Develop Bugs

[Q] Audio line-out for Galaxy Nexus

Hello all ,
Is there a way to get an audio line-out from the Galaxy Nexus, either using an adapter or a docking station? I'm not looking for a solution like the one offered by the Samsung Galaxy S2's car dock (which streams bluetooth audio from the phone to the dock, then the dock turns the bluetooth streaming to analog audio through a 3.5mm port) but rather something like an adapter for the MHL port or from the docking station.
Appreciate all the help!

The obvious solution (at least to me) is to plug into the headphone jack. You could also use either the media dock or MHL adapter in conjunction with an HDMI-to-analog adapter such as the one linked below:
http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-RCA-comp...OQPU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1321905031&sr=8-2

vespoid said:
The obvious solution (at least to me) is to plug into the headphone jack. You could also use either the media dock or MHL adapter in conjunction with an HDMI-to-analog adapter such as the one linked below:
http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-RCA-comp...OQPU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1321905031&sr=8-2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He's asking for a line out solution because it will bypass the internal headphone amp that is utilized when the 3.5mm port is used. If you're plugging the phone into speakers or a sound system that way you'll get much better sound.

If the mhl -> HDMI cable adapter carries both audio and video, you could use an hdmi breakout adapter to split the digital audio. It depends on the HDMI output capabilities of the phone and the acceptability of digital audio for your needs.
Edit: would no doubt be a cumbersome solution. It all comes down to your usage scenario for the output.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk

Thank you vespoid, ardabey.
What OJ in Compton said, I'm looking to bypass the internal headphone amp, not sure if there are any details on the car dock or desk dock, I hope 3rd party manufacturers come up with something, any solutions are welcome.
Ali

Never thought about this, but a contactless dock with HDMI out directly to the AMP = audio bliss. Thanks to the forum for letting me see the obvious

Bumping this thread...has anyone successfully done this? I want line out audio for my car's 3.5mm AUX input - had it with my ipod and it sounded much better than through the headphone jack, as well the convenience of not having to maintain two volumes.
Hoping the official car dock that uses the 3 pin connector and has a 3.5 out would do this, but I'm worried it will just use BT to transmit the audio to the dock like I read the Nexus One dock did.

I wish too that the NG had line level out.
I think it's a limitation of the hardware. I think Apple is the online one that really uses line level out via it's dock connector.
I hope someday Google will use some sort of line level out on their reference hardware or built support directly into a newer OS.
I remember my old Dell DJ had line level out. Soooooo much better.

There is nothing wrong with the 3.5mm output sound quality wise.
Trying to drive headphone-like impedance (lower) with a line out isn't the best idea, but driving higher impedance inputs like your car deck isn't that bad as long as you let the amps do the "work" of boosting the volume and not your phone. While not optimal, the decrease in sound quality shouldn't be very noticeable.
The main advantage of the digital audio though USB (what apple does) IMO is that it eliminates the need to have both the USB plugged in to charge and the 3.5 mm cord for audio. It also allows song data to be shared and device control from the speaker/head unit. Good setups will recognize most android devices as mass USB storage and provide the same functionality, but I'm not sure how the MTS on the GN will affect this.

I would wait and see how the audio quality is from the dock. Even if it is bluetooth, the audio quality may not be that bad.

Lithoss said:
There is nothing wrong with the 3.5mm output sound quality wise.
Trying to drive headphone-like impedance (lower) with a line out isn't the best idea, but driving higher impedance inputs like your car deck isn't that bad as long as you let the amps do the "work" of boosting the volume and not your phone. While not optimal, the decrease in sound quality shouldn't be very noticeable.
The main advantage of the digital audio though USB (what apple does) IMO is that it eliminates the need to have both the USB plugged in to charge and the 3.5 mm cord for audio. It also allows song data to be shared and device control from the speaker/head unit. Good setups will recognize most android devices as mass USB storage and provide the same functionality, but I'm not sure how the MTS on the GN will affect this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is, that if the head unit supports MTP then yes it can read the device like mass-storage, thats fine, but it doesn't allow you to stream media from radio apps, youtube and turn-by-turn directions from gps, this is what we are looking for...
technically it's not sending analog audio output through the USB, its just reading the stored media on the phone.
I have read that samsung phones are able to accomplish sending analog audio through the USB while charging, with the correct resistance values (adapter) or possibly with software pointing the audio in that direction (for example code build into the framework/API)
this is one major thing that Android lacks over iPhone, this problem should be addressed ASAP. I'm hoping CM9 might be able to find a solution for this.

