Apple USB-C dongle alternative with microphone compatibility

[firestart3r]

Hi guys,

I got a few IEMs cables with integrated microphones (MMCX, 2 pin, etc.) and 3.5mm termination.
For now, I use the Apple USB-C dongle. It works, but for lot's of music it just doesn't get loud enough on my Android phone.

Do you have suggestions that are in a dongle form factor that are compatible with microphones ? I like to take phone calls on the go with my IEMs...
I tried the Soundblaster X1 it works and sounds great but is too bulky for my taste.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks a lot !

P.S.
The Moondrop Free DSP Cable is exactly what I'm looking for, but it won't work with my Etymotic IEMs
Also, I tried USB audio player pro (UAPP) and it boosted the volume but the microphone stopped working...

 

[staticV3]

For now, I use the Apple USB-C dongle. It works, but for lot's of music it just doesn't get loud enough on my Android phone.

Have you tried disabling the UAC2 volume limit?
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...luetooth-dac-headphone-amp.17386/post-1302123

Edit: ah nvm, you did.

Also, I tried USB audio player pro (UAPP) and it boosted the volume but the microphone stopped working...

Perhaps because UAPP set the dongle's microphone gain to minimum by default. Have you tried increasing it in UAPP, then exiting UAPP?

 

[firestart3r]

Have you tried disabling the UAC2 volume limit?
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...luetooth-dac-headphone-amp.17386/post-1302123

Edit: ah nvm, you did.


Perhaps because UAPP set the dongle's microphone gain to minimum by default. Have you tried increasing it in UAPP, then exiting UAPP?

I reinstalled the app and tried again, but the microphone turned off automatically

edit: the volume is louder (good) but the microphone is off (bad)

 

[staticV3]

Yeah that's annoying.

I'll check tomorrow which of my dongles support headset microphones.

 

[cpucpu]

I have a similar issue, im currently researching this

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005524794591.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller.1.1c3caAfNaAfNLh&gps-id=pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.40050.354490.0&scm_id=1007.40050.354490.0&scm-url=1007.40050.354490.0&pvid=40a22b55-28dd-4bda-8016-0bda3358ba1c&_t=gps-id:pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.40050.354490.0,pvid:40a22b55-28dd-4bda-8016-0bda3358ba1c,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238110%231995&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2149.99%2131.49%21%21%2149.99%2131.49%21%402103247117079666785981939ef89f%2112000033414392597%21rec%21MX%21126770902%21&utparam-url=scene%3ApcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller%7Cquery_from%3A

 

[staticV3]

@firestart3r here are all of my dongle DACs with headset support:

-mblu HiFi DAC
-Lifeme HiFi Audio Pro
-Moondrop Click
-Asus MU3C-AD(M)

 

[firestart3r]

@firestart3r here are all of my dongle DACs with headset support:

-mblu HiFi DAC
-Lifeme HiFi Audio Pro
-Moondrop Click
-Asus MU3C-AD(M)

Wow thanks a lot static !

The microphone of these dongles worked with UAPP enabled ?

 

[staticV3]

Wow thanks a lot static !

The microphone of these dongles worked with UAPP enabled ?

After using UAPP, the microphone input of every dongle no longer works properly:
https://youtube.com/watch/HIT4hAOM9iM

To restore microphone functionality, I have to plug out the dongle, plug it back in, and make sure I do not open UAPP.

This is on a Samsung S5e running Android 11.

If you want, try contacting UAPP support at [email protected] regarding this issue.

Perhaps they can resolve it. Feel free to send them my screen recording .

 

[firestart3r]

After using UAPP, the microphone input of every dongle no longer works properly:
https://youtube.com/watch/HIT4hAOM9iM

To restore microphone functionality, I have to plug out the dongle, plug it back in, and make sure I do not open UAPP.

This is on a Samsung S5e running Android 11.

If you want, try contacting UAPP support at [email protected] regarding this issue.

Perhaps they can resolve it. Feel free to send them my screen recording .

Thank you so much for your help. It's really appreciated.

At least I'm not crazy... I'm not the only one having this bug.

 

[firestart3r]

Anybody has experience with JCALLY dongles ? I found those models that seem to have microphone/call compatibility:

Model	Chip	32 ohms	16 ohms
JCALLY JM6	CX31993	?	?
JCALLY JM6E	CX31993	28 mW	50 mW
JCALLY JM6 Pro	CX31993	60 mW	?
JCALLY JM80E	ES9280AC	45 mW	?

I'm looking for a powerful (not using UAPP), clean sounding with microphone compatibility on Android.

Thanks

 

[firestart3r]

After using UAPP, the microphone input of every dongle no longer works properly:
https://youtube.com/watch/HIT4hAOM9iM

To restore microphone functionality, I have to plug out the dongle, plug it back in, and make sure I do not open UAPP.

This is on a Samsung S5e running Android 11.

If you want, try contacting UAPP support at [email protected] regarding this issue.

Perhaps they can resolve it. Feel free to send them my screen recording .

Here was the answer I got from support about this bug:

Well, there are two things here:

there can be only one driver active at a time so you cannot use our driver and have a phone call working through the dongle.

The other thing what you can check is press the volume/EQ button and then go into the 'Hardware volume' section and see if there are one or more sliders for input (mic). If there is one, please check its position. If it's at the bottom, then the mic might be
turned off.

 

[staticV3]

Here was the answer I got from support about this bug:

Hmm perhaps support didn't actually watch my video?

The issue isn't just volume related as recording fundamentally breaks after UAPP was run, as can be seen by the buggy recording timer.

And this happened despite me terminating UAPP before I pressed record, so it can't (shouldn't) be related to UAPP accessing the dongle in the background.

Edit:
The issue might be similar to this one:

Review: Apple vs Google USB-C Headphone Adapters

You can search for cs43131 on Amazon/eBay/AliExpress and get one of those dongles (JCally JM20, MB21P, etc). Those measure better than the Apple dongle, however, not all of them have a microphone imput and they draw about 3x as much current from your phone as the Apple dongle. Hmm, I think my...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[AdriftAtlas]

I'm looking for a dongle with PD passthrough to charge my iPhone 15 Pro. All of the dongles I have tested so far have mic input that's too quiet to be usable.

Here is my list so far of low mic DACs with PD passthrough:
UGREEN USB C to 3.5mm Audio Adapter 3 in 1 Charger and Headphone Splitter
JSAUX 2-in-1 USB Type C to Aux Audio Jack Adapter with PD 60W
USB C to 3.5mm Audio Adapter with Charger, 4 in 1

I've been considering either the JCALLY SP7 and JCALLY SP30. However, I cannot find any reviews of them nor whether their mic input has a usable level. Anyone know? I don't want to order something from AliExpress and then not be able to return it.

 

[AdriftAtlas]

JCALLY SP30 arrived today. It has low mic input level too. Even worse, it doesn't work with my iPhone 15 Pro unless a charger is plugged into it.

Not sure if a JCALLY SP7 would be any different. AliExpress takes two weeks to ship and returns are a pain.