Time is changing. The technology market has largely begun to take an interest in higher sound quality. Consumers are more willing than ever to spend more money for clearer tunes and convenience (wireless headphones).
LG V10 next to V-MODA Crossfade Wireless headphones
Thus, where High Fidelity (Hi-Fi) audio was once a specialty of the few tech audiences out there (audio enthusiasts), it is now becoming an asset that the market are generally considered. Drivers for this change are from well-known audio manufacturers (Bose, JBL, Beats) who popularize more expensive headphones. Consumers are realizing that higher quality sound is real, and they’re missing out.
However, you don’t have to buy a pair of good headphones to finish. There’s much more to Hi-Fi playback. But any audio enthusiast will tell you that when you put all the pieces together, the results are magical. So, in this spirit, we’re going to learn (as simply as possible) what it takes to enhance your portable audio output with the top pair of headphones you’ve invested in.
Digital-to-analog converter (DAC)
You don’t have to be too technical to explain where the DAC is linked to your audio output. It is essentially an audio processor. Living in the digital world, we need a way to convert those 1s and 0s (binary information) into sound waves that our ears can interpret into lovely tunes.
However, the precision behind the analog output is not entirely transparent. In fact, the whole difference in high-fidelity audio is subjective about what is Great sound. But in order not to digress, let’s say that not all DACs are created equal.
Most consumers simply plug the headset into their smartphone. Smartphones give us invaluable convenience over these (that’s why we love them). But what happens is that the phone’s DAC (usually built into the chipset) isn’t necessarily as great as the sound you’d expect your expensive headphones to sound out.
The dedicated DAC is usually larger than the smartphone itself. So when you imagine that the chipset manufacturer has to stuff a DAC into that tiny allotted space, it’s understandable that it wouldn’t be anything special.
With that said, what can we do about it? If you’re like me, you won’t want to stop using your smartphone because of such a convenient function. Fortunately, you can still use your smartphone as a source, but bypass the internal DAC with your own dedicated device.
DAC iBasso D-Zero MK2
If your initial reaction is “What is this trick!?”, that’s fine. It can be a pretty radical concept. But our mobile devices often have support for bypassing its own audio output, through the charging port (micro-USB or lightning port). This capability is what has allowed audiophiles to still use their mobile devices as a source of music.
So let’s back up and talk about the DAC unit itself. While DACs were originally desktop devices, they have shrunk down to a portable size over time (the same way any other mobile device would). There are DACs about the size of a flash drive these days that consume so little power that they don’t even need a battery.
DAC mini HRT dSp
Just keep in mind that size (and cost) often determines performance. The best portable DACs have their own battery supplies, volume switches, and gain settings (to amplify the sound if the volume is too low for your particular headphones). You will also have to pay attention to the connection. Many dedicated DACs still use a mini-USB port (where you’ll need a micro-USB/lightning to mini-USB cable).
Before you buy a DAC, double-check that your mobile device supports audio output (as well as which mobile devices the DAC supports). In particular, due to Android fragmentation, the audio output via the micro-USB OTG connection (on the go) is not always solid. You’ll have to research whether that Android phone can do OTG comfortably. With iPhone, it is possible that older models are not supported anymore. Windows machines usually allow sound to be played natively.
Also, be aware that this device is a DAC and not just an amplifier. You will find a device called portable DAC as well as you will see a device called portable amplifier. Most DACs come with a built-in amplifier, but the opposite is less true. There are many DAC manufacturers out there, so doing research is a must. We recommend checking out our review of the Alpen 2 DAC/Amp from FiiO (a well-known, low-cost manufacturer of audio electronics).
Fun fact: In a Bluetooth audio setup, since music data is transferred wirelessly, the DAC must be built into the headset. It receives the transmission and then transcribes it into analog audio, all in the headphones. Therefore, you cannot use another DAC (unless the headset can also connect wired), so make sure it has a good DAC!
You might question whether any smartphone can match the performance of a dedicated DAC. Yes, but they are few and far between. This can hopefully change soon. The two Android manufacturers that emerged in 2015 were LG and HTC. LG V10 and HTC One A9 have built-in Hi-Fi DAC.
LG V10 Hi-Fi DAC Converter
The audio output of Galaxy phones and iPhones is also appreciated (if you don’t have the money to buy another device, you should be happy with these phone DACs), but a good dedicated DAC will take get more than that. capable headset.
Hi-Fi music files
So you’ve got the right sound calculation, are you ready to listen to Hi-Fi? Unfortunately, there is one more piece of the puzzle – detailed music files. Hardware is only as good as the content given to it. Take your HD TV as an example. If you watch 480p content on it, you won’t get the stellar picture quality a TV can deliver.
Concerns revolve around the fact that the DAC isn’t given an exact account of 1’s and 0’s (“accurate” means it lacks studio-recorded detail). After all, that’s the whole point behind listening to Hi-Fi. Listeners want to be transported to the recording studio with clarity, hearing all the nuances from reality (this also goes back to what headphones can do, in factors like sound depth). and images).
So what can we do? There are two options: 1) Find resources that sell uncompressed music files or 2) Stream from TIDAL
The move to digital music formats has resulted in bad compression, loss of audio detail for easier distribution (i.e. faster downloads). Those who don’t want that look on No loss audio, a term coined for files with complete audio details from a recording. The most widely accepted format that supports Lossless audio is FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec).
Lossless audio is also related to signal deliverability, by bit depth (accuracy of signal measurement) and sampling frequency (number of digital signal samples recorded per second). CD is capable of delivering 16-bit and 44.1kHz respectively, while Lossless reaches 24-bit and 192kHz.
Tip: If you plan to store a Lossless library on your mobile device, be aware of the additional space the files take up. Depending on how much music you plan to bring, you may need to purchase a device with large internal memory or an expandable micro-SD card (if possible).
Music streaming is even more of a challenge since listeners often stream on their mobile networks. Hi-Fi audio files are much larger than their compressed files, which can make Lossless streaming ridiculous. The maximum stream that most services allow is 320 kbps (kilobits per second). To get lossless detail in the stream you need to add about 4 times the data.
But for those cases when we listen on a WiFi network (and don’t want to build our own Lossless library), fortunately there is a company that offers Hi-Fi streaming – TIDAL. You will get FLAC sent at 1411 kbps. Note, however, that this is a CD quality signal rate (16-bit/44.1kHz).
What are your thoughts on the Hi-Fi issue?
Listening to Hi-Fi is certainly not the easiest hobby to get into. Not to mention, it can get expensive when you factor in the cost of the DAC and Lossless music files. But the reality is that the great pair of headphones you’ve invested in won’t reach its full potential without the full 9 yards.
For many audiophiles, the simple/convenient way is Good enough. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Is the extra fidelity worth the effort/cost, or do you want to put your money into a greater good?
For more information (such as headphone specs considerations), check out our guide to an optimized listening experience.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