I agree, i hope they fix this soon toi. It would make the development of accessories much easier for all android phones. Seems like a no brainer but I guess Google has other priorities...

A feature request for Android 4.0 to enable USB audio:
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=24614

Juvenall said:
A feature request for Android 4.0 to enable USB audio:
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=24614
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just starred this, if the hardware is able to do that I find it completely stupid that they do not allow it.
Smartphones audio amps are not exactly famous for being top-quality so having this possibility would be great.

Thanks. The lack of this feature is ridiculous/mind-boggling/suprising.

Well, if you were waiting for the card dock to solve your problems... it doesn't. Plugging into the dock's "line out" gets you amp driven sound. I really do not understand why this is such an issue for Android. When I plug somoething into my 3 year old Nokia smartphone a window pops up for me to choose headphones, headset or line out. Why can't ICS offer the option and if in the car dock, default to line out? A USB solution is not going to help if you are using the car dock.

Juvenall said:
A feature request for Android 4.0 to enable USB audio:
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=24614
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, most def. I want to use several USB dacs on hand. Off for some op amp rollin'.
Edit: The pogo pin dock has a 3.5mm analog/digital output, FYI

Oops

flacoff said:
Edit: The pogo pin dock has a 3.5mm analog/digital output, FYI
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which if I understand correctly uses Bluetooth to transmit compressed audio from the phone to the dock, then delivers it through the 3.5mm jack. Why not just have a digital signal go through the USB port!?

ali87 said:
Which if I understand correctly uses Bluetooth to transmit compressed audio from the phone to the dock, then delivers it through the 3.5mm jack. Why not just have a digital signal go through the USB port!?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
actually the pogo pin transfers the digitial audio and the dock decodes it into analog to the 3.5mm output

Best 3.5mm Bluetooth adapter for my car

Can anyone recommend a good 3.5mm Bluetooth adapter for my car.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium

I got the scosche by adapter from walmart for $36. It plugs into the 3.5mm jack and works well for audio streaming. Calls not so much.
Dicho por el E4GT de Latinmaxima con Tapatalk.

All bluetooth adapters suck. I've tried 10+ different A2DP capable adapters over the course of 2 years and all simply ruin the high frequencies. Nothing beats hardwired Aux cable if you actually care about sound quality...

Google "tunelink"
A little pricey, but worth it for the audio quality. Plus, it is only for streaming audio.... No speakerphone function...

pojieps said:
Google "tunelink"
A little pricey, but worth it for the audio quality. Plus, it is only for streaming audio.... No speakerphone function...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, but this is just a gimmick for those without knowledge in my opinion. Other than the bluetooth function, which there are a million of those out there, a person could just plug a male to male 3.5mm stereo plug into the phone to the AUX port in the car if its available.

chrisnosleep said:
Sorry, but this is just a gimmick for those without knowledge in my opinion. Other than the bluetooth function, which there are a million of those out there, a person could just plug a male to male 3.5mm stereo plug into the phone to the AUX port in the car if its available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually own it... I get WAY better quality over the bluetooth connection than I do with a direct line in. The headphone jack on your phone is designed for just that... headphones. Lining in directly reflects this. Wish there was a way for you to give it a try. I am kind of a sound snob, and I love mine. Plus, all you have to do is get in the car and once the bluetooth pairing happens, the app will open your music app and start playing.
Not trying to push this thing on ya. Just wanted you to know, I own one, and I am not "without knowledge"

Motorola Rokr T505 is small, does well with calls and music playing through blank FM stations to your car stereo. Best $40 investments plus NO CHORDS!

I had this one and used it with my EVO. Worked pretty well.
http://www.amazon.com/Miccus-BluBridge-Mini-Jack-Bluetooth-Bluetooth-Enabled/dp/B0038MA11U

I tried an AUX cable on three different phones. There was always a high pitched whine through my speakers. I started using a Samsung HM3500 plugged into the same AUX jack and got better quality music with no whine. Plus, no extra cable running through my car to the dash mount.

