Earphone sound output/quality discussion - One (M8) General

So there's a lot of discussion going around about the device, minus the sound output. Can the users (if there are any audiophiles out there) please share your reviews about the music quality output from the device. This is purely with earphones plugged in and not the boomsound speakers. How is the bass, treble, mids, highs, etc. How is the earphones quality that is provided with the m8.
The z2 seems to be getting mixed reviews, hence i am eager to know about the m8. I know gsmarena has posted a review but i wanted more inputs from actual users. Will appreciate any inputs.Thanks.

The M8 reviews all say good things about the headphone output. Personally I think it's fantastic, highs, lows and mids are all very clear and well balanced. The M8 drives a lot higher voltage output compared to the M7 too, I read someone who measured it.

kartoonz said:
So there's a lot of discussion going around about the device, minus the sound output. Can the users (if there are any audiophiles out there) please share your reviews about the music quality output from the device. This is purely with earphones plugged in and not the boomsound speakers. How is the bass, treble, mids, highs, etc. How is the earphones quality that is provided with the m8.
The z2 seems to be getting mixed reviews, hence i am eager to know about the m8. I know gsmarena has posted a review but i wanted more inputs from actual users. Will appreciate any inputs.Thanks.
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the_scotsman said:
The M8 reviews all say good things about the headphone output. Personally I think it's fantastic, highs, lows and mids are all very clear and well balanced. The M8 drives a lot higher voltage output compared to the M7 too, I read someone who measured it.
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I can confirm that the output quality is amazing. Partly due to there being a 2.5v amplifier next to the headphone jack, is this correct regarding the amplifier?
i don't miss beats much as the m8 has sound just like it and due to hardware not an equalizer

Yea the m8 has an amplifier for both headphone jack and loud speakers
And yes this phone has the best stock audio quality I ever had with an phone...
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One-M8-Master said:
Yea the m8 has an amplifier for both headphone jack and loud speakers
And yes this phone has the best stock audio quality I ever had with an phone...
Gesendet von meinem HTC One_M8 mit Tapatalk
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and yes i damn well think i agree with you on that one!!
ot, didnt u used to be one-x-master? how do you change your name???

exocetdj said:
and yes i damn well think i agree with you on that one!!
ot, didnt u used to be one-x-master? how do you change your name???
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Haha yea my name was one-x-master before I just asked a moderator if I can change the name he said yes I said which name and he gave that name to the admins of xda and because I don't have the one x anymore the name was a bit strange then xD
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One-M8-Master said:
Haha yea my name was one-x-master before I just asked a moderator if I can change the name he said yes I said which name and he gave that name to the admins of xda and because I don't have the one x anymore the name was a bit strange then xD
Gesendet von meinem HTC One_M8 mit Tapatalk
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cool, thanks mate

thank you all for sharing your views... so then m8 has the best sound output as of now, period... sounds great to me and +1 another reason to upgrade...
BTW are you guys using the stock earphones or other brands?

kartoonz said:
thank you all for sharing your views... so then m8 has the best sound output as of now, period... sounds great to me and +1 another reason to upgrade...
BTW are you guys using the stock earphones or other brands?
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I, too, can confirm that the sound output quality on headphones and speaker are phenomenal on this device - even without any sound mods flashed.
Tested the HTC in ear buds and as well as a sennheiser headset and a pair of pro Beyerdynamic headphones. All sounded absolutely clear and nice, even on Google Play Music All Access streaming.
So far, I am VERY pleased with audio quality on this baby.

i purchased and use regularly a set of jaybirds bluebuds (wirless stereo ear bud type headset) when at work. i havent used these since getting my htc m8 (used them with my htc one x) only just paired them. reading this thread i decided to try the included wired headset that are usually rubbish. long story short, they are incredible. i can honestly say that they sound like im in my lounge room listening to my harmon kardon amp and denon dvd player with the bass of my 15 inch sub. they sound that good. just a shame about the wire.

wow so many good reviews... htc seemed to have nailed the sound department with this phone...

Perfect speakers, useing earphones is very good the loudest output I've heard.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Does anyone have a slight hissing sound when playing music on low I can hear it. Or after music is done playing its there.
Also, if I'm playing music and I turn the volume off I can hear hissing through the loud speakers
I have a small dead pixel, and I didn't want to return it just for that.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

Would there be a need for vIPER4Android with this phone? Is it even compatible?
Sent from my Markox/Gustavo_s powered KitKatted S2

I use a Pair of Logitech ue900 (399bucks on Logitech), with Quad Drivers (and those are pretty sensible on bad outputs, or too high output impedance).
I hear absolutely nothing which lets me wich for a better quality. You will probably have to buy in-ears/headphones for around 700-1500 bucks so you might complain.
I read on head-fi.org, that viper4android is just an Equalizer which mostly raises the amount of bass (NOT the quality of bass), and most people think "more bass = better soundquality". So tonality gets changed. A bit like when you activate "Boomsound" on the settings with headphones plugged in. This raises bass, treble, and the volume level, and in direct comparison (mostly with bad/cheap headphones) it might sound better.
But its not, the soundquality gets worse with that.
I personally use this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=39672554
But i cant tell you, if it really improves the audio quality. I only tried a half song with my ue 900, and i didnt really heared a difference. Maybe because the difference is too small, or that you HAVE to have a 2nd device to compare both at the same time, to hear any difference.
i also didnt heared any hiss or any distortions.
But i think.... Alot people are not turning "BoomSound" OFF, so the Treble is way too much, and this can be that hiss, people are complaining about.

Thread name changed
Since I think this thread really belongs here in General, I changed the thread title to a statement instead of a question. Please continue and act like I wasn't here.

xxquicksh0txx said:
Does anyone have a slight hissing sound when playing music on low I can hear it. Or after music is done playing its there.
Also, if I'm playing music and I turn the volume off I can hear hissing through the loud speakers
I have a small dead pixel, and I didn't want to return it just for that.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
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was this problem also not present on the m7? thats a bit of concern if its so on the m8... have you tried another pair of earphones?
Darkseth said:
I use a Pair of Logitech ue900 (399bucks on Logitech), with Quad Drivers (and those are pretty sensible on bad outputs, or too high output impedance).
I hear absolutely nothing which lets me wich for a better quality. You will probably have to buy in-ears/headphones for around 700-1500 bucks so you might complain.
I read on head-fi.org, that viper4android is just an Equalizer which mostly raises the amount of bass (NOT the quality of bass), and most people think "more bass = better soundquality". So tonality gets changed. A bit like when you activate "Boomsound" on the settings with headphones plugged in. This raises bass, treble, and the volume level, and in direct comparison (mostly with bad/cheap headphones) it might sound better.
But its not, the soundquality gets worse with that.
I personally use this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=39672554
But i cant tell you, if it really improves the audio quality. I only tried a half song with my ue 900, and i didnt really heared a difference. Maybe because the difference is too small, or that you HAVE to have a 2nd device to compare both at the same time, to hear any difference.
i also didnt heared any hiss or any distortions.
But i think.... Alot people are not turning "BoomSound" OFF, so the Treble is way too much, and this can be that hiss, people are complaining about.
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+1 its similar to the beats on the one x... it just increases the loudness... of course the bass itself is not that bad but are you saying that boomsound is amplifying the sound similar to beats??

