[barbes]

I have no direct experience with the Centrance M8, but my understanding is that it is possible to use the LX version with an iOS device - iPad with iOS v6 or higher or iPhone with iOS v7 or higher. As for the cabling, i'm almost certain that you'll need the CCK, a small USB hub (probably passive, but maybe powered) and the USB cable to connect your M8 to the hub.

iDevice -> CCK -> USB hub -> M8

The Kero cable will NOT work by itself. And yes, you'll be able to play 24/96 files without downsampling by either streaming them from your computer or by using an app like the Onkyo one above that supports direct playback of hi-res audio files that you've loaded to your iDevice.

Dale

No hub is needed with the M8. With current iOS, CCK > USB > M8 works. (So will many other battery- and mains-powered DACs.)

 

[dcginc]

Well, I am now able to listen to FLAC on my iPhone

Thxs to all who have posted or whom I have PM'ed

Running Ampliflac app and successfully imported Naim Label's 192k high res 'Meet Me in London' album

I still need a few odd USB cables (a male to a male) to successfully connect a Meridian Explorer to a hub powered by a Newtrent external battery pack

The lads at my local hi if shop where I bought the ME were intrigued by all this... I'm sure they thank you all

Right now my HP-2s are driven by the iPhone amp, can't wait to insert the ME into the mix

More to follow...

 

[dcginc]

 
ok, got it all working
 
iPhone 4s w iOS7
CCK
Ampliflac playing 192k high res files
USB Hub-rocketfish (yes the hub and battery glow blue!)
Ext Battery-Newtrent
USB cable from battery to hub
USB cable from cck to hub
Meridian Explorer- from hub
Yamaha HP-2 and Etty headphones work just fine.
 
lousy pixel quality from iPad camera.

 

[seeteeyou]

.

 

[danrc3]

 
 
ok, got it all working
 
iPhone 4s w iOS7
CCK
Ampliflac playing 192k high res files
USB Hub-rocketfish (yes the hub and battery glow blue!)
Ext Battery-Newtrent
USB cable from battery to hub
USB cable from cck to hub
Meridian Explorer- from hub
Yamaha HP-2 and Etty headphones work just fine.
 
lousy pixel quality from iPad camera.

 
 
Thanks a lot for this post. I have been dreaming about a Meridian Explorer setup, and I really appreciate seeing the details spelled out.  I plan to run a setup with my iPhone 5 and a Meridian Explorer in my car.  The biggest question for me remaining is just powering a usb hub.  Perhaps a simple question, but is the Rocketfish hub made to be powered by a USB connection different than the source computer?  I am confused on how the Phone CCK 'talks' to the Meridian Explorer.  If they just share a USB hub connection, they automatically transmit data to the DAC?  Or does it need to be a special type of hub?  Let me try to explain my confusion. If you have a usb hub, powered either by a wall outlet, or powered by the bus connection to the host computer, I assume that the host computer signal is the only data that is shared between connected devices.  I assume the host computer sends power and data through the connection to the peripherals.  But, what if you want to just connect the peripherals to each other with a powered hub?  I don't understand how to connect the data between two connected devices like the Phone's CCK and the DAC, AND have power supplied through the main usb connection.   In your setup above, I assume the 'main' usb connection made to go to the host computer is instead hooked up to the external battery pack, which provides only power and no data.  Does the hub then somehow know to connect the phone/cck and the DAC?  
 
Thanks for any help on this.  I envision a scenario where I replace the external battery in your setup with a simple 12v (cigarette outlet) USB charger.That is what I am hoping for...

 

[dcginc]

@danrc3

The rocket fish (RF) hub is meant to be used off a laptop primarily I assume.

The RF has one input port, b mini- the other side of that cable is A male into a laptop, or in my case, the cck

The RF then has 4 female A ports. I simply plugged one A male to A male into one port, then other end of that cable to the external battery.

I then plugged the ME into the second A female port on the RF.

The other ports on the RF are not used

How data goes from the cck to the ME inside the hub is beyond my knowledge

But it works.. However, when I play 192k Flac, I am not able to get the ME to light up all three lights which would indicate 192k data.

When the ME is plugged into my desktop Mac Pro, I do get all three lights lit up when playing 192k Rez files (fixed it... Setting on the app!)
...hmmm

Lastly, I had a hard time finding A male to A male USB cables, but I found them here:

http://www.pchcables.com

 

[danrc3]

@dcginc
 
Thanks a lot for that info.  It's interesting how it seems to work in a way that doesn't make inherent sense to me regarding data vs. power requirements, but I am glad to see it's working.  I will give it a try...
 
Thanks.

