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So they’ve eliminated any opportunity to connect a microphone, a guitar, and everybody has to rely on their Bluetooth programming or getting an external audio device. My iPhone constantly thinks that my iPad mini with cellular are my AirPod pro headphones.
This is THE huge issue. Those of us that record, need wired. There is no alternative. Period.
 
The USB-to-3.5mm dongle has been tested and proven to be a quite capable DaC. Which is impressive when one considers how little space it takes up.

Yes the dongle has the same DaC as the phone does, and it does hold up.

However, it will never do high res audio. You'll need at least a 24bit dac to do that. Which the dongle is not, and yes, I've tried the dongle. Both the USB-C to 3.5mm and the Lightning to 3.5mm (only difference is the connector, for those two)

And I have a DaC that does 32bit and 24bit, which completely destroys the iPhone dac, including every single dongle Apple ever made.

This is my - portable - dac:

It does USB-C to USB-C and Lightning to USB-C and has a 3.5mm and 4.4mm (balanced) output. I connect it to my iPhone, iPad and MacBook. And connected to it I have a very nice sounding pair of IEMs.
 
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The headphone jack must cost <$1. I don’t think people feel compelled to buy headphones from apple. To me it’s so weird because I don’t see the upside for them except simplicity of device or philosophy against wired headphones.
Perhaps not compelled, but there are many who once in the ecosystem simply stay inside, and buy most of what their "new god" tells them to, or "guides" them to buy.
 
Yet even the latest AirPod-capable MacBooks with Apple Silicon have a headphone jack. This just goes to show that iPad was never meant as a laptop replacement. Apple knew it since the beginning and now they're tacitly admitting it.
iPad will never replace a laptop until Apple gives it multi-user support and ports the pro apps to iPad OS.
 
Professional Audio isn’t going through a 3.5mm jack. :)
Oh, really? Tell us more, would you?
Is it the same as it was with some folks arguing about true professionals not using SD cards, hence there's no use of them in MacBook Pro's?
 
I was talking about the port on the iPad, not the port in general. iOS devices aren't known for their quality DaC.
They are known for having better DAC's than virtually all other phones (A couple of older Samsungs and LG's outperforms them) and most sub $100 external DAC's unless you are using very high impedance cans, which is more of an amplification issue than audio quality.


There's a cleaner signal coming out of the headphone jack of the iPad than is being pushed out to the PA by the majority of professional mixers in use.

Professional Audio isn’t going through a 3.5mm jack. :)
Teenage Engineering disagree :D


For gaming, removal of the Jack is a proper PITA as for many, you need to hold the device where the port is.

For producing or using an iPad as a live instrument it's a minor inconvenience needing a $10 dongle to output to a PA, but IMHO trumped by being able to use USB-C docks to plug in other usb audio gear without needing "official" Apple dongles or proprietary lightning cables.
Considering how they offer USB A ports not usb C ports needed, big change, we are still Screwed.
USB A to USB C cables are a dollar or two. At this point most people have a couple knocking around to use with Powerbanks, and airlines are starting to add USB-C charging ports.

My powerbank has USB-C and A, if I'm going to charge more than one device at time I'll need both cables anyhow, never mind if I'm stuck without a charger I can plug it into a USB socket on a TV to juice up. Thats just smart travelling.
 
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Reading this while listening on plugged-in headphones on an old(er) iPad...

What a boneheaded move. So typical of Apple. They do so many things right, then do one dumbdumb thing wrong. There is no reason to remove the traditional headphone jack besides hubris. It's like moving in circles in that spaceship campus makes you cycle between smart and obtuse.

All to say I went from about to order one to not. Way to go, geniuses.
 
Well, this is from their product page:
when you're ready for the studio, use TX–6 as a 12 channel audio interface and connect to any daw over usb-c. MFi also allows you to connect to iOS devices.

They even include a 6.35 mm to 3.5 mm mini dongle in the box because 6.35 is the more standard connection, especially for pro stuff (mixers, interfaces, etc).
 
Oh, really? Tell us more, would you?
Is it the same as it was with some folks arguing about true professionals not using SD cards, hence there's no use of them in MacBook Pro's?
No, more like professional’s equipment use 6.35 mm connectors. So, they’re either using a 6.35 to 3.5 mm dongle or a lightning to 6.35 mm cable or a USB to 6.35 mm dongle.
 
@deevey I was writing about my own personal experience. An old review is not comparable to my own DAC's capabilities. And yes I clearly hear a difference (better) quality from my DAC compared to the Apple one. (from their dongles; especially with high res 24/32 bit content) And no I am not talking about impedance.
 
Lighting is dead, it passed away 5 years ago though Apple keeps it alive connceted to an artficial lung just to make more money adn to generate more ambiantal waste. Hope they are saving enough carbon emission to compensate this damage
 
Reading this while listening on plugged-in headphones on an old(er) iPad...

