ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
I would concur. Even if the DAC in the new lightning connected headphones is of 'average' quality, its likely to sound better than the DAC feeding the previous 3.5mm analogue jack in the iPhone itself, due to the analogue output stages (in the headphone) being isolated from an noisy electrical environment (in the iPhone itself) as per the previous arrangement.
And then there is the issue of an analogue signal travelling up a wire to the actual headphones, and being susceptible to noise in one form or another - electrical or physical, with the previous analogue out, 3.5mm headphone jack.
Certainly any description of an so called 'audiophile' headphone setup using an iPhone as source, has involved extracting the digital signal from the iPhone via the lightening connector, to a separate, dedicated DAC/Headphone amp, and then to analogue phones.
It would appear to me that the Lightning connector, being digital, and with an DAC in the actual headphone, is going to offer a superior audio result on technical grounds over the previous analogue 3.5mm jack.
The supplied adaptor looks to be sufficient to manage legacy phones with 3.5mm plugs only.
Those with detachable cables, such as the B&O H6, are in a good position to implement their own lightning connectors/DAC solution cables, and I hope this will happen - the increase in audio quality for little outlay is very appealing indeed.
It's a win win in my book
Cheers
John..
Michael: TWG: steve1977:interesting perspective high-lighting improved audio quality: http://qz.com/776240/by-scrapping-your-antiquated-headphones-apple-is-doing-something-extraordinary-for-music/ Sorry for my harsh answer, but this is nonsense that only works for uneducated people. Better quality through current Bluetooth? Very funnyA lousy headphone does not get better if you but the DAC into its housing or feed it via Bluetooth: It stays what it is: A lousy headphone.The nonsense article will only be good, great or whatever for people who think that beats headphones or Apple headphones sound good. I'm not sure what you mean but the headphone jack was relying on a built in DAC of so-so quality. Using very expensive headphones this would be a imitation. Using a lightning cable and thereby having a completely digital full resolution signal to the DAC of the headphones - tailored for them (just like active B&O speakers) can and do make a lot of difference. Bluetooth is also nowadays a protocol with high data speeds and possibilities of high quality sound is there. The wireless headphone game is still quite young and the tech will evolve. I like that. I´d prefer lightning headphones over the old headphone jack - and I prefer wireless headphones on the go since it is so much simpler and no more cables that pulls my iPhone out of the pocket onto the floor, or the headphones of my head and so on.
TWG: steve1977:interesting perspective high-lighting improved audio quality: http://qz.com/776240/by-scrapping-your-antiquated-headphones-apple-is-doing-something-extraordinary-for-music/ Sorry for my harsh answer, but this is nonsense that only works for uneducated people. Better quality through current Bluetooth? Very funnyA lousy headphone does not get better if you but the DAC into its housing or feed it via Bluetooth: It stays what it is: A lousy headphone.The nonsense article will only be good, great or whatever for people who think that beats headphones or Apple headphones sound good.
steve1977:interesting perspective high-lighting improved audio quality: http://qz.com/776240/by-scrapping-your-antiquated-headphones-apple-is-doing-something-extraordinary-for-music/
http://qz.com/776240/by-scrapping-your-antiquated-headphones-apple-is-doing-something-extraordinary-for-music/
Sorry for my harsh answer, but this is nonsense that only works for uneducated people. Better quality through current Bluetooth? Very funnyA lousy headphone does not get better if you but the DAC into its housing or feed it via Bluetooth: It stays what it is: A lousy headphone.The nonsense article will only be good, great or whatever for people who think that beats headphones or Apple headphones sound good.
I'm not sure what you mean but the headphone jack was relying on a built in DAC of so-so quality. Using very expensive headphones this would be a imitation. Using a lightning cable and thereby having a completely digital full resolution signal to the DAC of the headphones - tailored for them (just like active B&O speakers) can and do make a lot of difference. Bluetooth is also nowadays a protocol with high data speeds and possibilities of high quality sound is there. The wireless headphone game is still quite young and the tech will evolve. I like that. I´d prefer lightning headphones over the old headphone jack - and I prefer wireless headphones on the go since it is so much simpler and no more cables that pulls my iPhone out of the pocket onto the floor, or the headphones of my head and so on.