Connecting iphone to Amp for streaming
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Al ears
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As far as I was aware the Go link was a DAC / headphone amp, you don't need another DAC as there's one in your phone.
Al ears
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Witterings
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Firstly it looks like the Go Link is primarily a headphone dongle although I don't see why you couldn't then use a 3.5mm stereo jack to 2 x's RCA and plug it into the Brio but I'm not convinved it's the best solution, you'd possibly be better off with a DAC that has a USB C or USB A input and getting the correct cable to go between the two and then RCA from the out on the DAC to the Brio.
Personally I'd buy a WiiM Pro Plus streamer instead as the Brio doesn't have a DAC and have the flexibility of not having to be connected via a cable but I do appreciate it's about 4 x's the cost of the Go Link and may depend what your music source is as well i.e. stored on the phone or using a streaming service and if so which one.
Witterings
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An afterthought but you don't need either if you're happy with teh quality of the DAC in the phone as you can get a USB-C to 3.5mm stereo female and then 3.5mm stereo male to RCA into the Brio.
What was making you consider the Go Link in the 1st place, are you not happy with the DAC in the phone?
What was making you consider the Go Link in the 1st place, are you not happy with the DAC in the phone?
Juzzie Wuzzie
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Al ears
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Yes, you don't need yet another dac involved as a straight adapter should do the trick.
Juzzie Wuzzie
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But then I think the answer to the OP is:
1. for £10 you could use a USB C to RCA cable from iPhone15 to Brio (uses DAC in that cable); or
2. for c.£60 you could use a iFi Go Link plus a 3.5mm to RCA cable from iPhone15 to Brio (uses iFi Go Link as the DAC); or
3. if wireless is a requirement, consider any number of WiFi / Bluetooth type receivers plugged into the Brio. WiiM mini would be my suggestion for WiFi / Bluetooth or if the OP likes iFi a Zen Blue if Bluetooth the only requirement. Both using the DAC of the receiver.
1. for £10 you could use a USB C to RCA cable from iPhone15 to Brio (uses DAC in that cable); or
2. for c.£60 you could use a iFi Go Link plus a 3.5mm to RCA cable from iPhone15 to Brio (uses iFi Go Link as the DAC); or
3. if wireless is a requirement, consider any number of WiFi / Bluetooth type receivers plugged into the Brio. WiiM mini would be my suggestion for WiFi / Bluetooth or if the OP likes iFi a Zen Blue if Bluetooth the only requirement. Both using the DAC of the receiver.
Witterings
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I've not used this type of setup personally, I don't think a cable will have a DAC in it so it'll be using the phones DAC .
If you use a standalone DAC like say a Topping E30 or SMSL SU9 I believe that'll then do the conversion so it's down to whether the phone's DAC is as good as the external one.
Points
1/. As mentioned above a cable doesn't have a DAC in it.
2/. That's just down to if the DAC in the phone or the Go Link is better
3/. Bluetooth is always going to be lesser quality, if the OP is after a higher quality the Brio deserves (will depend what speakers he's using as well) streamers or wired are much better, the WiiM mini which would be better used as a streamer than with BT I didn't mention as the DAC's pretty Meeeeh.
Juzzie Wuzzie
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I think if we were ignoring the "what DAC is DACing arguments" we might both suggest a WiiM Pro Plus into the Brio is probably good VFM or a WiiM mini into Topping / SMSL into Brio for a £50 saving but with an extra box.
But, I'd be tempted for £10 to get a cable off of Amazon and give that a go (if wireless isn't a requisite).
I think the £10 cable might be the starting point or the entry into the rabbit hole! And then build from there! I like the idea of a nice DAC and am drawn to the idea of buying a used Rega to match my Brio, but can I get the iPhone connected to it? (What hifi review suggests the usb connection is its weakness?)
Witterings
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I've just re-read the description and you may be right, if that is the case all the more reason to avoid ... as you can see from above it wasn't what I was recommending .... but it could be a functional point if it meets the OP's required listening standards.
Just for reference about phones / computers, as a comment that tars them with the same brush, they want to keep the cost of the components as low as possible including the sound card /dac.
I borrowed a Dragonfly DAC from my neighbour and plugged it into the USB on my laptop so it bypassed the laptop's onboard dac and I couldn't belive the difference in quality.
Within the last 2 weeks I've back to backed a WiiM Pro with a Topping E30 which can't be that different to the SMSL SU9 against a Pro Plus and have to say the Pro Plus was far superior.
You've posted whilst I was typing, definitely give the cable a go and see if it does what you want but if it doesn't I'd make the "bigger" jump up from the start ... yes it is more outlay but I now have 3 WiiM minis laying around I won't use again and even a Pro as I've upgraded that to a Pro Plus and will sell my Topping DAC in the future .... my point being if I'd bitten the bullet from the start it would have cost me considerably less when it was inevitable where the end point would be 😆 😆
Fandango Andy
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You have posted a couple questions lately about connecting your iphone to a hifi, and before that about upgrading your amp. I order to give the best advice, what's the bigger pitcher?
What is the final goal, are you looking for the cheapest option, to play music from your phone? the best sounding? the most convenient?
What amp are you using did you ever upgrade?
Where is the music coming from? is it saved on your phone, or do you stream it?
DiggyGun
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A good starting point. Get a 3.5mm Jack to RCA plugs to connect from the DAC cable to the Brio and you’re listening to music.
Really depends as to how much you want to spend.
DG…
My current system comprises a vintage Technics SLP720 CD Player, AT Turntable, Brio-R Amp and Fyne Audio F302i speakers. I want to add the ability to stream high quality music files and bearing in mind that my CD player is pushing 35 years old I want to plan for its replacement with a newer machine with digital out. My thinking was to get a DAC that I can connect my iphone to for streaming and as a the backbone for connecting a future replacement CD player or transport. While a Wiim might be an option, I'm not overly concerned about wireless streaming and would rather have something with a better DAC in it.
Witterings
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I've back to backed the WiiM Pro Plus against a WiiM Pro with a Topping E30 DAC and the Plus beats it, I've also put the Plus against the DAC in my Arcam SA30 which is highly rated and can't tell a difference.
Get one off Amazon and if you don't like it send it back but for me it's head and shoulders above faffing around with cables and will stream directly from the providers servers cutting out the phone, the cable and external DAC .... the less hops, the less chance of one of them being a weak point.
I have an Ifi Go Link and like it but I really only use it to connect wired heaphones. I have tried a non-name usb to 3.5mm cable which looks similar to the one mentioned above (they churn these things out from Shenzhen factories and it worked but was not great. The DAC in the cable is not up to much but as I say it does work.
I have not though of connecting the Ifi to hifi but then I have a couple of Wiim devices so I don't need to connect my phone using wires and effectively the phone becomes a remote.
I'd say the Wiim Pro Plus is probably what you need but give the cheap cable a go. If you hate it you've not exactly wastes a lot of money.
I have not though of connecting the Ifi to hifi but then I have a couple of Wiim devices so I don't need to connect my phone using wires and effectively the phone becomes a remote.
I'd say the Wiim Pro Plus is probably what you need but give the cheap cable a go. If you hate it you've not exactly wastes a lot of money.
Witterings
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Not specifically a WiiM but I've bought and returned so much stuff from Amazon over the years it's not true including home trialling speakers and have never had a problem with anything that's gone back.
I make sure I open it very carefully and take photos of how it's packed and make sure it doesn't get scratched / marked or anything when I'm using it and pack it back up exactly the same way it arrived if I'm going to send it back.
No idea where you're based but if you happen to be anywhere near Chichester you could borrow mine for a day or so to see if you liked it.
Also I'm going to sell a 2nd hand WiiM mini soon, also a WiiM Pro that's brand new and sealed in the box and a 2nd WiiM Pro that once every week or so disconnects from the network but reconnects immediately after a re-boot .... if you have any interest in any of those let me know although you'd still want a DAC to go with any of them.
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If you use the 'go link' (or any other headphone amp/DAC) you will need a 3.5mm to 2 x RCA cable to connect to the Rega. I'm pretty sure that many of these DAC's will exceed the Apple built in DAC by far.
BTW you don't mention how you have your music stored on the iPhone or if you are using a streaming service.
The iPhone 15 is capable of Hi Res lossless but only if you subscribe to Apple Music... along with a Homepod or Apple earbuds... see how they get you?
IMHO a £10 USB C to RCA with built in DAC is most likely rubbish and I highly doubt that it will match the iPhone's built in DAC.
Do you really want to tether your phone to your amp with a cable? As Witterings suggested... I think you will quickly become cheesed off with that!
The WiiM will give you a lot of flexibility/options, allowing you to go wireless, choose a streaming service (if you desire) and many others.
The WiiM's are so cheap just buy one, they're like having a swiss army knife in the survival/bug out kit.
BTW you don't mention how you have your music stored on the iPhone or if you are using a streaming service.
The iPhone 15 is capable of Hi Res lossless but only if you subscribe to Apple Music... along with a Homepod or Apple earbuds... see how they get you?
IMHO a £10 USB C to RCA with built in DAC is most likely rubbish and I highly doubt that it will match the iPhone's built in DAC.
Do you really want to tether your phone to your amp with a cable? As Witterings suggested... I think you will quickly become cheesed off with that!
The WiiM will give you a lot of flexibility/options, allowing you to go wireless, choose a streaming service (if you desire) and many others.
The WiiM's are so cheap just buy one, they're like having a swiss army knife in the survival/bug out kit.
Witterings
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Looking for something totally different I stumbled across the Fosi Audio DS2 which if you wante to go the wired route may be an alternative the the Go Link, there's a video review of the Fosi ZA3 used as mono blocks where he uses one to connect his phone.
Fandango Andy
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That all makes sense.
It sounds like you are moving away from the idea of the ifi Go Link towards a desktop or hifi DAC. This is probably a good idea. the "Go" or similar has a 3.5mm output, so you would need and 3.5 to RCA lead to connect to you amp. Its all a bit messy and probably not the best option. Any DAC with an USB input will do the job. You just need to be careful when reading specs as some DACs will be listed as RCA input, but it is actually to power the device.
Depending on what CD player you are thinking of, I wouldn't worry too much about getting a DAC to use with that. Most decent CD players have a perfectly good DAC and you will be as well using the internal DAC. With the pace that DACs are improving and coming down in price, by the time you get a new CD player, it may have a better DAC than the one you buy! Unless you are going down the route that seems popular at the moment of using Blu Ray player as a transport and an external DAC?
Out of curiosity what puts you off using a wireless streamer?
yes, I did exactly that!... but it was from Amazon.com and being a Prime member it's no problem at all. Can't comment on Amazon 'dot' co 'dot' uk
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