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How do the 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapters or Docks Work? USB-C or Lightning
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MU7E2AM/A/usb-c-to-35-mm-headphone-jack-adapter
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMX62AM/A/lightning-to-35-mm-headphone-jack-adapter
https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/TCDK10PMHSG/
Do they have a DAC inside? What bit depths and sample rates are available? Thanks.
Comments
Yes, they have a DAC (at least the dongle does... you know, a dongle DAC).
USB-C can send analog audio, using the onboard DAC and amp, or pass the digital signal.
Thanks. So the $9 Apple adapters have an IC (labeled 338S00140 A0SM1624 TW) containing an ADC and DAC, plus some other bits for codecs, etc. (But no ampifiers? The amplification still takes place inside the iDevice? According to the article below it does on the iPhone 7 - Apple/Cirrus Logic IC labeled 338S00105, which happens to be the same IC used in the iPhone 6s, which has a 3.5mm jack.).
From October 2016: https://ifixit.org/blog/8448/apple-audio-adapter-teardown/
Interested to see if someone does a teardown of the USB-C 3.5mm adapter. Same IC? (338S00140 A0SM1624 TW). Amplifiers still inside the 2018 iDevices?
Is bet money on it.
Remarkable that Apple only charges $9 considering what's packed inside.
I wonder what's stopping them from resurrecting the Emagic audio interfaces?
Here's the teardown for the latest Apple USB-C to 3.5 mm headphone adapter:
https://www.cabledo.com/apple-usb-c-digital-to-3-5-mm-headphone-adapter-teardown/
It uses a Cirrus Logic 46L06-CWZR.
It locks the sample rate at 48kHz, and no other sample rate is available.
Here's Audio Science's Review:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-apple-vs-google-usb-c-headphone-adapters.5541/
Here's Ken Rockwell's tests (this is the Lightning>3.5mm not the USB-C>3.5mm):
https://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/lightning-adapter-audio-quality.htm
Ken Rockwell review from January 2017:
This tiny adapter houses a microscopic stereo digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a stereo headphone amplifier, a microphone preamplifier and monophonic analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and power converters to run this all.
It's smart enough to respond to remote control commands and has circuitry to let it tell the phone what, or if, something is plugged in. For instance, it's so smart that it remembers different volume settings for my pro headphones that only have three terminals on their plugs versus my mobile headphones that have 4-terminal (TRRS) connectors with remote & mics. Yes, your remote control and microphone in your headphones will work exactly as they have on old iPhones.
Quite simply this microscopic adapter has the same superb audio quality of all my other iOS devices. It's actually better than earlier iOS devices like the year-older iPad Pro and iPhone 6 Plus.
This tiny Apple device has better performance and more and cleaner output than many fancier "audiophile" devices I've tested.
If you're using regular headphones (under 100Ω), you can't do better than using this adapter or just plugging it into your iPhone, iPad or iPod. Only if you're running 240Ω or higher headphones are you likely to need a professional amp like the Benchmark DAC1 HDR to get more output.
The only reason to get an outboard headphone amplifier for use with your iPhone 7 Plus is if you have high-impedance (100Ω or greater) headphones like the 600 Ω beyerdynamic DT880 which often require more voltage than the 1V RMS maximum from iOS devices and this adapter. In this case, you still don't need a DAC; the analog output from this adapter will probably be better than what you'd get from an expensive outboard DAC!
I don't think it sounds better than my older Benchmark DAC1 with various AKG, Beyerdynamic, and Sennheiser cans. It sounds good, but not that good.
When using my old JVC in-ear monitors and the Apple USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter plugged into the 2018 Pro 11", it's definitely louder than the built-in headphone jack of the 2017 iPad 10.5", and even louder still than the 2013 Air 1 or 2013 Mini 2, but other that, the differences are subtle. Extended lows and increased soundstage depth and width versus the 2013 iPads, which I spent the most time with.