Database Develop

Audio Quality on Nexus 6?

All I can say is the audio quality through the headphone jack, and speaker on the Note 4 is garbage! That does not make it a bad phone, because with all its other features, the Note 4 is awesome but for an avid audiophile like me, my phone needs a great DAC/ headphone jack. The iphone 6+ Does have fantastic audio quality, but I use android phones as my workhorse, and Ipad as my consumption device, so iPhone is out for me. I am REALLY hoping that since the Nexus 6 has the 2 front facing stereo speakers, that it is being pushed by a strong high quality DAC. I currently have the M8 , and the audio is quite nice, but I have always wanted a nexus device after owning the HTC Nexus 1 , and the Nexus 6 checks all the boxes for me personally. It just has to have great audio and battery life and I'm sold! Hopefully we can get some reviews of the big sexy nexus before pre ordering starts?

I will admit, I am no audiophile. Can you go into detail on what exactly you notice in a bad audio output?

What headphones are you using?
Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

_MetalHead_ said:
What headphones are you using?
Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
V-Modda M100's, B&W P7"s

Schoat333 said:
I will admit, I am no audiophile. Can you go into detail on what exactly you notice in a bad audio output?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hiss at higher volumes. Crosstalk/ Interference. Lack of soundstage or depth in the audio. Or lack of volume and "punch" in bass. I'm no "hardcore audiophile" that will ONLY listen to FLAC/ High Res music, as I listen quite often to Play Music on the go and at work @ 320kbps track that are streamed to me. But when reviewing new music or at the house wanting to check out new tracks and just want to be taken in by the music, then I load up some 24-bit/192kHz files, Ah the beauty of Android!
I know I can get a dedicated music player that serves this need, and I have one (Still have my old Zune 120 but with the way digital music distribution being so awesomely convenient through Gplay Store/ Itunes, I just like having a device that can "do it all" if I can find one. The Nexus being pure Android, "supposedly" all day battery life" Amazing screen, with hopefully excellent audio performance and supports High res audio files, sounds like that perfect device for me... Crossing fingers.

awareunlikeu said:
V-Modda M100's, B&W P7"s
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure if root is available for the note4 yet, but if it is, install V4A. It helps to a degree. The nexus 5 is not a great when it comes to audio, however, with V4A installed, it is bearable. I use UE900 CIEM.
Edit: I am also hoping the N6 will have a powerful audio chip.

awareunlikeu said:
V-Modda M100's, B&W P7"s
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you like the P7's? I bought the P5's years ago but admittedly they don't get much use. I have tried the P7's and while I'm not sure if their sound sig is for me, they were insanely comfortable.
Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

awareunlikeu said:
Hiss at higher volumes. Crosstalk/ Interference. Lack of soundstage or depth in the audio. Or lack of volume and "punch" in bass. I'm no "hardcore audiophile" that will ONLY listen to FLAC/ High Res music, as I listen quite often to Play Music on the go and at work @ 320kbps track that are streamed to me. But when reviewing new music or at the house wanting to check out new tracks and just want to be taken in by the music, then I load up some 24-bit/192kHz files, Ah the beauty of Android!
I know I can get a dedicated music player that serves this need, and I have one (Still have my old Zune 120 but with the way digital music distribution being so awesomely convenient through Gplay Store/ Itunes, I just like having a device that can "do it all" if I can find one. The Nexus being pure Android, "supposedly" all day battery life" Amazing screen, with hopefully excellent audio performance and supports High res audio files, sounds like that perfect device for me... Crossing fingers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it helps, the new Moto G, a £150/$180 phone, comes with an excellent DAC. Its even more impressive given the price of the device.
I can only assume they'll implement the same solution as in the Moto X. Unfortunately I can't comment on that, but I'd assume it's at least equal or better than the Moto X.
Obviously it can't compare to any dedicated player though. I still regularly notice the huge difference between my Note 2/3 Z3 experience and my old ipod touch 3rd gen. iPod destroys everything still.

feedtheducks said:
I'm not sure if root is available for the note4 yet, but if it is, install V4A. It helps to a degree. The nexus 5 is not a great when it comes to audio, however, with V4A installed, it is bearable. I use UE900 CIEM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah those UE900's are some mighty fine phones my friend! But yeah I just want superb audio out of the box without tweaking. I know I can get it if I go back to apple for a phone, but I use iPad, so to me having an iPhone with its boring software when I already have an iPad that I use for consumption/work just seems like unnecessary overkill. As I use Android as my workhorse/EDC device. I have the HTC One M8 right now, and its close to what I want, but I don't particularly care for the software, except Blinkfeed, and I loath the camera. Headphone audio is damn good only because it is the loudest phone on the market right now due to the DAC having to push the BoomSound speakers and also pushing that same power to the headphone jack. But louder is not always better. The iphone 6 Plus's audio quality is quite a bit better, but not as loud, or "punchy". I hope its not too much to expect excellent audio quality with the way Googs is going away from the decently priced cutting corners Nexus devices to the absolute best Android has to offer Android device, which is what the N6 is sounding like they are marketing it has.

istrikerx said:
If it helps, the new Moto G, a £150/$180 phone, comes with an excellent DAC. Its even more impressive given the price of the device.
I can only assume they'll implement the same solution as in the Moto X. Unfortunately I can't comment on that, but I'd assume it's at least equal or better than the Moto X.
Obviously it can't compare to any dedicated player though. I still regularly notice the huge difference between my Note 2/3 Z3 experience and my old ipod touch 3rd gen. iPod destroys everything still.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know right.. I think Apple's audio superiority comes from the fact that they use a totally separate processing unit, independent of the processor for Audio processing. Where as Android phones generally use qualcomm's SOC and they dont have there own dedicated DAC. I may be mistaken on some of that lingo, but I think its close enough.

"The Nexus 6 comes with a pair of stereo speakers on the front, just like HTC’s phones. And just like the phones from Taiwan, Google’s phablet gives brilliant sound quality. Movies really draw you in with the combination of that huge screen and those crisp speakers And we could fill the whole house with music just with the Nexus 6
Source

awareunlikeu said:
V-Modda M100's, B&W P7"s
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am a M-100 user as well, hell year brother!
As for audio quality, personally I never use something as spread out as a Cellphone/Smartphone for quality music listening. Most of the time they are not equipped with the proper magic for good audio compared to PMP's and other quality audio sources. That is why I still carry around a PMP for most of my music listening (Better HW for sound, Storage all for Music, Separate battery for Music).
I know it's almost archaic to still have a PMP and a SmartPhone since the latter can technically do both, but if you want the best audio quality it's best to get a PMP for your audiophile needs. I suggest taking a look for this if you are curious for a PMP recommendation: http://www.fiio.com.cn/products/index.aspx?ID=100000060437344&MenuID=105026016
As for the N6, its up in the air. But I usually would not bet my wallet that it would make a quality music player. It might be good for some music here and there but as a whole with pro cans it just might not be enough to get the most out of them.

To me the original Moto X audio quality through headphones was great. I ordered a Nexus 5 trying to decide which one to keep and ended up sending the Nexus back. One of the reasons was the audio wasn't as good as the X. I HOPE the N6 will be just as good. Motorola hasn't let me down yet.

I wonder if the N6 will be able to play FLAC lossless files. I really would like to hear my music in it's purist form. I have tried looking on Moto's and Google's spec websites and there is nothing about the audio part of the device....

racerxe24 said:
I wonder if the N6 will be able to play FLAC lossless files. I really would like to hear my music in it's purist form. I have tried looking on Moto's and Google's spec websites and there is nothing about the audio part of the device....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am fairly sure FLAC files are supported by the current version of android. I just flashed a completely stock rom, no root on my N5 and I am able to play FLAC on it using Shuttle+.

Power amp pro is worth the purchase. It made my N3 sound soooo much better. Out of the speaker, headphones, and aux out for playing music. Also ViperFX and Volume+ were good at tweaking your sound.

amebiasis said:
Power amp pro is worth the purchase. It made my N3 sound soooo much better. Out of the speaker, headphones, and aux out for playing music. Also ViperFX and Volume+ were good at tweaking your sound.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 for Poweramp

I'm curious how the front speqkers compare to my m8. I love the audio on this phone.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Free mobile app

There are 2 main improvement in android L for sound: low latency and usb-enabled headphones. I'm not an audiophile myself but I guess for startes those two should make a difference.
That being said, unfortunatly, headphones quality output is something hard to tell without specific reviews.

awareunlikeu said:
I know right.. I think Apple's audio superiority comes from the fact that they use a totally separate processing unit, independent of the processor for Audio processing. Where as Android phones generally use qualcomm's SOC and they dont have there own dedicated DAC. I may be mistaken on some of that lingo, but I think its close enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny you talk about Apple's "audio superiority" when their headphone jacks across iPad, PowerBook/MacBook, iPhone, and iPod lines have been poorly grounded for years.

Android Auto vs Android Head Unit?

I have seen some threads where people are talking about porting android auto to an android head unit. I have also seen some threads where people are talking about putting android auto on a tablet or phone that they plan to mount in their car. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't understand the rationale for either of these. If you have an android head unit, don't you already have all of the capabilities of android auto built into your head unit? Similarly if you are going to mount a phone or tablet on your dash then why not use those apps that are already native to your phone/tablet?
The reason I ask is because I'm in the market for a new car stereo and the differences in cost between an aftermarket head unit with android auto and an android head unit (i.e. no-name chinese brand, etc) seem quite large. I've seen the reviews on here, Youtube and other places for some of the Chinese units and they seem very feature rich. Please help me make a list of pros and cons to buying a head unit with Android Auto and an Android Head Unit. Here are just a few that I can come up with.
Android Auto Pros:
- brand name likely with superior product support
- likely better stock stereo features (HD radio, RDS, Sirius XM, etc
- it is "safer" because it doesn't allow searching long music lists, etc while driving
- As long as the firmware can be updated to include later Android versions, when you want to update your Android phone its a lot easier than updating an entire stereo when a newer version of Android on Android HUs become available.
Android Auto Cons:
- Not all phones are supported from what I understand
- Some popular apps are not supported (i.e. Pandora
- Requires phone to be connected via USB. I'm not sure if this is necessarily a con however, because I'm assuming if you are using your phone as a hotspot you may need to have it plugged in regardless.
- While I'm not sure about this (correct me if I'm wrong), but I assume since you're mirroring your phone apps to a non-android device there is another layer of technology that can have bugs in and of itself
- Requires additional apps on your phone eating up space and resources
- relatively expensive
Android Head Unit Pros:
- No need for specific phone support
- Any app you can download on the app store you can use in your dash. Not that I'm going to be watching netflix driving down the road, but maybe my passenger wants to look up a good mexican restaurant on Yelp while we're driving.
- You can use a wifi hotspot other than your phone to provide the wireless signal if you want
- You can root these if they are not already rooted and run custom rom
- You can run Torque
- relatively cheap for what you get
Android Head Unit Cons:
- It seems like most of these are Chinese brands with little product support from the [unkknown] manufacture
- many complaints about internal mics and whatnot (although thanks to sites like this there are some workarounds for that)
- I'm guessing the quality of the stereo itself is probably not as good as when you purchase US brand name deck.
I can understand why the general public (mom, dad included) might see a benefit in having a car with an OEM-included Android Auto stereo if they're already using an Android phone and they like it. However for people who frequent this site, barring intellectual curiosity or being an audiophile who needs a top-of-the-line Pioneer deck and wants to be able to make hands-free calls or use Google Maps, I want to know why you all would choose a stereo with Android Auto vs an Android Head Unit. Thanks in advance for discussing this.

