Hopefully we got the One S DAC. Could someone that knows how, please check. One X (Intl) doesn't fair very well.
http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_s-review-746p5.php
http://www.gsmarena.com/gsmarena_lab_tests-review-751p4.php
The HTC One S performance in our audio quality test came as a really pleasant surprise to us. It appears that the Beats influence hasn't been limited to a single equalizer preset this time as the smartphone delivers the cleanest output we have seen from any device so far.
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Click to collapse
There are discussions about this already, browse around to find your answer.
It's better than the international though.
The other discussions are buried in other threads like Cool underrated features. It's an important enough topic to have its own thread, or the thread can die if others don't think so.
vinuneuro said:
The other discussions are buried in other threads like Cool underrated features. It's an important enough topic to have its own thread, or the thread can die if others don't think so.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree.
I've read somewhere that on the international version the audio processor/DAC is integrated in the Tegra SOC.
I'm also hoping that the North American One X / One XL is using the same audio hardware as the One S...
I haven't seen many posts of people that are concerned with audio quality.
I ended up purchasing a Rogers One X LTE here in Canada, to replace my Samsung Nexus S. I've been using Voodoo Sound with the Nexus S.
So how do they compare?
Well, after A/B'ing various material, the most important audible difference to me is the background noise (or hiss, if you prefer) that is definitely louder on the One X.
However, the only time I can really hear it is during near-silent passages (eg, at the beginning of a song that starts from complete silence). Also, at high volume levels, the noise in the Nexus S increases significantly and comes close to par. This is probably in large part due to Voodoo Sound on the Nexus S, which keeps the amplifier at its minimum level by maximizing digital volume first.
All in all, I'm still quite satisfied with the SQ, but will probably give the Galaxy S III a try.
Too bad we can't get the equivalent of Voodoo Sound with manual control over the amplifier on the One X...
For the record, I've been comparing the phones using Monster Turbine Pro Copper IEMs. Beats audio processing was obviously turned off. I also tried my ATH-AD700 cans, and with those the noise is completely inaudible even at max volume levels on the One X.
I hear absolutely no noise on my One X using Ultimate Ears Triple Fi 10 Pros. I absolutely love the sound quality of the headphone out, and I'm extremely picky when it comes to this.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
To my ears it doesnt sound quite as good as my captivate with voodoo but I also think if a similar app was developed for this it would sound just as good.
americasteam said:
I hear absolutely no noise on my One X using Ultimate Ears Triple Fi 10 Pros. I absolutely love the sound quality of the headphone out, and I'm extremely picky when it comes to this.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the exact same IEMs I can testify to that
crabnebula said:
I haven't seen many posts of people that are concerned with audio quality.
I ended up purchasing a Rogers One X LTE here in Canada, to replace my Samsung Nexus S. I've been using Voodoo Sound with the Nexus S.
So how do they compare?
Well, after A/B'ing various material, the most important audible difference to me is the background noise (or hiss, if you prefer) that is definitely louder on the One X.
However, the only time I can really hear it is during near-silent passages (eg, at the beginning of a song that starts from complete silence). Also, at high volume levels, the noise in the Nexus S increases significantly and comes close to par. This is probably in large part due to Voodoo Sound on the Nexus S, which keeps the amplifier at its minimum level by maximizing digital volume first.
All in all, I'm still quite satisfied with the SQ, but will probably give the Galaxy S III a try.
Too bad we can't get the equivalent of Voodoo Sound with manual control over the amplifier on the One X...
For the record, I've been comparing the phones using Monster Turbine Pro Copper IEMs. Beats audio processing was obviously turned off. I also tried my ATH-AD700 cans, and with those the noise is completely inaudible even at max volume levels on the One X.
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Click to collapse
Good stuff. Compared to the voodoo nexus, how does the the One X do when it comes to detail, sound stage and instrument separation? assuming "beats" is off, does it have a colored sound signature or is it flat/accurate?
Thanks!
americasteam said:
I hear absolutely no noise on my One X using Ultimate Ears Triple Fi 10 Pros. I absolutely love the sound quality of the headphone out, and I'm extremely picky when it comes to this.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
vioalas said:
I have the exact same IEMs I can testify to that
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Click to collapse
Well I can assure you it is clearly audible with my device and IEMs. I also tried with several cheaper IEMs I have around the house and I get the same result.
If I play a completely silent (computer generated) WAV file, the noise is inaudible, though I do hear the amplifier turning on and off. However the noise becomes obvious when any low signal is played, so it is noticeable in very quiet passages.
I hear no noise whatsoever through my Shure SE530 or E5C IEMs, or through my AKG K240MKII cans. Very happy with the sound from this phone.
omersak said:
Good stuff. Compared to the voodoo nexus, how does the the One X do when it comes to detail, sound stage and instrument separation? assuming "beats" is off, does it have a colored sound signature or is it flat/accurate?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Overall I'd say that apart from the noise, any differences are slight and won't detract from the listening experience. To me the frequency response is very similar to the Galaxy S (ie, flat), but mids/vocals sound a little more transparent.
