Database Develop

Sound Quality General [Snapdragon]

Like many others, I'm waiting eagerly for my phone to arrive, and I've seen a lot of threads regarding sound quality. What I didn't find though, was one thread for all audio discussion. I consider myself an entry-level audiophile, so I figured I'd make one!
Since the two Note 4 versions (Exynos/Snapdragon) have different sound chips, I thought it might be good to separate them a bit.
I thought we would hopefully get two lesser cluttered threads, where people could discuss their version.
This thread would then be for the Snapdragon version (without the Wolfson DAC).
Here, people could post first-impressions, measurements, and discuss. Mainly for the headphone output, but also for speakers.

Still waiting for mine as well. There are two solutions that make the dac discussion largely irrelevant imo. Use an external dac or install vyper . vyper never fails to amaze me at overcoming hard ware limitations. I predict that I will have my new phone rooted and vyper installed within a couple of hours of opening the box.

eddhard said:
Still waiting for mine as well. There are two solutions that make the dac discussion largely irrelevant imo. Use an external dac or install vyper . vyper never fails to amaze me at overcoming hard ware limitations. I predict that I will have my new phone rooted and vyper installed within a couple of hours of opening the box.
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Yep, that's true! Will probably install Viper in no time, but I'm looking to get an external DAC soon too. The FiiO E18 looks good for my needs, as it functions as a charger for the phone as well as a DAC.
Regardless, it's good to have one place where people can ask for questions about audio in my opinion. I've seen a lot of threads the last couple of days

Just listened to some music from Spotify that I downloaded to get a feel for the quality. I'm happy with it but Samsung's earbuds are for the birds. Switched over to some better ones I have and while not audiophile quality, I'm OK for now with what I heard. It was only for about a half hour so we'll see going forward.

robertc88 said:
Just listened to some music from Spotify that I downloaded to get a feel for the quality. I'm happy with it but Samsung's earbuds are for the birds. Switched over to some better ones I have and while not audiophile quality, I'm OK for now with what I heard. It was only for about a half hour so we'll see going forward.
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That sounds good, what sq and headphones were you using?

Mafle93 said:
That sounds good, what sq and headphones were you using?
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I'm very impressed and I use Power Amp on my HTC M8, LG G3 and Note 4 and prefer the Note 4 especially with HD music.

Got my phone today, I'm fairly impressed as well. It doesn't play too loud through headphones though. 20 ohm IEMs, and I still need to have 4/5 of full volume for it to be loud enough. Need to do more listening before I'll consider buying an amp.

Very happy with mine, I'm coming from the GS4 Exynos and my Note 4 S805 is a hell of a lot louder and clearer, need to get a new pair of Sennheisers and a 64GB MicroSDXC to fill up with HQ music, movies and series.

Factory earbuds are a joke with the UK version Terrible sound quality...
Plugged in a decent set of in ears and sound is OK, not up to the same quality as the (exynos) note 2 I had previously though.

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
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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?
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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....
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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.
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+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.
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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.

Audio quality bad after Nougat?

Hello my one plus was working fine with audio till Nougat update. Now because of the built in equalizer the sounds are All over the place. High lows,mids low bass high treble. Tried a different equalizer app and helps a little but then I put a different song and back to tuning the equalizer again. Shi sucks! What can I do? Factory reset as of now is not an option because that's the Only issue I am facing. Might just buy a cheap O Android phone Just for music because this is plain rediculous. My head hurts after hearing such terrible sounds. Definitely won't blow out my speakers due to OnePlus ass. Any suggestions? Or just go ahead buy a new phone and use it as an MP3 player.
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

Disable the built in equalizer and try using a music player with a equalizer built into the app. You could also try a more powerful system-level equalizer like viper.
I'm not sure how bad you audio quality is, but surely it can't justify carrying around a second phone just for music?

Compared to my other phone which is Zenfone 3 ZE520KL with ZenUI Marshmallow, I can confirm that the OP3 and OP3T produce a less good sound for music listening. It gives me a slight headache when I use it for long music listening session.
I regularly stream music from Spotify with Extreme quality settings using my Audio Technica ATH-M50x headphone for when I work in front of laptop and Audio Technica ATH-CKS550iS IEM when I want to listen to music when I outside office/home.
So, IMHO for sound reproduction, my Zenfone 3 with only half of my OP3T price still wins.
I hope OP could look on this issue in the next update and not just focusing on phone interface smoothness and benchmark apps performance.

