IPad as Source?

[Whazzzup]

I have an m4 iPad pro and use AirPod pro2 , fantastic right there. I could and do plug iPhone into hugo and/or iPad into hugo via cck… that’s fine. But desktop best quality no Mac’s involved at all.

 

[theveterans]

I know this is an old thread, but I've been finding that I'm getting better sound from an iPad (10th gen) than an iPhone (16) using the same cables/DAC/headphones on dboth sources. The iPad sounds richer and fuller. I would have expected the sound would be the same given it's digital out (via the USB C output to external DAC) from both sources but I certainly seem to be hearing superior sound from the iPad source (unless I'm imagining it). Others had this impression also (superior sound from iPad digital out compared to iPhone digital out)?

I've a A/B ed an iPad (Roon Arc; this is NOT Roon Bridge/RAAT) vs my MBP M1 Pro chip (Roon RAAT/Bridge) extensively and the iPad won by a hair.

However, the iPad sound quality by itself, it's terrible compared to even an entry level streamer like the pi2AES. So in order to get the iPad to sound like a high end vinyl setup, I had to decrapify its output twice.

First, use the best sounding streaming app out the iPad which from my extensive A/Bing, Roon Arc remains supreme! Then, isolate/remove the power section of iPad's USB-C out by using a dual headed USB cable like the iFi Gemini 2.0/3.0 where the power section is fed by the iFi iUSB 3.0; this is also where the first stage of decrapification happens, then feed the output with the best USB cable that you can, in my case, it's the AQ Diamond USB to the BADA USB Series 2 where the decrapified signal is further decrapified even more by reclocking with OCXO clocks, isolated and refined then it goes to AES to my DAC, giving me the most analog sounding digital I've heard so far out of my Yggdrasil DAC

 

[matthia]

I've a A/B ed an iPad (Roon Arc; this is NOT Roon Bridge/RAAT) vs my MBP M1 Pro chip (Roon RAAT/Bridge) extensively and the iPad won by a hair.

You mentioned recently Audirvana runs circles around Roon so I am just wondering what happens when you offer the MBP the same level of decrapification as the iPad and use Audirvana on it...

 

[theveterans]

You mentioned recently Audirvana runs circles around Roon so I am just wondering what happens when you offer the MBP the same level of decrapification as the iPad and use Audirvana on it...

On Windows, Audirvana Kernel streaming is superior than Roon ASIO. I will do some more testing with the MacBook running Audirvana this weekend and see how that goes

 

[theveterans]

You mentioned recently Audirvana runs circles around Roon so I am just wondering what happens when you offer the MBP the same level of decrapification as the iPad and use Audirvana on it...

Currently running both. Audirvana (system optimizer on extreme) might be a little bit more focused than Roon Arc on iPad though Roon Arc does have a little bit more meat to the bones. It's too early to call, but this battle is way closer than MBP M1 with Roon RAAT vs iPad Roon Arc. It does feel that Roon Arc is a little more organic sounding. I'll come back with a verdict after a few more days of testing

First track I put on though, Roon Arc wins by ~2% better than Audirvana extreme system optimizer

With regards to volume matching, I detect no difference whatsoever in volume

 

[matthia]

@theveterans
Thanks for sharing.
I am not very familiar with Roon ARC, so do you have direct access with ARC to Qobuz and Tidal or to local files on your Roon server only?

 

[theveterans]

Roon Arc is Roon’s streaming app that allows access to everything you put into roon, including your local files on a NAS or network drives (except internet radio) outside of your home network. Your Tidal, Qobuz and KKBox is also streamed through Roon Arc. If you look closer to my screenshot, you’ll see the Tidal logo next to the Flac source which signifies you’re getting that file through Tidal. Qobuz logo would be shown if you’re getting the stream from them

I have compared Roon Arc vs Tidal app vs Qobuz app and Apple Music app, and Roon Arc is the one I preferred with more organic sound, slightly more forward vocals and just very smooth and fluid presentation without sacrificing details in the note edges. Tidal is a little laid back, Apple Music is just digitally flat and Qobuz is a bit thin and lack the low end physicality slam that Roon Arc has.

 

[gregorio]

I would have expected the sound would be the same given it's digital out (via the USB C output to external DAC) from both sources but I certainly seem to be hearing superior sound from the iPad source (unless I'm imagining it).

As it’s the digital out then there is no sound. Either it’s the same digital data, in which case you must be imagining a difference or the data is not the same, due to some digital setting, EQ or loudness normalisation for example.

G