For me, I have yet to see an Android head unit without deal breaking issues. Crappy in-call experience, radio, music setup and performance, Bluetooth, etc.
I just don't need that when I'm driving. I do miss not having Torque on AA, but it's just not worth putting up with all the other issues in order to have it.
Trust me, if someone made an Android head unit that was like a Nexus with a decent audio section, I'd be all over it, but it doesn't exist. I have thought about putting a tablet in my truck with a good preamp and amps, but there are too many issues, not the least of which is not being able to see it with polarized shades on.

Solutions Etcetera said:
For me, I have yet to see an Android head unit without deal breaking issues. Crappy in-call experience, radio, music setup and performance, Bluetooth, etc.
I just don't need that when I'm driving. I do miss not having Torque on AA, but it's just not worth putting up with all the other issues in order to have it.
Trust me, if someone made an Android head unit that was like a Nexus with a decent audio section, I'd be all over it, but it doesn't exist. I have thought about putting a tablet in my truck with a good preamp and amps, but there are too many issues, not the least of which is not being able to see it with polarized shades on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all you can probably mount your Nexus tablet in landscape - as long as the screen is perpendicular to your shades than the polarized lens' wont matter.
But please expand on "all the other issues." Since you talk about putting a good preamp and amps in your car I assume that the sound quality is a big factor for you. Are the Android HUs that bad? What if you wire one line-out to an amp? Are the signals so much worse than a factory or name-brand aftermarket stereo that if you had a high quality amplifier it would still be very poor? I'm being serious here because I've never used one of these chinese HUs... I just saw some video reviews on YouTube of a couple of them and they looked pretty awesome. What AA stereo do you currently have, and how do you like it? Thanks

Having installed another "Hui Fei"-style 4.4 head unit on a Ford Ranger XLT (2000) as a replacement for the aging stock radio, it's not bad at all. Google Maps, Pandora, Radio (via MCU), and Bluetooth all worked out of the box, even with an iPhone in hotspot mode. Touchscreen was rather accurate and snappy, the slightly larger DPI mode helped when sitting afar; it may be annoying with some apps, but tools allow you to change the DPI mode.
Build quality is usually fine, buttons are solid and knobs aren't loose. Sometimes used/eBay units have non-working buttons, so be wary about that.
The particular unit I got had an external Mic input (phono 3.5mm), so calls worked just fine over BT after mounting a nicer PC mic. Many units also have line-level outputs if you hate the built-in tech and want to use some aftermarket amps/speakers.
I do have to say that the 20-30 second boot time might be offputting to some, but I don't find it to be too bad, specially since backup camera works via MCU, and therefore during boot.

kjdBonez said:
First of all you can probably mount your Nexus tablet in landscape - as long as the screen is perpendicular to your shades than the polarized lens' wont matter.
But please expand on "all the other issues." Since you talk about putting a good preamp and amps in your car I assume that the sound quality is a big factor for you. Are the Android HUs that bad? What if you wire one line-out to an amp? Are the signals so much worse than a factory or name-brand aftermarket stereo that if you had a high quality amplifier it would still be very poor? I'm being serious here because I've never used one of these chinese HUs... I just saw some video reviews on YouTube of a couple of them and they looked pretty awesome. What AA stereo do you currently have, and how do you like it? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In landscape, with Drivewears (what I wear), you can't see it at all.
There is also the fact that a tablet is not designed to withstand being in a locked up car when it is 100 degrees outside. Not interested in coming out of work seeing my car on fire because the battery exploded. Not good for the screen either.
Could remove the battery for a straight power connection, but boot time is too long, and there are still screen issues.
And touch targets can be very small with a lot of apps interfaces, making it a real distraction when driving, and no interface with steering wheel controls.
As for 'other' issues with Android clone units; bugs. They're all over the place and you never know what issue will crop up when you're driving; no thanks.
I have a pioneer 4100 nex. And even it isn't perfect on AA. Occasionally there are issues with audio feeds and or controls, but for the most part it's solid.

kjdBonez said:
I want to know why you all would choose a stereo with Android Auto vs an Android Head Unit. Thanks in advance for discussing this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about a "best of all worlds" solution ?
I haven't tried it myself yet, but the paid ($30 ?) AppRadio Unchained Reloaded app allows HDMI+USB mirroring on many Pioneer HUs: http://forum.xda-developers.com/general/paid-software/android-4-0-root-appradio-unchained-t2955966
Run it with a Pioneer Android Auto (AA) HU and you can choose between AA and true/full mirroring of any Android phone (or tablet/other device) you use. Requires a plugged phone for AA or Android mirroring however, but with the option of AM/FM/HD/CD/MP3 etc. standalone.
I have a 4100 NEX and it seems competent for USD $550 or so these days.

