The Computer Audiophile Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Hi Guys - I originally posted a question about using this adapter with the AudioQuest DragonFly Red (link). Since answering this question by purchasing the adapter myself, I've since discovered how cool this thing is and think a thread for the Apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter by itself is a good idea. Here's the story. Apple's standard lightning to USB camera kit does allow connecting a USB DAC to an iOS device, but most DACs have an issue sucking too much power and won't work. the iOS device throws up an error. On the other hand, DACs like the new DragonFly Red will work with the standard adapter but there's no way to charge your iOS device at the same time. For example, I want to use my iPhone and DragonFly Red on a plane to Italy next month, but I don't want to use all my iPhone battery. The new solution is the $39 Apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter. this adapter enables both USB DACs and power from a lightning cable simultaneously. After purchasing the adapter today, I ran some tests and found great things. It works with USB DACs like the DragonFly Red and any lightning charger. It also works with main system USB devices like the Berkeley Audio Design Alpha USB. The Alpha sucks a lot of USB power and has never worked with an iOS device in the past. The one caveat to this is that you must power the adapter / iOS device with a 10+ watt charger like this one (Apple 12 watt charger). I was able to stream bit perfect 16/44.1 audio from the Tidal app on my iPhone 6 Plus. I was able to stream 16/44.1 audio bit perfect using JRemote and the play to this device option. However, JRemote didn't deliver bit perfect playback on 96, 176.4 and 192 content. The sample rate was correct but something was wrong with the bit depth. I was able to play 16/44.1, 24/96, 24/176.4, and 24/192 from my iPhone 6 Plus to the Alpha USB using FLAC Player. This is a really cool adapter with a lot of potential. I think many CA readers will have tons of ideas about how to use this with an iOS device to play music to a good DAC. I'm sure some will use an UpTone Regen on the USB as well :~) Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter - Apple HalSF 1 Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
wgscott Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Is there a way to use this, along with a USB flash drive, to extend the music storage capabilities of an iOS device? Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted May 22, 2016 Author Share Posted May 22, 2016 Is there a way to use this, along with a USB flash drive, to extend the music storage capabilities of an iOS device? Not without a jailbreak. Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
wgscott Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Of all the times I did a jailbreak and then wondered what the hell to do with it ... finally a reason. But I doubt I could live with the bugginess. Link to comment
wgscott Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 After all that, I found mine and it has the female USB-A slot but not the other lightning bolt input slot. (I have a VGA one with that on it -- so I was mis-remembering). Link to comment
fritzg Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 This begs for RoonBridge for iOS. Link to comment
jhwalker Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Chris, thanks for sharing this - that's the exact use case I would see for this setup (*long* international flights). Could you post a quick pic of your setup, just to validate what I think I'm picturing in my head? John Walker - IT Executive Headphone - SonicTransporter i9 running Roon Server > Netgear Orbi > Blue Jeans Cable Ethernet > mRendu Roon endpoint > Topping D90 > Topping A90d > Dan Clark Expanse / HiFiMan H6SE v2 / HiFiman Arya Stealth Home Theater / Music -SonicTransporter i9 running Roon Server > Netgear Orbi > Blue Jeans Cable HDMI > Denon X3700h > Anthem Amp for front channels > Revel F208-based 5.2.4 Atmos speaker system Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted May 22, 2016 Author Share Posted May 22, 2016 Chris, thanks for sharing this - that's the exact use case I would see for this setup (*long* international flights). Could you post a quick pic of your setup, just to validate what I think I'm picturing in my head? Here is a quick snapshot of how I'm using it. The lightning to USB cable will simply connect to the airplane's USB ports. BilboAlaska 1 Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
jhwalker Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Here is a quick snapshot of how I'm using it. The lightning to USB cable will simply connect to the airplane's USB ports. [ATTACH=CONFIG]26427[/ATTACH] Thank you! I was picturing it correctly Really cool. John Walker - IT Executive Headphone - SonicTransporter i9 running Roon Server > Netgear Orbi > Blue Jeans Cable Ethernet > mRendu Roon endpoint > Topping D90 > Topping A90d > Dan Clark Expanse / HiFiMan H6SE v2 / HiFiman Arya Stealth Home Theater / Music -SonicTransporter i9 running Roon Server > Netgear Orbi > Blue Jeans Cable HDMI > Denon X3700h > Anthem Amp for front channels > Revel F208-based 5.2.4 Atmos speaker system Link to comment
tranz Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 A caveat with the USB camera adapter as it will not work with my iPhone 5. Anyone have luck with this combo? Now I need to upgrade my phone....bloody hell. Link to comment
Kalkant Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 Works with iPhone 5 (and Apogee Groove) without any problems. Do you have newest iOS? Link to comment
