Has anyone tried using an iPhone connected to an AK320 in DAC mode for use as a Roon endpoint?
Roon is not seeing the AK320 DAC as a connected device to the iPhone.
I have tried the Apple lightning camera connector and a mini usb to lightning (Monoprice), but neither seemed to work.
Any suggestions?
I’m not sure Astell & Krell portable music player is Roon Ready. It requires a Roon codes embedded inside the firmware in order to work. So far I’ve not heard any portable music player in the market that is Roon Ready.
However you can use iPhone and connect to AK320 as DAC but Roon only see iPhone not the DAC.
That is what I am seeing. The problem is that the source plays out of the iPhone speakers and does not output through the DAC.
The connection from AK320 to the iPhone requires a OTG cable, it can either a Apple camera connect kit or lighting to microUSB OTG cable. The AK320 must be set to DAC mode.
I have tried connecting with the camera kit and a micro to lightning OTG (charging) cable, but Roon still does not see the AK320 in DAC mode. Any other suggestions?
Roon cannot see the DAC directly but only the iPhone. Since you can use Roon and stream to the iPhone, the iPhone should output digitally to an external DAC via its lighting port.
My suggestion is can you playback using just the iPhone to your AK320? If you can’t, then the AK320 DAC is drawing too much current via the OTG cable from your iPhone. If you have an iPad try that. I use my iPad to my FiiO X5 mk3 music player as a DAC and it works fine
I have the same problem on the iPad, but my MacBook Pro worked like a champ. I will focus on the OTG connection between the iOS device and the AK320. If I get it working, I will report it here.
One more question: why does Roon see the AK320 as a DAC when connected to the MacBook Pro and not when the AK320 is connected to an iPhone or iPad.
I ask this question after trying it with the camera kit with a charging cable, so presumably the power draw is not the issue.
Your Macbook is running on Roon core so it can see the DAC connected via USB.
The MacBook is a Roon endpoint just as it is for my iPhone and iPad. I use a sonictransporter as my core. I do not understand why they behave differently.
Does any native iOS app see it as a DAC? If it isn’t natively recognised then I would think that roon isn’t going to.
The MacBook OS probably does?
Even though Macbook is running as endpoint, the Roon software you installed in MacBook is still considered a full version capable of switching to Roon core anytime. The iPad and iPhone version is strictly a Roon Remote.
OK, that helps. I will live with not being able to walk around the house with the AK320 strapped to my iPhone listening to hirez tracks through Roon!
Some good news for you… Astell and Kern will add Roon Ready via firmware update.
Thanks so much.
I have good news too. My iPhone 6s and iPad Pro see the AK320 as a DAC and Roon plays high resolution files directly to the DAC endpoint (headphones or earphones, including balanced connection).
The secret is a 10W or 12W adapter at the other end of the lightning charging cable. The iOS device works like a mobile microrendu!
See the added picture. Let me know if you need other details.
Cool…thanks.
Are you using an apple ipad charger thru the camera kit?
Yes, Apple charger. The 10W and 12W work for both the iPad and the iPhone.
That’s good. The problem with iPhone and iPad output current from the Lightning port is limited to 100mA, way below the USB 2.0 specifications of 500mA. Not many devices will work at this low current.
