[Hawaiibadboy]

My PHA3 arrives this week. I've read that you need a powerful charger to charge the battery during use. Recommendations? I was going to use one of my spare iPad chargers, since they are 2.1 amps. Unless there is something better.

 As the guy above mentioned I also use an ipad charger and it works fine.

 

[thecrow]

  How do u connect the micro usb to the back of my iMac? there's no port on there that fits!

Hi - did you manage to get this to work?
 
if you have a pha 3 charging cable with a usb end (that you would plug into, say, an iphone charger) then thats what you use.
 
plug the usb into your mac and the other end, not to the charging jack (or whatever you call it) but the other one that looks the same. then change the input selection switch to that (far left)
 
good luck

 

[Kylan]

ok I'm finally somewhat happy with my PHA-3!!! altho it stinks it won't work balanced mode with my pono player, but I've got it working with my iMac and the sony download high res software... i know all about burn in and all that but I'm puzzled by how u have to crank the thing to 3:00 position to get any decent volume?? sounds fantastic out of the gate tho and read it only gets better.. still why do u have to turn it up so high! 

 

[quisxx]

i know all about burn in and all that but I'm puzzled by how u have to crank the thing to 3:00 position to get any decent volume?? sounds fantastic out of the gate tho and read it only gets better.. still why do u have to turn it up so high! 

Are you using it in balanced mode? Do you have it on high gain?

 

[Kylan]

yep its good now, the gain wasn't set to high. but yes to balanced headphones.. i am experiencing breakup a bit when listening.. crackling, cut out... I'm not moving it.. must be the usb cables??

 

[quisxx]

Check the headphone cable as well. Clean the plugs that go into the pha 3 as well.

 

[cthomas]

yep its good now, the gain wasn't set to high. but yes to balanced headphones.. i am experiencing breakup a bit when listening.. crackling, cut out... I'm not moving it.. must be the usb cables??

Are you using El Capitan?

 

[Kylan]

el capitan as in cables?

 

[alexsv]

 
what cables are those? Wywires?

WyWires Platinum USB

 

[Kylan]

i just don't understand the interference and breaking up! i never had any problems with my pono player connected to my sennheiser 800. 

 

[Whitigir]

i just don't understand the interference and breaking up! i never had any problems with my pono player connected to my sennheiser 800. 

I told you that was a bad USB cables. Go to any store and grab something like Belkin USB cables and hear it yourself. Usually Belkin is more quality than those knockoff USB cables. You can also try any OEM cables such as Samsung or Sony and see. Though, they are still general cables, and not audiophile worthy quality

 

[Kylan]

Belkin - MIXIT 4' Metallic Micro-USB to USB Cable - Black

1. Model:​
    F2CU021BT04-BLK
2. SKU:​
    4859667
3.  
   
    4.7 (104)
4. 4 Questions, 10 Answers

Click or tap to enlarge​

Images​

• 
• 

Interactive Features​

• Demo. Opens a new window

​

 
This black MIXIT metallic Micro USB to USB cable is a 4-foot charging cord that can also sync devices. The durable aluminum casing makes it a long-lasting product. This metallic micro USB to USB cable is compatible with various Android devices including the Galaxy S Vibrant and Galaxy Note 8.0.


will this do?

 

[purk]

Please keep in mind when talkung abouf a digital signal vs. an analog signal that upgraded cables will NOT make drastic changes in any sound reproduction! I mean its already digital you cant make it more digital by any means! Just to make it a bur easier to understand, if you standard digital usb cable on a scale of 1-10 is a "8" using a gold, silver, rhodium, platinum or ang other precious metal might make it a "8.4-8.6" !!! That said most humans are truely not going to hear any difference in tonalities what so ever! This goes for optical as it us digital as well! Now all that said, you can use a junk or poirly made digital cable and that will cause all sorts of sound and usage issues! As this is my opinion take it and all others with a grain of salt! But please please just use your own common knowledge and use what sounds good to you as you will know better than anyone!!

I was in the same camp as you until I tried better USB cable.  If you do own the PHA-3, you owe yourself that.  What Sony has included was very bad in quality.  I have tried the Pangea all silver cable and notice a different.  Three of my friends were able to detect a difference straight away after I asked them to demo stock, silver, and silver & gold cable from the ZX2 to PHA3 using the USB digital dongle from Sony.  Since you are capable of doing a DIY, please do it.  It really worth the effort.

 

[Whitigir]

That Belkin above is fine.

 

[Kylan]

  I was in the same camp as you until I tried better USB cable.  If you do own the PHA-3, you owe yourself that.  What Sony has included was very bad in quality.  I have tried the Pangea all silver cable and notice a different.  Three of my friends were able to detect a difference straight away after I asked them to demo stock, silver, and silver & gold cable from the ZX2 to PHA3 using the USB digital dongle from Sony.  Since you are capable of doing a DIY, please do it.  It really worth the effort.

well i don't care at this point about subtleties and nuances of sound that the audiophiles discuss, i just want the cut outs and interference to quit! i can't believe its the crappy usb cable sony supplies u with but i guess so. lol