USB Audio Player PRO (UAPP): 24- and 32-bit playback, ubiquitous USB audio support for Android

[MikeyFresh]

I would only differ from you when it comes to the sound quality of the adapters. I find that there are subtle but important differences. The Audioquest Dragontail is my current favorite with my system requiring a USB C male to USB Type A female OTG adapter. My next favorite is the iFi. The cheap generic adapters generally have a slightly veiled, hard or electronic sound of their own, that detracts from the music.

We don't really differ there, just a different way of saying essentially the same thing I think.

I prefer the sound of the Audio-Technica over the DragonTail, and the iFi adapters, but I don't think it is an Earth shaking difference, and further it is impossible for me or anyone to say that these differences are "worth the extra money" as that is really a personal decision. Everyone's wallet is different, and there is no baseline measurement for what = $1 of sound quality, so what one person thinks is a minor difference not worth the extra scratch, another may not.

Some of the adapters I bought on eBay and had shipped from Hong Kong are actually very good quality for generic pricing, and I think this answer is not a one-size-fits-all in that quite possibly any discernible differences could come down to the actual wire winding geometry, shielding (or lack thereof), and the wire potentially acting like an antenna in a high RF environment.

Different phones and/or tablets will behave differently in that regard, potentially yielding a different result or opinion with regard to the sound. My decommissioned Galaxy S7 for example has only the WiFi radio enabled, it's mobile connection is disabled and the sim card removed, and sometimes I even turn off the WiFi when playing back from the microSD card storage. So it could sound different to me when using any given OTG wire than someone else's phone does who has WiFi, Bluetooth, and mobile/cellular radios on at all times.

 

[DBaldock9]

We don't really differ there, just a different way of saying essentially the same thing I think.

I prefer the sound of the Audio-Technica over the DragonTail, and the iFi adapters, but I don't think it is an Earth shaking difference, and further it is impossible for me or anyone to say that these differences are "worth the extra money" as that is really a personal decision. Everyone's wallet is different, and there is no baseline measurement for what = $1 of sound quality, so what one person thinks is a minor difference not worth the extra scratch, another may not.

Some of the adapters I bought on eBay and had shipped from Hong Kong are actually very good quality for generic pricing, and I think this answer is not a one-size-fits-all in that quite possibly any discernible differences could come down to the actual wire winding geometry, shielding (or lack thereof), and the wire potentially acting like an antenna in a high RF environment.

Different phones and/or tablets will behave differently in that regard, potentially yielding a different result or opinion with regard to the sound. My decommissioned Galaxy S7 for example has only the WiFi radio enabled, it's mobile connection is disabled and the sim card removed, and sometimes I even turn off the WiFi when playing back from the microSD card storage. So it could sound different to me when using any given OTG wire than someone else's phone does who has WiFi, Bluetooth, and mobile/cellular radios on at all times.

Even having the screen on can potentially affect the sound - with the high frequency switching of the row & column selects being in the RF spectrum.

 

[jophantazy]

I have another question regarding the subject. There is a cheap media player (Deelife M400, Aliexpress) which has Wifi, android 8 and a usb c connector. Installable
including Tidal and the UAPP software. I tried to connect a USB DAC to this, because according to the OTG checker, the thing is OTG compatible. It detects the device and while streaming Tidal within the UAPP, there is no sound and the player restarts. Do you think there is any solution to use this portable player with a USB DAC?

 

[dmagnan]

We don't really differ there, just a different way of saying essentially the same thing I think.

I prefer the sound of the Audio-Technica over the DragonTail, and the iFi adapters, but I don't think it is an Earth shaking difference, and further it is impossible for me or anyone to say that these differences are "worth the extra money" as that is really a personal decision. Everyone's wallet is different, and there is no baseline measurement for what = $1 of sound quality, so what one person thinks is a minor difference not worth the extra scratch, another may not.

Some of the adapters I bought on eBay and had shipped from Hong Kong are actually very good quality for generic pricing, and I think this answer is not a one-size-fits-all in that quite possibly any discernible differences could come down to the actual wire winding geometry, shielding (or lack thereof), and the wire potentially acting like an antenna in a high RF environment.

Different phones and/or tablets will behave differently in that regard, potentially yielding a different result or opinion with regard to the sound. My decommissioned Galaxy S7 for example has only the WiFi radio enabled, it's mobile connection is disabled and the sim card removed, and sometimes I even turn off the WiFi when playing back from the microSD card storage. So it could sound different to me when using any given OTG wire than someone else's phone does who has WiFi, Bluetooth, and mobile/cellular radios on at all times.

Unfortunately, as far as I can tell Audio-Technica doesn't make the particular configuration adapter that I need, namely USB C male to USB A female OTG. If AT does make one, please give me a link.

 

[jophantazy]

I have another question regarding the subject. There is a cheap media player (Deelife M400, Aliexpress) which has Wifi, android 8 and a usb c connector. Installable
including Tidal and the UAPP software. I tried to connect a USB DAC to this, because according to the OTG checker, the thing is OTG compatible. It detects the device and while streaming Tidal within the UAPP, there is no sound and the player restarts. Do you think there is any solution to use this portable player with a USB DAC?

