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[Q] Best phone for audio

I own a SGS2 at the moment. I like it. But I don't rate it listening to music through earphones. I am using some Sennheiser CX300s which are not the best but much better than any bundled earphones.
I've been reading about Wolfson DACs and so forth.
So which phones deliver a good loud sound through the earphones? And on the subject which phones have a clear loud speaker/s? Its annoying because the reviews rarely cover these areas. And even the manufacturers don't really bother publishing audio specs. Music is a killer app for me.

It's kind of funny but the SGS2 downgraded to a Yamaha DAC and has sound that isn't quite as good as the original SGS. All the variants including the Nexus S have the Wolfson DAC that is actually pretty good. Used with Voodoo sound, it's a good audio player. I use custom IEMs and enjoy the sound alot. Hope it helps

Come on folks this is an important topic. BTW does anyone know if the LG Optimus 7 has the Wolfson wm8994 headphone amp. And what are the best Nokia phones like for audio.
I have have to move on to the iPhone 5 or a Nokia Windows Phone in a few months. The SGS2 is not a great mp3 player imho.

Fidoz~
I think Iphone offered quite good sound quality + iphone 5 is coming out soon, you might want to check it out. The best way is go buy those $500 earphone for a good sound.
Fidoz~

i own a HTC HD2, sound is pretty good, but i have to say Iphones sound great.

Fidoz1990 said:
I think Iphone offered quite good sound quality + iphone 5 is coming out soon, you might want to check it out. The best way is go buy those $500 earphone for a good sound.
Fidoz~
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The iphone and ipods both have ****ty built in amps. I would only use them with a line out dock to bypass the internal amp, and buy a nicer portable amp.
Sent from my HTC Desire Z

Pretty Disappointed with the Audio side of the SkyRocket

Coming from the Captivate, I was used to the excellent sound quality it provided with it's Wolfson WM8994 DAC processor.
Sadly, I can't say the same for the Skyrocket. The floor noise and the whining from CPU cycles is downright annoying on quieter songs with sensitive IEMs. Audio sounds mushy, more focused to lower end of the spectrum with more bass (and sloppy bass at that), Mid-Bass wasn't any better. Overall, lacks clarity and definition. In general, I've heard better sound come out of cheapy chinese mp3 players.
On the other hand, the Captivate is an EXCELLENT music player (Audiophile quality). I used it with my headphone amp and my Senn HD-600s and it was my primary source.
If you ever get a chance to listen to a Galaxy S device with WM8994 DAC w/ Voodoo enabled. 128x oversampling on a nice pair of cans and then to the Skyrocket, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Samsung, I'm Very disappointed. I know the average consumer doesn't care and wouldn't care but how could you DOWNGRADE??? How could you make a multi-media product and are not able to isolate the (AT THE MINIMUM) interference from the cpu!!! The whines, the clicks, the hissing, is downright ANNOYING and screams CHEAPNESS!
Glad I kept my Captivate, atleast it's serving me well as a source player.

I've noticed the bad sound as well

Been doing some looking around and seems like same issues can be found in the Galaxy S II....pretty much throughout the whole GSII lineup.
More than likely due to the Yamaha chip Samsung decided to go with.

Yeah I noticed that too, it was there with my old Xperia X10 and seems worse with the Skyrocket. Its not much of an issue to me since I listen to bassy music but it gets annoying when I listen to Trance during low bass intervals. All you hear is hisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss ssssss

Only workaround is bluetooth

DSP manager in ics themed roms helps. The Voodoo developer just released voodoo louder for the galaxy s II but the hd and lte versions are not supported. Hopefully he will get around to it since it uses the same yamaha processor as the gsII, just a different processor. Why did Samsung have to make so many changes to the same lineup...
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Personally i dont see supercurio doing anything mod wise for this phone.... i have asked before.
his rebuttle was its not exynos so no go.
plain and simple, maybe if he some how got the device i could see that.

