Connecting ipad pro to dac/amp

Not unless both your source and your DAC supports UAC3.

And even then, there’s no benefit for 2-channel audio replay.

1 Like

Still weeks away from actually doing this as the Zen Blue V2 works OK and I’m waiting for my more permanent amp to be done. I’m curious, if one needs to dink a longish cable - well under 5 meters, is it better to do it in the digital USB domain or analog, RCA interconnect at 2V (standard input voltage)? My guess would be USB, not even considering cost of a decent 15 foot RCA interconnect.

My $.02. I’ve got a set of RCA’s ( Shielded RGB Video Cables with one line stripped off. ) that run 17 feet that are in my main system. They see use almost every day, running next to Speaker Cables, Power Cables & Power Bricks. Dead Quiet until the music starts. I think you could do very well with a RCA of modest quality.

Mark Gosdin

1 Like

Blue Jeans cable says that long runs should be low capacitance cable. Pangea and most higher end brands don’t show capacitance specs.

But they do seem to suggest that they be kissed by Odín and molecularly aligned by exposure to the Bifrost bridge whilst being supported by tiny scale models of the Eiffel Tower made from cryogenically formed Velveeta.

1 Like

The cables I’m talking about are Steren Python brand RGB cables. If I Recall Correctly they are 75 Ohm & some low capacitance which would make sense for cables meant for Video.

These came from the local Circuit City when it closed, the thrift got a lot of odd items and one large box full of RGB cables new in bags. Being the skinflint I am I bought a half dozen for about $20. Don’t know what I will do with them but I’ve got 'em if i need 'em.

Mark Gosdin

I grabbed a bunch from Tweeter when it closed. Even got a decent power conditioner for pennies on the dollar. Most of the rca cables are crochéd into my wire “loom” aka rat’s nest in the living room home entertainment cabinet.

1 Like

I also use (may be snake oil) a USBe Perfect from Core Power Tech signal regen for the usb (of course). Suppose to help remove the jitter from the Ipad output.

Since there’s no sample clock in USB audio, the only jitter that can be removed is from the USB transmission itself. All USB 2.0 (UAC2) DACs receive data asynchronously into a buffer. They then use their own internal clock to clock data out of the buffer and into the converter. So absent an incredibly broken DAC implementation, changing USB signaling jitter will have zero effect on DAC jitter.

This doesn’t mean the device can’t affect sound … there are other issues with any electrical connection that it could effect, but it is not changing the DAC’s jitter performance by reclocking USB packets.

3 Likes

It’s probably just an expensive hockey puck and I’d be better off moving to just a single cable as discussed with usb b to usb c. Thanks @Torq

TOPIC REVIVIVIFICATION

But it’s been 10 months, are you sure?

Calláte la boca, @discobot


So I was playing with the iPad Pro M1 (smaller one) and tried to run a USB-C to USB-C cable from the iPad to the Sabaj DAC/AMP. No sound.

But if I run a USB-3 Audioquest Dragontail (to USB-A and then a USB-A to USB-3) then it works just fine. Why? I thought that there wasn’t nothing special needed nomore, nohow. I just happened to have the Dragontail handy and tried it.

Is there something that is less clunky? Did I have some wrong spec USB-C cable?

“Enquiring Minds Want to Know”

What’s going on here?

Hi! To find out what I can do, say @discobot display help.

How did you unleash the discobot and how can you put him back where he came from?

1 Like

Lights off, candles, bathroom mirror, say three times: “I believe in @discobot. I believe in @discobot. I believe in @discobot.”

@Discobot is always there for @PaisleyUnderground. Comforting?

3 Likes

Which USB-C cable are you using? I’m currently using the USB-C cable that came with my iPad Pro M1 (smaller one) as the source for my Schiit Jot 2 with ESS DAC card without any major issues.

Regards,
Vic

Does that input have a standard usb-c input? I’ve tried 2 cables. One a standard cable for charging and one that’s rated Thunderbolt 3.

Plain USB-A to C works great with the Dragontail C to A

Yes, the ESS DAC card has the standard USB-C input.

A user posted on ASR that they are experiencing the same issue as you regarding the Sabaj so I am inclined to think it is the device. Unfortunately, I did not see any solution posted.

Regards,
Vic

Perhaps someone with actual technical knowledge or resources can suggest what’s going on. What exactly is the AQ Dragontail doing? Is it acting like a camera adapter that should not be needed? I’m going to name names. @SebastienChiu @Mad_Economist @Torq ?

I have no technical knowledge, but I know the USB C standard is a mess because all the cables look the same but they possess a variety of different powers and capabilities. Here’s an article about it:

I have a Thunderbolt 4 cable but it’s in use on the MacBook Pro 14. They are somewhat costly for something that is easily mistaken for something else.

Pretty sure the USB C to A version of the Dragon Tail is operating on the USB 2 spec. While I’d bet that the Sabaj is using an XMOS USB implementation and isn’t handling a full USB-C connection (i.e. USB 3, USB 4 or TB) correctly.

Could potentially be fixed with a firmware update. Will likely require Windows to apply it.