kjdBonez said:
I have seen some threads where people are talking about porting android auto to an android head unit. I have also seen some threads where people are talking about putting android auto on a tablet or phone that they plan to mount in their car. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't understand the rationale for either of these. If you have an android head unit, don't you already have all of the capabilities of android auto built into your head unit? Similarly if you are going to mount a phone or tablet on your dash then why not use those apps that are already native to your phone/tablet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android enthusiasts with a budget consider MANY details and tradeoffs before deciding on a new phone or tablet. Do I NEED NFC ? Can I make do without an SDCard and only 32 GB ? What size is best ?...
Similarly, those of us looking for automotive infotainment solutions have a complex set of needs and desires, and many different solutions all with their own pros and cons, as your post shows...
A person running my Headunit app for Android Auto (AA) on a phone or tablet, with or without another connected phone/tablet/device can get the integrated Android Auto experience at low, or no cost.
Run the app on your existing Android 5+ device in standalone mode and you've got AA for no additional cost. Or buy a Nexus 7 2013 for $150 new, run it standalone, or USB (or Wifi) connect to your phone. Quick, simple, cheap and upgradeable/hackable. Add a $20 car mount and a cheap cigar lighter outlet charger and plug it in.
Want better sound than crappy small speakers ? Plug headphone jack or do BT connect to an existing amp or HU.
Worried about theft or frying by cold or hot temperatures ? Remove phone/tablet from mount and take it with you when parked. $150 tablet breaks ? Buy a new one...
With my Headunit app for AA, you can "Recent Apps" away to home-screen and any other app. Then go back to the AA environment. Yes, some issues like sound require stopping and later restarting my app, but that's not so bad.
Some people will like the integrated, low distraction environment of AA.
Many Android enthusiasts will prefer the ability to easily run any Android app. Some of those apps may be very distracting, and WILL get you ticketed in many jurisdictions. Youtube is going to be "frowned on" at best by almost any cop.
kjdBonez said:
The reason I ask is because I'm in the market for a new car stereo and the differences in cost between an aftermarket head unit with android auto and an android head unit (i.e. no-name chinese brand, etc) seem quite large. I've seen the reviews on here, Youtube and other places for some of the Chinese units and they seem very feature rich. Please help me make a list of pros and cons to buying a head unit with Android Auto and an Android Head Unit. Here are just a few that I can come up with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a current thread wherein the OP feels he wasted his money on the Chinese HU (can we call them CHUs ?), and is wondering whether to get a different one or just go for a more expensive HU.
Many users seem to be happy with the CHUs, but I think many are unhappy as well. IMO many people get blocked by "gotcha's" and there are many annoying things in the software that nobody anywhere seems to be interested in fixing.
To me, Android 4.4.4 (at best) is almost an insult in late 2015 when Android 6.0 is about to be released (and has been running pretty well on my Nexus9 and other's 5's and 6's for months now.)
For those who like to tinker on the "bleeding edge" there are boards that run Android that can be hooked to touch-screens. I'm looking at this with a "96boards" project someone has started. $75 board designed by, and runs the latest Android from Qualcomm.
I think one dynamic here is that respected HU manufacturers don't want to provide full mirroring of smartphones, or an internal Android OS, lest they be sued into oblivion by distracted driving deaths and maimings.
The CHU OEMs are in China and would laugh if someone threatened to sue them.
And yeah, tablet in a car will have issues with temp/humidity and reliability, and USB connections are not "auto grade" and Wifi has issues too.
So, no perfect solution. Same as no perfect phone, tablet or person...

