>> But the audio quality is a noticeable upgrade from my iPhone 8
Is this still true with latest iPhone? I would expect that iPhone hardware is not a limiting factor for audio quality (assuming a wired adaptor for HiFi headphones)
Is this still true with latest iPhone? I would expect that iPhone hardware is not a limiting factor for audio quality (assuming a wired adaptor for HiFi headphones)
Some older devices I've owned had good-quality DACs - a Palm Treo being the best. My current ThinkPad has a downright awful DAC, to the point where music sounds _better_ over my Bluetooth headphones (Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT) than when plugged straight in. The quality issues are even more egregious for the cheap dock I use for my work MacBook Pro, which puts out so much electrical noise over the headphone jack as to be annoying even in in Zoom calls.
[EDIT: looks like the Apple 3.5 mm headphone dongle has a good DAC, see other comments by hug/JohnJamesRambo below]
> I’m not an audiophile, and I’m sure said people would blanch if they read about the files I play. But the audio quality is a noticeable upgrade from my iPhone 8. It sounds so much clearer, especially in the midrange. Its EQ settings also add extra sparkle and pop, for want of better words! It’s the biggest uplift in sound I’ve experienced since I bought AKG monitors for home.
According to gsmarena measurements, the output of the iPhone 8 is extremely accurate across the entire spectrum[1]. Sampling a few gsmarena reviews, this is also true for a typical modern Samsung or Xiaomi phone, or even an ancient iPhone 4s.
I believe accurate audio quality is indeed a solved problem, and what the author's describe as an upgrade in quality is just more pleasantly tuned (though distorted) EQ settings (c.f. the "warm" sound of vinyl vs accurate redbook CD-audio).
[1] https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_8-review-1664p7.php#
The latest iPhone doesn't have a DAC in it for headphones. The little 3.5mm-to-lightning dongle is active -- it contains a tiny DAC/amp powered by the lightning port.
Is the tiny lightning dongle a good DAC? The answer is largely "it's fine". Anyone who isn't on the cork-sniffing side of audiophile trends will find it acceptable, assuming the amp is capable of driving the load of whatever headphones you're plugging into it.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/r...
I remember when I had a first gen iPhone and the call quality was atrocious with AT&T compared to my RAZR on Verizon. You get used to it over time but back to back it was pretty dramatic.
https://www.whathifi.com/advice/how-to-play-hi-res-music-you...
Quoting the article:
"Next, you need a decent DAC such as the Audioquest DragonFly Cobalt, Cyrus soundKey or Chord Mojo 2 and a good pair of headphones, such as the Grado SR325x, Shure Aonic 3 or Austrian Audio Hi-X55.
This is just a starting point, of course. Don’t be afraid to build up to a more revealing system. You could combine the Chord Hugo 2 DAC with a pair of Beyerdynamic T1 (3rd Generation) headphones for a more premium set-up. That might be a touch overkill and punishingly transparent for an iPhone, but these are hi-res files, after all."
More to the point I don't want dongles for my phone either. These are all solutions for Apple cheapening the product.
I’ve got a decent quality pro audio interface and monitor headphones. I’ve also got airpod pros. The AirPods sound much much better and I prefer listening to anything with them.
It’s all subjective.