Compared to Wolfson/Voodoo, the sound stage on the One X feels a little wider/more open and separation is perhaps a bit better too, but there is also a slight harshness/sibilance and the details are a little bit less refined. Again, the differences are small and I'm just giving you my own impressions.
If it weren't for the noise -- that apparently only I hear -- I'd be perfectly happy with the One X. I actually prefer it on some material because it just feels more transparent/open.
---------- Post added at 12:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 PM ----------
Regarding the noise.
Just an example of a track where I hear obvious hiss on the One X and nothing on the Nexus S :
Artist: Destroyer
Album: Kaputt
Song: Bay of Pigs
On this track hiss is easily audible for at least the first minute.
I'll try to post other examples from more mainstream stuff later on.
UPDATE: I repeated the below measurements with a new USB sound card (a Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6) and obtained a different result one the One X. Please see new post later in this thread.
---------------------------------------
For those of you who are interested, I used RMAA and my M-Audio Firewire 410 audio interface to record and analyze the following:
- Samsung Nexus S with Voodoo Sound
- HTC One X LTE with sound processing off
- HTC One X LTE with Beats audio on (headphone set to Other)
I used supercurio's new app that plays a RMAA test signal to do this. Also, I repeated each test twice to verify that my results were accurate.
Note that on the One X, the output level doesn't go beyond -10dB when volume is at maximum, so I adjusted the Nexus S to -10 dB, even though it can go higher.
I have no idea if my methodology is sound, but I'd say the frequency response speaks for itself.
crabnebula said:
For those of you who are interested, I used RMAA and my M-Audio Firewire 410 audio interface to record and analyze the following:
- Samsung Nexus S with Voodoo Sound
- HTC One X LTE with sound processing off
- HTC One X LTE with Beats audio on (headphone set to Other)
I used supercurio's new app that plays a RMAA test signal to do this. Also, I repeated each test twice to verify that my results were accurate.
Note that on the One X, the output level doesn't go beyond -10dB when volume is at maximum, so I adjusted the Nexus S to -10 dB, even though it can go higher.
I have no idea if my methodology is sound, but I'd say the frequency response speaks for itself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, thanks!
So, the HTC is tuned for a non-flat response, no wonder it sounds so wrong to me. I wonder if this is software and can be fixed?
sassafras
The picture is a bit misleading because with beats off, it's still only a deviation of ~1 decibel. I don't think that is discernible by the human ear.
sassafras_ said:
Awesome, thanks!
So, the HTC is tuned for a non-flat response, no wonder it sounds so wrong to me. I wonder if this is software and can be fixed?
sassafras
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Deviations are fairly small (+/-1 dB), but no, it clearly isn't flat.
I suppose you could use an equalizer to flatten the response. Does anyone know of a system-wide equalizer?
ThisWasATriumph said:
The picture is a bit misleading because with beats off, it's still only a deviation of ~1 decibel. I don't think that is discernible by the human ear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is correct, the human ear has trouble discerning differences of less than 3 dB. While far from perfect, the results seem reasonable and I would suspect would be fairly easy to correct with the right tools/methods.
I'm not exactly sure what Supercurio did with Voodoo sound, but on the Captivate you could adjust the levels via hex input in the service menu. I always suspected this is what Voodoo sound was doing, but never really followed up to find out. Perhaps we have a similar option available.
mesasone said:
This is correct, the human ear has trouble discerning differences of less than 3 dB. While far from perfect, the results seem reasonable and I would suspect would be fairly easy to correct with the right tools/methods.
I'm not exactly sure what Supercurio did with Voodoo sound, but on the Captivate you could adjust the levels via hex input in the service menu. I always suspected this is what Voodoo sound was doing, but never really followed up to find out. Perhaps we have a similar option available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some studies suggest 0.5 to 1 dB in overall volume is discernible to certain people. Not sure about variations in a frequency response spectrum, but the easy way to check is to play around with an equalizer.
Still, I don't think it matters too much. I still find the One X has good sound, except for the annoying hiss.
FWIW, here is the methology GSM Arena uses for their audio quality tests: http://www.gsmarena.com/latest_features-review-171p2.php
Sadly, they didn't do audio testing in their review of the AT&T One X, but they did for the international One X and the One S.
Related
Hi,
How good is the SQ of O3D? Is it comparable to iP4/SGS 2?
Thanks!
Sent from my GT-I5801 using XDA App
The speakers aren't great and I think it's pretty bad at recording sound, especially in a loud environment.
Works well with headphones though
Hmmm....So did you tried any 3rd party headphones or only using those that came bundled with O3D?
Sent from my GT-I5801 using XDA App
I'm using high-end headphones, but the ones that came with it looked OK. I never expect much from what constructors put in the box...
Sent from my LG-P920 using XDA App
Wow you guys got headphones with your O3D. We didn't get that with the Thrill!
I havent even opened the headphones that came with it. Ive used it with several different sets of cans though, including sony vf-150s and beyerdynamic dt-770ms and it sounds pretty great on all of them.
One flaw ive noticed with audio is that the phone creates a loud pop when the audio driver kicks in at the beginning of playback. Quite annoying if you ever plug it into a PA system.
Sent from my LG-P920 using xda premium
BigCiX said:
Wow you guys got headphones with your O3D. We didn't get that with the Thrill!
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Click to collapse
We got an HDMI cable though.
Killer Bee said:
We got an HDMI cable though.
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Click to collapse
Lol at first I was like :/ but then I was all
Headphones are really good, speakers are loud and good. But, recording voice quality is horrible when there is a noise or lound voices, so, that is just what annoyes me.
The sound coming out of the speakers is tiny and according to this review, the quality of the sound coming out of the headphones is one of the worst they've heard :S. They rate it as excellent if you plug it in your car or PA system...
LG earphones+poweramp with dance preset and bass and treble knob turned to middle= best earphones compared to every other earphone that comes bundled with any other mobile!
ofutur said:
The sound coming out of the speakers is tiny and according to this review, the quality of the sound coming out of the headphones is one of the worst they've heard :S. They rate it as excellent if you plug it in your car or PA system...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you are misreading what they are stating. Here is the exact quote:
GSMARENA said:
When headphones come into play, however, the stereo crosstalk takes a really serious hit - it gets relegated from excellent to one of the worst we have seen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What they are saying is that the stereo crosstalk, when using headphones, dips to one of the lowest levels they have seen. This is not the same as saying that "the quality of sound coming out of the headphones is one of the worst they have heard."
In addition, if you look at the comparison chart, the only phone in that list that is significantly better then all the rest is the HTC Sensation.
speaker quality compared to iphone4: bad. very bad.
speaker loudness compared to iphone4: much much better.
i prefer the optimus 3d. i have x-mini mobile speakers if i really want to listen to my phone.
naplesbill said:
I think you are misreading what they are stating. Here is the exact quote:
What they are saying is that the stereo crosstalk, when using headphones, dips to one of the lowest levels they have seen. This is not the same as saying that "the quality of sound coming out of the headphones is one of the worst they have heard."
In addition, if you look at the comparison chart, the only phone in that list that is significantly better then all the rest is the HTC Sensation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No offence, but I think that you don't know what stereo crosstalk is. -44.1 is pretty bad. Vinyls give you around -30.
Look at the numbers for Apple which is still a reference when it comes to pocketable audio players.
ofutur said:
No offence, but I think that you don't know what stereo crosstalk is. -44.1 is pretty bad. Vinyls give you around -30.
Look at the numbers for Apple which is still a reference when it comes to pocketable audio players.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not debating that. I just felt the need to point out the difference in verbage, which insinuated something different than what was actually stated. I understand the value of the crosstalk measurement, but it's not the only measurement involved. Sorry if you felt offended.
Additionally, look at the other devices compared and you will see that it wasn't the worst of the pack. It looks almost par with the GSII in most regards. Of course, I don't think that is such a great thing either.
I also noticed that in the chart for Apple, that the original Galaxy S is worse than the Optimus 3D as well.
I agree with you and I apologize . My original statement was misleading. The crosstalk is one of the worst, but overall the quality of the sound coming out of the O3D was rated as being average.
I heard alot about nexus S sound with voodoo but is stock really supposed to be rather average? While the sound "quality" seems really good the volume levels are just not good enough. My bose headphones sound so weak compared to an iphone, what gives??
Even an HTC desire had higher volume. Is voodoo supposed to make it much louder? Why cant we have it without rooting?
Update: I just tried my headphones on an iphone and well it isnt as loud as I remember it was. Whats happened is that I got spoiled by the headphone amp in my PC soundcard and thus perceived the nexus sound to be really weak in comparison. I had not yet used my headphones on a phone since getting a soundcard.
Obviously I cant expect the nexus to beat my PC and it actually compares really well with the iphone 4. I am sorry guys I feel really stupid for making this topic.
Disappointed? Not in the very least. I'm actuall extremely pleased and actually very ****ing surprised of the quality... even without Voodoo enhancements.
I had a Desire before this and that had a very tinny and high-mid/high heavy focus. It was very unpleasant watching videos let alone listening to music.
When I first heard the Nexus s (stock gingerbread at that time) I was in awe. The sound was very clear and loud. It even appeared to produce unnaturally powerful and clear low frequencies for a speaker this size.
I think something is very wrong with your phone if you prefer the Desire's sound.
My 2¢.
Later edit: I just now realize you were actually complaining about the sound volume and not the quality, but still I can't say I find it quieter than the Desire.
However, you are right. Voodoo can boost the volume quite a bit.
Oh no you completely misunderstood, the speaker on the nexus S is really good and destroys the desire. I am talking about sound through full size headphones.
Perhaps you need a headphone amplifier.
With Voodoo, the sound quality is exceptional, but quality has nothing to do with volume. In fact, turning up the volume in the phone too far will have a negative impact on the sound quality (distortion).
