[NYanakiev]

I am personally finding that the phone doesn't go loud enough- especially compared to my previous iPhone 6s.
I currently use it with my Chord Mojo+Poly and am blown away by the sound (the phone is only used for managing playback/providing a hotspot while on the go);

Any impressions?

 

[Deftone]

When it comes to iphones after the 6S you cant judge the sound quality by the model any more, now it is judged by the tiny dac cable they use, iphone just serves as a transport for this adapter, i think it is called A1749. (you are given the same one for each new model 7/8/X)

I remember the DR 97db and THD 0.002 so its got nothing on Mojo, when i did listening comparisons with this adapter the treble is kind of grainy and lacking in bass power compared to most other gear with a H/O.

 

[uL7iMa]

When it comes to iphones after the 6S you cant judge the sound quality by the model any more, now it is judged by the tiny dac cable they use, iphone just serves as a transport for this adapter, i think it is called A1749. (you are given the same one for each new model 7/8/X)

I remember the DR 97db and THD 0.002 so its got nothing on Mojo, when i did listening comparisons with this adapter the treble is kind of grainy and lacking in bass power compared to most other gear with a H/O.

By tiny DAC cable, do you mean the lightning to 3.5mm cable that’s provided with each new phone?

 

[Deftone]

By tiny DAC cable, do you mean the lightning to 3.5mm cable that’s provided with each new phone?

Yes it has the dac in but I think the chip is still unknown

 

[TheoS53]

By tiny DAC cable, do you mean the lightning to 3.5mm cable that’s provided with each new phone?

Yup, that cable takes a digital signal and outputs an analogue signal...therefor by definition it MUST have a DAC built in

 

[Deftone]

 

[phiemon]

According to gsmarena the iPhone X would have a better audio quality via headphones than the iPhone 8 or 7.

How can be this possible if both has the same DAC adapter? Has someone the possibility to compare both phones? This would help, thanks!

• 
  
  
  • iPhone X: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_x-review-1681p7.php

"Stellar audio output
The iPhone X shares a lot of its internals with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, but the bits and pieces related to audio output are seemingly different. It's been a while since an iPhone was among the best audio devices in the market, but the iPhone X manages to pull that off.
Clarity with an active external amplifier is excellent and there’s basically unnoticeable degradation when headphones come into play. And this time around loudness is excellent too - easily among the loudest flagship out there, if not quite on top of the pile."
Apple iPhone X (headphones attached) +0.02, -0.07 -93.7 93.4 0.0017 0.013 -76.3 (Frequency response Noise level Dynamic range THD IMD + Noise Stereo crosstalk)

• 
  
  
  • iPhone 8: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_8-review-1664p7.php

"Audio output is nicely clean, not very loud
The Apple iPhone 8 audio performance was very much in line with its larger Plus sibling. Its clarity was excellent both with headphones and with an active external amplifier, but unfortunately its loudness levels left something to be desired.
Depending on the impedance of your favorite headset that might not matter too much, but it's good to keep in mind nonetheless. At one point Apple was leading this particular race, but its competitors have since moved forward whereas the iPhones haven't seen any change in ages."
Apple iPhone 8 (headphones attached) +0.01, -0.05 -93.4 93.2 0.0010 0.012 -76.8 (Frequency response Noise level Dynamic range THD IMD + Noise Stereo crosstalk)

 

[Deftone]

There’s an explanation somewhere on the net about the very slight mesasurement differences between the devices using the same adaptor but I can’t remember where.

 

[Artmuzz]

I recently pulled the trigger and bought myself an iPhone X. I connected my Sony MDR-XB950AP headphones into the lightning to 3.5 cable adapter and connected to my iPhone X and was blown away to how good the sound quality is. It's like listening to music on my expensive hi-fi music system. I find my Sony MDR-XB950AP sound more fuller on my iPhone X than on my Sony NW-A35 or Fiio X5II.

 

[phiemon]

I recently pulled the trigger and bought myself an iPhone X. I connected my Sony MDR-XB950AP headphones into the lightning to 3.5 cable adapter and connected to my iPhone X and was blown away to how good the sound quality is. It's like listening to music on my expensive hi-fi music system. I find my Sony MDR-XB950AP sound more fuller on my iPhone X than on my Sony NW-A35 or Fiio X5II.

I find it too! I use the CA Andromeda and I find the audio quality be very good, so I returned the DragonFly Red back.

Tip: With this audio player the sound is much better https://itunes.apple.com/de/app/μra-hires-audio-player/id1296166215?mt=8 (EQ: iTunes PerfectBit)

 

[NYanakiev]

I find it too! I use the CA Andromeda and I find the audio quality be very good, so I returned the DragonFly Red back.

Tip: With this audio player the sound is much better https://itunes.apple.com/de/app/μra-hires-audio-player/id1296166215?mt=8 (EQ: iTunes PerfectBit)

Interesting. How do you go about playing FLAC/DSD? The app talks about Spotify but not about local playback.

 

[phiemon]

Interesting. How do you go about playing FLAC/DSD? The app talks about Spotify but not about local playback.

I use the app just for playing FLAC. The app is new and famous as "KaiserTone Audio Player" - for many the best audio player.

 

[NYanakiev]

I use the app just for playing FLAC. The app is new and famous as "KaiserTone Audio Player" - for many the best audio player.

I was referring to not playing flac but adding flac files to your iPhone.

 

[Deftone]

The adapter sound quality is poor imo, everything starts to collapse when music kicks in full force.

 

[elfary]

Objective truth can be assessed in sound science forum.

It's insanely good (almost no output impedance, crosstalk, noise floor nor distortion). Output power depends on the host iPhone. If host is European volume is capped at 0,5 volts. If it is not European output is 1 volt (with no load in both cases).

To me for iems, no device can leave in the dust that tiny dongle. But tend to believe in reality (not in speculations and snakeoil)

This is the truth as measured by a reliable electrical engineer that knows his business (unlike many people out there mumbling inaccuracies):

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/what-is-the-sound-quality-of-iphone-ipad-ipod-touch.627111/page-20