the2rrell said:
Personally i dont see supercurio doing anything mod wise for this phone.... i have asked before.
his rebuttle was its not exynos so no go.
plain and simple, maybe if he some how got the device i could see that.
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He has the T-Mo SGS II, which has the same chip set.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium

I would agree for the most part with the stock mp3 player.
That said I installed poweramp and on my HDJ-500 headphones from pioneer it sounds incredible.
Kills my old HTC Incredible S

Longcat14 said:
He has the T-Mo SGS II, which has the same chip set.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium
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Then hey I'm not against improvement...
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power amp improves the sound and cleared up most of my complain too.
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Yeah. This is where Samsung Galaxy line really sucks at. It is not unbearable for casually listening on the go. I used to consider myself an audiophile. But the difference is that I love my Galaxy S2 over my priority for audio fidelity.
If you really wanted to get lost in your music by sitting in a dark, silent room, and really have nothing between you and your visualization of music, this is absolutely not the device to do it with. The iPhone wasn't the perfect device for this either, but at least the iPhone can seemingly play noise free music, unlike the Galaxys.
It sounds like it is raining outside and a tea kettle has reached boiling point from a far but audible distance.
I think mp3 players in general, including the iPod and iPhone, have made me lose my love for music. Music feels like it lacks soul. It is probably because the soul moving subtle near inaudible parts of music has been filtered out for us by data saving codecs.

Lucidmike said:
Yeah. This is where Samsung Galaxy line really sucks at. It is not unbearable for casually listening on the go. I used to consider myself an audiophile. But the difference is that I love my Galaxy S2 over my priority for audio fidelity.
If you really wanted to get lost in your music by sitting in a dark, silent room, and really have nothing between you and your visualization of music, this is absolutely not the device to do it with. The iPhone wasn't the perfect device for this either, but at least the iPhone can seemingly play noise free music, unlike the Galaxys.
It sounds like it is raining outside and a tea kettle has reached boiling point from a far but audible distance.
I think mp3 players in general, including the iPod and iPhone, have made me lose my love for music. Music feels like it lacks soul. It is probably because the soul moving subtle near inaudible parts of music has been filtered out for us by data saving codecs.
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Haven't heard the original Galaxy S series with Voodoo Sound, have you?
Supercurio (probably the biggest audiophile of all audiophiles) made new sound drivers for the Galaxy S series, that basically make it the best sound chip in the market (Wolfson Microelectronics FTW).
It bests anything, including the iPhone, without a problem.

Headphones, etc make a big difference. I'll be ordering something from headroom, http://www.headphone.com/index.php but, I'm not spending a ridiculous amount of money.

Going with the different players and DSP manager just masks the problem by using eq at the software level. The floor noise and cycle whine is a hardware caused issue, a poorly designed system where the headphones/codec are not shielded well.
It's not just the floor noise and whining. Overall the DAC lacks substance. sounds are muffled, There's no definition in the mid bass. upper spectrum lacks detail etc etc.
You'd never know and hear this unless you hear a GOOD source with a good DAC first.
MiMart, headphones do make a difference, obviously. My senns HD-600s are one of the best out there. But it'll only perform as good as the power/source you provide it.
Sensitives IEMs don't stand a chance on this phone in my opinion. Especially something isolated and sensitive like the Etymotic er6i's.

I'm just looking for something better than craptastic in ear buds the phone came with. Agreed software, and good headphones can only do so much with a so so quality audio.

Longcat14 said:
Haven't heard the original Galaxy S series with Voodoo Sound, have you?
Supercurio (probably the biggest audiophile of all audiophiles) made new sound drivers for the Galaxy S series, that basically make it the best sound chip in the market (Wolfson Microelectronics FTW).
It bests anything, including the iPhone, without a problem.
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You beat me to it! My Captivate with Voodoo Sound was the bomb. When I got the Skyrocket I compared the two and the Captivate killed it. Used it as a WiFi media player for a few weeks and then needed money so I sold it. Wish I kept it!
I've heard no Voodoo coming for the Skyrocket. Thank you Yamaha chip set!