kjdBonez said:
Android Auto Pros:
- brand name likely with superior product support
- likely better stock stereo features (HD radio, RDS, Sirius XM, etc
- it is "safer" because it doesn't allow searching long music lists, etc while driving
- As long as the firmware can be updated to include later Android versions, when you want to update your Android phone its a lot easier than updating an entire stereo when a newer version of Android on Android HUs become available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- Yes, Pioneer or the other company I forget. I don't expect much support from Pioneer, but their products are supported by other companies, and there's a good critical mass of users to allow Google searches for issues. Firmware v1.03 seems good and may never be updated. Next years HUs will have new features (Wifi ?) which won't (or can't) be ported to this years HUs.
- Yes. HD and Sirius are pretty US specific.
- Yes. At least somewhat. Worlds better than watching videos at least.
- Note that custom ROM project for some Pioneer HUs is just started. No guarantees of course. In theory the stock HU firmware can forever stay at v1.03 and new versions of AA on the phone will breathe new life into it, as/if Google updates features. I think Google will have to support "old" 2016 HUs for a "good number" of years, or people driving 2016 cars with 2016 HU firmware will be hopping mad before their leases or loans are finished.
kjdBonez said:
Android Auto Cons:
- Not all phones are supported from what I understand
- Some popular apps are not supported (i.e. Pandora
- Requires phone to be connected via USB. I'm not sure if this is necessarily a con however, because I'm assuming if you are using your phone as a hotspot you may need to have it plugged in regardless.
- While I'm not sure about this (correct me if I'm wrong), but I assume since you're mirroring your phone apps to a non-android device there is another layer of technology that can have bugs in and of itself
- Requires additional apps on your phone eating up space and resources
- relatively expensive
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- Stock Android 5.0+ devices that pass Google's Compatibility Test Suites should generally work, but there have been some "beta" type issues on some popular Samsung devices at least.
- MANY popular apps are not supported by AA. Or rather some app categories aren't supported by AA and many popular audio and messaging app developers have not added specific support for AA. Some developers have felt "burned" by making special Wearable or TV apps and finding there's little demand for those features. Also, advertising is not allowed in AA compatible apps and most Android users do not pay for apps.
- Yes, there is a layer there much bigger than mere mirroring of video and touch. It's Google's framework and APIs specifically tuned and restricted for automotive infotainment functions. HU may or may not run Android, but it's easier and faster to run it on Android: example: Keycodes match and video decoder and encoder are symmetric. Pioneer runs Android underneath and that helped them put out AA HUs faster than the other guys.
- Android Auto APK is about 30 megabytes. Apps that support AA are the same size whether you use AA or not.
- $500 something for Pioneer 4100NEX.
kjdBonez said:
Android Head Unit Pros:
- No need for specific phone support
- Any app you can download on the app store you can use in your dash. Not that I'm going to be watching netflix driving down the road, but maybe my passenger wants to look up a good mexican restaurant on Yelp while we're driving.
- You can use a wifi hotspot other than your phone to provide the wireless signal if you want
- You can root these if they are not already rooted and run custom rom
- You can run Torque
- relatively cheap for what you get
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- Yes, runs standalone.
- Yes, any app runs, but landscape mode for apps is important. And there are "Car Mode" like apps such as Automate that try to provide something similar to AA.
- I guess.
- Root, sure.
- Torque, of course.
- $300 or so ? Some made for specific cars can be much more.
kjdBonez said:
Android Head Unit Cons:
- It seems like most of these are Chinese brands with little product support from the [unkknown] manufacture
- many complaints about internal mics and whatnot (although thanks to sites like this there are some workarounds for that)
- I'm guessing the quality of the stereo itself is probably not as good as when you purchase US brand name deck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- Yes, no support. More tolerable if source code is available.
- Many "gotchas" I guess. Pioneer comes with external mic and it works well for me.
- Yes, I expect average lifespan of CHUs to be lower than "Western World" major brandname HUs. Who knows though, and maybe we'll want to upgrade our HUs every few years anyway, regardless of quality.
kjdBonez said:
I want to know why you all would choose a stereo with Android Auto vs an Android Head Unit. Thanks in advance for discussing this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android Head Unit would be a wonderful option IMO if an "automotive grade quality" HU was available for a decent price. Make it last at least 2-3 years, running new Android versions within 6 months of Nexus devices, be able to run common tasks quickly, and price it from $500-$1000. AFAICT no such device exists, or has even been announced at any price (Parrot is old vaporware).
So if you need real Android in the car, your options are: mounted phone or tablet or CHU, with all their pros and cons. Or maybe the Appradio Unchained Reloaded app and a Pioneer HU.
If AA and "classic stereo" functionality are all you need, Pioneer AA HUs' start around $550 USD or so.
If you "got no money" you mount your existing phone or tablet. If you want AA you can run my Headunit app, or you can get something similar with apps like Automate.

For what its worth I got the Pioneer AVH 4100NEX and I love it. I have a Subaru Outback with automatic dual HVAC controls so that was a pain in the ass because I had to purchase an aftermarket fascia from Japan (the only place I could find one) which essentially disconnects the HVAC controls which are integrated into the stock HU and makes it a separate part. Then i had to get harnesses from somewhere else which are only available from one seller again haha..
But it looks good and the Android Auto seems to be pretty awesome from what I can tell. The main things I wanted was google maps and google music. I'll probably use Pandora and/or spotify as well but with this HU I also installed SiriusXM and since it has an HDMI input I can basically use a Chromecast for all of the other applications that a Chinese Android head unit would give me.

Làm root cái
Gửi từ IM-A760S của tôi bằng cách sử dụng Tapatalk

I vote for Android Auto due to the fact it is set up to make thing safer and to distract the driver less.
Voice activation works great.
It's still in it's infancy stage, so I assume it'll get much better as time goes on - and more apps are created to accommodate it.
It's simplistic, and does exactly what it is supposed to do.

I don't buy the 'android auto is safer' argument - does self control not exist anymore? You can configure an android head unit to just have 5 icons & hide the status bar if you want.
For me, Android auto is far too limiting. On my Android head unit I can customise everything exactly to my taste & what I want to see.
I agree in wishing that there was a 'premium grade' option of android HU & not just Chinese no name built to the lowest cost options & would gladly pay a bit more for quality DACs, regular software updates etc, but the latest models really aren't that bad.

Kenwood exelon ddx9902s and i LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! Had a top of the line Kenwood before that and it actually increased sound quality by far. I did the replacement to get AA (and ditch the IPOD) and did not even think i would end up with better sound. Starting to think maybe that the lack of a Apple product in the car has led to the quality increase. Before all the Apple heads jump on me just remember you or anyone else has no idea what apple did to the music sent to another device besides tell you it was DIGITAL and GREAT and the BEST THERE IS
kjdBonez said:
First of all you can probably mount your Nexus tablet in landscape - as long as the screen is perpendicular to your shades than the polarized lens' wont matter.
But please expand on "all the other issues." Since you talk about putting a good preamp and amps in your car I assume that the sound quality is a big factor for you. Are the Android HUs that bad? What if you wire one line-out to an amp? Are the signals so much worse than a factory or name-brand aftermarket stereo that if you had a high quality amplifier it would still be very poor? I'm being serious here because I've never used one of these chinese HUs... I just saw some video reviews on YouTube of a couple of them and they looked pretty awesome. What AA stereo do you currently have, and how do you like it? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

BPryde said:
Before all the Apple heads jump on me just remember you or anyone else has no idea what apple did to the music sent to another device besides tell you it was DIGITAL and GREAT and the BEST THERE IS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never seen a single Apple bigot on this site, in 5 years. Maybe a few Android bigots here and there, but mostly just "fans".
The "worst" we have are reasonable people who understand that different mobile OS's have different pros and cons.

