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Apple to Sell Standalone Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter for $9, Lightning EarPods for $29
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Apple's internal DAC was one of the best if not the best compared to almost any mobile device. So what sort of DAC are we getting with $9? Sounds strange... or can lightning connector also carry analog audio? That would explain the low price of the adapter (no DAC needed then).
I'm sure (assume) that the new Macs will include a lighting port next to the 3.5mm headphone jack for lightning earphones.. I hope.
I agree. I use my EarPods back and forth between my iPhone and my MacBook all the time so now I'll have to keep straight which pair go with which device.
Although once the AiPods are released and can be easily switched between once connected to iCloud it will remedy this problem and make things even easier.
http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/headsets/
Legality varies by state; single ear seems to be generally accepted, some state have nothing on the books about it.
I live in Florida, and have had several State Troopers, county sheriff, and city police see me with a single EarPod in my ear (right-side, so I can still hear) and none have said anything. Specifically, I've had a State Trooper acknowledge that they'd prefer single-ear use of earbuds instead of people having phones to their head.
So it's probably a matter of common sense; dont cover both ears while driving.[/QUOTE]
A passenger would probably like to charge and listen at the same time.
What about a pass-through cable which will allow you to listen to music and charge the phone at the same time?
At $9 a pop you can pretty much just keep one on each of the headphones you use often.
My main usage of 3.5mm is on my Sennheiser cans and a 3.5mm to 2xRCA cable I use when I want to plug into a larger stereo system. Just buy an extra one and I'm set.
If that's the case, they REALLY must have been planning this transition for several years now.
Look at the compatibility list. All these devices have a DAC that can feed the lightning port?
I'd say no. They managed to squeeze a DAC in there. It's probably custom silicon and integrated into the plug, much like the older lightning to 30 pin adapter.
My main usage of 3.5mm is on my Sennheiser cans and a 3.5mm to 2xRCA cable I use when I want to plug into a larger stereo system. Just buy an extra one and I'm set.
If that's the case, they REALLY must have been planning this transition for several years now.
Look at the compatibility list. All these devices have a DAC that can feed the lightning port?
I'd say no. They managed to squeeze a DAC in there. It's probably custom silicon and integrated into the plug, much like the older lightning to 30 pin adapter.
Attachments
The DAC and AMP are actually still inside the phone, the same one responsible for all of the other audio through the speakers.
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Yes, it would have to, since 30-pin to Lightning adapters have the ability to output analog audio.
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I wasn't aware that they threw a DAC into the old adapter. That would probably explain this then, you're right. Should note that what I've read about that adapter's DAC is that it was better than the one in the headphone jack.
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HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Are you certain about this? There has been abundant speculation about the point of using the Lightning connector is to preserve a digital signal outside the phone... so that it could be converted to analog by "better DACs & AMPs optimized for the headphones attached to that port." To me, if what you say is right, they are still converting the digital to analog and passing an analog signal out via the Lightning port for- presumably- no net audio quality gain.
So are you sure? Or speculating based on the concept that the old 30-pin had analog out?
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No, buy new Macs, silly boy.
Buy new headphones or airpods. Buy adapters. Buy new Macs. Buy a new car. Etc. All the problems you can conjure with today's announcements are easily solved by just spending some money. Bonus: another thing can get "thinner"... your wallet!
But this move is NOT... I repeat.. is NOT about a money grab.
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A lot of people have cars where an AUX input is the only way to get music from their phone to play on their radios...
This is not reasonable at all. I mean I can afford $9, but with the margins that they're selling at, this is a ripoff. Especially $30 headphones.
I hate that MR puts these articles on a sub-blog. When I'm on my Mac, I almost never think to check them. So I've been posting this like an idiot on other threads. LOL
I'm really hoping that Apple has updated the Lightning charging cable in the box with a passthrough port. They're essentially already doing it on the external battery case, they just need to reduce that down to the end of a cable, and that would go a long way toward satisfying a lot of people. I really hope Apple manages to limit the adapters to a minimum. And I hope they stop including it for free in the 7s just as they stopped including the dock with the original iPhone.
Well one thing's for sure ... the way Phil emphasized the headphone jack as a single function port suggests we'll see Lightning added to the MacBook possibly next month. That will make a huge difference on the rMB for some. Something else that signals Lightning ports in the Macs is the fact there was no mention of an adapter to plug the Lightning headphones into a 3.5mm jack source -- like the Mac.
I'm very curious to see how Apple updates the MFi specs and what kinds of adapters start showing up in the Apple Store.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Do the objective among us want precious port space on future Macs allocated to a Lightning port for headphone use? I mean, if Apple is going to add a port to- say- the rMB, wouldn't we prefer a much higher utility second USB3 over Lightning as a headphone jack?
Of course, if we are going to adopt Lightning as a replacement for 3.5mm, it would be great for it to plug in everywhere just as 3.5mm does. However, I don't expect Lightning to ever be everywhere (like 3.5mm) and I find myself doubting if it will even make it into Macs.
If future Macs are going to stick with Intel and if Intel is going to build digital audio over USB into the chipsets (and they themselves have said they are), it will be cheaper for Apple to just roll with USB3 for digital audio connections on Macs, instead of adding the cost of a Lightning jack mostly for the utility of using the same wired buds between iDevices and Macs.
Of course, if we are going to adopt Lightning as a replacement for 3.5mm, it would be great for it to plug in everywhere just as 3.5mm does. However, I don't expect Lightning to ever be everywhere (like 3.5mm) and I find myself doubting if it will even make it into Macs.
If future Macs are going to stick with Intel and if Intel is going to build digital audio over USB into the chipsets (and they themselves have said they are), it will be cheaper for Apple to just roll with USB3 for digital audio connections on Macs, instead of adding the cost of a Lightning jack mostly for the utility of using the same wired buds between iDevices and Macs.
Judging by it size, it's only doing a pass-through analogue output from the phone. So it still uses the phones DAC and amplifier.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
I agree but the "experts" among us have made the case that this whole thing is about "better quality audio" by preserving the digital stream OUTSIDE of the phone and using better quality DACs & AMPs optimized for individual headphones to convert the digital signal. If it's the same DAC & AMP doing the conversion, it's apparently the same analog signal coming down that wire to produce the same audio quality.