[ProtegeManiac]

Great question...what is the phone stand...got a link?

Another option if you're alright with having your music player interface in portrait mode. In case your case doesn't fit, there's an easy to remove case in there too:

Update : I've isolated that what I've initially reported as "weird" sound, even with digital volume maxed out, coming out of my GSIII with the Meier Corda Cantate.2 USB was Neutron Media Player. Prior to this I've tested DBPowerAmp and it worked fine, by now I'm using MediaMonkey (Beta version) for Android an it works like a charm, albeit no 64-bit sound shaping (doesn't need it though). Also maybe some Android update fixed the battery management down the line; this one doesn't drain it as much as when I used it with PowerAmp.

Also, using the RND dock to keep it upright, and it works with the generic OTG cable I have. When I ordered it I went ahead and also got the A-Case Superleggera Pro case, which is easy to remove thanks to the rubber inner case. My old (but chipped and scratched up) slim plastic case actually fit when the insert on the dock is removed, but given its condition and that I removed it to try the Superleggera anyway, I decided to use the latter. I might have someone rewire the mini-USB port into OTG, and if I can still hook up the charger to it, so I won't use the cumbersome OTG converter cable (not visible in the pic, but it took a bit of work to keep it from being all over the place), but I'll see if Blue Jeans can come up with an OTG-wired mini-USB to USB-B cable first.

 

[DanBa]

Quote:

New to this and looking for some help. Have a U.S. note 2 and hooked it up to my Audio-GD reference 3 via a USB otg cable. Got nothing with the stock player. Got the trial of USB recorder pro running and sure enough I could play through that software.
 
I've enabled the dock settings and made everything was connected. Is there something I'm missing on playback to get it through the stock player?

 
The stock player uses the native USB Audio implemented by Samsung.
The USB Audio Recorder PRO app uses its own USB Audio function implemented by eXtream Software Development.
 
Apparently Samsung developers and Audio-GD designers don’t have the same understanding of some part of the USB specification.
 
You may try using the native USB Audio with USB Debugging mode enabled.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/2565#post_9575279

 

[devhen]

Pretty basic question (sorry, don't have time to read through thread right now):
 
Do all Android phones running Jelly Bean support USB audio out or is it only some devices that support it? I've got a Galaxy S2 running Android 4.1.2, will it support USB audio out?
 
Thanks

 
Unfortunately, no. You can look at DanBa's lists to see which phones/etc appear to be working with which DACs on page 170 (he tends to update it every 5 pages, so he'll probably have another updated list on page 175). That's your best bet at the moment. 

 

At the announcement of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in June 2012, Google introduced a new type of USB DAC operating as USB host, that can’t interwork with PC or Mac also operating as USB host.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/90#post_8492288
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/135#post_8508754
 
The Galaxy S2 doesn’t have a complete USB host feature, so that a USB audio driver, or a USB audio soft driver like USB Audio Recorder PRO can’t use the necessary USB service to drive a standard USB DAC.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/1635#post_9133931

 
Thanks for the info & links I appreciate it.

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

 
The stock player uses the native USB Audio implemented by Samsung.
The USB Audio Recorder PRO app uses its own USB Audio function implemented by eXtream Software Development.
 
Apparently Samsung developers and Audio-GD designers don’t have the same understanding of some part of the USB specification.
 
You may try using the native USB Audio with USB Debugging mode enabled.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/2565#post_9575279

 
 
Well, no luck with debugging here. Glad to know it's something specific to my USB converter and not the phone itself. I did this as more of a test run before buying a portable DAC. I'll probably grab up a leckerton at some point.
 
Thanks for your help!

 

[pixelsphotopro]

Sorry if I don't post in the correct section, I want to connect my Galaxy S3 to my CD input of my receiver, I already have the OTG cable, is there any usb male to RCA cable available. That way I could connect my S3 like I do with the LOD cable on my iPad directly to my receiver and bypass the internal S3 DAC
 
Thank you
Daniel

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Sorry if I don't post in the correct section, I want to connect my Galaxy S3 to my CD input of my receiver, I already have the OTG cable, is there any usb male to RCA cable available. That way I could connect my S3 like I do with the LOD cable on my iPad directly to my receiver and bypass the internal S3 DAC

Thank you
Daniel

AFAIK USB port on these phones don't just output an analog line out signal like iDevices, and you'd need the right dock. The RND S4 dock does that, and one original Samsung docks (like the horizontally-oriented one on the original S, that I had, but that's still affected by the phone's volume control).

Why not just get a cheap DAC (that way you might get a cleaner signal with the correct low level signal voltage and impedance, even if less than Redbook -standard 2v); or, if you have a spare SPDIF input on the receiver, maybe there's a USB-to-SPDIF converter that can be powered by the phone.

 

[pixelsphotopro]

Thank you for your suggestions, I will look at the dac option.

