# [Q] USB sound card on Android?



## frakk2000 (Dec 9, 2010)

I have a Android pad running 2.1 and it has 2 x USB ports and a lousy audio out (3.5 Jack). 

I was wondering if USB soundcards work on Android? I am under the impression it is plug&play in linux, and that android uses the same audio driver? (just not via USB).


Beeing able to use a USB soundcard with propper sound would greatly improve sound quality (I want to use my pad in my car) :/


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## tsynik (Dec 20, 2010)

*+1*

I also want to know about USB sound cards support under Android. I have SB Live 24 (USB) and it works with my ARM-based Asus Wi-Fi router, but what about Android 2.2 and MIDs with USB-host port? ;-)


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## Magnesus (Apr 16, 2011)

Anyone tried it?


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## Shabihbhai (Apr 16, 2011)

It could be possible


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## cloud1111 (Sep 4, 2011)

Any update on this thread, would like to get this for my asus transformer if anyone can confirm it works.  http://www.asus.com/Multimedia/Audio_Cards/Xonar_U3/#overview


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## jaydvn (Sep 5, 2011)

It could be possible!


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## tecfield2010 (Dec 3, 2011)

I tray it on acer iconia tab a500 and noting happend.
It not working.
It maybe need a driver but i don't see any driver anywere
:-(


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## tsynik (Feb 7, 2012)

*USB audio in Android progress*

Just for note, it works! I recently added self-compiled snd-usb-audio modules to allwinner based tablet. Found corresponding /dev/snd/* devices. Hard part is to add switch to USB audio to java, if there are no full alsa support in ROM. If alsa used, I need only edit /etc/asound.conf ;-)


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Feb 8, 2012)

tsynik said:


> Just for note, it works! I recently added self-compiled snd-usb-audio modules to allwinner based tablet. Found corresponding /dev/snd/* devices. Hard part is to add switch to USB audio to java, if there are no full alsa support in ROM. If alsa used, I need only edit /etc/asound.conf ;-)

Click to collapse



could you give some more details on how this was done?

USB OTG gets mouse/keyboard/mass storage working, but USB soundcard doesn't get sound through it (though the card is receiving power) and I cant see a way to check if it can see the device.

the USB soundcard I'm using was seen by my linux pc (kernel 3.0.0-15) straight away no drivers or config needed.


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## chouck (Jun 20, 2012)

Here is a what I found on USB AUDIO output with Android (maybe it makes sense to put and update this table to the first topic)

NOTE: as of now SOME (not all!) USB AUDIO Android support implementations stream data through Android MUX that disturbs the original PCM stream for changing volume which means re-sampling original media, but also limited to 44.1kHz(some 48) 16 bit, so for SOME Android:
1) max all your volume controls while using external DAC
2) there is no reason to have / use DAC with higher rates then 44.1/16
3) there is no reason to have / use files of more then 44.1/16 quality. Trying to play 96kHz 24bit file will result in forcing Android to re-sample it on the fly with limited resources and not perfect algorithms leading to degrading output quality lower then proper done in studio or desktop 44.1/16!

There might be a way bypassing the Android layer and going right to ALSA you can do 24 bit.
If you specify a hardware device ("hw:0") in ALSA you can bypass any potential sample conversions.
*there is way around it in linux ALSA http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=434  but i have not seen such for Android 

Supporting Devices
---------
Galaxy S III $700 Android phone
ARCHOS G9 $250+ Android tablet (looks like the key is OMAP chipset kernel drivers)
Squeezebox Touch $250 - propriatary logitech linux box
Ainol Novo 7/8 Advance 8gb 100$ Android tablet or Allwinner with a modded Android kernel
Nook Touch with custom rom
any A10 Android tablet http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/33373-rom-cm9-nightlies/
* Hyundai A7HD tablet with Cm9
* Mediacom 907c, Momo11 Bird, JXD S9000, Eken A90 
* Visture V3 
* Mediacom 910i, Teclast A10t 
* ICOO D90W 
* CEMA10N7 "unknown" device
* Bmorn V99 
* Mediacom 711i, Momo9 
* Protab2XXL
* Sanei N83 
* Hyundai A7HD
* MOMO9 needs

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=22280857#post22280857

http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/29289-usb-audio-cards-support-drivers-and-libs/



