[xeroian]

No optical on he iPad. Just use a Lightning to usb cable. I use one with my iPad air to connect to either of my Dacs.

Is this right? You have it working without an Apple CCK (camera connection kit)? Does this mean the Schiits accept a USB-A plug?

 

[Tuco1965]

Is this right? You have it working without an Apple CCK (camera connection kit)? Does this mean the Schiits accept a USB-A plug?

Lightning to USB from iPad >> USB A to B cable >> DAC

 

[Evshrug]

Can confirm Creative E5 has a USB host port, where you can plug an apple Lightning cable into the iPad/iPhone and directly into the E5 without a CCK.
THE E5 sounds pretty great on it's own. My AKG K612 requires higher gain than a 600 ohm DT880, but sounds great on the E5 two "boxes" of volume from max on low-gain, more lively (less negative feedback) in high-gain mode where the E5 can be set to about 50% power.
Bonus, the E5 has an analogue line-out port to use the E5 DAC with another amp (like my tube amp), and the line-out doubles as a mini Toslink optical output (with included cable) if I wanted to connect to another DAC like my Bifrost Über.

I also have an Apple TV, sounds pretty good with optical out to a DAC + Amp.

 

[Painterspal]

I don't know if it's been reported previously, but I couldn't get an iPad Air and Meridian Director to talk to each other, even though I provided power to the Director via the ifi iUSB Power.
 
I got the "device needs too much power" message. It kind of makes no sense given the ifi device is supplying all the power but, hey, that's life I guess. Kinda disappointing though.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
I got the "device needs too much power" message. It kind of makes no sense given the ifi device is supplying all the power but, hey, that's life I guess. Kinda disappointing though.

 
What's likely happening is that the iPad only sees the iFi, and not the Director behind it.

 

[Painterspal]

   
What's likely happening is that the iPad only sees the iFi, and not the Director behind it.

 
No, it's clearly 'seeing' the Director because it names it before giving the too much power message. The ifi USB power provides all the juice the DAC needs so I was hoping it would work like a powered hub. Alas not to be.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

   
No, it's clearly 'seeing' the Director because it names it before giving the too much power message. The ifi USB power provides all the juice the DAC needs so I was hoping it would work like a powered hub. Alas not to be.

 
That's all kinds of weird if it actually detects it as confirmed by it appearing before the power message. What did iFi say about it? Have you checked with them?

 

[webban79]

I spent some time on research of my 'problem' and not been able to find a good solution and hope this thread is still a live can point me in a good direction
 
Today I have a pair of active loudspeakers connected via Logitech Squeezebox (RCA connectors) and use a NAS for my local music library. I been very pleased with the solution over the past years but feel that the Squeezebox become outdated and makes me a little bit limited with what I would like to do.
 
I would like to do the following:
- Have nice UI to search music in my network
- Stream different type of internet radio stations via Airplay or Bluetooth 
- I'm not using Spotify today but would like to be able in the future
 
My first idea was Denon DNP-F109 or Pioneer N-P01. Both quite expensive options just to be able to stream music via Airplay (as the Squeezebox is already doing a good job)
 
My second idea was why not utilize the iPad Mini (Retina display-version) which I already have together with this nice iPad stand connected with some sort of converter to RCA. With the iPad i can use my Plex setup and get a really nice UI to brows for my local network music.
I start to google what solutions is out there to solve "some sort of converter" and ran quickly into the iStreamer. New to this area I got shocked about the price and cost almost the same as my first idea with Denon or Pioneer. I continue google and realized it's not many solutions which is compatible with Apple product due to the MFi certification and also one of the reason to the high price.
If not using the iStreamer and would like to use e.g. JDS Labs it seems to require the CCK from Apple. As the CCK is quite short I cannot use the iPad stand as the adapter will not fit.
 
My conclusion was that the iStreamer seem to be the only option working and decided to buy one. To my surprise all resellers in Sweden are out of stock and told me, including the distributor, that the iStreamer is a discontinued product. So... what do to now.. It's till seems to be available in US but the price will be times 1.5 compare to buy locally due to custom charges and VAT
 
Anyone that can recommend something similar to the iStreamer which is MFi certified, has RCA output (preferable) and has it's own power source and can charge the ipad at the same time streaming the music?
Or maybe a complete different solutions as long as I can get a RCA output to my active loudspeakers
 
Appreciate any suggestion and feedback!
 
Thanks in advance.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  As the CCK is quite short I cannot use the iPad stand as the adapter will not fit.