 

[SeanDavid010]

I can chime in here with my own results of playing around with different combinations.
 
Fiio E17:
The chain is as follows:  iPhone 5 (iOS 7.0.3)> CCK> Unpowered USB hub> Fiio E17.  There are some oddities, though.  Apparently I can still control the volume on the iPhone, which I did not expect.  I expected it would behave like a true fixed-level line-out, but it doesn't.  Also, if I turn up the volume past about 80% on the iPhone, I get a message telling me that the USB device requires too much power, and the phone reverts back to its internal speaker.
 
Schiit Modi:
This one is simple: iPhone 5 (iOS 7.0.3)> CCK> Schiit Modi.  It works without a hub, and I never get the "too much power" warning on my phone.  
 
After seeing how fickle the whole thing is with the Fiio E17, I'm thinking about returning it and getting something else.  Does anyone have any recommendations?  I need something small (as this is for travel) that is capable of powering a set of Mad Dogs (and Alpha Dogs, when I can get my hands on a pair.)  I was thinking about the Leckerton UHA-6S MkII, But I haven't heard if it works well with the iPhone> CCK combination.  
 
Any suggestions/ firsthand experiences?

 

[jazzman7]

  I can chime in here with my own results of playing around with different combinations.
 
Fiio E17:
The chain is as follows:  iPhone 5 (iOS 7.0.3)> CCK> Unpowered USB hub> Fiio E17.  There are some oddities, though.  Apparently I can still control the volume on the iPhone, which I did not expect.  I expected it would behave like a true fixed-level line-out, but it doesn't.  Also, if I turn up the volume past about 80% on the iPhone, I get a message telling me that the USB device requires too much power, and the phone reverts back to its internal speaker.
 
Schiit Modi:
This one is simple: iPhone 5 (iOS 7.0.3)> CCK> Schiit Modi.  It works without a hub, and I never get the "too much power" warning on my phone.  
 
After seeing how fickle the whole thing is with the Fiio E17, I'm thinking about returning it and getting something else.  Does anyone have any recommendations?  I need something small (as this is for travel) that is capable of powering a set of Mad Dogs (and Alpha Dogs, when I can get my hands on a pair.)  I was thinking about the Leckerton UHA-6S MkII, But I haven't heard if it works well with the iPhone> CCK combination.  
 
Any suggestions/ firsthand experiences?

I've gotten the FiiO E17 to work as you have described, too.  I had not debugged just how the "too much power" message shows up -- cool discovery!  You can use the E17 if you have efficient-enough headphones or listen at lower volumes, it seems.
 
As for another DAC/amp that works, here's the HRT microStreamer working with the iPhone 5c:
 

 
 
I cannot comment on volume output with inefficient cans -- I have to try the Fostex T50RP to see.  The two main caveats:  (1) it does eat into the iPhone's battery life as it is batteryless and (2) it does not play nice with 88.1k/96k files (audio skips).  If you can live with those two things and play audio at <=48k sampling rates, it is great!

 

[tmauceri]

You can achieve playback of 96k files (Stop the Clicking buffer over/under runs) but not 88k with the HRT MicoStreamer. This can be done by raising the numeric feedback value  for the affected sample rate. I did this yesterday after comunicating with an HRT product specialist a few times and it works.
A,  MicroStreamer should have V1.3 this eliminates the need for a USB hub (see Support at HRT Website to do this)
B,  You need a PC.
C,  Download "Upstream"  from this link https://www.dropbox.com/s/sittlatrvipgdbu/UpStream.exe
D, Follow theses instruction
 
There will be three value settings one for 32/48/96 KHZ another for 44.1 KHZ and another for 88.2KHZ
 
Setting Device Feedback characteristics using the UpStream utility
1) Launch the UpStream utility and connect the HRT Microstreamer to computer via USB
2) Click on the FEEDBACK tab and click retrieve. This retrieves the set values.Write the numbers down in case you want to reset them. My 32k 48k 96      value read 0.03125
3) For the 32k 48k 96k sample rates click on the pull down (down arrow) next to the sample rate group and select 0.25 this worked for me.
4) Select the new resolution value for the sample rate and program the device by pressing the PROG button.
When you have made changes to the feedback value for the sample rate you wish to change and have programmed them to the Streamer, you may exit the UpStream utility by pressing the red X in upper right hand corner of the utility.
(most of the above was copied from my HRT communications)
 
 
 44.1k we all know works so leave it.
 For 88.2k I tried all the values could not get the clicking to stop.
Tried to upload screen shots but the forum wouldn't let me. This is my first post on the forum. I'm running a 64Gig iPhone 5S iOS 7.0.3>CCK>USB A to USB mini> HRT Microstreamer>custom Westone AC2s or HiFiMan He-300s. I'm playing 44.1 and 96 KHZ FLAC files with the HRT MicroStreamer. I don't know if 48 KHZ  FLAC will play because I don't own any. New to the Forum but not an audio newbie.
 