Excellent. I am used to getting jumped all over for ditching apple so was just being proactive

BPryde said:
Kenwood exelon ddx9902s and i LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! Had a top of the line Kenwood before that and it actually increased sound quality by far. I did the replacement to get AA (and ditch the IPOD) and did not even think i would end up with better sound. Starting to think maybe that the lack of a Apple product in the car has led to the quality increase. Before all the Apple heads jump on me just remember you or anyone else has no idea what apple did to the music sent to another device besides tell you it was DIGITAL and GREAT and the BEST THERE IS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Starting to think maybe that the lack of a Apple product in the car has led to the quality increase" so what is Apple Car Play ?
I would buy an Android Auto Head Unit as it just works I spend all day at work fixing IT problems the last thing I want to do is have them at home or in my car to deal with.
I think Apples implementation of Car Play looks great however I don't and never will buy an over priced Iphone funny thing is though the Andriod Auto Head Units are over priced so IPhone now looks great value! :laugh:

slinkydonkey said:
"Starting to think maybe that the lack of a Apple product in the car has led to the quality increase" so what is Apple Car Play ?
I would buy an Android Auto Head Unit as it just works I spend all day at work fixing IT problems the last thing I want to do is have them at home or in my car to deal with.
I think Apples implementation of Car Play looks great however I don't and never will buy an over priced Iphone funny thing is though the Andriod Auto Head Units are over priced so IPhone now looks great value! :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple car play is about the same as android auto but different. Auto gives you an interface on your head unit screen but gets its data and stuff it needs from the phone. Car play dumps a bunch of icons on your head unit and makes your car look like an apple product. Auto is very slimmed down to the things you can do but it is for safety! You should be driving. This will piss you off at first thought but after learning the voice commands (it's really good) you will not only understand but you will be a better driver I can set reminders and Google calendar events while diving down the road. I can also send google hangouts messages (and reply) by voice as well. Having google maps in the dash is awesome as well. People will say that "sirri" does all that but I would rather have google looking up answers to my questions. Google is the data company.
---------- Post added at 11:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:05 AM ----------
asdrewq said:
I don't buy the 'android auto is safer' argument - does self control not exist anymore? You can configure an android head unit to just have 5 icons & hide the status bar if you want.
For me, Android auto is far too limiting. On my Android head unit I can customise everything exactly to my taste & what I want to see.
I agree in wishing that there was a 'premium grade' option of android HU & not just Chinese no name built to the lowest cost options & would gladly pay a bit more for quality DACs, regular software updates etc, but the latest models really aren't that bad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably the same words spoken by the guy that ran over a 2 year old while he was reaching for an icon to press!
---------- Post added at 11:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:07 AM ----------
mikereidis said:
I've never seen a single Apple bigot on this site, in 5 years. Maybe a few Android bigots here and there, but mostly just "fans".
The "worst" we have are reasonable people who understand that different mobile OS's have different pros and cons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Missed this message.. Excellent that is good to hear

We all use Android because it allows us to do what we want, when we want. It's for that reason I am for the Head Units rather than Android Auto.
I'm all for safety, but I feel the driver should bear that responsibility. Everyone already has a phone in their pocket that they can infinitely distract themselves with, it's no different than an Android Head Unit. You are behind the wheel of your car, you know what's right and wrong.
I've racked up over 15,000 miles of commuter stop and go (3 hours a day) with my head unit and I've been nothing short of a safe driver. I don't drive around town downloading apps and configuring them on the fly. It's not hard to set up your unit the way you like while your car is stationary at home.

slinkydonkey said:
I think Apples implementation of Car Play looks great however I don't and never will buy an over priced Iphone funny thing is though the Andriod Auto Head Units are over priced so IPhone now looks great value! :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pioneer 4100NEX is as cheap as $500 US on EBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-PIONEER...032177?hash=item1c5c43cf71:g:qxUAAOSwAYtWOqyj
Supports Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Appradio Unchained Reloaded, and works stand-alone too.

"Pioneer 4100NEX is as cheap as $500 US on EBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-PIONEER-...UAAOSwAYtWOqyj"
I'm in UK but serious even $500 isn't cheap there is no way I would want to put a £500 car stereo in my car so someone can just break in and steal it.
I've see this Car Play one for http://www.carsoundsandsecurity.co.uk/store/sph-da120/ for £274.95
Most people on this thread seem to like Android Head Units which one is the most reliable one at the moment?

Suitable replacement for Pioneer/Mosfet sound?

