Database Users

Musical quality using headphones

Here's a question. Currently I am on an iPhone 5, and it looks like I'll be making the switch to the S4. But before I do, I need to be reassured of one thing.
I use my iPhone 5 as my main and only music player. I have a pair of $150 Monster Turbines, and I take my musical quality very seriously relative to the iPhone 5. My question is, does the S4 have ATLEAST the same or better SQ in all ranges?
Is this app dependent? ROM dependent? I'm new to Android, but not technically unsavvy by ANY means..
Just need to know..

I had the same worries as you did. I came from the iPhone 4, running an ATH-m50 setup up with a fiio e5 amp and switched over to the HTC one x+and have transitioned very smoothly. I recommend finding a player per your taste though.
Take a look at power amp and neuron player! I hope this helps.
Sent from my HTC One X+ using xda app-developers app

Well there is a feature called 'adapt sound' you go through a hearing test. After the test is done it auto EQ's the EQ's in the music player. I have monster inspirations (noise cancelling) and beyerdynamic T1. With adapt sound on in both cans there's better upper range clarity when differentiating between instruments. I like having the feature on. Makes the music more enjoyable of sorts.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda premium

There seems to be a lot of mixed opinions. It's not that the Qualcomm audio chipset is bad, it's actually quite good, but it up samples audio from 24bit/44khz to 48khz if I'm correct, which kind of degrades the quality a little. I doubt a $150 pair of headphones is gonna be affected by this though. Now if you were rocking some real hardcore audio equipment like $500+ custom monitors, then this might be noticeable.

Apple products still are on top when it comes to audio player quality. I doubt it'll be noticeable with your headphones
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337

Don't even think a second about sound quality. It's awesome with S4. I use shure se530 head phones. You want to tweak the sound you may use Power Amp. That is what i use. I tried Iphone (3/4/4S/5) several times and sound is better with Power Amp in Galaxy S3/S4(Snapdragon also). Without Power Amp you may not like the sound that much.

varunkumars said:
Don't even think a second about sound quality. It's awesome with S4. I use shure se530 head phones. You want to tweak the sound you may use Power Amp. That is what i use. I tried Iphone (3/4/4S/5) several times and sound is better with Power Amp in Galaxy S3/S4(Snapdragon also). Without Power Amp you may not like the sound that much.
Click to expand...
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Actually I recommend trying Gone Mad Music Player, so much better then Power Amp in my opinion

As many have said. Power amp is worth the purchase.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda premium

iphone 5 is a good music player of course.
in android some app can improve the SQ for us. such as poweramp and more.

If you can score an international version, it was supposed to get the much higher quality Wolfson audio chips:
http://www.sammobile.com/2013/04/18...-for-galaxy-range-of-smartphones-and-tablets/
I think the t-mobile version might also have the same hardware as the international version...?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

I'm using Ultimate Ears Triple.fi 10 Pro Earphones with Westone cables. I find the S4 sound quality pleasing, but lacking in bass.

Screams from
d1esel daddy said:
I'm using Ultimate Ears Triple.fi 10 Pro Earphones with Westone cables. I find the S4 sound quality pleasing, but lacking in bass.
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This is a major problem for me, as 90% of my music is hip hop.
My monster turbines were designed to accentuate bass
I have a 15' sub in my car, that I LOVE to flex, and if it gonna be as bassy and clean as it is like my iPhone (on hip hop EQ) then we've got problems...

EpicMango said:
This is a major problem for me, as 90% of my music is hip hop.
My monster turbines were designed to accentuate bass
I have a 15' sub in my car, that I LOVE to flex, and if it gonna be as bassy and clean as it is like my iPhone (on hip hop EQ) then we've got problems...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The S4 isnt lacking in bass at all. It has more bass than my HTC Vivid did...and that was a "Beats"-advertised phone. The S4 has terrific sound quality for a phone. And if you want a nice EQ, get Poweramp. It is well worth the purchase. And if you enjoy bass, don't worry - you can crank the bass up insanely high with Poweramp.
I was very worried about audio quality before getting the S4. And I am absolutely satisfied.
Oh and before you go looking at the HTC One, there have been reports of bluetooth audio streaming distorting the high frequency sounds. The S4 doesnt have this problem.
Sent from my Galaxy S4.

