KeithL
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Post by KeithL on Jun 3, 2021 12:35:02 GMT -5
The Ego Plus DACs draw between 120 mA and about 200 mA - depending on what they're connected to and how loudly they're playing. This is about the same as some USB sticks - and is well within the capabilities of the the USB ports on computers and on most Android phones. However the output on most iPhones are only able to deliver a very limited amount of current.
You should be able to solve this by putting a POWERED USB hub between the phone and the DAC. Most powered hubs include an AC adapter.
(And some hubs can be used with or without the AC adapter.)
However, since many powered hubs run off of 5VDC, it should also be possible to run one from a battery.
Well folks, got the Big Ego DAC in today and it is fantastic...except for one problem: So iPhone 12 max can't deliver enough juice? Is there a way around this? I'm trying to think how I can power it separately and then somehow feed a digital signal into it while using my phone.
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robs
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Post by robs on Jun 3, 2021 12:42:14 GMT -5
Thanks Keith. And the Little Ego draws as much power? Really too bad, I wish I could use this as a portable player from my phone without needing an AC adapter powered USB hub. Will look at trading in my iPhone for an Android now
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cawgijoe
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"We made too many of the wrong mistakes." - Yogi Berra
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Post by cawgijoe on Jun 3, 2021 13:03:35 GMT -5
Thanks Keith. And the Little Ego draws as much power? Really too bad, I wish I could use this as a portable player from my phone without needing an AC adapter powered USB hub. Will look at trading in my iPhone for an Android now Interesting. I'm using an iphone 7 with an Audioquest Dragonfly Red DAC with no issues. It needs an Apple adapter to go from the lightning connector to the USB of the Red and then portable buds or full size phones. The Red has a 2.1 volt output.
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KeithL
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Post by KeithL on Jun 3, 2021 13:21:48 GMT -5
The Little Ego Plus draws about 120 mA at a minimum - up to about 170 mA at full crank into a pair of our GR1 headphones - (slightly more for the Big Ego Plus). This is well below the maximum current for a normal USB port - which ranges from about 500 mA up to several amps for ports rated as charging ports. My current Samsung phone has a powerful battery and would have no problem with this... But Apple seems to have chosen to limit the current available from their lightning ports.
At least some of the new Dragonfly models were specifically designed to accommodate this limitation. I had one of the original Dragonfly DACs... It was cute, and the size was very convenient, but I wasn't impressed with the sound quality. However, that was a long time ago, and I've been told that the new ones sound much better.
Thanks Keith. And the Little Ego draws as much power? Really too bad, I wish I could use this as a portable player from my phone without needing an AC adapter powered USB hub. Will look at trading in my iPhone for an Android now Interesting. I'm using an iphone 7 with an Audioquest Dragonfly Red DAC with no issues. It needs an Apple adapter to go from the lightning connector to the USB of the Red and then portable buds or full size phones. The Red has a 2.1 volt output.
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cawgijoe
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"We made too many of the wrong mistakes." - Yogi Berra
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Post by cawgijoe on Jun 3, 2021 14:33:45 GMT -5
The Little Ego Plus draws about 120 mA at a minimum - up to about 170 mA at full crank into a pair of our GR1 headphones - (slightly more for the Big Ego Plus). This is well below the maximum current for a normal USB port - which ranges from about 500 mA up to several amps for ports rated as charging ports. My current Samsung phone has a powerful battery and would have no problem with this... But Apple seems to have chosen to limit the current available from their lightning ports.
At least some of the new Dragonfly models were specifically designed to accommodate this limitation. I had one of the original Dragonfly DACs... It was cute, and the size was very convenient, but I wasn't impressed with the sound quality. However, that was a long time ago, and I've been told that the new ones sound much better. Interesting. I'm using an iphone 7 with an Audioquest Dragonfly Red DAC with no issues. It needs an Apple adapter to go from the lightning connector to the USB of the Red and then portable buds or full size phones. The Red has a 2.1 volt output. I never had any other Dragonfly DAC's. My only experience has been with the Red, and it sounds really good to me, considering how small the darn thing is. I bought it mainly to use when I'm on the go or taking a daily 2.5 - 3 mile walk. Portability was the key and it sounds much better then the built in iphone DAC. I would really like to give the new Ego PLUS a go....will need to do some more research...going to be getting an Iphone 13 when they come out.
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Post by davidl81 on Jun 3, 2021 14:45:18 GMT -5
The Ego Plus DACs draw between 120 mA and about 200 mA - depending on what they're connected to and how loudly they're playing. This is about the same as some USB sticks - and is well within the capabilities of the the USB ports on computers and on most Android phones. However the output on most iPhones are only able to deliver a very limited amount of current.
