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I've just ordered the Letsshouer S12 IEMs with 3.5mm jack. Could I just use them with my Xiaomi smartphone or would it be better to get a dongle DAC ?
I would rather have a small cheapish dongle because it should stay portable and it's just for the bus and at work. Doesn't need to break sinad records. Is a apple dongle or something similar good enough?
I've just ordered the Letsshouer S12 IEMs with 3.5mm jack. Could I just use them with my Xiaomi smartphone or would it be better to get a dongle DAC ?
I would rather have a small cheapish dongle because it should stay portable and it's just for the bus and at work. Doesn't need to break sinad records. Is a apple dongle or something similar good enough?
I would see how you get on with just the phone- add the Apple dongle if you find either obvious distortion (unlikely) or unsatisfactory volume but only if the Apple dongle in your area has higher output voltage than your phone (EU/UK is 0.5V, 1 V elsewhere). Otherwise a 2v dongle like the Meizu hifi might be better.
An Apple dongle is good enough. If you're not in the US, see if you can buy an A2049 model off eBay, that one has the full output voltage.
If you're in the US, then you can buy an A2049 directly from Apple.
One annoying quirk of the Apple dongle is that it defaults to less than 100% hardware volume when plugged it into an Android phone.
If you just plug it into your phone, set volume to Max, and start listening to Youtube, Spotify, etc. then volume will be just 25% of max:
To fix it, you have to do the following:
1. install USB Audio Player Pro or Hiby Music from the Play Store
2. plug the dongle into your phone.
3. wait for Android to ask which App to open the device with. Choose your player and tap OK
4. go the the Hardware volume control and set it to 100%:
5. exit the player.
Now you have almost full volume (90%) in every App:
next time you plug in the dongle, the sequence is a bit simpler, because UAPP will remember your last set hardware volume:
1. plug the dongle into your phone.
2. wait for Android to ask which App to open the device with. Choose your player and tap OK
3. UAPP opens and automatically sets hardware volume to 100% (last set value)
4. exit UAPP
Note that you still won't get full volume in normal Apps like Youtube etc, only 90%. That's the same for every dongle.
If you want 100% volume, then you have to play your music via USB Audio Player Pro, Hiby Music, or Neutron directly:
You could just use them with your smartphone. A dongle DAC would probably be technically better, but don't expect any audible improvement.
An Apple dongle is good enough. If you're not in the US, see if you can buy an A2049 model off eBay, that one has the full output voltage.
If you're in the US, then you can buy an A2049 directly from Apple.
One annoying quirk of the Apple dongle is that it defaults to less than 100% hardware volume when plugged it into an Android phone.
If you just plug it into your phone, set volume to Max, and start listening to Youtube, Spotify, etc. then volume will be just 25% of max: View attachment 228190
To fix it, you have to do the following:
1. install USB Audio Player Pro or Hiby Music from the Play Store
2. plug the dongle into your phone.
3. wait for Android to ask which App to open the device with. Choose your player and tap OK View attachment 228192
4. go the the Hardware volume control and set it to 100%: View attachment 228193View attachment 228194
5. exit the player. View attachment 228195
next time you plug in the dongle, the sequence is a bit simpler, because UAPP will remember your last set hardware volume:
1. plug the dongle into your phone.
2. wait for Android to ask which App to open the device with. Choose your player and tap OK View attachment 228192
3. UAPP opens and automatically sets hardware volume to 100% (last set value)
4. exit UAPP View attachment 228195
Note that you still won't get full volume in normal Apps like Youtube etc, only 90%. That's the same for every dongle.
If you want 100% volume, then you have to play your music via USB Audio Player Pro, Hiby Music, or Neutron directly: View attachment 228198
Thanks. I have the usb audio player pro already and will try my phone first. If it turns out I need something more powerful I will get a apple or meizu dongle.
The Meizu dongle is unfortunately no longer being produced and stock has run out, too.
You might be able to find one on eBay still.
There's a replacement called mblu HiFi, but it's not very good.
The Meizu dongle is unfortunately no longer being produced and stock has run out, too.
You might be able to find one on eBay still.
There's a replacement called mblu HiFi, but it's not very good.
I find Moondrop Dawn 3.5 to be quite good. Works perfectly with my Letshuoer S12 and also loud enough with my HifiMan EH400se. (After following staticV3's notes)
hey all, my computer's onboard audio has a few issues, and i'm looking at getting the qudelix in order to get rid of these problems. can you test if any of these issues pop up?
popping sound when muting and unmuting
crackling sound when adjusting volume
popping sound when pausing/playing/skipping audio
the crackling when adjusting volume and popping when skipping audio are most apparent during frequency tests, mostly at low frequencies
I use a Sony Xperia 5 iV, Amazon Music and a Qudelix 5k , FLAC obviously and B&W P5s. I've got into PEQ and was so impressed I've got some Sundaras with a balanced cable on the way.
Any advice on the this set up welcomed , I'm a novice in the world of PEQ
Yeah, jump in with both feet and have some fun designing your own custom PEQ for each headset and various genres of music. You can use the 20 or so templates as your baseline eq and then adjust the filter sets to suit your tastes. It’s so much easier than it appears at first blush. Just be cautious about boosting any particular eq range above +10 and listen for distortion and drop it back from there. Have fun with it.
Yeah, jump in with both feet and have some fun designing your own custom PEQ for each headset and various genres of music. You can use the 20 or so templates as your baseline eq and then adjust the filter sets to suit your tastes. It’s so much easier than it appears at first blush. Just be cautious about boosting any particular eq range above +10 and listen for distortion and drop it back from there. Have fun with it.
I use a Sony Xperia 5 iV, Amazon Music and a Qudelix 5k , FLAC obviously and B&W P5s. I've got into PEQ and was so impressed I've got some Sundaras with a balanced cable on the way.
Any advice on the this set up welcomed , I'm a novice in the world of PEQ
That’s the golden advice. But once you get used to using it and you can easily hear/sense when distortion is setting in and back it off a bit. You don’t need the safety belt anymore. I don’t use it anymore. But I absolutely do Not listen loud. I find the gain offset limiter to be problematic when trying to quickly switch between PEQ sets for comparison purposes. Ymmv….
That’s the golden advice. But once you get used to using it and you can easily hear/sense when distortion is setting in and back it off a bit. You don’t need the safety belt anymore. I don’t use it anymore. But I absolutely do Not listen loud. I find the gain offset limiter to be problematic when trying to quickly switch between PEQ sets for comparison purposes. Ymmv….
If I am comparing different EQ sets for the same headphones I find it useful to set a preamp reduction directly in EAPO Configurator at or around the highest peak in any of the EQs- or probably a dB or 2 less if you have things like replay gain and other volume levelling happening in your chain. Disable the preamp setting in PEACE for each EQ profile Between than and leaving the clipping protector enabled in PEACE enables me to toggle between EQ sets without there being a change in overall output level.
Of course, if you put lots of high amplitude peaks and shelves in one EQ but not in another, the first will seem louder overall, but thats pretty unavoidable.
Well, got two things to say, the Oratory PEQ without any fiddling is fantastic and wow, ( just unbalanced I'm almost at the peak at what the thing can do, +3DB) my test track , Norah Jones Come Away with me is just lush her voice filling your head with the lovely bass and those hissing symbols , fantastic . The B&W P5 series 2 though at 10 years old and same price back then can hold their own, the PEQ needs a little more base ( I think it's an auto EQ I'm not sure ) and they are easier to drive but to be fair they are great on their own.
Anyway great start for the Sandaras, the balanced cable is needed though, thats another 50 quid and they are on their way.
