Hi.
I'm holding off on pre-ordering until I see some real world reviews.
A must have for me is very good headphone audio quality. I did have high hopes since the phone is made by HTC who have have a good reputation using dedicated quality DACs in their phones previously.
I can't find any information on the internet describing what to expect form an audio perspective apart from the dual speakers which don't really interest me.
Since the phone delivers audio over the USB-C port via a digital signal, am I correct in saying there will be no on-board DAC and sound quality will be solely driven by the headphones or/and the 3.5mm converter which contains something to decode the digital signal?
In-short, is the Pixel 2 Headphone audio likely to be inferior to something like the HTC 10 for example?
owens2000 said:
Hi.
I'm holding off on pre-ordering until I see some real world reviews.
A must have for me is very good headphone audio quality. I did have high hopes since the phone is made by HTC who have have a good reputation using dedicated quality DACs in their phones previously.
I can't find any information on the internet describing what to expect form an audio perspective apart from the dual speakers which don't really interest me.
Since the phone delivers audio over the USB-C port via a digital signal, am I correct in saying there will be no on-board DAC and sound quality will be solely driven by the headphones or/and the 3.5mm converter which contains something to decode the digital signal?
In-short, is the Pixel 2 Headphone audio likely to be inferior to something like the HTC 10 for example?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My understanding is all device currently out that uses USB C still sends an analog signal because it is still handled by an internal DAC. The Pixel 2 doesn't use an Internal DAC to push the signal and the adapter has a DAC inside of it to convert the signal. You can't by a pass through or it won't work. Apple current devices you can use any as long as it is supported, and some of them don't have DAC's inside. I actually think internal DAC's so be on the way out and it should drop the costs of devices. There's a lot better DACs out there, and are universal you can get the sound you want when you find the one for you. I prefer to not have a huge list of things just to buy a phone. I'd rather have like 5 things I am looking for and the rest I already have in my pocket if you know what I mean?
Someone told me that the iPhone adapter has a DAC in it but after seeing it I am a bit skeptical. I think it's their anti-cheap cable chip thing which is supposed to go into all cables to be certified by Apple.
Actually HTC devices without a jack only output digital audio, and I'm 99.9% certain the Essential is the same. Both of their adapters contain DACs and amps (I read an explicit statement from Essential that this was the case), and we know the HTC adapter works with the Essential phone. I don't know about Motorola; I've read there are compatibility problems between their adapters and some other manufacturers, but that may be because not everyone is applying the digital audio standard correctly rather than one being analogue.
Unlike USB-C Apple's Lightning port has no analogue outputs, so their adapter must have a DAC in it. Since they are using custom chips they may have integrated it with some of the other functions (same as the Qualcomm SoCs contain a DAC as well).
As for the original question, is the Pixel 2 wired headphone output likely to be inferior to a phone with a headphone jack: it will depend on the quality of the DAC and amp in the adapter you use (and we'll include "external USB DAC" as an "adapter" for this discussion). If the Google adapter is inferior it should be possible to find a better one (with more options as phones using this standard become more common). At this point I don't think anyone has any idea what the quality from the bundled adapter will be, though using the HTC 10 as your reference you set the standard higher than most phones with a jack (and certainly higher than the first generation Pixel). I've bought a HTC adapter to test with the Pixel 2, and assuming it is compatible I'll do some comparisons between that and the Google one when I have time (I won't be completely surprised if they turn out to be the same thing in different packages though, given HTC's involvement in the Pixels).
Large Hadron said:
Actually HTC devices without a jack only output digital audio, and I'm 99.9% certain the Essential is the same. Both of their adapters contain DACs and amps (I read an explicit statement from Essential that this was the case), and we know the HTC adapter works with the Essential phone. I don't know about Motorola; I've read there are compatibility problems between their adapters and some other manufacturers, but that may be because not everyone is applying the digital audio standard correctly rather than one being analogue.
Unlike USB-C Apple's Lightning port has no analogue outputs, so their adapter must have a DAC in it. Since they are using custom chips they may have integrated it with some of the other functions (same as the Qualcomm SoCs contain a DAC as well).
