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Review: Apple vs Google USB-C Headphone Adapters

Ownsin

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Yes. Mind you, I use it with AD700s almost every night and with sensitive headphones it's totally usable. HD598 should still be driven to normal levels.

You have the EU version as well?
 

cryptout

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FYI I have two other dongles to test in the future. For now, I can recommend the Apple USB-C headphone adapter. For many people it may replace the portable thumb drive dac+amps.

Thanks @amirm you saved me money (again) with this review!
 

mgmate

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The only issue I see with my Galaxy tab S6 is, if I have a headset with volume controls when you try to up or down the volume goes all way up or all way down, not step by step.

The issue comes down to Apple manage volume control in a different way, but otherwise I have no issue with it. If somebody has a solution it would be great.

Also I tested the Samsung Galaxy dongle. Soundwise it is very difficult to differenciate in A/B test when volume is matched. It is very difficult to hear any real sound difference for me (as I said with Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 and USB Audio Player Pro).
 

SuperDerpBro

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Hello. For the past couple days i have been looking for the cheapest USB DAC, that doesn't completely suck, to use on a couple PCs. I'd like to play around with some cheap stuff before i invest in better gear.

I very rarely use headphones and i'm wondering if i could use this as a simple line out to various amplifiers? If so, would that require any special steps? Or could i just attach a 3.5mm to RCA adapter to it and everything would work fine? Is this dongle amplified for headphones? Isn't it "bad" to send an amplified signal to another amp?

Go easy on me, i'm new to adventures in audio!

Cheers :)
 

Degru

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Hello. For the past couple days i have been looking for the cheapest USB DAC, that doesn't completely suck, to use on a couple PCs. I'd like to play around with some cheap stuff before i invest in better gear.

I very rarely use headphones and i'm wondering if i could use this as a simple line out to various amplifiers? If so, would that require any special steps? Or could i just attach a 3.5mm to RCA adapter to it and everything would work fine? Is this dongle amplified for headphones? Isn't it "bad" to send an amplified signal to another amp?

Go easy on me, i'm new to adventures in audio!

Cheers :)
Yes, just get apple dongle and USB A to C adapter if computer does not have usbc and it should work fine with 3.5mm to RCA into an amp.

Don't worry about double amping ; it is only bad in specific circumstances.
 

AudioSceptic

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Hello. For the past couple days i have been looking for the cheapest USB DAC, that doesn't completely suck, to use on a couple PCs. I'd like to play around with some cheap stuff before i invest in better gear.

I very rarely use headphones and i'm wondering if i could use this as a simple line out to various amplifiers? If so, would that require any special steps? Or could i just attach a 3.5mm to RCA adapter to it and everything would work fine? Is this dongle amplified for headphones? Isn't it "bad" to send an amplified signal to another amp?

Go easy on me, i'm new to adventures in audio!

Cheers :)
Yes, you can but the output is low so you will have to increase the volume/gain on the amp quite a lot. Yes, it includes a headphone amp but I don't see much difference between this and any active (non-passive) line-level output. For only £/€/$9 why not just try it?
 

SuperDerpBro

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Yes, just get apple dongle and USB A to C adapter if computer does not have usbc and it should work fine with 3.5mm to RCA into an amp.

Don't worry about double amping ; it is only bad in specific circumstances.
Yes, you can but the output is low so you will have to increase the volume/gain on the amp quite a lot. Yes, it includes a headphone amp but I don't see much difference between this and any active (non-passive) line-level output. For only £/€/$9 why not just try it?
Thanks for the replys. How low are we talking? Should i just look elsewhere?
 

AudioSceptic

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Thanks for the replys. How low are we talking? Should i just look elsewhere?
See the review at the top of this thread. It's 1.0 V, which is ½ of (6 dB lower) than the CD/DAC standard of 2.0 V. This is the same as an iPhone so if you have one, try that into your amp.
 

Degru

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what's the 50mv SNR of apple dongle? I don't see it on amir's rankings. I'd imagine it would rank pretty high up there, because i can use it through a maxed out amp (using dongle's digital volume) with iems and still not hear any hiss.
 

Veri

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what's the 50mv SNR of apple dongle? I don't see it on amir's rankings. I'd imagine it would rank pretty high up there, because i can use it through a maxed out amp (using dongle's digital volume) with iems and still not hear any hiss.
Don't think @amirm did the 50mW measurement at the time.
 

AudioSceptic

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what's the 50mv SNR of apple dongle? I don't see it on amir's rankings. I'd imagine it would rank pretty high up there, because i can use it through a maxed out amp (using dongle's digital volume) with iems and still not hear any hiss.
So you have the amp's volume at 100% (or 10/10)? I prefer to have full volume from the DAC/adapter and the amp's volume closer to usual levels.
 

Degru

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So you have the amp's volume at 100% (or 10/10)? I prefer to have full volume from the DAC/adapter and the amp's volume closer to usual levels.
I find the dongle does not sound as nice when its digital volume is maxed out or in the upper reaches. Plus I prefer to use my keybinds to control volume over reaaching for the knob. The dongle has 120 steps of volume which is plenty.
 

SuperDerpBro

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See the review at the top of this thread. It's 1.0 V, which is ½ of (6 dB lower) than the CD/DAC standard of 2.0 V. This is the same as an iPhone so if you have one, try that into your amp.
Thanks. I think i have an iPhone 5 around here somewhere. I'll try it out.
 

bobbooo

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No.

Lightning to 3.5mm dongle has also different model numbers (US and EU) and they both deliver 1 Vrms when hooked to an iPad or a non EU iPhone. And 0'5 when hooked to an EU iPhone.

I have both dongles and have tested them.

Dunno see why USB-C dongle should be different.

Host rules the Vrms output. Not the dongle.

Hi, can I ask whether the iPad you used to test this was a US or EU version?
 

L5730

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Was quite tempted but being a citizen of the EU (for how much longer, there's a question for the just elected government) I don't fancy an item that hasn't been tested to perform so well, and many report that the output is much lower here.

I'll carry on with the oboard op-amp powered sound for now, it's fine even if not measured, nothing jumps out as bad. I just don't like plugging and unplugging the 3.5mm plug every time I want to use the headphones. If I disabled jack sensing, it just plays through front headphone jack and speakers via rear line out. 1st world problems :rolleyes:

Would love to see a proper comparison round up of a few of these. There are quite a lot of options on Amazon.
 
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amirm

amirm

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Would love to see a proper comparison round up of a few of these. There are quite a lot of options on Amazon.
I have been testing a lot of these. Search for "dongle" and you should find those reviews.
 
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