Lightning to Toslink Adapter Question

[Danddd]

I have my ARES II hooked up to my my Mac Mini with the USB. I was wanting to connect my iPhone to the DAC occasionally with out unplugging the USB line. I tried using a a Toslink cable to a headphone jack/lightning adapter with no sound.

Anybody use their phone with their DAC using the Toslink line in? If so, what are you using for cables?

 

[gvl]

This looks promising:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VSFBT82/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_GXENPWWH8ZNRG6QV5DXS

 

[linuxfan]

Although the physical connection on your iPhone may be Lightning, the iPhone's digital output is actually USB-audio. And the only way to access that USB-audio signal is with the official Apple camera adapter or a licenced third-party cable. See here -
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/bypassing-ipad-dac.895088/#post-13316707

Then in order to convert this USB-audio signal to optical s/pdif (Toslink) yes, you could use the device that gvl mentioned - although Amazon lists it as Currently unavailable.
There are many other USB-s/pdif converters you could consider - Audiophonics has multiple options -
https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/digital-interfaces-c-598.html

The SMSL PO100 seems the best value to me.

 

[Danddd]

This looks promising:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VSFBT82/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_GXENPWWH8ZNRG6QV5DXS

So does this get plugged into the DAC? I see the link shows USB 2.0, is it available with Lightning connection?

 

[benricci]

So does this get plugged into the DAC? I see the link shows USB 2.0, is it available with Lightning connection?

Your phone doesn't have a USB-C connector, so the product that they linked to on Amazon isn't gonna work for your iPhone. You could use it with your Mac, if your Mini has USB-C ports, and then a Lightning-to-USB cable into your DAC if you want your phone on a separate input.

I use this for my iPhone to my DAC: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0987FLDG3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title

 

[gvl]

So does this get plugged into the DAC? I see the link shows USB 2.0, is it available with Lightning connection?

You will also need a lightning to USB-C adapter between this and your iPhone.

You could also invest into a Topping D10S which has SPDIF outputs and is also a good DAC you can play with, but as iPhone won’t be able to power it you’ll need to use a powered USB hub in between or one of those lightning to USB adapters that allow an external power supply.

 

[linuxfan]

a Lightning-to-USB cable into your DAC

You will also need a lightning to USB-C adapter between this and your iPhone.

equates to -

the official Apple camera adapter or a licenced third-party cable.

 

[linuxfan]

You could also invest into a Topping D10S which has SPDIF outputs and is also a good DAC you can play with

Yes, as well as being a DAC, the D10s has a USB-s/pdif converter function. My only comment is that Danddd already has a DAC (a high-end model, at that) so only needs the USB-s/pdif converter.

 

[Danddd]

Thanks everyone. I sure miss that convenient headphone jack. Odd that that the DAC (and many of them) has two opticals and one USB jack.

 

[linuxfan]

To be clear, you need these:
Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter (Apple-licenced, third-party product) $17
https://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Adapter-Charging-Support-Keyboard/dp/B08R7F4YCT

SMSL PO100 USB to s/pdif interface $35
https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/788.html

USB to USB-C cable $7
https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-USB-C-Gen2-USB-Cable/dp/B085SBGZ7G

Toslink cable $6 (though I would prefer to use the coaxial connections)
https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Optical-Audio-Cable-Toslink/dp/B07TJLW6FF

 

[Danddd]

To be clear, you need these:
Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter (Apple-licenced, third-party product) $17
https://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Adapter-Charging-Support-Keyboard/dp/B08R7F4YCT

SMSL PO100 USB to s/pdif interface $35
https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/788.html

USB to USB-C cable $7
https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-USB-C-Gen2-USB-Cable/dp/B085SBGZ7G

Toslink cable $6 (though I would prefer to use the coaxial connections)
https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Optical-Audio-Cable-Toslink/dp/B07TJLW6FF

So the SMSL converts the lightning signal so it can hook up to the DAC? Do I need the charging adapter for short term use? I have the other cables.

