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jer3old
3
Aug 26, 2015
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So this won't work with mobile devices, right? Like iPhone or Android. Such a shame because this size would be perfect not just for pc/mac.
CEntrance
1151
Michael Goodman
Aug 26, 2015
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jer3oldThis baby can push some serious power into serious cans. That's the kind of power you can get from USB, but not from many phones, sadly. Their batteries are too small and there is no battery inside of Slim.
Will
8470
Chief Product Officer
Aug 26, 2015
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jer3oldSo.... this is an interesting question.
When I got the sample for this product, I tried plugging it into a Samsung Galaxy 5 (running a sub-version of Android Lollipop)... It worked. Tried a couple other android devices around the office (older LG phones) and it didn't work.
Following that, I tried it with my iPhone 6+, no dice.
I can't confidently say it works with android devices, but for some reason it works with Samsung Galaxy 5's. I'm not an engineer, and maybe CEntrance can expand on this a bit here, but I think it's compatible with Android by default (given this product works with any Unix based OS) but most devices can't provide the power it needs to run.
Again, can't guarantee anything as it's not what this product was designed for (read: don't buy this if you want a DAC/Amp for your phone), but maybe some clever Massdrop member can tell us something about the micro USB power output on the Samsung Galaxy 5 and extrapolate from there to figure out what other devices might be able to power it?
Let me write it again to make sure there's no confusion, this product was not designed for use with mobile devices and we can't guaranty any compatibility.
Just sharing my experience and maybe someone smarter can tell me why this works.
When I got the sample for this product, I tried plugging it into a Samsung Galaxy 5 (running a sub-version of Android Lollipop)... It worked. Tried a couple other android devices around the office (older LG phones) and it didn't work.
Following that, I tried it with my iPhone 6+, no dice.
I can't confidently say it works with android devices, but for some reason it works with Samsung Galaxy 5's. I'm not an engineer, and maybe CEntrance can expand on this a bit here, but I think it's compatible with Android by default (given this product works with any Unix based OS) but most devices can't provide the power it needs to run.
Again, can't guarantee anything as it's not what this product was designed for (read: don't buy this if you want a DAC/Amp for your phone), but maybe some clever Massdrop member can tell us something about the micro USB power output on the Samsung Galaxy 5 and extrapolate from there to figure out what other devices might be able to power it?
Let me write it again to make sure there's no confusion, this product was not designed for use with mobile devices and we can't guaranty any compatibility.
Just sharing my experience and maybe someone smarter can tell me why this works.
Will
8470
Chief Product Officer
Aug 26, 2015
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asymconHey, thanks for your question.
If it was designed for mobile use, it would either be lower powered or have it's own external battery. Power is the biggest problem for mobile audiophile gear.
As it is, it's unclear which devices it can work with given the high level of power it draws. I'm sure it will interface with all OTG-enabled devices, but having tried it on multiple different devices, it's clear not all of them work and I'm betting it has to do with the power.
Hopefully that clarifies my earlier post.
If it was designed for mobile use, it would either be lower powered or have it's own external battery. Power is the biggest problem for mobile audiophile gear.
As it is, it's unclear which devices it can work with given the high level of power it draws. I'm sure it will interface with all OTG-enabled devices, but having tried it on multiple different devices, it's clear not all of them work and I'm betting it has to do with the power.
Hopefully that clarifies my earlier post.
Usern473
12
Aug 26, 2015
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jer3oldThere's a micro USB DAC and a Lightening port model on kickstarter, I can't remember what the Taiwanese startup was called however.. :(
Psychetron
69
Aug 26, 2015
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WillI noticed oddities with various Android devices I've used too. I had a N5, and with a certain build of CM, I was able to use a USB based DAC (the hifimeDIY SABRE DAC) direct from the phone. I then got a OnePlus, and any build I try, even CM variants - no dice. I had a S3 ages ago, and I remember it being very good at supporting USB natively, even without custom ROMs.
asymcon
30
Aug 26, 2015
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WillWhat's the expected amperage draw for this unit? I couldn't find it anywhere.
I doubt it'll be more than 200mA as other reviewer claimed it ran cool even for such a small case. 50-140mA would be my guess.
Also compatibility has nothing to do with power draw, what's stopping anyone from bridging power rail to USB powerbank?
Also compatibility has nothing to do with power draw, what's stopping anyone from bridging power rail to USB powerbank?
CEntrance
1151
Michael Goodman
Aug 26, 2015
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asymconThe idle current drain will be around 250mA on a 5V supply. It can increase to as much as 400mA if you are pumping some serious volume into a low impedance load.
DACport Slim was designed to power the hard-to-drive headphones and this requires some USB current. This baby can pump some serious juice into a lot of different cans, which cannot be said about most products in this price range.
DACport Slim was designed to power the hard-to-drive headphones and this requires some USB current. This baby can pump some serious juice into a lot of different cans, which cannot be said about most products in this price range.
manezinho
131
Oct 14, 2015
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WillIt has to do with how much power the phone can supply via the USB port. For example, my iPhone will disable the connection if too much power is being drawn from it. For this reason, DACs with integrated batteries (I used FiiO's E07k) are preferable for this type of application. If your phone has enough juice on the port, this will work fine though, at the expense of the phone's battery life :)
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