Belkin Launching Lightning to 3.5mm Audio Cable for iPhones

[beanbaguk]

Except, yanno, digital audio is far superior to what can be delivered over a headphone jack. So there is that small detail.

It's stuff like this that really annoys me. It demonstrates so many Apple users have no fundamental understanding of audio at all.

What you hear through your headphones / speakers and ultimately anything in the world is analog. Digital must be converted to analog.

Digital audio is merely a means to transport music. It doesn't dictate the quality one bit.

In fact, 99% of digital music is compressed and if music were truly completely analog, the quality would blow your mind. Nothing can beat it because the quality goes way beyond your perception of hearing.

 

[x-evil-x]

no idea who would buy this and not be able to charge your phone while in the car.
Ill stick to my usb camera kit connector to dac to digital signal processor for my audio
I dont want to go bluetooth it wouldnt work with my dsp and how im running things. digital signal all the way back to the dsp and out to the Amps from there.
[doublepost=1527078552][/doublepost]

It's stuff like this that really annoys me. It demonstrates so many Apple users have no fundamental understanding of audio at all.

What you hear through your headphones / speakers and ultimately anything in the world is analog. Digital must be converted to analog.

Digital audio is merely a means to transport music. It doesn't dictate the quality one bit.

In fact, 99% of digital music is compressed and if music were truly completely analog, the quality would blow your mind. Nothing can beat it because the quality goes way beyond your perception of hearing.

So using your phones digital signal out to your car stereo then having it go out to the speakers is better than having just having your phone as your head unit? having a dsp that accepts a digital signal then out from to the amps>speakers from there?
Ive been running this setup for a year now it sounds so much better then using the stock head unit that I cant change(Audi's dumb multimedia head unit has all the cars built in things I need). There is basically no floor noise running it this way.

 

[Mac 128]

Digital audio headphones? Did you read his comment? I’m pretty sure my iPhone 8Plus doesn’t have a digital output. Unless you have a special one that none of us know about.

By definition the output from your 8Plus is digital over Lightning. The question is where the DAC takes place, in the cable to an analogue device, or in the headphones converted to analogue signals sent to the transducers.

 

[beanbaguk]

no idea who would buy this and not be able to charge your phone while in the car.
Ill stick to my usb camera kit connector to dac to digital signal processor for my audio
I dont want to go bluetooth it wouldnt work with my dsp and how im running things. digital signal all the way back to the dsp and out to the Amps from there.
[doublepost=1527078552][/doublepost]
So using your phones digital signal out to your car stereo then having it go out to the speakers is better than having just having your phone as your head unit? having a dsp that accepts a digital signal then out from to the amps>speakers from there?
Ive been running this setup for a year now it sounds so much better then using the stock head unit that I cant change(Audi's dumb multimedia head unit has all the cars built in things I need). There is basically no floor noise running it this way.

That's just crap quality in-car audio. You'll be surprised quite how rubbish most OEM ICE systems are. They're built using cheap DAC's and pre-amps.

 

[Juicy Box]

That's just crap quality in-car audio. You'll be surprised quite how rubbish most OEM ICE systems are. They're built using cheap DAC's and pre-amps.

Even many of the factory premium audio options are crap.

I would much rather spend a fraction of the amount of a factory premium audio package, and get a better quality aftermarket solution. Although, with more and more non-audio functions being added to factory head units, it is getting harder and harder to do aftermarket stuff.

 

[x-evil-x]

That's just crap quality in-car audio. You'll be surprised quite how rubbish most OEM ICE systems are. They're built using cheap DAC's and pre-amps.

Too bad I can’t change out my stock head unit on my Audi. Bypassing it all together and having a stand-alone dsp is the best way to go with my setup.

 

[oldMacGenius]

Skip proprietary solutions. (anything lightning)

Xiaomi’s Bluetooth Receiver is amazing. For $20, it supports 4-Pole combo jack headphones with microphone built-in, charges over USB, and works great on stereos too.

 

[weckart]

It's a reach to call it greedy. Apple has always pushed the envelope of technology, introducing new, better tech. When is a right time to do it, or not to do it? If we always stuck with older tech, imagine the world we'd be in today.

But I do agree that the price of these new accessories and cables is outrageous and unreasonable.

So it's not a reach after all.

 

[nebo1ss]

Launching where? Into space?



It's a reach to call it greedy. Apple has always pushed the envelope of technology, introducing new, better tech. When is a right time to do it, or not to do it? If we always stuck with older tech, imagine the world we'd be in today.

But I do agree that the price of these new accessories and cables is outrageous and unreasonable.

While you are at it can you please explain why this is better tech. The only difference i see is moving the A/D converter from the phone to the cable and a damn inconvenience.

 

[sracer]

Too bad an individual post in a thread cannot be a poll. I would love to see how many who are complaining about the lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack and the cost of this cable own an iPhone that doesn't have a 3.5mm jack. In my opinion, they forfeited their right to complain when they paid Apple for the "privilege" of having a jack-less phone.

Us iPhone SE (or older) owners on the other hand... fire away!

 

[robbieleffel]

Or just buy a better phone with a USB and 3.5mm jack.

Every new car has bluetooth. I spent $10 to add it to my old car. It's WAY better than having to use a cable to plug in EVERY TIME I get in the car.

No thanks. I like my jackless phone.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Every new car has bluetooth. I spent $10 to add it to my old car. It's WAY better than having to use a cable to plug in EVERY TIME I get in the car.