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bobgodd said:
If you can score an international version, it was supposed to get the much higher quality Wolfson audio chips:
http://www.sammobile.com/2013/04/18...-for-galaxy-range-of-smartphones-and-tablets/
I think the t-mobile version might also have the same hardware as the international version...?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tmobile has exact same hardware as att...has been discussed in one of the official bootloader unlock threads
slapdaddy said:
The S4 isnt lacking in bass at all. It has more bass than my HTC Vivid did...and that was a "Beats"-advertised phone. The S4 has terrific sound quality for a phone. And if you want a nice EQ, get Poweramp. It is well worth the purchase. And if you enjoy bass, don't worry - you can crank the bass up insanely high with Poweramp.
I was very worried about audio quality before getting the S4. And I am absolutely satisfied.
Oh and before you go looking at the HTC One, there have been reports of bluetooth audio streaming distorting the high frequency sounds. The S4 doesnt have this problem.
Sent from my Galaxy S4.
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I would definitely not say the s4 has terrific sound quality....you can't base it off the fact your vivid had beats as that's just a software eq...you've obviously never had a phone with a Wolfson dac....those phones have the best sound quality of every phone-,and with voodoo sound you can tweak it at the hardware level
When it comes to portable music....my infuse is my main player...it blows the s4 and HTC vivid sound quality out of the water
Now the s4 sound quality is acceptable and not bad in any way...just wouldn't say its terrific...this is coming from an audiophile with studio monitors and studio monitor headphones
BTW, I had a vivid too...think I remember your name
Sent from my SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2

d1esel daddy said:
I'm using Ultimate Ears Triple.fi 10 Pro Earphones with Westone cables. I find the S4 sound quality pleasing, but lacking in bass.
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I am running the same setup (stock cables) and previously used a FiiO E6 amp when I had these with my Galaxy S 2... With the S4, I don't need the portable amp and like others stated, PowerAMP is my recommended player - well worth the purchase. I jumped onto PowerAMP right as soon as I found out that it does both FLAC and Gapless, and the interface is beautiful and easily links to the lockscreen (not rooted).
As far as audio quality, I love the V shape audio that PowerAMP(Techno preset) produces onto my IEM's and I also have an iPad Mini (I think Wolfsons audio chip) and yet still prefer the audio from the S4...
Audio becomes very subjective at this point, but I have NOT been disappointed with my S4 and audio quality - especially comparing it to my old Galaxy S II...

mg2195 said:
Tmobile has exact same hardware as att...has been discussed in one of the official bootloader unlock threads
I would definitely not say the s4 has terrific sound quality....you can't base it off the fact your vivid had beats as that's just a software eq...you've obviously never had a phone with a Wolfson dac....those phones have the best sound quality of every phone-,and with voodoo sound you can tweak it at the hardware level
When it comes to portable music....my infuse is my main player...it blows the s4 and HTC vivid sound quality out of the water
Now the s4 sound quality is acceptable and not bad in any way...just wouldn't say its terrific...this is coming from an audiophile with studio monitors and studio monitor headphones
BTW, I had a vivid too...think I remember your name
Sent from my SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2
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Nope never had a Wolfson unfortunately. And I said terrific...for a phone lol. I have never had a phone with sound quality this good. And it will only get better with newer Sammy phones because of their deal with Wolfson. As for the Vivid, I remember reading your name a few times over there and yeah Beats is a software adjustment on the Vivid, but the sound quality was better on the Vivid than it was on my Inspire...and now better on my S4 than on my Vivid.
And yes I am an audiophile as well...I have studio cans and when it comes to absolute pure music quality, I use my desktop comouter as the setup is fantastic for a quality listening experience. But for a modern phone on the market. ..well I dont know of any quadcore phones that have a Wolfson chip...not yet anyway that is. I'm very sure this will change soon though...and its about time manufacturers started to pay more attention to the audio quality in their phones. There are those of us who need it...to basically survive lmao.
Bottom line for me is that there may be better phones out there for music quality, but they lack the horsepower of the S4. And there is a lot more that I do with this phone than just listen to music. The sound quality may not be Wolfson good, but it's definitely good enough and gets the job done very well as far as I'm concerned.
Oh and if someone is very concerned about music quality, there are external DACs that can be attached to the phone's micro USB port which are phenomenal. Though they are as big as the phone is, they work well lol.
Sent from my Galaxy S4.

