Database Users

lineout audio quality

I really enjoy almost everything about the Focus. I bought it because I was so happy with my Zune HD.
I was underwhelmed when I plugged in my Grado headphones tho. Perhaps the Zune is just very high caliber, but It seems like I am missing some lows and the soundstage seems flat. Does anyone know what sort of Hardware went into this phone? If the hardware is good, is there anything I can do software or backend to make it sound better?
I have a second complaint. When I stick a headphone jack in the mic turns off, it probably is expecting an inline mic with the headphones. My problem is when I then go to pull out my headphones the phone doesn't notice and will continue to not hear. It takes two or three times reinserting and pulling out the headphones to remidy this. Is anyone else haveing this issue.

this is a known issue and will probably be addressed in the first or second update January-February. As of now the only thing you can do is adjust the default volume to be louder...there might be other things you can tweak regarding the root menu of the device. Check out the diagnosic codes thread.
Regarding the hardware i'm pretty sure its good hardware, I think that new apps will inhance the audio experience in our beloved phones.
Welcome to the forum, please do not start two of the same threads since it will clutter the forum.

Okay thanks. I saw the diagnostic thread. It was difficult to see what the values correlate with. How do you delete a thread? The double post was not intentional

The Zune HD uses a Wolfson Microelectronics audio chip, so that's top-tier level of audio quality.
The Focus uses the built-in Snapdragon audio codec, which just isn't as good, and unfortunately, it shows.

Raptor550 said:
I have a second complaint. When I stick a headphone jack in the mic turns off, it probably is expecting an inline mic with the headphones. My problem is when I then go to pull out my headphones the phone doesn't notice and will continue to not hear. It takes two or three times reinserting and pulling out the headphones to remidy this. Is anyone else haveing this issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same problem here. But is worst, I connect the Focus to my Car Auxiliary jack to use it as a mega speaker, I mean, when someone calls I can hear them, but they can not hear me. The microphone is dead when I plug it in. Someone knows a fix for this?

After doing some comparison with my high-end DAPs, my Focus is being relegated to movie watching only...lol. It has low quality sound. I did have about 8GB of music on it and have deleted it all. There just is no need to use my Focus for music when it sounds the way it does. It isn't horrible...erm...in a sense, that is. Before I compared it I thought it was quite good...lol. Now, however, I just can't stand it.
The Focus is a nice phone and does a lot of good things and those are things it will continue to do.

I'm using Samsung Focus as MP3 player replacement, which is perfectly fine. No different from Samsung Captivate with Wolfson chip, at least to my ears.

I decided to give music on my Focus another go after the NoDo/Firmware update. It seems to have improved the sound quality...unless it's just a placebo effect. I think I can live with the SQ now and am putting my music back on it.

I'm wondering which ear phones those guys use that complain about audio issues.
I think without this additional information the comlaints are rather useless.

Sebo1985 said:
I'm wondering which ear phones those guys use that complain about audio issues.
I think without this additional information the comlaints are rather useless.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my case, I use high-end canalphones. Shure SE530, Klipsch Image X10/X5, Sleek Audio SA6, UE Triple fi-10 and so forth.

Yeah, that's really high end. With my Westone Um1 i'm satisfied with the overall audio performance, even when there is some hissing and and whirring with low volume. I'm interested if the sound improves with the firmware update, just have to wait a few more days.

Sebo1985 said:
Yeah, that's really high end. With my Westone Um1 i'm satisfied with the overall audio performance, even when there is some hissing and and whirring with low volume. I'm interested if the sound improves with the firmware update, just have to wait a few more days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe it does improve with the update. Before the update, the sound was undefined and muddy. After the update, it seems a lot less muddy and more defined.

MartyLK said:
I believe it does improve with the update. Before the update, the sound was undefined and muddy. After the update, it seems a lot less muddy and more defined.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting, I'll have to do a little testing.
I often use my Focus at work to demo PA gear and typically use a Proco iFace for connection. I've never A/B'd my Focus and Zune30, though.

It is so hard to do AB testing because even a half decibel difference in level balance can be taken as an improvement.
The best way is to do sweeps plugged into a soundcard and graph the differences. even then some distortions can be pleasurable. But at least you can test its reproduction faithfulness comparing the wave to the original song.
It would be really interesting for somebody to run sweeps before and after nodo and see if the are identical or not.
It is possible that its improved. Sadly my zune was stolen so I can no longer compare. I can tell it still lacks some depth and can get get overwhelmed in complex passages those could be powering issues tho. I'm guessing thats what you are describing as muddy Marty.
its a worse than my work machine and i know that was a little worse than my zune which is a little worse than my home marantz. But for anyone reading this, the focus's sound is probably good enough for most people and at least comparable to most phones I think if not a bit better (never heard an I phone tho).
I will say about the HD, it had a much higher then average sound output.