. B&N Nook Colour with a modded Android kernel

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1459892



. WitsTech A81G with a slightly modded Android kernel

http://android.modaco.com/topic/343858-external-usb-devices/page__st__20



Suported DACs:
for Galaxy S III
List of USB DACs with known USB controller that interwork with Samsung Galaxy S III for the time being:
+ AMB Labs Gamma2 with USB controller TI Burr-Brown PCM2707
+ FiiO E7 with USB controller TI Burr-Brown PCM2706
+ HifiMan Express with USB controller TI Burr-Brown PCM2702
+ Topping TP30 with USB controller TI Burr-Brown PCM2704

+ ODAC Tenor TE7022

List of USB DACs with known USB controller that don't interworking with Samsung Galaxy S III for the time being:
. FiiO E17 with USB controller Tenor TE7022
. iBasso D6 with USB controller TI TAS1020B
. Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11 with USB controller Tenor TE7022
Hegel HD20 with USB controller Tenor TE7022 has also some issue
Audiotrak Prodigy Cube with USB controller Tenor TE7022


for Archos G9
+FiiO E17
+BEHRINGER UCA222

- E10 not supported

for Ainol Novo 7/8 Advance
+FiiO E7
+Burr-Brown PCM2704 USB DAC

+Creative

for Squeezebox Touch
+ Red Wine Audio Isabellina and an
+ HRT Music Streamer II+.


B&N Nook Colour
+Logitech DAC A-5572A | 
+Beresford TC-7520SE Caiman | 
+FiiO E7

B&N Nook Touch
+C-Media $5 USB adaptor 
+Lexicon Alpha 24 bit adaptor 

please reply here if you find more info on DAC/devices suppot so i'll keep this post up to date.


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## Renate (Jun 20, 2012)

I use either a C-Media $5 USB adaptor or a Lexicon Alpha 24 bit adaptor on my Nook Touch.
By bypassing the Android layer and going right to ALSA I can do 24 bit field recording.
If you specify a hardware device ("hw:0") in ALSA you can bypass any potential sample conversions.


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## chouck (Jun 21, 2012)

Renate NST said:


> I use either a C-Media $5 USB adaptor or a Lexicon Alpha 24 bit adaptor on my Nook Touch.
> By bypassing the Android layer and going right to ALSA I can do 24 bit field recording.
> If you specify a hardware device ("hw:0") in ALSA you can bypass any potential sample conversions.

Click to collapse



why you are sure that it is  24 bit coming out of Nook Touch tablet?
what ROM / kernel you are using?
where you specify a hardware device? this should be done editing config file or there is a menu items in settings interface?


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## Renate (Jun 21, 2012)

I'm sure that it's 24 bit because I can look at the file and see that all the bits are exercised.
Moreover, since the microphone only hits about -30dBFS, I have to crank the gain.
Compared to a 16 bit recording (which is effectively 11 bits when using 30 dB gain), the 24 bits (effectively 19 bits) sounds much better.

The Nook doesn't have any builtin audio, except for Dummy which is hw:0
My application uses hw:1
There's really no need to select the audio adapter because there is usually just the one.


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## chouck (Jun 22, 2012)

Renate NST said:


> The Nook doesn't have any builtin audio, except for Dummy which is hw:0
> My application uses hw:1
> There's really no need to select the audio adapter because there is usually just the one.

Click to collapse



I am a bit confused.
can you explain step by step how to archive it on stock NOOK touch?
1)install custom ROM with kernel and USB host support?
2)install specific media player? which one do you use?
3)plug in USB DAC, player will use it as output by default so no hw:0 tweaking needed?


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## Renate (Jun 22, 2012)

The whole USB host mode on Nook Touch is covered here.

You will need a modified kernel.
The stock mediaplayer works but there is an unresolved bug that you need a little utility app to get over.
You need to put in an asound.conf


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## chouck (Jun 22, 2012)

Renate NST said:


> The stock mediaplayer works but there is an unresolved bug that you need a little utility app to get over.
> You need to put in an asound.conf

Click to collapse



So putting asound.conf from the thread you'd mention will solve it and it will be transparent output 24bit 96khz?
can I use other media player such as Astro or PoweAMP?


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## Renate (Jun 23, 2012)

The Android layer only supports 16 bits.
The MediaPlayer can not play 24 bit files.

To do anything 24 bit you need an external USB adaptor that supports it and an application that directly uses ALSA.
I believe that there are other 24 bit apps on the market.

24 bit is really only useful for recording when there is a large dynamic range.