 

[jazzman7]

  You can achieve playback of 96k files (Stop the Clicking buffer over/under runs) but not 88k with the HRT MicoStreamer. This can be done by raising the numeric feedback value  for the affected sample rate. I did this yesterday after comunicating with an HRT product specialist a few times and it works.
A,  MicroStreamer should have V1.3 this eliminates the need for a USB hub (see Support at HRT Website to do this)
B,  You need a PC.
C,  Download "Upstream"  from this link https://www.dropbox.com/s/sittlatrvipgdbu/UpStream.exe
D, Follow theses instruction
 
There will be three value settings one for 32/48/96 KHZ another for 44.1 KHZ and another for 88.2KHZ
 
Setting Device Feedback characteristics using the UpStream utility
1) Launch the UpStream utility and connect the HRT Microstreamer to computer via USB
2) Click on the FEEDBACK tab and click retrieve. This retrieves the set values.Write the numbers down in case you want to reset them. My 32k 48k 96      value read 0.03125
3) For the 32k 48k 96k sample rates click on the pull down (down arrow) next to the sample rate group and select 0.25 this worked for me.
4) Select the new resolution value for the sample rate and program the device by pressing the PROG button.
When you have made changes to the feedback value for the sample rate you wish to change and have programmed them to the Streamer, you may exit the UpStream utility by pressing the red X in upper right hand corner of the utility.
(most of the above was copied from my HRT communications)
 
 
 44.1k we all know works so leave it.
 For 88.2k I tried all the values could not get the clicking to stop.
Tried to upload screen shots but the forum wouldn't let me. This is my first post on the forum. I'm running a 64Gig iPhone 5S iOS 7.0.3>CCK>USB A to USB mini> HRT Microstreamer>custom Westone AC2s or HiFiMan He-300s. I'm playing 44.1 and 96 KHZ FLAC files with the HRT MicroStreamer. I don't know if 48 KHZ  FLAC will play because I don't own any. New to the Forum but not an audio newbie.
 

Nice description!  I will give it a try -- but your point about "write the numbers down" says to me this is not for the faint of heart.  
 
It also sounds like a permanent fix could be obtained by a firmware update, at least for 96k playback.  The "FEEDBACK" setting is probably something that could be set so that it always works for iPhones.  Is there any drawback to changing the values as you describe for other uses, such as with PCs?

 

[tmauceri]

This is very easy to do if it has an effect on playback when used with different sources other than the iPhone just change it back to the factory settings. HRT never told me that changing the parameters could effect other sources, but I didn't ask if it would. I bought it to use with my iPhone only since I have a MyDac in my main system. Last night as I walked the dog listening to the 24/96 Moondance Album and some 16/44 Beatles I was amazed at how great the HRT MS sounded. I tried again last night to get the right parameter so 88K would work but no luck. Fortunately I only own one 88K Flac album. HRT did say I would have more luck changing the parameter for the 32, 48, 96k settings than the 88K because it is high and non interger to the frame rate. They also said changing one parameter doesn't effect the others.

 

[vkalia]

Can someone please confirm - will any Lighting-to-USB adapter + OTG cable allow me to use an iPhone 5S running iOS 7 as a digital transport?
 
Or is there a special adapter?
 
TIA.

 

[jazzman7]

  Can someone please confirm - will any Lighting-to-USB adapter + OTG cable allow me to use an iPhone 5S running iOS 7 as a digital transport?
 
Or is there a special adapter?
 
TIA.

Right now, the safe choice if Apple's Lightining-to-USB Camera adapter shown here, combined with whatever USB cable is needed to connect to your DAC of choice.
 
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD821ZM/A/lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter
 
Also, Apple updates their iOS periodically, and this mode of operation is undocumented and otherwise unsupported on iOS 7.  Future iOS updates might break the capability, and I myself have only checked performance on iOS 7.0.2 for my chosen DAC.  To be safe, you can turn off Automatic Downloads on Updates on your iPhone 5s under Settings -> iTunes & App Store -> Automatic Downloads.   Then check to see whether someone with the iOS version you want has tested compatibility, or if you want to be totally sure, go to an Apple Store and check yourself (I've done this before at a local Apple Store, hooking up my own DAC to an iPhone there, and they were totally fine with it), and update if you get the compatibility you need.  

 

[tmauceri]

Used my HRT MicroStreamer last night with a friends Mac and didn't have any issues with my new parameter setting.