Google DACs - versions 1 and 2!
People will know that I'm a fan of high quality wired headphones and - by extension - 3.5mm jacks in phones and tablets. Which has made the latest generation of phones (e.g. Google Pixel 2 and 3 ranges) a little galling, as they require external DAC (Digital to Analog Converter)s, typically in USB Type C-to-3.5mm 'adapters'.
Note that I'm not talking about £2 (on eBay) Type C to 3.5mm adapters, these are dumb analog things with no active circuitry. Many phones don't output an analog signal anymore and these won't work.
You may remember that I reviewed a XiiVio mini-hub recently, and this is a good example of an all-digital, microprocessor-based gadget, in this case allowing charging and listening via a built-in DAC. But there are simper and cheaper DAC/dongles, including the first party gadgets from Google. The Pixel 2 range came with their first version, the Pixel 3 range came with version two, though both are also available standalone from the Google Store, for not very much cash.
Anyway, on with my notes and opinions. Google says that the new version has "Increased music playback time and reduced plug-in latency with Pixel", pending a few quick tests, here with my test (trusty) Google Pixel 2 XL.... Android P (9) is a requirement, but that's fine with my Pixel, of course.
The new Pixel DAC/dongle is slightly smaller than the first one, so I guess that's the way to tell them apart - at least, if you have both side by side!!
In use, I can't vouch immediately for Google's claims for lower battery drain (though I'm sure they're true), but I was bowled over at how fast the new dongle was to 'register' with the OS and have audio transferred.
In my test, I started music playing over the Pixel's speakers and then plugged in each DAC/dongle, with headphones attached:
This was repeatable, the new DAC hooks up to the exact same phone in half the time. OK, so plugging in 3.5mm wired headphones to a phone with a real headphone jack would have been instantaneous, but hey, progress is progress!!
I doubt that saving two seconds is enough to warrant everyone with the version 1 DAC/dongle forking out £12 for the new version, but maybe if music is your thing then the lower battery drain might be a big help in your day.
Anyway, I can vouch for Google's improvements, they weren't fibbing!
Note that I'm not talking about £2 (on eBay) Type C to 3.5mm adapters, these are dumb analog things with no active circuitry. Many phones don't output an analog signal anymore and these won't work.
You may remember that I reviewed a XiiVio mini-hub recently, and this is a good example of an all-digital, microprocessor-based gadget, in this case allowing charging and listening via a built-in DAC. But there are simper and cheaper DAC/dongles, including the first party gadgets from Google. The Pixel 2 range came with their first version, the Pixel 3 range came with version two, though both are also available standalone from the Google Store, for not very much cash.
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| (Ignore the black Sharpie ring around the dongle - this was for my use so that I didn't get confused between this and the older version '1'! As it turned out, I didn't really need to do this!!) |
The new Pixel DAC/dongle is slightly smaller than the first one, so I guess that's the way to tell them apart - at least, if you have both side by side!!
In my test, I started music playing over the Pixel's speakers and then plugged in each DAC/dongle, with headphones attached:
- Version 1 DAC/dongle (Pixel 2 era): music transferred over in 3.5 seconds
- Version 2 DAC/dongle (Pixel 3 era): music transferred over in 2 seconds
This was repeatable, the new DAC hooks up to the exact same phone in half the time. OK, so plugging in 3.5mm wired headphones to a phone with a real headphone jack would have been instantaneous, but hey, progress is progress!!
I doubt that saving two seconds is enough to warrant everyone with the version 1 DAC/dongle forking out £12 for the new version, but maybe if music is your thing then the lower battery drain might be a big help in your day.
Anyway, I can vouch for Google's improvements, they weren't fibbing!
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