As for the original question, is the Pixel 2 wired headphone output likely to be inferior to a phone with a headphone jack: it will depend on the quality of the DAC and amp in the adapter you use (and we'll include "external USB DAC" as an "adapter" for this discussion). If the Google adapter is inferior it should be possible to find a better one (with more options as phones using this standard become more common). At this point I don't think anyone has any idea what the quality from the bundled adapter will be, though using the HTC 10 as your reference you set the standard higher than most phones with a jack (and certainly higher than the first generation Pixel). I've bought a HTC adapter to test with the Pixel 2, and assuming it is compatible I'll do some comparisons between that and the Google one when I have time (I won't be completely surprised if they turn out to be the same thing in different packages though, given HTC's involvement in the Pixels).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply and I look forward to reading your findings.
I must say, I find this whole trend towards usb-c driven headphones not exactly consumer friendly. I've not seen a strong enough argument by any of the manufacturers to justify the change, rather than reclaiming space to cram in other tech. Having to carry around an adapter as well as my existing headphones is just plain inconvenient.
Had Google included a pair of quality usb-c buds in the package with the Pixel 2 (and an adapter) while promoting a better than average audio experience (as per the HTC 10) that would have been enough for me to commit and pre-order without hesitation. Perhaps I'm not the typical mobile user these days whose priority, after the basic capability of making a phone call is to listen to quality audio.
You will probably can get a better DAC than the one generally included in the phones SoC.
Any small DAC should have a similar quality to phones DAC.
Now the Type C is strong. I can even power a Fulla 2 DAC/AMP with my 6P.
Sent from my Nexus 6P
One of the reviews I've read today (can't remember which) stated that the HTC adapter does work with the Pixel 2. That's a positive sign with regards to standards, which is what's needed if we're to have more options.
So, any news about this topic?
I've been using the Pixel 2 since Thursday and the audio with the dongle is fine. If audio quality is really important, then get an external DAC. I have a Fiio E18 and the quality is exceptional.
Without decent headphones the audio output method is almost meaningless, especially if you use earbuds.
I recently got a pair of Audeze EL-8 Over Ear, Closed Back headphones and the audio from the Pixel 2 with or without the DAC is excellent (better with, of course).
The audio with the dongle is absolutely terrible. I spent some time listening to it this morning and was appalled at the quality. So much so that I came here specifically looking for a solution.
Blown 89 said:
The audio with the dongle is absolutely terrible. I spent some time listening to it this morning and was appalled at the quality. So much so that I came here specifically looking for a solution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The solution is an external DAC: Audioquest DragonFly Black or Red are absolute hit.
https://www.phonearena.com/phones/Google-Pixel-2-XL_id10568/benchmarks
They said in the presentation that the dongle includes a DAC (I remember hearing it, please correct me if I'm wrong) Apparently the Pixel 2 sounds louder than most phones, close to iPhones. Don't know about the quality though...
omarfarrah said:
https://www.phonearena.com/phones/Google-Pixel-2-XL_id10568/benchmarks
They said in the presentation that the dongle includes a DAC (I remember hearing it, please tell me if I'm wrong) Apparently the Pixel 2 sounds louder than most phones, close to iPhones. Don't know about the quality though...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it will contain a DAC. It uses USB-C digital audio, so with the output being digital there must be a DAC in order to produce the analogue waveform needed by your headphones. The same is true for most if not all phones using USB-C audio (certainly the HTC U11 and Essential PH-1, and I've read others confirm that the HTC adapter works with both the Essential and the Pixel 2).
I've had the pixel 2 xl for a few days now. I've used my regular headphones through the usbc dongle. It worked ok the first time I tried it. But last night I couldn't get any sound through it. So I unplugged and replugged it back it. The dongle was really warm. I rebooted and tried it again. The audio did finally come through but there was a lot of static and again the dongle was uncomfortably warm.
Fidgiting with it seemed to change the audio but it was very finicky. Hoping it was just the dongle.
