Problem with external DAC (zenfone 11 ultra)

[sebdub]

Hello,

I test 3 external USB DAC with Zenfone 11 Ultra :

- 1) Internal DAC of the Focal Bathys headphone

- 2) LG / Bang Olufsen HM DAC

- 3) Firefly Cobalt DAC

These DAC are working well with Zenfone 8 flip (and  Oneplus Nord ce 2 5G phone) with the native driver and with USB Audio Player Pro out of the box.

One Zenfone 11, with native driver glitches (cracking noises/metallic sound) can be heard  using for instance Qobuz or Youtube - last update seems to have improved the sound quality for DAC 1 and 2 but not for DAC 3.

USB Audio Player Pro with proprietary driver has same problems. I found preferences for DAC 1 or 2 but DAC 3 is still not working...

DAC 3 is supposed to be a qualitative DAC. It Works with other smarphones but not with ZF 11 Ultra. Can you help me ?

Sebdub

[sebdub]

oops the DAC that is not working is a DRAGONFLY  Cobalt ...

[Mansi_ASUS]

Hi @sebdub,

So, the only DAC you are experiencing issues with is Firefly Cobalt DAC?

[sebdub]

Yes (the DAC is a Dragonfly Cobalt, sorry for the initial misspelling). The sound is OK and suddenly  the problems of glitches appear . But This Dac is working flawless with 2 other smartphones and with PCs on with Linux or Windows. Note that the Dac of the Focal Bathys didn't work out of the Box with USB Audio Player Pro, I have to tune the app. That's strange because I didn't have to do that with my Zenfone 8 flip and my other OnePlus Phone. I Had to activate 2 tweaks :

1) Force 1 packet by USB transfert

2) USB Tweak 2 ; activate a special algorithm to compute the size of the buffer

If this two options are off, I had similar problem

Perhaps there is a flaw in the USB implementation of the Zenfone 11 that explains the compatibility problem the t Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt ?