Database Develop

Replacement Headphones for Samsung Focus

I recently destroyed my OM headphones that came with the phone and had the arduous task of finding a compatible headset that offered quality and functionality.
I found out that these do not work
iBeats Dr Dre edition- mic does not work and volume buttons do not work (100)
Skull Candy- Mic does not work but the play and pause buttons do(60)
and finally the one that did work
V-moda vibe duo- full functionality but only comes with an answer button which does play an pause. (100)
feel free to add your experience with purchased headsets
Sound quality was the best on V-moda, then iBeats, then skull candy

Skull candy is a company and not a specific headphones... they have many models. As for the skull candy full metal jackets, the mic does work. I cannot compare them to the others mentioned, but the sound is very good.

My Marshall Minors work on the focus. Not the cheapest but they are pretty cool looking and sound great.

this might be a little late but I need some new headphones for use at work and do not want to spend a lot. I searched "ehs60annbe" on amazon and found plenty of merchants selling what appear to be the exact headphones that come with the phone.
These ones are $6.83 +free shipping
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-EHS60...EEZO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299825988&sr=8-1

I lost my pair that came with the phone, so I was excited to see these.
I ordered a pair and they should arrive tomorrow.
If they are indeed the same as those that came with the phone, I might order me a couple more - I really liked them, and they worked perfectly with the phone (control wise).
Thanks for the post.
hapa papa said:
this might be a little late but I need some new headphones for use at work and do not want to spend a lot. I searched "ehs60annbe" on amazon and found plenty of merchants selling what appear to be the exact headphones that come with the phone.
These ones are $6.83 +free shipping
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-EHS60...EEZO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299825988&sr=8-1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Unfortunately I'm having problems with these headphones - for some reason, the controls will only increase the volume - you can't decrease the volume.
Perhaps I received a "bad" pair? Anyone else tried these?

The Focus has a VERY clean audio output. I've fed it into my home stereo and was impressed with the detail and clairity. I listened with Etymotic 6i headphones and was blown away. After that, the included headset sounds muddy with a artificial bass boost.
For those who can afford to splurge on a headset, consider the Etymotic mc3

Any recommendations for matching the original pair that came with the Focus?
My priorities:
-Must be able to trigger voice control
-Must have working microphone
-Must be able to answer/hangup calls
-Must have volume up and down
-Must not be expensive
-Should be gel like for in-ear
I've tried iPhone ones, they don't do volume/up down.
I've tried tried the common silver Samsung one with one button - the button doesn't pick up or hangup calls.
Help!

This ones looks identical to the oem ones and they are pretty cheap!:
http://cgi.ebay.com/In-Ear-Headset-...090511?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item20b64777cf

http://www.wpcentral.com/klipsch-working-wp7-compatible-headphones
Headphones that WILL be fully compatible with wp7, and sound pretty decent as well.
Though it will probably be a few more months until they are released.

Anyone had any luck finding headphones with working volume and answer call buttons? Preferably ones with a more sturdy cover over the connector since my cable broke because of too much twisting and bending.

jkimrey said:
Unfortunately I'm having problems with these headphones - for some reason, the controls will only increase the volume - you can't decrease the volume.
Perhaps I received a "bad" pair? Anyone else tried these?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
jkimrey, Did you find a solution? I have the same problem. I read somewhere that it's because Samsung is using a newer standard that allows for TV Out or something. But this is really annoying.

same here i cant find any that the buttons fully work on, that i'm willing to buy. I got some on amazon that only volume up works. my wifes blackberry ones that came with her torch work but i cant find them anywhere. The cat ate my original ones

jkimrey said:
I lost my pair that came with the phone, so I was excited to see these.
I ordered a pair and they should arrive tomorrow.
If they are indeed the same as those that came with the phone, I might order me a couple more - I really liked them, and they worked perfectly with the phone (control wise).
Thanks for the post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can say that these are the ones i got from amazon same thing with the button... It doesnt even look the same as the OEM ones.

Has anyone tried the Zagg Smartbuds? they appear to have all the controls that one could want [play/pause, skip FW/BK, Volume, answer/hangup(I assume would work with voice activation as well)] but they are a bit pricey.

Am I the only one who would like a non-in ear headphone that works with the Focus?