You should be able to solve this by putting a POWERED USB hub between the phone and the DAC. Most powered hubs include an AC adapter.
(And some hubs can be used with or without the AC adapter.)
However, since many powered hubs run off of 5VDC, it should also be possible to run one from a battery.
Well folks, got the Big Ego DAC in today and it is fantastic...except for one problem: So iPhone 12 max can't deliver enough juice? Is there a way around this? I'm trying to think how I can power it separately and then somehow feed a digital signal into it while using my phone. Does this problem also occur on the iPad Pro with the USB-C connections? I guess I will find out Saturday when my Ego arrives.
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Post by davidl81 on Jun 4, 2021 20:33:35 GMT -5
The Ego Plus DACs draw between 120 mA and about 200 mA - depending on what they're connected to and how loudly they're playing. This is about the same as some USB sticks - and is well within the capabilities of the the USB ports on computers and on most Android phones. However the output on most iPhones are only able to deliver a very limited amount of current.
You should be able to solve this by putting a POWERED USB hub between the phone and the DAC. Most powered hubs include an AC adapter.
(And some hubs can be used with or without the AC adapter.)
However, since many powered hubs run off of 5VDC, it should also be possible to run one from a battery.
Does this problem also occur on the iPad Pro with the USB-C connections? I guess I will find out Saturday when my Ego arrives. Update, the little ego+ has no issues running off of the iPad Pro 12.9 (Gen 3). This is my first external DAC and first fairly nice headphone set (GR-1) so I have a lot to learn. One thing I’m trying to figure out is the output from Amazon Music HD. The Ego shows 192k for every song that it plays. I know that part is not correct, so it seems the app up up sampling some how. No idea if that is an issue or not. When I switch to Apple Music the Ego shows 44k.
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Post by davidl81 on Jun 4, 2021 21:03:13 GMT -5
Also my setup has already been confiscated.
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robs
Minor Hero
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Post by robs on Jun 5, 2021 19:12:54 GMT -5
Ok update here. Went to Best Buy and I tried a USB powered hub between the iPhone and the Big Ego. I was unable to send music data to the Big Ego this way. The iPhone just played back music thru its external speakers. Last thing I will try is the official Apple Lightning to USB Camera adapter. I think that should work. Will pick one up tomorrow.
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adan
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Post by adan on Jul 8, 2021 3:13:32 GMT -5
In Windows 10, for some reason I cannot control Big Ego Plus in the Sound Master Volume. In fact, none of my audio drivers can be adjusted with the master volume when big ego plus is enabled. I tried to use the update emotiva drivers just to see if they fix it and nope.
Funny enough, my linux computer works great with no issues with big ego+, plug and play.
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adan
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Post by adan on Jul 8, 2021 20:05:13 GMT -5
Ok, I used my 2nd computer and it has Windows 10 only on it and same problem. I found a workaround, instead of putting the Aux cable in the "Line Out". I put it in the "Headphone" and it works! Is it okay to use the headphone aux to stereo rca?
I notice the "headphone" sounds better than the "line out". I think it has something to do with the audio drivers in my windows computers.
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KeithL
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Post by KeithL on Jul 9, 2021 10:14:08 GMT -5
I've seen similar things with some computers and some software. I can tell you why it's happening in general - but not why specific computers or programs end up one way or the other.
The Big Ego Plus and Little Ego Plus DACs actually have a built-in analog ladder network Volume control. This control affects the Headphone Output on both Ego Plus DACs but NOT the Line Output on the Big Ego Plus.
We don't mention it as a feature for the simple reason that most player programs, on most computers, can't access it, and so don't use it. So, under normal conditions, with programs that don't access this, the Volume on BOTH outputs is simply controlled by the computer's Master Volume. However, a few programs, on certain operating systems, can access the internal Volume control on the Ego Plus DACs. And, when that happens, they will use the internal ladder network Volume control, and disable the computer's Master Volume control.
And, since the internal Volume control affects the Headphone Output, but NOT the Line Output, the Line Output will then act as a Fixed Volume output. (The only program I know of that can access the internal Volume control is jRiver Media Center, under Windows, with one particular output control setting, but there are probably others.)
The Headphone output has its own dedicated integrated circuit headphone amplifier... So it can drive some low impedance headphones better than the Line Output... But I wouldn't expect it to otherwise sound significantly different...
It is perfectly safe to connect either output to any Line Level or Aux input on any other device using an 1/8" to RCA adapter.
