any benefits to USB C headphones?

Choose an username...

Senior Member
Oct 16, 2016
2,677
923
163
Just watching the htc u11 coverage and the noise cancelling type c headphones. Would it increase the experience on devices like the axon 7 when we've still got a headphone jack ?
shouldn't it be the same? I don't think there would be a difference besides the noise cancelling. Maybe those headphones get the power for that stuff from the USB but some noise cancelling 3.5mm with battery should be the same...?
Otherwise the only way I can think of to test if they're better or worse is by modding them so that the noise cancel is off, and test with USB-C then put them a 3.5 jack and test them too.

But you won't be able to charge, for what it's worth
Please correct me if I'm wrong, I probably am anyways
 
Last edited:

senny22

Senior Member
Mar 31, 2017
238
36
0
Uppsala
The audio wouldn't​ use the device's amp and dac and so the audio could be better on phones with really bad dacs and amps but on phones like the Axon 7 and LG v20 then the audio would most likely be worse.
 
  • Like
Reactions: XblackdemonX

themostunique

Member
May 19, 2013
47
11
28
You get an audio that is the same and more objective across devices because the headphones uses its own dac and amp, so the headphones can be better tuned by the manufacturer because your player no longer matter. Also, the power supply from type-c enables active noise cancelling without battery such as JBL reflect aware c, HTC usonic of U11, Xiaomi active noise cancelling earphones.
However, senny is probably correct as usb-c earphones may not use high end dac and amp.
 

MrMD69

Senior Member
Jan 21, 2015
151
37
48
Cracovia
Dac's are only connected to 3,5mm jack, stereo speakers and probably to microphone (to be confirmed) so there will be no Dolby features with type c headphones.

There one advantage - if you have active noice cancelation they can be powered via USB type c the same time you keep using it.
 

gumbyx84

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2013
402
76
58
Dac's are only connected to 3,5mm jack, stereo speakers and probably to microphone (to be confirmed) so there will be no Dolby features with type c headphones.

There one advantage - if you have active noice cancelation they can be powered via USB type c the same time you keep using it.
Dolby seems to work with BT speakers (tested this myself), so it might affect usb-c headphone. Mins toy it's just the equalizer that worked not the HiFi mode
 

RojasTKD

Senior Member
Sep 6, 2007
1,662
325
0
S. Florida
With the excellent DAC/AMP and audio capabilities of the Axon 7, I don't really see the benefit of USB-C headphone. And as I'm nor sure if the USB-C headphones would bypass the built in DAC/AMP it may be worse, I don't know. Either way I don't really see an advantage. Of course you loose the ability to listen to music while charging.

If Audeze comes out with a USB-C version of their Cipher cable that has a built in DAC/AMP tuned for their specific headphones (EL-8, Sine, iSine), then that might actually be worth getting. But as of yet the Cipher cables is Apple Lightning port only and their headphone are expensive audiophile grade headphones.
 

RojasTKD

Senior Member
Sep 6, 2007
1,662
325
0
S. Florida
And THIS will be the problem with type C headphones... Any that are cheap won't have good audio... you're gonna have to spend a small fortune on headphones that sound like the ones that are supplied free with the phone now...
That's not a problem with USB-C headphones, it the nature of cheap headphones.

you're gonna have to spend a small fortune on headphones that sound like the ones that are supplied free with the phone now...
Why? Usually the headphones that are included for free now aren't very good sounding.Who going to pay a fortune for headphones that sound as bad as the standard offerings?
If USB-C becomes they way things go for headphone audio, which remains to be seen, you'll have a range of choices of various price point. Only those that want truely steller audio will spend a "fortune", just as it is now.
 

themostunique

Member
May 19, 2013
47
11
28
The audio wouldn't​ use the device's amp and dac and so the audio could be better on phones with really bad dacs and amps but on phones like the Axon 7 and LG v20 then the audio would most likely be worse.
That's not a problem with USB-C headphones, it the nature of cheap headphones.



Why? Usually the headphones that are included for free now aren't very good sounding.Who going to pay a fortune for headphones that sound as bad as the standard offerings?
If USB-C becomes they way things go for headphone audio, which remains to be seen, you'll have a range of choices of various price point. Only those that want truely steller audio will spend a "fortune", just as it is now.
I think ultramag means we need to pay a fortune to get a headphone with dac and amp as good as the ones inside our phones.
 

RojasTKD

Senior Member
Sep 6, 2007
1,662
325
0
S. Florida
I think ultramag means we need to pay a fortune to get a headphone with dac and amp as good as the ones inside our phones.
Eh, I don't know. If you refering to a high quality DAC/AMP like whats in the Axon 7 maybe not cheap but not a fortune either. But most phones have a mediocre audio out put in comparison. I sometimes use headphones with an $15 external Mpow Bluetooth receiver that delivers more power then my other phones (Nexus 6P & LG G5). There's always the USB-C to 3.5mm adapter that the few phones that don't offer a headphone jack come with. Of course lets not forget most devices still bring a headphone jack, and hopefully it will stay that way for a while.

At any rate as far as the original question posed in this thread, a USB-C headphones will not really being anything to the table as far as the Axon 7 is concerned as it has one of the top headphone jacks currently available.

Until someone offers a very high quality USB-C pair of headphones that can outperform the A7's built in solution it's not needed. Even if and when something like that becomes available it only for you average user, but those who really really care about their audio and are willing to pay for every last bit of it.

I just don't see it costing a fortune, unless you want REALLY REALYY good audio, pretty much as is the case today.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: kimsama