At this point, I just want something that's compatible! I have had zero luck so far in getting earphones compatible with my Focus. I too found the common Samsung ones. Thankfully, I got two pairs for less than $10. Guess what they work perfectly with? My effing iPod touch. GAH.
I honestly have no idea why this is so hard...

V-Moda =
I have to second the V-Moda headphones. I'm currently using them in conjunction with Monster replacement foam tips (medium) and the sound is amazing (albeit the highs are a little muffled but the bass is punchy and responsive). It is a one button setup which bothered me at first, but with a dedicated volume rocker on the device it's really not so much of an issue that I thought it would be. If the Focus only had an equalizer of some sort to bring out the highs, these headphone would be perfect. The mic quality in the headset is beautiful and these 'phones are as durable as all heck (they've been: stuck in a car door for 50 miles, went through the wash, stepped on, trampled, chewed on by a dog, caught on bushes etc.) and have never even began to show signs of wear. If you can live with pocket adjusting the volume, I would recommend getting these.
I should probably mention that I DO NOT work for V-Moda despite how it sounds... I just happen to be a sort of audiophile and while the Focus itself doesn't have the BEST sound quality (I'm coming from a Cowon S9 lol) these heaphones help to bring out its above average playback capability. Another side note is that in response to the OP, the Modas don't only pause/play/answer call/hang up. While listening to music playback you can double tap the button to skip to the next song or triple tap it to skip back.

Entegy said:
At this point, I just want something that's compatible! I have had zero luck so far in getting earphones compatible with my Focus. I too found the common Samsung ones. Thankfully, I got two pairs for less than $10. Guess what they work perfectly with? My effing iPod touch. GAH.
I honestly have no idea why this is so hard...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The iPhone headphones work decently. They don't fully work (microphone / volume up and down), but pause / play / next song/ previous song does work. Before the mango update, I was only able to get the play to work. It seems Microsoft is slowly making the iPhone headphones compatible with the Focus.

Diablosblizz said:
The iPhone headphones work decently. They don't fully work (microphone / volume up and down), but pause / play / next song/ previous song does work. Before the mango update, I was only able to get the play to work. It seems Microsoft is slowly making the iPhone headphones compatible with the Focus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does anybody have a link to a hardware specification for what these in-line buttons actually do for the WP7 phones?
Pretty much all the headphones with in-line controls and a microphone have 4 conductors which are:
- left-audio
- right-audio
- common/ground
- signalling/mic
Here is the spec for IPod Shuffle remote headsets:
pinouts.ru/PortableDevices/iphone_headphone_pinout.shtml
david.carne.ca/shuffle_hax/shuffle_remote.html
So the three buttons operate as follows:
Button 1 - short to ground through 10K resistor (up)
Button 2 - short to ground (answer/hangup/play/pause)
Button 3 - short to ground through 4.7K resistor (down)
But the ipod remote (no mic) has an onboard microcontroller that receives DC power on the mic line as well and is used as a sort of authentication device allowing the Ipod Shuffle to uniquely identify the remote through a challegage response tone scheme. I'm not sure if this is included in the iphone remote cause the circuitry would probably interfere with the mic signal.
Headphones with only one button always short mic/4th conductor to ground so that will always work, but I bet WP7 and Iphone/ipad specs for the resistors for the up/down buttons are different.
I hope WP7 remotes don't have the microcontroller.
I may disassemble my OEM Samsung headphones and try to figure this out. It would be nice to get some Shure or Sennhesier hi-end headphones and plug them into a little adapter that provided to correct buttons. All the hi-end earbuds are iphone/ipad-only.
Presumably I could just cut off the ear-buds on the samsung headphones and solder some of the Shure connectors on there - then just plug in the Shure ear-buds. (all high-end Shure earbuds have replaceable cords

[Q] Whats up with the headphone jack?

So I have looked everywhere and havent really found the answer im looking for. First of all my headphones, also others i have tried including an aux cable dont seem to fit into the nook color headphone jack all the way. This is causing problems hearing sound in both ears, or getting any sound at all. I have to fidget to get it just right. Does anyone have any solution or similar problems? A specific pair that work?

ajd88 said:
So I have looked everywhere and havent really found the answer im looking for. First of all my headphones, also others i have tried including an aux cable dont seem to fit into the nook color headphone jack all the way. This is causing problems hearing sound in both ears, or getting any sound at all. I have to fidget to get it just right. Does anyone have any solution or similar problems? A specific pair that work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It isn't broken. Just stick the headphone jack in and when it gets stuck just push on it until it goes in
My nook is like that and doing what I stated above will not break your nook or headphones
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App

Mine works fine with three sets of headphones and an Aux cable.

RoboRay said:
Mine works fine with three sets of headphones and an Aux cable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
really?
i found mine to be a bit hard to plug in and unplug but im kind of use to it now, i just thought all nooks were like that

It requires a bit more force to insert and remove than other devices I have, but that also makes them harder to disconnect by accident. /shrug
They do work fine if you insert them all the way rather than stopping at the first click, as the tip slides past the ring contact, which may be what the OP is doing.

Wow... im a crackhead lol. Anyways thanks guys, sorry for wasting your time.
Sent from my LogicPD Zoom2 using XDA App

ajd88 said:
Wow... im a crackhead lol. Anyways thanks guys, sorry for wasting your time.
Sent from my LogicPD Zoom2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol no problem it was a valid question and i was wondering the same thing when i first got my nook color, i just accidentally ran into the solution like 1 hour later lol

Yes, the headphone jack is extremely tight on the NC. I feel like I am going to break something every time I am plugging in the headphones. I am sure that they inserted completely. However, out of 5 "plug in and out" cycles, only 1 will yield the full spectrum of the frequencies for me. Specifically, there is no bass, all mids and highs. I have to plug and unplug few times to get sound with bass+the rest. I am not complaining that the bass is weak, there is simply no bass at all until you get a right "fit". I tried 5 different headphones (ranging from cheap iPod headphones to UE TripleFi 10) and different sources (e.g., Pandora, music player, etc), and the result was always the same.
Anybody else with this problem (i.e., complete lack of bass until you find the right "fit")?

3.5mm TRS audio jacks have three contacts, one each for the Right and Left stereo channels and one for ground. A channel is either present or absent. Any bass issues you are experiencing are not due to the jack; it simply is not wired that way.

tenderidol said:
Yes, the headphone jack is extremely tight on the NC. I feel like I am going to break something every time I am plugging in the headphones. I am sure that they inserted completely. However, out of 5 "plug in and out" cycles, only 1 will yield the full spectrum of the frequencies for me. Specifically, there is no bass, all mids and highs. I have to plug and unplug few times to get sound with bass+the rest. I am not complaining that the bass is weak, there is simply no bass at all until you get a right "fit". I tried 5 different headphones (ranging from cheap iPod headphones to UE TripleFi 10) and different sources (e.g., Pandora, music player, etc), and the result was always the same.
Anybody else with this problem (i.e., complete lack of bass until you find the right "fit")?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"However, out of 5 "plug in and out" cycles, only 1 will yield the full spectrum of the frequencies for me. "
I am certainly experiencing this issue as well. I've found a way to reproduce it. If you push the plug in fast enough all the way, you can get the plug to produce full sound, but if you push it half way in and wait for NC to change the sound from speakers to headphones you'll be missing some spectrum, after you're hearing broken sound coming out of your headphones, even if you completely push in the rest of the jack, the final results will be missing some spectrum. So the only way to get complete sound is to push the plug in before the NC switches to the headphone output.

Wonder what a pair of the little powered external speakers would sound like?

How terrible is the sound on your NC?