Blown 89 said:
The audio with the dongle is absolutely terrible. I spent some time listening to it this morning and was appalled at the quality. So much so that I came here specifically looking for a solution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is so disappointing. Do you think it might be dodgy dongle and have you asked Google for a replacement?
Can others confirm if the above is also your experience?
owens2000 said:
That is so disappointing. Do you think it might be dodgy dongle and have you asked Google for a replacement?
Can others confirm if the above is also your experience?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was listening to some music I loaded at the Verizon store. Comparing it to the V30 made it sound even worse. I have a friend that's an audio engineer that tested his. His comments were "finicky trying to get it to work, once it does....sounds like garbage. would be fine for a podcast or probably mostly youtube content, but music blows."
FWIW I was listening with Futuresonic G10's
I have no idea what people here are tripping on when they say audio quality from the dongle sucks?? Maybe they have a defective piece. Just compared sound from my s7 with viper vs pixel, and obviously the s7 sounded better cuz, it has viper on it but honestly couldnt complain about the sound of the pixel. No way it was close to being terrible, no WAY. It was almost the same,once viper comes and a few tweaks are made, it will be just as good or very close to it. I tested with samsung headphones and even sennheiser over the ear headphones fwiw
BTW. They RMA'd the phone, when I told them about the dongle heating up.
Hopefully the next one will be better.
owens2000 said:
That is so disappointing. Do you think it might be dodgy dongle and have you asked Google for a replacement?
Can others confirm if the above is also your experience?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is not my experience. Audio seems fine.
94wolfpack said:
BTW. They RMA'd the phone, when I told them about the dongle heating up.
Hopefully the next one will be better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. I'd have thought it would have been cheaper to send you a replacement dongle and see whether that fixed it, and replace the phone if not.
Blown 89 said:
The audio with the dongle is absolutely terrible. I spent some time listening to it this morning and was appalled at the quality. So much so that I came here specifically looking for a solution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the opposite experience. I download my Spotify library using the "extreme quality" setting enabled. Not sure what technical quality "extreme" is, but listening to The Beatles white album was amazing and sounded great. Could hear all the nuances, highs and lows.
Related
One of the reasons I'm abandoning my Galaxy S5 is that the audio doesn't sound great. Does anyone know what DAC is in the LG F Flex 2? I can't find it online anywhere, and in-store comparison is difficult.
I cannot agree more. I have no idea what DAC LG uses in this phone but to me it sounds at least 50% better even over the BT in my car.
I just couldn't set the EQ to my liking on S5 no matter how hard I tried. It was always only "acceptable".
Just as a heads up. The DAC on the phone doesn't do anything when over Bluetooth. The phone sends audio as 0s & 1s over Bluetooth, and the receiver/head unit has a DAC which does the converting. All that to say, I haven't been totally blown away by call quality, but i d say it's better than the gs3 which is what one coming from.
zoundguy said:
Just as a heads up. The DAC on the phone doesn't do anything when over Bluetooth. The phone sends audio as 0s & 1s over Bluetooth, and the receiver/head unit has a DAC which does the converting. All that to say, I haven't been totally blown away by call quality, but i d say it's better than the gs3 which is what one coming from.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I know that, but the sound either wired or over BT sounds to me much more clearer with more detail and better separation. Why? No idea.
Exactly. It's odd. According the reviews in gsmarena (which I found after posting), basically the gs5 has terrific measured specs for audio via wired headphones, which is all I really care about. Clearly, if I wanted nice speakers, I'd either buy some or at least have an HTC One. And, as zoundguy correctly points out, the DAC is irrelevant to digitally-transmitted media. All that said, my GS5 still sounds like crap.
scottegos2 said:
Exactly. It's odd. According the reviews in gsmarena (which I found after posting), basically the gs5 has terrific measured specs for audio via wired headphones, which is all I really care about. Clearly, if I wanted nice speakers, I'd either buy some or at least have an HTC One. And, as zoundguy correctly points out, the DAC is irrelevant to digitally-transmitted media. All that said, my GS5 still sounds like crap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm with you on that one. I'm using wire in my truck and BT in my car. Both sound better than my S5 which I happily traded in for $120.
