iPhone 7 Will Revolutionize Portable Audio for the First Time in a Decade

[sxr71]

I'll tell you what concerns me. Two words: 100mA limit.

 

[Sanlitun]

So I have just received an iPhone 7 plus and therefore have the dongle. I had completely ignored it until reading through all this and just now did a little bit of a shoot out.
 
I first took a listen on my old iPhone 6s and did the inevitable comparison with the headphone jack and I was not impressed. It sounded clear, but it was all high end. The jack had a much more balanced sound and although I was not impressed with either I would have taken the jack over the dongle.
 
Lastly I tried the dongle in the iPhone 7 and it was somewhat of a different story. I thought it sounded quite good, and I noticed that I was not having to set the volume as high as when I had used it on the 6S Plus. Perhaps there is something additional going on with the dongle and iPhone 7. It was quite possibly the best sound I have heard out of an Apple device, short of the old Wolfson ipods. 
 
So for me it was:  7 and dongle > 6 and jack > 6 and dongle
 
Overall I was impressed with the $9 dongle.

 

[SparkOnShore]

Guys, i do live in Europe i have a Japanese iPhone 6, an Europan iPad and my coworkers have EU iPhones. Plus i am a lawyer that knows the actual volume regulations for players bundled with earphones.

The truth to the dongle output is:

- Plugged to an EU iPad 1 volt, no colored volume squares nor self turning screen when volume gets loud. Note: EU iPads are sold with no bundled earphones thus are not capped.

- Plugged to an EU iPhone: 0'5 volts, colored volume squares and self turning screen. The whole crazy thing that CENELEC regulations enforce.

- Plugged to a non EU iPhone: 1 volt, no colored volume squares, no self turning screen.

So the dongle behaviour is set by the host firmware (that is tied to its serial number. All iPhone EU serials are capped and feature colored volume squares and self turning screen.

What should have been and i was hoping for is that the standalone dongle sold by 9€ was not capped since it is not sold with bundled earphones but Apple has played it safe and i can't blame the with the EU Comission is after their wallet.


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

Elfary, are UK iphones also capped?

 

[west0ne]

Elfary, are UK iphones also capped?

For now UK devices [have] to comply with EU limits so the iPhone, because it ships with headphones has the 85dB lower limit and 100dB max limit. Who knows what will happen when the UK leaves the EU, however as we in the UK seem to 'love' our Health & Safety laws I wouldn't be surprised to the see the caps remain in place.

 

[SparkOnShore]

For now UK devices [have] to comply with EU limits so the iPhone, because it ships with headphones has the 85dB lower limit and 100dB max limit. Who knows what will happen when the UK leaves the EU, however as we in the UK seem to 'love' our Health & Safety laws I wouldn't be surprised to the see the caps remain in place.

OK, thanks. I thought that UK iphones are uncapped, just like USA iphones...

And one more question; How is the volume over Bluetooth? is it capped too?

 

[nc8000]

OK, thanks. I thought that UK iphones are uncapped, just like USA iphones...

And one more question; How is the volume over Bluetooth? is it capped too?

With bluetooth the amplification is in the headphone. I don't know but I would assume that EU bluetooth headphones are volume capped on their own.

 

[husamia]

does the iPhone 7 has an internal DAC or is it removed? 

 

[nc8000]

It has a dac and amp, otherwise it could not play on the speakers

 

[Const4nt1n3]

It has a dac and amp, otherwise it could not play on the speakers

If one is using lightning earbuds, I assume they're using internal DAC and AMP?

But if I'm plugging headphones through the dongle, then DAC in the dongle is used?

 

[nc8000]

If one is using lightning earbuds, I assume they're using internal DAC and AMP?

But if I'm plugging headphones through the dongle, then DAC in the dongle is used?

Both dongle and earPods have dac/adc/amp built in

 

[Const4nt1n3]

If one is using lightning earbuds, I assume they're using internal DAC and AMP?

But if I'm plugging headphones through the dongle, then DAC in the dongle is used?

Both dongle and earPods have dac/adc/amp built in

Thanks.

It's interesting, because all audio related hardware connected through lightning port will have to come with own DACs. I'm wondering how will it affect products sound quality and prices.

 

[nc8000]

Thanks.

It's interesting, because all audio related hardware connected through lightning port will have to come with own DACs. I'm wondering how will it affect products sound quality and prices.

It has allways been that way, the lightning port is pure digital. The old 30-pin interface carried analog signals

 

[elfary]

Even Switzerland iPhones are capped. Due to logistics Apple seems to work on a regional basis. Thus i doubt that the Brexit is gonna change the volume cap. Time will tell though.


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

 

[CoryGillmore]

Moved up to an iPhone 7 from a 6S to gain some storage space. Now at 256GB so it holds my entire music collection. I have tried the phone with a Sony PHA-2 and PHA-3 amp with the expected results. Sony cripples these amps as you can not use the camera kit - PC input and have to go with the Apple USB input and lower data rate support so you are better off feeding them with a Sony transport. The Chord Mojo works flawlessly with the iPhone 7 and camera connection kit. I also tried a Woo WDS-1 DAC to a WA22 with the camera connection kit and it performed well. Both of the available camera connection kits do the job but the newer USB 3 version also allows you to charge the phone while listening - a nice feature. Currently running KaiserTone with files from 256 iTunes through to 192/24 from various sources. The phone has power to spare and no activity done on the phone adversely affected music playback. Been using the Apple dongle to feed my car system and for portable use with SE846 IEMs. Apple has done a fair job and with the right accessories the 7 is a versatile phone. Can't offer comment on Onkyo issue.

Why use the camera kit though? Besides the advantage of being able to charge. Can't you just use the standard charge cable to plug in via USB to the DAC/amp?

 

[nc8000]

Unless the dac is made for iPhone you have to use the cck