Mobile audio setup recommendations

[staticV3]

Why should I?
If I switch between the EU and the US, and put full volume the US version is very much higher!

When I asked:

are you getting the full 1.0Vrms right away?

You answered:

Yes I got full volume right away

When I then asked:

Are you sure that you measured 1.0Vrms at the Apple dongle output?

You answered:

Yes

But apparently you didn't measure anything...

So no, even though the US version is louder than the EU version that you had before, you are not getting the full 1.0Vrms on Android, unless you first open UAPP/Hiby/Neutron, and set the UAC2 Hardware Volume to 100%.
You would know that if you actually measured the voltage like you said you did.

This is a problem that is separate from the EU limit and it affects all versions of the Apple dongle equally. The US dongle is not spared!

 

[Solveit]

So no, even though the US version is louder than the EU version that you had before, you are not getting the full 1.0Vrms on Android, unless you first open UAPP/Hiby/Neutron, and set the UAC2 Hardware Volume to 100%.

I downloaded the Neutron player and set the volume to 100%.
Same volume as before, very high.
Lower on the EU version.

 

[GD Fan]

The Apple dongle has one notable disadvantage when used with Android phones:
When you plug it in and start listening to Youtube/Spotify/Soundcloud/etc, then there will be a volume limit at 25% volume.

You can remove this limit by opening a music player like USB Audio Player Pro or Hiby Music and setting the dongle's Hardware volume to 100%.
Afterwards, you can exit the music player and continue listening to whatever you want with unlocked volume.

The next time you plug in your dongle, the volume will once again be limited to 25%.

You can see all of that in action here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...luetooth-dac-headphone-amp.17386/post-1302123

On top of this limiter which affects all versions of the Apple dongle, the EU version (A2155) has an additional, hardcoded volume limiter to comply with EU regulations.
This limiter cannot be removed or disabled.

Afaik, the Google dongle does not have the same issue with the 25% volume limit, so you can plug it in and get the full volume without workarounds.
There might still be an EU version of the Google dongle with reduced output, however, I do not know.

Is there a similar workaround using the Foobar app?

 

[staticV3]

Is there a similar workaround using the Foobar app?

Afaik, Foobar for Android doesn't support Uac2 hardware volume control, so no.

 

[Mandar]

Active noise cancelling would be nice, but it's not a requirement. My closed headphones are good enough and I don't fly anymore.

I'm not convinced buying a new pair of headphones makes sense in my case when my goal is to reduce my footprint. Maybe I'm wrong but IEMs looked less resource hungry.

Looks like the most durable / environmentally friendly choice is to wait for a DAC / amplifier / receiver that would be powerful enough for the Noire and have a battery I can change later on. I saw the Qudelix T71 has that replaceable battery, I hope there will be a follow-up to the 5K with the same design.

 

[TheBatsEar]

I've never used IEMs before and am anxious about the comfort, but it looks like the most practical solution size-wise.

I haven't read all replies, so apologies if i repeat someone elses input.
It's all a compromise, and when i am out and about, true high fidelity is just a dream. I have settled on a regular pair of headphones that support the LDAC bluetooth codecs and use my Google Pixel 6 Pro as the source. The headphones are these:

1More Sonoflow NC Headphone Review

This is a review, listening tests, EQ an detailed measurements of 1More Sonoflow Noise Cancelling Bluetooth headphones. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $99 although goes on sale for $79. The look and feel of the unit belies its low cost. The plastic seems stout and good quality...

www.audiosciencereview.com

The ANC feature is great if you want to mute traffic noise and in the thread are a few EQ examples.

 

[kysa]

The Qudelix 5k's battery does not seem to be changeable without soldiering. I'll wait for a successor and then buy balanced cables to have the same connection for the home and mobile setup (I know I'm too lazy to swap cables every time I move around).

In the meantime, the IEMs look like a great lightweight solution. My phone (a Pixel 6 Pro) does not have a jack output. Should I buy the official Google adapter or would an external dongle have a noticeable impact on the sound?

IEMs for outdoor listening shouldn't cost more than $40 since, as b7676 had pointed out, they will clog all the time. My suggestion would be to buy an EPZ G10/Moondrop Lan/TKZK Ouranos and replacement filters. Anything more than $40 will eventually ruin your mood just like my dead Hexa's did . You may not like the Q5k's non-removable battery, but the dongle is a big hassle. But that knowledge comes with life experience

Oh, and the Truthear Zero is the worst IEM pick for outdoors listening. They pick wind noise all the time and the ergonomics suck.

 

[Mandar]

I want to reduce my footprint, so I want to buy things I'll keep for a long time. It's not about cost, it's about reducing waste. I'm OK with wearing parts as long as the long term waste is limited. Of course step one is finding a product I'll like enough to want to keep for a long time.

@kysa do you mean changing filters will be enough to keep a pair of IEMs for a long time? I'm OK with replacing tires and brake pads, I don't want to keep buying bikes

 

[kysa]

I want to reduce my footprint, so I want to buy things I'll keep for a long time. It's not about cost, it's about reducing waste. I'm OK with wearing parts as long as the long term waste is limited. Of course step one is finding a product I'll like enough to want to keep for a long time.

@kysa do you mean changing filters will be enough to keep a pair of IEMs for a long time? I'm OK with replacing tires and brake pads, I don't want to keep buying bikes

I'm not an effective altruist girl since our individual contribution to e-waste management does practically nothing at scale, but if this ritual makes you feel good... Anyway, this is an audio science forum

Yes, changing filters and keeping wearable from moisture will do the trick.

 

[Mandar]

Thank you. And I know, I'm just trying my best.

 

[chuck_st]

When I asked:

You answered:

When I then asked:

You answered:

But apparently you didn't measure anything...

So no, even though the US version is louder than the EU version that you had before, you are not getting the full 1.0Vrms on Android, unless you first open UAPP/Hiby/Neutron, and set the UAC2 Hardware Volume to 100%.
You would know that if you actually measured the voltage like you said you did.

This is a problem that is separate from the EU limit and it affects all versions of the Apple dongle equally. The US dongle is not spared!

Thank you for pushing for clarity and a direct answer here. Being new to this forum and audio equipment in general, it can be tough to sift through all of the information on the internet to find useful and correct data for making decisions. I'd read similar comments mentioning an Apple volume issue, but was confused when the other poster was adamant that they were not experiencing it. It's clearer now that, subjectively, their experience with the US dongle led them to believe that it did not suffer from reduced volume, but that is in fact not an objective fact. Further, it's clear that that subjective experience should be taken as evidence refuting what seems to be an established issue with the Apple dongle.