I only had "Beats Audio" via Mod on my desire HD like almost 2 years ago. So i cannot give you an exact comparison. But yes, it should be pretty similar.
At least, on my headphones (Beyerdynamic T90 / UE 900) with boomsound activated, it was un-listenable, because of TOO heavy treble (due to boomsound). Without the treble changes on that setting, it might even be nice, to make the sound on neutral headphoens more fun when needed.

I haven't tried the earphones that come with the device ('cause I already had a pair I use and I've never used a pair of packed-in earphones in the past), but the audio quality through my Sony earphones are fantastic. I switched BoomSound on and off and it does make it noticeably better if you're comparing them "side-by-side" like that, and despite what others say, I didn't notice it raising bass all that much. It felt like the audio got a bit less tinny and...hollow, and sounded like it was more surrounding my head, instead of sounding like it was coming from the sides and slightly farther away. A very...untechnical explanation, but that's the way I heard it.
Some extra tinkering in PowerAmp and having moved from an iPhone 5 to this baby, the pure giddy bliss I dive into every time I listen to music with this device is unimaginable.
Earphone sound quality-wise, you can't get much better than this.

Fraught said:
I haven't tried the earphones that come with the device ('cause I already had a pair I use and I've never used a pair of packed-in earphones in the past), but the audio quality through my Sony earphones are fantastic. I switched BoomSound on and off and it does make it noticeably better if you're comparing them "side-by-side" like that, and despite what others say, I didn't notice it raising bass all that much. It felt like the audio got a bit less tinny and...hollow, and sounded like it was more surrounding my head, instead of sounding like it was coming from the sides and slightly farther away. A very...untechnical explanation, but that's the way I heard it.
Some extra tinkering in PowerAmp and having moved from an iPhone 5 to this baby, the pure giddy bliss I dive into every time I listen to music with this device is unimaginable.
Earphone sound quality-wise, you can't get much better than this.
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The "Surrounding more around my head," is the sound stage. So a better sound stage is a good thing.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

Related

Am I the only one who thinks the supplied earphones of our notes sound really good?

Try putting them in in such a position that your ear is completely filled by the silicone, but not so much that it flattens out in your ear.
The bass, miss, and highs sound really good!
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA
They are decent, but you can't call them good. Try other headfones side by side and you would know the difference.
Sent from my GT-N7000
I agree, in fact I even use them with my iPod Nano, it's better than Apple's earbuds
But being spoiled by my Sennheiser hi-end headphones on my desktop, it's really hard to come to a decisive choice, so after reading some reviews I decided to order a Klipsch Reference S4i for using with the Note and iPod too.
I am also spoiled by Bose MIE2i. Can't do stock headsets after these
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Frequent traveler. need my denon ah noise cancelling headphones at all times.
smelme said:
Try putting them in in such a position that your ear is completely filled by the silicone, but not so much that it flattens out in your ear.
The bass, miss, and highs sound really good!
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA
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+1, I am happy with quality of music too.
raulfragoso said:
I agree, in fact I even use them with my iPod Nano, it's better than Apple's earbuds
But being spoiled by my Sennheiser hi-end headphones on my desktop, it's really hard to come to a decisive choice, so after reading some reviews I decided to order a Klipsch Reference S4i for using with the Note and iPod too.
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Sennheiser headphones > all
good choice and nice to see someone buying decent headphones instead of a stupid name.. *cough beats cough*
but on topic, the supplied headphones from samsung are pretty decent for stock headphones with a phone, i still rock the ones that came with my i9100
I get really confused when I hear people saying how flat they are also...
I did hear much improvement in overall sound quality when moving from stock player to poweramp, but the headphones themselves I think are impressive for an included set. I actually found that I needed different size buds in each ear to get a good fit.
Really glad it's not just me Have tried some in ear sennheisers which are very good headphones, but the difference is very slight.
Would also second that they beat apples included set hands down!
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Yes, they are the best 'free' headphones I've ever had supplied with any of my devices - comfortable, perfectly acceptable sound, and the in-line controls are handy too.
Listening to MP3s on a train is never going to be a hi-fi experience so I will probably bother upgrading.
I would have to agree with the OP. For what they are ("free" included earphones) they are some of the best. That said, they really can't compare to some of the other offerings out there.
P.S. It's not very difficult to beat the sound quality of Apple's included earphones. They suck really bad...
They sounded alright for kit headphones, but mine broke after 3.5 months. The right bud cut out last week, then the left one followed a few days later.
Yes, I definitely was surprised at how they sounded. Very good for bundled. I have a great set of open ear headphones for critical listening but people tend to exagerrate how much more of a benefit these audiophile solutions provide. The stock buds from the note get you easily 90% of the way there. Very good by Samsung.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
Personally I think they sound terriblly tinny and hollow compared to my own iems (vsonic r06) but I never expect much of bundled earphones so I wasn't disappointed.
i find them very good.
im using powerAMP as MP3 Player & EQ and i get really nice sound out of them.
i also have bose in-ears. but they dont have so much base..

