[nitramus]

I'm a complete noob and need help.
I'm currently have my mp3 on a usb key that I listen through phone nexus 5 with lollipop from the headphone jack into my car stereo's 3.5 in. I can also connect on the head unit's rca in if that gives me a better sound. I'm looking for something that will make the sound better. I know the problem is not with my mp3's because the same files on dedicated mp3 players are fine.
 
Sorry for not being able to post outside links.
It all started when I found the ZuperDAC from the ingiegogo site. I just want good sound and don't need the high end or "big" hi-fi stuff.
 
Since my mp3's are on a usb stick I would need a y otg cable but with the research I have done it looks like I would need a powered usb hub. I also have the "+port" I got from kickstarter witch I think would probably to the trick.
 
On google search for android usb audio player and go on the extreamsd DOT com page > usb audio recorder pro
 
I don't know what direction to go from there. Should I get a portable amp that I connect from the phone's headphone out or should I use the phone's usb audio out. Would the first option give me better results because of the hardware source and what kind of app issues would I have with the second.
 
I looked at the dragonfly, the zuperdac or something in the line of the portable fiio's
 
Currently I'm using poweramp and deezer. Poweramp replied to me and said if my phone supports it then the amp will work but it probably would not be as good because the usb driver if you read the extreamsd page. Also willing to use there usb audio player android app if I need to. Don't know about deezer. I really like those apps and woule like to stay unless I have to or you have better ones.
 
If I use the phone headphone jack can it make the sound better then the source?
If I go with usb audio out will my apps and setup work? ->mp3 on usb with y otg cable(or my +port or powered usb hub) and something like the gradonfly.
 
Please help
 
Right now I'm leaning more on the second option.
Please keep in mind I don't have a lot of money.
 
Thanks

 

[PurpleAngel]

FiiO X1 ($99) digital audio player, comes with a line-output feature, which you can connect to the car stereo's aux analog audio input.
For $20 you can get a 32GB micro-SD memory card for the X1.

 

[nitramus]

The x1 currently has a max of 5800 files and I have over 15k and about 64gig. Call me picky but I want all my library so I don't have to shuffle and change all the time so the x1 would not do and the next card would be 128gb and much more expensive.

 

[cel4145]

Does the Nexus 5 work with USB OTG? If so, seems strange you would need a USB hub to read files off your flash drive since they don't really consume much power.

 

[nitramus]

It does support usb otg but because I would be connect both a usb key and the dac ie.dragonfly at the same time I need a usb hub because I can't find a y otg with 2 female usb.

 

[cel4145]

I don't know what kind of car stereo you have, but one option is to think about getting an aftermarket one. $100 head unit will play files off a flash drive.

 

[nitramus]

I have a pioneer and sorry to say but the navigation on their hu completely sucks. All iy shows is the folders and files numbered like thise folder1 folder2 file1 file2

 

[nitramus]

I don't know what kind of car stereo you have, but one option is to think about getting an aftermarket one. $100 head unit will play files off a flash drive.

Does the Nexus 5 work with USB OTG? If so, seems strange you would need a USB hub to read files off your flash drive since they don't really consume much power.

I read a lot in the thread for mobile and dac and by what I can understand is depending on what dac I would use I would need a powered usb hub. There is one where he has a 4 port hub with power pac, portable hard drive and a dac........

 

[cel4145]

How do the files sound when you hook the USB flash drive directly to your Pioneer HU? Buying a DAC to hook up to your Nexus 5 is unlikely to improve the sound better than that if you aren't happy with it. What happens is that most of the head units convert any analog through the line in back to digital so that your HU can apply EQ or tone controls and other DSP. Then back to analog again with its internal DAC. So the sound won't get any better than the HU itself taking the same digital MP3 file from a USB flash drive and playing it back.

 

[nitramus]

The problem is using my phone's hardware to decode but you have a point. Would it be better is i connected in my HU rca in or it would do the same thing?

 

[cel4145]

My point is not to have expectations that using a DAC with your phone will have better sound than your HU has playing the mp3s itself off a flash drive. You could spend $1000 on a DAC, and it would still be limited by the ADC and DAC processing in your HU. In fact, depending on the ADC process that happens to the line input for your HU, it might not sound as good as playing the mp3 file directly off a flash drive with your HU. This does not mean that a DAC will not improve the sound over connecting via the headphone output on your phone.

 

[nitramus]

Thanks. I understand that playing straight from the HU is better and I tested it. Also found a better way to navigate the files and folders but is still far from ideal. Sometimes I would "need" something else. Straight from the HU is best but a dac is still much better than from my phone's headphone out. I think i will go with the zuperdac on indiegogo and give it a try. Its cheep $ and if it does not work as mentioned the I'll deal with it see what to do from there.
Cell4145 you have helped a lot. And thanks everybody.

 

[cel4145]

Good luck. Hope that works