.
 
I know there is still some work to do with some buffer sizes not working etc for some DAC's and yes, there are reports of 96kHz not working, but give it a couple of weeks, this is just an initial version!
 
The app wasn't originally meant for DAC's either, but as a pro recording solution, but if time permits I can add playlist functionality as well.


Very nice! I already knew your program had to be completely bypassing android in order to do bit for bit playback. Good to hear other developers are coming up with their own iterations of the concept.
 
Dec 18, 2012 at 6:06 AM Post #1,086 of 9,526
Quote:
Very nice! I already knew your program had to be completely bypassing android in order to do bit for bit playback. Good to hear other developers are coming up with their own iterations of the concept.

Lee, I love Linux, hence android for being open source, so anybody with the know how and a lot of work, can  almost do anything...
And this what eXtream was able to do.
 
In the end he did us something really appreciated in Audiophile community, and we should thank/support him for his great work.
In the end, we are the beneficiaries.
 
and his app almost costs as much as 2 drinks...so...
Do you agree/disagree with me guys?
 
Dec 18, 2012 at 6:12 AM Post #1,088 of 9,526
Quote:
Well is there anyway this can be applied to Power Amp and Neutron Audio on the DX100. That is what I want :wink:.
 

Lee, my thoughts exactly, maybe a future plugin from eXtream (after arranging it with the developers of the most well known music android app= Neutron,Playerpro and poweramp) may enable these players to do this....Sky is the limit for eXtream.
Or he will have his own super player,just needs some time and appreciation!
 
Dec 18, 2012 at 7:33 AM Post #1,089 of 9,526
Hey eXtream,
 
I purchased your app and mate, it rocks.
 
Now please please please make a simple mp3/FLAC player with eq and playlist or just release the drivers so that they can be used with Poweramp and Neutron.
 
I shall be the first in line to buy.
 
Heck, take the money now if you want
biggrin.gif

 
 
Dec 18, 2012 at 8:14 AM Post #1,090 of 9,526
Quote:
Hey eXtream,
 
I purchased your app and mate, it rocks.
 
Now please please please make a simple mp3/FLAC player with eq and playlist or just release the drivers so that they can be used with Poweramp and Neutron.
 
I shall be the first in line to buy.
 
Heck, take the money now if you want
biggrin.gif

 

+1.
 

 
Dec 18, 2012 at 8:19 AM Post #1,091 of 9,526
Quote:
Hey eXtream,
 
I purchased your app and mate, it rocks.
 
Now please please please make a simple mp3/FLAC player with eq and playlist or just release the drivers so that they can be used with Poweramp and Neutron.
 
I shall be the first in line to buy.
 
Heck, take the money now if you want
biggrin.gif

 

 
Thanks for the compliment. Note that the purpose was for recording, but I will consider a play list.
I would be crazy to release the USB code after all the investments I have made, both in time and money, and risking divorcement from my wife!!
 
Note that this is not a stand-alone 'driver' in any way.
 
Dec 18, 2012 at 8:26 AM Post #1,092 of 9,526
Quote:
 
Thanks for the compliment. Note that the purpose was for recording, but I will consider a play list.
I would be crazy to release the USB code after all the investments I have made, both in time and money, and risking divorcement from my wife!!
 
Note that this is not a stand-alone 'driver' in any way.

I know what you mean! I already lost my girl.......
 
anyway, It would be nice if you could sell a plugin for other app players (without  releasing the USB code if possible).
 
Or you could develop the USB player as a separate project (without risk this time
biggrin.gif
)
All the best.
 
Dec 18, 2012 at 9:01 AM Post #1,093 of 9,526
I think he is using the lib descriptors to talk to linux directly. Linux in this case is the kernel.
An app or driver cannot communicate directly with hardware without going thru the kernel (Linux based) afaik.
But yes that's the beauty of open source.
 
Dec 18, 2012 at 12:02 PM Post #1,094 of 9,526
Quote:
 
Thanks for the compliment. Note that the purpose was for recording, but I will consider a play list.
I would be crazy to release the USB code after all the investments I have made, both in time and money, and risking divorcement from my wife!!
 
Note that this is not a stand-alone 'driver' in any way.

Hi eXtream
 
As you can see I am not the only one who would like this, as I mailed to you. One way of not getting divorced would be to consider this much bigger market - just look at this forum to see the interest on a problem that you apparently have found a genuine solution to :)
 

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