PSA Turn Beats off

Ask any audiophile, onboard digital processing done ruins your sound.
turning beats off improves clarity, and volume.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7j06aYYkzdQ#t=236s
bob13bob said:
Ask any audiophile, onboard digital processing done ruins your sound.
turning beats off improves clarity, and volume.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7j06aYYkzdQ#t=236s
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I've got to disagree.
When I have beats on, not all the songs sound quieter, only some.
With regards to clarity, i feel that with Beats audio, everything is more compressed. Without Beats enabled, i feel like the music is playing in a large auditorium and the sound is slightly messy.
But at that, I'm going to say I'm not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, and my above applies to speakers (haven't tested headphones yet).
So with speakers, I'd definitely rather keep beats enabled.
Lemme find my S4i's and ill get back to you on headphone quality
*edit*
Interestingly enough, I've gone through snippets of 10 or so songs and beats enabled was louder in every instance!
Clarity was similar, but i prefer the sound from the Beats enabled option.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
bob13bob said:
Ask any audiophile, onboard digital processing done ruins your sound.
turning beats off improves clarity, and volume.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7j06aYYkzdQ#t=236s
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As WolfDale7 said, the volume actually being lower is not all that common. That guy in the YouTube video cherry picked a highly mechanized trance song to prove his point. But I'd say for about 75% of songs, Beats does make it louder.
I do agree with you about the clarity, but your statement is only true if you've got good speakers/headphones/earphones that don't require equalization to sound good. I own a pair of Ultimate Ear TripleFi 10 and I keep Beats off to preserve the original natural sound of the recording without added bass/treble, because these are high quality earphones that don't require equalization, particularly at higher volumes. If I enable Beats at higher volumes, the treble is too harsh and the middle-bass is too overpowering.
However, that being said, there are plenty of cheaper/lesser quality headphones/earphones that DO sound better with Beats enabled, because it partially makes up for their shortcomings. Cheaper earphones whose high frequencies roll off too soon sound a bit dull, and Beats does help in those situations. Earphones that can't produce low frequencies very well (below 80 hz) do sound better to a lot of people if you accentuate the middle-bass range of 100-150 Hz or so. Plus, some people do prefer the extra "punch" that Beats offers, especially in low bass recordings (such as a lot of stuff from the 80's).
henrybravo said:
I do agree with you, but your statement is only true if you've got good speakers/headphones/earphones that don't require equalization to sound good. I own a pair of Ultimate Ear TripleFi 10 and I keep Beats off to preserve the original natural sound of the recording without added bass/treble, because these are high quality earphones that don't require equalization, particularly at higher volumes. If I enable Beats at higher volumes, the treble is too harsh and the middle-bass is too overpowering.
However, that being said, there are plenty of cheaper/lesser quality headphones/earphones that DO sound better with Beats enabled, because it partially makes up for their shortcomings. Cheaper earphones whose high frequencies roll off too soon sound a bit dull, and Beats does help in those situations. Earphones that can't produce low frequencies very well (below 80 hz) do sound better to a lot of people if you accentuate the middle-bass range of 100-150 Hz or so. Plus, some people do prefer to extra "punch" that Beats offers, especially in low bass recordings (such as a lot of stuff from the 80's).
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psa 2. you bought a $600 phone. go to head-fi and get one of the value budget audiophile quality headphones under $50. (I like the chinese brands). It is the defacto the best bang/buck audio improvement quality you can get by a huge margin.
When you turn processing on, you can help mask poor quality headphones... but it will also reduce clarity
henrybravo said:
However, that being said, there are plenty of cheaper/lesser quality headphones/earphones that DO sound better with Beats enabled, because it partially makes up for their shortcomings. Cheaper earphones whose high frequencies roll off too soon sound a bit dull, and Beats does help in those situations. Earphones that can't produce low frequencies very well (below 80 hz) do sound better to a lot of people if you accentuate the middle-bass range of 100-150 Hz or so. Plus, some people do prefer to extra "punch" that Beats offers, especially in low bass recordings (such as a lot of stuff from the 80's).
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If i might add something. I'm using the Klipsch S4i set of earphones. The S4i's are capable of a frequency response of 10Hz to 19kHz. Maybe it's the lower quality files I have, but I'm sure the S4i's can handle the <80hz range just fine.
As mentioned above, I personally prefer listening to music with Beats enabled, with and without earphones.
I must say that with Beats enabled, almost everything sounds better. And this is coming from a guy who despises beats headphones.
But i dont know much about music production... So my views shouldn't really be taken too seriously .
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
bob13bob said:
psa 2. you bought a $600 phone. go to head-fi and get one of the value budget audiophile quality headphones under $50. (I like the chinese brands). It is the defacto the best bang/buck audio improvement quality you can get by a huge margin.
When you turn processing on, you can help cover the poor quality headphones... but it will also reduce quality.
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Your last statement is an oxymoron - it will cover the poor quality of headphones but will also reduce quality? If the overall net effect is a general improvement in sound to the user, then Beats has done its job.
WolfDale7 said:
If i might add something. I'm using the Klipsch S4i set of earphones. The S4i's are capable of a frequency response of 10Hz to 19kHz. Maybe it's the lower quality files I have, but I'm sure the S4i's can handle the <80hz range just fine.
As mentioned above, I personally prefer listening to music with Beats enabled, with and without earphones.
I must say that with Beats enabled, almost everything sounds better. And this is coming from a guy who despises beats headphones.
But i dont know much about music production... So my views shouldn't really be taken too seriously .
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
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s4i are known for poor bass and low end response. I had them, they are not good for music with bass. they are pretty old and I dont' see the recommended much these days in head-fi.
i think a lot will disagree, the quality especially for the stereo speakers is greatly improved with beats
henrybravo said:
Your last statement is an oxymoron - it will cover the poor quality of headphones but will also reduce quality? If the overall net effect is a general improvement in sound to the user, then Beats has done its job.
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you are right, i meant to say clarity. I edited my statement to be more clear.
I don't pretend to understand the argument in depth just know that the majority of times audio sounds better with beats on to me.
But I use my old s3 headphones at the minute, prefer them to my boxed HTC ones.
So maybe a better quality pair would make all the difference.
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
I have a pair of Klipsch X10 so I got all you s4 guys beat But really they sounds horrible with beats enabled. I can hear all kinds of distortion in the bass and highs it's very fatiguing and hurts the ears at anything but low volume. This is what I expected and have always experienced with "Beats" audio. But if you look at the quality of audio gear with the Beats logo it makes perfect sense!!!
nullkill said:
I have a pair of Klipsch X10 so I got all you s4 guys beat But really they sounds horrible with beats enabled. I can hear all kinds of distortion in the bass and highs it's very fatiguing and hurts the ears at anything but low volume. This is what I expected and have always experienced with "Beats" audio. But if you look at the quality of audio gear with the Beats logo it makes perfect sense!!!
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Nice the x10s sure are a great pair! Now here's another thing. The x10s are more accurate than my s4i's... That pretty much means that the flaws in compressed mp3 files are probably more prominent with the x10s. Maybe enabling beats amplifies them even further!
The s4i's does a better job of covering up any distortion or sound flaws than the x10s..
So yea, maybe that explains something. You get more clean audio, but if the file is average, amplifying it may make it worse..
Try a flac or wav on your phone. Maybe with Beats they'll sound alright
But none of what I said above applies if you have ready tried less compressed formats like Wav and Flac
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
On my phone, I use Apple earpods (those weird looking things); they work great for casual listening.
If I wanted to seriously enjoy my music, I'm not using my phone. I'm using a proper line out source, amp, and proper cans.
most of the quality comes from the headphones. so worth getting a good pair.
this thread is a great thread for reviewed headphones in several price categories.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/478568/mul...ed-audio-technica-ckm500-added-05-01-13-p-678
Problem is there aren't too many good sets that come with volume buttons, although that can be counter measured with headset droid (3 button presses for volume up, 4 button presses for volume down). Still not sure what set to get out of the phonak audeo's, meelec's a161p or the x10's which I hear have very suspect build quality
Galactus said:
Problem is there aren't too many good sets that come with volume buttons, although that can be counter measured with headset droid (3 button presses for volume up, 4 button presses for volume down). Still not sure what set to get out of the phonak audeo's, meelec's a161p or the x10's which I hear have very suspect build quality
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Off topic, but I just need to mention something:
I have the S4i's and multi click isn't working with the default music app. I have yet to test other apps like poweramp, But I think it's all the same. I think HTC devices need a bypass that require root or something...
I can pause and play, and the mic works wonderfully, but I can't skip forward twice (I do it once, then when I want to skip again, it just pauses. I have to hit play and do it again..) Same with reverse, and 4 clicks just doesn't work
Might be a faulty pair of headphones.. I'm using HeadsetDroid and the same can be said about my previous defected HTC One Unit
Why do people always bring this into play
If you hate beats, then turn it off..
If you think it actually does something then keep it on.
Everyone has different hearing..
If having beats is a deal breaker for you then why you bought the phone.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
When I stream spotify via Bluetooth to my car stereo I have to turn beats off or else it sounds crappy, almost tinny. The higher the quality of music the worse it gets.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
Beats is just an eq. Not very good either. Pumps up low frequencies too much. Not even close to what the source is supposed to sound like.
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
I am also inclined to agree that Beats is just an Equalizer for Loudness. I'm using HD-25 II's and kept flicking Beats On/Off and all I could really notice was just an increase in volume.
Thankfully, I'm not missing anything with it turned off (I turned it off along with many features to preserve battery life because even though I don't know for sure, at least it's not necessary for me).
c5satellite2 said:
Beats is just an eq. Not very good either. Pumps up low frequencies too much. Not even close to what the source is supposed to sound like.
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
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[Q] How is the headphones audio quality!?