slapdaddy said:
Nope never had a Wolfson unfortunately. And I said terrific...for a phone lol. I have never had a phone with sound quality this good. And it will only get better with newer Sammy phones because of their deal with Wolfson. As for the Vivid, I remember reading your name a few times over there and yeah Beats is a software adjustment on the Vivid, but the sound quality was better on the Vivid than it was on my Inspire...and now better on my S4 than on my Vivid.
And yes I am an audiophile as well...I have studio cans and when it comes to absolute pure music quality, I use my desktop comouter as the setup is fantastic for a quality listening experience. But for a modern phone on the market. ..well I dont know of any quadcore phones that have a Wolfson chip...not yet anyway that is. I'm very sure this will change soon though...and its about time manufacturers started to pay more attention to the audio quality in their phones. There are those of us who need it...to basically survive lmao.
Bottom line for me is that there may be better phones out there for music quality, but they lack the horsepower of the S4. And there is a lot more that I do with this phone than just listen to music. The sound quality may not be Wolfson good, but it's definitely good enough and gets the job done very well as far as I'm concerned.
Oh and if someone is very concerned about music quality, there are external DACs that can be attached to the phone's micro USB port which are phenomenal. Though they are as big as the phone is, they work well lol.
Sent from my Galaxy S4.
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Couldn't agree with your post more
Sent from my SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2

How is the music quality (through earphones) on Lg G2?

I loved the sound quality of Galaxy S3 , due to wolfson DAC in it.
How does LG G2's music quality stand out against it?
I usually listen to Electro.
I'm only talking about the earphones.

I have a sennheiser Momentum and the sound is very clear in the lg g2, i always listening to Hardstyle ?
Sent from my LG-D802 using xda app-developers app

Sound is great for me. Klipsch x10.
LG G2

Sound quality is really nice. I was experimenting with the same earphones, and s4, HTC droid DNA and Note 2. Quality is the best in G2.
Sent from my VS980 4G using xda app-developers app

Melodycd said:
Sound quality is really nice. I was experimenting with the same earphones, and s4, HTC droid DNA and Note 2. Quality is the best in G2.
Sent from my VS980 4G using xda app-developers app
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Listening through Shure 535s it sounds better than my note II with Wolfson

Wow! nice.
I just ordered a 32 GB model and getting super hyped.
i hope you guys aren't praising it out of fanboyism

Wow! nice.
I just ordered a 32 GB model and getting super hyped.
i hope you guys aren't praising it out of fanboyism

eggman89 said:
Wow! nice.
I just ordered a 32 GB model and getting super hyped.
i hope you guys aren't praising it out of fanboyism
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TBH: I kinda hated LG before this phone. I'm no lg fanboy but I now think they make great phones.

I've not been a huge fan of LG but so far I am quite pleased with this phone.
I've listened to audio with both my SRH440's and my CX 475's. Both sound quite good. I'm impressed it's got the guts to power the SRH's.

eggman89 said:
Wow! nice.
I just ordered a 32 GB model and getting super hyped.
i hope you guys aren't praising it out of fanboyism
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well is not that thick . i dont think is good for electronic music since is very treble oriented ... theres a mod you can do to increase volume because the sound doesn't go loud to power certain headphones
i tested the LG G2 and the S4 and the S4 sounded better , rich sound with more bass .
The LG G2 is thin sounding:good: but with really good clarity

kalki1 said:
well is not that thick . i dont think is good for electronic music since is very treble oriented ... theres a mod you can do to increase volume because the sound doesn't go loud to power certain headphones
i tested the LG G2 and the S4 and the S4 sounded better , rich sound with more bass .
The LG G2 is thin sounding:good: but with really good clarity
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll take the clarity, because the other stuff can be fixed with an EQ. This is the first phone I've had that completely eliminates alternator whine with the phone charging and just goes to show the lengths LG went to to isolate the DAC. That plus Viper4Android equals a superior listening experience in my eyes (or ears).

eggman89 said:
Wow! nice.
I just ordered a 32 GB model and getting super hyped.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have had it for 2 weeks and I'm still super hyped First LG phone here and I really didn't expect much. But I like it more every day.