Hello fellow 6p users.. I'm thinking of upgrading either my Xiaomi Piston 3 or my AKG 518 headphones to something at the range of around 100€ .
But given the not so great audio quality of the 6p ,i was wondering if it's actually worth it.
I would be very grateful If you could advise me with some solid choices, I'm thinking at the moment the Momentum Sennheiser, either IEM or Over air.. Something with 3 buttons (play/pause and volume control and inline mic) that actually work.
Over air will not be that good, all the air will distort the audio
on a serious note Im using Shure SE215 with mine. as you know audio on 6p isnt great, Viper Audio is a must if you are serious about audio. Im using a headphone amp as well
Shot in the dark but I have these and loe them. Everyone that listens to them has been impressed with the quality.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01AJ...cder+ghost&dpPl=1&dpID=51ISMYs9FcL&ref=plSrch
I'm not sure if this is on topic enough but I've noticed Bluetooth overall is very subpar and can be prone to interference (frequent cut outs when the phone's in my pocket or if I make a very short trip to the next room). This mainly applies to my headphones which have worked fine on several other devices. Of course this would be one of the only times I keep it in my pocket--when using headphones cutting grass, walking,etc.
I'm using viper. The volume and general sound quality are fine, not great be meets my standards. Only bring it up in case anyone happens to know how to improve it.
M50x for sure. Cant be beaten for the money
Wow,no sleep does bad things when typing,i clearly needed some air..
Back on subject, i would love to get M50x but i can't find a good deal either on Greece (my home country) or in Italy that I'm currently for vacation.. Cheapest i can find them is 150€ , which I'll might have ti spend in order to get a good over the air headset.. How is the build quality of the M50?
Thanks for the Bluetooth one,but i prefer wired headphones..
As for viper4android, i haven't rooted yet but i think i will soon in order to improve audio..
tagari said:
Wow,no sleep does bad things when typing,i clearly needed some air..
Back on subject, i would love to get M50x but i can't find a good deal either on Greece (my home country) or in Italy that I'm currently for vacation.. Cheapest i can find them is 150€ , which I'll might have ti spend in order to get a good over the air headset.. How is the build quality of the M50?
Thanks for the Bluetooth one,but i prefer wired headphones..
As for viper4android, i haven't rooted yet but i think i will soon in order to improve audio..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@tagari m50x are greatly built, just bought a pair not too long ago. great set of headphones.
I'm not sure if you can get these in Greece, but they are iem that have a built inline dac/amp. The caveat is that it doesn't use the 3.5mm audio jack. It uses the usb-c port, via an adaptor. I got them for my N5 and now use them with my N6p. Works well and you can boost the volume up to the point that it's uncomfortably loud...
Z:ero Digital Earphone - Gold https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YMMRAGE/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_38eoxb2HXPGGV
USB 3.1 Type-C to MicroUSB 2.0 Female OTG Adapter, Gray, pack of 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018G6IK7E/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_N.eoxb94P8748
As for over the ear, I like using my sony mdrv6 with my FiiO q1... Via an otg adaptor...
Sony MDRV6 Studio Monitor Headphones with CCAW Voice Coil https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00001WRSJ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_0ffoxbGG4WEVS
FiiO Q1 Portable USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0157DKAU4/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_qhfoxb656B6Z3
CableCreation Gold USB 3.1 Type C (USB-C) to USB 3.0 A Female Adapter Cable, USB-C OTG Cable,the New Macbook, Chromebook Pixel and More, 0.5ft Gold https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0144GCXY6/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_SifoxbVAGMDS5
As for players, I use paid versions of poweramp via the 3.5mm jack and onkyo hf player via the usb port...
Turns out getting rid of the headphone jack is not such a great idea when it leaves you with no plan B
http://bgr.com/2016/11/07/iphone-7-plus-review-addendum-bluetooth-problems
First Samsung got rid of removable battery and they have a total Fukushima meltdown
Then Apple gets rid of headphone jack and their latest and greatest phone has unfixable Bluetooth connection issues...
Thank you LG V20
lets let those two companies play with each other in the corner while the rest of us laugh with popcorn.
Plus a lot of us enthusiasts have too many great and expensive headphones that we wont be parting ways with anytime soon.
Sent from my LG-H990 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Apple is not the first company or first phone to remove the headphone jack. Let's not forget about the slim and sexy Oppo R5. Oppo has removed the 3.5mm jack because their whole phone is thinner than 3.5mm. People don't like the idea much and R5 didn't get much of the limelight.
(Premise: I'm an audiophile and a sound engineer in the free time) Well, the only reason i could judge acceptable for mobile phone companies to get rid of the headphone Jack is to change the way sound flow is managed nowadays, to be clear;
DAC in our smartphones is the "weakest link" in the audio path, you can have a pair of 1000$ cans but you wont be able to get the right sound quality from a phone without using an extra Amp, especially for high impedance cans such as Hd500, DT880, DT990, and so on. The only reason Apple, HTC and others like LeEco, Lenovo have dropped the use of the Jack is; they don't care about sound and they don't want to include DAC in their devices anymore, anyhow most of phones use the integrated sound processing of the SoC, only a few such as HTC 10, LG v20 and other niche market phones have dedicated quality DACs. Manufacturers that get rid of the Jack think this way: "why should i provide a quality converter? Why quality headphones manufacturers can't get the responsability of digital/analog conversion?" By only providing USB-C or Lightning ports on devices, the can manufacturer will have to embed a DAC inside the headphone, so it will be his work to convert the digital signal into music, which is much more logical... Downside is, this new devices without Jack have only one plug you can use at once and yes, you have no plan B, either using BT headsets or use USB-C/Lightning headphones (but can't recharge while headpones are plugged in, bummer). Philips has already released lighting headphones that sound pretty good. It's another way to conceive audio path. It might be the future i don't know. What i DO know, is that I appreciate corded Headphones with the V20 DAC and i've been waiting for a device with this sound quality for years!
spiderx_mm said:
Apple is not the first company or first phone to remove the headphone jack. Let's not forget about the slim and sexy Oppo R5. Oppo has removed the 3.5mm jack because their whole phone is thinner than 3.5mm. People don't like the idea much and R5 didn't get much of the limelight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Slim and sexy doesn't even need to be a requirement for ditching the jack. The T-Mobile G1, the very first Android phone but not even the first to go without a jack, was neither sexy nor slim and it didn't have a headphone jack. I hated that dongle and preferred to just carry a dedicated mp3 player instead.
I happen to just like having something to plug a Square (or other credit card reader) into.
axaman943 said:
The only reason Apple, HTC and others like LeEco, Lenovo have dropped the use of the Jack is; they don't care about sound and they don't want to include DAC in their devices anymore, anyhow most of phones use the integrated sound processing of the SoC, only a few such as HTC 10, LG v20 and other niche market phones have dedicated quality DACs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple dropping the jack really wasn't a decision based on sound equipment issues at all. It was a move to force all new iphone users onto Apple pay. Small businesses that use the credit card swipers need the headphone jack. Those systems compete with Apple pay that uses NFC to bypass the need for the credit card swipe device. With one move to eliminate the jack Apple just disrupted a huge part the mobile payments business to their benefit.
Didn't know about this thing, pretty sharp...
Can't find much of anything for USB-C headphones yet. I have a bluetooth set (actually a couple) but don't always bring them or charge them. Part of that is b/c I haven't had to yet. I suspect I'll eventually just keep them with me more often and charge them more regularly - but we're not there yet.