Hello, I'm trying to decide between HTC One and LG G2, headphone audio quality is the factor what I take into consideration in my final decision, what is your experience with the headphone audio of LG G2?... what about of voice call quality?... does it have the problem about low volume?
Thanks!
citytrader said:
Hello, I'm trying to decide between HTC One and LG G2, headphone audio quality is the factor what I take into consideration in my final decision, what is your experience with the headphone audio of LG G2?... what about of voice call quality?... does it have the problem about low volume?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Still not own yet, but
head-fi
meld said:
Still not own yet, but
head-fi
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Seems the audio is low...
What low? Volume?
Sent from my LG-E988 using xda app-developers app
meld said:
What low? Volume?
Sent from my LG-E988 using xda app-developers app
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Yes the volume...
citytrader said:
Hello, I'm trying to decide between HTC One and LG G2, headphone audio quality is the factor what I take into consideration in my final decision, what is your experience with the headphone audio of LG G2?... what about of voice call quality?... does it have the problem about low volume?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Audio quality on the g2 is of a warm v-shaped curve. I dont know if there is eq on the phone already but the bass id definitely more full sounding than the s3 (i know you're talking about the one). Treble is brighter than the s3.
Voice quality is very good. Volume for me is ok. Just like the s3. I have very good hearing, so there might be a little bias.
Darkestred said:
Audio quality on the g2 is of a warm v-shaped curve. I dont know if there is eq on the phone already but the bass id definitely more full sounding than the s3 (i know you're talking about the one). Treble is brighter than the s3.
Voice quality is very good. Volume for me is ok. Just like the s3. I have very good hearing, so there might be a little bias.
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I currently have the Galaxy S2 and for phone calls the volume is really low, playing music it's ok (much louder), the problem with all Samsung phones are you cannot find a compatible headphone and the one that comes with the phone is the worst quality I ever seen, so I wont buy anymore Samsung.
I use my phone to hear music when I do sports, for that is very important for me the quality of the sound of the headphones, and of course the loudness of the voice when it is on call.
citytrader said:
I currently have the Galaxy S2 and for phone calls the volume is really low, playing music it's ok (much louder), the problem with all Samsung phones are you cannot find a compatible headphone and the one that comes with the phone is the worst quality I ever seen, so I wont buy anymore Samsung.
I use my phone to hear music when I do sports, for that is very important for me the quality of the sound of the headphones, and of course the loudness of the voice when it is on call.
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don't forget it all depends on the headphone's you get. Bass heavy, neutral, warm and so on. I would never use stock headphones. Get something from vsonic, brainwavs, headroom, beyer blah blah blah.
OMG, I just tried listening to some Lindsey Stirling with a good pair of earphones (Klipsch). It sounds REALLY good. Good bass and the strings of the violin just pops. (Music is trance with violin) Volume is good, I had it at 60% and it's plenty loud.
Darkestred said:
don't forget it all depends on the headphone's you get. Bass heavy, neutral, warm and so on. I would never use stock headphones. Get something from vsonic, brainwavs, headroom, beyer blah blah blah.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is the problem with Samsung, at least here in Mexico is very difficult to find a good headphone that works with my phone, I dont know if its the high impedance the S2 has or I dont know, this is a general problem of Galaxy series.
For the other side, in the S2 the volumen of mp3 is excelent, but the volume when you are in a call is terrible, in a very loud ambient is difficult to hear the other party and I dont have problems in my ears hehe...
Personally, I've found that the LG G2 through my Fiio amplifier and into my car sound system is easily the best sounding audio I have had out of box from an Android mobile phone ever. And I've owned pretty much every single one over the last 4 years. I am not an audiophile though, so take that with a grain of salt.
I got a chance to listen to mine a little while this afternoon. I think it is very good. In the next week or so, I will try a head to head vs GS3/Wolfson and see how they compare. It strikes me a a little bit warmer. HIghs may not be quite as transparent (w/ RE0s), but at the same time more natural. It is louder out of the box than I9300. I have not tweaked the hardware output levels so far, so don't know how far it can go. (The GS3 has a ton more power than they enable at the factory.) I could stand a little more volume with REOs (and they require some bass boost), but it is very close not changing anything. I expect must people with most headphones would have plenty of power. I've not tried with an amp, but I will.
I liked both Neutron and PowerAmp way better than the LG music player. I didn't try Google Play.
Just root the phone and then install viper4android mod. You won't be sorry. Best android mod out there and compatible with almost all rooted phones
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4

M8 - Audiophile thread

We seriously need a sound quality-related thread for this phone.
I'll start first.
I think this phone's audio is OK, best I've seen by far, but not as detailed as I'd like it. I seldom change phones, so I will compare it (very neutrally) with my previous phone: Note 3.
The Note supports 24-bit/192 kHz, while this phone's international model supports 24-bit/96 kHz.
This phone's Boomsound software is actually a pretty good feature and raises just the right frequencies to the right extent, without distorting the authentic experience. But it was so loud/wild that it started to blow even my studio monitor Audio-Technica M50, which was something purely related to not up-to-the-mark coding, blowing off relatively neutral headphones.
But I just updated to 4.4.3 firmware, and they have actually improved a lot on that software deficiency. The headphones do not feel blown even at full volume, which is a giant leap considering how "sensitive" audio equalizers like BoomSound are to reach perfection. Sure, they still haven't reached perfection; audio loses detail nearly last 2 steps of volume, but it's nice to see they are actually improving on that.
Of course, I can turn off Boomsound anytime and be as authentic as anything, but for me boomsound is just a priceless software I'm yet to find in any mobile yet.
Note 3 had Adapt Sound, which is a great equalizer to tweak sound to the best too. But I like how you don't have to take an audiometry-like test just to improve sound on your phone in M8. (Not bashing Note 3's audio at all, just my preference).
I think I read in the official features of Android L that external DAC will be natively supported (correct me if I'm wrong), so I'm really looking forward to the future of audio in this phone.
P.s. I would give an arm and leg to try out Harmon Kardon mod for this phone, but I can't because of no S-Off. I really can't wait to hear the difference between Boomsound and Harmon Kardon myself. Well, until the day I can get the mod!
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Pay the 25 dollars...
OP, I think this thread is a good idea :good:
I hope that we will get some good input and development info here
P.S. HK on 4.4.3 is awesome!
Link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/htc...-harman-kardon-conversion-htc-one-m8-t2827439
erapmicks said:
Pay the 25 dollars...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Willing to pay, even tried all I could to pay them in *any* way but my country has no PayPal, and even a live chat with the developers could not find a workaround for the issue
I'm just refreshing their page everyday to see if new payment methods become available.
09Ram said:
OP, I think this thread is a good idea :good:
I hope that we will get some good input and development info here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As a really really really enthusiastic audiophile who is trying all his can to learn music and stuff, I wanted views of everyone, pro or not, on this phone's audio. Can't wait to see how the feedback/discussions help us!!!
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Good stuff, you sound like you know your stuff What is your opinion of the stock earbuds that come with the phone?
WarCow said:
Good stuff, you sound like you know your stuff What is your opinion of the stock earbuds that come with the phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just like HTC's previous ear buds which came with M7, they lean towards a more bass-y sound. The sound is hence easier on the ears, and the best point about these earplugs is that they are at least able to playback all (OK, not all, but a lot more than any I've seen come from any phone) frequencies. This is most noticeable as the lower frequencies, the bass, is actually *booming* at lower volumes with these earplugs. Which is relatively hard to attain in earphones.
But apart from bass being good (which targets a more encompassing audience which likes bass-y music), the sound maintains its balance. It's not obsessively bass-y, and not too peaked at higher frequencies too.
The new 4.4.3 update made the audio more "muddier/bass-y/low frequency-focused", than I'd like though. It is, in my opinion, a downgrade from previous version. But yes, an upgrade in the part that the crucial frequencies aren't "blown" like the previous one.
Let me give you my point of view. How *I* like my music. I like it as authentic as possible. I'm what you might call an audio purist/fundamentalist person.
One last point about the earphones. The earphones are a bit fatiguing. They fatigue my ear more than other earphones I've tried, despite the easier, softer audio focus.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Great thread! I do really enjoy good audio myself!
What I regret is that I converted my phone to Google Play Edition and that really changes how boomsound works. I am going back to Sense.
In my case, and I do not know why I am the only one that notices, but the soundstage goes on and off when listening to music and touching the home button. Stay away from GPE people.
In regards to the headphones I think they're pretty good too considering they're $6 earbuds. Lots of people say "Hey this earbuds suck" but what they do not know is that the plug size really MATTERS!!! If you don't choose the correct plug size any earbuds sound like crap.
I would really like to test the V-Moda Crossfade m-100 headphones on my phone, but I spent the money on a Samsung Gear Live I had the V-Moda Crossfade LP2s and sold them, they are great but bass-y (I don't have much time to use headphones), I use my car audio and my home theater system (MartinLogan speakers + Denon A/V receiver).
I converted my m8 to EU stock rom so I haven't tested it thoroughly yet. I did like the sound on .2 minus boomsound. BS was OK on some hip hop but overpowering on other genres. I've been working too much OT to test but has the mono USB audio out been fixed? I don't think many people noticed that that use external DAC s. Output through my JDS labs CD5 was mono but headphone out was still awesome. Has anybody noticed if it's been fixed?
Sent from HTC One_M8 using hofo app.
Sry in advance, too long post :<
Jamal Ahmed said:
This phone's Boomsound software is actually a pretty good feature and raises just the right frequencies to the right extent, without distorting the authentic experience. But it was so loud/wild that it started to blow even my studio monitor Audio-Technica M50, which was something purely related to not up-to-the-mark coding, blowing off relatively neutral headphones.
But I just updated to 4.4.3 firmware, and they have actually improved a lot on that software deficiency. The headphones do not feel blown even at full volume, which is a giant leap considering how "sensitive" audio equalizers like BoomSound are to reach perfection. Sure, they still haven't reached perfection; audio loses detail nearly last 2 steps of volume, but it's nice to see they are actually improving on that.
Of course, I can turn off Boomsound anytime and be as authentic as anything, but for me boomsound is just a priceless software I'm yet to find in any mobile yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can you call this an Audiophile thread with these claims? (no offense tho).
Boomsound is the by far most horrible crap, you can use for headphones, if you truly want a high audio quality.
And i am not talking about, that you might "like" the different sounding, when the bass/treble is raised, and the mids are lowered.
I talk about the PURE quality of the sound. Its worse. It is. Noise and distortion are by worlds higher. With my Beyerdynamic T90 (yes, treble peak.. but still) and also with my pretty neutal Logitech UE 900 it was not listenable. The treble distorted in alot songs, it hurts in the ears etc.
I still DO think, if Boomsound would do the same, but NOT raise the treble, if would be by miles better as a "fun-setting". But like this, its not usable, tbh.
Also, if you want a sorce besides my ears: http://www.anandtech.com/show/8078/smartphone-audio-testing-htc-one-m8-and-samsung-galaxy-s5/2
Scroll down.
Comparing the THD+N ratio of BoomSound On to Off shows far more noise and distortion as well. If you want boomy bass, a harsh top-end, and no midrange, then use BoomSound. A better choice is to find headphones that suit your listening preferences more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Jamal Ahmed said:
I think I read in the official features of Android L that external DAC will be natively supported (correct me if I'm wrong), so I'm really looking forward to the future of audio in this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I am not mistaken, this feature is supported by Android from version 4.3 onwards. So, witha Fiio E07k, E18~ you should be able to use it as a DAC. In the M8 audio quality thread on head-fi.org, one User uses the E18 with this, and can't disable Boomsound, while using an external DAC.
Jamal Ahmed said:
P.s. I would give an arm and leg to try out Harmon Kardon mod for this phone, but I can't because of no S-Off. I really can't wait to hear the difference between Boomsound and Harmon Kardon myself. Well, until the day I can get the mod!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even if i do absolutely not share your opinion about Boomsound via Headphones, you might still be interested in my opinion in this comparison.
Boomsound:
Just a cheap EQ setting. Works well together with the external speakers, but is pretty crap for Headphones (maybe its fine with dull headphones, which dont have good treble/clarity. Maybe Shure SE 215, or some other basshead headphones).
I truly cant recommend it. And like i said, its NOT because the EQ setting changes the "true sound" (i like the Use of EQs to do some fine tuning if needed), but because using this raises the noise AND distortion by a good bunch. You can hear that strongly. At least i can.
PLUS, theres one big thing: This is just ONE strong agressive Preset of an EQ. Bass below 120 hz gets +5db, lower mids (120-1000 Hz) gets lowered by up to -5 dB, while the frequencies from 2000 up to 10k+ Hz) gets raised by 4,5db. Above 10k Hz its even above 5 dB).
This makes the difference Bass/treble, to the Mids from 0 dB to 10 dB, since +5 and -5 adds to 10. Thats a really hard difference.
So, in conclusion: Depending on headphones, this might sound better, or actually MUCH worse.
Bassy headphones, lets take your M50s, already have strong bass. Depending on frequency response, that bass could even "overlap" the mids, if the bass is too strong. you can see that on beats headphones. With Boomsound, the bass gets even more stronger, and the mids will get even more back in the background. Alot Headphones, that have a V-curve (and so naturally weaks in the mids) gets even weaker mids.
Also, depending on your headphones also as with the Audio files, the distortion gets raised by a little, or maybe by A LOT.
If you are not happy with your Headphone sounding, you should maybe try another Headphone.
If you just need some fine tuning, then you are by MILES better, if you just use PowerAmp, and its Equalizer, since it can react like a million times better to the individual frequency response of the headphones, and to your own personal taste. Boomsound here is more like "boom in your face. be happy with it, or cry"
Harman & Kardon Soundmod:
Now, this thing is alot different. This is actually Not an Equalizer, like Boomsound. H&K's "Clear-Fi" technology tries to take a strongly compressed Audiofile, and tries to recreate the missing parts.
So, it tries to raise the pure "compressed" audioquality of bad audiofiles.
I personally have mostly 256+ kbit/s MP3s, and Flacs. So, this technology wont help much. it sounds almost the exact same --> not really usefull. You just wont hear much of a difference, unless your Files have a bad quality. And if they do, then get better quality files, instead of such a software, that might not even work well enough.
But, this Soundmod disables Boomsound. Yes, you can find a "trick", where you change the Boomsound parameter from false to true in a script, and enabling it back in the menu. But, it will NOT be active. its like just menu decoration. The "boomsound" sign in the task bar will not be there - Not even with external speakers.
Boomsound is made ONLY for the External speakers, they work together quite well. Without Boomsound (ergo, with H&K soundmod flashed), the External speakers will sound much more thin/tinny. I have yet to find a way to have Boomsound for the speakers, and H&K Soundmod for headphones. Unless theres something new here, this is not possible together.
Lets go a bit deeper into the Audiophile theorycrafting:
H&K's "Clear-Fi", and its purpose might sound awesome. But it has its negative sights:
- It only helps on Crappy Audiophiles. Someone, who cares about audio quality will not use <128 kbit/s mp3s. At LEAST 192, but more 256-320 Kbit/s or even flac. So this will not help you, as the compression on 256+ is not strong enough, to make a difference (also, because most songs have a crappy quality from beeing badly mastered)
- The thoughts behind clear-fi are adressing the "problem" at the totally wrong spot. On most songs, it just does not matter, what file quality (bitrate etc) you use, because most songs are just really really crappy mastered in the studio. Its because alot people dont care about audio quality. so they use cheap crap, like beats headphones, logitech speakers for 30 bucks, and 10 bucks earphones etc. Crappy mastered/produced music sounds better on cheap devices, than a high quality master.
I mean, how are you supposed to "guess" the higher quality, if the artists arent producing high quality music?
I think, the following is a perfect comparison:
You create a 480p Movie, and try to upscale it into 1080p using a cheap software... Do you honestly think, that will raise the quality? I personally don't..
So, to make it pretty short: The worse your File quality is (and higher the file compression), the more "Clear-Fi" might make a difference.
The higher the file quality, the less difference this will make.
To get a high audio quality into your ears, you need a different priority:
1. The Song must be produced in a good/high quality. Much more important, than Bitrate. For example: Michael Jackson's Thriller album at 128 kbit/s will sound much better, than the new Linkin Park Album in 320 kbit+. (i like linkin park, but the new album has such an incredible low quality... its like zero fun listening to it, when you have really good headphones)
2. You need good headphones (Besides the master quality headphones are responsible for like 70-90% of the Audioquality. The REST comes from the DAC/AMP)
3. DAC / AMP Quality
The "Chain" is important. If just one part of it has a low quality, the whole chain will sound low.
good thread, I like quality audio too and use my M8 for music player, stream music at home etc
have a few high quality headphones like Sennheiser On Ear momentum, shure se215, hifiman re 400 and NAD HP50
with boomsound turned on, headphones sound awefull then I realised that it can be turned off with headpohone is connected, and with that off, sound quality is clean and crisp
I like neutral sound, true to source but maybe a bit high on treble....so far sound quality is good and is comparable to my previous note 3...note 3 was the best clean souding phone I hear so far though
any other suggestion to get a clean sound would be much helpfull
Long post (Darkseth), but ultimately just regurgitated from other audiophile nonsense. Boomsound is fine, and it's just elitist to claim it is anything else.
Most people like more bass in their music, most artists sound crap when played back without EQ. You can like it how it's meant to sound but artists want what THEY like, not what I like.
My favorite sound is poweramp music player with bass and treble cranked up, the mid tones almost removed as they sound rubbish with almost all music, and boomsound on top.
I am A1 qualified audiophile with qualifications from the school of knowing what I like
/bowing out and sorry if I derail anything.
The main reason for flashing the H/K mod is that it updates the adsp firmware to support 24bit 192kHz instead the 16bit 96kHz of the standard M8. Loaded up with hi-res flac files and through my Westone 4r's, the difference is night and day to me.
WESBAR said:
The main reason for flashing the H/K mod is that it updates the adsp firmware to support 24bit 192kHz instead the 16bit 96kHz of the standard M8. Loaded up with hi-res flac files and through my Westone 4r's, the difference is night and day to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you hear any difference bwn 192kHz and 96kHz ? tried myself but no difference in quality and head-fi also has many reviewers say no difference but file size just increase a lot
Hey everyone, I'll say I'm an audiophile just because I like good quality, not because I have any knowledge, so this being said what do you guys have to say about ProjectERA?
HtcOneJon said:
Long post (Darkseth), but ultimately just regurgitated from other audiophile nonsense. Boomsound is fine, and it's just elitist to claim it is anything else.
Most people like more bass in their music, most artists sound crap when played back without EQ. You can like it how it's meant to sound but artists want what THEY like, not what I like.
My favorite sound is poweramp music player with bass and treble cranked up, the mid tones almost removed as they sound rubbish with almost all music, and boomsound on top.
I am A1 qualified audiophile with qualifications from the school of knowing what I like
/bowing out and sorry if I derail anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sarcasm? If yes, then thx for that giggle mate
thecrab93 said:
Hey everyone, I'll say I'm an audiophile just because I like good quality, not because I have any knowledge, so this being said what do you guys have to say about ProjectERA?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like a good thing. I also had it flashed for a short time... Cant really claim, i heared a difference. But when you reboot into recovery, flash and reboot, thats too much time passed, to be able to really compare it.