There are a number of factors affecting the perceived volume of a pair of headphones. Driver efficiency and impedance are the main ones; some output devices are designed for headphones which require high voltage and others for current.
The Nexus S with Voodoo, in airplane mode, playing high quality FLAC media, plugged into an amplifier, sounds pretty darn good through my AKG K271 MKII cans. Also pretty stellar through Meyer PA.
Gambler_3 said:
Oh no you completely misunderstood, the speaker on the nexus S is really good and destroys the desire. I am talking about sound through full size headphones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I missunderstood, thus my later edit.
And I agree with d-h. I'm only using a pair of sennheiser cx300 but I can never turn it all the way up (I even set the limit at 3dB, rather than 5dB). I keep the volume around 1/2 to 3/4 of the way and that's plenty loud... even in noisy environments.
zgomot said:
Yes, I missunderstood, thus my later edit.
And I agree with d-h. I'm only using a pair of sennheiser cx300 but I can never turn it all the way up (I even set the limit at 3dB, rather than 5dB). I keep the volume around 1/2 to 3/4 of the way and that's plenty loud... even in noisy environments.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have voodoo? What music player you use?
And as for headphone amplifier I never used one for other phones I mentioned. While sound quality has nothing to do with volume but without headphone amp, volume tends to be the biggest bottleneck on a smartphone. Since nexus S is hailed as one of the greatest smartphones sound wise I expect it to drive my bose headphones atleast as good as other phones.
This will take care of your sound/volume issues ...
Gambler_3 said:
You have voodoo? What music player you use?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use Google Music.
wmdunn said:
This will take care of your sound/volume issues ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have poweramp 2.0, it can make things really loud but there is slight distortion on anything above the default level. I know my headphones can get ridiculously loud without distorting so it's the hardware limitation on the phone.
Gambler_3 said:
I have poweramp 2.0, it can make things really loud but there is slight distortion on anything above the default level. I know my headphones can get ridiculously loud without distorting so it's the hardware limitation on the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use Volume+ on my head phones all the time, and there is no distortion. If you don't want to try it, that's fine ... I was simply trying to help.
wmdunn said:
I use Volume+ on my head phones all the time, and there is no distortion. If you don't want to try it, that's fine ... I was simply trying to help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have downloaded it will try it for sure but was just saying.
Gambler_3 said:
I have downloaded it will try it for sure but was just saying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hope it works for you ... it has made a huge difference for me in all areas of device volume settings.
I just tried my headphones on an iphone and well it isnt as loud as I remember it was. Whats happened is that I got spoiled by the headphone amp in my PC soundcard and thus perceived the nexus sound to be really weak in comparison. I had not yet used my headphones on a phone since getting a soundcard.
Obviously I cant expect the nexus to beat my PC and it actually compares really well with the iphone 4. I am sorry guys I feel really stupid for making this topic.
hey peeps get ur facts right. loudness doesn't equate to quality. nexus s with voodoo is fine and awesome details better then iPhone. note. MOST HEADPHONES REQUIRE AN AMPLIFIER.
Gambler_3 said:
I just tried my headphones on an iphone and well it isnt as loud as I remember it was. Whats happened is that I got spoiled by the headphone amp in my PC soundcard and thus perceived the nexus sound to be really weak in comparison. I had not yet used my headphones on a phone since getting a soundcard.
Obviously I cant expect the nexus to beat my PC and it actually compares really well with the iphone 4. I am sorry guys I feel really stupid for making this topic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's all good, Bud ...
Why don't you just download voodoo?
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
Yes the speaker volume is rubbish but the Samsung galaxy and Nexus S have the best audio hardware compared to any top phone out at the moment. They rock a really top spec Wolfson audio chip.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Warren_Orange said:
Yes the speaker volume is rubbish but the Samsung galaxy and Nexus S have the best audio hardware compared to any top phone out at the moment. They rock a really top spec Wolfson audio chip.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does the Galaxy Nexus rock the same audio chip?
Sent from my Nexus S
While we are on this topic, I have voodoo installed for the color hack. What settings should I use for music? What do you guys use?
Nevermind, I just found out how to use the volume boost. I'm happy!
zgomot said:
Does the Galaxy Nexus rock the same audio chip?
Sent from my Nexus S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Galaxy Nexus has some Yamaha chip. Not nearly as good as the Wolfson in our NS, so it's not something to be really proud of - it's not shocking though. SGS and Nexus S are the two android phones with the best headphone output to date.
rocket999 said:
While we are on this topic, I have voodoo installed for the color hack. What settings should I use for music? What do you guys use?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All of the settings in voodoo (aside from mono and bass boost) are there to enhance audio quality and processing. Feel free to turn on all features, just leave mono unticked and you can set bass boost to your preferred level of course. This shouldn't use noticeably more power or CPU usage either, if anything at all.
Hi all
Ordered my 32gb, white N5, which should be delivered early next week.
But while anxiously waiting and reading first feedbacks, I had a question that seemed to have not been answered yet.