I found these JBL ones through HTC that have some potential. I usually like JBL stuff and these are the style that I like (with the little wing to keep it in place). They're marked down a LOT right now to $80 at HTC.com (from $200, also seen them at $150). I just placed an order to give them a try - can't really be sure they're 100% compatible yet, but I think they're worth a shot. I also haven't really found them sold at any other reputable places online (there's also an Apple Lightning version too).
http://www.htc.com/us/accessories/jbl-reflect-aware-c-earphones/
Anyone found any others they're going to try?
ack154 said:
Can't find much of anything for USB-C headphones yet. I have a bluetooth set (actually a couple) but don't always bring them or charge them. Part of that is b/c I haven't had to yet. I suspect I'll eventually just keep them with me more often and charge them more regularly - but we're not there yet.
I found these JBL ones through HTC that have some potential. I usually like JBL stuff and these are the style that I like (with the little wing to keep it in place). They're marked down a LOT right now to $80 at HTC.com (from $200, also seen them at $150). I just placed an order to give them a try - can't really be sure they're 100% compatible yet, but I think they're worth a shot. I also haven't really found them sold at any other reputable places online (there's also an Apple Lightning version too).
http://www.htc.com/us/accessories/jbl-reflect-aware-c-earphones/
Anyone found any others they're going to try?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The JBL's you bought from HTC should work. I know the HTC USonic earbuds won't, though, which is a bummer. They sound great on my U11. Can't comment on any other USB-C earbuds yet.
hx3 said:
The JBL's you bought from HTC should work. I know the HTC USonic earbuds won't, though, which is a bummer. They sound great on my U11. Can't comment on any other USB-C earbuds yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya, I remember reading somewhere that HTC's stuff isn't necessarily compatible with other USB C phones - which is dumb.
I just ordered those from HTC as well...seriously hope they're compatible, but I guess we'll see. I'd really prefer to never pull this dongle out of the box haha, but at this point I'm just happy to have that box in my possession after that whole launch/shipping fiasco
I tried pumping 1More for some info to see if they had any plans of make the quad driver (or even the triple driver) earbuds with USB C, since they already make it with that dopey lightning connection...and the response I received was that they may look into if some bigger companies begin using USB C...guess Google and others aren't quite big enough for them
Just tried my pair of usb Jbl headphones with the essential and I confirm it works.
Sent from my PH-1 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Headphones are here! As mentioned, yes, they do work fine. I'd give them a 6/10, I guess.
I didn't even realize these are active noise canceling too. That's really not something I even care about but I guess nice to have? Generally I find that most in-ear buds cancel enough noise on their own for my needs. The ANC just isn't really something I'd seek out and pay extra for.
Anyway - I like the headphones. The buds are BIG compared to others I've had. Like I think I already mentioned, I like the wings with any of my in-ear buds to fit better and stay in place. And just like any others, these come with various sizes of both the in-ear portion and the wings.
Sound isn't bad. There's a JBL app for them where you can setup your own EQ and control the noise cancelation (you can also do that from the inline remote). I don't really notice a difference in the settings, but maybe I'll play with that more next time I'm flying (later this year). Since they are active noise canceling, they will draw power from your phone (and there's a permission popup when you first connect them).
Biggest complaint is that they are not loud enough. I wish it had maybe 2 or 3 more clicks of volume than it does. Maybe I won't care as much with the noise canceling, but I don't want to feel like I have to max them every time.
I also want to try this Xiaomi set: http://c.mi.com/thread-226064-1-1.html
These may have compatibility problems like the HTCs though. I have a set of regular Xiaomi in-ear buds and really like them (comfort and sound quality). I'd like to believe these would be similar.
I've tried two different USB-C audio dongles from Amazon, neither worked. So far the only converter to work is the one that shipped with the phone. It will be good to see more headphone options.
simmons777 said:
I've tried two different USB-C audio dongles from Amazon, neither worked. So far the only converter to work is the one that shipped with the phone. It will be good to see more headphone options.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's unfortunate for those going the dongle route.
Were the ones you tried random "off" brand dongles that were just cheap? Or were they any sort of reputable brand?
Joseche and iTParts are the brands. I bought two of each and tested them all. They claim Moto Z support. Since it was Amazon, I send them back, no harm but I haven't found a dongle that works, other then the one that shipped with the phone.
