USB C + 3.5mm Cable? - Google Pixel 3 Accessories

I bought this "3 in 1 USB C Aux Adapter" cable to use in my car but it doesn't seem to work right with my car for some reason.
When my Pixel 3 is plugged into the USB C side it only outputs the left channel
When my Pixel 3 is plugged into the 3.5mm w/ an adapter it only outputs the right channel
With my iPod Classic plugged into the 3.5mm side it seems to output both L and R channels
Anyone know of a similar type cable that definitely works with the Pixel 3? I don't really want to have to use an adapter.
::EDIT::
Well, slightly embarrassing but I actually wired up the aux cable incorrectly in my car. All is well and the cable works properly.

ramdyc said:
I bought this "3 in 1 USB C Aux Adapter" cable to use in my car but it doesn't seem to work right with my car for some reason.
When my Pixel 3 is plugged into the USB C side it only outputs the left channel
When my Pixel 3 is plugged into the 3.5mm w/ an adapter it only outputs the right channel
With my iPod Classic plugged into the 3.5mm side it seems to output both L and R channels
Anyone know of a similar type cable that definitely works with the Pixel 3? I don't really want to have to use an adapter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me preface...I'm definitely not an expert in the whole audio conversion area. I did start doing some light research a while back regarding USB-C --> 3.5mm adapters because I noticed that the dongle provided with the Pixel 3 caused sound quality issues with my 3.5mm Bose buds. I fly on airplanes a lot and noticed the sound output volume is significantly less with the dongle and 3.5mm headphones than using the USB-C Pixel buds. From what I've been able to gather is that the digital audio converter (DAC) chip built into most of these dongles is garbage or nonexistent.
Regarding the 2-in-1 adapter / chargers...I was also looking to buy something where I could listen to my 3.5mm buds and charge my phone at the same time BUT I stumbled across some article that basically said none of those work. If I remember correctly it had something to do with the phone itself, I think it was software related?? Maybe do some searching on this but I remember reading enough stuff where it sounded like a scammy product line so I didn't purchase. Maybe this has something to do with your L vs R channel issue??
Back to the regular dongle converter...you know how things are on Amazon sometimes, 3rd party vendors can be shady and say something is higher quality when it's really not which has made me hesitant to pull the trigger on a slightly more expensive dongle. That said, I finally purchased one today that is definitely a bit more expensive than others but it seems legit and I've found reviews in other forums referencing it. Here the link: https://www.adv-sound.com/products/accessport-lite (it can also be found on Amazon).
It should arrive in a few days so I can report back but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that audio output volume / quality isn't lost like it is with the standard dongle.

Alright, the Accessport-Lite (APL) converter arrived today. Here's what I think...regular 3.5mm headphones (I'm using Bose buds) into APL into device are definitely higher quality sound than using the converter that came in box with Pixel. You can hear more background noise, overall it's more crisp and max volume is a little bit louder, not as loud as I was hoping for however but an improvement that will make a difference when flying.
Another option...I picked up a 3.5mm splitter months ago so two people could listen at the same time. I noticed that 3.5mm headphones into splitter into Pixel box converter into device actually has higher max volume than simply headphones into Pixel box converter. Go figure. Splitters are really cheap at electronic stores. Although, I would recommend buying one from the audio equipment section as opposed to the phone section. They really upcharge you for the same exact thing that's supposed to be "specially made for a phone" which is garbage.
I also tried 3.5mm headphones into splitter into APL converter, sound quality wasn't noticably better than just APL. If anything some of the crispness seemed less.
Pixel Buds straight into device remain the loudest option. However, they do not cancel or shut out loud background noise like when flying so peak volume means nothing.
Long story short...I'm decently satisfied with the APL converter. Didn't blow me away but you can tell it's quality made and every but counts when trying to overcome loud airplane noise.

Carppopotamus said:
Maybe this has something to do with your L vs R channel issue??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, slightly embarrassing but I actually just had the aux cable in my car wired up incorrectly lol
Carppopotamus said:
Long story short...I'm decently satisfied with the APL converter. Didn't blow me away but you can tell it's quality made and every but counts when trying to overcome loud airplane noise.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the heads up on this adapter! Definitely good to know about. I've seen good things about the Apple adapter too but have also seen reports of it not working properly? Have you tried that one? At $9 it's definitely on the cheaper end.

ramdyc said:
Well, slightly embarrassing but I actually just had the aux cable in my car wired up incorrectly lol
Thanks for the heads up on this adapter! Definitely good to know about. I've seen good things about the Apple adapter too but have also seen reports of it not working properly? Have you tried that one? At $9 it's definitely on the cheaper end.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't tried the Apple one

ramdyc said:
Well, slightly embarrassing but I actually just had the aux cable in my car wired up incorrectly lol
Thanks for the heads up on this adapter! Definitely good to know about. I've seen good things about the Apple adapter too but have also seen reports of it not working properly? Have you tried that one? At $9 it's definitely on the cheaper end.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been using the Apple USB-C to 3.5mm adapter for half a year. I like it: the Google adapter was too loud on lowest volume, and had an issue with echo in calls when using earbuds with a mic (Shure SE215). The Apple fixes all these issues and is smaller and lighter.

Related

BTAXS motorMOUTH II - Handsfree & Streaming Audio Car Kit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgLxM2bOtyM&feature=player_embedded#!
- Plugs directly into your vehicle's MP3/AUX input to allow handsfree phone conversations to play through your speakers
- Auto-paring makes initial set up hassle free
- One touch voice dialing with most Bluetooth cellular phones
- DSP echo cancellation ensures a crystal clear conversation even in noisy vehicles
- Includes switching audio splitter, AUX relocation cable, USB charging cable and car charger
- Support profiles: HFP and A2DP
SHIPPING LATE SEPTEMBER, PRE-ORDER NOW
scosche.com/products/sfID1/217/sfID2/219/productID/1919
This is EXACTLY what I've been waiting for. One less cable to attach to my evo
$80 is WAY too much for this. You can accomplish the same thing with a $20 BT3030 adapter, or any headphone adapter.
Here's a tip:
Grab one of these and one of these, and you'll never know the difference.
i just bought one on these and i'm liking it. Maybe it can be done cheaper but I know this works well.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470939291&pf_rd_i=507846
scl23enn4m3 said:
$80 is WAY too much for this. You can accomplish the same thing with a $20 BT3030 adapter, or any headphone adapter.
Here's a tip:
Grab one of these and one of these, and you'll never know the difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does the first one allow you to stream bluetooth music to your cd player?
backdown said:
Does the first one allow you to stream bluetooth music to your cd player?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will let you stream to anything with an audio input.
EDIT: I'll have a full blown write up on this method in a few weeks hopefully. I'm waiting on a bunch of parts to come in and I'm hooking mine and my father's car up.
That doesn't look like it charges and outputs at the same time. The scosche appears to do this.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
pinoyxpryde said:
That doesn't look like it charges and outputs at the same time. The scosche appears to do this.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just used that as an example as how cheap you can go. Personally, I'm making a cable that does both.
If you want one that charges and plays at the same time out of the box, try this for 20 bucks:
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Jabra-BT303...uetooth_Wireless_Products&hash=item4aa3833d38
It's the Jabra BT3030. One end is the audio output (which plugs into your audio input) and the mini USB port is on the other for charging.
Looks awesome but quality of sound is probably ****...
How is bluetooth sound quality now adays. I listen to flac, which is lossless audio, so if it isn't really good - great sound quality wise I will just keep using a 3.5mm cable.
I'm not an audio expert (nor is my ear sensitive enough to pick up subtle differences), but I definitely wouldn't call bluetooth audio ****. I can't tell the difference between the bluetooth connection and wired connection. I've heard accounts saying flac sounds beautiful through bluetooth, but then again audio is something that has always been subjective.
Thanks for your opinion, i appreciate you taking the time to respond
I got a motorocker or something like that yesterday at walmart. It was like 90 bucks regularly on clearance for 60, but i got an extra good deal on it.
When i get my evo back I'll post my opinion on it. I have audiophilistic ears lol. It also fm modulates, so i know frequency is going to limited on the upper end to 16kish. But much over 16k doesn't contain much musical content depending on what you are listening to anyways.
Not that great over FM, glad i didn't pay much for it. I am sure the device you listed would sound very good though as it goes through a regular aux port instead of fm modulation. There didn't appear to be any bluetooth related noise, just fm garbage.
I bought a new Sony desk (BT2800) with Bluetooth built-in, and the quality is near flawless. It seems like I actually have less distortion than when it was physically plugged in. There was a ground short or something when I had it plugged in to charge and to the aux input ( but you only could notice if u turn the volume up with nothing playing). I don't know if that's with all cars or just my older car.
scl23enn4m3, you don't know what you are talking about. I hope people don't follow your ****ty advice.
First of all, that BT thing you linked to on ebay does not charge and stream at the same time. It has been covered in the comments section on dealextreme.
Second, I have yet to find any bluetooth reciever that I can add to my stock stereo system that will auto-pair. Auto pairing is a huge deal. If you have to screw around with the bluetooth settings on your phone every time you turn your car on, you might as well plug in the damn aux cable.
I am excited to check this product out.
so mine came in i couldnt get out of my car lol
i think im going to buy one for my home surround sound so i can stream music from laying in bed from my phone (my best tunes are always on my phone even though i have a 2tb and home server running boxee setup on my tv)
But seriously this motormouth btaxs is amazign (for you cheapskates out there stick to your long wires or jerryrigged stuff and leave this toy for those who want it all done right without soldeign and running wires all over)
Yes it charges while in use (I have mine plugged in all the time now and i have it setup so once i put my evo in my dock it auto ons my bluetooth and connects automatically to it)
call quality is good i just tested in loud car on speakerphone and no reverb and works flawless with one button touch then speak the name u want to call
love the damn thing i cant wait to go to work i use my phone all day while driving around and havign to plug in two wires everytime i get in and out was askign too much
now only need one wire and thats if my battery is dead ill add pics in a bit
spyngamerman said:
But seriously this motormouth btaxs is amazign (for you cheapskates out there stick to your long wires or jerryrigged stuff and leave this toy for those who want it all done right without soldeign and running wires all over)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Too bad my '07 Porsche 911 doesn't have a Aux/MP3 input jack.
Woo-Hoo!
Ordered mine from Hawk Electronics on Wednesday night - showed up on the front doorstep today (it helps that their warehouse is here in DFW).
This thing is amazing. Sound quality for music over BT far surpasses what I was getting via 3.5mm jack, and there's no 25% sound reduction just because you docked. In combination with my Sprint car dock, this is just exactly what I've been waiting for. Cool thing about car dock mode: it turns on BT, GPS, and 4G when you dock. It paired without issue, and it fires up the second I dock it in the car.
I used the extension thingy for the microphone, because my AUX port is over on the passenger side in my Element.
Road trip tomorrow.
Here'sa pic comes with charging cable too with car adapter
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
This device looks nice but too bad my aux input is in the glove compartment...

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

[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.
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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...
Click to expand...
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
Sent from my D820 CAF using Tapatalk

Question USB C to 3.5mm Headphone and Charger Adapter that works on Pixel 6 Pro

Has anyone managed to find a USB C to 3.5mm Headphone and Charger Adapter 2in1 for the Pixel 6 Pro. The few I have tried so far only at best will work the audio port but none will charge. Hoping to find one that does both for when driving to be able to charge and listen to music with the 3,5 mm headphone attached to my car radio input. Adapters similar to the attached images that work would be ideal.
Thanks
Unfortunately, the only ones I've seen that reputably work for Power Delivery phones are effectively "hubs", like Anker USB C Hub, PowerExpand 11-in-1 USB C Hub Adapter, with [email protected] HDMI and DP, 100W Power Delivery, USB-C and 3 USB-A Data Ports, 1 Gbps Ethernet, 3.5mm Audio, microSD and SD Card Reader (sold out on Anker's site PowerExpand 11-in-1 USB-C PD Hub). They make other hubs, but I don't see any others of theirs that have a 3.5mm headphone port.
I too, wouldn't mind a more compact and cheaper solution, but I no longer really care about 3.5mm headphone jacks and would be happy with a similar adapter with two USB-C ports - one for USB-C headphones and the other for charging. I may have seen some like that too but not sure as to their reputation, and overall it's not that important to me.
Might be a logic glitch where it assumes that having a usb "device" plugged in means that the phone needs to supply the power rather than receive it.
Does your car radio really not have bluetooth?
And since you are in a car, how about a Qi charger pad?
you would need
Fladnag99 said:
Has anyone managed to find a USB C to 3.5mm Headphone and Charger Adapter 2in1 for the Pixel 6 Pro. The few I have tried so far only at best will work the audio port but none will charge. Hoping to find one that does both for when driving to be able to charge and listen to music with the 3,5 mm headphone attached to my car radio input. Adapters similar to the attached images that work would be ideal.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just search usb c to audio charger
and make sure its compatible with a samsung device as they require a DAC in the usb like the google does
96carboard said:
Might be a logic glitch where it assumes that having a usb "device" plugged in means that the phone needs to supply the power rather than receive it.
Does your car radio really not have bluetooth?
And since you are in a car, how about a Qi charger pad?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunaetly it doesnt have bluetooth and since I use the phone for navigation while driveing the Qi charger woldnt really serve a purpose.
Is there a difference between the technology in a pixel 4a5g and the Pixel 6 pro. A device like the first picture I showed works fine in the pixel 4a5g but only does audio and no charging for the Pixel 6 pro
Fladnag99 said:
Is there a difference between the technology in a pixel 4a5g and the Pixel 6 pro. A device like the first picture I showed works fine in the pixel 4a5g but only does audio and no charging for the Pixel 6 pro
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Jup, it's called Tensor.
Fladnag99 said:
Unfortunaetly it doesnt have bluetooth and since I use the phone for navigation while driveing the Qi charger woldnt really serve a purpose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use a magnetic Qi charger on my dashboard. It works great and provide plenty of power to charge under heavy use. Not as elegant as a proper split USB adapter, but should at least work if you can't find one.
96carboard said:
Might be a logic glitch where it assumes that having a usb "device" plugged in means that the phone needs to supply the power rather than receive it.
Does your car radio really not have bluetooth?
And since you are in a car, how about a Qi charger pad?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why would he want to use Bluetooth? There's still reason not to. Not many car stereos support the higher quality Bluetooth streaming codecs. Not even AAC, I know mine doesn't. SBC is very unusable.
prohibido_por_la_ley said:
Why would he want to use Bluetooth? There's still reason not to. Not many car stereos support the higher quality Bluetooth streaming codecs. Not even AAC, I know mine doesn't. SBC is very unusable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't wait to find a car with audiophile speakers to make a difference
Izy said:
Can't wait to find a car with audiophile speakers to make a difference
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I drive a Toyota Corolla it doesn't have audiophile speakers and I can tell the difference it is night and day even when streaming Amazon music although it's less of a difference there but if you're listening to compressed music on YouTube music there is a difference maybe you should go get your hearing checked
i mean youtube music starts at 48kbps aac to 256kbps
amazon songs start at up to 867kbps and over 3k kbps peak for premium
unironically searched it up someone made a patch that enables SBC to go up to its maximum bitrate of 512kb
stereo that makes it onpar/better with aptx and works sending to older devices like car stereos
he even pushed it to google 2 years ago buts its still processing
Android Patch Brings Bluetooth SBC Codec Audio Quality on-par with aptX - CNX Software
Android patch improves Bluetooth SBC codec audio quality on all existing devices, allegedly making it as good as the high quality aptX HD codec
www.cnx-software.com
https://android-review.googlesource.com/c/platform/packages/apps/Bluetooth/+/759258/1
its in custom roms like RR etc shame its not implemented in stock still
You should look into a Bluetooth DAC. Yes it's another thing to charge but for me it's the best of both worlds, quality wired sound yet not tethered to the phone or whatever device. I have a FiiO BTR3K. It's super small, I connect it to a belt loop, and it's got 10 hours of battery life. And yes, you could wire charge your phone while listening.
FiiO BTR3K Hi-Res Bluetooth 5.0 Receiver/Headphone Amp
Amazon.com
Izy said:
i mean youtube music starts at 48kbps aac to 256kbps
amazon songs start at up to 867kbps and over 3k kbps peak for premium
unironically searched it up someone made a patch that enables SBC to go up to its maximum bitrate of 512kb
stereo that makes it onpar/better with aptx and works sending to older devices like car stereos
he even pushed it to google 2 years ago buts its still processing
Android Patch Brings Bluetooth SBC Codec Audio Quality on-par with aptX - CNX Software
Android patch improves Bluetooth SBC codec audio quality on all existing devices, allegedly making it as good as the high quality aptX HD codec
www.cnx-software.com
https://android-review.googlesource.com/c/platform/packages/apps/Bluetooth/+/759258/1
its in custom roms like RR etc shame its not implemented in stock still
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I feel like there will still be some degradation in the signal because it is still transcoding a lossy codec to another lossy codec. It's something I'll try when I'm connected to my home stereo.
Fladnag99 said:
Has anyone managed to find a USB C to 3.5mm Headphone and Charger Adapter 2in1 for the Pixel 6 Pro. The few I have tried so far only at best will work the audio port but none will charge. Hoping to find one that does both for when driving to be able to charge and listen to music with the 3,5 mm headphone attached to my car radio input. Adapters similar to the attached images that work would be ideal.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use this and it works great.
Amazon.com
FoneWatcher said:
I use this and it works great.
Amazon.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you saying this worked great for the new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro's?
Anyone who tells you they can tell the difference between bluetooth and {insert whateverthefeckhere} when competing with engine, road, and wind noise is absolutely full of sh**. Your ears are not that sensitive.
Fladnag99 said:
since I use the phone for navigation while driveing the Qi charger woldnt really serve a purpose
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't understand this logic. The phone doesn't turn off when you use Qi. It still works. If its about how the phone is mounted, either buy a holder with a Qi pad in it, or stick a Qi pad at the back of the holder.
96carboard said:
Anyone who tells you they can tell the difference between bluetooth and {insert whateverthefeckhere} when competing with engine, road, and wind noise is absolutely full of sh**. Your ears are not that sensitive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go get your hearing checked then because there is a difference. It's less of a difference when using tidal or Amazon music but when using YouTube music or Spotify etc it's staggering.
prohibido_por_la_ley said:
Go get your hearing checked then because there is a difference. It's less of a difference when using tidal or Amazon music but when using YouTube music or Spotify etc it's staggering.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My hearing is perfect. Yours is not as acute as you believe it to be.

Categories

Resources