Review: Apple vs Google USB-C Headphone Adapters

[TooPoorForHiFi]

Have anyone happen to try the new Galaxy Dongle? Any idea how it compares to Apple Dongle?

It cost $15 USD.

 

[mgmate]

I have it, but I did not have the right tools nor the Apple dongle to compare them. Also I have the UE version (I do not know if it is different from USA version -it tend to have lower power due UE maximun volume requirements-).

It sounds good, but have some issues with UAPP (almost solved all of them after contacting with development team).

Regards,

Manuel.

 

[Degru]

I feel like this thing is more deserving of the hi res sticker, despite not actually supporting hi res
Trying with Sine now, low impedance low-ish sensitivity. It works really well, and only struggling on dynamic tracks where I have to max out the volume. On most music I'm at 50-60% and I am hearing no problems with compression or harshness. With my HD600 or 100-ohm er4b I am also not noticing any issues until I have to max it out, though perhaps maybe my Geekout 1000 sounds a bit more vibrant with high impedance when compared side by side. I am not too sure that that isn't just placebo, either. Works superbly well as a DAC into an amp, as good as anything I've heard. I am fairly certain it only has issues with maxed out volume into headphone loads, because running it into my Fiio A5 set to 1x gain the output from the amp was noticeably louder, indicating a current limitation.

Would fully recommend apple dongle, so long as you're not having to max it out to drive your cans. And in that case, just pair it with an amplifier like Atom or some portable unit and save yourself the cost of an expensive DAC

 

[Cahudson42]

View attachment 35350
I feel like this thing is more deserving of the hi res sticker, despite not actually supporting hi res
Trying with Sine now, low impedance low-ish sensitivity. It works really well, and only struggling on dynamic tracks where I have to max out the volume. On most music I'm at 50-60% and I am hearing no problems with compression or harshness. With my HD600 or 100-ohm er4b I am also not noticing any issues until I have to max it out, though perhaps maybe my Geekout 1000 sounds a bit more vibrant with high impedance when compared side by side. I am not too sure that that isn't just placebo, either. Works superbly well as a DAC into an amp, as good as anything I've heard. I am fairly certain it only has issues with maxed out volume into headphone loads, because running it into my Fiio A5 set to 1x gain the output from the amp was noticeably louder, indicating a current limitation.

Would fully recommend apple dongle, so long as you're not having to max it out to drive your cans. And in that case, just pair it with an amplifier like Atom or some portable unit and save yourself the cost of an expensive DAC

Just a reminder - when using the Apple dongle with Android/Fire 7" tablet USB, you will be limited to it's max 50mv output. This works ok with my Liquid Spark on HiGain, and with the volume maxxed out using HE400i phones. With More sensitive SHP9500, the LS only needs volume around 3PM. Max volume becomes uncomfortable..

 

[Degru]

Just a reminder - when using the Apple dongle with Android/Fire 7" tablet USB, you will be limited to it's max 50mv output. This works ok with my Liquid Spark on HiGain, and with the volume maxxed out using HE400i phones. With More sensitive SHP9500, the LS only needs volume around 3PM. Max volume becomes uncomfortable..

Yeah, I know. I am using it with Neutron's USB DAC driver for full hardware volume control. I can also work around the volume issue by turning the hardware volume all the way up then quitting the app to hand back control to Android, which leaves it at max and lets the software volume utilize the full volume range of the dongle. However, Android's volume scale and number of steps is quite bad, so I don't do this much. I just have my old phone dedicated as a DAP, and plug my headphones into my main phone when I want to listen to Spotify, since it has a decent DAC already (but no SD card slot)

 

[Cahudson42]

Yeah, I know. I am using it with Neutron's USB DAC driver for full hardware volume control. I can also work around the volume issue by turning the hardware volume all the way up then quitting the app to hand back control to Android, which leaves it at max and lets the software volume utilize the full volume range of the dongle. However, Android's volume scale and number of steps is quite bad, so I don't do this much. I just have my old phone dedicated as a DAP, and plug my headphones into my main phone when I want to listen to Spotify, since it has a decent DAC already (but no SD card slot)

Hmmm.. May I ask a bit more on how you got full output from the Apple dongle on Android?

Do you run the full $6.99 Neutron Player, raise software volume, then kill it - and the raised volume 'sticks' for other players apps?
Or did you just load/run the Neutron DAC driver somehow? (Side load? From where?
Thanks!

 

[Degru]

Hmmm.. May I ask a bit more on how you got full output from the Apple dongle on Android?

Do you run the full $6.99 Neutron Player, raise software volume, then kill it - and the raised volume 'sticks' for other players apps?
Or did you just load/run the Neutron DAC driver somehow? (Side load? From where?
Thanks!

It is more straightforward to use UAPP for this purpose. I have purchased both apps. In UAPP you fire it up, accept the prompt to allow it to access the USB device, open the DSP menu at the top, tap hardware volume, raise that to max, then quit the app using its notification tray controls. You should now have full volume range in Android. You do have to do this every time you plug it in, though you can set it to automatically open UAPP for you. Alternatively if you only listen to local music you can just use the app as your music player and get both hardware volume control and bit perfect playback that way. However for that I use Neutron since it has a more robust feature set that I prefer.

 

[Cahudson42]

It is more straightforward to use UAPP for this purpose. I have purchased both apps. In UAPP you fire it up, accept the prompt to allow it to access the USB device, open the DSP menu at the top, tap hardware volume, raise that to max, then quit the app using its notification tray controls. You should now have full volume range in Android. You do have to do this every time you plug it in, though you can set it to automatically open UAPP for you. Alternatively if you only listen to local music you can just use the app as your music player and get both hardware volume control and bit perfect playback that way. However for that I use Neutron since it has a more robust feature set that I prefer.

Thanks @Degru.. One hopefully last question - can you give me the Play Store url for UAPp? There seem to be dozens of them.. which to pick? Thanks!

 

[Degru]

Thanks @Degru.. One hopefully last question - can you give me the Play Store url for UAPp? There seem to be dozens of them.. which to pick? Thanks!

USB audio player pro

 

[mgmate]

Thanks @Degru.. One hopefully last question - can you give me the Play Store url for UAPp? There seem to be dozens of them.. which to pick? Thanks!

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extreamsd.usbaudioplayerpro&hl=es

 

[Cahudson42]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extreamsd.usbaudioplayerpro&hl=es

Thanks both of you...But for now looks like I'm stuck with 50mv using the Apple . Using a $30 Fire 7", and as I expected, the Amazon 'App store' has nothing. Can't seem to find any legitimate apk side-load url either... Oh well, still works better than $9 has any right to..

 

[Degru]

Thanks both of you...But for now looks like I'm stuck with 50mv using the Apple . Using a $30 Fire 7", and as I expected, the Amazon 'App store' has nothing. Can't seem to find any legitimate apk side-load url either... Oh well, still works better than $9 has any right to..

Neutron sells their app outside of the app store from their site if you want to try that. The interface is pretty finicky tho, but they do have a trial

 

[Jimster480]

Just went out and bought one of these. It sounds as transparent as I'd expect, and seems to pair well with my etymotic er4b. No weird upper mids harshness like with my shanling m0. Borrowing the USBC to USBA adapter from my hidizs dongle it works wonderfully with my computer as well, which is primarily what I bought it for.. Though for more dynamic tracks UAPP's volume scale is a bit too imprecise, since the dongle is *just* strong enough to really drive my er4b properly. Neutron solved that issue I suppose, though annoyingly it does not bind to the volume buttons properly. Can't have everything, I guess.

So which one did you buy? The Apple or the google one?

 

[Degru]

So which one did you buy? The Apple or the google one?

Apple dong; should have clarified lol

 

[bobbooo]

Yeah, I know. I am using it with Neutron's USB DAC driver for full hardware volume control. I can also work around the volume issue by turning the hardware volume all the way up then quitting the app to hand back control to Android, which leaves it at max and lets the software volume utilize the full volume range of the dongle. However, Android's volume scale and number of steps is quite bad, so I don't do this much. I just have my old phone dedicated as a DAP, and plug my headphones into my main phone when I want to listen to Spotify, since it has a decent DAC already (but no SD card slot)

What exact settings did you use in Neutron on Android to get full volume in the app? I can get loud volumes in UAPP but not in Neutron. I much prefer Neutron as my main music player though so I'd like to get the Apple dongle working properly with it.