The more I listen with the included ear buds, the more I find the audio is lacking. I've tried multiple music players, with the same song (flac) with different setting for the eq all with the same lack luster results. I want to get better head phones, not sure if it is worth the money to spend a bit of $100 or not.

Beside the inclusion of the LTE, i believe samsung has cheapened out A LOT on this phone. A lot of people are experiencing screen issues with this model (mine included and i returned it for a different one that still has similar problems) The camera while fine in an areas that are well lit, is utterly worthless in the dark. Even my old SE k800i had better optics in the dim settings than this pos. My microUSB cable has even failed.. i mean wtf how does that fail!? it barely charges and when you connect the phone to the computer, neither devices recognizes each other. When I change the cable for my old SE microusb connect everything works fine.
I cannot recommend this phone to anyone. As soon as there are other LTE devices out there im going to book it.

I haven't owned a Galaxy S series phone before the SkyRocket, so I can't compare. I will, however, say that the sound quality out of the SkyRocket is... mediocre at best and pretty bad at worst. That said, if I want ideal sound quality why would I be using a 3.5mm stereo jack? I'll be using digital signals to get it as close to the amp as I can, and that means bypassing all of the parts of this device that are less than stellar.
Bluetooth, in this case, is what we want. A Google search for A2DP enabled bluetooth stereo adapters turns up plenty of options for those that want to go that route.
Sure the SkyRocket could have used better components. But seriously, why complain? For casual listening it is more than enough, and for premium listening I wouldn't touch a 3.5mm stereo jack if you paid me.
ADDITION: You can also give the audio output quality over MHL/HDMI a try. Not sure what pathways that goes through, but it may provide better quality than the stereo-mini jack.

Skullcandy earphones

I'm planning to buy new earphones [not headphones], from some store in mumbai, or via flipkart...so want some recommendations...
Things I'm looking for:
microphone inbuilt, so i can use them for calls (like the stock one)
better sound quality, compared to stock
medium/good length of cord (not too short, so that i can keep the phone in my jeans pocket, and still listen to music comfortably)
good enough build quality, something that can handle day-to-day use (i mean, they shouldnt be too delicate)
i would prefer skullcandy, but people lately have been complimenting senheiser also, so i'm confused...
i can just google for these features, but here's where my problem starts...
i have an apple ipod 3rd gen...and this one doesnt have any buttons on the ipod for music and volume control, the controls are present on the earphones!!
tried searching at a lot of places, but cant find any decent earphones which would work on both my devices...
even searched for "adapters", but most of them dont work with skullcandy earphones, or arent available in india atm (cant import)...
anyhelp with either the earphones, or the ipod adapter, or both, would be appreciated...
budget for earphones = 700-1300 INR (1$=55INR, atm)

I use Sennheiser earphones and am extremely satisfied with them..
{
Things I'm looking for:
better sound quality, compared to stock - Check
medium/good length of cord (not too short, so that i can keep the phone in my jeans pocket, and still listen to music comfortably) - Check
good enough build quality, something that can handle day-to-day use (i mean, they shouldnt be too delicate) - The build quality is decent, i did have to go to service center to get them replaced once..
The only thing they did lack was the mic thing you mentioned..
Its also worth mentioning that their customer service and all is outstanding.
}
Thats my opinion of sennheiser , from what i've heard Skullkandy is still the leader in this field, but you seriously should consider sennheiser.
Also if you're looking for bass, give Beats a try..
For the volume control thing try-
Mx- 580..

For how much did you buy mx 580 for? With all accessories?
You got warranty for how long?
Typed on a small touchscreen

Uh, I have the mx 170 that cost INR 500 not the mx 580 which you can get for INR 1500-1800..
Warranty is for two years.
Sent from my Galaxy Fit @ Creed's Rom 3.0

ITS been 2 weeks now since i got my skullCandy SMOIKIN' BUDS ..... they made a 1400rs hole in my pocket....but the earphones are worth the price.... i would rate it 5stars
awesome bass capability
smooth fitting
way too better than stock.....(guess wat u wont use dsp or any mod for better sound...its natural wid them.....but using dsp gives more life to them ...i use dsp at minimum )
the wire is long...
flat wire so no tangling
close your eyes and get them

Can you give me their model/make number?
Sent from my GT S5670 using xda free, (coz the premium keeps force closing :banghead: )

http://www.skullcandy.com/shop/2011-smokin-buds-black-black-1
I bought des..

I would prefer skullcandy as most of them love listening with it..

I was using senhieser earphones. I got the ibeats earphones, meant for the iphone and they are absolutely brilliant.
Sent from my GT-S5670 using XDA

Hey guys my headset is also wrecked and I'm planning to buy a new one!..I'm getting a new Samsung earphone @ rs.215 on EBay.in, should o go for it ? ..please suggest?.
Here's the link -
http://www.ebay.in/itm/New-White-Sa...?pt=IN_Mobile_Accessories&hash=item2c6672f019

Hey i saw earphones by beats by dre are they good??
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lokeshsaini94 said:
Hey i saw earphones by beats by dre are they good??
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They are the best ones out there!

Giving a small review/update on these...
So I finally bought a pair a few months back, but I am frankly really really disappointed with skullcandy...
I bought a one for around 1199 INR, and it left a lot to be fulfilled...
Utter disappointment, as I expected something way better than the stock earphones, but it was only nice in noise-isolation, and everything else was comparable to the stock samsung earphones that came along...
And the build quality is really delicate, I was very careful with them as dropping them could have broken them...
So disappointing that I sold them off to an acquaintance within 3 weeks...
I did gave skullcandy another chance, since shortly after that, I bought another different pair/model for 699 INR...
And this one is just plain horrible...
Low volume, no clarity at higher volume (as high as it could get), poor bass, no warranty card...all in all, I was worse off than before...
Only thing going for these ones was that they had *comparatively* better build quality, and were cheaper...
Been using this for two months, but unfortunately, one of the earpieces has stopped working...
No warranty, :crying::crying:
My review, skullcandy :thumbdown:
Stay away if you can...
Stick to stock headsets, those aren't the worst pair...

well I feel skullcandy is overhyped to be frank
I always liked our stock headphones , more than the apple ones .
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soham jambhekar said:
well I feel skullcandy is overhyped to be frank
I always liked our stock headphones , more than the apple ones .
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Apple normal earphones were better than the skullcandy in-ear types...
Used it with my iPod shuffle, and without any equalizer, the experience was horrible...
Haven't purchased the Apple new semi-in-ear earphones, anyone has them/tried them?

Headphones that compliment HTC One S

Anyone have any information on the sound chip that's inside of our HTC One S?
I'd like to buy a pair of headphones that compliment the audio features of my phone. Preferably "ear buds" "behind the neck" or "clip-on" models.

Mm apparently htc says beats headphones, I got some sounds good but cheap headphones (stock iPhone) sound good
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

I wouldnt want to waste money on a pair of headphones that the phone cannot drive to its full potential. So pretty much just looking for a pair thats an even match against with the phone can put out. Knowaddumsayin?

I don't think anyone can answer that without knowing your price range. For in ear, I'm partial to Etymotics.

Personally, I don't think the htc one s can make magic happen out of anything over $100 lol. So probably between 60-100.

The Beats technology inside is primarily tuned for the urBeats and Solo (not HD) (you select them in the sound enhancer menu), if it's what you are talking about.
But to be honest, I don't think you need "beats" headphones to get the "Beats improvements". I would say that any pair of headphones that can deliver high power and bass can do it.
I wouldnt want to waste money on a pair of headphones that the phone cannot drive to its full potential.
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Well, I know that Beats headphones will work great on the phone but you will still waste money on them xD
(You may wait and get them for nearly half (if not more) the price at the Boxing Day...........)