I like the sound with my headphone.
Also I like the headset the phone came with. And I like the sound over speakers. I must be honest, I don't like the phonespeakers even if I have installed the volume mod.
Sent from my LG-D802 using xda app-developers app

I'm using the UM Merlin customs with the LG G2.
As an audiophile, I regularly compare players to see which has the best compatibility with my customs and I'm stoked to have found the G2. By far, it has the least background noise/feedback due to EM interference in a phone. Using in-ear monitors, you can hear the processor and other internal components and generally there was a bit of noise coming from my S3. With the G2, such noise is virtually eliminated. The G2 uses the wolfson 5110 DAC which really decreases the noise and increases the soundstage, balance, and clarity tremendously. I would say the audio quality on this device is comparable, if not, greater than the Cowon music players I have used in the past.
Truth be told, the only reason I chose this phone was because of the audio quality. Hearing is believing.

hamisgood said:
I'm using the UM Merlin customs with the LG G2.<snip>
The G2 uses the wolfson 5110 DAC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice IEMs. I've been trying to settle on a custom for a while now. Still wearing universals (SE535 at the moment). I'll probably pull the trigger in 2014. Thinking 1964s or UMs.
What's your source for Wolfson info? When I was researching, I only found reference to the Wolfson in early rumors. The later, more confirmable info I gathered pointed to a Qualcom DAC. I haven't yet seen a proper teardown with BOM.

Excellent, but...
The sound is excellent with a good set of earphones, but the bundled "improved" Quadbeats 2 are pure crap, never seen anything worse (atleast my Quadsbeats 2)

I've been wondering this too. The only headphones I have are a pair of iPhone earbuds that my wife isn't using anymore. The sound isn't bad, but the volume seems much lower on it than my S3. I was wondering if the quality of sound is dependent upon the type of headphones you're using.

MarvinSpr said:
I must be honest, I don't like the phonespeakers even if I have installed the volume mod.
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Same here

Vertigo06 said:
I've been wondering this too. The only headphones I have are a pair of iPhone earbuds that my wife isn't using anymore. The sound isn't bad, but the volume seems much lower on it than my S3. I was wondering if the quality of sound is dependent upon the type of headphones you're using.
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So many variables here that it's cumbersome to discuss on a forum. To say that sound quality depends on headphone type is at once wholly true and woefully inadequate.

cggorman said:
Nice IEMs. I've been trying to settle on a custom for a while now. Still wearing universals (SE535 at the moment). I'll probably pull the trigger in 2014. Thinking 1964s or UMs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
JH has just opened preorders for the 12 driver Roxanne which I might be looking at (in the near future) once I test run it.
cggorman said:
What's your source for Wolfson info? When I was researching, I only found reference to the Wolfson in early rumors. The later, more confirmable info I gathered pointed to a Qualcom DAC. I haven't yet seen a proper teardown with BOM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have yet to see a stripdown as of yet, but various sources point the DAC to be the wm5110. Until there is a full strip, I doubt it would be possible to verify but it is quite likely as there is definitely a significant reduction of noise.
"Fully-differential internal analogue architecture, minimal analogue signal paths and on-chip RF noise filters ensure a very high degree of noise immunity." - Wolfson PB 5110 Datasheet
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Sources: http://www.enjoythemusic.com/news/0813/
http://www.head-fi.org/t/681818/lg-g2-android-phone-first-24-bit-192khz-phone-dac
http://www.alpha-audio.nl/wordpress/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Wolfson-wm5110.pdf

The audio quality on this thing melts my face

Picked this phone up today despite the complaints. The first thing I noticed is the sound. The included head phones sound pretty good, but on my bose head set it feels like my face is melting. I don't know what they changed between the S6 and the note 5 yet but holy cow. Keep giving it to me.