HTC One vs. S4 - Video of Fire in Darkness

Which one comes out on top?
The s4 seems to produce a better image with more accurate color. It has a lot more shake. Its audio is louder and has a lot more noise from handling.
The One seems to have difficulty with overload from IR, its filter doesn't seem as heavy as the S4. It's more stable as if stabilized in hardware. (both phones used stock settings) The audio is lower and thus handles real life dynamic range more accurately. Both phones were handled the same way. The S4 picks up handling noises and gets pops which are annoying. You must grip it like iron man to stop that!
Here's a quick presentation I put up to show the differences.
http://youtu.be/f2J4TklxTCw
Neither one seems to come out on top but for sound quality the One wins for sure here.

Thread cleaned
Where's the use of posts like "in before the closing"?
This thread is valid as it compares the devices in one specific area (though personally, I can't see any use in that).

I see the pink/blue issue in this video recording from the One.
I'm really unhappy with the quality of the camera.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Interesting, I actually think the S4 came out a little better. Besides the occasional popping sound on the S4 (you probably have the I9505) sound also is louder on the S4.

jlevy73 said:
Interesting, I actually think the S4 came out a little better. Besides the occasional popping sound on the S4 (you probably have the I9505) sound also is louder on the S4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sound is louder, but not with the same quality IMO.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

The S4 definitely wins
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

I don't see the point of threads like this. People's opinions often differ so much so that you'll have one person say the One wins and the next, the S4 ... So what exactly does anybody gain from this? ... Btw, I don't see how you can say it's a side by side comparison when it's actually just two clips, one after the other.

The S4 has better quality, but none of them are any good. Audio quality is a lot worse on the S4 though, as we already know.
From what I've seen and read, HTC One has a camera with worse image quality in terms of best possible image quality, but the camera is more useful since it can be used in any conditions (dark and noisy environments and better wide angle). I love it because no matter what situation I know the camera is usable. Right now mine is on repair due to a cracked glass and I'm using an Xperia P which has a good camera, but unless I turn all the lights on and back away all across the room I know I won't be able to get usable pictures. It's not even near the HTC One. And where any phone I've tried has produced inaudible sound the HTC One has been absolutely clear.
To be honest, that's just what I want from a mobile phone. The whole point with a mobile camera is that I always carry it so it's available in ANY situation. If it can't handle dim light or loud noise or narrow rooms it's completely useless. The quality is good enough for facebook and instagram and stuff so I don't care about that, as long as it's usable whenever I feel the need to use it.

Sound quality: The S4 is rather atrocious. Its AGC is way too heavy, some users may find this better for "getting in" the details but this is not how our hearing works naturally. For music and faithful reproduction it's quite bad. Actually it's awful. For recording a crowd where you want to hear everyone's comments, etc, it would actually be desirable. Again different tools for the job. The HTC easily wins on audio here.
Video it's a tossup. There are color artifacts present in the One's video and color itself is difficult to reproduce. The flames almost appear "electrical" in nature. There is less apparent camera shake with the HTC One. The S4's video looks better with its reproduction of the flames, less blooming and glares. The fire is very hot and has copious amounts infrared radiation. Most sensors will show a pinkish color to longer IR energy and this must be effectively filtered to reduce its affect on sensor output processing and clipping. It's a delicate balance here but the S4 seems to do a better job. Its smaller pixels probably help as well.
As far as SQ goes the processing appears to be globally applied as the similar use of AGC and frequency response is realized in voice recording applications on both devices as well. The recorded volume appears much lower on the HTC because little compression is used. This would be preferred for recording live events where dynamic range needs to be preferred. With voice users may desire to use post processing on a PC to add gain (RMS normalize, etc.).
Personally I prefer the sound of the HTC.
And as far as stills go the HTC is the better *shooter*. I put emphasis on shooting as you can capture good shots of things that happen in real life. There is little shutter lag and pictures turn out decent. The S4 is a very good camera but using both I find it easier to catch the action of life as it happens with the HTC. Too often pictures turn out blurry or out of frame on the S4, it's too slow. When taking pictures of scenery during the day, however, the S4 camera is spectacular!
Remember the best camera is the one you have within your reach!
The best of both worlds would be a higher MP camera in the S4 with the responsiveness of the One. Surely it will happen in the not so distant future. Look how P&S cameras have evolved.

LoL isnt this thread closed yet??
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Z1 experience coming from Galaxy S3