 

[keabler]

Hi all,
 
I'm going to be getting a new Android phone soon and I've been looking at getting a portable DAC/amp to pair with it.  My goal is to spend <$500 on a DAC/amp unit that is battery powered and has both a good DAC and amp.  I've been following this thread for some time and the leading option for me has been the Apex Glacier; however, I've read some reviews that praise the amp but seem to think the DAC is only adequate for the price range.  Are there any other DAC/amp combos that I should check out?  Form factor is somewhat important as I don't have a terrible amount of pocket space and I ride my bike most places (I don't listen to music when I ride my bike, I just like to bring my portable rig with me).

P.S. For my portable rig I use my Alclair Reference CIEM's.

 

[Raenmor]

Hi all,
 
I was able to use FiiO E07K with HTC One X running CyanogenMod without using AuidoRecorderPro, or any other third-party applications. And it is running 96/24 as well.
It involved a little bit of programming, but nothing too hard. If you're interested - check the thread at xda (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2305631), 'cause copying the instruction here will be messy.
 
Hope it will help at least some one 

 

[Theogenes]

@keabler: I went on a bit of a DAC/amp spree a little while back and found the Glacier to be arguably the most ergonomically well-suited to use with a mobile phone of the devices I had (iBasso D6, iBasso D-Zero, Apex Glacier, Leckerton UHA-6S Mk.II, and Meier Audio PCSTEP). I actually like the form factor of the D-Zero best of all because it's so tiny, but since the Glacier was roughly the same size as my Galaxy S3, I think I liked it a touch better overall (gave me more space to rubberband to the phone without being too thick). Personally, I liked the sound of the Meier amp better, but found its ergonomics to be wanting for a mobile device (I did a review in a different thread on the comparison of the two). I haven't directly compared the Meier to the Leckerton, but I generally find them to be in the same tier in terms of audio quality and think the Leck has a shape and size that's more conducive to use with a phone than the Meier. There are more options out there to be sure, but hopefully this will give you something to research . 
 
@Raenmor: Anything that gets us even a half-step closer to universal compatibility between Android devices and USB DACs is a win in my book-- thanks for the work, man!! If you end up finding a way to create a service that would allow any s/w player to utilize a USB DAC, it looks like that would be pretty easy to monetize that with all the interest around this. There are a few people already working on it (most notably eXtream, who wrote the USB Audio Recorder Pro app), and whoever gets a functional version to market first stands to make a bit of money, I would imagine. Hope you keep up the work

 

[keabler]

Quote:

@keabler: I went on a bit of a DAC/amp spree a little while back and found the Glacier to be arguably the most ergonomically well-suited to use with a mobile phone of the devices I had (iBasso D6, iBasso D-Zero, Apex Glacier, Leckerton UHA-6S Mk.II, and Meier Audio PCSTEP). I actually like the form factor of the D-Zero best of all because it's so tiny, but since the Glacier was roughly the same size as my Galaxy S3, I think I liked it a touch better overall (gave me more space to rubberband to the phone without being too thick). Personally, I liked the sound of the Meier amp better, but found its ergonomics to be wanting for a mobile device (I did a review in a different thread on the comparison of the two). I haven't directly compared the Meier to the Leckerton, but I generally find them to be in the same tier in terms of audio quality and think the Leck has a shape and size that's more conducive to use with a phone than the Meier. There are more options out there to be sure, but hopefully this will give you something to research . 

 
Thanks for your insight!  I've looked at the Leckerton UHA-6S MKII before.  My only issue with that device was that it only samples up to 16-bit/48khz via USB streaming, and I would also use this as a portable desktop DAC.  The not-yet-available iBaso D Zero-SE looks interesting too since it will be using a Sabre chip and still feature a very small form factor.

So in your opinion the Leckerton, Meier, and Apex are all in the same "league" of device?  I've read some very nice remarks about the Leckerton and have considered it in the past.  I just thought that since the Apex Glacier was ~$200 more it would give me $200 more of performance.  Can you link me to your Leckerton/Meier comparison?

I also thought about getting the AudioQuest DragonFly, but I don't know if I want to have my DAC leaching power from my phone.

 

[Twinster]

Thanks for your insight!  I've looked at the Leckerton UHA-6S MKII before.  My only issue with that device was that it only samples up to 16-bit/48khz via USB streaming, and I would also use this as a portable desktop DAC.  The not-yet-available iBaso D Zero-SE looks interesting too since it will be using a Sabre chip and still feature a very small form factor.


So in your opinion the Leckerton, Meier, and Apex are all in the same "league" of device?  I've read some very nice remarks about the Leckerton and have considered it in the past.  I just thought that since the Apex Glacier was ~$200 more it would give me $200 more of performance.  Can you link me to your Leckerton/Meier comparison?


I also thought about getting the AudioQuest DragonFly, but I don't know if I want to have my DAC leaching power from my phone.

The Fiio E18 look promessing if you can wait a few weeks.

