USB Connection options for DAC

Planning for iFi Audio Zen DAC (https://www.headphonezone.in/collections/beginner-audiophile-amps-dacs/products/ifi-audio-zen-dac)

Can you please help with some options for connecting to a MacBook/iPhone? (MacBook - Thunderbolt/USB-C ports, iPhone - Lightening)
Put in another way, what are best ways to get digital output from MacBook and iPhone in general?

Some options after searching.

Option #1
Cable: USB-C to USB-A (Female):-

USB-A to USB-B:-

Or
Which is rather very expensive considering the DAC price.

What is the rest of your system? Ifi audio usb noise suppressor is recommended - you can use other 3rd party cable with that.
 
Have anyone used sound foundation usb cable available in hifimart?
If no other cheaper option I need to go with this only.

 
And that’s where the challenge is. As most entry level to midrange DACs (costing till 70-80K inr ) do not have good USB implementation. You’ll get many high end DAC owners talking about this in the forum.
What you're saying might be the case years ago, things have changed now.
 
I have a Topping D90 and have faced/heard/felt no issues with the USB out from my PC using just an Amazon Basics USB A to B cable. I am no expert but all I hear is a damn black background, no noise, no disturbance what so ever. Had a Topping DX3 pro earlier and had no issues on that either.
I am sure there are benefits to be had, but that comes if I face issues. So far none, so never experimented with this side of business.
 
I bought the cable from hifimart and connected iPad with dac. Now it’s recognised by dac and I could play my music in iTunes. The sound quality is very good and almost equals to CD quality. Now my CD hunt is postponed indefinitely(hopefully ;)).

Also, the old cable is again started to working fine with PC. I re-checked couple of times and it worked all the time. Looks like it got resolved itself :p
 
I bought the cable from hifimart and connected iPad with dac. Now it’s recognised by dac and I could play my music in iTunes. The sound quality is very good and almost equals to CD quality. Now my CD hunt is postponed indefinitely(hopefully ;)).

Also, the old cable is again started to working fine with PC. I re-checked couple of times and it worked all the time. Looks like it got resolved itself :p

Which cable ?
 
This one.

Hi

How are you using this cable to connect to iPad ? iPad had only lightning (Type C ) connect.....
 
I’m using Apple’s camera connection kit (cck) for that. It has lightning cable at one end and usb female port and charging port at the other end.

I’ve connected the usb audio cable to the USB port of cck and connected the lightning to iPad.

so, iPad >> cck >> usb audio cable >> dac
 
I’m using Apple’s camera connection kit (cck) for that. It has lightning cable at one end and usb female port and charging port at the other end.

I’ve connected the usb audio cable to the USB port of cck and connected the lightning to iPad.

so, iPad >> cck >> usb audio cable >> dac
Understood. You are streaming ALAC or lossy files via this method ?

If lossy files like in Spotify premium , can you compare this mode of connection vs Bluetooth connection ? I use BT with a Yamaha streamer and quality is respectable, nothing outstanding but okay (given streaming is my third option after vinyls and CDs ).
 
I’m playing through iTunes so mostly it will be AAC. I don’t have any streamers. But from what I read in other threads streaming will send less noise than usb. This is the case for PC but iPad sends no/less noise.
 
Good part about using iPad with CCK as streamer or transport is that it skips the iPad’s internal dac. Also being battery powered, it skips the challenges with noisy power supply.

The iPad can be used both by Spotify and roon as a streamer with your iPhone acting as a remote.
 
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