[Kouzelna]

Hi all, thanks for your recommendations.
 
I have an HTC One, which allows a digital-out signal through it's USB charging port, using a "USB On-the-Go" cable.  Yes, we all know that.    Anyway, I intend to run it into a decent but affordable DAC that will accept a USB input from my phone, and then have a line-out output to my Glow Audio Amp One tube amp.
 
 
The three problems I've run into so far are:
 
1.  Most affordable DACs are USB powered, meant to be run from a PC/Mac instead of having their own power source (electrical preferred, or battery).  My USB input will be coming from my HTC One, so, no power source.  Any way around this?
 
2.  Many DACs includes a headphone amp too, meaning no clean line-out.  That's a problem, as I don't want to run an amped line into my tube amp.
 
3.  I've been searching around for some kind of Y-Cable workaround, that would allow me to get BOTH power and data from my Android phone into the USB DAC, but it's extremely complicated and the only cable I found that's "guaranteed to work" is $200!
 
 
Your help is much appreciated!

 

[jodgey4]

Line-out is usually a term reserved for an analog signal, usually at a studio standard of 2V... and is not a term for digital out, which the OTG allows you to do (0's and 1's). Fiio has a few portable DAC/amps that you could try that use battery power, USB in, then you just use a line out from that to your amp... look around in the portable sources sub-forum for ideas. Good luck!

 

[Kouzelna]

Thanks for the correction jodgey4, I made the changes.

Do you know any models of Fiio DACs? The problem is that I can't figure out which ones are battery powered. Believe it or not, Amazon is not clear about it. I'll try Fiio's site, but if anyone has a good recommendation for battery or preferably electrical powered DACs that would be great.

 

[jodgey4]

E07k, E17, E18 are all options.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Ibasso D-Zero works with my SGS3. D42 Mamba was designed specifically for Androids and come with its own OTG cable (no need for adapters).
 
BTW here's how I use my SGS3 in a transportable system with the D-Zero...

 
....and here it is on my main system.

 

[Kouzelna]

Thanks Jodgey4, I'll check them out tonight.
 
ProtegeManiac - ditto.  Gotta eat dinner first.  Homemade sushi, ha ha ha!  Can't wait!  A lot cheaper than the restaurant version, and I know the fish is safe! 

 

[Kouzelna]

OK, checked them out.  Here's the problem:  these are all DAC w/ amp systems.  I already have an amp.  What I need is a DAC with it's own power source that will accept a USB input, and then have a line-out output to my amp.
 
The three problems I've run into so far are:
 
1.  Most affordable DACs are USB powered, meant to be run from a PC/Mac.  My USB input will be coming from my HTC One, so, no power source.
 
2.  The DAC includes a headphone amp too, meaning no clean line-out.
 
3.  I found ONE so far that meets my needs, the Schiit Bifrost.  But the cost with USB is $450 plus shipping and CA tax (10%).
 
Ideas?

 

[ieee754]

How about getting any USB DAC, connecting it to laptop or PC and streaming music wirelessly from phone via Bluetooth or WiFi network? I haven't tried it personally, but I see no reason why it couldn't work.

 

[Kouzelna]

Actually, yes, that would work.  However, Bluetooth compresses and degrades the sound.  Plus, my amp is in my bedroom and my PC in my living room, meaning I'd have no reasonable way to change music, edit playlists, etc.  The whole point is that I'm trying to get the best sound possible, using the cleanest possible signal to what is a really terrific amp.  Bluetooth would be super convenient, but kind of blow the whole point.

 

[ieee754]

  Actually, yes, that would work.  However, Bluetooth compresses and degrades the sound.  Plus, my amp is in my bedroom and my PC in my living room, meaning I'd have no reasonable way to change music, edit playlists, etc.  The whole point is that I'm trying to get the best sound possible, using the cleanest possible signal to what is a really terrific amp.  Bluetooth would be super convenient, but kind of blow the whole point.

You are right, it seems that the biggest achievement in Bluetooth audio is aptX-lossless, which is still said to be "near-lossless".
 
If you could drag USB cable from living room to your bedroom, then you might be able to configure your PC to work as remote audio player with something like XMBC and control it via WiFi (it would also very convenient as you could keep your music collection on PC).
 
As for the DAC powering, maybe you could just use a powered USB hub, it should strengthen signal coming from the phone.
 
EDIT: I just found this WiFi Remote Android app.

 

[Kouzelna]

ieee754,
 
thanks for the ideas.  I'm getting a bit lost now...
 
My amp accepts RCA input, period.  One way or another, I have to connect it via RCA to a line-out source, be it a DAC, preamp, or whatever.  Something has to bridge either the PC or Android or Nano, whatever to the amp.
 
Related question:  does anyone at all have any experience with all these Chinese products on eBay?  I only go there when I get desperate, and I'm getting desperate.  (As it turns out, the Schiit Bifrost won't work - getting the USB option does away with the external power support, according to Schiit).
 
I was looking at the Xuanzu U-202.  Looks perfect, if it works as described.  It takes a USB signal in, and then outputs it from a preamp source via RCA.  And is tube to boot, which would be a nice pair up to my Glow, figuratively.

 

[jodgey4]

The reason I recommended Fiio is because you can be pretty sure they'll work with Android devices, and then you'd have a nice product you could use around town. You can in reality use any USB desktop or mobile DAC, the Schiit Modi would be fine, Stoner Acoustics AD120, ODAC, etc., as long as it is compatible with Android devices. You'll have to search around for that. Don't worry about where the power comes from, your phone will provide the +5V needed. For the Fiio DAC/amps, line-out vs. a signal from the headphone amp won't really matter as long as it's clean the headphone amp section will just act like a preamp. I would avoid any cheap products with tubes in them, as tubes can be hard to design for at low costs with any decent performance measurements.

 

[cel4145]

The reason I recommended Fiio is because you can be pretty sure they'll work with Android devices

My understanding is that E17 and E07K are problematic with some Android devices, which is one reason why FiiO came out with the E18, which does work pretty well with Android devices. For instance, E17 was not recognized by my Samsung Note 2 with USB audio.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  OK, checked them out.  Here's the problem:  these are all DAC w/ amp systems.  I already have an amp.  What I need is a DAC with it's own power source that will accept a USB input, and then have a line-out output to my amp.
 
The three problems I've run into so far are:
 
1.  Most affordable DACs are USB powered, meant to be run from a PC/Mac.  My USB input will be coming from my HTC One, so, no power source.
 
2.  The DAC includes a headphone amp too, meaning no clean line-out.
 
3.  I found ONE so far that meets my needs, the Schiit Bifrost.  But the cost with USB is $450 plus shipping and CA tax (10%).
 
Ideas?

 
The D-Zero has a lineout that bypasses its amp circuit. For $99 it's not a bad deal to be paying for that amp section as well.

 

[Kouzelna]

Protoge, where do I buy it? Amazon doesn't have it and Ibasso's website doesn't work.