 

[Degru]

What exact settings did you use in Neutron on Android to get full volume in the app? I can get loud volumes in UAPP but not in Neutron. I much prefer Neutron as my main music player though so I'd like to get the Apple dongle working properly with it.

Direct USB Access, Follow Source Frequency, Hardware Gain, and under Direct USB Access there should also be options for Volume Control and Replace Device Volume. I also enable 64 bit processing and "audiophile" resampling mode for the few hi res files i have that it will need to down sample.

You will also have to clear defaults in Android for UAPP if you set it as default for USB device (possibly temporarily remove the app if it interferes) and answer yes/remember for the prompts to set Neutron as default.

If all goes well it should show that it is using USB DAC in the top of Audio Hardware section, and volume control should be fine grained within the app if it wasn't already.

Another useful setting is under UI settings and lockscreen, which is to show the player UI over top of lock screen. Since Neutron doesn't rebind the system volume buttons you will have to have its UI open to change hardware volume, and having it at the push of a button is useful.

 

[bobbooo]

Direct USB Access, Follow Source Frequency, Hardware Gain, and under Direct USB Access there should also be options for Volume Control and Replace Device Volume. I also enable 64 bit processing and "audiophile" resampling mode for the few hi res files i have that it will need to down sample.

You will also have to clear defaults in Android for UAPP if you set it as default for USB device (possibly temporarily remove the app if it interferes) and answer yes/remember for the prompts to set Neutron as default.

If all goes well it should show that it is using USB DAC in the top of Audio Hardware section, and volume control should be fine grained within the app if it wasn't already.

Another useful setting is under UI settings and lockscreen, which is to show the player UI over top of lock screen. Since Neutron doesn't rebind the system volume buttons you will have to have its UI open to change hardware volume, and having it at the push of a button is useful.

Thanks, I did already try those settings though and UAPP is still much louder at max volume than Neutron. Also, your method to get full volume output system-wide using UAPP doesn't work for me either - I get very strange stuttering distortion through other apps (the Neutron method works, but again it's much lower volume). What exactly does Neutron say next to DRV (driver) for you with the dongle connected? Mine says AudioTrack (SYS) [USB]. And what phone are you using? I have the Samsung Galaxy S10e, Hong Kong Snapdragon variant (G9700). Anyone else having the same problems as me?

 

[IVX]

I measured today Meizu HiFi DAC USB-C/3.5mm, .99VRMS@1kHz 32ohm output, S/N -121.7dbA(probably does muting, need to check the linearity but looks like -120dbA really there), THD+N .00055%(THD about .0002%!) at the same load -1dbfs(but actually THD+N noticeable floating in time, up to .001%), .2ohm Zoutput@1kHz. Aluminum case, and $20 retail cost in China. Inside USB/I2S bridge IC, DAC IC(both Cirrus Logic), 22MHz clock, and SPI flash to keep product string VID/PID for USB.

 

[Degru]

Thanks, I did already try those settings though and UAPP is still much louder at max volume than Neutron. Also, your method to get full volume output system-wide using UAPP doesn't work for me either - I get very strange stuttering distortion through other apps (the Neutron method works, but again it's much lower volume). What exactly does Neutron say next to DRV (driver) for you with the dongle connected? Mine says AudioTrack (SYS) [USB]. And what phone are you using? I have the Samsung Galaxy S10e, Hong Kong Snapdragon variant (G9700). Anyone else having the same problems as me?

Galaxy S6 and Moto G7 Power. Android 7 and 9. No problems. Is Neutron showing that it is outputting to USB DAC under the audio hardware info? You may need to clear defaults for both Neutron and uapp like I said.

 

[bobbooo]

Galaxy S6 and Moto G7 Power. Android 7 and 9. No problems. Is Neutron showing that it is outputting to USB DAC under the audio hardware info? You may need to clear defaults for both Neutron and uapp like I said.

Strange... I'm also using Android 9. I'll try with my old S7 as well. Yeah I already cleared the defaults. As I said, under Audio Hardware in Neutron, next to DRV it says "AudioTrack (SYS) [USB]" with the Apple dongle attached. What exactly does it say for you?