What about audio jack quality? I don't expect a smartphone to drive a high spec earbud like a professional DAC, but the N4 was a bit disappointing. Muddy bass, irritating highs, it was definitely not enough for my Fidelio S2.
So what to expect from the N5? Does it come with a Wolfson DAC (I don't think so) or with the same DAC the G2 is equipped with? How does it sound?
i would imagine it uses a Qualcomm dac like the N4 before it only perhaps an updated one. i found the N4 to sound alright on my Sure SE535's but bass not as clear / punchy as any wolfson ive had previously.
if you goto the snapdragon S800 page if i recall it does talk about the DAC
Also the S800 now has a Dedicated DSP processor and 4.4 uses direct audio tunneling to the DSP so it will be interesting to see how this will effect the audio quality to.
EDIT: from what i understand tho the Qualcomm DAC's are more analytical in sound they tend to give detail and lack warmth in the sound.
How is the volume? I'm hearing impaired and I was always listening my music on full volume.
I read somewhere that the N5 would be louder. Can someone confirm this for me?
audio is a big one for me as well.
if it isnt a big improvement over the n4 it will be getting sold. Ive been spoiled with my htc one after having the n4.
aimetti said:
audio is a big one for me as well.
if it isnt a big improvement over the n4 it will be getting sold. Ive been spoiled with my htc one after having the n4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, I used to listen my music on my ipod touch 64GB but it broke down. Just recently I started using my N4 as my daily music-"machine" D) and google music all access is great. However, the N4 was just not loud enough for some albums (usually older and quieter stuff) and 16GB weren't much enough.
I hope my new N5 white 32GB will be better as music player... I will find out at the latest on monday..
Just pasting my comment from a discussion on G+, some may find it useful:
From a quick test I believe it sounds better than my good ol' Nexus 4. The sound is a bit more bass-y, though I'm not sure if it's just "coloured", or the fact that Nexus 4's sound is a bit on the "tinny" side (note: I'm not using audiophile-grade gear, just slightly(?)-above-the-average Klipsch S4 in-ears). I'd say the sound is more balanced now. Also, output appears to be higher than on the Nexus 4.
Take the above with a grain of salt, this is a matter of personal preference after all. For proper analysis you should wait for Supercurio or someone with the proper tools + time to do it.
Edit: Before anyone asks about external DACs, just tried to connect my ODAC hoping for some sound to play from my speakers. No luck. Not even with a Y-Cable so I guess we're going to have to rely on custom kernels again.
phunkycow said:
Just pasting my comment from a discussion on G+, some may find it useful:
From a quick test I believe it sounds better than my good ol' Nexus 4. The sound is a bit more bass-y, though I'm not sure if it's just "coloured", or the fact that Nexus 4's sound is a bit on the "tinny" side (note: I'm not using audiophile-grade gear, just slightly(?)-above-the-average Klipsch S4 in-ears). I'd say the sound is more balanced now. Also, output appears to be higher than on the Nexus 4.
Take the above with a grain of salt, this is a matter of personal preference after all. For proper analysis you should wait for Supercurio or someone with the proper tools + time to do it.
Edit: Before anyone asks about external DACs, just tried to connect my ODAC hoping for some sound to play from my speakers. No luck. Not even with a Y-Cable so I guess we're going to have to rely on custom kernels again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!
With higher output, do you mean more volume, louder?
I also have Klipsch S4 (II) and I found it already quite (too?) bassy on my N4
Blocoholi said:
Thanks!
With higher output, do you mean more volume, louder?
I also have Klipsch S4 (II) and I found it already quite (too?) bassy on my N4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got the S4 (I), not sure if there's a difference!
Yep, that's what I meant about the output, sorry for the confusion.
Indeed. I hope the audio is better than the n4. Heck, my i9100 has better audio quality than the n4.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 4
I'm coming from a GNexus and when I plug my phone into the aux jack in my car it sounds absolutely terrible. It's just horribly muffled and muddy compared to virtually anything else I've plugged in.
Anyone know what kind of improvements I can expect? Was the N4 any better than the GNexus? It's pretty embarrassing to want to share a song with friends and after someone unplugs their iphone my phone sounds like garbage.
feedtheducks said:
Indeed. I hope the audio is better than the n4. Heck, my i9100 has better audio quality than the n4.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope nooope no no no no no nopity nope no no no. I'm sorry but having owned both Galaxy S2 and Nexus 4, the Nexus 4 definitely has better music-playing quality through headphones. 100%.
Will receive my Nexus 5 hopefully Monday!
