Smartphone DAC chips

[BDWoody]

What USB-C > 3.5mm do you use with your Pixel on the go? I just got the Pixel 8 and am now a headphone orphan. Unless I keep the 4a 5G around just for music. Which I might do.

I have two dongle DAC/amps (Tanchjim and the Qudelix) that I connect with USB, then connect headphones to the DAC. I do miss the headphone jack on my old LG.

 

[Rottmannash]

My S10+ has a HP output jack and sounds good but limited in volume. I don't think Samsung includes 3.5 mm outs on any of their flagship phones anymore.

 

[staticV3]

As far as I can tell, Sony and Asus are the only companies that have released flagship smartphones with built-in headphone jacks in 2023:
https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2023&chk35mm=selected&sMakers=46,7&nOrder=1

 

[pavuol]

My S10+ has a HP output jack and sounds good but limited in volume. I don't think Samsung includes 3.5 mm outs on any of their flagship phones anymore.

Yes, 10 was the last from "S" line. The highest we can go with 2023 line for instance is M34/F34 (siblings models), lower tier, but not that bad specs for a music player - 5G 6,5" FHD+ Amoled, microSDXC, Li-Po 6000 mAh etc.

 

[Chromatischism]

I have two dongle DAC/amps (Tanchjim and the Qudelix) that I connect with USB, then connect headphones to the DAC. I do miss the headphone jack on my old LG.

Ahh I had a look at the Tanchjim Space and that's much more than I need. I just need one for unbalanced IEMs.

 

[Oso Polar]

Unless one wants to go straight from the USB C out>3.5 mm jack into an aux input on one's car then the DAC is used.

I wonder how you'll insert USB-C cable directly into 3.5 mm jack? AFAIK you'll need an USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter cable - which will have its own DAC inside.

 

[Rottmannash]

I wonder how you'll insert USB-C cable directly into 3.5 mm jack? AFAIK you'll need an USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter cable - which will have its own DAC inside.

Unless one uses something like UAPP which can bypass the android mixer, hence the internal phone DAC then one will "hear" the internal DAC even when outputting from the USB C jack to another outboard dongle DAC. Maybe that's clearer.

 

[staticV3]

Unless one uses something like UAPP which can bypass the android mixer, hence the internal phone DAC then one will "hear" the internal DAC even when outputting from the USB C jack to another outboard dongle DAC. Maybe that's clearer.

The phone's built-in DAC is never used when outputting digital via USB.

Using regular Apps, it's Audio->OS Mixer->USB->DAC
Using UAPP, etc. it's Audio->USB->DAC.

 

[Rottmannash]

The phone's built-in DAC is never used when outputting digital via USB.

Using regular Apps, it's Audio->OS Mixer->USB->DAC
Using UAPP, etc. it's Audio->USB->DAC.

Isn't that what I said?

 

[unpluggged]

Isn't that what I said?

No.

 

[staticV3]

Isn't that what I said?

One will never hear the internal DAC when outputting audio digitally.

 

[Rottmannash]

One will never hear the internal DAC when outputting audio digitally.

I was mistaken then. How does the signal end up @ 48 kHz? I assumed the internal DAC resampled then sent the signal out via USB.

 

[voodooless]

I was mistaken then. How does the signal end up @ 48 kHz? I assumed the internal DAC resampled then sent the signal out via USB.

No, it’s just the Android operating system doing that.

 

[Rottmannash]

No, it’s just the Android operating system doing that.

Thanks for clarifying that. Those tiny electrons in smartphones bamboozle me. So the only drawback to not using UAPP is the sampling rate being fixed? Is the stream bit perfect in this configuration?

 

[voodooless]

So the only drawback to not using UAPP is the sampling rate being fixed? Is the stream bit perfect in this configuration?

Definitely not for anything that is not 48 kHz, it’s resampled after all. At 48 kHz, still not sure. It may even differ from phone to phone, depending on how it is implemented.

 

[Rottmannash]

No, it’s just the Android operating system doing that.

I guess my confusion is how does that sample rate conversion occur? What device converts this? I thought it must be the DAC, as most can perform sample rate conversion (can't they?).

I guess it could be done in software? Clearly I'm making too many uneducated assumptions without the requisite knowledge of how smartphone/Android mixers work.

 

[voodooless]

I guess it could be done in software?

It is done in software on the phone main CPU(s) in most cases.

 

[antcollinet]

Thanks for clarifying that. Those tiny electrons in smartphones bamboozle me. So the only drawback to not using UAPP is the sampling rate being fixed? Is the stream bit perfect in this configuration?

No not bit perfect - by resampling you are changing the bits.

But if done correctly - audibly perfect. The change to the audio signal from resampling is tiny - well below the level of audiblity.

 

[Rottmannash]

Thanks for that info-I learned something today.

 

[Ferrum Master]

Anyone has done recent Sony Xperia tests? It still stubbornly has an audio jack. I don't have a really decent ADC to even try. Only a CS5381.