So, music was one of the things I was hoping my NC could do, but haven't had much occasion to try out in the month I've had it. Today I devoted a little time and attention to it:
My only headphones at present are some worn-out Apple earbuds, and I used them once to listen to an audiobook--the only thing I noticed was that the volume was quite low, but otherwise I won't base any impressions on that experience.
Today, however, I decided to compare some music player apps for sound quality, and tried out the NC on three different sound systems in the process:
The Nook Color's speaker.
Lined in to an iPod dock with an unshielded 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable.
Lined in to a shelf stereo system with a 3.5mm-to-dual-RCA cable.
Okay, the built-in speaker is crap, obviously. It's tiny, points backwards, and there's only one. My cell phone speaker can drown it out, though the sound is marginally better on the NC. It's actually halfway impressive the sound quality they get out of the tiny speaker, but I still couldn't imagine using it for music. It's serviceable for tv shows, but I would probably still pop in earbuds if I had them handy.
Connecting to an outside sound system was what really underwhelmed me. For the two systems I tried, the NC produced drastically lower volume than anything else I've ever plugged into them. At what would be a loud volume for my phone, iPod, or an instrument, the NC's output (at its maximum volume) was barely audible. With the systems cranked to achieve an ambient volume, the sound was tolerable, but washed out in comparison to other sources.
There was also occasional skipping or stuttering in playback, which is really odd considering how well the thing handles video.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is this consistent with everyone's experience? Is there any difference between stock and CM7 output?
I've seen threads here and there about improving volume and disappointment with output through the headphone jack, but I had no idea. I guess I've been sheltered using iPods and/or at least somewhat music-optimized phones (SE Walkmans), because I did not realize that audio output on a device capable of playing MP3s could be this bad.

the sound on my nook is good, the speaker isnt the best but its decent and audio with my panasonic headphones sound is awesome.
EDIT: i use cm7 and cant remeber much of when it was stock rooted, as that only satisified me for a whole 2 days before i went to nookie froyo then cm7.

I have no idea how sound works on the stock or rooted stock Nook since I put CyanogenMod on my Nook as soon as I got it. The sound seems to work fine on my headphones. I can almost reach the threshold of pain with a few tweaks of the DSP settings.
I do not use the built in speaker for much, but even it is better than nothing.

I'm running phiremod 6.1 on mine. I have found that the volume was inconsistent between versions, but I'm pretty pleased with the current setup. I do however have a different issue, which is related to the headphone jack. When I plug in my headphones, it seems like 75% of the time they don't work quite right. The obvious symptom is that one speaker is noticeably louder than the other, and generally the audio sounds like crap. Unplugging them and plugging them back in a few times will get things back to normal, but its a little annoying. This has been the case on every OS I have run on it.

there are terrible impedance issues with NC. If you buy this:
m.crutchfield.com/mt/www.crutchfield.com/p_127SNI135/PAC-SNI-1-3-5-Noise-Filter.html?tp=2653&osid=969403309&un_jtt_redirect
they will all go away. I know it says it is a "noise" filter, but it fixes impedance too. I own two of them, they keep me from pulling my hair out. Hint: if it doesn't work one way with a certain device, plug it in backwards using a M/F adapter.

i run cm7. using dspmanger... the nook color sounds awesome. I hook it up to my logitech thx speakers and cry.... because it sounds a helluva lot better than the $160 sound card in my pc.
without dspmanage... it sounds like garbage.
have fun.

I found this thread discussing NC audio in a little more depth:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=864064
I haven't heard the hissing they're talking about so much as a slightly washed-out sound and the crazy low volume. Someone else testing the NC with external speakers found that yes, it was considerably quieter than their Sansa MP3 player and iPod Touch, but the newest Kindle is quieter still.
technicalsquash said:
I do however have a different issue, which is related to the headphone jack. When I plug in my headphones, it seems like 75% of the time they don't work quite right. The obvious symptom is that one speaker is noticeably louder than the other, and generally the audio sounds like crap. Unplugging them and plugging them back in a few times will get things back to normal, but its a little annoying. This has been the case on every OS I have run on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had this issue with my crap Apple earbuds in my iPod before, and rather than yanking them out and jamming them back in, I found turning them in the socket and/or moving them in or out just a couple millimeters let me 'tune' them to where I was getting the best sound from both speakers. I actually found the same thing with my NC lined-in to my iPod dock via 3.5mm male-to-male cord.

If you are having trouble with low volume or hiss i suggest you use my app here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1104039
It requires kernel support so only my kernel works with it for now until the next CM7 nightly.
Note: My kernel works with both B&N 1.2 Froyo and CM7.

[Q] Razr I Audio Issues (3.5mm Jack)?

I've been having a problem with my Razr I which was purchased around the 11th October from Handtec, and I'm just trying to work out whether this was a faulty handset or whether it's common for the device, or affects a certain batch.
The issue is high levels of hiss / interference when a speaker is connected to 3.5mm jack while audio is not playing. Hard to describe the sound as it changes, however it's somewhere between hiss, ground loop and EM interference.
There's also an unpleasant thump when audio output turns on (i.e. just prior to playing audio) or off (a few moments after the audio output is stopped).
The hiss/interference noise reduces significantly immediately before and after playing audio i.e. it seems to go down to an acceptable level once the audio chip is taken out of 'sleep' mode and made active. I can only assume that this is because a noise cancellation circuit is removing the interference once the audio chip is activated, but that while it's inactive the unwanted signal is making its way down the cable connected to the 3.5mm jack.
This happens regardless of whether the device is connected to wall socket - and I've tested with a battery powered speaker - so this isn't a ground loop issue as far as I know. It is most noticeable when connected to an external speaker that's turned up to a decent volume, but is also audible through headphones. Please note that different headphones will show the issue to a different extent, as the impedance of headphones can vary quite widely. Through small earphones, the sound isn't too offensive, but through an external speaker or decent headphones it's completely unacceptable.
I tried temporarily disabling the MusicFX app and doing a factory reset – no luck with either unfortunately.
There is a report on gsmarena from someone who noticed the hiss. They got a replacement and there was no hiss on the replacement handset.
The thing that's confusing me is that this seems like two separate issues - though I may well be wrong.
1) poor EM shielding and/or cancellation circuitry inactive when audio is not playing and
2) no soft-start / soft-stop when capacitor(s) on the audio chip is charged/discharged and/or DC offset on the signal coming from the audio chip.
The phone's in the box ready to be posted back to Handtec, but just wanted to try and understand whether anyone else has experienced this issue? Just to note that although I haven't been through the returns process just yet, support from both Motorola and especially Handtec so far has been great.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1930361
---------- Post added at 12:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:23 PM ----------
tomrazri said:
There is a report on gsmarena from someone who noticed the hiss. They got a replacement and there was no hiss on the replacement handset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that was me. the replacement was much better. still not upto gnex audio via headphones standard but the positives elsewhere on the phone (vs the gnex) mean i can live with the slight drop in audio quality.

Ah ok that's promising cheers. As you've mentioned in that thread, it's only really a problem when music's not playing and when the audio chip is activated/deactivated. No realm qualms with the quality of the audio chip itself as i wouldn't expect a studio grade dac in a phone, just the interference / lack of soft-start that was the dealbreaker. Fingers crossed my replacement will be from a different batch

my first unit came from clove. my replacement from amazon uk. good luck
Sent from my XT890
---------- Post added at 04:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:28 PM ----------
build date on my replacement unit is sep 22 if that helps

tomrazri said:
I've been having a problem with my Razr I...
...The issue is high levels of hiss / interference when a speaker is connected to 3.5mm jack while audio is not playing. Hard to describe the sound as it changes, however it's somewhere between hiss, ground loop and EM interference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm having exactly the same problem with my XT890 - bought from Amazon round 10th Oct., device build date is 22 Sept.
tomrazri said:
...seems to go down to an acceptable level once the audio chip is taken out of 'sleep' mode and made active. I can only assume that this is because a noise cancellation circuit is removing the interference once the audio chip is activated, but that while it's inactive the unwanted signal is making its way down the cable connected to the 3.5mm jack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my case the hiss is present only in sleep mode with no music on. I can hear silent thud roughly 3 secs after pressing power button to enter the sleep mode followed by the annoying hiss (only on left ear though). It's not loud at all, in fact it's barely noticeable during the day. It only drives you insane if even subconsciously.
---
tomrazri said:
This happens regardless of whether the device is connected to wall socket - and I've tested with a battery powered speaker - so this isn't a ground loop issue as far as I know. It is most noticeable when connected to an external speaker that's turned up to a decent volume, but is also audible through headphones. Please note that different headphones will show the issue to a different extent, as the impedance of headphones can vary quite widely. Through small earphones, the sound isn't too offensive, but through an external speaker or decent headphones it's completely unacceptable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think this is where the problem lies. First I thought its down to frequency response or even impedance. I think its due to different 3.5mm jack layout. I have no problem what so ever on my Klipsch S4A (10-19khz, 18ohm, 4 rings jack) but on my Koss PRO 4AAT (10-25khz, 250ohm, regular 3ring jack) its simply unbearable.
Shall I try to send it back to Amazon in hope the new piece will be flawless?

