Apple adapter review
Throughwork
It’s Apple, from the 1980’s. Non‐Apple users—you’ll feel daft walking into an Apple store for one of these. But it’s a headphone amplifier, like any other. Isn’t it? Isn’t it?
Contents
Build
The tiny box is nice and not reusable. Why do I talk about that? Because it fits with the amp. Which has the skinniest cable, not much fatter than a cheap headphone. The scale is a step smaller in size than other gear. Despite big manufacturer feel. and soft strain reliefs, the adapter is not convincing as robust. I’m not sure if this smaller size is more or less convenient. I give up—it’s good for looks, but I worry about it’s future.
Sound
Overall volume is poor—not only that, it can not be tricked. This only happens on phones, not computers. Volume range is good. Timing is also poor and the adapter lumbers on massed music. But it does have frequency extension at both ends and, when not pressed, sounds flat. It’s outstanding for weight, which feels natural, Detail is well‐matched against body. Positioning is solid and wide.
I think it needs to be said that some of the objections fall away when the adapter is used on a computer. Not all—the adapter still feels laboured in time, and starts to wobble in massed music. But orchestral listeners may still love it’s wide response, natural color and good envelopes. When audible, it’s an outstanding voice amp. But rock and soundtrack listeners may feel it lacks drama.
Spec
| chip | Cirrus 46L06-CWZR |
| bitsize/rate | 24Bit/48kHz |
| features | |
| accessories | |
| support |
Assess
Well, perhaps the adapter was made for tablets, sorry, ‘iPads’. I’m sure Apple users will know it as an Apple product. It doesn’t seem tiny, it seems frail. And perhaps it was made for voices in particular, but as sound it is more than that. It’s free of much common distortion—it can play high frequencies outstandingly clean and free. It matches detail with weight. It’s naturally right, not only on voices, but all instrumentation. Where it comes unstuck is on timing. Anything dramatic, like rock or soundtracks, this is not the amp.
This is an EU version, and is likely limited somewhere. The volume issue is not there on an iPhone with a Lightning Adapter. The USB‐C Adapter has been measured and forums say it is outstanding. On Android systems it is almost unusably underpowered. And it is only reasonable in some sound features, though when the adapter can draw power, the laid‐back presentation starts to show quality.