I recently changed to a Z1 from a Galaxy S3 primarily for the camera and secondarily for waterproofing.
No phone is perfect, so here are my own personal opinions on what I liked and didn't like about the Z1, in case it is useful for anyone else coming from a Samsung Galaxy as you might have a similar experience.
Take them for what they are, you may disagree and haven't thought of these as cons/pros, but this what my own experience has been.
First, the cons:
- The notification LED is useless, at least on my black. It is hidden inside the earpiece, so only appears at maximum brightness when you are looking at the Z1 from the right angle. Maximum brightness is also about 1/4 that on the S3 - I can't see it outside in broad daylight for example. This means I am often turning on the phone to check for messages.
- Sound is very quiet. I've been using Android for years - was an Xperia X10 fan boy back in the day - and this is one of the quietest phones I've used. The quality seems good, but for notifications, combined with the dull LED as above, means it's already frustrating missing messages.
- The usable area of the 5" screen is LESS than the 4.8" screen of the S3. This is because the soft-keys take a lot of room at the bottom. I have compared them side-by-side. The bezel area is also huge.
- I hit the soft-keys by mistake often and end up switching apps or bouncing to the home screen. I'm sure this is just a matter of getting used to it. But so far I miss the physical home button a lot. Even if asthetically it "looks better" without one, it's actually quite useful to have another button to wake up the phone.
- The screen is dull and has a very small colour gamut. It is disappointing. For reading text it is fine. The AMOLED of the S3 is streets ahead in gamut coverage. That's with the S3 set to the "Professional Photo" profile which is decently calibrated, rather than the over-saturated Standard setting it has out of the box. I would not use it to review my photos (stick with the iPad for better integration with Lightroom anyway).
- The phone is HUGE for less screen area than a S3.
- There is far less ROM customisation for Z1's than S3, no surprise as I remember having the same experience on the X10. Going to an S and then S2 afterwards blew my mind how much more customisation there was. Rooting the S3 took 10 minutes after I first opened the box having not read up in advance. I guess the Z1 can be done in the same time once you know what you're doing, but the information is vague, the forums have different information all over the place, and it feels like a lot of rooting or flashing is sort of hopeful that it works. Information seems in posts scattered around rather than helpful and up-to-date guides. There are many more people in the Z1 forums complaining of boot loops or stuck phones.
Now having said all those negatives, here are the pros, of which there are some really good ones:
- The camera IS fantastic. Having used the S3, S4 and various other smartphones this is truly a brilliant camera. Yes, there are cons, such as pixel peeping shows patterns from the software processing. And 20mp looks like about 10mp up-sampled. But the colours are great and the dynamic range is surprisingly good.
- I love the ability to hold the camera button to wake the Z1 and instantly open the camera. This is very useful.
- Waterproofing gives me lot of peace of mind when travelling. I was very nervous when using a previous phone in Europe last November during rain and trying to look up maps.
- The battery life is incredible compared to the S3. I don't have figures or stats but I think it's roughly twice as good. I'm very impressed with this, given how large the screen is in particular.
- The Xperia software seems to be more useful than the gimmicky stuff Samsung puts in their Galaxy range. For example, the auto-triggered Sleep pattern to turn off sync, Wifi when you plug in the charger after 10pm is really neat. (For anyone who hasn't used this, you can customise the trigger, time range and actions that occur).
- It feels like a higher quality device. Also more precious and delicate. Definitely more "premium" as I've heard it said.
- The wifi signal is slightly stronger on 802.11n.
I'm sure there are other pros and cons. These are the ones that mattered to me personally, your mileage may and is likely to completely differ

S3 to Z1
I went to the 4G (2GB Ram) version of the S3 and back whilst my Z1 was being replaced.
you forgot to mention one Massive crucial point,
the S3 felt like a Lag-Fest compared to the Z1 with it's S800 processor and Adreno 330 GPU.
Also much of the Screen issues can be resolved by calibrating the colour and white balance,
and theres no comparison between Quality of the Z1's 1080P panel with 441 PPI compared to a 720P panel with 306 PPI (with some Pixels noticeable)
regards

I too just upgraded from S3 to Z1
Lag fest, true that. Only thing that I miss is the AMOLED display.
S3- Lags (stock ROM, AOSP ROM's are somewhat fast)
Can be used as frying pan, 1080p video fps drops when scenes become too complex (like shooting ocean waves), Gallery sucks, samsung apps are resource hungry. Newer games lag a lot (sometimes quits )

halleyrokz said:
Lag fest, true that. Only thing that I miss is the AMOLED display.
S3- Lags (stock ROM, AOSP ROM's are somewhat fast)
Can be used as frying pan, 1080p video fps drops when scenes become too complex (like shooting ocean waves), Gallery sucks, samsung apps are resource hungry. Newer games lag a lot (sometimes quits )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ditto

Interested in buying this phone also, coming from the s2, tho I'm worrying about the sound quality of this phone, is it really that bad?

uchechris said:
Interested in buying this phone also, coming from the s2, tho I'm worrying about the sound quality of this phone, is it really that bad?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the speakerphone is better than the S2/S3,
you can always try it in the shops and hear for yourself, make sure you turn on ClearAudio+ and Dynamic Normaliser on,
If you want the Best speakerphone quality ... theres only one choice at the moment HTC One.
regards

raziel123 said:
the speakerphone is better than the S2/S3,
you can always try it in the shops and hear for yourself, make sure you turn on ClearAudio+ and Dynamic Normaliser on,
If you want the Best speakerphone quality ... theres only one choice at the moment HTC One.
regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol I see, never try sony phones before and I wanna give it a try....done with samsung since battery is an issue and overheating , i don't wanna do HTC due to its camera.....iphones is a no , so imma do sony , might get the Z1 international since the Z1s don't have 4.4 kitkat and has a locked boot loader :/

uchechris said:
Interested in buying this phone also, coming from the s2, tho I'm worrying about the sound quality of this phone, is it really that bad?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The loudspeaker is quieter and the earpiece is harder to hear people on call.
However I prefer listening to music with the same headphones plugged into this vs S2 or S3. The Z1 has a warmer sound to the music and I think captures the very low bass just slightly better than the S3. This is without the enhancements turned on. I find the enhancements a bit over the top, like applying HDR to every photo, it doesn't suit everything.
So I enjoy music more - but the loudspeaker is quieter which is annoying for conference calls at work.
I've heard it explained as quieter due to the waterproofing, which is understandable.