So it sounds better?

svengalis said:
So it sounds better?
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I wouldn't say I have a "golden ear" but it definitely has better high's, better lows, and more drool coming out of my mouth from the sound. So I would say yes.

eousphoros said:
I wouldn't say I have a "golden ear" but it definitely has better high's, better lows, and more drool coming out of my mouth from the sound. So I would say yes.
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the next update for the s6 and the edge has the audio improvement update in it

Totally agree...i use Gear circle and Gear level U wireless buds and the sound is amazing and so much louder with my note 5 compared to my Note Edge...love it

Any idea if the boosted headphone sound works for bluetooth enabled headphones like the JayBird X2?

what about the call quality? In ear speaker loudness, loudness over speakerphone etc. I don't understand why these things are always almost not mentioned in any reviews, it is a phone first of all, right?

I also noticed that the sound in my via Bluetooth is much louder and clearer. I'm very happy with it.
Sent from my SM-N920T using XDA Free mobile app

yes the new note five will be running a higher bit rate for audio which will make audio sound better. More so if you have higher quality music files. Makes me happy you posted about this because I heard about the improved audio and now I know its true if others are posting about it

The.sound is excellent
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using XDA Free mobile app

Yes just got my Note 5 yesterday also and did some testing between my iPhone 6 plus and LG G4 and the Note 5. The Note 5 is definitely the clear winner. The LG G4 is definitely sounding compressed, not sure why LG did this as the LG G2 had superb audio and was known for that. I honestly think the king now is the Note 5! ?
Sent from my LG-H815 using XDA Free mobile app

Anyone comparing the sound to the S6 or S6 edge? I have the S6 edge and the audio quality is not good, especially over bluetooth. Using the bletooth in my car or over my bluetooth speaker sounds hissy and pretty terrible while the same car and speaker sounded great with the htc one m8.

rx7boy22 said:
Yes just got my Note 5 yesterday also and did some testing between my iPhone 6 plus and LG G4 and the Note 5. The Note 5 is definitely the clear winner. The LG G4 is definitely sounding compressed, not sure why LG did this as the LG G2 had superb audio and was known for that. I honestly think the king now is the Note 5!
Sent from my LG-H815 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with everything you said and I had those same devices. The only one that comes close to the Note 5 for me is the Sony Z3+, but I have so many complaints about that device that I'm not going to keep it. Anyway, my findings match yours and I couldn't be happier.
Wrathor said:
Anyone comparing the sound to the S6 or S6 edge? I have the S6 edge and the audio quality is not good, especially over bluetooth. Using the bletooth in my car or over my bluetooth speaker sounds hissy and pretty terrible while the same car and speaker sounded great with the htc one m8.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure if this helps you since I don't use BT, but with IEMs via the headphone jack I find the Note 5 to be warmer and fuller sounding with less emphasis on treble like the S6 Edge I have. Also, while I initially thought the "UHQ Upscaler" was going to be a gimmick, it adds a surprising amount of punch to the audio! Overall, I'm like a kid in a candy store with this thing. I should also mention I use several high-end pairs of IEMs (Sony XBA-A3, MDR-EX1000, Dunu DN-2000j, etc.).
-Collin-

Sound is noticeably better but after using m8 and Nexus 6 nothing to write home about
---------- Post added at 12:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:11 AM ----------
Why must Samsung insist on putting the speaker grill on the side where it covers it up.

Love the audio quality I am so happy. So happy.

The UHQ setting is actually enabling 192khz hardware output on the audio chip.

CollinFX45 said:
I agree with everything you said and I had those same devices. The only one that comes close to the Note 5 for me is the Sony Z3+, but I have so many complaints about that device that I'm not going to keep it. Anyway, my findings match yours and I couldn't be happier.
Not sure if this helps you since I don't use BT, but with IEMs via the headphone jack I find the Note 5 to be warmer and fuller sounding with less emphasis on treble like the S6 Edge I have. Also, while I initially thought the "UHQ Upscaler" was going to be a gimmick, it adds a surprising amount of punch to the audio! Overall, I'm like a kid in a candy store with this thing. I should also mention I use several high-end pairs of IEMs (Sony XBA-A3, MDR-EX1000, Dunu DN-2000j, etc.).
-Collin-
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Click to collapse
hey buddy you seems like an audiophile....do you think note 5 sound matches those of some dedicated players like fiio x3 ?
and do you know exactly what is done internally when we switch on the UHQ Upscaler ?
and do you or anyone knows what DAC is used this time in Note 5 ?