Agree, if you listen to music with no or stock EQ, the sound isn't great. ViperFX completely fixes this though.

Thank you for your replies fellas!
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

I haven't noticed anything but I started to use this a long time ago and has a version for the one plus 3. I had to use the hotfix version. https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software/soundmod-ainur-audio-t3450516
Night and day difference, and no "black magic".
---------- Post added at 07:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:14 AM ----------
Edit: I also have a Fiio A1 for giving me more juice to my AKG-550 and Y55. Always swear by fiio price to performance also got the K1 for USB audio I use for my laptop. It's worth getting if you listen to music alot.

motherninja said:
Compared to my other phone which is Zenfone 3 ZE520KL with ZenUI Marshmallow, I can confirm that the OP3 and OP3T produce a less good sound for music listening. It gives me a slight headache when I use it for long music listening session.
I regularly stream music from Spotify with Extreme quality settings using my Audio Technica ATH-M50x headphone for when I work in front of laptop and Audio Technica ATH-CKS550iS IEM when I want to listen to music when I outside office/home.
So, IMHO for sound reproduction, my Zenfone 3 with only half of my OP3T price still wins.
I hope OP could look on this issue in the next update and not just focusing on phone interface smoothness and benchmark apps performance.
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Came here because my ZE520KL sounds like ultra lo-fi after the Nougat update. All my high quality music, at least when not playing the entire sound range at once, sounds like those badly encoded MP3s.

Msmtx said:
Came here because my ZE520KL sounds like ultra lo-fi after the Nougat update. All my high quality music, at least when not playing the entire sound range at once, sounds like those badly encoded MP3s.
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If I were you, I would buy the LG V20 or LG G6 with quad DAC if you're really into the Hi-Res music.
OnePlus phone is sucked big time in audio department, they even don't really care about this
I don't know about the Zen 3 Nougat update anymore since I already sold this phone a few months ago

Latest 7.1.1 seems to get a better sound drivers!

motherninja said:
If I were you, I would buy the LG V20 or LG G6 with quad DAC if you're really into the Hi-Res music.
OnePlus phone is sucked big time in audio department, they even don't really care about this
I don't know about the Zen 3 Nougat update anymore since I already sold this phone a few months ago
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Not really a big matter, but I want at least up-to-par quality. Came from a Nexus 5, after a Zenfone 5, after an iPod 4, and I couldn't tell a difference between them - also couldn't with MM Zenfone 3. But the Nougat update released for Zenfone 3 killed it's audio completely... I'm not an audiophile, but it's a BIG difference, and it's really a buzzkill when you're expecting a song you know in quality, and suddenly it's crap with the only variable being the ROM version...

BaaDNwZ said:
Latest 7.1.1 seems to get a better sound drivers!
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How did you update ? I tried two days ago via APN from Canada it took under an HR with all the track but it failed.
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

nano303 said:
How did you update ? I tried two days ago via APN from Canada it took under an HR with all the track but it failed.
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
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manually flashed full .zip via twrp

nano303 said:
How did you update ? I tried two days ago via APN from Canada it took under an HR with all the track but it failed.
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
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Better try to flash the full zip rather than wait for the OTA to come to your phone.

Pocket now did a review and where impressed by the audio quality apart from some auto equaliser "magic" which now can be turned off in audio settings.
Between my friends s7 and my aunt's G5 this device is capable of running my AKG Y55 (Amazing price, great for those bass head's) and my more flat 550 mk2 struggle but my trusty Fiio A1 pumps that extra needed juice. I use tidal as my music addiction costs a fortune buying CDs and flac albums :silly: and now on desktop they have some MQA albums that sound amazing.
http://www.whathifi.com/tidalmasters/review
Also with some digging i found that One plus takes advantage of Qualcomm's https://www.qualcomm.com/news/snapdragon/2016/11/18/snapdragon-821-gives-oneplus-3t-power-push
And in apps i see Dirac http://www.dirac.com/mobile-audio/
So my final assessment to me is this phone pushes well above its weight in the sound department but like most mobile devices it is the output power that suffers. Either get a external DAC (Fiio A1 http://headfonics.com/2016/04/the-a1-by-fiio/) if you are into tunes but want to spend minimum £$ and want portability.
A Few posts back there is a great audio mod that isn't witchcraft that i swear by, Nero is my choice but kills the built-in equaliser as it bypasses CPU offloading and pushes it straight to the built-in DAC.
Sorry for all the links i like to be thorough :angel:

Same here, after android 7.0 my Asus zenfone 3 sounds very bad.
I was impressed by its music quality before 7.0 update. I hope there will be a fix.