You would need 2 devices, one with, one without ProjectERA mod, to really be able to compare it i think.
soo.... difficult to say.
Darkseth said:
Sry in advance, too long post :<
How can you call this an Audiophile thread with these claims? (no offense tho).
Boomsound is the by far most horrible crap, you can use for headphones, if you truly want a high audio quality.
And i am not talking about, that you might "like" the different sounding, when the bass/treble is raised, and the mids are lowered.
I talk about the PURE quality of the sound. Its worse. It is. Noise and distortion are by worlds higher. With my Beyerdynamic T90 (yes, treble peak.. but still) and also with my pretty neutal Logitech UE 900 it was not listenable. The treble distorted in alot songs, it hurts in the ears etc.
I still DO think, if Boomsound would do the same, but NOT raise the treble, if would be by miles better as a "fun-setting". But like this, its not usable, tbh.
Also, if you want a sorce besides my ears: http://www.anandtech.com/show/8078/smartphone-audio-testing-htc-one-m8-and-samsung-galaxy-s5/2
Scroll down.
If I am not mistaken, this feature is supported by Android from version 4.3 onwards. So, witha Fiio E07k, E18~ you should be able to use it as a DAC. In the M8 audio quality thread on head-fi.org, one User uses the E18 with this, and can't disable Boomsound, while using an external DAC.
Even if i do absolutely not share your opinion about Boomsound via Headphones, you might still be interested in my opinion in this comparison.
Boomsound:
Just a cheap EQ setting. Works well together with the external speakers, but is pretty crap for Headphones (maybe its fine with dull headphones, which dont have good treble/clarity. Maybe Shure SE 215, or some other basshead headphones).
I truly cant recommend it. And like i said, its NOT because the EQ setting changes the "true sound" (i like the Use of EQs to do some fine tuning if needed), but because using this raises the noise AND distortion by a good bunch. You can hear that strongly. At least i can.
PLUS, theres one big thing: This is just ONE strong agressive Preset of an EQ. Bass below 120 hz gets +5db, lower mids (120-1000 Hz) gets lowered by up to -5 dB, while the frequencies from 2000 up to 10k+ Hz) gets raised by 4,5db. Above 10k Hz its even above 5 dB).
This makes the difference Bass/treble, to the Mids from 0 dB to 10 dB, since +5 and -5 adds to 10. Thats a really hard difference.
So, in conclusion: Depending on headphones, this might sound better, or actually MUCH worse.
Bassy headphones, lets take your M50s, already have strong bass. Depending on frequency response, that bass could even "overlap" the mids, if the bass is too strong. you can see that on beats headphones. With Boomsound, the bass gets even more stronger, and the mids will get even more back in the background. Alot Headphones, that have a V-curve (and so naturally weaks in the mids) gets even weaker mids.
Also, depending on your headphones also as with the Audio files, the distortion gets raised by a little, or maybe by A LOT.
If you are not happy with your Headphone sounding, you should maybe try another Headphone.
If you just need some fine tuning, then you are by MILES better, if you just use PowerAmp, and its Equalizer, since it can react like a million times better to the individual frequency response of the headphones, and to your own personal taste. Boomsound here is more like "boom in your face. be happy with it, or cry"
Harman & Kardon Soundmod:
Now, this thing is alot different. This is actually Not an Equalizer, like Boomsound. H&K's "Clear-Fi" technology tries to take a strongly compressed Audiofile, and tries to recreate the missing parts.
So, it tries to raise the pure "compressed" audioquality of bad audiofiles.
I personally have mostly 256+ kbit/s MP3s, and Flacs. So, this technology wont help much. it sounds almost the exact same --> not really usefull. You just wont hear much of a difference, unless your Files have a bad quality. And if they do, then get better quality files, instead of such a software, that might not even work well enough.
But, this Soundmod disables Boomsound. Yes, you can find a "trick", where you change the Boomsound parameter from false to true in a script, and enabling it back in the menu. But, it will NOT be active. its like just menu decoration. The "boomsound" sign in the task bar will not be there - Not even with external speakers.
Boomsound is made ONLY for the External speakers, they work together quite well. Without Boomsound (ergo, with H&K soundmod flashed), the External speakers will sound much more thin/tinny. I have yet to find a way to have Boomsound for the speakers, and H&K Soundmod for headphones. Unless theres something new here, this is not possible together.
Lets go a bit deeper into the Audiophile theorycrafting:
H&K's "Clear-Fi", and its purpose might sound awesome. But it has its negative sights:
- It only helps on Crappy Audiophiles. Someone, who cares about audio quality will not use <128 kbit/s mp3s. At LEAST 192, but more 256-320 Kbit/s or even flac. So this will not help you, as the compression on 256+ is not strong enough, to make a difference (also, because most songs have a crappy quality from beeing badly mastered)
- The thoughts behind clear-fi are adressing the "problem" at the totally wrong spot. On most songs, it just does not matter, what file quality (bitrate etc) you use, because most songs are just really really crappy mastered in the studio. Its because alot people dont care about audio quality. so they use cheap crap, like beats headphones, logitech speakers for 30 bucks, and 10 bucks earphones etc. Crappy mastered/produced music sounds better on cheap devices, than a high quality master.
I mean, how are you supposed to "guess" the higher quality, if the artists arent producing high quality music?
I think, the following is a perfect comparison:
You create a 480p Movie, and try to upscale it into 1080p using a cheap software... Do you honestly think, that will raise the quality? I personally don't..
So, to make it pretty short: The worse your File quality is (and higher the file compression), the more "Clear-Fi" might make a difference.
The higher the file quality, the less difference this will make.
To get a high audio quality into your ears, you need a different priority:
1. The Song must be produced in a good/high quality. Much more important, than Bitrate. For example: Michael Jackson's Thriller album at 128 kbit/s will sound much better, than the new Linkin Park Album in 320 kbit+. (i like linkin park, but the new album has such an incredible low quality... its like zero fun listening to it, when you have really good headphones)
2. You need good headphones (Besides the master quality headphones are responsible for like 70-90% of the Audioquality. The REST comes from the DAC/AMP)
3. DAC / AMP Quality
The "Chain" is important. If just one part of it has a low quality, the whole chain will sound low.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely agree with you
best: H / K for MP3 and Boumsound for speakers
the speakers do have a bad sound without boumsound
Viper4Android is very good to improve the quality but I did not try on the M8
saj2001ind said:
do you hear any difference bwn 192kHz and 96kHz ? tried myself but no difference in quality and head-fi also has many reviewers say no difference but file size just increase a lot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can hear the difference. 192kHz has a little more sparkle to me, especially the highs. Probably an exagerration to say night and day but I can hear it.
I like 24 bit 192 kHz more because it is easier to use hi-end equipment on it, and still be as authentic as possible. Logically, low resolution would sound worse to worst as the quality of your equipment goes higher. Hi-res has one advantage, if any, that it assures you that if you have invested more in your equipment, it won't go to waste all the time you are listening to audio on mobile.
and AFAIK 24 bit 192 kHz is the max supported resolution by headphones of even a pretty high caliber.
Hey OP. What else did you notice out of the 4.4.3 updpate that is so diff from 4.4.2? Sorry for changing topic lol
I can't stand BoomSound as it makes the music sound horrible and unrealistic (it works for the external speakers though). It does very weird things with the sound with headphones. I did not like the Harman Kardon mod either. It just pumped up the highs and has too low bass. Ironically it too sounded very bad in my Harman Kardon CL headphones. Though better than BoomSound.
I rather go flat than use any of those mods and any "audiphile" would agree. It might be good for cheaper heaphones though.
However Viper4Android is another story. With it you can customise the sound without destroying it and give it a richer character. I am extremely happy with it.