saj2001ind said:
hey buddy you seems like an audiophile....do you think note 5 sound matches those of some dedicated players like fiio x3 ?
and do you know exactly what is done internally when we switch on the UHQ Upscaler ?
and do you or anyone knows what DAC is used this time in Note 5 ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi there - I'm not an audiophile, but I do appreciate a good, quality output. I actually haven't used a dedicated player; the most I've done is got an E17 DAC/Amp for headphones, but it wasn't worth the trouble for me personally.
The DAC is anyone's guess, but it should be Wolfson (as were most, if not all the Samsungs before it with Exynos processors).
Cheers,
-Collin-

CollinFX45 said:
Hi there - I'm not an audiophile, but I do appreciate a good, quality output. I actually haven't used a dedicated player; the most I've done is got an E17 DAC/Amp for headphones, but it wasn't worth the trouble for me personally.
The DAC is anyone's guess, but it should be Wolfson (as were most, if not all the Samsungs before it with Exynos processors).
Cheers,
-Collin-
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Click to collapse
Hey buddy it's good u use E17. ..so compared to ur E17 does the note 5 sound better or same quality?
I had E18 but like you I found that too combursume
Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

saj2001ind said:
Hey buddy it's good u use E17. ..so compared to ur E17 does the note 5 sound better or same quality?
I had E18 but like you I found that too combursume
Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't tried the E17 with the Note 5 yet, but I suspect it will only make it louder. I'll give it a try tonight. E18 would be the better choice for the Note 5, but oh well
-Collin-

Will a portable amp Improve the headphone quality?

Probably the most stupidest question out there but just wondering..
Since a lot of people are saying that the headphone quality is meh will a portable amp improve the quality?

crap in, crap out
amplifying a crap headphone out (if it is crap to you where you think a seperate amp should be used) will result in a crap result
if the usb has a line out, that might be of some use....does it? I'd be interested to know

An amp with its own DAC, like the Fiio E18 for example, would improve the sound quality. I've not used mine since I got my Exynos S7 though, the sound quality sounds good enough.

dazzer1975 said:
crap in, crap out
amplifying a crap headphone out (if it is crap to you where you think a seperate amp should be used) will result in a crap result
if the usb has a line out, that might be of some use....does it? I'd be interested to know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah i have no idea, some people have said that getting a portable amp and plugging it to your phone will increase the audio quality :\ but your saying of "crap in, crap out" makes a lot of sense.. haha

jbpf77 said:
An amp with its own DAC, like the Fiio E18 for example, would improve the sound quality. I've not used mine since I got my Exynos S7 though, the sound quality sounds good enough.
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Cheers for that, yeah i'll be getting the exynos as well is it as bad as everyone saying it is ? (sound quality)

dazzer1975 said:
crap in, crap out
amplifying a crap headphone out (if it is crap to you where you think a seperate amp should be used) will result in a crap result
if the usb has a line out, that might be of some use....does it? I'd be interested to know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
portable amps don't utilize the 3.5mm jack. And yes, a portable amp will improve the quality. If you have the snapdragon version, then you'd want a portable dac/amp combo.

andiedee said:
Cheers for that, yeah i'll be getting the exynos as well is it as bad as everyone saying it is ? (sound quality)
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For me, listening at my desk at work in a fairly quiet environment, the sound quality and volume levels are absolutely fine. I used to have to use my E18 with my Note 4 all the time as the sound quality was really bad, especially noticeable as I had an M8 before that, but I've not used the E18 at all since I got the S7.

jbpf77 said:
For me, listening at my desk at work in a fairly quiet environment, the sound quality and volume levels are absolutely fine. I used to have to use my E18 with my Note 4 all the time as the sound quality was really bad, especially noticeable as I had an M8 before that, but I've not used the E18 at all since I got the S7.
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oh okay! sounds good to me
I got the m8 at the moment its 2 years old, gotta replace it with the s7e or the new HTC 10 i don't know if i can be bothered waiting for the HTC 10 though :\