I found an extra charger and adapter on eBay.
simmons777 said:
I've tried two different USB-C audio dongles from Amazon, neither worked. So far the only converter to work is the one that shipped with the phone. It will be good to see more headphone options.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same experience here. I emailed Essential to purchase more adapters (I like to keep them around the house, in the car, on my keychain, etc.) and they informed me that they do not sell them at this time. Bummer, so I went to Amazon and bought two of the Motorola-branded ones and of course, they don't work.
I think if I understand correctly, it has to do with Legacy USB audio. Some adapters have the DAC/amp in the dongle (which is what we apparently need on the Essential) and some route legacy audio through the USB-C port (like Motorola). So now I don't know where to turn.
Has anyone tried the HTC headphone adapter? If their USB-C headphones work on the Essential, then perhaps their dongle does as well. I guess it's worth another $20 gamble to see. Maybe it will even improve the audio
-Collin-
Edit: HTC is now sold out of the dongles. LOL **sigh**
CollinFX45 said:
Same experience here. I emailed Essential to purchase more adapters (I like to keep them around the house, in the car, on my keychain, etc.) and they informed me that they do not sell them at this time. Bummer, so I went to Amazon and bought two of the Motorola-branded ones and of course, they don't work.
I think if I understand correctly, it has to do with Legacy USB audio. Some adapters have the DAC/amp in the dongle (which is what we apparently need on the Essential) and some route legacy audio through the USB-C port (like Motorola). So now I don't know where to turn.
Has anyone tried the HTC headphone adapter? If their USB-C headphones work on the Essential, then perhaps their dongle does as well. I guess it's worth another $20 gamble to see. Maybe it will even improve the audio
-Collin-
Edit: HTC is now sold out of the dongles. LOL **sigh**
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the good news is, I just tried the HTC adapter and it for sure works. :highfive:
tw1tch175 said:
Well the good news is, I just tried the HTC adapter and it for sure works. :highfive:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks so much for confirming this!
simmons777 said:
I've tried two different USB-C audio dongles from Amazon, neither worked. So far the only converter to work is the one that shipped with the phone. It will be good to see more headphone options.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reason is the dongle that comes with the PH1 has a build in DAC, when you plugged it in after the latest software update for the phone, you got a message to update the software for the dongle.
I just found this adapter for 3.5 mm headphones and USB-C to USB-C. https://www.amazon.com/Headphone-Connector-Converter-Charging-Motorola/dp/B0714DYLW4
I've tried the HTC MAX320, no luck.
I used the ones included with the LeEco Le Pro 3 and they worked fine
Has anyone tried the Libratone Q Adapt USB-C Earphones sold by google they are also $150
I just purchased the Fiio BRT1 bluetooth adapter which has a high quality DAC in it (AK4376). Might be the way to go to charge and use headphones at same time without the dual-dongle approach. It should come today. Initial reviews for it seem positive. I have other AK-series DACs on other devices and really like them, so hopefully Fiio implements it well in this unit.
I think the best route though is to get a USB portable DAC/Amp unit and a usb-c otg cable for best sound quality -then you can use whatever headphones you want.
Can anyone tell me what the quality of the audio is like via the USB C dongle into in-ear headphones?
I'm coming from the HTC 10 and love the audio output on this device and what to know if HTC has managed to achieve similar levels of audio on the HTC u12+.
I came from the HTC 10 as well, and honestly, I think it sounds better using these than the headphones it came with. That Razer dongle with built-in DAC is amazing.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07798HM3H/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.htc.com/us/accessories-b/#!pid=htc-10&acc=htc-pro-studio-earphones
holz75 said:
I came from the HTC 10 as well, and honestly, I think it sounds better using these than the headphones it came with. That Razer dongle with built-in DAC is amazing.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07798HM3H/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.htc.com/us/accessories-b/#!pid=htc-10&acc=htc-pro-studio-earphones
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Thanks for letting me know about the audio quality via the Razor USB C dongle. This makes it even more tempting to pull the trigger and get the HTC U12+.