Did you guys all just have a car stereo that had bluetooth built in? I have an '05 Bonneville GXP but the stereo has neither a aux port or bluetooth capability...Major sad face...I really don't want to replace the stereo either because it's nice and fits the look of the car - would look stupid with anything other than a big touchscreen replacement and that's just too expensive.
Any suggestions?

You could get an FM modulator that would allow you to add a line in via your radio antenna, but they don't have great sound quality.

DutchDogg54 said:
Did you guys all just have a car stereo that had bluetooth built in? I have an '05 Bonneville GXP but the stereo has neither a aux port or bluetooth capability...Major sad face...I really don't want to replace the stereo either because it's nice and fits the look of the car - would look stupid with anything other than a big touchscreen replacement and that's just too expensive.
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, just swap out the headunit for one with bluetooth build-in. Just make sure it supports A2DP (music streaming over bluetooth). I got mine from Amazon for $140, Sony MEX-BT3900U, and it been simply great. A2DP for bluetooth streaming, Aux port for wired 3.5mm audio, and it has USB port for charging the phone.

High Pitched whine is a POWER ISSUE
unplug your phone and it should go away. IE change chargers.

nerys71 said:
High Pitched whine is a POWER ISSUE
unplug your phone and it should go away. IE change chargers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not all the time. My car had that problem and there were many other factors at fault.
Here are few things to look out for:
If your car has an amplifier in the rear, make sure that the headunit-to-amplifier audio cables are at least few feet away from power wires (aka, run them on the opposite side of the car than the power cables).
Make sure that the headunit is properly grounded. If that still doesn't help, run both headunit's + and - power wires directly to the car battery.
If problem still persists, repeat #2 but for the amp (if you have it).
If all above failed, it's time to invest in a better headunit. Your old one sucks and can't suppress the noise generated by the chassy/alternator.
I had crappy stock headunit and weaka$$ stock amp that would always make the static and constant whine problems. Ended up completely redoing the car audio system. Now, even with the headunit not grounded audio quality is PERFECT.
Here are the prices for my audio remodeling, all items bought brand new:
- Sony MEX-BT3900U. Headunit with CD, Aux, Handsfree Phone, Bluetooth A2DP audio, USB ($140)
- Hifonics ZXi80.4. Amplifier with 4 channels, 80W RMS per channel ($134)
- Alpine SPS-600 speakers. 6.5" 2-way speakers, 80W RMS ($50 ea)
- Stinger Pro 3 Series Snake. 6-channel, 20 feet RCA snake that goes from headunit to the amp in the rear ($35)
- 2x22' 8AWG battery-to-amp power wire
- 2x18' 12AWG amp-to-headunit power wire
- 4x18' 16AWG amp-to-front speaker wires
- 4x2' 16AWG amp-to-rear speaker wires
- 30A fuse in the engine bay
I ran the power cables on the left side of the car and ran the RCA snake on the right. everything was exactly $525 and I did all work myself (it's quite easy if you ask). now the sound quality in my used-to-be-audio-hell car is dam near perfect now and has absolutely no noise/static at all. you can jack the volume up crazy high without any distortions for like 80Hz+. 80Hz and below can be a problem when maxing out the volume as the speakers are only 6.5" and weren't meant to deliver bass. don't get me wrong, they do make nice bass but just don't handle it too well when playing it very loud.
after years of running this setup I'd say this was one of the best investments i've ever made. my car is built for drifting so it is setup very stiff and shakes/jumps like crazy when dailying (300mi/week) and when i do take it out for a spin the amount of stress it sees it crazy. after all this time you'd think at least some wires would come loose but nope, everything is still running perfect.
so yeah, if you actually care about sound quality in your car and would like it to last, just redo it from scratch. it's fun and is totally worth it