awojtas said:
The loudspeaker is quieter and the earpiece is harder to hear people on call.
However I prefer listening to music with the same headphones plugged into this vs S2 or S3. The Z1 has a warmer sound to the music and I think captures the very low bass just slightly better than the S3. This is without the enhancements turned on. I find the enhancements a bit over the top, like applying HDR to every photo, it doesn't suit everything.
So I enjoy music more - but the loudspeaker is quieter which is annoying for conference calls at work.
I've heard it explained as quieter due to the waterproofing, which is understandable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know I actually find the earpiece louder than most phones I used in the past. I thought it was quiet at first as well until I realized that I am holding up to my ear wrong. I find anyone that also used my phone kinda does the same thing. Most of the time the earpiece is usually in the middle of the bezel of the edge and the screen. But because the earpiece is the very top of the phone you have to remember to slide the phone down and make sure the speaker is right at the ear canal. I still do that sometimes but I find it very clear and loud once its position correctly.
Maybe its just me...

I also came from the S3 and agree regarding the notification LED and the soft-keys. The LED on the S3 was perfect (the Z, too), however the Z1's is definitely harder to see. I solved the soft-key issue by switching on pie controls in xposed/gravity box and deactivating the Android soft keys. I can easily use the phone single-handed, tapping the pie keys with the thumb.
I quickly got used to the less explosive colors (which imho are far too saturated on the S3/4) and enjoy the better handling in bright sunlight compared to the S3.
My biggest con is the phone's size. It's so large I don't want to put it into a flip-cover, which would make it even bigger. On the other hand the naked phone is a bit difficult to hold because it's quite slippery.

sumerland said:
I also came from the S3 and agree regarding the notification LED and the soft-keys. The LED on the S3 was perfect (the Z, too), however the Z1's is definitely harder to see. I solved the soft-key issue by switching on pie controls in xposed/gravity box and deactivating the Android soft keys. I can easily use the phone single-handed, tapping the pie keys with the thumb.
I quickly got used to the less explosive colors (which imho are far too saturated on the S3/4) and enjoy the better handling in bright sunlight compared to the S3.
My biggest con is the phone's size. It's so large I don't want to put it into a flip-cover, which would make it even bigger. On the other hand the naked phone is a bit difficult to hold because it's quite slippery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using this case,
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Case-mate-B...F8&qid=1401215095&sr=1-3&keywords=casemate+z1
I've had the black one for months now, pretty good,
regards

US version z5 compact impressions

Hi
I got the phone from amazon yesteday. My previous phone is z3 compact.
Build quality:
To start with fingerprint is disabled on us version. I really like the new glass material on the back when compared to my z3c. The lock/unlock button is big and pronounced and feedback is good. Over all build quality is excellent. I prefer this phone for form factor. I did not find any phone in the market nearly spec'd as this in compact size.
4/5
Display:
A part from that display is the same as z3c. No improvement at all except it is more brighter. But for some reason it feels dim under sunlight. I dont have z3c with me right now to compare. But i think z3c is a little more bright under sunlight. Other than that i hate the display. I am ok with 720p but the colors suck. Blacks are better than previous model but still have greyish tint.. Overall i hate this display.. I dont understand why sony makes such beautiful displays for TV's and worse displays on their smart phones.
2/5
Sound:
Speaker volume is tiny. Even though they are front facing volume is too low for my liking. Speaker phone volume when on calls is terrible. For the earphones its the other way round. Clarity is excellent. Sony did not include any earphones despite charging 499+tax which is a shame. I did not experience any bluetooth issues. Worked fine in my car and with my lg headset.
3/5
Performance:
I dont see noticeable improvement in performance from z3c to z5c. Apps open a tad bit faster. Ram is the same so dont except much with multitasking. It handled decent.. I see lagging and frame rate drop from time to time.. May be lollipop? Because i tested nexus 6p on marshmallow with sd810 and it flies.. Hopefully update should fix it. Also i noticed back of my phone very hot when i am restoring apps from google play after first boot.. I also feel the heat when its charging.. After that i did not feel heat again.. I dont play any games on my phone so not a deal breaker
3/5
Camera:
As sony touts, focus is very quick. But my god.. It takes forever to launch the app and take a photo.. Photo quality is decent in day light but low light it is terrible with a lot of noise. Again the same.. Sony makes some great point and shoot and DSLR cameras. Provides sensors for major manufacturers but fails with their phones.. Need major work especially with software.. I did not test video recording
3/5
Battery:
The biggest pro for this phone.. I did not have it longer to give statements but from what i see it is amazing.. Standby drain is ok.. Lost 9% over the course of 8 hours which is acceptable.. currently at 63% with 2 hrs 14 mins screen on time which is great..
5/5
Conclusion:
Overall i am disappointed with the phone. What ever it does it is just ok except for battery and build quality. Display and camera are deal breakers for me. I have the same impressions with my z3c but compact size won me over display and camera issues. After 1 year i cannot take this anymore.. 23mp camera upgrade is a dud.. same display.. bad speaker quality despite of front facing.. Some heating issues which is ok but still for a $500 phone.. With fingerprint disabled in us markets i dont see a good reason to upgrade from a z3c if you have one. If you want compact size phone with great battery , excellent build and dont mind short comings of display and camera look no further. For me sadly i will be returning this phone.
Let me know if you have any questions

Pretty fair review. I agree with all your points. The Z5 series is very disappointing, and the awful firmware doesn't help. I'm not very impressed by Sony (it's my first Sony phone) and I will probably replace my Z5 soon for something better.
Sadly, I don't think they belong in the same league as LG, Motorola, a Nexus or Samsung (despite Touchwiz). I wouldn't recommend someone to buy a Xperia over a Nexus or Galaxy. Too many issues and flaws

fair review and agree with most points..

sravanz said:
Let me know if you have any questions
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have other thoughts. IPS screen you must have grey scale issues it's just more or less, if you want true black go get an Amoled. The screen on Z5c is excellent and color is more of a personal taste, on Z5 the color style tend to the more accurate side not the eye catching one. The same on the camera color reproduction, my Z1c photo provided more vivd color and sometimes it does look better. But in fact, the Z5c color is closer to real scene.
I've heard the speaker volume is a bit lower than Z3c but the quality on Z5c should be better, more stereo output.
Marshmallow will optimize the big.Little CPU so expected speed gains later.
Camera is good within 200iso range both day and light. Low-light photo is also good but only if you manage to shoot at low ISO without OIS...lol... It real better than my Z1c at low iso but above 200iso my Z1c outperformed Z5c noticeably, I think it is a software issue waiting for 6.0 to fix the camera driver.
The official price of Z5c in Hong Kong dropped to USD460 now in all major provider channel, I think it is more valuable here.

The speaker on Z5c is great. Go to sound settings and turn on Dynamic Normaliser only. And turn off all the other settings. And you'll get great sound on speaker. It's much much better than on Z3c. Nearly as good as Boomsound and no I'm not exaggerating. Sound also depends on the app or the kind of music.
You can try the song " Diary Of Jane" by Breaking Benjamin on Youtube after setting it up like I said, to test how loud the speakers are.

TheEndHK said:
I have other thoughts. IPS screen you must have grey scale issues it's just more or less, if you want true black go get an Amoled. The screen on Z5c is excellent and color is more of a personal taste, on Z5 the color style tend to the more accurate side not the eye catching one. The same on the camera color reproduction, my Z1c photo provided more vivd color and sometimes it does look better. But in fact, the Z5c color is closer to real scene.
I've heard the speaker volume is a bit lower than Z3c but the quality on Z5c should be better, more stereo output.
Marshmallow will optimize the big.Little CPU so expected speed gains later.
Camera is good within 200iso range both day and light. Low-light photo is also good but only if you manage to shoot at low ISO without OIS...lol... It real better than my Z1c at low iso but above 200iso my Z1c outperformed Z5c noticeably, I think it is a software issue waiting for 6.0 to fix the camera driver.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand your point about deep blacks. I have seen several other screens which are not amoled and produce not only better blacks but also have a vibrant display.. I dont think iphone or htc m9 has amoled screen. I am comparing to those because for the price we are paying we should get a better quality display considering iphone 6s also has 760p screen and is better overall.. May be i prefer vibrant or saturated colors rather than real life ones as you are stating.. Even nexus 5x screen looks amazing to me and its not amoled..
For the sound as you said clarity may be good but it is very low and if you are outside you can hardly hear it..
For camera even though there is manual mode i prefer phone to handle it automatically rather than me tinkering with settings. I like how well optimized samsung's and apple's camera software.. I want to see that level of output with sony's. Sadly it is no where near it..
I havent used z1c.. From what i can see you are quite happy with the jump.. But from z3c to z5c that too us variant there is no good reason to upgrade

sravanz said:
I havent used z1c.. From what i can see you are quite happy with the jump.. But from z3c to z5c that too us variant there is no good reason to upgrade
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my experiences, Apple & HTC & LG always use top-notch LCD screen, they pretty much represented the best screen you can get on market. I've to admit Sony usually only used second grade panel but Z5c isn't bad in my opinions. There are many beautiful FHD/2K but you hardly could find one small screen 720P better with the only exception of IP6/IP6s. The official price of Z5c is USD460 now in HK and to that price level, I think worth it. Yes, I think you prefer vibrant or saturated color.
The jump from Z1c to Z5c is big enough to stay but it's a mixed result to me bcoz sometimes I also prefer more vivd color photo/video from Z1c(but overall I prefer accurate color) and 320iso started better than my Z5c, not to mention my Z1c 4K video(with 4K mod) at low-light even got better focus and quality. If Sony doesn't fix the camera in 6.0, I may sell it out and stick with Z1c and wait Z6c/Z7c.