Hopefully the audio quality can compete with a Samsung Galaxy S3 + Boeffla Sound Engine. I´ll really miss this one
Hello everyone. I currently have the Nexus 4 and wanted to know how the audio compares on the Nexus 5 to the Nexus 4. One problem I've had with the Nexus 4 is that audio through wired headphones is too low. I'm a little hard of hearing and the volume through the headphone jack has always been an issue on the N4 for me. When I use the same headphones on a different phone (tried on galaxy s4 and iPhone) the volume is much higher. Can anyone tell me how the volume on the N5 compares. Is it higher than the N4?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
JohnnyDanger said:
Hello everyone. I currently have the Nexus 4 and wanted to know how the audio compares on the Nexus 5 to the Nexus 4. One problem I've had with the Nexus 4 is that audio through wired headphones is too low. I'm a little hard of hearing and the volume through the headphone jack has always been an issue on the N4 for me. When I use the same headphones on a different phone (tried on galaxy s4 and iPhone) the volume is much higher. Can anyone tell me how the volume on the N5 compares. Is it higher than the N4?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What I can tell you is that the volume is still low on the Nexus 5. Not sure how it compares with the nexus fuor, but I am already looking for a portable amplifier.
In an unrelated question, I'd like to know if the Nexus 5 supports higher frequency (96 khz) lossless audio like the LG G2.
Well that's a shame. That is a big factor in me getting it. I use my phone so much for music I really need decent volume.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I dont know what you guys are talking about. I came from the note 3 and htc one and this is actually BETTER than both of them. Maybe not in pure volume, but the clarity is excellent. WAY better than the N4,
aooga said:
I dont know what you guys are talking about. I came from the note 3 and htc one and this is actually BETTER than both of them. Maybe not in pure volume, but the clarity is excellent. WAY better than the N4,
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For me, volume is just as important as clarity. I wish there was somewhere that I could actually test the Nexus 5. No one I know buys Nexus phones, so Im kind of stuck buying them and hoping I like what I get. Everything I read points to me liking it, but the volume is just a big concern.
JohnnyDanger said:
For me, volume is just as important as clarity. I wish there was somewhere that I could actually test the Nexus 5. No one I know buys Nexus phones, so Im kind of stuck buying them and hoping I like what I get. Everything I read points to me liking it, but the volume is just a big concern.
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If volumes important I'd hold off and see what the kernel devs come up with. As it stands with no audio mods I can turn the volume all the way up and keep the headphones in. It's loud enough for me but if your hearing impaired it's another story. Compared to other phones I've owned it's pretty low(for now). Some apps like rocket player pro already have a preamp that you can enable and it helps but until the gain can be adjusted further it might not be enough. More gain = more distortion but it's a trade off I'd be willing to make. With all that said I will tell you as far as music clarity goes out of the box this is a great phone. No EQs enabled and it sounds rad. Turn on the EQ and I'm very happy so far.
The headphone volume on the nexus 5 is a joke. Can you fix it? Of course. But wait, it distorts and adds a ton of hiss. I don't know what Google was thinking when they made it that low. Compared to my iphone 5s, my nexus 5 would be at 100% when my iphone would be at 50%. I promptly sent it back for this very reason
does the 4.4.2 update fix the low sound or not? mine is stock low but if i use one of those volume boost, its pretty good but ofcourse distorts ot 100%loudness, goes with the territory i guess
I'm coming from the Galaxy S3. The volume is lower than other phones I've used but I found it more than adequate for all purposes. I find myself pumping it to 100% when I need to get a bit of beat going in my ears and it is enough. I don't think I can listen to 100% volume with the google music app for longer than 2-3min and I do like loud music.
FWIW, with the S3 i never had it above 75% since it was way too loud.
cobyman7035 said:
does the 4.4.2 update fix the low sound or not? mine is stock low but if i use one of those volume boost, its pretty good but ofcourse distorts ot 100%loudness, goes with the territory i guess
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Nope, I was running 4.4.2 when I sent it back. This is probably hardware related and google can't really fix it. I remember most of the nexus devices being pretty low
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Install Viper4android. It will solve most of your audio problems. I'm very satisfied with the N5 audio now.
marleyfan61 said:
Install Viper4android. It will solve most of your audio problems. I'm very satisfied with the N5 audio now.
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I tried that the first day, it didn't do much. It might for others though
Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk
Droid Army said:
I tried that the first day, it didn't do much. It might for others though
Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk
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Hmm....that's very odd. Which music player are you using? Did you go into the Viper settings and activate it? It's made a huge difference in sound volume and quality for me. Previous to installing it my sweets spot for volume was around 80%. Post installation and set up it's now at about 50-60%. You have to play around with the settings tho. If you google Viper4android settings you will find some very useful profiles.
If you're using the top volume levels with in ears then its no wonder it sounds too quiet for you now. Nothing will bring that hearing range back once its lost, there's a reason for the warning.
Cranking the volume to compensate for loud environments is just about the worst thing you can do to your ears. It doesn't cancel it out it adds it together.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
bblzd said:
If you're using the top volume levels with in ears then its no wonder it sounds too quiet for you now. Nothing will bring that hearing range back once its lost, there's a reason for the warning.
