USB DAC and Lightning to USB adapter

[Grand Enigma]

Anyone know if something like the Dragonfly or D3 would work with an iPad or is the current draw too high for the port?

[Dusty Chalk]

HRT iStreamer should work.

[blessingx]

The Resonessence Labs Heru was shown to work with the iPhone 5 with a simple Apple adapter. Can even play DSD - http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2013/10/onkyo-hf-player-resonessence-labs-herus-ios-dsd/ Suspect it would work with iPad too, but should verify. 

Edited December 8, 2013 by blessingx

[screaming oranges]

Anyone know if something like the Dragonfly or D3 would work with an iPad or is the current draw too high for the port?

 

Ha! I was curious about this too and bookmarked a review. Anyhow, here is the pertinent info in regards to the dragonfly:

 

"So this hasn't gotten much publicity, but under iOS 7 you can now use USB DACs with an iPhone or iPod Touch (in addition to the iPad, which has worked for some time) via Apple's Camera Connection Kit (dock version) or Lightning to USB Camera Adapter. 

If the DAC draws more than 100 mA (the DragonFly does), it must have its own power source, such as a powered USB hub. I've tested the DragonFly with a powered USB hub and iPhone and iPad and it works great. "

[Grand Enigma]

Cool, will have to give it a try. I would love to consolidate my home and travel setup. This would do wonders for that.

[screaming oranges]

The D3 is on sale at massdrop. $150 shipped. That's $40 off the normal price. Ends in 20 hours though.

Edited December 9, 2013 by screaming oranges

[Grand Enigma]

The D3 is on sale at massdrop. $150 shipped. That's $40 off the normal price. Ends in 20 hours though.

So, puts it right in line with the new Dragonfly v1.2... Too bad there is no easy way to audition both. Thanks for the heads-up. Sad that the esthetics alone is almost enough to make me choose the D3.

[HeadphoneAddict]

The D3 draws too much power to use with iPad connection kit, unless you also use a powered USB hub.  For the iPad, I found that the best portable DAC for use with the CCK is the Pico DAC.  All of the non-upsampling portable DACs that I tried didn't come close to the Pico DAC who's ASRC helps reduce jitter when used with the CCK.  It's performance is very close to the portable dedicated digital docks for iPad from CEntrance and V-MODA.

 

I tried out the Dragonfly at RMAF one year and it was okay, but it seemed to lack a little bit of air and micro-detail vs my Pico DAC + Slim.  I had a chance to buy a V1.0 Dragonfly recently for $99 and passed it up.  However, I'm very impressed with the Audioengine D3 which seems to match my Pico DAC in sound quality.  In fact, the D3 driving my HE-500 or LCD-2 sounds IDENTICAL to my Pico DAC + Pico Slim (in sound signature, performance, and power).  If you offered me $1000 to pick out whether I was listening to the D3 or Pico DAC/Slim I'm not sure I would be able to do it (sorry Justin).  I was not this impressed with the Dragonfly demo that I had.

 

The D3 drives my JH16Pro IEM or my LCD-2 rev2 equally well, and it also does a very good job as a DAC/preamp feeding a more powerful amp, in case you want insane volume levels from a bigger amp.  The sound quality of the D3 feeding my ZDT amp is insane.

 

Without an external amp, when using my JH16Pro I sometimes need use the option-shift-volume on my Mac to change the volume in fractions of a step IF I want to listen at very low volumes, but normal listening volume using JH16Pro is with the Mac volume at 1-2 steps above zero.  

 

With LCD-2 I'm listening to the D3 right now with the system volume set at step 6 out of 16 (about 40% system volume).  At max system volume it is uncomfortably loud, but anything above a system volume of 75% will probably cause hearing damage if you listen long enough.

[Grand Enigma]

It sounds as if then the Dragonfly will work without the need for additional bus power where as the D3 will not.  Guess my decision is made for me.

[blessingx]

Sorry if I missed this somewhere... so the DragonFly 1.2 requires less power than the original? 

[Grand Enigma]

Sorry if I missed this somewhere... so the DragonFly 1.2 requires less power than the original? 

 

Missed the, if it uses less then 100mA bit.... You are correct.