 

[gvl]

iPhone may not be able to provide enough juice to power the SMSL. If it can’t it’s not clear if you can power an external USB device through this lightning adapter or only charge iPhone battery, in the latter case iPhone may still reject to supply sufficient power. So it may work or not, perhaps someone here tried this and can confirm. You could also use a powered USB hub in between if everything else fails.

 

[linuxfan]

So the SMSL converts the lightning signal so it can hook up to the DAC?

Not exactly. The Camera Adapter extracts the USB-audio signal and exposes it as a USB connection, then the SMSL converts this USB-audio signal to s/pdif (both coaxial and optical).
You need both the Camera Adapter and SMSL PO100 - they work in unison in this particular configuration.
For the sake of illustration - it would be possible to use only the Camera Adapter, by connecting this to the USB input of your Ares II DAC ... but I understand that you prefer to dedicate the DAC's USB input to your Mac Mini.

Do I need the charging adapter for short term use?

USB-s/pdif converters such as the SMSL PO100 typically draw only a small amount of current, and I'm confident the iPhone's battery could deal with this comfortably.
But the Camera Adapter has an added benefit in that it allows you to connect external power (via the 2nd Lightning connector) and since your iPhone is now physically tethered to the DAC, you might as well use external power.

 

[linuxfan]

I should have mentioned earlier that instead of connecting your iPhone to a DAC via a cable, there's an alternative setup - stream from iPhone via AirPlay to an AirPort Express, or more modern equivalent device such as the WiiM Mini streamer.

 

[totem]

This ^ I liken the current times we are in to where reseting the clock on a VCR was daunting
task and many simply left it flashing.

This too will pass the sooner the better.

 

[Danddd]

@linuxfan I appreciate the detailed information. I have a couple of AEs around the house that I use now. I have an iPhone XR that I have converted to iPod duty so I was thinking of creating more uses for it besides a music/audiobook library I use in the car and elsewhere. As you are now aware, I was looking for a quick connect to the ARES optical input. I think your connection detail will probably be what I do, but I am going to look into the WiiM Mini streamer too.

 

[linuxfan]

I have a couple of AEs around the house that I use now.

Ah, since you actually have an AirPort Express, it's worth mentioning that it has optical s/pdif output, thus making it suitable for Toslink connection to your DAC.

I am going to look into the WiiM Mini streamer too

Same with the Wiim Mini - it has optical s/pdif output.

I was looking for a quick connect to the ARES optical input

I think that a wifi connection (AirPlay) to an AE or WiiM will be quicker (and more flexible) than a wired connection.

 

[Pondoro]

I bought a Lightning to headphone jack adapter (official Apple) - I thought it was a dumb wire. No, the lightning to adapter connection only supplies power, I had to connect the adapter to the iPhone using Bluetooth! There was no sound until I figured this out.

 

[linuxfan]

I bought a Lightning to headphone jack adapter (official Apple)
...
the lightning to adapter connection only supplies power

Yes, the generic lightning-USB cable does not support USB audio - only the Lightning-USB Camera Adapter (or a licenced third-party cable) provide this feature.
The relevant Apple model numbers are explained here -
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/bypassing-ipad-dac.895088/#post-13316707

I had to connect the adapter to the iPhone using Bluetooth!

Well no, if you buy the proper Camera Connection cable (as above) this will provide you with USB-audio output from the iPhone ...
and of course there's also the alternate configuration involving wifi, using an AirPort Express or some other AirPlay receiver, as per post #14.

 

[Pondoro]

Yes, the generic lightning-USB cable does not support USB audio - only the Lightning-USB Camera Adapter (or a licenced third-party cable) provide this feature.
The relevant Apple model numbers are explained here -
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/bypassing-ipad-dac.895088/#post-13316707


Well no, if you buy the proper Camera Connection cable (as above) this will provide you with USB-audio output from the iPhone ...
and of course there's also the alternate configuration involving wifi, using an AirPort Express or some other AirPlay receiver, as per post #14.

Right, I bought Lightning to headphone. I wasn’t trying to get digital through it. My point was my surprise that nothing but power came through it! I had to turn on the Bluetooth. What looked like a straight wire clearly had chips inside. I didn’t want Bluetooth, just straight audio.