Teardown Confirms Digital-to-Analog Converter in Lightning EarPods and 3.5mm Adapter

[DoctaSfink]

Speaking of that, did you know that if you ZIP a file, then RAR that ZIP file, then ZIP that RAR file, and continue this process you will eventually end up with a super-compressed file that takes up only a single byte!

I never thought of that. I've always been aware that compression is the key to better audio, because it makes it simpler, and simpler is always better.

 

[Mac 128]

I'm pretty sure you can increase the quality of the DAC if you purchase two additional dongles and create the following configuration:

(iPhone)+(male lightning)(cord)(female 3.5mm)+(male 3.5mm)(cord)(female lightning)+(male lightning)(cord)(female 3.5mm)

This logic is fairly irrefutable, and it will most likely increase the DAC quality three fold, if not much more. You can add additional dongles if you want, but it's a bit overkill at that point. Science dictates that three dongles is the optimal number of dongles to dangle from your device.

I don't really understand why anyone is complaining. This will provide an extended headphone cord and make the user appear as if they are a technological wizard. If you don't like the appearance of the configuration, I'm sure you can find some common material at Jo-Ann Fabric, such as chainmail, to create an aesthetically pleasing cover that is both functional and protective.

If only there were such a male 3.5mm plug to a female Lightning port adapter ... Then customers who purchased the new iPhone 7 might actually be able to use their new Lightning EarPods on anything else, including Macs.

As it is, the included adapter only encourages the use of 3.5mm headphones for anyone who plans to use their headphones with any other equipment.

Heck I'd settle for a USB, or Thunderbolt adapter for computer use.

This must be Apple's way of encouraging a customer to consider a Bluetooth purchase instead of using either included options. But for those who might be open to Bluetooth, and also want to consider a higher quality option, the only W1 chip equipped headphones are the Beats Solo3 which only have a 3.5mm wired input, as well as a separate micro-USB cable for charging, necessitating carrying an additional cable and the 3.5mm adapter with the iPhone. Where's the digital Lightning cable that taps into the Solo3's built-in DAC and amp? Then again, that would require an adapter for use on anything else, and that doesn't exist either.

 

[Teon]

I never thought of that. I've always been aware that compression is the key to better audio, because it makes it simpler, and simpler is always better.

This is complete nonsense. Compression algorithms do not work in such a way - depending on the data type: compression threshold typically 70-80%, not more.

 

[DoctaSfink]

This is complete nonsense. Compression algorithms do not work in such a way - depending on the data type: compression threshold typically 70-80%, not more.

Poppycock! I refute your logic with my supreme reasoning.

Agree to disagree?

 

[bobmepp]

The problem is most of those are a smokescreen. They won't actually be realized in anything but a tiny minority of uses - and - more importantly - there was nothing stopping those same advantages from being realized while keeping the 3.5mm jack. The reality is that if Lightning was truly an advantage for headphones, we would have already seen the transition beginning in a meaningful way because users would have been convinced of the superiority of the port sitting right next to their headphone jack.

I disagree, people tend to follow the path of least resistance, either for bad reasons or no reason at all. So, they plug their headphones into the hole that fits. Those who bother to hear the poor quality of sound coming out of smartphone headphone ports have been seeking alternatives for quite a while now, as evidenced by the already rather robust market for external DAC/amps.

 

[SDAVE]

I remember the hubbub around removing the floppy drive in the first iMac. There was an uproar, but people learned to deal with it. We eventually got flash drives and then wireless communication like AirDrop and the cloud. I think this will be a similar process, but would be better if it was a USB-C port instead of a lightning port. More standardized port, and more headphone options.

The headphone jack and floppy disk are absolutely 2 different things.

I hate it when people use this analogy.