What a boneheaded move. So typical of Apple. They do so many things right, then do one dumbdumb thing wrong. There is no reason to remove the traditional headphone jack besides hubris. It's like moving in circles in that spaceship campus makes you cycle between smart and obtuse.

All to say I went from about to order one to not. Way to go, geniuses.
You have a much older iPad so why would apple care You were not gong to upgrade either way. Keep clutching your ancient technology.
 
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While I only use a 3.5mm headphone jack on my gaming PC for large gaming headphones, my daughter loves using plug-in headphones on her iPad. Sad that one day when we upgrade her iPad to a newer model, we won't be able to simply plug in her headphones as she has done for years.
Sad. My kid doesn't get to experience rewinding a VHS tape either.
 
@deevey I was writing about my own personal experience. An old review is not comparable to my own DAC's capabilities. And yes I clearly hear a difference (better) quality from my DAC compared to the Apple one. (from their dongles; especially with high res 24/32 bit content) And no I am not talking about impedance.

I get that, it was never supposed to be as good as an external proper Hi-Fi external DAC at higher bitrates. But still better than a lot of (current) pro-audio outputs and sonically very capable in the live performance, recording department .. never mind everyday convenience. Not needing the extra little bits of baggage is what made the iPad great for the likes of artists on the go.

Im not going to cry about it, they’ve done it, it’s happened, and they aren’t going back. I’ll manage To find some kind of 180 degree usb-c cable and dac which will do what I want. But it was an unessesary removal. Unlike the lightning port which had its day, there is no alternative for low latency audio and really nothing more convenient than just having a decent quality headphone jack built in.

Well, this is from their product page:
when you're ready for the studio, use TX–6 as a 12 channel audio interface and connect to any daw over usb-c. MFi also allows you to connect to iOS devices.

They even include a 6.35 mm to 3.5 mm mini dongle in the box because 6.35 is the more standard connection, especially for pro stuff (mixers, interfaces, etc).

I know 1/4 inch is standard on full size gear, but 3.5mm is used in plenty of devices “pros” use for connectivity in live performance E.g from headphones to micro synths, mini mixers etc. Yes it’s less common, but convenient for SFF gear.
 
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Yes but that is an entirely different use case than what I'm talking about. But then you should be happy the switched to USB-C, which would allow you to use a USB-C dock / hub with the iPad that has multiple ports. (often also including audio)

You could use something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Anker-PowerExpand-Adapter-Delivery-Headphone/dp/B082VRG55W/
(I don't know if it fits the new iPad, but it seeing as it fits the iPad 11" and iPad Air, it should)
 
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I know 1/4 inch is standard on full size gear, but 3.5mm is used in plenty of devices “pros” use for connectivity in live performance E.g from headphones to micro synths, mini mixers etc. Yes it’s less common, but convenient for SFF gear.
Oh, I’m not saying that folks don’t use it. I’m saying that you can go to any music technology forum and any product that doesn’t ship with 6.35 mm/1/4 inch plugs is blasted as being “not professional”. And, for those pros that use those devices? They’re already familiar with buying and maintaining any number of single use cables/dongles/etc. :)
 
Yes but that is an entirely different use case than what I'm talking about. But then you should be happy the switched to USB-C, which would allow you to use a USB-C dock / hub with the iPad that has multiple ports. (often also including audio)
I AM extremely happy with the switch from lightning to USB-C. It's fantastic when I want my iPad docked e.g. during a gig or at home, plugging in a USB controller or desk. Or being able to transfer files via regular 'ol USB ... but throwing together some synth riffs, while waiting on a flight, on a bus or coffee shop, means extra crap needs to come out of the bag, and for no reason other than ....... nope cant figure it out.

I'm all for removing "useless" ports if there is a viable, as-convenient solution. Lightning, floppy drives, cd drives, USB-A etc. had viable (dongle-less) faster alternatives already hitting the marketplace prior to their removal - the humble headphone jack still does not (IMHO).
Oh, I’m not saying that folks don’t use it. I’m saying that you can go to any music technology forum and any product that doesn’t ship with 6.35 mm/1/4 inch plugs is blasted as being “not professional”. And, for those pros that use those devices? They’re already familiar with buying and maintaining any number of single use cables/dongles/etc. :)
In the same sentence they'll also tell you, in the same conversation, the shortest signal path with the least connectors is the best ;)
 
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I use the headphone jack in my iPad every single day and it was a significant factor in buying a 9th gen iPad rather than spending more on a higher spec model. I’m not a fan of Apple’s decision on this, to put it mildly.
I'm with you 100% there.
 
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But it was an unessesary removal. Unlike the lightning port which had its day, there is no alternative for low latency audio and really nothing more convenient than just having a decent quality headphone jack built in.
Bullseye. Completely unnecessary. Just more Apple hubris congratulating themselves on "looking ahead"... which just happens to mean you have to buy more (Apple) peripheral$ you didn't want. Funny how their "forward thinking" benefits their bottom line.
 
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