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DAC or headphone amplifier work with iPad air?

I would like to get some high end headphones soon but the sound loudness and quality from the iPad Air is not the best. Would I be able to attached an AudioQuest Dragonfly or FiiO portable headphone amp to an iPad via the USB to lightning converter? Best Buy guy said that attachment is for camera/pics only and would not work.


Thanks for any answers out there.

Time Capsule-OTHER, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Aug 2, 2015 10:22 AM

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Posted on Oct 24, 2015 9:03 PM

I don't have any experience with the Dragonfly or FiiO units, but any headphone amplifier that uses a 3.5mm headphone jack input should work fine.


I'm using a TEAC HA-P50 headphone amplifier/DAC with my iPad Air, and it works very nicely using USB, just plug and play... Onkyo sells a similar unit. Both come with a high-resolution audio player that can playback DSD or FLAC files, or you can play audio using the built-in Music app, although the resolution would be lower...


Also check out the free VOX music player, which can also playback high-resolution audio files.

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Oct 24, 2015 9:03 PM in response to glubski

I don't have any experience with the Dragonfly or FiiO units, but any headphone amplifier that uses a 3.5mm headphone jack input should work fine.


I'm using a TEAC HA-P50 headphone amplifier/DAC with my iPad Air, and it works very nicely using USB, just plug and play... Onkyo sells a similar unit. Both come with a high-resolution audio player that can playback DSD or FLAC files, or you can play audio using the built-in Music app, although the resolution would be lower...


Also check out the free VOX music player, which can also playback high-resolution audio files.

Aug 15, 2016 8:31 AM in response to glubski

According to this link, see the photo in the link, the Dragonflies will work but you need the Camera Connector Kit.

http://www.wifihifi.ca/LatestNewsHeadlines/Hands-OnReview:AudioQuestDragonFlyBla ck1.5/Red.html

If a headphone and DAC combination have "made for iOS" or "made for iPad" then be assured that they will work as soon as you open them.

Any other item will need the Camera Connector Kit only if the DAC/amp draws 100mAmps or less. Otherwise it will need a powered USB hub which MAY add noise to the digital signal going to the iPhone or iPad. Even though it may need a specific version of OS/X or Windows it may work with the CCK from your iDevice.


Before you spend almost $200 or MUCH MORE for a DAC/amp like MicroStreamer, Audioengine, Dragonflies, Meridian, OPPO, SONY, Teac, ONKYO listen to low impedance, 32ohm, headphones first. Then listen to the DAC/amp on your home computer. Compare the sounds and then decide on how much to spend.


The Best Buy Guy needs more experience. The camera connector kit will connect USB keyboards directly and many other USB devices directly or with a powered hub. I have used my iPad to connect to my home stereo systems desk top DAC.


You have MANY more choices than I mentioned above. Read the reviews from reasonable blogs and publications like TheAbsoluteSound, Stereophile, and CNET.

Oct 23, 2016 12:04 PM in response to EMRTrainer

Want the best portable music listening experience? See what Bob Katz has to say about the Onkyo HF music player app, the Lightning-port connected Oppo HA-2 DAC/amp, and the Oppo PM-3 magnet planar sealed headphones:

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/katzs-corner-episode-11-oppo-explosion


The Onkyo HF app and Oppo HA-2 can handle just about any hi-res audio format you can find. But you will need to manually download the hi-res files onto your iDevice. Once.

DAC or headphone amplifier work with iPad air?

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