• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Review: Apple vs Google USB-C Headphone Adapters

ninetylol

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Dec 7, 2019
Messages
666
Likes
623
Okay I got the Apple dongle and it was really quiet on my Galaxy s8+ even at Max volume. Changing Hardware volume to max with uapp seemed to help though.
 

fox

New Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2020
Messages
1
Likes
0
Any comments regarding the compatibility of the Apple USB C to 3.5mm with Android (Samsung A 7) ?
 

TLDRonin

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2019
Messages
9
Likes
2
From what I've read here, there shouldn't be a big difference between the apple lightning and usb c dongle, but there seems to be a pretty big difference in noise floor with the andromeda


The andromedas are significantly hissier out of the lightning dongle compared to the usb c dongle
 

Pawelekdabek

Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2019
Messages
86
Likes
86
@fox It should work fine, but i would suggest you to use it with UAPP because it offers much higher audio quality aswell with much stronger power output.
 

Windofrce

Active Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2020
Messages
104
Likes
47
Can anyone tell me what I am losing if I buy this USB-C adapter in EU? I want to use it on my PC, not phone. Does it have weaker AMP only or also lower quality DAC than US version? I will use it with my Atom AMP so if it has weaker AMP it is okay for me. What about DAC performance?
 

Pawelekdabek

Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2019
Messages
86
Likes
86
Can anyone tell me what I am losing if I buy this USB-C adapter in EU? I want to use it on my PC, not phone. Does it have weaker AMP only or also lower quality DAC than US version? I will use it with my Atom AMP so if it has weaker AMP it is okay for me. What about DAC performance?
It performance is worse, lower power output aswell with worse thd and etc. You can buy US version on eBay.
 

bobbooo

Major Contributor
Joined
Aug 30, 2019
Messages
1,479
Likes
2,079
Can anyone tell me what I am losing if I buy this USB-C adapter in EU? I want to use it on my PC, not phone. Does it have weaker AMP only or also lower quality DAC than US version? I will use it with my Atom AMP so if it has weaker AMP it is okay for me. What about DAC performance?

Here are measurements of the EU version: https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/dac/apple-usb-c.php

Unfortunately they haven't measured the US version so there's no direct comparison, but you can compare with Amir's measurements of it. I just did a quick max voltage measurement with both from my PC - the US version is max 1V, the EU is 0.5V.
 
Last edited:

vitalii427

Senior Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 19, 2017
Messages
386
Likes
531
Location
Kiev, Ukraine
Here are measurements of the EU version: https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/dac/apple-usb-c.php

Unfortunately they haven't measured the US version so there's no direct comparison, but you can compare with Amir's measurements of it. I just did a quick max voltage measurement with both from my PC - the US version is max 1V, the EU is 0.5V.
How to differentiate EU and US versions?

I have some dongles including Apple USB-C and Google USB-C. Will post my measurements tomorrow.
 
Last edited:

Windofrce

Active Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2020
Messages
104
Likes
47

bobbooo

Major Contributor
Joined
Aug 30, 2019
Messages
1,479
Likes
2,079
How to differentiate EU and US versions?

The US version has model number A2049 and the EU one is model A2155 (both have the model number written on the cable).
 

bobbooo

Major Contributor
Joined
Aug 30, 2019
Messages
1,479
Likes
2,079
What about DAC performance?

Those measurements I linked to are of the DAC (line out) performance. Bear in mind with a max output of only 0.5V for the EU version you may have to turn your Atom up to quite high levels which could raise the distortion/noise of the Apple dongle to possibly audible levels.
 

bobbooo

Major Contributor
Joined
Aug 30, 2019
Messages
1,479
Likes
2,079

ninetylol

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Dec 7, 2019
Messages
666
Likes
623
Another question about the EU Dongle: When speaking about max mW before clipping what does that actually mean in practice?

If i connect the Apple Dongle to my Windows PC, will it actually distort at 100% volume? Because from what im seeing from Amirs graphs theres no sudden rise in distortion even at max volume. So does that "max before clipping mW" number just means the device can output "x mW" at 100% volume?
 

Angstrom

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2020
Messages
95
Likes
64
I decided to measure Average and Peak dB for the following devices against two songs played all the way through.

The test subjects: iPhone 7 plus, iPad 6, or MacBook Pro 15" 2016 vs Sennheiser HD-6xx Headphone

Another test I could run is Apple Music vs Qubux vs Tidal, vs Spotify. but enough looking this morning.

Source: Qubuz.
Here are the measured numbers

Foy Vance “Make it Rain”. - Track encoded: 24 Bit 44 kHz Max Volume all devices except XD05 Plus

  • iPhone 7 Plus with Lighting to Headphone dongle - 76 dB with Peak of 96 dB
  • iPad 6 Headphone Adapter - 85 dB average with a peak dB of 107
  • iPad 6 with Lighting to Headphone dongle - 83 dB average with a peak dB of 104
  • MacBook Pro Headphone jack 85 dB average with a peak dB of 110
  • MacBook Pro xDuoo XD05 Plus 3/4 volume Gain Level 1 - 86 dB average with a peak dB of 107
Rodrigo y Gabriela Live in France Haunman: Track encoded 16 bit 44 kHz Max Volume all devices except XD05 Plus

  • iPhone 8 Plus with Headphone Adapter - 82 dB average with 96 dB Peak
  • iPad with Headphone Adapter Average - 95 dB average 107 dB peak
  • iPad with Lighting to Headphone dongle - 94 dB average 107 dB peak
  • MacBook Pro Headphone jack 93 dB average with a peak dB of 110 dB
  • MacBook Pro xDuoo XD05 Plus 3/4 volume Gain Level 1 - 97 dB average with a peak dB of 110
  • MacBook Pro xDuoo XD05 Plus 3/4 volume Gain Level 3 - 99 dB average with a peak dB of 118.
One thing I have to say please do not play at these average dB levels we see on iPAD and Macbook Pro, it will not give you the best sound nor will it be good for your hearing. What this show is you can back off the volume on iPhone, iPAD and Macbook Pro volume drive your favorite headset. From here you can look at what level give you most optimal performance.
 
Last edited:

Cahudson42

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 21, 2019
Messages
1,083
Likes
1,556
Earlier in the thread someone asked about compatibility of the Apple USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter with Windows 7
Has anyone gotten the Apple dongle to work on Windows 7? I keep getting 'camnot start 0' thouugh drivers appear to install (a full USB a/b Speaka installs and works fine, apparently using the same M$ drivers..)
 

infinitesymphony

Major Contributor
Joined
Nov 21, 2018
Messages
1,072
Likes
1,806
Has anyone gotten the Apple dongle to work on Windows 7? I keep getting 'camnot start 0' thouugh drivers appear to install (a full USB a/b Speaka installs and works fine, apparently using the same M$ drivers..)
Back on page 11 you can see I tried everything I could think of to get this device working in Windows 7 without any success. Upgrading to a newer version of Windows is the way forward if your processor supports it.
 

majingotan

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 13, 2018
Messages
1,511
Likes
1,781
Location
Laguna, Philippines
Saw this report confirming that this little $9 dongle is all you need if you only care about getting the best sound for the money (no extra features of course)

Capture.PNG
 
Top Bottom