TheEndHK said:
In my experiences, Apple & HTC & LG always use top-notch LCD screen, they pretty much represented the best screen you can get on market. I've to admit Sony usually only used second grade panel but Z5c isn't bad in my opinions. There are many beautiful FHD/2K but you hardly could find one small screen 720P better with the only exception of IP6/IP6s. The official price of Z5c is USD460 now in HK and to that price level, I think worth it. Yes, I think you prefer vibrant or saturated color.
The jump from Z1c to Z5c is big enough to stay but it's a mixed result to me bcoz sometimes I also prefer more vivd color photo/video from Z1c(but overall I prefer accurate color) and 320iso started better than my Z5c, not to mention my Z1c 4K video(with 4K mod) at low-light even got better focus and quality. If Sony doesn't fix the camera in 6.0, I may sell it out and stick with Z1c and wait Z6c/Z7c.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.. Its 499 here and with tax it came to 540 for me.. Hopefully marshmallow update should fix some of the issues.. Amazon has 30 day return policy so i will see if i get update and if it fixes camera issues.. i might keep it

Sadman Khan said:
The speaker on Z5c is great. Go to sound settings and turn on Dynamic Normaliser only. And turn off all the other settings. And you'll get great sound on speaker. It's much much better than on Z3c. Nearly as good as Boomsound and no I'm not exaggerating. Sound also depends on the app or the kind of music.
You can try the song " Diary Of Jane" by Breaking Benjamin on Youtube after setting it up like I said, to test how loud the speakers are.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It did sound good.. My issue is with watching videos with people talking and listening podcasts..

sravanz said:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.. Its 499 here and with tax it came to 540 for me.. Hopefully marshmallow update should fix some of the issues.. Amazon has 30 day return policy so i will see if i get update and if it fixes camera issues.. i might keep it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow it's freaky expensive 540, no wonder you are unhappy. It's only 460 here no tax and small retailers may even sell a bit lower but no return policy.

TheEndHK said:
wow it's freaky expensive 540, no wonder you are unhappy. It's only 460 here no tax and small retailers may even sell a bit lower but no return policy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see a lot of listings on ebay for international version around 430 and no tax but problem is no returns and no warranty

sravanz said:
It did sound good.. My issue is with watching videos with people talking and listening podcasts..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-z5/themes-apps/split-thread-soundmod-xperia-z5-project-t3255636
I think sound mod might be able to fix your issue but you got to root your phone to void the warranty.
---------- Post added at 02:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:24 PM ----------
sravanz said:
I see a lot of listings on ebay for international version around 430 and no tax but problem is no returns and no warranty
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
460 here comes with warranty.

TheEndHK said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-z5/themes-apps/split-thread-soundmod-xperia-z5-project-t3255636
I think sound mod might be able to fix your issue but you got to root your phone to void the warranty.
---------- Post added at 02:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:24 PM ----------
460 here comes with warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If unlock bootloader i think i will lose drm keys which makes camera even worse and no warranty so not gonna do that right now.. thanks

sravanz said:
It did sound good.. My issue is with watching videos with people talking and listening podcasts..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What podcast app do you use? If you use Pocket Casts, there's a feature that's kind of hidden away that boosts the volume substantially. You have to play an episode of a podcast, and bring up the control screen (the screen where you would skip back or skip forward the audio). On the bottom left hand corner should be what looks like a dial. If you click on it, you should get an option to "Volume Boost" that you can click on. Made a huge difference for me.

Adrift98 said:
What podcast app do you use? If you use Pocket Casts, there's a feature that's kind of hidden away that boosts the volume substantially. You have to play an episode of a podcast, and bring up the control screen (the screen where you would skip back or skip forward the audio). On the bottom left hand corner should be what looks like a dial. If you click on it, you should get an option to "Volume Boost" that you can click on. Made a huge difference for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes i use pocketcasts.. will try that.. thanks for the tip

sravanz said:
If unlock bootloader i think i will lose drm keys which makes camera even worse and no warranty so not gonna do that right now.. thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Been used DRM patch for 2~3 weeks on my z5c.

I've been debating weather I want to go back to the z5c. (had one but sold to try the 5x) Is there any real reason to buy the US version over the UK version besides warranty? I'd buy the UK model to save for sure.
*edit.. Sorry don't mean to hijack your thread but I would love an answer
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

Notchr302 said:
I've been debating weather I want to go back to the z5c. (had one but sold to try the 5x) Is there any real reason to buy the US version over the UK version besides warranty? I'd buy the UK model to save for sure.
*edit.. Sorry don't mean to hijack your thread but I would love an answer
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-z5/general/e6653-flash-e6603-firmware-enable-t3307158
It's very easy to enable fingerprint sensor without root and void warranty on US Z5, I think it's just same on US Z5c.

sravanz said:
Hi
Camera:
As sony touts, focus is very quick. But my god.. It takes forever to launch the app and take a photo.. Photo quality is decent in day light but low light it is terrible with a lot of noise. Again the same.. Sony makes some great point and shoot and DSLR cameras. Provides sensors for major manufacturers but fails with their phones.. Need major work especially with software.. I did not test video recording
3/5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you let us know which firmware version is running on your Z5c? On my phone with firmware 32.0.A.6.200 (unlocked German version) the camera app starts up quickly when I firmly push the camera button. Also starting the app from the app drawer doesn't show noticeable delays. Maybe an update will resolve (some) of your issues.