Sennheisers
Sent from my HTC One S using xda premium

The beats headphones are good, but not worth the price tag. All they are, are fancy headphones which look cool, inside, they have the same parts as your basic headphones,
Beats Audio is just a preset EQ..
However, I like beats and i got beats headphones free with the phone.. but i most certainly wouldnt pay for them, The stock headphones work just as well.

I recommend Me electronics headphones, fantastic for the price and awesome customer service.they have many styles and qualities and get very good reviews depending on the headphone. Go to headfi for reviews based on price range.

Yea I pretty much agree with anyone here I use basic in ear skull candy headphones I got last black Friday for 10 bucks and they sound the same as when I plug in my cousins beats which he paid 79.99 for
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using XDA

I have a pair of Sony in ear headphones. Found them at Bestbuy for 40 USD. They have real rich sound and work great with the Beats Audio plugin. They also have an in-line microphone and play/pause forward/back answer/hangup buttons that all work on our device. I will try to find a link if you are still interested.
Keep in mind these have a real good quality if you want something kind of budget, they can definitely compare to my friends in ear Bose at 99 USD.
You can also get the best sound ever by using a 3rd party music app called PowerAMP. This gives you a crazy amount of control of EQ, bass, treble, stereo x and much more. As an audiophile I cannot live without it

Not sure where you live but the bestbuy where I live has headphones on display and you can pop the jack into your phone and test drive for yourself. I found some Sony studio style headphones for 149 that sounded better than the 299 ones. Plus some skull candy's for 129 that sounded even better. I know your price range, just saying price isn't all its cracked up to be when it comes to headphones. Plus if you know any audiophiles or DJs they will tell you beats headphones aren't worth any price they sell them for.
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using xda premium

I have a set of Sennheiser PX100s. Luckily I got them a few years ago when they were cheap; looks like they've since been discontinued and have gone up in price. But I like them. I can't stand earbuds, I've never found a single set that stays in my ears. The PX100s are headband-style and they fold up flat. And they have good sound.
Also heard good things about Koss PortaPros, another under $50 portable headband set. Despite being over the head style, both these sets are small and compact so they won't make you look TOO weird if you're wearing them in public, although they might mess your hair up a bit if you're not careful.

Closed Source Project said:
I have a pair of Sony in ear headphones. Found them at Bestbuy for 40 USD. They have real rich sound and work great with the Beats Audio plugin. They also have an in-line microphone and play/pause forward/back answer/hangup buttons that all work on our device. I will try to find a link if you are still interested.
Keep in mind these have a real good quality if you want something kind of budget, they can definitely compare to my friends in ear Bose at 99 USD.
You can also get the best sound ever by using a 3rd party music app called PowerAMP. This gives you a crazy amount of control of EQ, bass, treble, stereo x and much more. As an audiophile I cannot live without it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would like a link
Sent from my HTC One S using xda premium

doktortaru said:
I would like a link
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Click to collapse
or at least some part number.

I am using the headphones that came with my Samsung Vibrant, but the button on them doesn't control the phone like it did on my Vibrant. I am looking for a set with a button that will pause my music and also click to answer/hangup calls.

I just have a pair of $13 headphones, which come with foam tips and sounds pretty good.
http://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-Bet...UTF8&qid=1340056223&sr=8-1&keywords=brainwavz

Second vote for Etymotic!

I have found anything from monoprice.com to be amazing...their $2 iphone knockoffs sound better than any buds I've gotten with any phone and their $5 in-ears are even better. There are devoted communities of hackers who use their bass boost models as project phones and many audiophiles rate their over the ear models higher than phones costing 5 times more.

