[Allucid]

I'm having trouble adding flac files to this app. I drag and drop them into the "flac" folder on my pc, but when I try to open the app, it crashes immediately. I have an iPhone 5s running ios 7.1.2

Can Opener works fine without flac files which is the strange part.

Do I need to buy the hifi pack in order to put flac files into the app?

Maybe your FLAC files are too high for the player? You could try the HiFi pack and if it doesn't work, get a refund from iTunes support. No harm in trying but the HiFi pack makes everything sound so much better.

 

[MikeyFresh]

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[fenderbendr]

Will the hifi pack increase audio quality even if I'm using the headphone output on the iPhone?

 

[Allucid]

Will the hifi pack increase audio quality even if I'm using the headphone output on the iPhone?

It does for me. I don't think its a psyudo effect either.

 

[fenderbendr]

It does for me. I don't think its a psyudo effect either.

I bought the hifi pack and it now lets me load flac files into the app.  I can't tell a difference in sound quality even with the hq audio converter, but that's ok.  
 
Thanks for the help.

 

[Allucid]

It does for me. I don't think its a psyudo effect either.

I bought the hifi pack and it now lets me load flac files into the app.  I can't tell a difference in sound quality even with the hq audio converter, but that's ok.  

Thanks for the help.

Turn Dither off, especially when using IEMs. Listen to the high quality pack for a week, then go back to the old one. There's probably not a lot of difference but I personally think there is.
My friend's an apple technician in the Perthb Apple Store. Badically running FLAC off an iPhone is useless because the DAC chip inside down samples it. This is why 256kps itunes AAC sounds best, because there's no down sampling involved.

 

[Allucid]

I mean, FLAC files might sound a bit better, but not immensely due to the down sampling of the chip in the phone. I still use FLAC and ALAC because the sound quality is constant through devices.

 

[fenderbendr]

 Those external DAC's are expensive.
 
I still can't hear any audio quality difference with dithering off.  I'm using Shure srh440 cans if that make a difference.
 
Also, do you leave the clipping protection on or off?

 

[nmatheis]

I mean, FLAC files might sound a bit better, but not immensely due to the down sampling of the chip in the phone. I still use FLAC and ALAC because the sound quality is constant through devices.

From my research, the iPhone's chipset doesn't downsample all ALAC and FLACS files - only hi-res files. If you have a source that contradicts this, please post a link. If not, please take a minute to research it and either post some evidence or retract your previous statement. I'm willing to be convinced but only with hard evidence.

 

[Roly1650]

Turn Dither off, especially when using IEMs. Listen to the high quality pack for a week, then go back to the old one. There's probably not a lot of difference but I personally think there is.
My friend's an apple technician in the Perthb Apple Store. Badically running FLAC off an iPhone is useless because the DAC chip inside down samples it. This is why 256kps itunes AAC sounds best, because there's no down sampling involved.

With due deference to your friend, I think he's wrong. My understanding is that iPods/Pads/Phones have 24/96 capable dacs and the measurements I've seen on audio performance of any idevice indicate better than 16 bit performance. A general comment and not about CanOpener specifically, because I don't know it, but it's highly likely that third party software could be causing the downsample, because the software can't handle better, or to cater to the lowest common denominator, when in default setting.

I use Squeezecast on my iPad, which emulates a Squeezebox device, which have genuine Hi Rez dacs, (24/192 with a plugin) and I've had zero issues streaming 24/96 flac files to the iPad, from the Squeezebox server. I will get choppy performance at the reception fringe of my network, but in range performance audibly indistinguishable from the Squeezebox, what you'd expect from audibly transparent devices, which is what the i family are, external dacs aren't audibly any better performing.

 

[davidsdiego]

  CanOpener app running on iPad2/iOS6, connected via Apple CCK, and ADL Formula2 USB cable to an LH Labs GO1000 (EM) DAC/Headphone amp.
 
24bit/192kHz native sample rate file.
 
A powered USB hub is also needed as the DAC draws too much power to run from the iPad's own battery.
 

I like your rig! Are you still using the same setup?

 

[MikeyFresh]

 
I like your rig! Are you still using the same setup?

 
I changed things up a bit to get untethered from the powered USB hub.
 
The latest version uses a y-split USB cable and a USB battery for power.
 

 
I haven't updated the GO1000 firmware, LH Labs haven't come out with the updater program for Mac just yet. But when they do I can probably get rid of the little charcoal colored non-powered 2-port USB hub pictured connected to the CCK, as it is being reported it's no longer needed with the v1.5 firmware. Apparently that firmware is allowing the DAC to shake hands with the iPad without reporting itself as needing excessive current, which is the only reason that hub was needed, it's USB controller shook hands with the iPad ahead of the DAC, and reported itself as needing less than 100mA.

 

[davidsdiego]

Does your setup bypass the iPad's internal DAC and uses the external one, due to the CCK? Just curious.

 

[MikeyFresh]

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[davidsdiego]

Yes it does.

Cool, thanks! I heard the CCK works on the iPhone 6/6+, although I don't know how credible that information is.