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Review: Apple vs Google USB-C Headphone Adapters

paudio

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Have my Sennheiser HD424 running off the Apple USB-C dongle... They are 2000ohm and 94dbSPL/mW. It manages to get loud enough for me. Pretty amazing
 

pioterd

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But SINAD hardly reaches 79dB !
That's 20dB worse than the one Amir tested !


And, after some days, it just stops working.


(Measurement with Virtins Multi Instrument 3.8, ADC is RME ADI-2 Pro fs, +4dBu range)

000114-THD+N_THD+N_0.png
It was already some time ago but... From what I see here on this figure, Sinad should be still around 100dB (why this dotted horizontal line is so high?). Even considering slope of the result and harmonic distortion peaks, it looks much better than 80dB sinad... From what I ve seen (and heard) about A2049 and A2155 - both of them are around 97-100dB Sinad with great dynamic range. Without any audible distortion, even A2155 with its just 0.5Vrms output, can be amplified with +6dB (to 1V) or +12dB (to 2V) gain with any chosen good amplifier (I have ZenCan), and serve as a great DAC.
 

staticV3

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It was already some time ago but... From what I see here on this figure, Sinad should be still around 100dB (why this dotted horizontal line is so high?). Even considering slope of the result and harmonic distortion peaks, it looks much better than 80dB sinad...
No. The FFT matches the SINAD. Don't get confused by the vertical scale, look at the amplitude of the fundamental.

That being said, both my A2049 and A2155 perform identically, except for the 6dB lower peak output of course. Both have around 100dB SINAD.

In the measurements above, I think there's lots of common-mode noise falsifying the results.
 

Audioboxer

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Going to be picking up a decent analogue headset with a mic built in for some occasional PC MP gaming (I use my Sundara's and D10/L50 for music/SP games). Am I correct to assume this dongle with a combined cable will both work with headsets with built in mics and also support mic monitoring via Windows?

I see absolutely no point buying something "expensive" like a Fulla/Hel given I don't play MP games all that often, plus even the cheaper option with mic input, the Fosi K5 Pro, seems to drastically change things away from a 'flat' response.

As for headsets I'm looking at, pc37x, pc38x, MMX100/MMX300, H6PRO. All easily driveable.

Cheers

edit - Also just read as I'm in the UK I will need to import one of these from America so it isn't gimped power wise. It's model MU7E2AM/A right?
 
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catharsis

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I think any 3.5 mm usb-c dongle will do. I bought this in the local electronic store. Excellent

1681147419013.png
 

catharsis

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I think any 3.5 mm usb-c dongle will do. I bought this in the local electronic store. Excellent

View attachment 278350

I have also Topping DX3Pro+ wich got S-tier today's video of Valor. I can't hear any difference except slightly less volume (can't drive my Hifiman HE400se loud enough).
 

webcaptcha

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Hi, I'm new here and non native English speaker.

It will be good to have exact model number for adapters which have been tested.

Correct me if I'm wrong. For Google pixel 2 its GA00477WW model number. What about Apple?

I'm looking for buying 3.5 adapter and want make a good choice. Thanks
 

threni

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It will be good to have exact model number for adapters which have been tested.

Correct me if I'm wrong. For Google pixel 2 its GA00477WW model number. What about Apple?

The US model A2049.
 

Billy Budapest

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Is that the latest one from Apple?

Was I correct about Google's model number adapter and also the latest and the best one.

Thank you in advance.
It’s the current one sold by Apple for the US. The EU version does not measure as well.
 
D

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This is an old thread that still goes on. I admit I haven't read all 47 pages. But what is this review about? Is the dongles job not only to conduct the analog electrical signal from the USB-C pins to a jack?
This may put the other dongles in a very bad light if that's the only job they had to do and with such poor results..

1684154795019.png
 

threni

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It’s the current one sold by Apple for the US. The EU version does not measure as well

I have both. I understand they measure the same but the EU one is quieter. If you had really sensitive IEMs perhaps you'd prefer that one.
 

staticV3

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This is an old thread that still goes on. I admit I haven't read all 47 pages. But what is this review about? Is the dongles job not only to conduct the analog electrical signal from the USB-C pins to a jack?
There are phones that have a DAC and headphone amp inside, and that rely on dongles to output the analog audio via their USB Type-C port.
That is not what these dongles are.
The ones tested here have their own DAC, Headphone Amp, and ADC built into the Type-C plug. They're genuine USB DACs.
The performance of which is what Amir tested in this review.
 

shoto

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It’s the current one sold by Apple for the US. The EU version does not measure as well.
the us has half the output voltage, they perform the same when volume is same. SNR is better at higher volume, you wont be able to use that without connecting to an amp, and you wont hear it anyway
 

Jimbob54

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the us has half the output voltage, they perform the same when volume is same. SNR is better at higher volume, you wont be able to use that without connecting to an amp, and you wont hear it anyway
The EU is half the voltage of US
 
D

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There are phones that have a DAC and headphone amp inside, and that rely on dongles to output the analog audio via their USB Type-C port.
That is not what these dongles are.
The ones tested here have their own DAC, Headphone Amp, and ADC built into the Type-C plug. They're genuine USB DACs.
The performance of which is what Amir tested in this review.
Oh! -Now I'm curious about that lightning to 3.5mm. jack I have that I use all the time for sound testing HiFi equipment. I wonder if that's an adapter or a DAC.
 

Jeromeof

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Oh! -Now I'm curious about that lightning to 3.5mm. jack I have that I use all the time for sound testing HiFi equipment. I wonder if that's an adapter or a DAC.
Pretty sure it's the same as the USB-C one with a different connector. Apple will be forced (at least in Europe) to use USB-C on future iPhones so these lightning variations will disappear and apple will probably ultimately only sell the USB-C version - though I imagine the Europe one will continue to be limited compared to the US version
 
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