DAC for iPhone 15 Pro Max

[LouisArmstrong]

With USB-C it opens up much more opportunities - has anyone tested that the existing portable USB-C DACs do work with the iPhone? Is there a cable that I should get? Cheers

 

[artpiggo]

I use ddhifi tc35c with fiio ff1 for small talk and soft listening while commuting.

 

[jasonb]

I have an interesting observation about the 15 and its USB-C.

I’ve been using an iPhone 13Pro with an Apple lightning to 3.5mm dongle for the last almost 2 years. Today I received the 15Pro Max and already owned the official Apple USB-C to 3.5mm dongle. I don’t know if the USB-C dongle actually has more power at the end of the volume control or not, but the USB-C dongle is about 7-8dB louder than the Lightning dongle at the same place on the volume control. Apples own dB headphone “measurement” that’s built into iOS shows a higher volume.

With my Aful Performer 8 IEMs I’m listening a full two notches lower to achieve the same volume. I get about 7-8dB higher with the USB-C dongle on my Focal Elex at 50% on each.

I’m in the US with all US dongles and a US phone and all that.

 

[jasonb]

I just got a 2nd Apple USBC to 3.5mm adapter so I can just leave them on my most used headphones/IEM’s for simplicity. For $9, why not. The 2nd one sounds the same and has the same result as my other old one.

Again, I don’t know if the total output is actually higher or if the volume just comes on stronger in the beginning on the 15ProMax+USBC dongle or what. I don’t have a headphone that’s hard enough to drive to need over 60%, so I can’t tell if the volume at the top is actually louder. Every headphone/IEM I use with the type C dongle needs two notches less on the volume in comparison to my 13Pro with lightning dongles. Listening to my Aful performer 8 at 8-15%, my ER4SR at 25-30%, and my Focal Elear with Clear pads at 40-50%.

 

[shauny]

Hi

I use an Astell & Kern HC3 usb-c dac with my iPhone 15 Pro Max and can confirm it works brilliantly.

 

[laialbert]

Has anyone else run into DSD DoP going to an external DAC no longer working with the iPhone 15 Pro Max? I’ve tried with HFPlayer, Neutron Player, and HiByMusic. Everything just gets transcoded to PCM. It’s not iOS 17 because it still works correctly on my iPhone 12 Pro. I’ve also tried all sorts of adapters and cables as well as multiple DACs (Oppo HA-2SE, iFi micro iDSD, Holo Spring 3). At this point I’m thinking something changed with the USB C implementation.

 

[NYanakiev]

The L&P W2-131 doesn't work, unfortunately. Probably to do with power draw being too high..

 

[originalsnuffy]

Has anyone else run into DSD DoP going to an external DAC no longer working with the iPhone 15 Pro Max? I’ve tried with HFPlayer, Neutron Player, and HiByMusic. Everything just gets transcoded to PCM. It’s not iOS 17 because it still works correctly on my iPhone 12 Pro. I’ve also tried all sorts of adapters and cables as well as multiple DACs (Oppo HA-2SE, iFi micro iDSD, Holo Spring 3). At this point I’m thinking something changed with the USB C implementation.

I think you are on to something. No amount of fiddling seems to enable DSD DoP with the iphone 15 Pro Max. I wonder if its a design error or something in software that can be rectified. Or some obscure cabling is required. PCM works fine as noted. I have tried the Apple USB-C to USB-C cable, some generic USBC to USBC cables, Thunderbolt 4 cables, and the OTG cable that came with my FIIO Q3-MQA. No joy for DSD with any of these, but PCM is fine.

I have ordered some female lightning to USB adaptors. I am going to try my USB C to lightning OTG cables (known to work with older iphones) with the female lightning to USB and see if that works . Kind of an ersatz USB-C OTG approach. I don't have great hopes however.

I wonder if some kind of USB-C hub could be of use?

I keep hearing that the iphone 15 works with DAC dongles; but I wonder if these reports tested DSD in particular? Most of the posts I have seen just say that iphone 15 works with dongles, but for all I know it may be that they are just testing PCM.

 

[originalsnuffy]

Has anyone else run into DSD DoP going to an external DAC no longer working with the iPhone 15 Pro Max? I’ve tried with HFPlayer, Neutron Player, and HiByMusic. Everything just gets transcoded to PCM. It’s not iOS 17 because it still works correctly on my iPhone 12 Pro. I’ve also tried all sorts of adapters and cables as well as multiple DACs (Oppo HA-2SE, iFi micro iDSD, Holo Spring 3). At this point I’m thinking something changed with the USB C implementation.

..

 

[laialbert]

I think you are on to something. No amount of fiddling seems to enable DSD DoP with the iphone 15 Pro Max. I wonder if it’s a design error or something in software that can be rectified. Or some obscure cabling is required. PCM works fine as noted.

I haven’t been able to get it to work on my iPad either. For some reason I thought it worked, but maybe I never checked.

 

[Orfik]

I use a Cayin RU6 and RU7 with an iPhone 13. The only two cables that work consistently are the DDhifi 07s and 09s. I find the sound quality better on the 9s but the 7s is more ergonomic.

 

[originalsnuffy]

..

 

[originalsnuffy]

Hi

I use an Astell & Kern HC3 usb-c dac with my iPhone 15 Pro Max and can confirm it works brilliantly.

Good news. For many Apple users!

The problem isn't my DAC or my phone. It is the software.

I found something called Ever Play. Its DoP does work! The DoP in HiBy Music did not work.

So it can be done, now it is a matter of software vendors figuring out what to do.

I am very relieved!

 

[jasonb]

So has nobody else gone from an older iPhone that has used the lightning to 3.5mm dongle switched to a USBC iPhone and used the Apple USBC to 3.5mm dongle?

With my IEMs I feel that the 15ProMax and the Apple USBC to 3.5mm dongle sounds louder earlier and just seems to sound better.

I think it’s kind of wild that with my Aful Performer 8’s all I need is 6-12% volume out of this dongle.

 

[HONEYBOY]

I use the Mojo 2 with mine, and it's great. Leverage USB-C to USB-C.