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## chouck (Jun 23, 2012)

Renate NST said:


> The Android layer only supports 16 bits.
> The MediaPlayer can not play 24 bit files.
> 
> To do anything 24 bit you need an external USB adaptor that supports it and an application that directly uses ALSA.
> ...

Click to collapse



I think we are talking about different use-cases.
My question was on plugging external 24bit/96kHz capable DAC (not ADC) to Android device and playing high quality 16bit/44.1 and higher .flac files using one of android players through that external DAC.
 As i understand you've done it at least for 16bit DAC? and even mentioned that there is a way to bypass Android layer to get up to24 bit transparently out to the DAC and can highlight the steps for Nook Thouch to archive it.
Can you share your experience, settings and apps you've used?


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## Renate (Jun 23, 2012)

Most USB adapters you will find are 16 bit.
To get 24 bit, you have to go to a "pro" interface, M-Audio, Lexicon, whatever.

ALSA supports 24 & 32 bits, but does not directly support MP3 or FLAC.

The Android layer supports MP3 (maybe FLAC?) playback, but not record.

You can get 24 bit playback just by using the ALSA utility aplay on PCM files only.

I do not know what there is on the market for 24 bit record/play.
You'd need an app with a JNI interface to the ALSA library.
I wrote a recording application for the Nook Touch that does that.
I cited it in the thread mentioned.


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## chouck (Jul 3, 2012)

Renate NST said:


> Most USB adapters you will find are 16 bit.

Click to collapse



Just got stock Nook Simple Touch. Can you guide what steps to do to let it play music to external DAC?


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## frakk2000 (Dec 9, 2010)

I have a Android pad running 2.1 and it has 2 x USB ports and a lousy audio out (3.5 Jack). 

I was wondering if USB soundcards work on Android? I am under the impression it is plug&play in linux, and that android uses the same audio driver? (just not via USB).


Beeing able to use a USB soundcard with propper sound would greatly improve sound quality (I want to use my pad in my car) :/


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## domynos (Aug 29, 2014)

*external dac*



chouck said:


> Just got stock Nook Simple Touch. Can you guide what steps to do to let it play music to external DAC?

Click to collapse



I'm using an external DAC creative sb play sb1140 on my galaxy note 2 and works perfectly with mp3 and flac without anything just plug and play but with Asus xonar u7 it's not working, maybe u7 need more electricity. About quality of sound almost every music is 16bits/44.1khz, the CD audio has a 16bits/44.1khz just a DVD audio has 24bits that's very rare, so every mp3 file it's 16bits and you don't need a 24 bits DAC, in my opinion it's just marketing


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## Andy_S (Sep 19, 2014)

Let me revive this thread for a bit. I own SB x-fi USB and (apart the fact that i have to provide it with "extra" power) it works on the first go. But the thing is... it is only STEREO  i want to get 5.1 sound of it (since it is clearly 5.1 soundcard).

Any hints on that?


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## djpimpek (Oct 11, 2015)

I have the same problem like Andy_S. I have connected 5.1 sound card device but only one green audio output (stereo) playing. Center and rear speakers connected to the other two slots are not working. Speakers and Soundcard plays well on my PC. In computer, in the control panel I changed from "2 stereo" to "5.1 surround". How to do this on android device? How do I force or turn the center and rear speakers slot in soundcard?
PS: Sorry for my english... Please help me.

Android device: MINIX NEO X8-H Plus
USB Soundcard: AXAGO ADA-X5 - 7.1 
Speakers: CREATIVE Inspire T6300 - 5.1


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## jamesanty (May 9, 2016)

I have not succeeded to connect my tablet Asus zenpad 8.0 with a X-fi creative sound card.


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## Co.Tibi (Nov 16, 2018)

I just successfully connected the Xonar u7 to my OnePlus 5T via the original otg cable from OnePlus. It works well but drains the battery quick.  PS: no other power sources needed.


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## bobmarlya (Aug 9, 2021)

Co.Tibi said:


> I just successfully connected the Xonar u7 to my OnePlus 5T via the original otg cable from OnePlus. It works well but drains the battery quick.  PS: no other power sources needed.

Click to collapse



Now looking for similar solution for my portable android 7.1 screen projector. How did you use the soundcard software on your Oneplus? Did you also install any drivers?


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## Co.Tibi (Aug 9, 2021)

bobmarlya said:


> Now looking for similar solution for my portable android 7.1 screen projector. How did you use the soundcard software on your Oneplus? Did you also install any drivers?

Click to collapse



I didn't have to install any drivers and I had to use the stock audio tools on the phone.


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