Type - C USB DAC help

V4NT0M · 28 Oct 2019 at 11:51

Long story inbound!

I'm looking at USB-C DACs but I'm not sure they will actually do what I want them to...

I have a phone with no headphone jack and USB-C it came with a 3.5mm dongle but the dongle doesn't seem to have a DAC built in (it doesn't work with PCs or Switch) and is likely passively passing the audio through from the onboard dac.

I bought a cheap USB-C DAC from Amazon as I wanted something that would also work with my Switch to possibly give better audio as the onboard audio has quite a bit of noise.

I have tested this on my phone and it seemed to still be passing through the same audio as the dongle that came with it. I had a further look into it and downloaded an audio player which directly accessed the DAC (bypass android audio stack) and let me choose audio formats etc... Whether using the packaged dongle or the DAC I get noise.

I tried it in the Switch and it worked but the audio seemed pretty comparable to the onboard audio with pretty much the same noise level.

The DAC I purchased seems to be realtek one but there are more expensive USB-C DACs out there with Cirrus Logic chips the questions I have are:

1) On the Android front will I notice a difference with general phone audio with a high end USB-C DAC like the HIDIZS S3 or will I need to use specific software to take advantage of it?

2) When plugged in to the Switch will I be able to get better audio using the better DAC?

robj20 · 28 Oct 2019 at 12:21

Do you know what DAC is built into your phone. You'd need to know your buying something better to improve the sound.

I'm after something similar, bit I want something that's 24bit 192+khz and also has a 2.5mm balanced output. Doesn't seem many available, just this one, they also do a standard 3.5mm output version.

iBasso DC01
https://www.advancedmp3players.co.u...SB-C_DAC_Adapter_with_2.5mm_Output.15381.html

b00merang69 · 28 Oct 2019 at 16:43

@ OP is this phone a Moto?

V4NT0M · 28 Oct 2019 at 16:49

b00merang69 said:
@ OP is this phone a Moto?

It's a Huawei Mate 20 Pro.

b00merang69 · 28 Oct 2019 at 16:59

I have same issue on a Moto Z2 Force in that is has an internal DAC that is claims to output 24/192 and the included USB-C to 3.5mm dongle has no DAC as well it shouldn't need one as the phone has one but I am not getting more then 24/48 out even using the above music player you mentioned and my primary choice of music player PowerAmp Pro.

I can get the same quality over Bluetooth using AptX-HD 24/48 and 24/96 using LDAC so something is not right

Someone on that players forums claims he got it to work on a Moto Z2 Force but not in PowerAmp but I am not sure what he did but I think he did mention he tried a USB DAC and it did not work for same reason as you said it simply passes same audio to it and this is confirmed by MOD on Lenovo forum (Moto brand owners).

gitbags · 29 Oct 2019 at 11:18

I had the same issues with my p20 pro. Couldn't bypass androids resampling and constant background noise, this was with an audiolab p-dac. Gave up in the end and just bought a shanling m0.

robj20 · 29 Oct 2019 at 12:33

Yeah I can't get higher than 24b, 48khz on my OP 7 Pro.
Don't know how to sort it out really.

Renegade · 31 Oct 2019 at 15:30

To get the most out of an external DAC you will certainly want to bypass Android's resampling, and that requires a player that has the drivers to do so. USB Audio Player Pro as been my player of choice for the last few years for this reason, and the fact that it integrates the ability to stream Tidal through it is another benefit.

I have the LG V30 (ESS quad DAC) so don't feel the need to add an external one, but the usage principal is the same. Streaming through the Tidal app, and streaming Tidal through USB Audio Player Pro is audibly improved via the latter.

V4NT0M · 1 Nov 2019 at 08:31

Renegade said:
To get the most out of an external DAC you will certainly want to bypass Android's resampling, and that requires a player that has the drivers to do so. USB Audio Player Pro as been my player of choice for the last few years for this reason, and the fact that it integrates the ability to stream Tidal through it is another benefit.

I have the LG V30 (ESS quad DAC) so don't feel the need to add an external one, but the usage principal is the same. Streaming through the Tidal app, and streaming Tidal through USB Audio Player Pro is audibly improved via the latter.

Thanks for the reply, most of what I listen to is streamed music and not really available for lossless download so I don't think I'll end up being able to make use of it on Android.