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My work computer's DAC is awful, and I lost my USB DAC, so I'd like to use my phone as a DAC if possible, to enjoy average music quality while working.

However, my phone has a very poor internet connection at work, so I'd like to do it over USB (tried connecting over Bluetooth but it couldn't install the necessary drivers).

I looked at possible ways, and they all seem impossible to achieve. Soundwire requires admin rights and I unfortunately don't have them.

My phone is not rooted anymore for some reason but I could root it again if necessary. PC is running Windows 7.

Thanks for your help :)

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  • I would do it this way: Install an streaming client on Android, a streaming server on Windows and then forward the server's TCP port to the Android device via adb forward. Connect the Android streaming client to the forwarded port on localhost and start audio playing.
    – Robert
    Commented Mar 28, 2018 at 17:27

1 Answer 1

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+50

If "specialized audio transmission channels" like Bluetooth don't work I would try the generic approach over TCP/IP:

  1. Connect your Android device to your Windows computer and enable ADB on the device (I assume adb is available on your Windows system).
  2. Install an streaming client on Android
  3. Install a matching streaming server on Windows
  4. Forward the streaming server's TCP port to the Android device via adb forward. This will allow to establish a TCP connection from Android to your computer tunneled through the ADB USB connection. For doing so no Wifi or cellular connection required or used.
  5. Connect the Android streaming client to the forwarded port on localhost and start audio playing
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  • I looked at streaming servers on Windows. I need one that can broadcast Youtube/Soundcloud audio, as I can't have my music library on my work PC. I found "Stream What You Hear" but it requires admin rights. Any idea which server could I use?
    – Coloco
    Commented Mar 29, 2018 at 14:44
  • May be one of the answers from this question can help you.
    – Robert
    Commented Mar 29, 2018 at 17:43
  • After trying things out, it turns out that I cannot properly install the adb drivers - probably because I would need admin rights again. My phone doesn't show up when doing adb devices. If no one finds another solution, I will approve your answer anyway. I guess I will wait until I have money and get an Audioquest Dragonfly DAC/Amp.
    – Coloco
    Commented Mar 30, 2018 at 11:16
  • Approving your answer. Just want to let you know that I actually found why the sound was so shitty, there was an "audio improvement" setting left on in the audio managing app (that uses DTS). Of course it didn't improve the audio at all, disabled it and now music is listenable again.
    – Coloco
    Commented Apr 3, 2018 at 8:24

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