iPad -> usb -> multichannel DAC works?

[mkt]

Sometimes you just want connect the wires and see what happens.

So I connected an iPad with a USB camera connector to a multichannel DAC with USB inputs, and it worked for the 5.1 wav test file here

https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,114640.msg944854.html#msg944854
That thread says it doesn't work when there is a channel layout specified, and that was my experience too. So this seems to be of no practical use, though it suggests that there's no fundamental hardware barrier to getting multichannel out of an iPad. Maybe with the right app as player?

I will send the iPad back to its stereo streaming duties.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

Sometimes you just want connect the wires and see what happens.

So I connected an iPad with a USB camera connector to a multichannel DAC with USB inputs, and it worked for the 5.1 wav test file here
View attachment 89641
https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,114640.msg944854.html#msg944854
That thread says it doesn't work when there is a channel layout specified, and that was my experience too. So this seems to be of no practical use, though it suggests that there's no fundamental hardware barrier to getting multichannel out of an iPad. Maybe with the right app as player?

I will send the iPad back to its stereo streaming duties.

Hopefully someone will be able to help with your questions. Just curious, what multichannel DAC are you plugging the USB into, and what system are you using to play MC music. Thanks.

 

[mkt]

Hopefully someone will be able to help with your questions. Just curious, what multichannel DAC are you plugging the USB into, and what system are you using to play MC music. Thanks.

(I don't even know if I have a question )

I have an 8-channel Okto dac8 PRO connected to active speakers. My usual is Mac (Apple Music, Roon, JRiver, VLC) -> USB - > DAC -> 5.1 or 5.1.2 speakers.

 

[mkt]

Now I have a question. Is there a way to remove the "channel layout" info from a wav file?

This one does not play mch (has channel layout)

This one plays mch (no channel layout)

 

[mkt]

So I asked ChatGPT and this is what we did.
1. Converted a 5.1 flac file to wav. I used one of the 2L test files 2L-125_mch-96k-24b_04.flac
2. Ran it through a little python script to remove the "channel layout" information. 5.1 playback does not work without this step.

3. Played the resulting file on my iPad (via "files") connected by USB to a 8-channel DAC and active speakers. And it worked.

It's not especially practical but it shows that there is no hardware problem with getting 5.1 audio (lossless???) out of an iPad.
EDIT The DAC display says 96kHz so seems lossless.