How much will a mini-usb to 3.5mm cable kill SQ?

[Zeeky]

I'm looking at getting a phone that will play me some music so that I don't have to bring a DAP when I go ride the bus... Anyway, it would just be phone to JVC marshmallows so that I can listen to some tunes and isolate while not taking up extra room in my pockets. ANYWAY. Will one of those cables kill my SQ or will it not make a difference if I'm listening on just some $20 earphones anyway?

 

[Fungi]

USB is digital, mini plug is analog. That "mini-usb to 3.5mm cable" has a DAC somewhere inside, and chances are it's not up to snuff. Doesn't your phone have some sort of analog out that you can get an adapter for?
EDIT: See below.

 

[Akathisia]

If you are talking about an HTC product with mini-USB jacks , then it does not have a DAC inside the adapter cable, there are extra pins in the USB jack (11 total). The output is analog.

I used to have an HTC excalibur and I used a USB3 > 3.5mm with no issues. The phone won't be any better than any other DAP to begin with, but the cable won't hurt the SQ.

 

[Zeeky]

Awesome, thanks for the input. I don't have a phone yet, but I'd like a windows based phone (so not iPhone) that primarily plays music and has wi-fi. I was looking at the HTC AT&T Tilt or HTC touch.

 

[DoubleEs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akathisia /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you are talking about an HTC product with mini-USB jacks , then it does not have a DAC inside the adapter cable, there are extra pins in the USB jack (11 total). The output is analog. I used to have an HTC excalibur and I used a USB3 > 3.5mm with no issues. The phone won't be any better than any other DAP to begin with, but the cable won't hurt the SQ.

Can I ask where you got the USB to 3.5 from? I've got a HTC and I've never used it to play MP3 due to the fact that I cannot a decent length USB to 3.5 cable to connect to my HP

 

[Akathisia]

ORA Stereo Headset Adaptor for T-Mobile Dash, #HTC-PPC-CONVERTER - MobilePlanet

i guess other people have had trouble. I used mine 6+ hours a day for a year, then I sold the phone. No issues.