How do the speakers sound

How do the speakers sound compared to the m8, are they better, loader, etc.
Sent from my 831C using XDA-Developers mobile app
M8 is definitely louder. It sounds good but the m8 is stupid loud and I miss it. I like the 10 better though overall
Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
I would wager a single speaker on the m8 is louder than the "two" HTC 10 speakers. It sounds okay, but it does not have the deepness of the m8 either. It is nice and clear, though.
It is fine for YouTube videos, but I wouldn't really say it is great for listening to music in a pinch. Definitely can't crank it up if you're trying to hear a video in public.
I am interested to see what it is capable of with a good eq once I root though. It sounds like it could still get louder without distortion. Definitely thankful they did the one speaker forward facing.
Sound pretty darn awesome. It's been awhile since I've had my M7-M9 but it beats the S7.
Sent from my HTC 10 using XDA-Developers mobile app
and how about the bass and the deep sounds? M7 and M8 was awesome in this....
zimilaci said:
and how about the bass and the deep sounds? M7 and M8 was awesome in this....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See my post and video here comparing the 10's speakers to the M8's:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=66803934&postcount=28
My opinion the M8 sounds better than the 10. I informally tested by playing the same tune on spotify, and the M8 had better sound, and the 10 sounded like it was in a ten can. However, I can say that the headphones, both wired and bluetooth, (Anker buds) sound better on the 10. FWIW,
Take it easy,
gmcpcs
paradox183 said:
See my post and video here comparing the 10's speakers to the M8's:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=66803934&postcount=28
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you , well I have to try it for myself... but what I really miss is the m7 sound....(beats)
GMCPCS said:
My opinion the M8 sounds better than the 10. I informally tested by playing the same tune on spotify, and the M8 had better sound, and the 10 sounded like it was in a ten can. However, I can say that the headphones, both wired and bluetooth, (Anker buds) sound better on the 10. FWIW,
Take it easy,
gmcpcs
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Did you change the audio setting from theater mode to music mode? Theater mode is default which switches channels to play all frequencies, giving it surround sound versus music mode which makes the tweeters play high frequencies and the bottom speaker play the mids/lows.
Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
richii0207 said:
Did you change the audio setting from theater mode to music mode? Theater mode is default which switches channels to play all frequencies, giving it surround sound versus music mode which makes the tweeters play high frequencies and the bottom speaker play the mids/lows.
Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
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Honestly, I haven't noticed a different audio setting mode. I'll give that a try. Right now trying to get the OTA firmware update.
Take it easy,
gmcpcs
I'm with the rest of the consensus in that the M8 is louder; however, using PowerAMP and a custom EQ setting I found on YouTube, the 10 is much better sounding. The range is full and clear. I'm really liking it!
https://youtu.be/UEQsxcoh3Uw
Sent from my HTC 10 using XDA-Developers mobile app
my speakers sound pretty bad i think. im not sure if there is a problem with them or not tho. does the bottom speaker sound louder than the top on everyone else's phone? i tried both speaker modes and it does nothing to help hear the top speaker better. i have to cover the bottom one to be able to hear the top one at all. currently it sounds like i only have a bottom speaker when using them.
MJL99 said:
my speakers sound pretty bad i think. im not sure if there is a problem with them or not tho. does the bottom speaker sound louder than the top on everyone else's phone? i tried both speaker modes and it does nothing to help hear the top speaker better. i have to cover the bottom one to be able to hear the top one at all. currently it sounds like i only have a bottom speaker when using them.
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Click to collapse
Sounds defective to me. Top tweeter plays highs very well and is complimented by the mids and lows in the bottom speaker.
They both play together like a car system that has separate speakers to focus on particular frequencies instead of having both trying to play every frequency (like the M series) which hurts sound clarity.
Yea it may not sound as loud as the M series but the response is much better. There are phones out there that are louder than the M8,M9 but don't sound nearly as soon. Same concept but for the 10 versus M, quality over quantity.
Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
richii0207 said:
Sounds defective to me. Top tweeter plays highs very well and is complimented by the mids and lows in the bottom speaker.
They both play together like a car system that has separate speakers to focus on particular frequencies instead of having both trying to play every frequency (like the M series) which hurts sound clarity.
Yea it may not sound as loud as the M series but the response is much better. There are phones out there that are louder than the M8,M9 but don't sound nearly as soon. Same concept but for the 10 versus M, quality over quantity.
Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
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Yeah I wasn't really comparing it to my m9 simply because I knew it wouldn't sound the same based on speaker placement. That said I did expect better and why I am worried if it's defective since I can barely hear the top unless the bottom is covered. I expected be be able to pick up on sounds coming out of both easily even if the highs and lows were separated.
Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk
MJL99 said:
Yeah I wasn't really comparing it to my m9 simply because I knew it wouldn't sound the same based on speaker placement. That said I did expect better and why I am worried if it's defective since I can barely hear the top unless the bottom is covered. I expected be be able to pick up on sounds coming out of both easily even if the highs and lows were separated.
Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk
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My 10 is louder, but I think my M9 sounds a lot better. The M9 has a much more full sound to me.
It's good but it's got a massive and obvious flaw. the woofer being on the bottom of the phone and the tweeter being on the top means the sound is different depending on where you hold it. Dead in front of you with the tweeter and woofer equidistant from your ears, yeah, it sounds great, anywhere else - especially if you hold it landscape, eg. when watching a video - weird.
It's absolutely stellar with headphones though, which is the main way I listen.
ACTransitBusFight said:
It's good but it's got a massive and obvious flaw. the woofer being on the bottom of the phone and the tweeter being on the top means the sound is different depending on where you hold it. Dead in front of you with the tweeter and woofer equidistant from your ears, yeah, it sounds great, anywhere else - especially if you hold it landscape, eg. when watching a video - weird.
It's absolutely stellar with headphones though, which is the main way I listen.
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That's why you put it in theater mode when you watch a video. It changes all channels to play all frequencies giving that surround sound feel, basically allowing both speakers to play everything. However, it'll reduce how clear it'll sound but it's obviously not for music. Pure genius from HTC.
Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
I have noticed something: when i hear music that sounds in both speakers, the sound quality is very good ( i´m using poweramp), but when I hear the ringtone that only sound in the lower speaker and sounds very muffled and low
Somebody here have noticed that?
Solutions?
Thanks guys for the comments, I have only one question left...
- Currently I own a Lumia 950XL (I gave it a shot) and the way it records audio/bass anything its way better than anything from the HTC lineup was, of course M7 was really close due to the microphone from Nokia but I am curious how the m10 handles realllllly loud club/concert sounds.
Anyone care to try that out? thanks

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