I'm using my senheiser omx 980 and waiting for the oppo ha 2 hopefully it will sound different. I'm satisfied with the audio as it is now nonetheless
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

I have funded this on Kickstarter. Its a DAC that is connected via the USB port.
AQUA DAC
Shipping at the end of this month hopefully. Write up seems good. I will have to wait till it comes to see if it works.

andiedee said:
Cheers for that, yeah i'll be getting the exynos as well is it as bad as everyone saying it is ? (sound quality)
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Which headphones are you Using??
I'm using a Pair of UE 900 (UVP 399€ quad-driver in-ear-monitors), and i have no problems, of deficites. I used an htc one m8 before, and i dont really notice a worse soundquality.
Sure, if you really try hard enough and compare then like you want to dissect it, you might find differences.
But like i said, i have no Problems there. The Output impedance is low enough with almost 2 Ohm, soundquality, and output Power is really enough (i can not listen to 100% Volume, it's just way too loud for me).
Of course, you'll ha ve to decide that yourself, maybe you have much better in-ears / headphones, and have much higher, more audiophile standards.
(but, if you dont dissect your music, but just want to enjoy listening, it's totally fine)

S8 DAC?

Has anybody heard about what the music output will be like besides "tuned by AKG"? This seemed to mean nothing for the LG V20 with the B&O tuning.. After the Note 7 debacle, I switched to the V20. It has now set my criteria for acceptable upgrades to either be => then the marvelous Quad Dac that I've enjoyed since being forced out of the Samsung camp (I did love the Note 7, very much). "High Impedance" mode is now an interchangeable phrase with "choir of angels".

dartinbout said:
Has anybody heard about what the music output will be like besides "tuned by AKG"? This seemed to mean nothing for the LG V20 with the B&O tuning.. After the Note 7 debacle, I switched to the V20. It has now set my criteria for acceptable upgrades to either be => then the marvelous Quad Dac that I've enjoyed since being forced out of the Samsung camp (I did love the Note 7, very much). "High Impedance" mode is now an interchangeable phrase with "choir of angels".
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As Samsung acquired Harman recently, it can be a possibility.

I would highly doubt it. Samsung has never been known for making audio a priority. It's a shame.
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daryllh said:
I would highly doubt it. Samsung has never been known for making audio a priority. It's a shame.
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still possible with them buying Harmon. They could have had a deal in place prior to purchase when they were making the new S line of phones.

There would have been a leak. It's wishful thinking. The people who buy Galaxy phones (the majority) don't care about DACs.
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daryllh said:
There would have been a leak. It's wishful thinking. The people who buy Galaxy phones (the majority) don't care about DACs.
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how many times have leaks been wrong than right? How many times there were things in devices no one talked about until closer to release date or at all?

daryllh said:
There would have been a leak. It's wishful thinking. The people who buy Galaxy phones (the majority) don't care about DACs.
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What are you talking about??check s5 and s4 dacs.. wolfson Dac..they dropped the ball on the s7
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I will eat crow if gs8 comes with a "better than standard" DAC
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One of the reasons I stay with HTC all these years is because of the superior audio quality, I hope samsung can finally give something good in that field

vegetaleb said:
One of the reasons I stay with HTC all these years is because of the superior audio quality, I hope samsung can finally give something good in that field
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Same. The HTC 10 sounds pretty great with Tidal HiFi or FLAC / WAV files in Neutron if you have good headphones. The S7's audio (US version, at least) is really unacceptable if you care about this sort of thing. If the S8 had audio quality equal to some HTC or LG phones, I would switch, since HTC seems to be abandoning the headphone jack (among numerous other stupid decisions on the U ultra).