Ok, I used my 2nd computer and it has Windows 10 only on it and same problem. I found a workaround, instead of putting the Aux cable in the "Line Out". I put it in the "Headphone" and it works! Is it okay to use the headphone aux to stereo rca? I notice the "headphone" sounds better than the "line out". I think it has something to do with the audio drivers in my windows computers.
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KeithL
Administrator
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Post by KeithL on Jul 9, 2021 10:29:50 GMT -5
The display on the Ego PLus will always show the sample rate it is receiving...
This is the way I would expect Amazon Music to work on a Windows computer so I'm not surprised that it works the same way on an iPad. On a Windows computer, if your player program supports WASAPI mode, and you select that mode, high-res files they will be sent to the DAC in their native (original) sample rate. Apple computers have a similar option referred to as Bit Perfect mode.
However, when you use a player program that isn't configured to use one of those special modes, everything you play is resampled to whatever DEFAULT sample rate you have set on the computer.
The Amazon Music HD client for Windows DOES NOT support this mode (at least not the last time I checked)... Therefore, everything you play in Amazon Music will be resampled to the default sample rate you have set... (Either Apple Music does support Bit Perfect mode, and the files you're playing really are 44k, or Apple Music is resampling everything to 44k.)
Setting the default sample rate to 192k is the best choice for Amazon Music. With that choice 192k high-res files will be played at their native resolution... And files at lower sample rates will be UPSAMPLED to 192k... (Resampling files to a lower sample rate can audibly reduce the quality - but resampling to a higher sample rate should not.)
Does this problem also occur on the iPad Pro with the USB-C connections? I guess I will find out Saturday when my Ego arrives. Update, the little ego+ has no issues running off of the iPad Pro 12.9 (Gen 3). This is my first external DAC and first fairly nice headphone set (GR-1) so I have a lot to learn. One thing I’m trying to figure out is the output from Amazon Music HD. The Ego shows 192k for every song that it plays. I know that part is not correct, so it seems the app up up sampling some how. No idea if that is an issue or not. When I switch to Apple Music the Ego shows 44k.
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Post by jeffrey40sw on Oct 8, 2021 14:54:15 GMT -5
Just received mine and the headphones and so far I love them. Is there an explanation somewhere of what the modes do and which to choose?
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Post by Soup on Oct 9, 2021 1:37:41 GMT -5
I am enjoying my new Big Ego+.....Easy to no setup.......... Awesome sound!
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Post by vcautokid on Oct 9, 2021 5:09:38 GMT -5
These little metal candy bars of music are cool. David, you know you are not getting your DAC back right? Love when the kids dig the music. So fun that way.
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Post by garbulky on Oct 10, 2021 11:22:34 GMT -5
Well folks, got the Big Ego DAC in today and it is fantastic...except for one problem: So iPhone 12 max can't deliver enough juice? Is there a way around this? I'm trying to think how I can power it separately and then somehow feed a digital signal into it while using my phone. Yes. The Apple camera connection adapter. It has a slot that allows you to plug in a usb battery into it and it powers the dac
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cawgijoe
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"We made too many of the wrong mistakes." - Yogi Berra
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Post by cawgijoe on Dec 27, 2021 16:23:21 GMT -5
Dumb question….what other devices can you connect to the Big Ego + besides laptops, phones and iPads?
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KeithL
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Post by KeithL on Dec 27, 2021 17:57:41 GMT -5
The short answer is "anything that can use an external USB DAC or USB sound card". This includes the devices you listed, most Apple and Windows computers, and many Linux computers (like the Raspberry Pi). It also includes some streamers and other computer-based little boxes.
The big thing is that the device must be able to support AN EXTERNAL DAC OR USB SOUND CARD. (In most cases, especially with TVs and Blu-Ray players, this is different than simply "being able to play a file off a USB stick".)
Dumb question….what other devices can you connect to the Big Ego + besides laptops, phones and iPads?
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cawgijoe
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"We made too many of the wrong mistakes." - Yogi Berra
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Post by cawgijoe on Dec 31, 2021 15:19:16 GMT -5
Ok.....just received my Big Ego+ dac and being a newbie at this I'm stupidly confused. I have a 2020 Apple MacBook Air with USB c connectors. I first tried to connect the Ego using the supplied USB to USB c cable. No power. I then used the supplied USB to USB a cable connected through a USB A to C adapter and I got power.
I went into settings in Apple Music and made sure "hi-res" was selected for all settings. So far so good. However, when I'm playing music the only output LED that is lit is the 44K LED even if the song resolution is higher.
Am I doing something wrong? I also am not able to set F1/F2/F3....as these will not "hold" when selected....
Any guidance is appreciated.
Happy New Year!
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