Hi all, new to the world of android auto but long time veteran of these forums and android crackery.
I've been doing a lot of reading on XDA about these head units, as well as Amazon user reviews, and the only thing i can't find is too much info on the sound that these units are able to reproduce. I have a 7" Pioneer in dash now, my fourth Pioneer unit, and i absolutely love the sound its able to reproduce even through stock speakers. I'd love to have one more android toy to play with but my concern is losing the music functionality from a weak internal amp. I'd like to avoid installing a secondary amp if possible.
Any ideas/suggestions on particular MTCD models would be appreciated.
Thanks!
-Rug

New Joying HU with surround digital amplifier

Does anyone have new Joying HU with surround digital amplifier? Has the sound quality improved?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFr...zWiloVA/videos

They just came out. I posted in your other thread. I have one coming tomorrow. It may be some time before you get any real feedback since they are new. Looks promising, but we learn not to get our hopes up too much.

pounce said:
They just came out. I posted in your other thread. I have one coming tomorrow. It may be some time before you get any real feedback since they are new. Looks promising, but we learn not to get our hopes up too much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's cool, I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the new unit

For reference:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073LF3GZP
Others should buy this so I have safety in numbers

I wouldn't expect greatness from an amp in units like this. Any good HUs that have optical out? That is probably the safest choice to get good sound out of these units.
Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk

Ziggyrama said:
I wouldn't expect greatness from an amp in units like this. Any good HUs that have optical out? That is probably the safest choice to get good sound out of these units.
Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyone seen an android unit with toslink? For what its worth method of transport has no relation to sound quality. They solve different needs. Transport is like a road. It can be smooth or bumpy, but has nothing to do with the car you drive over it. You can send crap over a toslink and the head unit would have to convert lower grade data to PCM.

pounce said:
Anyone seen an android unit with toslink? For what its worth method of transport has no relation to sound quality. They solve different needs. Transport is like a road. It can be smooth or bumpy, but has nothing to do with the car you drive over it. You can send crap over a toslink and the head unit would have to convert lower grade data to PCM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you are correct but it is important to note how these units are built. Toslink removes the need for DAC which is the weak link. Basically, the unit reads digital media and sends digital signal to something else which has its own DAC. Decoding and sending digital signals in these HUs is done with off the shelf chipssets that either work or don't. It is binary. A cheap DAC adds a lot of artifacts and general noise to the signal. So, the reality is, a cheap HU that does toslink can yield good sound. A cheap HU with a DAC will not, because economics won't allow it. That is why I asked. To use your analogy, what is better, a smooth road paved with no seams and expansion joints or one that was paved piece meal with connectors and detours? Hope that makes sense.
Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk

Ziggyrama said:
Yes, you are correct but it is important to note how these units are built. Toslink removes the need for DAC which is the weak link. Basically, the unit reads digital media and sends digital signal to something else which has its own DAC. Decoding and sending digital signals in these HUs is done with off the shelf chipssets that either work or don't. It is binary. A cheap DAC adds a lot of artifacts and general noise to the signal. So, the reality is, a cheap HU that does toslink can yield good sound. A cheap HU with a DAC will not, because economics won't allow it. That is why I asked. To use your analogy, what is better, a smooth road paved with no seams and expansion joints or one that was paved piece meal with connectors and detours? Hope that makes sense.
Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many head units that have toslink really only had it for the CD or DVD and didn't convert radio or aux etc. A few units exist that do the conversion, but its pretty slim. I really don't think anyone has the expectation that for 300 bucks you are getting something amazing. You probably do get something incrementally better than the basic stuff we have been seeing.
Discussing toslink on these units is definitely an armchair topic and pretty far from realistic even if logically is makes sense.

i am really considering that 10.1 inch Joying, it would be my third Joying, so I have a good method of comparison

Well if its like the previous Joying units you can expect about one in 3 units to fully function out of the box and that one to fail within 90 days. Cheap chinese low quality junk with no warranty support.
Second, it does not belong in this forum. Has NOTHING to do with android auto. Off topic.

CadillacMike said:
i am really considering that 10.1 inch Joying, it would be my third Joying, so I have a good method of comparison
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do it! I need safety in numbers. I have a few others to compare that are still running.

I popped it open. I actually don't think the back is any sort of serious heatsink. The digital amp is screwed to it, but there is a gap. Video out is cables alongside the left rear usb. I'm not sure what the empty socket is between the mic and the video out. There is nothing identifying on the silver box.
I probably wont get to bench testing it until the weekend or next week.

pounce said:
I popped it open. I actually don't think the back is any sort of serious heatsink. The digital amp is screwed to it, but there is a gap. Video out is cables alongside the left rear usb. I'm not sure what the empty socket is between the mic and the video out. There is nothing identifying on the silver box.
I probably wont get to bench testing it until the weekend or next week.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for tearing into one of these... I've been really curious if that fancy looking back panel was actually a functional heatsink or not. Curious how you rank the sound quality and "no heat problem" this unit is supposed to be advertised for... Look forward to the rest of your review/testing!

I am very interested to see if there is a noticeable sound difference
My Joying died and I put in a Sony until I figure out my next move.
I was genuinely shocked at the sound improvement. And I always thought my Joying sounded great, but my speakers have come alive with the Sony

i got the 10 inch single din with an amp and DSP. I got it installed last night. only had a short drive to test it, but I think it sounds pretty great

CadillacMike said:
i got the 10 inch single din with an amp and DSP. I got it installed last night. only had a short drive to test it, but I think it sounds pretty great
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you get a model number on that? I had to have several emails with joying describing what I wanted with a single din and 10.1 screen. They told me to buy a certain one and then add 40 bucks and they would know what to send. Seemed weird. Just wonder if that's what you did also.

pounce said:
Did you get a model number on that? I had to have several emails with joying describing what I wanted with a single din and 10.1 screen. They told me to buy a certain one and then add 40 bucks and they would know what to send. Seemed weird. Just wonder if that's what you did also.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not yet, mine was a replacement for my 8 inch that quit working. I emailed them asking for a specific model number so I can post it in my review

Joying now makes it clear on their site:
Note: JOYING car stereo with internal digital amplifier only can fit the car which without internal amplifier and external amplifier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume this is because there appears to be a lack of rear pre-outs, but I'm not totally clear. I did see that if you enable an external amp the controls are reverted to the old interface.