Not trying to pick a fight but lets be clear here
If your car has an amplifier in the rear, make sure that the headunit-to-amplifier audio cables are at least few feet away from power wires (aka, run them on the opposite side of the car than the power cables).
Which is a power issue
Make sure that the headunit is properly grounded.
Which is a power issue
If that still doesn't help, run both headunit's + and - power wires directly to the car battery.
Which is a power issue
If problem still persists, repeat #2 but for the amp (if you have it).
If all above failed, it's time to invest in a better headunit.
Which is a power issue
Your old one sucks and can't suppress the noise generated by the chassy/alternator.
Which is a power issue
See what I mean?
Cars make a lot of "NOISE" this noise is a power issue. it comes from your alternator and your coil and your spark plugs IE "POWER ISSUES"
if you have bad grounds or are lacking noise suppression (cheap equipment old equipment etc.. etc..) or an older car making a TON of extra noise etc.. etc..
Power inverters (especially cheap ones) are notorious for "dirty power" that lets in noise.
when I power my phone off the USB on the cheap inverter's USB port I get big time whine noises painful even.
use the USB port in the radio and I get no noise (but then it tries to "READ" the phone instead of just charging it and won't let me use aux hehe
Sometimes you can get a coil thing to add to power to reduce this noise but usually its just cheap equipment ($7 power inverter
plug a 110v to usb adapter into same inverter and no noise. The 110v adapter isolates and prevents the noise leakage.

nerys71 said:
Not trying to pick a fight but lets be clear here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha time to clear up a misunderstanding here. my reply was referring to the "unplug your phone and it should go away" statement and thus assuming that you, by saying "its a power issue", were referring only to the inverter that was powering the phone at times getting a better quality inverter (aka, one that has capacitor or capacitor-pack to smooth out the voltage spikes and noise) is sufficient and at times it is not. I've experienced both. it's also worth mentioning that after redoing my sound system even the crappiest of crap inverters works just fine

frifox said:
Yes, just swap out the headunit for one with bluetooth build-in. Just make sure it supports A2DP (music streaming over bluetooth). I got mine from Amazon for $140, Sony MEX-BT3900U, and it been simply great. A2DP for bluetooth streaming, Aux port for wired 3.5mm audio, and it has USB port for charging the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I've looked into those kind of replacements...plenty out there for reasonable prices but they would completely mar the aesthetic value of the nice interior of my Bonny. That's why I was saying that only the touchscreens that would fill the whole double (might be 1.5) din stereo spot in my car would do.
Thanks, both of you guys, for your responses...guess I'm stuck waiting till I get a much newer car

I'm not saying that you're wrong about it being a power issue, but the BT headset I mentioned came with an adapter for an AUX jack and that solved my problem. So, either solution works.

the issue is the radio is connected to the same "power source" that your "phone" is now connected to.
so if any component in that chain does not control the power noise (that is what the noise is coming from your power system)
you INJECT that noise into your audio stream the moment you "link" the devices together (power not audio)
this is why if you use a seperate battery pack to charge the phone you will not get this noise. your battery pack is "isolated" from the car's power system literally physically.
I am only talking about the typical whine pop crackle high pitched noise you get the moment you plug in your charger. IE clear no noise plug in chargers Head burster sounds start coming out of your speakers
that noise is a "power issue" you can't eliminate the power issues (except by eliminating your alternator??) but you can filter it. some devices (chargers) do this better than others
the BT unit works because you "broke" the chain. (no audio cable going from the PHONE to the RADIO)

Again, I'm not denying what you're saying. You're absolutely correct. However, OP was asking for the best BT unit to plug into the jack, not how to solve the issues with cables and power sources. I was simply providing my opinion and experience along the lines of what he was asking for.

LOD for the E4GT ?

Does anyone know if it is possible to get an LOD for the Epic 4G Touch?
In case you have no idea what this means, here's your lesson in audiophile gear for the day:
Line Out Dock (a.k.a. LOD), n.: a cable commonly used on audio devices which creates a "line out" similar to a headphone jack but with no volume control and often better analog signal quality. This is useful in that it allows a user to bypass the headphone jack of a device and run the audio signal straight into an external amplifier. This is often done when an audiophile-type individual has headphones which benefit from a audio source with greater output power than a portable device typically provides.
Examples of LOD's:
Apple iPod/iPhone
Sansa Fuze

