Enable USB audio on any Android 4.0 device

[DanBa]

Samsung Galaxy Note II & Ray Samuels Audio The Intruder, fully balanced amp / USB DAC:
The Intruder, Fully Balanced Amp/USB DAC - Ray Samuels Audio
MODIFIED BALANCED BEYERDYNAMIC T5p
6moons audio reviews: Balanced headphones - Part One
How Balanced Is Balanced?
Pictures of Your Portable Rig (part XVI)

Galaxy Note II > digital USB audio out >> balanced RSA Intruder USB DAC / amp >> balanced Beyerdynamic T5p

Balanced mode

Normal mode

 

[DanBa]

A list of stock Android-powered devices reportedly interworking with standard USB DAC and a list of standard USB DAC reportedly interworking with the stock Samsung Galaxy Note II / S III are updated at the 1st post:
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/android-forum/197454-enable-usb-audio-any-android-4-0-device.html

 

[DanBa]

Samsung Galaxy Note II & Apex Glacier USB DAC/amp:
Apex High Fi Audio Glacier
JH16 Pro Custom In-Ear Monitor | Custom In-Ear Monitors by JH Audio
Apex Glacier amp/dac review and appreciation thread

Galaxy Note II > digital USB audio out >> Apex Glacier USB DAC/amp >> JH Audio JH16 Pro IEM

"Even with my DX100 , I did not get such clarity and sound-stage.
I am happier with this setup, than the DX100, alas, no 96/24 capability (android limitation...for now)
Neutron with the Glacier, are giving me the chills............................ "

 

[DanBa]

HTC Butterfly (aka HTC Droid DNA, HTC J Butterfly): 5", 1920*1080, 2GB RAM, quad-core S4
HTC Butterfly Overview - HTC Smartphones
http://www.eprice.com.tw/mobile/talk/4542/...84/2/m/4843526/

stock HTC Butterfly > digital USB audio out >> USB OTG cable >> iBasso D12 Hj USB DAC/amp >> Westone UM-3X IEM

 

[DanBa]

USB audio & us$99 Minix Neo X5 Android mini PC (Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, ARM Cortex A9 dual-core CPU at 1.4GHz, quad-core Mali 400 GPU, 1GB RAM, 16GB ROM, SD card slot, USB 2.0 port x 3, micro USB OTG port, optical SPDIF port, HDMI port, Ethernet port, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, IR receiver, microphone jack, headphone jack)
MiniX.us
Android Mini PC Buying Guide
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?dd...20&openflup&5&4


Minix Neo X5 > digital USB audio out >> regular USB cable (i.e. standard-A plug to standard-B plug USB cable) >> Valab DAC


"SB Touch...buh bye. Hello Android Media Box…


Plug and play USB audio support - no drivers, no snap crackle pop, no dropouts. Wow. The sound was absolutely fantastic. What a great way to consolidate my favorite streaming apps and have my ripped collection just a click away as well. All controlled remotely from the comfort of my easy chair and viewed on my big screen TV. I AM Slothman!


In summary, this was all an exercise in music listening convenience for me and obviously NOT an audiophile quest. However, I do believe that devices such as these and the applications being developed are on the verge of further revolutionizing this hobby in a big way soon. After my initial experience with this (basic) media box, I can certainly see why Logitech decided to kick the SB Touch to the curb. I hope this thread may spark a little more discussion and interest in these Android media boxes/ mini PC's. I haven't seen much mentioned about them here or on computeraudiophile."

With Android phone, Android tablet and Android mini PC, Android is definitely is a New Kid in Town for the USB DAC market sector.

 

[reddragon72]

USB audio & us$99 Minix Neo X5 Android mini PC (Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, ARM Cortex A9 dual-core CPU at 1.4GHz, quad-core Mali 400 GPU, 1GB RAM, 16GB ROM, SD card slot, USB 2.0 port x 3, micro USB OTG port, optical SPDIF port, HDMI port, Ethernet port, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, IR receiver, microphone jack, headphone jack)
MiniX.us
Android Mini PC Buying Guide
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?dd...20&openflup&5&4


Minix Neo X5 > digital USB audio out >> regular USB cable (i.e. standard-A plug to standard-B plug USB cable) >> Valab DAC


"SB Touch...buh bye. Hello Android Media Box…


Plug and play USB audio support - no drivers, no snap crackle pop, no dropouts. Wow. The sound was absolutely fantastic. What a great way to consolidate my favorite streaming apps and have my ripped collection just a click away as well. All controlled remotely from the comfort of my easy chair and viewed on my big screen TV. I AM Slothman!


In summary, this was all an exercise in music listening convenience for me and obviously NOT an audiophile quest. However, I do believe that devices such as these and the applications being developed are on the verge of further revolutionizing this hobby in a big way soon. After my initial experience with this (basic) media box, I can certainly see why Logitech decided to kick the SB Touch to the curb. I hope this thread may spark a little more discussion and interest in these Android media boxes/ mini PC's. I haven't seen much mentioned about them here or on computeraudiophile."

With Android phone, Android tablet and Android mini PC, Android is definitely is a New Kid in Town for the USB DAC market sector.

Did you test this yourself? I am still looking for a USB audio device that outputs 5.1 AC3/DTS.

 

[DanBa]

Nope, the text surrounded by the quotation marks (i.e. a citation) is not mine.

 

[dlw]

I have this working on my SGS3 USB soundcard

 

[captainkirkw]

If I understand all of this correctly, is there no hope for being able to plug my Nexus 4 or any relatively new Android phone into my car stereo via the USB cable and have it play stored music or stream Pandora,di.fm, etc...? While I am not going back to iOS, it is pretty disappointing that we don't have this feature available like I did with my iPhone 4. I know I can stream via BT but since I want my phone to charge, it is just so easy to use the USB cable to do that plus play music.

 

[DanBa]

As long as the USB host is not enabled on the Nexus 4, it can't work with a USB peripheral like a standard USB DAC.
Issue 40087 - android - Nexus 4 (JOP40C) USB OTG / host support not working - Android - An Open Handset Alliance Project - Google Project Hosting

 

[DanBa]

The compatibility list of Android devices / USB DAC is regularly updated at the following topic:
Android phones and USB DACs