I need some advice. Sometimes I want to use my phone to listen to Roon in my Sennheiser HD 650. I am not talking about using ARC, but the phone as an endpoint. I have a Samsung A52s. I want to improve the sound with a USB Dac for the phone. In the Samsung model I have, it is possible to use the USB C port as an audio output.
I am now considering the Astell&Kern USB HC2 4.4mm DAC to connect to the phone. I have read a lot about difficulties with Android phones and external DACs. Will this work and will it improve the sound? Thanks for any feedback.
It’s only with ARC that I have ever had issues with USB DACs.
I have a Mojo2, iFi Go Bar, E1DA that work well as USB DACs with Qobuz and Tidal and when attached to Rpis as a Roon endpoint.
I tend to use Google Pixel phones.
With the latest ARC and latest Android 14, we can get lossless play on at least some phones and USB DACs. For example, it works with my Pixel 8 Pro and iDSD Diablo.
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Yes, ARC works with a USB dac here now, finally.
That said, they cannot use the Roon remote app with a USB dac and bypass the android audio chain, like you can Tidal, ARC or UAPP and that is what they want to do.
If they want to use Roon with a USB dac in Android they should try ARC IMO.
Thank you for the answers. It seems clear that I cannot use a DAC for my Samsung if it runs via the Roon app. The option that seems to remain is to go via ARC. Now my situation is that I want to listen in the residence. Is ARC then suitable and can the sound quality be compared to listening via the Roon app?
Yes, I use ARC at home sometimes, using Bluetooth actually with a iFi Go Blu and a pair of IEMs, it’s handy if I need to be mobile but within WiFi range and want to use Roon DSP (PEQ).
I tested ARC yesterday with my iFi Go Bar Gold and the sound was very good, again with IEMs, I didn’t test other headphones as I have no use case to do so.
If I am sitting and want to use the Go Bar or E1DA dongle, I use a RPi and play Roon bridge on MoOde Audio as it doesn’t sap the phone battery.
The SQ on ARC is very good, IMO.
I use an Android phone (redmee something) + a DAC dongle (Cayin RU7) and ARC as a mobile home system too.
Important to note that you have to activate USB beta driver in ARC to get bit perfect streaming to your DAC.
With my installed wifi it works flawless up to 96/24 with 192/24 I get sometimes stuttering, so I avoid using higher sampling rates.
Sounds fantastic.
Edit: One thing is a bit annoying. If you do not use ARC regularly, usually you have to update ARC first and hope everything still works. 
I was thinking of getting a Fiio BRT 7 to go between my Samsung Tablet and Bowers and Wilkins PX8 headphones. B&W don’t think it will make any difference. Any opinions?
I have no experience with either, but I don’t think I would. I only got my iFi Go Blu for convenience in using my IEMs outdoors, I already had the IEMs & so the purchase was worth it & I was fed up with breaking USB cables with dongle DACs by folding cables in my pocket. I’d have hoped the PX8’s would have a decent DAC built in.