No thanks. I like my jackless phone.

Well - your phone isn't jackless (lightning)

Different strokes for different folks in general I guess.

I actually plug in every time I get in - but it's the lighting jack I plug into - as I enjoy the charging happening while I'm driving around.

And I plug into 3.5mm in 2 different places each day - highly valued to me.

 

[Hater]

Bluetooth is trash. A simple plug that works is always superior.

 

[Le Big Mac]

Line level output or adjusted with volume control?

Belkin's answer is that output is adjusted using volume control on iphone/ipad.

Kind of odd - seems like if you're plugging into stereo (home or car) you're going to have a volume control on that. Guess I'll stick with my old 30 pin-lighting adapter with DAC plus 30-pin to audio out.

 

[robbieleffel]

Well - your phone isn't jackless (lightning)

Different strokes for different folks in general I guess.

I actually plug in every time I get in - but it's the lighting jack I plug into - as I enjoy the charging happening while I'm driving around.

And I plug into 3.5mm in 2 different places each day - highly valued to me.

I never need to plug in headphones. I have a tiny Bluetooth module that I use at the gym detaching me from the phone.

I only charge in the car if I need it. I’m not driving around all day like you must be.

If you like old tech you should just buy old phones.

 

[C DM]

I never need to plug in headphones. I have a tiny Bluetooth module that I use at the gym detaching me from the phone.

I only charge in the car if I need it. I’m not driving around all day like you must be.

If you like old tech you should just buy old phones.

Headphone jacks are old in the same sense that charging using a cable is old.

 

[robbieleffel]

Headphone jacks are old in the same sense that charging using a cable is old.

I've yet to find a case that I like that works with my car magnet AND charges. :/

And I hate those mounts that hold the phone, I like the functionality of magnet mounts.

 

[jjk454ss]

For the car, I love this:

https://www.scosche.com/iphone-7-car-charger

 

[H3LL5P4WN]

Sorry if this is beating a dead horse; I've been on vacation for the week.

You’re ignoring the fact that all audio has to be converted to analog at some point with a DAC. When the headphone jack was still around, you were stuck with whatever DAC was in the iPhone. Now you’re generally stuck with whatever DACs are supplied in these cables, and they’re unlikely to be any better than what Apple was already putting in past iPhones.

That is a fair point and worthy of consideration. However for my situation (plugging in in the Jeep [with lots of road noise from the roof joints and knobby tires]), I doubt I'll be able to hear any differences between Apple's adapter and Belkins, plugged into my factory head unit, even with my upgraded speakers.

Except you can accomplish the same thing with the free adapter Apple gave you, and much less expensive male-tamale cord. I'd say the "inconvenience" of having to use an adapter is more than worth the cost of this dedicated cable, leaving you unprepared for any other situation.

I literally already have all of the adapters needed. This new cable from Belkin eliminates one for me.

Did you know about this thing called compression? Because from your response it sounds like you haven't.

What does compression have to do with any point I've raised? Yes, my music is either 256k AAC or MP3. I know it's not lossless but as above, any detail would be washed anyway as I don't drive a couch on wheels with three tons of sound deadening in the cabin.

But by relying on a DAC that is part of the headphones, most users will see WORSE sound quality on sub-$75 or so lightning audio solutions than they would have if they connected decent IEMs or headphones to the good old fashioned jack.

"Most users" wouldn't understand that sentence or any of the acronyms you used, let alone would purchase a set of "headphones" costing more than $75 (Beats excluded, as they cost more than $75 yet sound worse than $15 dollar sets). But as we're discussing these sorts of things, "most" of the people in this thread are above "most users."

So point taken.

 

[ignatius345]

What does compression have to do with any point I've raised? Yes, my music is either 256k AAC or MP3. I know it's not lossless but as above, any detail would be washed anyway as I don't drive a couch on wheels with three tons of sound deadening in the cabin.

You wrote "digital audio is far superior to what can be delivered over a headphone jack" which is a rather sweeping misstatement. First off, all audio played out of an iPhone is necessarily digital in origin, but Bluetooth adds another layer of compression on top of whatever was applied to the original file. A wired connection does not do this. So yes, it's a very relevant point. If you're after the highest sound quality, period, you use a wired connection instead of Bluetooth. Whether or not this is relevant to you is of course up to you -- but to say that Bluetooth-compressed audio is "superior" is just incorrect.

 

[H3LL5P4WN]

You wrote "digital audio is far superior to what can be delivered over a headphone jack" which is a rather sweeping misstatement. First off, all audio played out of an iPhone is necessarily digital in origin, but Bluetooth adds another layer of compression on top of whatever was applied to the original file. A wired connection does not do this. So yes, it's a very relevant point. If you're after the highest sound quality, period, you use a wired connection instead of Bluetooth. Whether or not this is relevant to you is of course up to you -- but to say that Bluetooth-compressed audio is "superior" is just incorrect.

Ah, I see where you're confused about my statement. While yes, I do use AirPods, most of my listening is done in my vehicle, wired.

 

[itguy06]

Every new car has bluetooth. I spent $10 to add it to my old car. It's WAY better than having to use a cable to plug in EVERY TIME I get in the car.

No thanks. I like my jackless phone.

So I spend tens of thousands on a new car or just buy a better phone?

It's also not solely about vehicles. Some if us prefer the sound of wired headphones or have other connection methods.