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Review: Apple vs Google USB-C Headphone Adapters

Jimster480

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What is the USB-C dongle for? The iPad or something?

Are you sure that your desktop isn't routing the audio through the USB-C adapter instead? Is the performance close to your PC's integrated sound card?
I'm just not sure how these things work because they do have this "USB-C audio routing" feature.

So not every dongle is the same.
 
rebbiputzmaker

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Jimster480 said:
What is the USB-C dongle for? The iPad or something?

Are you sure that your desktop isn't routing the audio through the USB-C adapter instead? Is the performance close to your PC's integrated sound card?
I'm just not sure how these things work because they do have this "USB-C audio routing" feature.

So not every dongle is the same.
Click to expand...
There is a dac/amp that is what is active, there is no pass through.
 
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Roen

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Jimster480 said:
What is the USB-C dongle for? The iPad or something?

Are you sure that your desktop isn't routing the audio through the USB-C adapter instead? Is the performance close to your PC's integrated sound card?
I'm just not sure how these things work because they do have this "USB-C audio routing" feature.

So not every dongle is the same.
Click to expand...
iPad uses Lightning, so maybe MacBook?
 
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Johnb

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And the next bump up in price amongst dongles is Speaka / Extrempro at $33 Amazon, ASIN B01FQHBDI4, DF Black copy. Wonder if that one works with Android.
 
bakker_be

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Regarding the Android issues: the USB-C connection of lots of phones doesn't pass through a digital signal, instead handing out analog sound to be routed to the jack ...
 
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amirm

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Roen said:
How is the SINAD 100 but the SNR 94? I thought SINAD < SNR by definition? (Unless distortion can be negative)
Click to expand...
You guys are getting really good at scrutinizing these graphs! :) I thought that number was strange but when I got back to the project I forgot to re-check. I re-ran it and it is indeed much better:

Apple iPhone USB-C Headphone Adapter Audio Dynamic Range Measurements.png


I updated the review.

These dongles expose volume control to Windows and for some reason default to low value on install. I re-ran all the measurements at max volume before the review but didn't on this test. Sorry about that.
 
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amirm

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bakker_be said:
Regarding the Android issues: the USB-C connection of lots of phones doesn't pass through a digital signal, instead handing out analog sound to be routed to the jack ...
Click to expand...
That seems to be the case with my Samsung S8+.
 
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amirm

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amirm

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wiggum said:
Even though SQ is good, the adapter seems to be fragile.
Click to expand...
It is exceptionally so. The wire gauge is substantially thinner than the two Google ones.
 
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Will wait until you get to test the other two dongles -- which I assume are the Razer and the Hidizs dongles.
 
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Kyle / MrHeeHo

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Jimster480 said:
What is the USB-C dongle for? The iPad or something?

Are you sure that your desktop isn't routing the audio through the USB-C adapter instead? Is the performance close to your PC's integrated sound card?
I'm just not sure how these things work because they do have this "USB-C audio routing" feature.

So not every dongle is the same.
Click to expand...
Their new iPad Pro dropped lightning in favor of USB-C for the sake of video out.
 
V

vert

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bakker_be said:
Regarding the Android issues: the USB-C connection of lots of phones doesn't pass through a digital signal, instead handing out analog sound to be routed to the jack ...
Click to expand...
I'll try it with USB Audio Player Pro next week if I can and report. UAPP comes with a special driver for audio which supersedes the Android driver, so the issue shouldn't appear, as long as UAPP "sees" the dongle as a DAC.
 
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bigx5murf

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Interesting test, but I'd still hope theses things become a footnote in history, and we continue using 3.5mm jacks.
 
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