I know you guys are talking in the ear--
But, I have a pair of Plantronics Pulsar 590E over the ear Bluetooth headphones that have good range and nice bass.
I don't know how beats works, but no change in sound quality with it on or off--

Klipsch S4A II sound on N4 vs. iPod Nano 6g

So, I have been listening to various tracks with my new S4s on both my iPod and my N4 (320kbit files, and yes the earphones are burned in) and even with faux sound, the iPod audio is far better. Besides the louder volume level, it's just so much more clear and defined. I am not exactly an audiophile, but I know what good audio sounds like. Also, I am no where near an Apple fan boy, only got this because I wanted something to take the storage space for music off of my phone. Have any of you had better results with your phones or should I stuck to the iPod? Also for anyone who's interested I've been listening to The Naked and Famous and the Beastie Boys as of recent.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Should of went with the x10's. I have the s4's also and there is a huge clarity difference. Not that the s4's are bad, don't take me the wrong way. Either way the nexus 4 sound is pretty awesome

davwman said:
Should of went with the x10's. I have the s4's also and there is a huge clarity difference. Not that the s4's are bad, don't take me the wrong way. Either way the nexus 4 sound is pretty awesome
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It's good quality no doubt, but I guess since the DAC may not be as good the quality is not as high. Stupid apple, this is the only apple product I like. I would have gotten the X10s, but I got my S4A IIs for 45$ new so it was a steal.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

cyanogendroid said:
It's good quality no doubt, but I guess since the DAC may not be as good the quality is not as high. Stupid apple, this is the only apple product I like. I would have gotten the X10s, but I got my S4A IIs for 45$ new so it was a steal.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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Compared to Galaxy S and DAC mode of FiiO E7, the Nexus 4 is definitely lacking when it comes to audio quality. I stopped listening to music on my Nexus 4. Being fairly busy, this means I've pretty much stopped listening to music. If I hadn't lost my Sansa Clip, I would be carrying sound both my phone and that small MP3 player.
Klipsch X10 and HiFiMan RE0 are my main IEMs. In the market for high quality buds, or Yuin PK3 repair.

cyanogendroid said:
It's good quality no doubt, but I guess since the DAC may not be as good the quality is not as high. Stupid apple, this is the only apple product I like. I would have gotten the X10s, but I got my S4A IIs for 45$ new so it was a steal.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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X10's for $80 on amazon. S4's for 45 also on amazon. Can't go wrong. Just wish they had an inline mic. Any way. The sound difference between apple and the nexus, for me is neglible.

davwman said:
X10's for $80 on amazon. S4's for 45 also on amazon. Can't go wrong. Just wish they had an inline mic. Any way. The sound difference between apple and the nexus, for me is neglible.
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Agree here as well. As long as the quality is there, I can mess with the EQ here and there on Poweramp to make my ears happy. I am using the V-Moda M100's so I am already quite happy lol.

Its unfair to compare the 2. With that said, the n4 sounds really good compared to my previous android phones. Android phones are gaining ground, slowly but surely. There will be a company that will take on the challenge of making an android phone with hardware and software dedicated to playing music without trying to capitalize on gimmicks (HTC beats, what a joke). Its just a matter of time, at least thats what I hope
I have contemplated buying an iPod to free up my phone but I don't think it works for me because I am forgetful. I rely on my phone for music, I absolutely hate to be without music which has kept my phone safe and on my persons lol. If I had an iPod I fear I would forget my phone more than I already do.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

3dupunk said:
Its unfair to compare the 2. With that said, the n4 sounds really good compared to my previous android phones. Android phones are gaining ground, slowly but surely. There will be a company that will take on the challenge of making an android phone with hardware and software dedicated to playing music without trying to capitalize on gimmicks (HTC beats, what a joke). Its just a matter of time, at least thats what I hope
I have contemplated buying an iPod to free up my phone but I don't think it works for me because I am forgetful. I rely on my phone for music, I absolutely hate to be without music which has kept my phone safe and on my persons lol. If I had an iPod I fear I would forget my phone more than I already do.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
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I've almost lost the iPod a few times already, but I don't even let my nexus leave my sight lol. I guard this thing with probably as much energy as one would guard a suitcase full of money.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium