[RugbyPlayer]

so i just have to lower the rez and bitrate of all of my files to get lossless, great! yeah ok

 

[trellus]

I've barked up this tree. It's not a fight worth fighting.

Well, he's right that Bluetooth currently lacks the bandwidth of good ol' fashion wired connections, but many people have trouble distinguishing AAC-256 from CD-quality audio, and even more distinguishing between 16/44 and higher resolution, and so for the average consumer, BT is already "good enough."

I prefer using wired headphones, myself, when I'm sitting down at my desk, but when I'm mobile, I'm usually on BT.

 

[theveterans]

Well, he's right that Bluetooth currently lacks the bandwidth of good ol' fashion wired connections, but many people have trouble distinguishing AAC-256 from CD-quality audio, and even more distinguishing between 16/44 and higher resolution, and so for the average consumer, BT is already "good enough."

I prefer using wired headphones, myself, when I'm sitting down at my desk, but when I'm mobile, I'm usually on BT.

Don't forget that BT headphones have a DAC that is tuned to that specific driver, making them sound even better than wired i.e. Bose QC35.

 

[gogigp]

iPhone 7 is shaping up to be a major step forward for audio, even if many will miss the rumored-to-be-omitted headphone jack. Apple's Lightning output will be capable of providing higher-quality audio than the headphone jack was capable of, and I believe Apple will fully embrace audiophiles if they were to omit the headphone jack by finally leveraging iTunes and Apple Music to include lossless music. Not only that, but Apple is rumored to be developing a new format for wireless headphones to likely overcome Bluetooth limitations. 

iPhone 7 will be a major release for audiophiles, as I think amazing audio will be a major selling point.

Written by me, but re-posted from elsewhere:
#1

I don't think there is any debating that iPhone 7 will change audio output for mobile devices, at least at first in a way that will be disappointing for many with the omission of the headphone jack but I think I have Apple's cards figured out: one of iPhone 7's main selling points at the keynote and beyond will be 

audio
. In my opinion Apple will be doing a major overhaul in the audio department, firstly by pushing the Lightning port's capability of higher-quality audio. Then, by finally making up for Bluetooth's limitations with the company's own wireless format. More speculatively, I believe Apple will want to make this a more complete overhaul by adding at the very least stereo speakers although I think the company will manage to work a quad-speaker setup similar to the iPad Pro into the iPhone.


This could be a boon for Apple. They could have an audio renaissance by offering lossless or better-than-typical-lossless format through iTunes and Apple Music, which would be very welcome by me. With this new format, they could leverage the Beats brand to create headphones that are actually good and that play well with the lossless format.


This makes a lot of sense for the iPhone, and even more when iTunes, Apple Music, and the Beats brand are considered. Apple alone could usher in the resurgence good quality audio needed.


(Then, iPhone 8, with its OLED display that could very possibly be 4K, will focus on a brand new Retina Display.)

Isn't it too convenient for apple that only their earphones are available with that new awesome technology. Can't that all be donne with USB C? What with all those ppl who already bought few very expensive headphones? Will Samsung and Android stay doing nothing but excepting lightning ports? I guess for now I will just put 2 cigarettes in my ears to look advanced and fancy. And will continue to use 3.5 on my htc 10 and will wait to see what V20 is capable of... And use these already amazing and existing phones for audio while waiting apple's dream to come true.

 

[elfary]

Cool down, it's an inside joke between us. And i still am an iPhone 6 user.

As i said before: if Apple provides me with a cheap, ergonomic and great sounding path to plug my iems i won't flee.

So far there is a cheap and ergonomic dongle but now it comes the tricky part: getting something as tiny as that dongle to provide a clean, powerful and linear signal (aka low Zout).

if the dongle fails to impress then i am leaving. If i am put in the position of having to choose between iPhone 7 and my SE846 & W30 then i am sticking with my headphones as i love good sounding music more than an iPhone.


If the tonality it's not right, then nothing else really matters.

Dear Elfary, I always respect your point of view and your opinions regarding audio but I would like to ask you something; If Apple resolves the Bluetooth hiccups with their new W1 and offer a higher audio quality wireless transmission, wouldn't you prefer to use a completely wireless sound system in your ears? Aren't you tired messing with cables in 2016?? Isn't it the time to start opening a new audio path in tech? I know you have paid 1000 eur for the SE846. But later on Shure may produce a new iem, using the W2 or 3 which will have no wires to get tangled, no fish hooks effects caused to all Shure cables because of the over ear memory wire, and still getting a high quality audio. This may or may not happen. But why to be negative from the beginning? I don't understand how people can say "no, you will not get quality audio out of this", without even hearing a note coming out of this new product! It's possible that Apple has opened a new road for future high quality wireless audio, which was not showing to happen with classic/problematic Bluetooth. I don't understand how they can just close their eyes and say no, I want my loving cables...I just suggest to open our minds and look further front!!

I too respect and value your opinions. Actually i tend to concur with them.

I think there are two realms to this issue:

- long term: i am optimistic not only because as an aac believer the W1 chip sounds promising but because i am confident that Lightning cables will appear

- short term: as early as of now when i walk out the door to head to the gym and to the office i will plug the SE846s/W30s to my iPhone 6 so that music carry me through a very long day. If the 3.5 dongle can mot power these iems as great as the iPhone 6 then iPhone 7 will be written off on the spot (as was the 6s due to its emi noise issues).

So it is the short term what worries me since i think it will take no less than a year for us to have more options than that dongle which is all that Apple has left us with to weather the jack-less storm.

To me there is my family and then there is my music. Any company that messes with my music is out of my life.


Alcohol is never the answer... But it certainly helps you forget the question.

 

[elfary]

Cool down, it's an inside joke between us. And i still am an iPhone 6 user.

As i said before: if Apple provides me with a cheap, ergonomic and great sounding path to plug my iems i won't flee.

So far there is a cheap and ergonomic dongle but now it comes the tricky part: getting something as tiny as that dongle to provide a clean, powerful and linear signal (aka low Zout).

if the dongle fails to impress then i am leaving. If i am put in the position of having to choose between iPhone 7 and my SE846 & W30 then i am sticking with my headphones as i love good sounding music more than an iPhone.


If the tonality it's not right, then nothing else really matters.

Dear Elfary, I always respect your point of view and your opinions regarding audio but I would like to ask you something; If Apple resolves the Bluetooth hiccups with their new W1 and offer a higher audio quality wireless transmission, wouldn't you prefer to use a completely wireless sound system in your ears? Aren't you tired messing with cables in 2016?? Isn't it the time to start opening a new audio path in tech? I know you have paid 1000 eur for the SE846. But later on Shure may produce a new iem, using the W2 or 3 which will have no wires to get tangled, no fish hooks effects caused to all Shure cables because of the over ear memory wire, and still getting a high quality audio. This may or may not happen. But why to be negative from the beginning? I don't understand how people can say "no, you will not get quality audio out of this", without even hearing a note coming out of this new product! It's possible that Apple has opened a new road for future high quality wireless audio, which was not showing to happen with classic/problematic Bluetooth. I don't understand how they can just close their eyes and say no, I want my loving cables...I just suggest to open our minds and look further front!!

I too respect and value your opinions. Actually i tend to concur with them.

I think there are two sides to the 'jackgate':

- long term: i am optimistic not only because (as an aac believer and user) the W1 chip sounds promising to me but because i am confident that Lightning cables will appear.

- short term: as early as of today when i walk out the door to head to the gym and to the office i will plug the SE846s/W30s to my iPhone 6 so that music carry me through a very long day. If the 3.5 dongle can not drive these iems as great as the iPhone 6 then iPhone 7 will be written off on the spot (as was the 6s due to its emi noise issues).

To cut a long story short it is the short term what worries me since i think it will take no less than a year for us (expensive headphones owners) to have more options than that dongle which is all that Apple has left us with to weather the jackgate storm.