I tested more and the player's basic music software works perfectly with Flac files when the USB DAC is connected. Streaming in the Tidal application also works well.

It seems that there may be a buffering problem, because even when using the UAPP and the Hiby app, it restarts in the same way when it says buffering...

Anyway, it's a great little budget DAP, the build quality is solid and it would be quite usable...

 

[MikeyFresh]

Unfortunately, as far as I can tell Audio-Technica doesn't make the particular configuration adapter that I need, namely USB C male to USB A female OTG. If AT does make one, please give me a link.

I don't think they do either, mine is an older (now discontinued) micro USB to Type A female version, as is the version of the DragonTail that I have.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Had the DragonTail many many years ago. Wanted the extention because my portable DAC (LH Labs GO1000) covers other ports. My only issue is that its stiff. So everytime I use it, have a 6 inch long piece protruding (+ DAC) on my laptop. Changed something flexible.

On microusb adapters:
I am more for convenience than SQ (using FiiO CL06 b/w). It will be minimal anyway and barely hear it since your mobile (that is why its portable, w/ the noise around you). In my office or on extended trips (ie. hotel) have different setups (see Sig.).

 

[Old_Snake]

Are the peq profiles/settings from Qudelix 5k compatible with this app?

 

[Simon Patten]

What a great app this is! A quick question though: In Folder view I had the Music folder in my SD card selected, I added the local Music folder and scanned both but now I want to remove the local folder and can't find a way of doing it. Can you help please?

 

[vafler86]

Im pretty new with this. I have installed UAPP on my android phone, and i use KA3 dongle. When i connect the dongle then the app asks me to give UAPP permission. Which i accept, then i minimize the UAPP and play on spotify. Does the sound go through UAPP and dongle or is the phone DAC that is decoding?
If yes, then how can i turn up the volume in UAPP because even in full my IEM like shuor S12, Aria, IE600 sound too low imo. Is it possible to turn up the volume, without destroying the sound quality?

 

[Nas Volokin]

Im pretty new with this. I have installed UAPP on my android phone, and i use KA3 dongle. When i connect the dongle then the app asks me to give UAPP permission. Which i accept, then i minimize the UAPP and play on spotify. Does the sound go through UAPP and dongle or is the phone DAC that is decoding?
If yes, then how can i turn up the volume in UAPP because even in full my IEM like shuor S12, Aria, IE600 sound too low imo. Is it possible to turn up the volume, without destroying the sound quality?

Hello there
I also have KA3 and it has a dedicated Fiio app where you can control the volume and such. In UAPP there is also a way to control volume ( it has independent volume sliders). You can tap on hardware volume and control it from there
Sorry but when you use Spotify the sound is coming from your android phone. UAPP is a stand alone app which can be connected with Tidal account and play through your saved music

 

[vafler86]

Hello there
I also have KA3 and it has a dedicated Fiio app where you can control the volume and such. In UAPP there is also a way to control volume ( it has independent volume sliders). You can tap on hardware volume and control it from there
Sorry but when you use Spotify the sound is coming from your android phone. UAPP is a stand alone app which can be connected with Tidal account and play through your saved music

Thanks for the reply.

I have already set volume to highest in Fiio app. So if im understanding it right, if i use spotify then UAPP and DAC arent used at all, and its the phones dac which is working for spotify? Is there any way to make KA3 work with spotify? and what does UAPP does in my situation?

 

[DBaldock9]

Im pretty new with this. I have installed UAPP on my android phone, and i use KA3 dongle. When i connect the dongle then the app asks me to give UAPP permission. Which i accept, then i minimize the UAPP and play on spotify. Does the sound go through UAPP and dongle or is the phone DAC that is decoding?
If yes, then how can i turn up the volume in UAPP because even in full my IEM like shuor S12, Aria, IE600 sound too low imo. Is it possible to turn up the volume, without destroying the sound quality?

UAPP has its own USB audio driver, that bypasses the normal Android Audio Subsystem resampling.
It can play music from various sources - local music files, music files on your local network, Shoutcast Radio, UPnP/DLNA servers, Tidal, Qobuz, other Internet radio stations.
Usually, you have to quit from UAPP, to release the USB port for other apps to output to your USB DAC - but there are some settings that could help it share the port.
Depending on the phone, you may have to activate Developer Settings, and enable USB Audio Routing - so that the Android Audio Subsystem will use external USB DACs, for apps that don't have their own USB audio driver.

 

[brideshead]

the ability to sync my likes to last.fm would be absolutely massive. currently there is no way to get my likes from uapp onto a new device or onto my computer. this is a major limitation, and being able to sync the likes with my likes on last.fm would be a good solution to this.

 

[TheOneInYellow]

the ability to sync my likes to last.fm would be absolutely massive. currently there is no way to get my likes from uapp onto a new device or onto my computer. this is a major limitation, and being able to sync the likes with my likes on last.fm would be a good solution to this.

Erm...what?

Last.FM is a feature inside the settings (cog wheel) of the UAPP app, and once setup any music you have listened to will be scrobbled to the service.
See UAPP Last.FM settings screen screenshots below: