iPhone 7 has 2 DAC /amps?

[UBS28]

The headphone adapter is simply a very small DAC / amp with headphone output which is included with the iPhone 7?

It might be interesting to see which DAC / amp sounds better, the DAC / amp inside the headphone adapter or the DAC / amp from the iPhone 7.

 

[GreyOS]

not clear what you're asking? yes the adaptor probably had a DAC in it. the iphone probably doesn't any more. or does it need it for the speakers?

 

[UBS28]

not clear what you're asking? yes the adaptor probably had a DAC in it. the iphone probably doesn't any more.

Ah I see. So there is no DAC anymore inside the iPhone 7.

I didn't find much information about this, so I was wondering if there was indeed a DAC / amp inside the adapter since that's the only way it will work I believe.

 

[GreyOS]

Ah I see. So there is no DAC anymore inside the iPhone 7.

I didn't find much information about this, so I was wondering if there was indeed a DAC / amp inside the adapter since that's the only way it will work I believe.

see my edit. i don't know much about this, just working though ideas. the iphone speakers probably need a dac.

 

[Michael Goff]

Ah I see. So there is no DAC anymore inside the iPhone 7.

I didn't find much information about this, so I was wondering if there was indeed a DAC / amp inside the adapter since that's the only way it will work I believe.

There has to be a DAC in the phone if the speakers are going to make sound.

 

[GreyOS]

There has to be a DAC in the phone if the speakers are going to make sound.

do you know if, in previous models, the same dac was used for the speakers and headphone output? or were there two, three separate ones? just interested in whether the iphone 7 might have removed one along with the jack, and whether that would be a significant saving of space (on top of the space saved by removing the jack) or not worth mentioning.

 

[UBS28]

There has to be a DAC in the phone if the speakers are going to make sound.

Yeah that's true. So it comes with 2 DAC then. The adapter must have the smallest DAC ever created?

I wonder if the DAC in the adapter will finally support high-res audio. But since the adapter is super cheap, I suspect that it won't be possible.

 

[Michael Goff]

do you know if, in previous models, the same dac was used for the speakers and headphone output? or were there two, three separate ones? just interested in whether the iphone 7 might have removed one along with the jack, and whether that would be a significant saving of space (on top of the space save by removing the jack) or not worth mentioning.

iFixit probably knows.

 

[MattZani]

The Lightning port is a digital connector, so can be reconfigured. I imagine it just outputs the same as the 3.5mm out of the Lightning, so the same analogue signal after the internal DAC.

I imagine this is what they'll do for cheaper Lightning headphones, such as the EarPods and adaptor, and then more expensive ones can implement their own DAC.

 

[ax3ln]

The Lightning port is a digital connector, so can be reconfigured. I imagine it just outputs the same as the 3.5mm out of the Lightning, so the same analogue signal after the internal DAC.

I imagine this is what they'll do for cheaper Lightning headphones, such as the EarPods and adaptor, and then more expensive ones can implement their own DAC.

How i'd wish thing worked. Can anyone confirm this is the case?

 

[GreyOS]

How i'd wish thing worked. Can anyone confirm this is the case?

i don't think it can carry analog signal. but i'm afraid i still have to defer to someone who knows more. i think all lightning headphones will have their own DAC. this might mean cheap headphones might get worse - not only have bad speakers but also bad DACs.

but good headphones can get better

 

[OllyW]

I imagine it just outputs the same as the 3.5mm out of the Lightning, so the same analogue signal after the internal DAC.

If that's correct I'm surprised none of the tech sites have picked up on it as it's a big change to the Lightning specs.

 

[ohms12]

If that's correct I'm surprised none of the tech sites have picked up on it as it's a big change to the Lightning specs.

Can lightning output analog? I didn't think that was possible. Hence, the earpods/adapter must have a DAC..

 

[OllyW]

Can lightning output analog? I didn't think that was possible. Hence, the earpods/adapter must have a DAC..

No it can't so if it has been modified to output analogue audio it's big news.

I suspect it still only outputs digital signals and the DACs are in the adaptor and Lightning headphones.

 

[ax3ln]

I just find it hard to believe they could cram in both DAC and an amplifier into that tiny thing, and at such low cost.
Very interested to see its inside soon.

 

[GreyOS]

I just find it hard to believe they could cram in both DAC and an amplifier into that tiny thing, and at such low cost.
Very interested to see its inside soon.

didn't the lightning to old 30 pin adaptor famously have a programmable chip in it (possibly including DAC?)

DACs can be small, they already had to be small to fit in iPhones, iPod shuffles etc.

 

[Mac 128]

I just find it hard to believe they could cram in both DAC and an amplifier into that tiny thing, and at such low cost.
Very interested to see its inside soon.

You realize the air pods each have a DAC, amp, battery, antenna and radio.

So yes, built in DAC. In the earbuds too. So 3 DACs and amps in the box.

Lightning can do analogue put, but Apple probably won't allow it.

Analogue in from a 3.5mm source, bypassing a Lightning headphones DAC is another matter, but so far Apple hasn't introduced that, which means the Lighgning headphones can't be used on any Apple products without a Lightning port, including MacBooks. So MacBook users will have to carry two headphones with them, or use their old headphones with the adapter.