I've been toying between this and the Oneplus 6, due to the fact it's got a 3.mm headphone jack, but I'd be worried the audio wouldn't be too much and I'd need to start messing around with lots of mods to get it sounding good.
Just need to save a bit more now!
greenza said:
Thanks for letting me know about the audio quality via the Razor USB C dongle. This makes it even more tempting to pull the trigger and get the HTC U12+.
I've been toying between this and the Oneplus 6, due to the fact it's got a 3.mm headphone jack, but I'd be worried the audio wouldn't be too much and I'd need to start messing around with lots of mods to get it sounding good.
Just need to save a bit more now!
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Even with the current HTC USB-C-to-3.5mm dongle it sounds much better. Even better than on the U11. The Razor dongle, as far as I heard might add a little bit more to it, but that's kind of personal taste.
Using the JBL USB-C Reflect Aware ANC headphones currently. Those are damn great In-Ears.
Sent from my HTC U12+ using XDA Labs
I came from a HTC 10 and had a hard time finding something that sounds as good... The HTC oem 3.5 adapter is sold out everywhere so i haven't tried that one. I have tried 4 different adapters from Amazon, one generic and 3 that are supposed to include a decent DAC. The only adapter i have tried that was as good as the HTC 10 is the Razer adapter, in my opinion it actually sounds a little better.
jcallaway77 said:
I came from a HTC 10 and had a hard time finding something that sounds as good... The HTC oem 3.5 adapter is sold out everywhere so i haven't tried that one. I have tried 4 different adapters from Amazon, one generic and 3 that are supposed to include a decent DAC. The only adapter i have tried that was as good as the HTC 10 is the Razer adapter, in my opinion it actually sounds a little better.
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HTC Adapters in fact sounds different on U11 and U12+. It's weird, but it's better on the U12+.
Sent from my Huawei MediaPad M5 using XDA Labs
Pretty sure HTCs adapter is passtrough.
Maybe it just has an amp or something simple built in.
greenza said:
Can anyone tell me what the quality of the audio is like via the USB C dongle into in-ear headphones?
I'm coming from the HTC 10 and love the audio output on this device and what to know if HTC has managed to achieve similar levels of audio on the HTC u12+.
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Click to collapse
Currently testing the official adapter dongle... using MDR-1A and spotify highest quality.
I am incredibly impressed with the quality offered by HTC... The dongle appears very good at maintaining quality, as long as your set of headphones are also good quality.
I'm quite disappointed in the quality of the included USB-C earbuds (after so much marketing of U-Sonic and ANC I was expecting something better. HTC 10's included buds were much better.)
The included earbuds truly don't reflect the quality this phone is capable of.
1 complaint, not about the dongle, the U12+ native frequency signature is a lot on the bassy side (at times, though rarely, overpowering) and the sound stage separation could be slightly wider for my tastes. (Though I've been thoroughly spoiled by using Dolby Atmos on the HTC 10).
As mentioned this complaint isn't about the dongle but the phone itself.
So if you have a good set of headphones jump deep, you won't be disappointed.
Though if you do decide to save and buy an OP6, my best advice is take those savings and buy a very decent BT headphone, because BT audio has less loss of quality than 3.5mm, as the DAC and AMP are on the headphones themselves instead of cheap ones on the OP6.
Jorgp2 said:
Pretty sure HTCs adapter is passtrough.
Maybe it just has an amp or something simple built in.
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Though I can't prove it without further research (which I will def do), I'm inclined to disagree.
The adapter requires an app to provide firmware updates... Generally speaking AMPs are too simple to need firmware updates.
Also, i'm looking at mine now... and the case is HUGE... I don't see why an AMP would need such a huge case
Now, my gf has an iPhone 7, and her adapter has a much smaller case, I'm inclined to say her adapter is a passthrough. Though not HTC. It looks like a DAC + AMP combo.
As I said, I can't prove it without a teardown, but logical analysis would guide me to the above conclusion.