What audio DAC chip does the Note 8 use?

What audio dac chip does the Note 8 use? Former note 5 and 7 owner here. I love the dac on my LG v20(note 7 replacement)! Will I be disappointed when my note 8 arrives?

Coming from the lg v20 u probably will be.. I've owned must top end galaxy phones and the DAC does let me down, its not awful but nowhere near as good as the lg ot htc...
Sent from my SM-G950F using XDA-Developers Legacy app

The S8+ DAC is great. I am no audiophile, and can't compare to the V20, but it sounds great to me. And I believe the same DAC from the S8 is in the N8. I think there was another thread here that had that info earlier today or yesterday.

teegunn said:
The S8+ DAC is great. I am no audiophile, and can't compare to the V20, but it sounds great to me. And I believe the same DAC from the S8 is in the N8. I think there was another thread here that had that info earlier today or yesterday.
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I have the LG V20 and the Note FE, the V20 is in a different league when compared to last year's Note.

jah said:
I have the LG V20 and the Note FE, the V20 is in a different league when compared to last year's Note.
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Like I said I can't compare to the V20. The S8+ seems to have better sound than the Note 7, and I expect the Note 8 to also have better sound since the Note 8 is the same as the DAC on the S8+ (I believe). Whether it is on par with the V20 I can't say and from others have said here doubtful the Note 8 will be as good as the V20 in this area. But for me it is more than good enough if it's on par with the S8+.

I've had the Note 7, V20, and S8+. I can say that the N7 audio sucked. The V20 was amazing. The S8+ sounds just as good from what I can tell. When I got the N7, it was terrible. I was afraid that the S8+ would be equally bad, but it's not. It's a world of difference. I'm using Westone W4R between all 3 devices.

EvoKnvl said:
I've had the Note 7, V20, and S8+. I can say that the N7 audio sucked. The V20 was amazing. The S8+ sounds just as good from what I can tell. When I got the N7, it was terrible. I was afraid that the S8+ would be equally bad, but it's not. It's a world of difference. I'm using Westone W4R between all 3 devices.
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My wife has a Galaxy S8 and with high res music above CD quality the V20 is much better.

Hi, the V20 had quad ES92B ESS Sabre DAC's. In terms of technical sound reproduction the V20, on paper, is superior to the Cirrus logic (Formally known as Wolfson) DAC on the Exynos Note 8 however............. IN terms of sound reproduction there are numerous factors that affect the end result IE, what we hear.
The amplification process and, of course, the ear buds or head phones in terms of a mobile device. Not to mention the source material and the ambient we are trying to listen in.
In general the V20 should outshine the Note 8 IF all parameters are equal. In real life seldom are said parameters equal. To that end to truly hear the difference we would need to be in a studio with identical volume presets, head phones, high end source material and music genre.
For a mobile device that is not really meant to compete with dedicated Hi-res portable players costing hundreds of euros, I think most of us including the so called audiophiles like me will be happy taking into consideration we won't have to carry around a second device. I guess its the same with the cameraphiles who will be happy with taking less accurate pictures BUT not having the need to carry a dedicated canon DSLR?
Ryland

apologize for the following question-
how does note 8 stack up against htc10,...i know i know it's a silly question, yet curious, i haven't tried the v20 quad dac ... people highly praise it though
i'm just a simpleton ...i was earlier a edge plus user, had to switch because of samsung not giving memory slot.
music+camera are my main priorities , but miss the deep blacks of sAMOLED.

What about bluetooth audio?
I use a Samsung bluetooth dongle with high quality earphones & the FE sounds fine. How about the V20 or Note 8?

Good question. Does the Note 8 have Apt X?

V20 has aptx HD which is amazing as long as you a headset that supports aptx HD. I don't believe the Note8 will have aptx HD as Samsung use their own UHQ codec.

The s8+ had Atpx, so the note 8 should have.