denny76 said:
In my case the hiss is present only in sleep mode with no music on. I can hear silent thud roughly 3 secs after pressing power button to enter the sleep mode followed by the annoying hiss (only on left ear though). It's not loud at all, in fact it's barely noticeable during the day. It only drives you insane if even subconsciously.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i 'think' i had the same hiss you are talking about on my first device. it was certainly noticeable as i mentioned before and unnacceptable i have no hiss on my replacement unit.
3 secs after any music has come to a stop, it sounds as if the internal amp (?) 'clicks' off. that 'click' is/was present on both devices i had but as that does not interfere with and music playing, i don't see that as a problem.
who knows if we are all talking about the same 'hiss' or not

Hiss on Razr I
I had exactly the same problem on first device but on replacement that hiss gone but not all together but 10x better . I have got 64gb micro sd card full of music and I love chillout stuff where any extra noises spoils listening pleasure . Btw my device was prom phones 4 u

Replacement received. Hiss/EM interference and the pop still there :crying:

ooo that is bad luck. as you got both from handtec, i can only assume they had a faulty batch that moto fixed on newer builds.

denny76 said:
First I thought its down to frequency response or even impedance. I think its due to different 3.5mm jack layout. I have no problem what so ever on my Klipsch S4A (10-19khz, 18ohm, 4 rings jack) but on my Koss PRO 4AAT (10-25khz, 250ohm, regular 3ring jack) its simply unbearable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, you first thought it could be the impedance but you forgot it or what? It's quite common problem that not all the amplifiers like all headphones. Can happen with hifi equipments too, but mostly mobile devices just don't have good enough output for high impedance headphones. Low impedance headphones are a bit more battery friendly.
I think people just looks silly walking around with big-ass-headphones. About the same as using tablets as cameras.
Anyway, my phone does have slight hissing noise with 18 ohm headphones, but I can live with it.

Sure I think this is probably not an issue for a lot of people, as I want to be able to output to speakers rather than just listen on earphones.
Agree big headphones look silly, I'd only wear them on long train journey's not strolling around
If it doesn't affect the way you use the phone that's fine, and for those people I don't think it should influence their buying decision. The gsmarena review calls out aux audio quality as an issue though and measures it in comparison to other phones, and it doesn't fare so well. It'd be interesting to know whether the situation's improved in later revisions.
If the interference and pop happened with other devices I'd understand it, but I've had no issues with various other mp3 players, smartphones and tablets feeding the same headphones and speaker systems.
Oh well, hopefully be able to buy in a month or so when I'm reassured they've fixed it.

tomrazri said:
If the interference and pop happened with other devices I'd understand it, but I've had no issues with various other mp3 players, smartphones and tablets feeding the same headphones and speaker systems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'm confused by what you say above 'not having issues with other smartphones'. i thought this was your first smartphone purchase according to your review on amazon...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R15W...e=UTF8&ASIN=B008QBBDQ0&linkCode=&nodeID=&tag=
Perfect form factor and excellent battery life. Despite being a bit of a geek, this was the first smartphone I've bought, because it ticks all the boxes that no other smartphones have so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Yep, phones of friends don't have the same issue. It hasn't been a problem with some models of HTC, iPhone and Samsung that I've tried with the same speaker systems. I imagine there are plenty of older Motorola handsets that don't have the same issue too so it's nothing against them.

Posted this question on Motorola customer care, but recived a useless anwser. I don't know phone internals, but my guess is problem lies in incorects volume regullation. Just like with with connection of PC with amplifier, if you would turn your amplifier to maximum volume and try to regulate volume only with PC volume controll, you would get similar noise.
Here is my post to Motorola: h**ps://docs.google.com/document/d/1R5ngSJzSjmjbsHPTqnEaUDa3h7oR4OC8l13hK-512uI/edit
and attached noise record: h**ps://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4n8pwAEMymPdHpXUmJHeEV3eVk

[Q] external DAC

Anyone using an external DAC? Does the Z3c provide enough power via USB to drive a DAC (I assume not) or is it necessary to use a self-powered DAC? I'd be in music heaven if my Meridian Explorer worked with the Z3