To me there is my family and then there is my music. Any company that messes with my music is out of my life so i wish that iPhone 7 has an as good as usual headphone out only that this time around hanging from the phone instead of inside. In that case and being European, it will be even better than before since the dongle is not gonna be EU capped as bundled earphones can not be attached to that dongle rendering useless the EU regulations on the matter.



Alcohol is never the answer... But it certainly helps you forget the question.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

I didn't intend to upgrade until 2017 anyway (paid $1030 cash for my iPhone 6+, 64GB, applecare+, LA taxes—3 years across i think 4 total phones is acceptable run), by which time there will hopefully be lightning cables, perhaps with mint-sized USB-C adapters for attaching to computers. Or perhaps four USB-C ports and one Lightning port on computers going forward for that convenience. I hope they don't cut the headphone jack too soon, as it's the optical out as well. I suppose it makes some sense that Audeze is the only respected audio company to have Apple any great distance up their ass—they're fairly small, and are there any others in California?

 

[elfary]

All you US iPhoners...the pivotal dongle is already available:

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMX62AM/A/lightning-to-35-mm-headphone-jack-adapter

We need to conduct trials of this thing...

..as is available within the EU i have already pulled the trigger hoping for the best outcome: 1 volt of iPhone 6 glorius performance.

As i type this sitting on my desk and listening to iP6 + SE846 i know that i will not settle for less: this is aural sex, bliss or a God shaped hole filler. You name it.

 

[Solarium]

All you US iPhoners...the pivotal dongle is already available:

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMX62AM/A/lightning-to-35-mm-headphone-jack-adapter

We need to conduct trials of this thing...

..as is available within the EU i have already pulled the trigger hoping for the best outcome: 1 volt of iPhone 6 glorius performance.

As i type this sitting on my desk and listening to iP6 + SE846 i know that i will not settle for less: this is aural sex, bliss or a God shaped hole filler. You name it.

Ordered one too, I'm using my iP6+ with SE846 as well, and IMO it holds its own compared to the Mojo.

 

[nc8000]

(Aimed at no one in particular)

 

[elfary]

Or as Kid Rock put it

Alcohol is never the answer... But it certainly helps you forget the question.

 

[KT66]

What makes me laugh is that they have room for horrible thin sounding speakers, but not for a headphone jack!

 

[Spronic]

I'm not terribly versed in DAC pathways and such. But logically, based on the information we have now, my guess is this. The DAC and maybe amp are still in the phone, otherwise how would the speakers work? Also it matches with the fact that the new dongle didn't work until the ios10. I'm speculating that that it's because the phone originally recognized the the dongle as having a DAC, since this is theoretically the first adapter for audio on an idevice that doesn't have a DAC in it. The ios10 update now allows the phone to recognize and convert the audio through the DAC and then pump it through the dongle.

Thoughts?

 

[Sound Eq]

i like everything bout the iphone 7 but them removing the 3.5 mm, man this is a deal breaker, as I know how many times i loose or forget adapters

this leaves me with buying either the v20 which is great on specs but looks so dam ugly

or the note 7 which has everything except great audio

there is always a missing thing in a phone

 

[elfary]

I'm not terribly versed in DAC pathways and such. But logically, based on the information we have now, my guess is this. The DAC and maybe amp are still in the phone, otherwise how would the speakers work? Also it matches with the fact that the new dongle didn't work until the ios10. I'm speculating that that it's because the phone originally recognized the the dongle as having a DAC, since this is theoretically the first adapter for audio on an idevice that doesn't have a DAC in it. The ios10 update now allows the phone to recognize and convert the audio through the DAC and then pump it through the dongle.

Thoughts?

It's a well laid out thought.

Still some engineer who knows that the Lightning port setup has ¡already explained us that it's just not possible to pump analog stuff through the Lightning port. I'd like him to be wrong but i am afraid his view is on the money.