Superdad Posted May 27, 2016 Share Posted May 27, 2016 This is a really cool adapter with a lot of potential. I think many CA readers will have tons of ideas about how to use this with an iOS device to play music to a good DAC. I'm sure some will use an UpTone Regen on the USB as well :~) Hi Chris: Thanks for calling attention to the new Apple USB 3 Camera Adapter. And you are right, a lot of people use the REGEN with iPad/iPhones and a CCK (the shorthand for what Apple used to call the Camera Connection Kit)--in large part because the REGEN does not draw ANY power from the iPhone/Pad, yet it provides the DAC or DAC/headphone amp with all the USB 5VBUS power it could possibly want. It is neat though that Audioquest went with a USB processor and DAC chip design that draws so little power it can run direct from the iDevice without iOS complaining that it draws too much. One cool thing that not everyone is aware of is that with a good wifi connection you can actually stream hi-res content over you network, to iPhone/Pad, and out to your DAC. So even though iTunes won't let you sync/copy hi-res music files onto your phone, if you turn on HomeShare you can access and play up to 24/192 through your phone! I've done it a few times for fun. UpTone Audio LLC Link to comment
tranz Posted May 27, 2016 Share Posted May 27, 2016 Works with iPhone 5 (and Apogee Groove) without any problems. Do you have newest iOS? Thank you! It needed 9.2. Link to comment
Distinctive Posted May 27, 2016 Share Posted May 27, 2016 This begs for RoonBridge for iOS. +1 Link to comment
tranz Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 Works with iPhone 5 (and Apogee Groove) without any problems. Do you have newest iOS? After the iOS upgrade it works like a charm with the Firefly now and a great upgrade for car audio. Tighter and more solid bass and far clearer sound than directly from the phone. It did remind me why sabre DACs are not for me for my main listening rig... too fatiguing. Link to comment
BilboAlaska Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 I tried an old Dragonfly with the apple camera adaptor on a brand new iPad and it did not work, not did an old HRT headstreamer. Instead of another new Dragonfly I got a Rennesense lab Herus and it works and sounds great. 1-Apple camera adapter to 2- USB x USB-B male printer cord into the Herus DSD DAC. The Apple printer cord was the only USB x USB-B cord that I could find. It works nice with a variety of headphones, eg PSB, Sennheiser, Grado, teem buds. Link to comment
Donzauker Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Hi all. I'm waiting to receive the Dragonfly Red Audioquest DAC. I will use it on my iPhone 5s (and my iPad Air). Will the lightning / USB 3 Camera adapter will work with iOS 9 or it will need to upgrade to iOS 10? Once connected will it work as USB 2 or USB 3? Thank you. Link to comment
CAMSHAFT Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 You don't have to use a CCK (iPhone 6S to Mojo via Lavricable) Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile Link to comment
Gonzbull Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 On 3/12/2017 at 4:51 PM, CAMSHAFT said: You don't have to use a CCK (iPhone 6S to Mojo via Lavricable) Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile But that won't work with a Dragonfly unless you add a female to female adaptor. Link to comment
Donzauker Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 Got the Apple CCK (lightning/USB 3 adapter - not the old USB 2 - as suggested by Audioquest) and attached the Dragonfly Red. It works perfectly! Link to comment
CAMSHAFT Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 On 3/24/2017 at 1:12 AM, Gonzbull said: But that won't work with a Dragonfly unless you add a female to female adaptor. I'll try it and get back to you. Link to comment
Ajax Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Hi Chris and Gang, Listening to Leon Bridges around the pool at The Kandy House, Kandy, Sri Lanka. As a famous past Australian sports commentator would say "Bloody marvellous that" The Computer Audiophile 1 LOUNGE: Mac Mini - Audirvana - Devialet 200 - ATOHM GT1 Speakers OFFICE : Mac Mini - Audirvana - Benchmark DAC1HDR - ADAM A7 Active Monitors TRAVEL : MacBook Air - Dragonfly V1.2 DAC - Sennheiser HD 650 BEACH : iPhone 6 - HRT iStreamer DAC - Akimate Micro + powered speakers Link to comment
BilboAlaska Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 I like that you can charge at the same time. I have been using the single lightning to USB apple adaptor which works great with my Herus DAC on iPad but couldn't charge at the same time. They don't know anything at the local Mac dealers. "What is a DAC?" Link to comment
BilboAlaska Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 I got my Dragonfly Red and lightening USB 3 which works great with the iPad and PSB M4U headphones. It works as well as the Rennesense lab Herus did. Link to comment
darascal Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 Be forewarned that with standard Lightening/USB2 CCK with iPhone 7, there are many reports of pops/clicks with Dragonfly B/R. I have DFR & have this experience, forced to exchange for lightening/USB3 (probably a better choice anyway, but still aggravating.) Audioquest: "In some rare instances, the combination of an iOS device in conjunction with the standard CCK and DragonFly Black or Red causes a clicking in the background of the music. Neither we nor Apple have been able to determine why that is, but in circumstances where this occurs we’ve found that using Apple’s Lightning to USB 3.0 Camera Connection Kit resolves the problem." Apple: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7685241?start=0&tstart=0 A: Mac Mini => Peachtree Nova => LFD Integrated Zero Mk.III => Harbeth Compact 7ES-3 | Musical Fidelity X-CAN V-8 => AKG K 701 B: Airport Express = > Benchmark DAC1 => Rega Brio-R => B&W DM 601 S2 C: Airport Express => AudioEngine A2 Link to comment
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