 

[Theogenes]

No prob man. If you're considering using the Leck as a desktop, you might want to look into getting something that either converts USB audio into digital coax, or just use a source that outputs digital coax-- I believe it does 24/96 from S/PDIF, and supposedly sounds better to boot (haven't tied it myself). There are some portable USB-to-S/PDIF adapters that are around as well in case you want to do 24/96 on the go, but I haven't tried any of them. And my comparison is here-- be warned, however, that I have never used two words when twenty would suffice . 
 
I'm also very interested in the D-Zero SE-- I think the D-Zero frankly kicks everything's butt from a value-for-money perspective. Killer little device. 
 
As for the DragonFly, I believe some people have had success with a few of the USB-powered DACs by using special splitter cables and a portable power source, although I don't recall if it worked with the AQ DF specifically. The only time I tried to use a portable battery (a Monoprice dealio), I got a lot of noticeable noise on the line, so I dropped it pretty quickly-- but others have had better results, I think. 
 
As for sound quality, a couple of brief qualifiers: the only actual A/B comparison I did was with the PCSTEP and the Glacier, and my tastes drew me to the PCSTEP; I apparently listen at unusually low volumes, and prefer a brighter sound signature; I am in absolutely no way whatsoever an audio professional of any kind; and while my musical tastes are varied to say the least, I tend to listen to more dissonant music (metal, some classical and string groups, some jazz) and atypical time signatures than your average bear. So keep those in mind. But in general, I believe I lean a bit more towards the Leck and Meier than the Glacier, and while I love the D-Zero, I think those two are a bit more clear and neutral. 
 
Hope this helps! Search the forums for used devices, as the Leck, Meier, and Apex tend to hold their value pretty well IMO, so you might be able to try a couple of them out without losing your shirt in the process. That's how I got my Glacier

 

[keabler]

Quote:

The Fiio E18 look promessing if you can wait a few weeks.

 
Wow, it does look nice.  I usually don't pay that much attention to Fiio because they are generally below my price point (all though I respect them as a company for what they have done for the audio industry).  However, in the real world I design outerwear, and I really like the look of the Fiio E18.  It looks like it might be priced a bit higher than previous Fiio DAC/amps which is why I am excited for it.
 
Quote:

No prob man. If you're considering using the Leck as a desktop, you might want to look into getting something that either converts USB audio into digital coax, or just use a source that outputs digital coax-- I believe it does 24/96 from S/PDIF, and supposedly sounds better to boot (haven't tied it myself). There are some portable USB-to-S/PDIF adapters that are around as well in case you want to do 24/96 on the go, but I haven't tried any of them. And my comparison is here-- be warned, however, that I have never used two words when twenty would suffice . 
 
I'm also very interested in the D-Zero SE-- I think the D-Zero frankly kicks everything's butt from a value-for-money perspective. Killer little device. 
 
As for the DragonFly, I believe some people have had success with a few of the USB-powered DACs by using special splitter cables and a portable power source, although I don't recall if it worked with the AQ DF specifically. The only time I tried to use a portable battery (a Monoprice dealio), I got a lot of noticeable noise on the line, so I dropped it pretty quickly-- but others have had better results, I think. 
 
As for sound quality, a couple of brief qualifiers: the only actual A/B comparison I did was with the PCSTEP and the Glacier, and my tastes drew me to the PCSTEP; I apparently listen at unusually low volumes, and prefer a brighter sound signature; I am in absolutely no way whatsoever an audio professional of any kind; and while my musical tastes are varied to say the least, I tend to listen to more dissonant music (metal, some classical and string groups, some jazz) and atypical time signatures than your average bear. So keep those in mind. But in general, I believe I lean a bit more towards the Leck and Meier than the Glacier, and while I love the D-Zero, I think those two are a bit more clear and neutral. 
 
Hope this helps! Search the forums for used devices, as the Leck, Meier, and Apex tend to hold their value pretty well IMO, so you might be able to try a couple of them out without losing your shirt in the process. That's how I got my Glacier

 
 
Your opinion seems to be inline with what I've read.  The glacier has a beautiful form factor, but its DAC (while not bad) aren't any thing spectacular for the price point.  It seems like the sweet spot is ~$300 for portable DAC/amps and I'm more than happy to spend that much.  I tend to enjoy a neutral sound signature as long as the components in question are very good (I EQ my car a bit because it doesn't have the best components in it).  I've also been waiting for the iBasso DX50 to come out as a potential upgrade for my portable rig, but I've been leaning towards consolidating my phone/portable DAP.  I think I'm going to wait a few weeks/month(s) to see how the iBasso D Zero-SE, and the Fiio E18 fair against the above DAC's.  

Thanks for everyone's help!  Being an audiophile would be so much more expensive/time consuming if Head-Fi wasn't such a great place!

 

[DanBa]

Quote:

Hi all,
 
I was able to use FiiO E07K with HTC One X running CyanogenMod without using AuidoRecorderPro, or any other third-party applications. And it is running 96/24 as well.
It involved a little bit of programming, but nothing too hard. If you're interested - check the thread at xda (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2305631), 'cause copying the instruction here will be messy.
 
Hope it will help at least some one 

 
Interesting 96/24 mod!
Bravo!