Bazirker said:
Does anyone know if it is possible to get an LOD for the Epic 4G Touch?
In case you have no idea what this means, here's your lesson in audiophile gear for the day:
Line Out Dock (a.k.a. LOD), n.: a cable commonly used on audio devices which creates a "line out" similar to a headphone jack but with no volume control and often better analog signal quality. This is useful in that it allows a user to bypass the headphone jack of a device and run the audio signal straight into an external amplifier. This is often done when an audiophile-type individual has headphones which benefit from a audio source with greater output power than a portable device typically provides.
Examples of LOD's:
Apple iPod/iPhone
Sansa Fuze
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I googled epic 4g touch dock:
http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones-accessories/EDD-D1D9BEGSTA

Samsung HM3700 Stereo bluetooth headset
I bought the Samsung HM3700 Stereo bluetooth headset which comes with one. I am sure Monoprice.com has one or even Ebay; but if it's worth 24.99 to yah you can buy the headset.

Sort of what I'm after, but not really. I don't want a dock, I want a cable. This is for portable listening on the go with an amp.
Thanks!

Gorguts said:
I bought the Samsung HM3700 Stereo bluetooth headset which comes with one. I am sure Monoprice.com has one or even Ebay; but if it's worth 24.99 to yah you can buy the headset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure I see what you're talking about; our just looks like a bluetooth headset to me.

The pinout for micro usb is the same across phones, right? If so, this should work.

fonseca898 said:
The pinout for micro usb is the same across phones, right? If so, this should work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow...if this works...
Does it mean I can listen to pandora on my phone and stream it through this LOD into my cars aux ports for superior sound quality?!

fonseca898 said:
The pinout for micro usb is the same across phones, right? If so, this should work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is quite interesting and just might work.
What remains to be seen is whether or not that provides superior sound quality to the headphone jack. It just occurred to me that the Samsung car dock (which I have) is essentially the same thing as that USB micro to 3.5mm jack plug unless the phone has software which can recognize the difference. In this case, volume would still be controlled via the phone. I might have to test and see if I can hear a difference in sound quality, but I doubt it (or at least doubt that the dock will be better.)

I have both the official samsung desk dock, and car dock. They both have 3.5mm audio line out. Isn't that what you're asking for? I didn't know it had a "fancy" term though..
Edit: Maybe it's not exactly what you're asking for. I think you're hoping to get line level straight out of the DAC, which I don't think is possible with the SGSII. The audio dock line out is around the same quality as the headphone jack (as far as my "non audiophile" ears can tell) and it's certainly volume-controlled by software. Anyhow, some of the new custom ROMs out have beats audio and dspmanager built-in, which go a long way into tweaking the way audio exits the device. You may want to look into that.

Yeah the desk dock is still less portable than I'm looking for. I have DSP Manager on my phone and it helps to some extent. Guess I'm just stuck with the headphone jack. Thanks!

im pretty sure you need usb-host first, i think a usb dac has been used back on the nook color w/cm7 but then you lose portability and all that.
related?? http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=24614

Review of HiFimeDIY Sabre Android DAC w/lots of pics!!!

This is a review of HiFimeDIY Sabre Android DAC. http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=124
As many of you probably noticed, I have been focusing a lot lately on headphones and portable DAC/Amp/DAP reviews. There is no denial, our smartphones becoming our personal entertainment center to watch tv shows and movies, to play video games, to listen to music, to stream social media, and so on. The smartphones get bigger, more powerful, and have better displays. But one thing still remains the same - the sound delivery is nowhere near a hi-fi quality. For those who are OK with a pair of $10 earbuds, this will not be an issue because you will not hear a difference. But for others who value a sound quality and have an audiophile collection of headphones - you are limited by a sub-par internal DAC which takes a raw digital audio data and converts it to analog signal delivered to headphone jack inside of your phone. This is a not a clean solution to drive a quality headphones. Fortunately, there is a number of portable mobile DACs and amplifiers. Some can connect to your micro-USB port to receive a raw digital audio data for external processing, while others can take output of your headphone jack and process it through external amplifier. Unfortunately with a combined DAC/amp device you don't have a flexibility to use a different amplifier, and driving an external amp from headphone jack will mean amplifying already processed audio signal. That's where HiFimeDIY Android DAC comes to the rescue!
I wasn't even aware of this product until someone mentioned to me in the forum with a request to review it. This Android DAC is a very compact solution of bringing your digital audio outside of your phone to be processed with an external DAC. Using PCM2706 USB receiver which accepts up to 48kHz/16bit audio and also a popular Sabre ES9023 DAC chip, you get a clean analog conversion of the extracted digital audio signal brought out to 3.5mm port. You can connect your headphones directly, but that's not the main intent of this product. Just for the purpose of using headphones without amplifier, I'm not sure if it makes sense to add another dongle to your phone. But if you want to drive your high impedance headphones from a portable amplifier or want to connect your phone to a high class audio system - this little gadget for under $30 will be a perfect solution! One thing to mention, since it doesn't have built in rechargeable battery, it will source a power from your phone, but I haven't noticed any major drain.
The analog output from this Android DAC sounds relatively clean and neutral. I tested and compared it to my Note 2 headphone output, and you can really hear a difference at higher volume where Note 2 DAC starts to saturate while Sabre is still clean. Of course, you can always go with a fully integrated solution such as I have with FiiO E18 or Beyerdynamic A200p, but that cost anywhere from $160 to $300 and more. I don't have any dedicated headphone amps to test with now (never had a need since I have all low impedance headphones), but hopefully will update my review in a near future when I get one. Overall, with HiFimeDIY Sabre Android DAC you have more flexibility and can pick your own amplifier to match your favorite set of headphones with your smartphone.
Here are the pictures.
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I use this in my car, definitely better than using the headphone out. I also have the Fiio E17, which I prefer, but it's too much hassle for my car setup.

Nice clean setup!!!

Interesting review.
Have you tried with latest KitKat roms?
When you connect you headphones, will the volume change with volume keys?
How is the sound when connected with an external amplifier? Have you tried to compare it to a good CD player?

vectron said:
As many of you probably noticed, I have been focusing a lot lately on headphones and portable DAC/Amp/DAP reviews.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I forgot to ask you where did you buy the item. I've found it on eBay.
Inviato dal mio GT-N7100 utilizzando Tapatalk

Yes, you should be able to change the volume. What it does is bypasses your phone's "dirty" DAC so the signal doesn't get converted internally (digital to analog), and rather comes out digitally through micro-usb connector to this external "clean" DAC.
Sorry, I'm all stock Android 4.4.2 on my Note 2. And you can buy it directly from their website (per link in my review) or probable ebay, though make sure it's a legitimate seller because ebay has a lot of fake stuff. I received mine directly from HiFimeDIY as a review sample.

vectron said:
Yes, you should be able to change the volume. What it does is bypasses your phone's "dirty" DAC so the signal doesn't get converted internally (digital to analog), and rather comes out digitally through micro-usb connector to this external "clean" DAC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My S4i are designed for iPhone but the middle button still works on my Android phone. However, it isn't working with my new HiFimeDIY Android DAC. I have a single-button cable for IM70 coming in the mail so I'll post my findings with that. I'll be really disappointed if I can't use controls with this since it improves the sound so much on my Moto X.

Slusho said:
My S4i are designed for iPhone but the middle button still works on my Android phone. However, it isn't working with my new HiFimeDIY Android DAC. I have a single-button cable for IM70 coming in the mail so I'll post my findings with that. I'll be really disappointed if I can't use controls with this since it improves the sound so much on my Moto X.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's NOT supposed to work. When you push remote button on your S4i or IM70, it sends a special signal to headphone jack of your phone to control the playback or call, etc. That's why those headphones connectors have TRRS connector - Tip Ring Ring Sleeve. HiFimeDIY headphone connector is TRS (Tip Ring Sleeve) so that special control signal will not be decoded back to your phone through micro-usb connection (it's lost). That connection is for AUDIO only, while your headphones send audio and data (control).

vectron said:
It's NOT supposed to work. When you push remote button on your S4i or IM70, it sends a special signal to headphone jack of your phone to control the playback or call, etc. That's why those headphones connectors have TRRS connector - Tip Ring Ring Sleeve. HiFimeDIY headphone connector is TRS (Tip Ring Sleeve) so that special control signal will not be decoded back to your phone through micro-usb connection (it's lost). That connection is for AUDIO only, while your headphones send audio and data (control).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
UGH. If I've learned one thing in my recent foray into audio equipment, it's that you have to make tradeoffs. If I want quality audio, I have to pull my phone out of my pocket every time I want to pause, change volume, or skip to the next track. How do we have hoverboards and magic pocket computers and virtual reality but we don't have this!? This is why people use iPhones. For the added features Android provides, you need to be okay with a lot of things not working or being subpar (like DACs and audio controls). Also, maybe you should have mentioned that (unless I just missed it)?

Does yours have a loose USB connection? Mine can slip out.

Slusho said:
Does yours have a loose USB connection? Mine can slip out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, it does. Stay tuned, I'm posting a review of Cozoy Astrapi in a few minutes

I'm noticing a trend. You seem to not mention negatives in your review.

Slusho said:
I'm noticing a trend. You seem to not mention negatives in your review.
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Click to collapse
Negatives come from a comparison of one product vs the other. Read my Cozoy Astrapi review, you will see negatives about HiFimeDIY If I don't like a product, I simply don't review it. If I like a product, I will describe it in details so you can make your own judgment. And sometime I get very impressed with "positives" about the product, but rest assured - if you read my reviews carefully, I point out negatives as well. Just that my format is not like other reviewers where they make a list of positives and negatives. Plus, in my opinion, a lot of negatives come from an extended use of the product after you get to know it better lol!!! Unfortunately, I have written hundreds of reviews and it will be next to impossible to come back to every review with a follow up impressions. Thus, I'm depending on you guys to ask me questions
One more thing. I'm not working for a website or a blog where they give me to review products, and I review to decide if I like it or not. I do my own research and contact companies of products that I like and want to review. That also makes a difference on a more positive outlook of my reviews

HI all
I have a hifime for android and it works great with my moto G.
I recently got a Huawei Honor 6 phone which supports OTG USB (i can plug a USB key trhough the USB port and read files like movies)
Now when i plug the hifime dac, it does'nt work. The led is green but doesn't deliver any sound...
I though the requierement was to support USB OTG only... Kind of desapointed.
Any tricks?
Thanks!
K

kalapyu said:
HI all
I have a hifime for android and it works great with my moto G.
I recently got a Huawei Honor 6 phone which supports OTG USB (i can plug a USB key trhough the USB port and read files like movies)
Now when i plug the hifime dac, it does'nt work. The led is green but doesn't deliver any sound...
I though the requierement was to support USB OTG only... Kind of desapointed.
Any tricks?
Thanks!
K
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also has to do with Android version, in case if they customized it.

So what should i do? Is there any fix ? Busybox? Firmware? Kernel ? What about cm?

kalapyu said:
So what should i do? Is there any fix ? Busybox? Firmware? Kernel ? What about cm?
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Click to collapse
I would probably contact hifimediy to ask what they can recommend. Sorry
Also, try this app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extreamsd.usbaudioplayerpro (scroll down, they have a link to a limit demo version). It has its "own" built in drivers to send audio over usb. See if this going to help.

[Q] Behringer UCA202 DAC - sounds horrible compared to headphone jack/bluetooth

So I found a Behringer UCA202 DAC online for really cheap and thought why not try it just for fun. Everything I've read says having one can help a bit and I figured at the least it would sound the same, but I plugged it into my Nexus 5 via OTG then plugged the AUX cord to my Jeep into the DAC and all bass and pretty much any other level of detail is gone from my music whether it's from Pandora, YouTube HD, or FLAC audio files. Audio sound quality is equal to listening to music over old mono bluetooth, you hear it fine but any highs and lows are removed. Has anyone else used this DAC that could give some suggestions?
Otherwise it's just as I assumed, DACs are pointless on good quality phones and that's why I can't find any DAC threads with the Nexus 5 involved.

herqulees said:
So I found a Behringer UCA202 DAC online for really cheap and thought why not try it just for fun. Everything I've read says having one can help a bit and I figured at the least it would sound the same, but I plugged it into my Nexus 5 via OTG then plugged the AUX cord to my Jeep into the DAC and all bass and pretty much any other level of detail is gone from my music whether it's from Pandora, YouTube HD, or FLAC audio files. Audio sound quality is equal to listening to music over old mono bluetooth, you hear it fine but any highs and lows are removed. Has anyone else used this DAC that could give some suggestions?
Otherwise it's just as I assumed, DACs are pointless on good quality phones and that's why I can't find any DAC threads with the Nexus 5 involved.
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Click to collapse
Ummm, it's not a DAC. It's an interface.

theesotericone said:
Ummm, it's not a DAC. It's an interface.
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Click to collapse
Yes, with a DAC in it. You need a DAC to get audio output through USB, there is no analog audio output through USB/USB OTG...

herqulees said:
Yes, with a DAC in it. You need a DAC to get audio output through USB, there is no analog audio output through USB/USB OTG...
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Click to collapse
Yes it has a DAC but it's not meant as a stand alone DAC. It's an interface or soundcard. Does your phone have enough juice to even operate the thing? Also for a device that sells for less than 30 bucks what exactly where you expecting? Get a real DAC. You will notice a huge difference. Until then do some more research on what you have and see if your meeting it's power requirements.
This is actually a pretty good review of the unit with lots of technical info.
http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/behringer-uca202-review.html

theesotericone said:
Yes it has a DAC but it's not meant as a stand alone DAC. It's an interface or soundcard. Does your phone have enough juice to even operate the thing? Also for a device that sells for less than 30 bucks what exactly where you expecting? Get a real DAC. You will notice a huge difference. Until then do some more research on what you have and see if your meeting it's power requirements.
This is actually a pretty good review of the unit with lots of technical info.
http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/behringer-uca202-review.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I can't see power being an issue I suppose I'll test with my Nexus 7 and laptop. I know it's a cheap DAC but I've read many reviews using this DAC with tablets and phones for car audio, along with the nwavguy in-depth review and testing showing how it's not a multi-hundred dollar unit but still does amazingly well. My issue is it doesn't even sound decent. It sounds like I'm playing rap/hip-hop through an old Nokia on speaker phone, you can hear it clearly but there's no depth.

So I tossed this DAC in a closet after I got bored of trying to make it work right and forgot about it for a year or so till earlier today when I found it while cleaning. My Nexus 5 has been retired and serves no purpose other than a security camera now. I now have a Samsung Galaxy S5 and an RCA Maven Pro tablet. The RCA Maven Pro is an 11.1inch 2-in-1 Android tablet with detachable keyboard for around $120. You'd assume it's horrible thanks to the brand and price but they managed to cut corners in all the right places it seems. Downsides are no GPS, 1GB of RAM, terrible cameras, and a horrible speaker. Other than that it has faithfully replaced my $1200 laptop with zero issues other than adjusting to ditching Windows.
Now back on track when I listen to music I'm either using an aux cord plugged into my work truck or bluetooth when using headphones or in my new car. When doing a side by side comparison bluetooth, to no surprise, shows no difference between my Maven and S5. However when using an aux cord the RCA doesn't put out as much bass and highs are... I guess not as clear? I think audiophiles are insane most of the time so it's hard for me to describe when I do notice a difference. Anyways I plugged the UCA202 into the RCA's USB port (no OTG here, it has a full size USB port) and plugged my Sony MDR-XB950BT headphones in to it with an aux cord (these headphones are 100% passive when wired, no bass boost or other enhancements) and sound quality is just as great as my S5, all bass and highs are restored. Just to further the test I plugged it into my S5 and did the same test with the same results. These are the same FLAC song files from the same network location that my Nexus 5 was playing a year ago.
The whole time the issue was something in my Nexus 5. What it was I don't know and sorry you guys I don't plan on investigating, I just wanted to inform everyone that the Behringer UCA202 is in fact a quality budget DAC since this thread is a top Google result for "Behringer UCA202 Android". If you have a cheap device that you want the audio to be on par with the high end phones this will do it, and for my original purpose of at the same time giving a bit of amplification for a weak head unit without distortion it does that decently too. To finish this off I am NOT an audiophile. Just a human with human hearing that likes songs with bass on car head units that weren't always designed for it (I glued a 80mm CPU fan to the back of the HU in my Jeep ) So take my finer details however you'd like.

the DAC works great for my Nexus 7 2013 model.

maybe otg cable is sh1tty
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