[steveoidm]

Ok thanks. So you are still in effect double amping and it isn't a true line out?

 

[devhen]

Ok thanks. So you are still in effect double amping and it isn't a true line out?

 
Nope you're not double amping and yes it is a line out. The *digital* signal is sent from the system to the USB DAC, rather than from the system to the built-in headphone DAC/amp. Volume control and EQ is applied to said digital signal before sending it to either the built-in DAC/amp or the USB DAC.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Ok thanks. So you are still in effect double amping and it isn't a true line out?

 
You might be confusing volume control with variable output vs a lineout which supposedly has a fixed output. While that distinction may be true for hardware volume control (whether the potentiometer itself is analog or digital), it isn't the same with software volume control. Such software is implemented at the digital level, controlling the volume even before it gets decoded by the DAC (the same way you can rip "hot" albums and equalize/lower the gain so going from one album to the next won't shock your ears), so even if a player has both a linestage output and a headphone amp chip/circuit after that, the digital volume control is still in effect. Think of Windows volume control: it doesn't matter if you hook up a DAC through USB or SPDIF on the soundcard, or a headphone/speaker straight into the 3.5mm jack somewhere on that computer, the digital volume control will affect it.

 

[steveoidm]

Thanks for the explanation!

 

[SV_huMMer]

  Success!!
 
Now that I have my Headstage Arrow 4T my setup is complete! 
 
A portable 32/384 - DXD player. Well 24/384 actually, UARP recognizes my DAC upto 24/384 only.
 
Had me smiling the whole time.
 
Smartphone: Sony Xperia Z
DAC: M2tech Hiface DAC
Amp: Headstage Arrow 4T
IEM: Phonak Audeo PFE232
 

Spoiler: pics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Wow!!! This is one NEAT set up! ) 
 
With the Z, is the HiFace DAC working properly? No clicks, pops or cracks in the sound, even if playing hi-res content? Unfortunately, with my Xperia Sola I still have to admit it's a failure - while the HiFace DAC is recognized by UARP and initialized, I can't listen to music other thant 16/44.1, as anything higher plays with constant clicks and cracks...
 
I don't have this prob with my Galaxy S3, and the sound is just amazing! 
 
We have very similar setups:
 

 Except that I am using RSA Predator in the amp only mode. 
 
BTW, I LOVE your uber-short 1/8 to 1/8 cable between HiFace and headstade. Did you DIY'ed it?
 

 

[Nazo]

So I'm guessing no one has any clue why this thing isn't working on my SGS3 or Nexus 7 in CyanogenMod? BTW, I'm on 10.2 on both now as I've discovered that USB dock audio support is finally put back into 10.2 (I never understood why it was gone for so long really. I had assumed it was because Google did seem to want to go to USB DAC support, but clearly that wasn't standardized or ready yet for 4.3's release, so now I'm just confused about that.) Do I have to ground the ID pin as some mentioned earlier to get it to work maybe? I'm not really sure how I'd go about doing that as all OTG connectors I've seen weren't exactly made for that though...

while the HiFace DAC is recognized by UARP and initialized, I can't listen to music other thant 16/44.1, as anything higher plays with constant clicks and cracks...

This sounds like the problem I had when I was playing around with the ASIO settings on my PC just to test. Do you have any sort of buffer setting like with PowerAMP's advanced menus? When I had the buffer too low, I got all sorts of noise at higher frequencies in my tests, and when the buffer was high enough it played flawlessly. The same lower buffers worked just fine at 44.1.

 

[8064r7]

So I'm guessing no one has any clue why this thing isn't working on my SGS3 or Nexus 7 in CyanogenMod? BTW, I'm on 10.2 on both now as I've discovered that USB dock audio support is finally put back into 10.2 (I never understood why it was gone for so long really. I had assumed it was because Google did seem to want to go to USB DAC support, but clearly that wasn't standardized or ready yet for 4.3's release, so now I'm just confused about that.) Do I have to ground the ID pin as some mentioned earlier to get it to work maybe? I'm not really sure how I'd go about doing that as all OTG connectors I've seen weren't exactly made for that though...
This sounds like the problem I had when I was playing around with the ASIO settings on my PC just to test. Do you have any sort of buffer setting like with PowerAMP's advanced menus? When I had the buffer too low, I got all sorts of noise at higher frequencies in my tests, and when the buffer was high enough it played flawlessly. The same lower buffers worked just fine at 44.1.

 
We are a fringe market that is why it is so unpredictable across the numerous stock & rooted roms, kernels, and editions of the Android O/S.  I had mine working for a while on 4.3, but it has turned out to not be stable so I went to other projects for my nexus 7.  For portable music I will stick to a rockboxed sansa product for the time being.  Brand and popular consensus have bullied the majority of android content development away from it being a hi-fi option except for some far off products (like the new Sony lines coming out).  It sucks, but I'm sadly to deaf and to budget conscious to devote my development time back to the Android world, especially since cyanogen and aosp aren't on board with the idea (or they would have improved their support for usb audio in their builds).

 

[pappy97]

Just wondering if we can we ask everyone in thread to be specific when they are referring to which phone they are using and are able to get work with a particular USB DAC?  For example, I've seen several posts about certain DACs working with the "Note 3", but it's not specified what version of the Note 3 that is.  Is it Intl or US? If US, which carrier?  As we've seen with other devices (Note 2 is a great example), USB DAC support varies widely between different carrier versions of the same phone.  I mean, even the constantly updated chart we have in thread isn't of much help because it refers to a generic "stock Note 3," even though there are many versions of the "stock Note 3."  For example, there's a difference between the T-Mobile US Note 3 and the Sprint Note 3, even for these purposes, let alone the differences between those versions and the Non-US Note 3's.  Thanks!

 

[pappy97]

So I'm guessing no one has any clue why this thing isn't working on my SGS3 or Nexus 7 in CyanogenMod? BTW, I'm on 10.2 on both now as I've discovered that USB dock audio support is finally put back into 10.2 (I never understood why it was gone for so long really. I had assumed it was because Google did seem to want to go to USB DAC support, but clearly that wasn't standardized or ready yet for 4.3's release, so now I'm just confused about that.) Do I have to ground the ID pin as some mentioned earlier to get it to work maybe? I'm not really sure how I'd go about doing that as all OTG connectors I've seen weren't exactly made for that though...
This sounds like the problem I had when I was playing around with the ASIO settings on my PC just to test. Do you have any sort of buffer setting like with PowerAMP's advanced menus? When I had the buffer too low, I got all sorts of noise at higher frequencies in my tests, and when the buffer was high enough it played flawlessly. The same lower buffers worked just fine at 44.1.

 
No, sorry, did you pester the folks on the XDA forum for your S3 about it?  You should see if there are others with your specific S3 on XDA that are getting USB Audio Support.  There won't be many people, but there could be a few.
 
As to Nexus 7, do you have a 2012 Nexus 7?  I ask because there is a rom/kernel for the 2012 Nexus 7, Timur's kernel, that offers USB Audio Support.  I think that kernel is only for Android 4.2.x (not 4.3 and I read something about Timur saying he wasn't going to come out with either a 4.3 version of his ROM/kernel or a ROM/Kernel for the 2013 Nexus 7).  If that interests you, head over to Rootzwiki where you can find that rom/kernel.

 

[Nazo]

Given that it's not a device specific problem, asking in device specific locations seems a bad idea. Anyway, mostly at this point I'm just asking if I need to ground the ID pin mostly, though I'm not clear how I'd actually do that short of building my own OTG cable (which I can't realistically do right now.)

And the Nexus 7 is the 2013 one, so no 4.2 version optional.

 

[DanBa]

Google Nexus 7, Timur's USB OTG CyanogenMod 10.1 Rom & USB audio:
http://rootzwiki.com/topic/37755-timurs-kernel-usb-rom-closed-21-aug-2013/
 
Nexus 7 running on Timur's USB OTG CyanogenMod 10.1 Rom >> USB DAC
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[devhen]

^ Very cool. It looks like once Android 4.4 hits that will possible with the stock ROM.

 

[Change is Good]

^So with the new 4.4 and new kernel we won't have to root our use USB Audio Pro to get audio via micro USB?

 

[FlySweep]

 

^So with the new 4.4 and new kernel we won't have to root our use USB Audio Pro to get audio via micro USB?

 
Hopefully Android standardizes USB Audio across their OS .. cause w/ iOS7, Apple users now have USB audio out.  Kinda frustrating that an area that Android was a step ahead of Apple in (at least for many Head-Fi users who want to use a DAC w/ their phones/tablets), they're now a step behind.  Silver lining?  It might be the kick in the ass Google/Android needs to prioritize this feature across their platform.

 

[devhen]

^So with the new 4.4 and new kernel we won't have to root our use USB Audio Pro to get audio via micro USB?

 
Yeah supposedly 4.4 will include OTG USB audio support but its just a rumor at this point. My guess is it will happen. The Nexus 7's hardware has the capability to do it but at this point it requires a custom ROM with USB audio support.