I just tried out my HRT microStreamer with the Z3 Compact but the volume wouldn't adjust down from max. I just emailed HRT to find out what the issue is as the microStreamer is designed to allow the host (Z3C) to manage the volume.
I also have the Meridian Explorer but, unlike the HRT microStreamer, I don't think the Explorer works on any smartphone without a separate power source. I'll test and update my post if otherwise.

smilemantts said:
I just tried out my HRT microStreamer with the Z3 Compact but the volume wouldn't adjust down from max. I just emailed HRT to find out what the issue is as the microStreamer is designed to allow the host (Z3C) to manage the volume.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to go into sound effects settings in the Walkman app and untick the box for "Hi Res audio via USB" This alows you to adjust EQ as well as volume via your phone.
I have a Fiio E18 DAC/Amp and it sounds great.

swasoose said:
You need to go into sound effects settings in the Walkman app and untick the box for "Hi Res audio via USB" This alows you to adjust EQ as well as volume via your phone..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i did that and it didn't work. i tried both the USB OTG cable that came with the Z3 Compact as well as one from JDS Labs.
I also tried using the following apps: Walkman, Plex, and USB Audio Pro.

swasoose said:
You need to go into sound effects settings in the Walkman app and untick the box for "Hi Res audio via USB" This alows you to adjust EQ as well as volume via your phone.
I have a Fiio E18 DAC/Amp and it sounds great.
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I too have the e18 which I love - but I have two issues using it with the z3c:
1) if I plug it in while the screen is on, I can no longer turn the screen off with the power button. Plugging it in while the screen is off though, prevents this from happening.
2) Once I unplug the e18, the phone gets stuck awake and drains battery. lookig in battery stats, the awake bar is solid, and "android system" starts taking up more and more % as the "keep awake" increases (i turn off screen for 5 seconds, and android system keep awake grows by 5 seconds). rebooting the phone unsticks this.
anyone else seeing this?

smilemantts said:
i did that and it didn't work. i tried both the USB OTG cable that came with the Z3 Compact as well as one from JDS Labs.
I also tried using the following apps: Walkman, Plex, and USB Audio Pro.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm. I think we can conclude from that is that it's DAC specific. Have you heard back from Microstreamer?
kertong said:
I too have the e18 which I love - but I have two issues using it with the z3c:
1) if I plug it in while the screen is on, I can no longer turn the screen off with the power button. Plugging it in while the screen is off though, prevents this from happening.
2) Once I unplug the e18, the phone gets stuck awake and drains battery. lookig in battery stats, the awake bar is solid, and "android system" starts taking up more and more % as the "keep awake" increases (i turn off screen for 5 seconds, and android system keep awake grows by 5 seconds)
anyone else seeing this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) Interesting. I never noticed but that also happens to me although I can live with that.
2) I havent had that problem but as you know, "Android System" could mean a whole range of things. Is your phone stock?
On another note, how do you tie it all together? The OTG cable is too small to have them back to back because of the Micro USB location on the phone. I have a 2m Micro to Micro cable but its just too big and I can't be doing with a multitude of adapters.

swasoose said:
1) Interesting. I never noticed but that also happens to me although I can live with that.
2) I havent had that problem but as you know, "Android System" could mean a whole range of things. Is your phone stock?
On another note, how do you tie it all together? The OTG cable is too small to have them back to back because of the Micro USB location on the phone. I have a 2m Micro to Micro cable but its just too big and I can't be doing with a multitude of adapters.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, #1 isn't too bad, I can live with that. Even #2 isn't *too* bad, I've just been restarting the system once I unplug the DAC. It does seem to be E18 related though, I can consistently get "awake" stuck on just by plugging in the e18, playing some music, and unplugging it. Whether I have "hi res audio over USB" checked or unchecked, whether I plug it in screen off or screen on, etc - it always goes into the "stuck on awake" as soon as I unplug the DAC from the phone. Strange - my phone is stock, unrooted, etc..
As for the cable, yeah - the one that came with the E18 is way to short, and I ended up getting a longer micro<->micro usb cable. WIthout it, I'd have to use the fiio and Z3C "inverted" and at a 45 degree angle to each other just to make it work, it wasn't very pretty, haha.

