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Hi-Fi

Using a USB DAC with Android

Every USB-C Android phone can drive a DAC. Getting the DAC to run at the file’s rate, with all 24 bits intact, depends on the Android version and the player.

Updated 2026-09-24 · 6 min read

Connecting

Plug the DAC or dongle into the USB-C port. Android recognises class-compliant USB audio without drivers and switches output to it. Some phones ask whether to allow the device; some DACs need more power than the port offers and work better through a powered adapter.

The player matters more than the DAC

  • Bit depth. A player that processes in 16-bit cuts 24-bit files before the DAC sees them. MP95 processes in 32-bit float and outputs float, so 24-bit sources arrive whole.
  • Sample rate. Android mixes at one rate, usually 48 kHz. On Android 14 and later a player can ask for the file’s rate on a USB device. MP95 does, with Match output sample rate on. Why Android resamples.
  • Formats. Android’s media index does not list DSD, APE, WavPack or TTA. MP95 reads them after you add your music folder once.

Setup in MP95

  1. Settings → Sound → Hi-Fi → Match output sample rate on.
  2. Bypass sound effects, leave the EQ flat and ReplayGain off for a bit-perfect path.
  3. Play a 44.1 kHz album, then a 96 kHz one, and watch the DAC’s rate display change.

Limits worth knowing

Formats that Android decodes itself play at up to 192 kHz; the rare ones decoded by FFmpeg at up to 96 kHz, and DSD as 88.2 kHz PCM. On Android 13 and older the mixer keeps its own rate. If you need file-rate output on older Android, or native DSD, a player with its own USB driver is the route. Android players compared.

Frequently asked questions

Does MP95 have exclusive USB mode?

No. It uses Android’s own path, with the mixer switched to the file’s rate on Android 14 and later.

Which Android phones support rate switching?

Phones on Android 14 or later with a USB DAC that reports several rates.

Try it on your own music

Free on Android. On Apple the cassette deck and turntable are free forever.

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