So I have had my new 10 inch unit for about 2 days, and it works great. *Bluetooth doesn't drop out, sounds awesome. *
today and only today, I was listening to music loudly, and I noticed it would drop out a bit. *I thought it was odd and looked at the screen, and I got this flash with yellow on top and some Chinese writing:
I did a reboot and it started working fine again

Right on, thanks for posting your experiences with this unit... I decided to buy an Xtrons 10.1 octacore unit because it was around $100 cheaper than the Joying with the digital amp... Heard a number of complaints about wireless sucking and stuff so I'm eyeing the Joying as a backup if the Xtrons unit goes bad or I discover some sort of weird issue. I gotta admit, I have not encountered any problems with it thus far so hopefully I won't be needing to swap it for the Joying, but its good to know it generally works pretty good (and sounds good) ... One note about the Xtrons unit, is yes the wireless does kinda suck if I'm trying to use my home wireless from the driveway, however its rock solid and fast when I'm using my phone as a hotspot, which is how it will be used 99% of the time, so I'm pretty stoked thats not an issue!
Anyways, thanks again for the info guys!

Is Android Auto Worth It Yet?

I currently have a pretty good full android head unit. I really like basically having a tablet in my car, but always find myself let down by the sound quality. So I am trying to find out if AA has come far enough to justify spending hundreds of dollars on another head unit. Is it stable? Are the features useful? Are there any killer apps?
If you think it's worth it to switch to AA, which head unit is the best out there? Would it be something like the new Alpine iLX-F309, or the recent Pioneer AVH-2330NEX, or the year old Sony XAV-AX100? Or something else?

Well, I guess that answers that question.

For me:
Stable? Yes, with a newish phone and good quality cable.
Useful? Very
Killer apps? No, it's a car. But the SDK has allowed a few interesting custom apps.
Personally I wouldn't be without it. I'm not going back to terrible OEM UI's

Not for me. Waze is giving me issues (speech recognition only works after a few minutes of driving) and the limit of scrolling through the library in Spotify is a no-go for me. If I use my music library inside my head-unit I can browse through all my music without limitation. So now I use my phone in a dash mount for waze and stream spotify through bluetooth.
The head unit I have is the Discover Pro in a Volkswagen Passat.

In terms of a full ready to go factory built product, I'd take a decent AA radio (like the sony XAV-AX100) over any of the cheapo chinese trash in a heartbeat. I'm saying this as an owner of a cheapo chinese piece of trash.
HOWEVER, AA leaves a lot to be desired that would be fulfilled by a PROPER and GOOD QUALITY Android radio.
And to that end there is THIS: https://github.com/HiKey960-Car/HiKey960-Car
Which is very much more usable than a cheapo chinese radio at this point, but has a few loose edges (which are VERY quickly being smoothed out).
What that is, is a GENUINE Android Automotive build, and not the ugly chinese layers on top of a smartphone build. Visually, it has a strong resemblance to Android Auto (it is very important to distinguish between "Auto" and "Automotive", which are two VERY distinct products), but is a complete operating system.
It is also worth noting that building one of those will definitely cost more than a cheapo chinese radio. In fact, just the SBC by itself will already match the price of an entire chinese radio ($250 USD), but the benefits of an ENTIRELY open source (except for ONE library for the MALI) "official google development board" are huge.

That board has mixed reviews based on build quality, and stability. It also isn't available through the only source I'd trust buying something like that, at that price, which is Amazon. Plus it wouldn't have the hi-pass filter, low-pass filter, and sub controls standard on a head unit, such as my "cheapo chinese trash" Joying radio. I don't think it would be for me based on those factors.

Thanks to those of you who responded, and voted. Since I cant even hook up an external amp to my radio, due to lack of outputs, I have decided to make the switch. My Pioneer 2330 will arrive tomorrow. I hope it's going to be a good switch for me.

Works really well on my new Vauxhall Corsa with built in intellilink R4. Waze has come of age, clear voice controls and directions. Added too that full steering wheel controls. Spotify pumping out my music. I have also have this great plugin running. :-https://forum.xda-developers.com/general/paid-software/app-obd2-plugin-android-auto-torque-t3657805

The "mixed reviews" are due to one very specific characteristic, which is that it uses a DSI-to-HDMI converter, which means that there are a few monitors that simply do not work with it.
Build quality and stability are excellent.
It *is* available on Amazon.
It *DOES* have audio filtering capability.

On Amazon it says: Currently unavailable.
The mixed reviews are for constant crashing, boards showing up DOA, problems with flashing different firmwares, and more. Which go against the claim of excellent build quality, and stability.
And the only way to adjust the audio the way I am talking about is to adjust it on the amps used. That would mean pulling over, and tweaking knobs on the go.
It may be a decent concept, and work for some people. It's honestly not better than using something like a Nexus 7 hooked up to an amp like many people have done.