 
Why not just use the OEM Apple dock? Here's my old 30-Pin dock with the 30-pin CCK (couldn't find my USB adapter so I used the SDcard adapter, but it basically fits the same way). On the right is a third party dock for my SGS3 with an OTG-USB adapter.
 

 

[webban79]

Thanks for your prompt answer ProtegeManiac.
 
To my understanding Apple do not offer any iPad dock with Lightning contact and the few I find on their homepage is Belkin but that one has fixed 1.2m USB cable. I can most probably find a different MFi certified stand somewhere where I can connect the CCK by google some more but it seems to be somewhat a gamble if it will work as no one state if their stand is MFi certified or not.
 
What I did not mention in my first entry is that I need to place the DAC 2.5-3m away from the iPad stand. With the HiRise stand I can put a 3M MFi certified Belkin cable which gives the most "clean" solution without adapters etc. I can of course put 2,5 m USB cable to the CCK to achieve the same thing. One thing though which is unclear, will the CCK charge my iPad, with condition that it's connect to a DAC like the iStreamer?
 
Thanks!

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by webban79 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

To my understanding Apple do not offer any iPad dock with Lightning contact and the few I find on their homepage is Belkin but that one has fixed 1.2m USB cable. I can most probably find a different MFi certified stand somewhere where I can connect the CCK by google some more but it seems to be somewhat a gamble if it will work as no one state if their stand is MFi certified or not.

 

Not even the original dock is MFi certified on its own, that's what the CCK is for as it enables USB audio on iPad2 and newer running iOS7 and up. Not sure about the Mini but there have been a few more incompatibilities lately than with the regular size iPad. The point is though the dock itself would need to work with either a dedicated MFi-certified DAC lack that has the logo on it, or you use the CCK to enable USB audio on DACs that 1) won't need a lot of power from the USB bus and 2) doesn't require any special drivers.

 

In your case any dock that can function as a sync dock (ie those that sync as well as charge) should be able to take the Lightning to USB camera adapter, which due to the tiny connector has a pigtail cable since there is a lot less surface area balancing out the USB port which can put a strain on the Lightning connector or port once another USB cable is plugged into it. The dock essentially just holds the iPad, and then basically just adds an extension cable routing the sync port to the rear of the dock.

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by webban79 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

What I did not mention in my first entry is that I need to place the DAC 2.5-3m away from the iPad stand. With the HiRise stand I can put a 3M MFi certified Belkin cable which gives the most "clean" solution without adapters etc. I can of course put 2,5 m USB cable to the CCK to achieve the same thing. 

 

If the DAC is MFi-certified then any sync cable should work, but after iOS8 it seems that only Apple and Belkin cables work without any issues. If the DAC isn't MFi certified then technically only the camera USB adapter should be. 

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by webban79 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

One thing though which is unclear, will the CCK charge my iPad, with condition that it's connect to a DAC like the iStreamer?

 

Isn't the iStreamer MFi-certified? I mean I thought that's what the "i" in iStreamer means. To begin with, it uses a USB-A port, which means you just use a sync cable, not a camera connection kit. If it's designed to charge comaptible iDevices hooked up to it then it should; otherwise, even if assuming a given MFi device also has an alternate USB-B for computer sources and you somehow got a CCK to get an iDevice to work through there, USB-B aren't exactly known to send power back to the host device.

 

[CarstenF]

IBasso DX90 with FW 2.3 works with iPad 3 iOS 8.41 and Chinese CCK/USB hub (unpowered).

 

[Peter_S]

The nuprime dac10 works directly with my iPhone 5 and a camera kit. Pretty cool! No hub needed.

 

[webban79]

 

Isn't the iStreamer MFi-certified? I mean I thought that's what the "i" in iStreamer means. To begin with, it uses a USB-A port, which means you just use a sync cable, not a camera connection kit. If it's designed to charge comaptible iDevices hooked up to it then it should; otherwise, even if assuming a given MFi device also has an alternate USB-B for computer sources and you somehow got a CCK to get an iDevice to work through there, USB-B aren't exactly known to send power back to the host device.

 
Thanks for input and help. Yes the iStreamer is MFi-certified and the one I would like to have. The problem was that the iStreamer has discontinued as product in Sweden. But... I manage to get one from Germany this week and just installed it. Works like a charm
 
Case closed!

 

[ProtegeManiac]

   
Thanks for input and help. Yes the iStreamer is MFi-certified and the one I would like to have. The problem was that the iStreamer has discontinued as product in Sweden. But... I manage to get one from Germany this week and just installed it. Works like a charm
 
Case closed!

 
What dock did you get to keep the iPad upright?