List of DACs that work with iPad

[Evshrug]

I might have missed this but am I right that the iPhone 4 still does not do USB audio with the camera kit?

Back with this post, the answer was no, but does anyone know if the iPhone 5 or 5s with the new lightning camera connector kit will "do" audio?

 

[blueangel2323]

Back with this post, the answer was no, but does anyone know if the iPhone 5 or 5s with the new lightning camera connector kit "do" audio?

All iDevices running iOS7 can now do USB audio with either the Camera Connection Kit (30-pin) or Lightning to USB Camera adaptor. For now. We'll see how long it lasts.

 

[shotgunshane]

Actually all iPhones running iOS7 work with the cck.

 

[Evshrug]

That's a relief! I think, once upon a time, only iPads (in the 30 pin days) could successfully connect with external DACs via a CCK, I haven't tried with my iPad 2 I have now but I hope to try using the new 32 GB iPhone 5s I have on the way. Maybe now I won't have to get a NuForce iDo or HRT iStreamer. Any new top recommendations for a DAC between $100 and $150?

 

[blueangel2323]

In that price range, the most well known ones are ODAC and Modi. Not sure what else is out there that's good.

 

[Evshrug]

Thanks Blueangel,
I guess the uDAC 2 isn't recommended? I had a chance to borrow an ODAC once and I was excited (first dedicated DAC), but for some reason it couldn't be recognized by my computer, no matter which USB cable I tried. With that experience (and generally the bad taste I get reading "that guy's" blog and former posts, despite them being generally informative), I'm recalcitrant to try his designs again. Plus the Modi is cheaper

But I'm not wholly against the ODAC, if it would work with my system.

 

[blueangel2323]

I've heard the uDAC name thrown around here and there, but I don't know anything about it. ODAC was the one to beat in its price range for a while, but when the Modi came out, it sounded just as good for less money. Of course if you're really on a budget there's always super cheap stuff like Hifimediy, which come suprisingly close to matching ODAC/Modi.

 

[blueangel2323]

Not sure why your computer wouldn't recognize the ODAC though. All the DACs I've tried were plug and play, no drivers required. Although there are optional drivers for bit-perfect audio stream (no DSP by Windows).

 

[Evshrug]

The lack of function confused me as well; I had just performed a fresh install of Win 8 Pro and Mac OS X Mountain Lion, and I know the USB ports work on my motherboard and case because I used the Recon3D USB with them before (and a new Recon3D USB with them now, though I notice I have to unplug/plug in the new one a few times for Win 8 to recognize it). At the time, I just attributed it to something going wronged with my OS installs, but the custom PC is just for gaming currently and I bought a new Mac Mini that has all my music on it (and so does my 30GB iPod Video).

The ODAC was created after it's designer was banned from Head-Fi for creating a sort of panic and intense debate around the uDAC 2, saying something like it was too expensive for the quality (the ODAC costs at least $50 more from JDS Labs, though technically it measures better) and I think he alluded that the DAC/amp uDAC2 combo could cause enough excursion to damage drivers... If you read his blog and the "engineer's note" on NuForce's uDAC2 page, it paints a picture where it's hard to tell if the "issues" are actually significant but that the debate was definitely ugly and full of insinuations. I don't really want to dredge that whole thing up, but I haven't seen discussion about the uDAC2 (or NuForce in general, but I don't look everywhere) for it's own merits by people familiar with the gear since that "scene," except here in the OP I see someone tested the original uDAC as working and I wondered if maybe someone has heard the newer uDAC2?

All that aside though, I've read many favorable impressions about the Modi, and the consensus seems to say the Modi is very clear and honest, generally a great value. I just am curious about the rest of the field too.

 

[jbusuego]

Will this config works? IPOD( newest version ios7 with lightning connection > CCK > PICO amp/dac

 

[blueangel2323]

Will this config works? IPOD( newest version ios7 with lightning connection > CCK > PICO amp/dac

 
Yes, if by CCK you mean the new Lightning version. And you might need a USB hub between the CCK and the DAC.

 

[h.rav]

Does the Pico DAC work with iPad Mini?

 

[shipsupt]

It works from the iPad so it should be fine from the mini.

 

[AnakChan]

I apologise for not following this closely but skim reading on product-by-product as to what works with iOS7. However are we at the point where we can generalise all USB DACs can function with an iDevice on iOS7 via the CCK (without the need of a powered hub)?
 
i.e. makers don't need to go through the Apple MFi certification?

 

[jazzman7]

  I apologise for not following this closely but skim reading on product-by-product as to what works with iOS7. However are we at the point where we can generalise all USB DACs can function with an iDevice on iOS7 via the CCK (without the need of a powered hub)?
 
i.e. makers don't need to go through the Apple MFi certification?

The consensus seems to be this:
 
If under iOS 6, a USB DAC worked with an iPad using an appropriate set of adapters -- either 30-pin CCK, Lightning-to-USB adapter, or either combined with particular powered or unpowered USB hub -- then with some limited exceptions, it now works with an iPhone and (presumably) an iPod Touch under iOS 7.  Basically, the capability that was limited to iPads now applies to iPhones and iPod Touches that can load the latest iOS.  
 
The need for MFi is still there for iPhones/iPods when using a standard 30-pin or Lightning cable.  Also, certain DACs still need a powered hub or some such hub "trickery" to work.  One example is the Fiio E17, which I've gotten to work on both an iPhone 4 and an iPhone 5c running iOS 7 with the CCK or Lightning-to-USB and a particular hub I have.  And some DAC manufacturers have reduced their current draw to allow the CCK to work without a powered hub, like HRT, which now works with iPhones, iPads, and (presumably) iPod Touches, all on the latest OS.