Cranking the volume to compensate for loud environments is just about the worst thing you can do to your ears. It doesn't cancel it out it adds it together.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
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I never use top volumes, I had to on the nexus. On my iPhone I listen around 55-60%. The nexus has terrible volume, it isn't my ears
Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk
Droid Army said:
I never use top volumes, I had to on the nexus. On my iPhone I listen around 55-60%. The nexus has terrible volume, it isn't my ears
Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk
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I am using Viper with JVC HA-FXT90 buds and I can get "stupid" level volume. It is not as loud or good with other earphones. I think the earphones are as much to blame as anything else.
rogem_kk said:
I am using Viper with JVC HA-FXT90 buds and I can get "stupid" level volume. It is not as loud or good with other earphones. I think the earphones are as much to blame as anything else.
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They're klipsh s4's. I've tried others with the same result. I'm sorry, compared to other devices the nexus is soft.
Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk
Droid Army said:
They're klipsh s4's. I've tried others with the same result. I'm sorry, compared to other devices the nexus is soft.
Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk
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You don't have to be sorry. It's already been shown in the Anand review that the N5 has less max volume output then current flagships besides the G2.
However I still think with IEMs the max volume is louder then people should be listening to. Either you're Klipsch model has an unusually high impedance rating, no passive noise cancellation benefits or you're ears have just adjusted to higher volume levels. Just checked and the Klipsch S4 is rated at a fairly low impedance of 18 OHM.
This is going to be subjective of course but with Shure 115 in ears above 75% volume is painful since 4.4.2 These were advertised at the time as passive noise cancellation however and are rated at 16 OHM.
bblzd said:
You don't have to be sorry. It's already been shown in the Anand review that the N5 has less max volume output then current flagships besides the G2.
However I still think with IEMs the max volume is louder then people should be listening to. Either you're Klipsch model has an unusually high impedance rating, no passive noise cancellation benefits or you're ears have just adjusted to higher volume levels. Just checked and the Klipsch S4 is rated at a fairly low impedance of 18 OHM.
This is going to be subjective of course but with Shure 115 in ears above 75% volume is painful since 4.4.2 These were advertised at the time as passive noise cancellation however and are rated at 16 OHM.
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The ones I use are noise isolating which is really nice and one of the reasons I bought them. I do tend to listen to music a bit on the louder side; I like the punch of the bass with my ear buds. I'm guess my ears have adjusted to a little bit higher of a listening area but still a lot of devices sound significantly louder than the nexus 5
Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk
Coming from the HTC one s, I think the headphone quality really sucks on this phone. Bass is not deep enough and the sound is just very "flat".. What do you guys think?
c19932 said:
Coming from the HTC one s, I think the headphone quality really sucks on this phone. Bass is not deep enough and the sound is just very "flat".. What do you guys think?
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i think u should go back to ur htc one s
Im also coming from the HTC One S and i disagree. Not as Loud, but quality sounds just as good to me.
hello00 said:
i think u should go back to ur htc one s
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I knew people would catch feelings over their phones :laugh::laugh:
coming from a lumia, no noticeable difference for me.
c19932 said:
Coming from the HTC one s, I think the headphone quality really sucks on this phone. Bass is not deep enough and the sound is just very "flat".. What do you guys think?
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You came from a phone that had an emphasis on sound quality to a dev friendly phone that's almost bare bones software wise. It should have been obvious.
You maybe had that BS Beats software on the HTC? It's just an equalizer pushing bass and treble... Sound is good to me. Streaming Google play music via Bluetooth in my car right now and it sounds great.
I do admit that the HTC one s had a great sound chip which I believe is confirmed in tests and I did use that phone for several months.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
c19932 said:
Coming from the HTC one s, I think the headphone quality really sucks on this phone. Bass is not deep enough and the sound is just very "flat".. What do you guys think?
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that would normally be a good thing for in-ear headphones. in-ear headphones are ussually extremely bass heavy unless they are very expensive hifi models. but most of us actually like the exhagerated bass, so $50 headsets don't bother us. i tend to like cheaper heasets and haven't gone for etymotics or anything yet because sometimes low-fi brings certain character to the mix, ever try playing a guitar through a PA system? or some reference monitors? ever wonder why people go through such lengths to re-create the past in music? it's not because the tech was better in 1930-1969. well in some ways it actually was compared to low end stuff today, but the flaws were as important to the music as the talent. i don't have my phone yet, so i can't say the headset is good, but because you prefer the htc headset doesn't mean it's better (nor does anything i said mean it's worse). so why not just use the htc headset instead of complaining on the internet? or buy a set you like? dennon has a bullet proof set of in-ear for $35 and they are very ballanced for a cheap set. but if you like extreme bass i liked the sound of my $80 xeers, they were the best for bass heavy blues/rock stuff like the black keys or the white stripes. these were not ballanced at all but in a way that was pleasing to the ear.
edit, just realized it's about the sound output of the phone.... not even sure the nexus comes with a headset since mine is still in shipping..... ya know the beats software can be added to any phone right? i mean i can't confirm it workes at all but people were doing this mod back when the one x and whatever it's predecessor was came out and everyone insisted that by adding some of the libs and an app that it sounded so much better...
JmPTaz09 said:
You maybe had that BS Beats software on the HTC? It's just an equalizer pushing bass and treble... Sound is good to me. Streaming Google play music via Bluetooth in my car right now and it sounds great.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Yeah, must be because of the Beats.