I agree with:
- Build quality.
- Performance
-Camera: I'd rest 1 more point; 2/5 in total because I don't like the FoV of this camera and the minimum focus distance of 12mm, bad for really close close-ups. Obviously, considering the price of the phone. As you said, photos under a LOT of light are fine). I really don't like the camera of this phone is my biggest disappointment.
- Battery
I disagree with:
> Display: for me it's fine, 4/5 or 5/5. I'm happy with it (except for the Auto Brightness bug), I love the idea of a 720p screen with 2015 hardware (I know you didn't complain about the resolution), battery and performance is incredible thanks to this resolution and DPI settings. Brightness is high enough for me under the sun. They should tweak a little more the auto brightness levels in dark rooms.
> Sound: I don't care too much about, I mean, speaker is hi enough. It's stereo. Sound is fine for games and some quick videos. Not good for music, like any small speaker. But I never use small speakers for that. Maybe not a 5/5 but 4/5 would be my score.
One important point is the time to update after a new version is released. Sony has a 0/5 in that. At least for the Z5 line.
If I were you I'd enable the fingerprint sensor. But if you need to open the bootloader I'd wait some more time before do it.

Disappointing audio quality when filming videos at loud music concerts...

Hello all,
My previous phone was a Moto X Style (or Pure in the US) and the sound quality while filming videos at loud heavy metal/hard rock concerts was very good. My battery life having become abysmal, I decided to switch to the LG V20 last Fall, knowing I'll really miss the front-facing stereo speakers but thinking I'd improve the quality of my live music videos.
So far, 3 concerts with the V20 and struck out the 3 times. 1st 2 concerts, I tried to mess around with the manual video settings and the resulting videos had bad sound, clipping... Video itself was not too bad, but far from perfect. For the 3rd concert, I said, to hell with manual, I'll go fully automatic, as I did with my Moto X Style. Results for the audio were a bit better than with the manual settings, but still a far cry from what I got with my Moto X Style.
I read everywhere that the V20 was the phone to get if you wanted the best possible live music video recordings. And it's not happening. Is there something wrong with my phone? Anyone had manual settings they use at loud music shows they'd agree to share?
Thanks for any input.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KW-zcPAD3QsUmXgGboAOnrEBCBo4GyAf/view?usp=drivesdk
You've got to open the Camera app, select Manual Video from the top (second screen), then ensure you've got your high fidelity audio settings correctly selected. You will likely need to reduce the 'Gain' setting to avoid clipping, as concerts are ridiculously loud. You'll find that the 'Concert' setting in manual video mode presets that for you.
If all else fails, HD Audio Recorder in the app drawer allows for high fidelity recording as well, albeit without the video.
Hope this helps, cheers!

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. But I don't see any Concert mode or preset in my manual video settings. Only in the HD Audio Recorder app. I'll try to match these settings into the HiFi manual video mode at my next concert next week. Any tip to get the best video quality at concerts, when not using the flash and having to deal with stage lights that are often no that dim?

metaleloi666 said:
Hi,
Thanks for the reply. But I don't see any Concert mode or preset in my manual video settings. Only in the HD Audio Recorder app. I'll try to match these settings into the HiFi manual video mode at my next concert next week. Any tip to get the best video quality at concerts, when not using the flash and having to deal with stage lights that are often no that dim?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My apologies, concert mode in HD audio recorder app is what I was referring to. Yes, you can copy those same settings into Manual Video mode though. That should help you out.
Here's a brief but very good beginners tutorial on video settings that you should learn to use with your manual mode in both video and photo applications. This V20 is fantastic at a multitude of different functions.
https://photographylife.com/iso-shutter-speed-and-aperture-for-beginners
Lastly, after studying these variables a bit and learning to play around with them in your own home, or outdoors during practice sessions, give it a shot at your concerts. You can always record during the opening performers prior to the main event. Run outside to the bathroom and see how well the video and audio recorded, then make adjustments from there.
**Note** I did say 'Bathroom' .. you don't want event staff to catch you making HD recordings of live performances lol! That'll get you in a bit of trouble.
ONE last mention; in manual video mode, you can toggle between UHD at 30fps (2160p) or FHD (1080p) at 60fps.
I would think due to low exposure and rapid light shows, you might want FHD60.

You've to record video using manual mode and then adjust your mic settings , becuase it has too many useful adjustments.

Thanks all. I'll try some more at my next concert (and messing around with the video settings at home next weekend).
I'm not the kind of guy filming all concert long, I think you lose the live experience doing this (and it sucks for people around). I just enjoy filming 60-90 second-clips of 3-4 songs to get souvenirs to enjoy later...

maxi65 said:
You've to record video using manual mode and then adjust your mic settings , becuase it has too many useful adjustments.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean the "Hi-Fi" settings?

metaleloi666 said:
Thanks all. I'll try some more at my next concert (and messing around with the video settings at home next weekend).
I'm not the kind of guy filming all concert long, I think you lose the live experience doing this (and it sucks for people around). I just enjoy filming 60-90 second-clips of 3-4 songs to get souvenirs to enjoy later...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To keep it real imo, the v20 sucks when it comes down to just point and shoot. I get your point, I've been places where I just want to take a quick picture or video and it comes out horrible on my V20. When I switch to manual and adjust settings then the picture/video is very good. If you go to concerts a lot I would suggest different phone like pixel or take a few extra minutes in concert to get just the right manual settings.

