Share your experience!
Hi, hope you can advise - this should be simple but I'm finding it difficult to get an answer. Can I connect my 5ii by usb cable to an external DAC? I want to use an ifi Zen DAC, with a usb cable (type c to type b) and to stream hi-res audio to my hifi - not to headphones.
I don't want to buy a DAC if this doesn't work.
Do standard cables work?
Thanks
I suggest that you send a mail to the reseller.
Plus a link to a pdf .
From the text inside this pdf:
Connect the ZEN DAC via USB in between your PC, Mac or smart device – tablet or phone – and chill.
Thanks, I've asked ifi and await their response.
This is way harder to find information than it should be ... so far;
1. standard cables won't work, I need an OTG cable (wired differently to enable the DAC to be recognised as a host).
2. I still don't know if the audio quality from USB out on my Xperia will be hi-res. I've read that Android OS limits file quality and I cannot find out if that is true for USB output. That's a Sony / Xperia question and I was expecting a clear answer from this forum. I'm not even sure if the USB output bypasses the Xperia DAC (I think it does).
Two unanswered questions;
1. If I receive music at e.g. 24bit/96khz ... what comes out of the usb socket?
2. (Not an Xperia question to be fair) can I do this with Amazon ultra HD music?
Pretty sure you could do this with something like the Bang&Olufsen AFD-1200 32bit DAC that came with the LG G5 (H850) - that DAC was a replaceable "chin" on the phone, but it would also work as a standalone USB-C module that could be used with any PC/phone/tablet (I used it via USB-C on the LG G5 when I didn't want to unplug the chin and reboot the phone and also via USB micro on my old Galaxy S2 Tablet!).
Here's product: https://www.lg.com/africa/cell-phones/lg-AFD-1200
Reason I mention it is that most people think they only work with the LG phones and there aren't many of those about, so you can get the B&O DAC for ~£20!