It's because of the Equalizer settings in the One. Install Viper4Android on this phone and set it up and you'll see the clarity and quality is just amazing. Beats products are highly Equalized especially the Laptops and Phones. They're also setup to go under completely flat line Equalizer when disable to make it sound bad without the beats audio. This in turn makes those people who know nothing about audio think beats audio is a god send when in fact it's just a regular equalizer that sounds awesome enabled and worse disabled. If Viper4Android (See forum thread here on xda) doesn't work yet then use an equalizer app from the market and play around with it. You'll enjoy your sound a lot more.
There's something wrong with Google Play Music. It sounds horrible I installed Rocket Player and it sounds superb. Just needs more volume. My S4 still sounds better by a small margin though.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
Dani897 said:
edit, just realized it's about the sound output of the phone.... not even sure the nexus comes with a headset since mine is still in shipping..... ya know the beats software can be added to any phone right? i mean i can't confirm it workes at all but people were doing this mod back when the one x and whatever it's predecessor was came out and everyone insisted that by adding some of the libs and an app that it sounded so much better...
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Nexus doesn't come with headphones. Which is fine with me since I have never used set of headphones packaged with a phone. Software can make a very big difference in sound quality. I usually use PowerAmp. I'm sure that PowerAmp combined with the headphones listed in my sig will be just fine on the N5. Now if they would just ship the damn thing.
Synyster06Gates said:
You came from a phone that had an emphasis on sound quality to a dev friendly phone that's almost bare bones software wise. It should have been obvious.
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No he came from a phone with Beats Audio out of the box.
Complaining about the sound quality of the N5 compared to the One S is like claiming that Sennheiser studio headphones are **** compared to Monster Beats studio headphones.
The N5 has stellar sound quality. What it sounds like without any equalizer presets activated is what your music is SUPPOSED to sound like. Want it to sound like your One S? Choose the bass booster equalizer preset and there you go.
lukas_s said:
No he came from a phone with Beats Audio out of the box.
Complaining about the sound quality of the N5 compared to the One S is like claiming that Sennheiser studio headphones are **** compared to Monster Beats studio headphones.
The N5 has stellar sound quality. What it sounds like without any equalizer presets activated is what your music is SUPPOSED to sound like. Want it to sound like your One S? Choose the bass booster equalizer preset and there you go.
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This ^
Qualcomm DACs while not quite as good as Wolfsons are still great. I haven't had a real chance to listen to audio on my N5, but the audio on my GS4 was excellent.
BamAlmighty said:
Qualcomm DACs while not quite as good as Wolfsons are still great. I haven't had a real chance to listen to audio on my N5, but the audio on my GS4 was excellent.
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coming from htc one, audio is day and night difference, but i know what i'm getting when i bought the nexus 5
joshyth said:
coming from htc one, audio is day and night difference, but i know what i'm getting when i bought the nexus 5
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Install an equalizer and adjust to taste. Like many have said before it's because the HTC one has built in "Beats" Equalizer which changes audio settings and frequencies.
lukas_s said:
What it sounds like without any equalizer presets activated is what your music is SUPPOSED to sound like. .
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This isn't true at all. The sound engineers have no idea what kind of DAC you'll be using, or what kind of speakers/headphones you'll be using. All DAC's have different sound signatures. All headphones/speakers have different sound signatures. They mix it to sound the way they want it based on the equipment they have in the studio. Unless you're using the same equipment then you're never going to hear it the way it was SUPPOSED to sound. Some EQ will almost always be required to approximate the intended sound.
Beats audio does tend to over emphasize the bass. However to say a flat eq is the way it is supposed to sound is not accurate since every device is going to have a different flat sound, as are every different type of headphone. Decent headphones along with decent software and a decent DAC will give sound quality that will satisfy most. I have no reason to believe that the N5 will fall short.
FuMMoD said:
Install an equalizer and adjust to taste. Like many have said before it's because the HTC one has built in "Beats" Equalizer which changes audio settings and frequencies.
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No phone on the market right now can touch the stereo speaker on the One. Also, the One actually have a built in amplifier too.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
marleyfan61 said:
This isn't true at all. The sound engineers have no idea what kind of DAC you'll be using, or what kind of speakers/headphones you'll be using. All DAC's have different sound signatures. All headphones/speakers have different sound signatures. They mix it to sound the way they want it based on the equipment they have in the studio. Unless you're using the same equipment then you're never going to hear it the way it was SUPPOSED to sound. Some EQ will almost always be required to approximate the intended sound.
Beats audio does tend to over emphasize the bass. However to say a flat eq is the way it is supposed to sound is not accurate since every device is going to have a different flat sound, as are every different type of headphone. Decent headphones along with decent software and a decent DAC will give sound quality that will satisfy most. I have no reason to believe that the N5 will fall short.
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No, they mix it the way they want it to sound on various equipment. Checking how it sounds on various devices is part of the mixing and mastering. So no EQ is needed, in fact it will ruin the sound most of the time.