Using spare android phone as audio streamer

[msankadi]

Hi

I have a spare android phone lying around. In my setup I have a ifi zen dac v2 that I recently acquired.

Is there any tutorial or guide you can direct me to which can help me setup the android phone as a streamer for tidal, bubbleupnp, spotify and apple music?

When I search on youtube I only get a lot of game streaming videos so that is no much helpful.


1. How do I connect USB audio and usb charging at the same time for the phone?

2. Phone has 3.5mm jack but I would like to get the digital audio from usb otherwise the audio quality will take big hit. I am assuming i am right in this assumption please tell if I am not

3. I have to use another android phone to control the playback. I am guessing i can find a number of apps for that including team viewer remote. Any recommendations?

4. Would any normal mini USB to USB work for connecting to ifi zen dac or I need to buy any patented cable. I am really hoping that is not the case and it is only an apple feature. Thoughts?

 

[ssf]

When I was testing, I used the USB Audio Player Pro software. It's not expensive and it decodes MQA on Tidal and does full res. Connected to my Zen Dac. I don't think it does Apple and Spotify though.

It has an option for UpnP/DLNA servers. I have tried it though.

 

[msankadi]

When I was testing, I used the USB Audio Player Pro software. It's not expensive and it decodes MQA on Tidal and does full res. Connected to my Zen Dac. I don't think it does Apple and Spotify though.

It has an option for UpnP/DLNA servers. I have tried it though.

I think tidal had launched bit perfect player for android so I don't think that should be a challenge. I have couple of technical questions for this setup?

1. How do I connect USB audio and usb charging at the same time for the phone?
2. Phone has 3.5mm jack but I would like to get the digital audio from usb otherwise the audio quality will take big hit. I am assuming i am right in this assumption please tell if I am not
3. I have to use another android phone to control the playback. I am guessing i can find a number of apps for that including team viewer remote. Any recommendations?
4. Would any normal mini USB to USB work for connecting to ifi zen dac or I need to buy any patented cable. I am really hoping that is not the case and it is only an apple feature. Thoughts?

 

[mbhangui]

I will answer few that I have tried

1. How do I connect USB audio and usb charging at the same time for the phone?

I thought connecting to a USB hub would solve the problem of charging as well as using the usb to connect to DAC. But both my android phones seem to either use the USB for charging or for data. I think this is a limitation of android/phone. You apparently require a phone that supports USB OTG with Host mode.

2. Phone has 3.5mm jack but I would like to get the digital audio from usb otherwise the audio quality will take big hit. I am assuming i am right in this assumption please tell if I am not

Depends on the DAC you have on the phone. If it has a better dac than your external dac, then you can use the 3.5mm dac. But I think it is unlikely phone manufacturer will put a high quality dac.

3. I have to use another android phone to control the playback. I am guessing i can find a number of apps for that including team viewer remote. Any recommendations?

for spotify you can remote control it from any device.
apple music is impossible

4. Would any normal mini USB to USB work for connecting to ifi zen dac or I need to buy any patented cable. I am really hoping that is not the case and it is only an apple feature. Thoughts?

Yes. That's how I used my phone to connect to external DAC. But be aware that the android has a shitty audio subsystem which will use a fixed sample rate. It is exactly like what apple does on macbook pro, macbook air and mac minis by using a fixed sampling rate. USB audio pro completely bypases the android audio subsystem. Theoretically it should give you the best quality.

 

[msankadi]

I think tidal had launched bit perfect player for android so I don't think that should be a challenge. I have couple of technical questions for this setup?

1. How do I connect USB audio and usb charging at the same time for the phone?
2. Phone has 3.5mm jack but I would like to get the digital audio from usb otherwise the audio quality will take big hit. I am assuming i am right in this assumption please tell if I am not
3. I have to use another android phone to control the playback. I am guessing i can find a number of apps for that including team viewer remote. Any recommendations?
4. Would any normal mini USB to USB work for connecting to ifi zen dac or I need to buy any patented cable. I am really hoping that is not the case and it is only an apple feature. Thoughts?

Shit I just realized that my spare phone is Lenovo p2 that has micro USB and not usb c.. I guess that means whatever small hope I had is gone? Right?

 

[mbhangui]

Shit I just realized that my spare phone is Lenovo p2 that has micro USB and not usb c.. I guess that means whatever small hope I had is gone? Right?

Nope. My motorola phone whith micro usb works with an external connected dac with a connector. I had posted it earlier.

EDIT: This is what I used with my motorola phone to connect it to my usb dac

https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B0742BBQPG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[ssf]

I think tidal had launched bit perfect player for android so I don't think that should be a challenge. I have couple of technical questions for this setup?

1. How do I connect USB audio and usb charging at the same time for the phone?
2. Phone has 3.5mm jack but I would like to get the digital audio from usb otherwise the audio quality will take big hit. I am assuming i am right in this assumption please tell if I am not
3. I have to use another android phone to control the playback. I am guessing i can find a number of apps for that including team viewer remote. Any recommendations?
4. Would any normal mini USB to USB work for connecting to ifi zen dac or I need to buy any patented cable. I am really hoping that is not the case and it is only an apple feature. Thoughts?

1. I don't know. I don't think you can.
2. I would prefer USB to Zen Dac.
3. You can play from the device and Spotify can be controlled from other devices
4. Normal convertors / connector will work.

Get a micro usb to usb A connector. Zen Dac has a usb A to USB B cable.

 

[msankadi]

Thank you all for your responses.

I think it is easily doable the main hurdle now is keeping it charged while playing music as it doesn't have any wireless charging also...

Any solutions for charging while playing music?

 

[ajuvignesh]

Shit I just realized that my spare phone is Lenovo p2 that has micro USB and not usb c.. I guess that means whatever small hope I had is gone? Right?

I had a P2 and it connected well with my DAC. Sometimes it doesn't work. No idea why.
My suggestion will be buying an Allo usbridge and connect it to zen DAC. Use the p2 exclusively to stream to the Allo.

 

[msankadi]

I had a P2 and it connected well with my DAC. Sometimes it doesn't work. No idea why.
My suggestion will be buying an Allo usbridge and connect it to zen DAC. Use the p2 exclusively to stream to the Allo.

I am gutted. Just because of the inability to charge and audio at same time... Will I need to spend about 15k? It is not really about the money but android isn't supposed to be like this for me

 

[ajuvignesh]

I am gutted. Just because of the inability to charge and audio at same time... Will I need to spend about 15k? It is not really about the money but android isn't supposed to be like this for me

Will something like this work?

 

[msankadi]

Will something like this work?

Unable to open the link it says check for typo

 

[ajuvignesh]

Unable to open the link it says check for typo

Sorry for the hiccup, msankadi. I have updated the link and it works now

Edit: Here is the link: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B09P5FFG56/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_CH9ZHGD091TP9RHJ72B1

 

[mbhangui]

Sorry for the hiccup, msankadi. I have updated the link and it works now

Edit: Here is the link: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B09P5FFG56/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_CH9ZHGD091TP9RHJ72B1

This did not work for me on both my android phones. Apparently this requires USB host support when in OTG mode. Not all phones support this. Also apparently you will require to make a custom cable.

Can an Android tablet serve as USB Host and be charged simultaneously through a single port?

A number of Android tablets are powered through the Micro B USB port but also provide USB Host support through the same port (e.g. Motorola Xoom 2, Acer A510/700). I need to be able to use USB Host

electronics.stackexchange.com

 

[msankadi]

Sorry for the hiccup, msankadi. I have updated the link and it works now

Edit: Here is the link: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B09P5FFG56/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_CH9ZHGD091TP9RHJ72B1

Thanks but it doesn't seem like this will work as the input output combinations wont work for what's needed... The power and usb drive go into the fire stick here but I need power to go into phone but audio to come out from it

 

[msankadi]

This did not work for me on both my android phones. Apparently this requires USB host support when in OTG mode. Not all phones support this. Also apparently you will require to make a custom cable.

Can an Android tablet serve as USB Host and be charged simultaneously through a single port?

A number of Android tablets are powered through the Micro B USB port but also provide USB Host support through the same port (e.g. Motorola Xoom 2, Acer A510/700). I need to be able to use USB Host

electronics.stackexchange.com

Not able to understand much trying to read again

 

[mbhangui]

Thanks but it doesn't seem like this will work as the input output combinations wont work for what's needed... The power and usb drive go into the fire stick here but I need power to go into phone but audio to come out from it

It won't. That's what I'm saying happened with both my phones. I even connected my phone to a powered usb hub and the phone started charging. But the moment I connected a DAC to the usb hub, the phone stopped charging and started using the DAC for the audio. So apparently both my android phones can either work in charging or work in USB host mode, but not both together.

 

[msankadi]

It won't. That's what I'm saying happened with both my phones. I even connected my phone to a powered usb hub and the phone started charging. But the moment I connected a DAC to the usb hub, the phone stopped charging and started using the DAC for the audio. So apparently both my android phones can either work in charging or work in USB host mode, but not both together.

Yeah seems so frustrating... How bad will be the 3.5mm jack is it worth using that at all?

 

[raghupb]

Yeah seems so frustrating... How bad will be the 3.5mm jack is it worth using that at all?

Not worth it. If you have a stereo-2RCA cable try it out.
It usually sounds like #*%$
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[mbhangui]

Yeah seems so frustrating... How bad will be the 3.5mm jack is it worth using that at all?

Of course it won't be bad but it will not be the best. But one can try a different OS too which doesn't have this limitation of either charging or acting as a USB host. Something like LineageOS. Check with @amrutmhatre90. I think he has experienced LineageOS.