Tidbits said:
still possible with them buying Harmon. They could have had a deal in place prior to purchase when they were making the new S line of phones.
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Harmon Kardon stuff won't find it's way into a Galaxy Phone until the NOte 8 the purchase is too recent - Galaxy 8 design specks had all been approved and in devleopment by the time that happend (or at least their closing the Harmon Kardon deal happened after the S8 specks had been nailed down.

mocsab said:
Harmon Kardon stuff won't find it's way into a Galaxy Phone until the NOte 8 the purchase is too recent - Galaxy 8 design specks had all been approved and in devleopment by the time that happend (or at least their closing the Harmon Kardon deal happened after the S8 specks had been nailed down.
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Doesn't mean it isn't already in there... Based on what "leaked" doesn't mean if they didn't talk about it doesn't mean it doesn't have it. Until a press release and the company says anything it's up in the air. That's all I was saying.
Sent from my HTC U Ultra using Tapatalk

just buy bluetooth headphones with aptX

Tidbits said:
Doesn't mean it isn't already in there... Based on what "leaked" doesn't mean if they didn't talk about it doesn't mean it doesn't have it. Until a press release and the company says anything it's up in the air. That's all I was saying.
Sent from my HTC U Ultra using Tapatalk
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I bet you ten bucks the speakers are not Harmon Kardon. SAFE Bet. That's all I am saying. You can dream if yoou want, but I guess I am just la buzz kill. It isn't realistic to expect it to be even close to possible. So as much as I would love Harmon Kardon speakers on the S8 - aint goona happen.

mocsab said:
I bet you ten bucks the speakers are not Harmon Kardon. SAFE Bet. That's all I am saying. You can dream if yoou want, but I guess I am just la buzz kill. It isn't realistic to expect it to be even close to possible. So as much as I would love Harmon Kardon speakers on the S8 - aint goona happen.
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It doesn't have it. I checked it out at best buy. Same crappy speakers
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No stereo speakers. One step closer to not eating crow.
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daryllh said:
No stereo speakers. One step closer to not eating crow.
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I don't understand the obsession with stereo speakers on a phone. Just like speakers built into TV's and monitors, laptops and other portable devices they all sound bad regardless. Surely the speakers are best left for ring tones and basic usage, maybe the odd video clip etc. They definitely aren't suitable for pumping out music or getting the best out of movies. Portable speakers and headphones are made for those reasons and sound far better than any tiny speaker squeezed into a phone ever will. The S8 speaker will be good enough to cover what it's designed to do.

Highspeed123 said:
I don't understand the obsession with stereo speakers on a phone. Just like speakers built into TV's and monitors, laptops and other portable devices they all sound bad regardless. Surely the speakers are best left for ring tones and basic usage, maybe the odd video clip etc. They definitely aren't suitable for pumping out music or getting the best out of movies. Portable speakers and headphones are made for those reasons and sound far better than any tiny speaker squeezed into a phone ever will. The S8 speaker will be good enough to cover what it's designed to do.
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other than when someone calls me i don't play music without headphones, so for me it's more important

The phone moves more air with 2 speakers. It's not about fidelity really, it's about loudness without distortion. I've had 2 phones with stereo speakers and I've preferred them over my S7 edge when listening without headphones or external speakers.
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There's a solid chance the SD version uses the Qualcomm Aqstic codec w/ integrated DAC (HTC 10 uses this). I believe the way this works is manufacturers are offered the choice to pay extra to use this high quality codec, otherwise a standard quality codec is used.
But also important to keep in mind, board circuitry plays a big role in clarity and keeping noise levels low. The aqstic codec was used in the Pixel but doesn't sound nearly as good as the HTC 10. It takes a massive commitment to high fidelity audio to produce a device like the HTC 10 or LG V20. Samsung doesn't seem to be promoting based on audio performance, but the fact that it comes with "high quality AKG earbuds" is a good sign. I use quotes because I haven't seen a model number on these earbuds, and the high quality earbuds HTC shipped with the HTC 10 turned out to be pretty overrated. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
mocsab said:
Harmon Kardon stuff won't find it's way into a Galaxy Phone until the NOte 8 the purchase is too recent - Galaxy 8 design specks had all been approved and in devleopment by the time that happend (or at least their closing the Harmon Kardon deal happened after the S8 specks had been nailed down.
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This. I believe that happened in November/Decemeber? Either way it's a good sign and I'll have high hopes for the next Note.