If you're new to AirPods, considering buying a pair, or just want to pick up some new tips.
AirPods and AirPower: Everything We Know
Teardown Confirms Digital-to-Analog Converter in Lightning EarPods and 3.5mm Adapter
Vietnamese website Tinhte has shared a teardown of Apple's new Lightning EarPods and Lightning-to-3.5mm headphone jack adapter included in the box with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The video confirms that, as expected, each accessory is equipped with a small digital-to-analog converter.
The chip in the adapter, labeled 338S00140 / A0MU1621 / TW, does not have branding for any particular manufacturer, but Apple typically sources its audio-related chips from Cirrus Logic, which produces digital-to-analog converters. The chip in the EarPods is nearly identical, with a label of 338S00140 / A0QK1623 / TW.
The inclusion of a digital-to-analog converter, or DAC for short, enables both the new EarPods and traditional analog headphones with 3.5mm jacks to function over the Lightning connector, which delivers digital audio. The tiny chip is protected by a metal shield and two layers of plastic.
Apple controversially removed the 3.5mm headphone jack on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, forcing customers to use a growing selection of Lightning-equipped headphones like Apple's own EarPods, wireless Bluetooth headphones, or traditional headphones connected via the Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter.
The chip in the adapter, labeled 338S00140 / A0MU1621 / TW, does not have branding for any particular manufacturer, but Apple typically sources its audio-related chips from Cirrus Logic, which produces digital-to-analog converters. The chip in the EarPods is nearly identical, with a label of 338S00140 / A0QK1623 / TW.
The inclusion of a digital-to-analog converter, or DAC for short, enables both the new EarPods and traditional analog headphones with 3.5mm jacks to function over the Lightning connector, which delivers digital audio. The tiny chip is protected by a metal shield and two layers of plastic.
Apple controversially removed the 3.5mm headphone jack on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, forcing customers to use a growing selection of Lightning-equipped headphones like Apple's own EarPods, wireless Bluetooth headphones, or traditional headphones connected via the Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter.
[ 305 comments ]
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
32 months ago
Apple [S]controversially[/S] courageously removed the 3.5mm headphone jack on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus
Fixed that for you.
Fixed that for you.
32 months ago
The strangest thing happened. I got my iPhone 7 on Friday, and despite it having no jack, the sun has continued to rise every morning. Who knew?
32 months ago
If there wasn't a DAC....how else would make sound?
It would literally be magical if it didn't include a DAC.
You'd be amazed - I've seen quite a few posts suggesting that Apple had somehow changed the lightning port to output analog sound as it was "impossible" to include a DAC in the plug as there wasn't enough room!
DAC includes "protection" so you only can play iTunes purchased music?
Why would it? iTunes purchased music isn't protected anyway ;)
32 months ago
The 3.5mm plug is a gold standard, there's really nothing wrong with it. But it's disgusting how Apple is trying to FORCE a change with this just so they can sell more headphones and make money through licensing the lightning port.
So what, now we need to switch over to Apple's proprietary crap just because Apple wants to? Everyone can currently use their 3.5mm jack headphones and stick them into almost any other device... WHY does Apple want to pointlessly fragment this???
So what, now we need to switch over to Apple's proprietary crap just because Apple wants to? Everyone can currently use their 3.5mm jack headphones and stick them into almost any other device... WHY does Apple want to pointlessly fragment this???
32 months ago
I'm somewhat confused... Not by the presence of a DAC in the lightning headphones, but by the presence of the third audio amplifier found previously in Chipworks' iPhone 7 teardown. An amplifier is used on an analog signal, but the signal leaving the port is still digital. What am I missing here?
EDIT: added emphasis :D
The third DAC is probably used to create thr hiss.
32 months ago
According to pocketnow testing this adapter cuts everything to only 16bit, seems 6s is better
[MEDIA=youtube]Fro0p5MlREk[/MEDIA]
[MEDIA=youtube]Fro0p5MlREk[/MEDIA]
32 months ago
A manufacturer of quality audio devices can now embed a better DAC in their device than was previously inside the phone. They couldn't do that before. THAT's the argument.
Uhm, what? Of course you could. There have been external DACs and headphones with Lightning connectors long before the iPhone 7. Dropping the 3.5mm jack didn't add anything, it just removed functionality.
32 months ago
DAC includes "protection" so you only can play iTunes purchased music?
iTunes purchased music isn't DRM protected so how would that work? :confused:[ Read All Comments ]
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Tap to give MacRumors readers a chance to win one of the company's wearable keyboard setups, which Tap believes will be the keyboard of the...
Eve (formerly known as Elgato) was one of the first companies to come out with HomeKit accessories when HomeKit was announced in 2014, and since then, Eve has been expanding its portfolio of...
There are a few notable flash sales going on today, including a discount on a refurbished model of Apple's HomePod smart speaker. The speaker is on sale for $234.99, $115 off from its...
Apple is teaming up with Chinese payments company Ant Financial Services Group, along with several local banks, to offer local customers interest-free financing on iPhones in China (via Reuters)....
OWC this week announced a neat and tidy solution for quickly disconnecting multiple drives from any OWC dock, with the release of a free Dock Ejector utility.
The Mac app lives silently in...
Well-known cable and accessory maker Monoprice today introduced a new sale on Thunderbolt cables, with discounts reaching as much as 35 percent off of original prices during the limited-time event....
Parallels this week debuted a new promo bundle for both new and current users, offering a chance to buy or upgrade to Parallels Desktop 14, and then get ten other Mac apps for free. New owners can...
Over the past few weeks, a handful of users have reported receiving the message "an error occurred" when attempting to load the "For You" tab in iTunes, which provides personalized...