kertong said:
Yeah, #1 isn't too bad, I can live with that. Even #2 isn't *too* bad, I've just been restarting the system once I unplug the DAC. It does seem to be E18 related though, I can consistently get "awake" stuck on just by plugging in the e18, playing some music, and unplugging it. Whether I have "hi res audio over USB" checked or unchecked, whether I plug it in screen off or screen on, etc - it always goes into the "stuck on awake" as soon as I unplug the DAC from the phone. Strange - my phone is stock, unrooted, etc..
As for the cable, yeah - the one that came with the E18 is way to short, and I ended up getting a longer micro<->micro usb cable. WIthout it, I'd have to use the fiio and Z3C "inverted" and at a 45 degree angle to each other just to make it work, it wasn't very pretty, haha.
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Click to collapse
Out of interest, where did you get the cable from? I could only find a 2m one. They are rare!

swasoose said:
Out of interest, where did you get the cable from? I could only find a 2m one. They are rare!
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Click to collapse
haha yes - I had to DIY it a bit using one of these: http://www.adafruit.com/products/1099?gclid=CNHa7_q-3cECFY17fgodQ08ATg attached to the standard usb->microusb cable.
Oh and to answer OP - the fiio e18 works well as it powers itself by its own battery - but the alien Dac I have that powers itself from USB, does not work on the z3c. Strangely, it works on my HTC one m8 and iphone 5s..

Haha yes, I have a goody bag full of adapters and leads. It all just adds to the bulk. A 6-8inch Micro to Micro would be perfect.
The E18 is great bang for buck, charges your phone and I also use it as a Laptop DAC.

pipspeak said:
Anyone using an external DAC? Does the Z3c provide enough power via USB to drive a DAC (I assume not)
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Click to collapse
Got the Z3 Compact working with Fiio E10 but NOT the E10K (not enough current). All internally powered. The E10 is driving an old Sennheiser 565. It just works. And, of course, turn on the Hi-Res USB audio setting.
Note: I had to try a few USB cables until I got one that works. Don't know why.

Though not exactly a DAC, I have used the Sony PlayStation elite headphones with the rumble feature with the z1 compact, z2, and z3c. It uses a USB dongle of course and all the features including virtual surround and rumble work. I have a cheap $2 USB otg cable I purchased off of amazon.

Fiio E07K
Using a Fiio E07K. It has it's own power so doesn't have to rely on current from the Z3C. Have used it with the stock Walkman app and with USB Audio Player Pro with no problems.

I've tried the Audioquest Dragonfly 1.2 usb DAC. Works, but the intenal volume control of the DAC cannot be managed by the phone. Hence only 100% (nominal) output volume is supported, which renders my DAC useless when using it with IEM earphones (much too loud).

I have also tried the Dragonfly 1.2 on my new Z3 compact using the Walkman app. Same here
unable to adjust volume from the Z3
using a Y OTC USB cable. Plugging the charger cable into the female micro USB does not charge the phone
Does anyone have an idea what the issue could be? Phone, Walkman app, Dragonfly? Would be great if this could be fixed. It used to work flawlessly with my old Samsung S4 using USB audio player pro.

I got pioneer xpa 700 and my z3c, is it possible?
ppsun said:
Got the Z3 Compact working with Fiio E10 but NOT the E10K (not enough current). All internally powered. The E10 is driving an old Sennheiser 565. It just works. And, of course, turn on the Hi-Res USB audio setting.
Note: I had to try a few USB cables until I got one that works. Don't know why.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
pipspeak said:
Anyone using an external DAC? Does the Z3c provide enough power via USB to drive a DAC (I assume not) or is it necessary to use a self-powered DAC? I'd be in music heaven if my Meridian Explorer worked with the Z3
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Pioneer xpa 700 is made for ios devices only, this amp is a badass i really like how its made... the design, the feature, its a customable amp, i do some research that z3c can drive this amp as an android, because z3c has a feature via "micro usb sound setting option". And now guys is it possibble that this amp xpa 700 is compatible with z3c as an android? Using the via "micro usb" sound feature?. i do really appreciate your response guys. Thnx all have a nice day