2. misc-audio
  3. 151464-104877

Possible iOS-13 and Audioquest Dragonfly Red compatibility issue

Here's my problem: I replaced my now obsolete iPhone 6 with an iPhone 11 (iOS-13.1.2). I am using an Apple Lightening-USB 3 camera dongle (it has a Lightening power/charging port, a Lightening phone connector and a USB slot) to connect a set of Etymotic Research ER4-SR earphones to the iPhone. The ER4-SR is plugged into the Dragonfly which is itself plugged into an Audioquest Jitterbug. The chain is:iPhone 11-->USB-3 connector-->Jitterbug-->Dragonfly-->Etymotic earphones.

This set-up functioned perfectly with the iPhone 6 using iOS-12 but it doesn't work with iOS-13 on the new phone. Interestingly, this ensemble continues to work flawlessly when playing AudioEngine A2+ speakers (wall powered) with both the iPhone 11 and also with the iPhone 6. 

When I insert the USB-3 connector-->Jitterbug-->Dragonfly-->earphones into the iPhone 11, the Dragonfly "powers up" but there's no sound transmission through the earphones. I've removed the Jitterbug and just used the Dragonfly + USB connector + earphones: same problem. I've checked the phone's Lightening port with the Apple-supplied Lightening earbuds and they work. I re-tested the Etymotic earphones in this chain connected to the iPhone 6 and they work. So, it doesn't seem to be component failure.

In summary, as far as I can tell I've sequentially tested each component of this chain and everything works except when the ensemble is plugged into the iPhone 11 separated from external power. Based on all this, it seems to be a power issue. 

I've called Audioquest and spoke to someone in customer service. He is not aware of any incompatibilities. 

I've ordered a Lightening-->3.5mm connector so I can use the Etymotic earphones without the Audioquest components. A compromise that falls short of audiophile standards but hopefully it will work.

Any insights? Have I overlooked anything? Has anyone else had a problem of this sort?
kacomess

Showing 6 responses by fkuebler

fkuebler
6 posts
 
Now again, but after 100 seconds... :-(

And the Dragonfly's light remains green.
fkuebler
6 posts
 
I've got a Dragonfly Black, which some years ago worked fine. Now I'm using an iPhone 6S+ with IOS 13.3, and when starting playing music, then after 80 seconds I get an iPhone message "This accessory is not supported by this iPhone".

Very much to my dismay, because (for me unexpectedly) the sound quality of hearing my IE800s through the Dragonfly ist audibly better than with using the standard iPhone jack :-(

No help in sight? No firmware upgrade for the Dragonfly?

You wrote:
Anyway, two OS updates later, it's functional again!
How shall I understand this?
fkuebler
6 posts
 
Now I did some experimentation. My chain was: iPhone lightning jack -> lightning/female USB cable -> Dragonfly

Then after app. 80 seconds the iPhone-accessory-not-supported-message appears.

When I modify/expand the chain to iPhone lightning jack -> lightning/female USB cable -> powered USB hub -> Dragonfly, then nothing changes with the after-80-seconds-interruption.

But what is strange: with this latter chain
1. when the message appears, the Dragonfly’s light remains green,
2. when I then unplug the lightning/female USB cable -> USB hub connection, then still the Dragonfly’s green light remains, but after reconnecting again still no sound comes. Only when I disconnect the iPhone -> lightning/female USB cable connection and reconnect again, i.e. doing that immediately after the iPhone lightning output, then I can continue playing music.

So again in other words: Disconnecting the chain immediately after the iPhone’s lightning output (and reconnecting again) gives me the music back. When disconnecting the chain one stage later, i.e. after the lightning/female USB cable and before the USB hub, then the music doesn’t come back.

I hope that I’ve described this in an understandable way.

Any idea what I can do?
fkuebler
6 posts
 
First of all: thank you for your significant effort to write this. But...

Based on what I understand you to have written, that’s also your situation: a warning appears, but then the phone/DAC continue functioning, correct? If so, simply ignore it.
...very unfortunately this is a misunderstanding: Immediately when the iPhone’s message appears, then the music stops. Also in
"the little triangle ball thingy. That should present you with a list of audio output targets"
the "AudioQuest Dragonfly" output marked as connected disappears and is substituted by an "iPhone" output marked as connected. And indeed I can get the music now through the iPhone’s speaker. Disconnecting the lightning/female USB cable and connecting again brings me back the "AudioQuest Dragonfly" output marked as connected, but only for app. 80 seconds... :-(

You may want to read my posting as of 10:54pm noting, that expanding the chain with a powered USB hub didn't help.

fkuebler
6 posts
 
If I understood your posting correctly, you obtain good quality sound when the **powered** USB hub is in the chain: is that correct? 
The sound quality is independent (and good) from whether I have the powered USB hub in the chain or not. But it lasts only for 80 seconds before it switches itself down, respectively is switched down by my IOS 13.3. BTW: I tried to downgrade to IOS 12, but Apple does no longer allow that.
...it may be the case that iOS is somehow re-setting. If that’s what’s happening, it’s a possibly a new security feature: iOS 13.x has a built-in setting used to defeat snooping hardware...
Something like this may be happening after 80 seconds, but I have no clue.

As a matter of last resort I have ordered the original (expensive) Apple camera adaptor, i.e. a lightning to USB plus lightning adaptor. Will get it on Saturday and will report.

After I have experienced within these repeated 80 seconds how audibly (and I'm sure not an audiophile guy!) the sound quality to my Sennheiser IE800 ist improved by a good DAC like the Dragonfly, I'm really somewhat desperate to enjoy this for more than 80 seconds...

Am I right to assume, that a reasonably priced Bluetooth adapter does not match the sound quality of a physically connected DAC? Otherwise I might try to circumvent the experienced problems by using a BT connector. If so, are there any recommendations?

fkuebler
6 posts
 
You may find the genuine Apple $40 connection will fix your problems.
Damn boy, how right you are!!!

I just received my Apple USB3 camera kit from Amazon (€45, $29), and it works indeed.

For the very moment i'm happy ;-)
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