Any objectively good dongles that also have usb-c power in?

[somebodyelse]

View attachment 488037

A link would be more use than an image since searches are turning up the wrong thing from here. Maybe UGreen just aren't selling it in the UK.

 

[staticV3]

A link would be more use than an image since searches are turning up the wrong thing from here. Maybe UGreen just aren't selling it in the UK.

Here you go: https://www.google.com/search?q=Ugreen+"60165"

 

[somebodyelse]

So available in Sri Lanka, South Africa, India, Australia, Pakistan...but not UK.

 

[Shrek6]

Fiio KA17

I have one and it works well. Has a separate usb c port for power. It gets warm.

thanks but that’s too much money and I don’t need the all features.

Universal solution:

View attachment 487935

Works with everything. I use it with both dongle DAC and controller to charge phone while listening/gaming. Cheap and practical. Available everywhere in various variants.

Biggest advantage: choose any DAC you like, disregard power in.

this might end up being the best solution. It’s a little more cumbersome but it’s better than the hubs I have now.

Would usb-a + usb-c power or usb-c + usb-c power be better in terms of small usb DAC options? I don’t see many usb-a ‘thumb drive’ style DACs anymore besides AudioQuest.

 

[Ropeburn]

AudioQuest.

 

[JanL]

Universal solution:

View attachment 487935

Works with everything. I use it with both dongle DAC and controller to charge phone while listening/gaming. Cheap and practical. Available everywhere in various variants.

Biggest advantage: choose any DAC you like, disregard power in.

I have a couple of this type of adapter that I carry with my IEMs and dongles. Very handy. Normally I just use the dongle, but when on a train or somewhere static, I add it in line with it and charge the phone while listening.

 

[JanL]

I just tried a Fiio Snowsky Tiny model A which is supposed to do that. It failed. It performed both functions but not together. I have an OTG pigtail that works for this on Android. It's an import cable that's under $10. I plug my dongle into one leg of the cable and the power into the other. The only inconvenience is remembering which leg is which. You can get them anywhere you can get OTG cables. I got mine from the giant internet retailer with the Wonder Woman name. I'm sure Ali Express and other sources have them too.

That might be an incompatibility with your particular phone. I had the same issue with an older OnePlus 7 Pro. The USB-C splitter did not work right with that phone, but it worked perfectly fine with a newer OnePlus phone.

 

[JanL]

I got one of these triple dongles on Amazon. It does the USB-C splitting or 3.5mm audio plus charging, but not all simultaneously. The sound quality on the audio jack is fine. Plenty of output and no audible artifacts.

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

That might be an incompatibility with your particular phone. I had the same issue with an older OnePlus 7 Pro. The USB-C splitter did not work right with that phone, but it worked perfectly fine with a newer OnePlus phone.

It didn't work on my phone or tablet. I have a couple of other Android devices I didn't try it on. Phone is a oneplus, tablet a Lenovo. Android 13 on tablet, 14 on phone. Phone requires turning on OTG, which I did.

 

[Somafunk]

Review of the Fiio QX13 below, could be what you are after as it has additional usb c port for power, can also be used with the additional/matching Fiio Estick battery bank so it doesn’t use external phone power

Portable DAC and Headphone Amplifier-QX13

All-new FIIO QX series Writing a new chapter on high-performance audio dongles FIIO QX13 Brings together over a decade of FIIO’s technical expertise Combines the Q series of portable amps with magnetic/attachable features Creating a high-end, fully integrated ecosystem audio dongle

www.fiio.com

FiiO ESTICK Backup Battery For Portable DAC/AMP

FiiO ESTICK Backup Battery For Portable DAC/AMP

www.advancedmp3players.co.uk

 

[CedarX]

I just tried a Fiio Snowsky Tiny model A which is supposed to do that.

Tiny A seems a little finicky… For example, I tried on an iPhone 17 Air, iPad Mini A17, HiBy R4 DAP, and it does work—as “it charges the device from a PD charger and it plays through the 3.5mm out.”
However, on another DAP, an HiBy M300, the audio always works, but the charge-through won’t, not even an either audio or charge-through (tried different chargers, including 5V Apple cubes).