Audio Quality Difference Between Headphone Jack and Lightning Port?

Reid

Unlike my phone, my iPad still has a headphone jack. But I've always been told that there would be a quality loss if I plugged a cable out from my headphone jack into my audio interface. So to get my iPad music into my computer I used Studiomux, and then, later on, an iConnectivity interface (which I no longer use).

Lately, I just export files and stems from my iPad.

But I noticed that I can use the adapter from my phone to plug a minijack into the lightning port on my iPad--and audio comes out.
So would I get full quality digital audio output going through the lightning port? Or would the quality still be compromised in some way?

Thanks!

Samu

For me the Apple Lightning -> 3.5mm dongle(it has a built in so-so adc/dac) seems to have roughly the same quality as the built-in 3.5mm jack. I can't hear any difference between it and the built-in headphone jack on my iPad Air 2.

Lt_Core

They're similar to me, as well. I need higher output for gigs so I added the Novation Audio Hub 2x4 and it has a ton of output, sounds great!

Reid

Thanks!

mschenkel.it

@Samu said:
For me the Apple Lightning -> 3.5mm dongle(it has a built in so-so adc/dac) seems to have roughly the same quality as the built-in 3.5mm jack. I can't hear any difference between it and the built-in headphone jack on my iPad Air 2.

Probably it is just the very same with the only difference it stays out of the chassis of your phone

[Deleted User]

When I first plugged my iPad into a sound card, ZOOM U24, (after few months of headphones only) I was amazed how much better the lightning connection was in comparison to headphones out....the same headphones out of Zoom sound card.

And I was using Sony MDR 7506

Samplemunch

@soundklinik said:
When I first plugged my iPad into a sound card, ZOOM U24, (after few months of headphones only) I was amazed how much better the lightning connection was in comparison to headphones out....the same headphones out of Zoom sound card.

And I was using Sony MDR 7506

Not entirely sure why people don't get this, it is not the lightning port that sounds better, it is the zoom U24 that sounds better

Audiojunkie

It is also entirely possible that the adc/dac in the Apple Lightning -> 3.5mm dongle is not the weakest point in the chain. Whether I listen to sound through a built-in 3.5mm jack or the external dongle, they both sound like crap when I use my Apple earphones. Yet, when I plug in my Audio Technica audio technica ath-m50x's I can hear a world of difference! I think the dongle sounds fine.

PhilW

I was surprised when I saw an interview about Jordan Rudess’ keyboard set-up and when using the iPad, they just take the headphone output rather than use an audio interface!

anickt

@PhilW said:
I was surprised when I saw an interview about Jordan Rudess’ keyboard set-up and when using the iPad, they just take the headphone output rather than use an audio interface!

Because if you didn’t know you’d never know.

CracklePot

Even if you can’t tell the difference, there is still the crackling issue with the mini jack out. USB audio doesn’t seem to have that problem for some reason.

Voldrox

Using the lightning port for an external DAC could also potentially lessen the load on your iPad CPU or inbuilt amplifier, i guess.

gonekrazy3000

@CracklePot said:
Even if you can’t tell the difference, there is still the crackling issue with the mini jack out. USB audio doesn’t seem to have that problem for some reason.

Only an issue with the new pros though. My air2 never crackles.

AndyPawlak

There is no perceivable difference at all. I use both scenarios on a daily basis.