Still_living714 said:
To keep it real imo, the v20 sucks when it comes down to just point and shoot. I get your point, I've been places where I just want to take a quick picture or video and it comes out horrible on my V20. When I switch to manual and adjust settings then the picture/video is very good. If you go to concerts a lot I would suggest different phone like pixel or take a few extra minutes in concert to get just the right manual settings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, pixel 2 might be the king of all smart phone cameras to date. I purchased this V20 because it's identical to having a $350-400 external headphone amp.
On my reference level floor tower speakers, playing back lossless audio with high impedance mode... Oh boy it makes me tingle...

Well.... I'm starting to think my V20 has mic problems... Because I was at a concert on Monday. Recorded some live videos in manual mode, with the same settings as "Concert" of the Hi-Fi Recorder app. And the results are far to be stellar. Sound is not very good, still with some cracking. Image is fine. I even tried the Hi-Fi Recorder app (so no video) and the sound is not too good either... Really disappointed by this...
My Moto X Style was much better for this, without having to mess up with any settings...

metaleloi666 said:
Well.... I'm starting to think my V20 has mic problems... Because I was at a concert on Monday. Recorded some live videos in manual mode, with the same settings as "Concert" of the Hi-Fi Recorder app. And the results are far to be stellar. Sound is not very good, still with some cracking. Image is fine. I even tried the Hi-Fi Recorder app (so no video) and the sound is not too good either... Really disappointed by this...
My Moto X Style was much better for this, without having to mess up with any settings...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If there's cracking, there's likely some kind of fault with the hardware.

3mL said:
If there's cracking, there's likely some kind of fault with the hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This sucks....

metaleloi666 said:
Well.... I'm starting to think my V20 has mic problems... Because I was at a concert on Monday. Recorded some live videos in manual mode, with the same settings as "Concert" of the Hi-Fi Recorder app. And the results are far to be stellar. Sound is not very good, still with some cracking. Image is fine. I even tried the Hi-Fi Recorder app (so no video) and the sound is not too good either... Really disappointed by this...
My Moto X Style was much better for this, without having to mess up with any settings...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like you have the gain set way too high.
Sent from my LG V20 using XDA Labs

BROKEN1981 said:
Sounds like you have the gain set way too high.
Sent from my LG V20 using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But I used the same values as the "concert" settings in Hi-Fi Recorder...

metaleloi666 said:
But I used the same values as the "concert" settings in Hi-Fi Recorder...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How does it sound when you play it back on earphones?
Sent from my LG V20 using XDA Labs

BROKEN1981 said:
How does it sound when you play it back on earphones?
Sent from my LG V20 using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Didn't try with headphones, but transferred the files on my PC which is connected to my big sound system. And it doesn't sound good....

metaleloi666 said:
But I used the same values as the "concert" settings in Hi-Fi Recorder...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Next time try these settings:
Увеличить
or these:
Увеличить
You look at the scale of the left and right channels next to the setting button. It should not be red, even in yellow is not desirable.
If the low frequencies are too strong, you can reduce the LCF to 75 Hz
If you want to hear some of my videos and say how the sound quality is.
https://youtu.be/BxJ0fSO0tAI
https://youtu.be/1TW5JvwM7yQ
https://youtu.be/3q8Ha7MboI0
https://youtu.be/iHHcyUd2ZY0

Don't know if you'll see this? I have been live audience recording concerts for 23+ years. I just bought a v20 and had the same experience. Wasn't what I expected. Seeing this now. Didnt realize there were manual settings for video recording. The problem is the LMT. TURN IT TO "OFF". probably don't need LFC either unless there is too much bass in the room? Boomy sounding? Watch the gain settings too. 0db is probably fine depending on how loud the concert is. Turn it down if it looks like the Wave file is a solid block. The reason you don't want to use the LMT is because it suppresses the loud spikes in the music and it does it very slowly which makes the audio sound swishy. It ruined 3 clips I shot at a recent concert. I never use a limiter (LMT) when I record because of that. Good luck

Cosmickc said:
Don't know if you'll see this? I have been live audience recording concerts for 23+ years. I just bought a v20 and had the same experience. Wasn't what I expected. Seeing this now. Didnt realize there were manual settings for video recording. The problem is the LMT. TURN IT TO "OFF". probably don't need LFC either unless there is too much bass in the room? Boomy sounding? Watch the gain settings too. 0db is probably fine depending on how loud the concert is. Turn it down if it looks like the Wave file is a solid block. The reason you don't want to use the LMT is because it suppresses the loud spikes in the music and it does it very slowly which makes the audio sound swishy. It ruined 3 clips I shot at a recent concert. I never use a limiter (LMT) when I record because of that. Good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this. I think I already played with these settings with no success but will take a look again.
I think the micros of the phone might be defective...

Some i found from the web. Distance from the speakers makes a difference
https://youtu.be/DUd3w0EETF0
https://youtu.be/pixMqrANxFI
https://youtu.be/Xj_lTH7TuXk
All are in auto