Unless I miss the point, it seems that the main attraction for CB19 is that it doesn't simultaneously charge the phone's battery, but only provides power for the dongle. With the cheap Y cable you are still constantly charging the battery as soon as it goes below some point, doesn't matter if it is 100% or its charging limit, which is not good for the battery in any case.
ONIX Alpha XI1 - Smallest & Most Affordable ONIX DAC - High-Power Portable USB DAC/AMP
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ybbobserrot
100+ Head-Fier
I use it with the R4 which has a charge limiter set to 85% and it stops charging when I'm using the cheap cable. It also works with any other type of transport like phones and DAPs. If your Dap has a limiter then this will be an ideal and very cheap solution you can purchase at Aliexpress.
Many people don't get it right away.
Btw, if you also have an underpowered phone that cannot power the Onix on it's own, the two headed cable will also solve the issue. Side note, use a regular type c charger and turn your Onix into a desktop dac.
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Yes, it stops the charging when the limit is reached, but then a phone starts running from its battery - both because it runs from its battery in general, and in this case it will probably also have to power the DAC as well (maybe only partially because some of the power the DAC will take directly from external power source). After some time phone's battery charge will go below 85% (or 100%, if no charger limiter is used), and charging will start again - even though not for a long time but only until the limit is reached again. So the battery is still constantly charged, though in small increments. It doesn't sound very healthy for a battery - certainly not in comparison with using CB19 and not having a battery being charged at all.
ybbobserrot
100+ Head-Fier
This works for my use case and I make sure I have the charge limiter set correctly. Didn't I also mention I also have a cb19? Besides, I really don't use it as much as you are most likely assuming, just for 1-2 hours and it's not even everyday because I have other dongles to play with. This cable allows me to not worry about carrying a powerbank around and making sure it's charged. Don't worry, I got this. Go bother someone else. You do you, I do mine.
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All audio products are a series of tradeoffs.
In dongle dacs, the chips and components used have different price points and effect the sound differently.
If you want to avoid the battery issue, then you need a portable dac that has a battery built in. And then, you'd want that dac to also have internal circuitry that stops trying to charge a full battery if you're using it as a desktop dac and its plugged in to a power supply.
(BTW do you consider the Mojo2 to be a dongle dac since you need a wired connection to get your signal in? At least until you add the poly.)
Then there's the dac chips themselves. The Alpha uses CS. Others use ESS or maybe AKM chips. Then there's the number of dac chips , etc ,etc ...
all impacting the size and shape of the dac and then there's the cost.
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But not when using CB19 - it provides power only to the dongle, and not to the phone, so a phone is not charged at all. And a dongle uses phone's power only for data transfer, while getting power only from an external power supply (at least that is what I understand from CB19's description translation)
Oh, now I see the fixed post.
I was actually just noting a difference between a regular Y-cable and CB19 specifically for usage with Alpha (or any other DAC that doesn't have an internal battery). It is clear that if a person wants both the maximum usage comfort and the least impact on phone's battery, then DAC with internal battery is the best solution. But if only the least impact on phone's battery is important, then CB19 provides it, while Y-cable doesn't.
Yeah.
Hmmm.
These days your phones are getting expensive. And then charge and arm and a leg to get a battery replaced.
The thing w the CB19 is that you still need to carry an aux battery. Less portable.
At that point... maybe look at alternatives.
$109 for a good dac is a no brainer if it works for you.
If it doesn't the iBasso DC07 for twice the price is a good alternative.
Now there is a Moondrop DAC that's around ~$50.00 but no one is comparing it to the Onix.
And next year, there will be a new contender....
Singaravelan
Headphoneus Supremus
Hey, just the person I was looking for. I have the Onix, and I like how bass-prat-dense kind of feel it gives, among other things like a sense of fulness to the sound. Guess detailed reviews have unsurprisingly shown the likes of Ibasso DC Elite to be better with detailing and even spaciousness. That's to be expected with the price difference I guess.
How does it pair with the R4 (hiby)? I am thinking of getting a R4, after sweating initially over DX180 but the price difference won. In that extra money, I can get another IEM is what I am thinking. Especially my usage case is of Apple Music and not flac/downloaded files where 180's sq might play more of a part?
Then I was (still am, i guess) thinking of getting something like a IFI hip dac 3 or some such thing to slap it with the phone and it takes care of its own power, not affecting the phone's. But then compact-factor goes away, phone plus that hip plus a dongle (in case i decide to slap a dongle in the mix). R4 is straight forward in compact, just plug my iem (and at times the dongle when mood siezes) and good to go.
2 things.
1) Have you by any chance heard that IFI hip dac 3 and can compare it with the sound of a R4?
2) Even if you haven't heard the ifi, you would recommend R4 after using it for couple of months now I assume. And does it work well with Onix (if it pairs well, then I am sure it will with my other dongle hiby FC6 r2r).
If all this is too longwinded, just say fook it man, and I can understand, won't pester!
ybbobserrot
100+ Head-Fier
Nah I don't mind answering good questions.
1) No, I haven't heard the IFI, I don't have it.
2) This is a subjective answer, fair warning. I can definitely say that I don't regret buying the R4 because it suits my taste - form factor, Android OS, tons of custom audio settings to play around with, fairly good battery life imho, so flexible witb line out - bluetooth - and I can occassionally set it up as a tiny desktop dac/amp. The kicker is it pairs well with the Onix and I just need to power the dongle with the cheap $5 dual usb cable. In the attached photo, I use the R4 as a desktop dac/transport, connected it to Onix and powered it with the 2 head usb cable and the headphone out connects to my topping L30 II. That's just how I want to enjoy my stuff.
Would I recommend the R4, yes to my family and close friends!
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Singaravelan
Headphoneus Supremus
Thanks! Much appreciated.
And that attachment-holder you have at the back of R4..is it some kind of magsafe thing. I see shanling offers one like that.. ( https://thehificat.com/products/shanling-case )
It sticks on r4's back or you need some other contraption as a base for it to stick on?
ybbobserrot
100+ Head-Fier
Yep, it's from Shanling to keep dongles from dangling freely. Magsafe compatible and it comes with a free circular metal strip to stick on to non-magsafe cases.
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Singaravelan
Headphoneus Supremus
Brilliant! Thanks.. just the thing I need (apart from R4!). Especially the circular metal strip as my cheapie Android phone isn't magsafe .
Was playing with the settings and I noticed that you could use the sound up/down bar to also be set for next and prev songs... So the dac can be pause, prev/next and then use your phone to control the volume. Working on a way to use velcro to connect to my belt so Its easy access.
I like this because I use a slightly longer USB-C cable w my phone in my back pocket and the dac in my front or in reach were I can use it to control the playlist.
I set the volume once then cycle thru my list.
Nice feature.
On a different front.
There's Dunu DTC800 dac that is another contender at the $100 range. Still the Onix seems to be the favorite.
I like this because I use a slightly longer USB-C cable w my phone in my back pocket and the dac in my front or in reach were I can use it to control the playlist.
I set the volume once then cycle thru my list.
Nice feature.
On a different front.
There's Dunu DTC800 dac that is another contender at the $100 range. Still the Onix seems to be the favorite.
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