Apple eliminates headphone jack, says it will sound better

[c.coyle]

This sounds like marketing department BS to me. All else being equal, whether the DAC is in the earbuds or back at the device itself shouldn't make any difference, should it? Or are they just saying they have a better DAC, and happened to have stuck it in the earbuds?

"By scrapping your antiquated headphones, Apple is doing something extraordinary for music"

"Here’s why. Apple designed its custom Lightning port to supply much more power to headphones than the traditional 3.5mm jack, so the new iPhones are inviting smoother data transference as well as the opportunity for headphone makers to introduce new, innovative features. As Tech Radar explains:

'With Lightning or Bluetooth, the audio signal is transferred to our headphones digitally—meaning that the signal isn’t degraded like it is with a traditional 3.5mm jack. Instead, the audio signals are decoded by the digital-analogue converter (DAC) in our headphones, pulling the bits apart and making them into the smooth analogue sound we know.

Simply put, Lightning cables are capable of transferring much more data […] which means higher fidelity audio in your ears.' "

 

[hjames]

Thread #3 on the same old topic that's been rumored for a year now ...

The claimed benefit I liked best is the quote that removing the extra hole makes it easier to waterproof the iphone -
important when users seem to have a problem with dropping their phones in the loo ...

 

[whoaru99]

This sounds like marketing department BS to me. All else being equal, whether the DAC is in the earbuds or back at the device itself shouldn't make any difference, should it? Or are they just saying they have a better DAC, and happened to have stuck it in the earbuds?

It would be interesting to know the nature of the DAC/analog output that provided audio to the 3.5mm headphone jack, vs. the DAC/analog output in the $9 Lightning to 3.5mm adapter cable.

 

[hjames]

Doubtful there IS a DAC in the $9 lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter cable.

 

[4-2-7]

The phone still has a DAC as it has stereo speakers now, most likely better than the i5 and i6.

The funny thing about all this hoopla on an audio site, is if you start a thread asking for the best way to play files from a phone. Well it would be to use the digital output (USB) to a stand alone DAC, and not use the head phone jack. Soooo the only time I use the 3.5 jack is at work sometimes just for easy hookup in the shop.

 

[whoaru99]

Doubtful there IS a DAC in the $9 lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter cable.

It would be interesting to know for sure. AFAIK, the lightning jack does not have analog audio....but maybe in this new model it does or is enabled by new hardware or SW change.

 

[whoaru99]

The phone still has a DAC as it has stereo speakers now, most likely better than the i5 and i6.

Of course, but that doesn't mean it has any relevance to what comes from the lightning jack.

 

[SA-708]

I wonder if noise-cancelling circuits or DAC circuits in headphones will be able to leach power off of the phone through the lightning port connection.

Not that it matters to me; I still use a second-generation Zune.

 

[4-2-7]

Of course, but that doesn't mean it has any relevance to what comes from the lightning jack.

It shouldn't as when you go out a digital port you bypass the internal DAC, am I missing something? Thats a good thing in a lot of cases, although my i5 sounds really good using the internal DAC also.

 

[slow_jazz]

I'm still using the Iphone 5.

 

[4-2-7]

Then you also have things like this so you can charge and go out to an external DAC

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MK0W2AM/A/lightning-to-usb-3-camera-adapter

 

[whoaru99]

It shouldn't as when you go out a digital port you bypass the internal DAC, am I missing something?

That's sort of the heart of the matter...what happens to the audio when you use the headphone adapter. Not sure anyone but Apple knows for sure at this point.

To me, as stated before, another dongle is a PITA no matter how it is spun. But, considering the inevitability of that, hopefully the audio coming though the adapter is at least as good as what came from the headphone jack. Again, AFAIK, nobody but Apple knows right now.

 

[c.coyle]

Thread #3 on the same old topic that's been rumored for a year now ...

No, the other two were just speculation and complaining.

Somehow, somewhere before the drivers, the digital audio has to be converted to analog. Up to now, analog has been created in the device, then traveled through wires to the earbud drivers. Wirelessly, digital has to be transmitted through the ether to the earbud, and converted to analog therein. Or am I wrong in this assumption?

I am specifically questioning the claim that eliminating the headphone jack - in other words, re-locating the DAC from device to earbuds - can by itself make any improvement in sound quality or "supply much more power to headphones." Moving the DAC from one end to the other appears to be all they are doing.

 

[4-2-7]

That's sort of the heart of the matter...what happens to the audio when you use the headphone adapter. Not sure anyone but Apple knows for sure at this point.

I see, you think it's going to change something. The phone will sense the adaptor and you would then get the phones internal DAC. The phones can detect what's plugged into it so I don't see any issues at all. All we really have going on here is making some components stand alone, just like adding CDP, Hard Drives, powered USB hubs, battery packs and so forth.

I hardly ever use the 3.5, but use the charge USB port, WiFi everyday. To tell the truth phones really don't have the storage for quality music files, and a bunch of photos anyway. If you think your phone should be audiophile I got news for you....

 

[whoaru99]

I see, you think it's going to change something. The phone will sense the adaptor and you would then get the phones internal DAC. The phones can detect what's plugged into it so I don't see any issues at all. All we really have going on here is making some components stand alone, just like adding CDP, Hard Drives, powered USB hubs, battery packs and so forth.

I hardly ever use the 3.5, but use the charge USB port, WiFi everyday. To tell the truth phones really don't have the storage for quality music files, and a bunch of photos anyway. If you think your phone should be audiophile I got news for you....

It's changing something for sure...that's another dongle to keep track of.

Whether the quality of the audio changes using the adapter vs the headphone jack is a question.

I'd hope we've all been around long enough to know that change isn't inherently indicative of better (nor inherently indicative of worse).

Presently, the matter isn't of paramount importance since my iPhone is company-issued i5s. That said, I'm eligible for company refresh in November.

Heck, at the moment I just wish I could transfer files by Bluetooth...something Apple does not permit. Rumor has it, there may be choice of Samsung now too but I have not checked that far yet. (Btw - I do not need any suggestions on alternate file transfer methods...I'm quite familiar with the workarounds).

 

[c.coyle]

One thing I believe I got wrong in my original post: I think bluetooth and wireless signals would be considered analog in the strict sense, since they both, AFAIU, are modulated signals. Analog signals with digital data embedded on the waveform.

But I still want to know how you get to analog audio out of earbuds with the new "jackless" system, and how it can improve audio quality and "power."