Ryland Johnson said:
Hi, the V20 had quad ES92B ESS Sabre DAC's. In terms of technical sound reproduction the V20, on paper, is superior to the Cirrus logic (Formally known as Wolfson) DAC on the Exynos Note 8 however............. IN terms of sound reproduction there are numerous factors that affect the end result IE, what we hear.
The amplification process and, of course, the ear buds or head phones in terms of a mobile device. Not to mention the source material and the ambient we are trying to listen in.
In general the V20 should outshine the Note 8 IF all parameters are equal. In real life seldom are said parameters equal. To that end to truly hear the difference we would need to be in a studio with identical volume presets, head phones, high end source material and music genre.
For a mobile device that is not really meant to compete with dedicated Hi-res portable players costing hundreds of euros, I think most of us including the so called audiophiles like me will be happy taking into consideration we won't have to carry around a second device. I guess its the same with the cameraphiles who will be happy with taking less accurate pictures BUT not having the need to carry a dedicated canon DSLR?
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It will be a looooong time if ever before phones catch up to DSLR's. It will be a long time before phones catch up to dedicated audio players, because as you said they can't provide the necessary amplification (especially without significant distortion).
Back on topic, if the international Note 8's carry the Cirrus logic DAC's, what will the US (Qualcomm 835) Note 8's carry? What does the US S8/S8+ carry? I assume it will be the same. The V30 and it's quad DAC comes out soon, too. I don't think the Note 8 will match that one, either. However, I want my S-pen. So, I just want to be good. I don't expect V30 greatness.
Back off topic, a few people mentioned AptX in this thread. AptX makes Bluetooth audio less awful, but it's no replacement for a quality DAC and wired headphones. It shouldn't even be part of this discussion.

jah said:
V20 has aptx HD which is amazing as long as you a headset that supports aptx HD. I don't believe the Note8 will have aptx HD as Samsung use their own UHQ codec.
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@home said:
The s8+ had Atpx, so the note 8 should have.
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Aptx and AptxHD are two different things. As far as I'm aware, AptxHD is only available for Snapdragon SoCs, so the international Note 8s will almost certainly not have AptxHD.
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allargon said:
It will be a looooong time if ever before phones catch up to DSLR's. It will be a long time before phones catch up to dedicated audio players
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Very true but that wasn't his point. The cameras and audio output for phones have advanced to the point where they're 85% as good as dedicated devices (DSLRs and audio players) and most people can't justify carrying another bulky, inconvenient device just to get that extra 15% performance gain. Maybe the Note 8 camera(s) can't match the latest DSLR cameras but it might be a match for a DSLR from 5 years ago, which is still pretty damn good and exceeds most people's needs.
I was tossing up between getting the Note 8 and the V30 because whilst I wouldn't say I'm an audiophile, I do like my music to sound awesome. The Quad DAC was pretty tempting but none of the major carriers in Australia stock LG phones (except Telstra and **** that) so I would've had to buy it outright. There's also the matter of perspective. I'm coming from a Note 3, so while the DAC in the Note 8 will undoubtedly be inferior to the DAC in the V30, it will still be a huge step up from what I'm used to. If I want some extra oomph in my music, I'll use my Fiio Q1 (and Viper4Android).

Torquemada288 said:
Aptx and AptxHD are two different things. As far as I'm aware, AptxHD is only available for Snapdragon SoCs, so the international Note 8s will almost certainly not have AptxHD.
---------- Post added at 11:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:31 AM ----------
Very true but that wasn't his point. The cameras and audio output for phones have advanced to the point where they're 85% as good as dedicated devices (DSLRs and audio players) and most people can't justify carrying another bulky, inconvenient device just to get that extra 15% performance gain. Maybe the Note 8 camera(s) can't match the latest DSLR cameras but it might be a match for a DSLR from 5 years ago, which is still pretty damn good and exceeds most people's needs.
I was tossing up between getting the Note 8 and the V30 because whilst I wouldn't say I'm an audiophile, I do like my music to sound awesome. The Quad DAC was pretty tempting but none of the major carriers in Australia stock LG phones (except Telstra and **** that) so I would've had to buy it outright. There's also the matter of perspective. I'm coming from a Note 3, so while the DAC in the Note 8 will undoubtedly be inferior to the DAC in the V30, it will still be a huge step up from what I'm used to. If I want some extra oomph in my music, I'll use my Fiio Q1 (and Viper4Android).
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I know that aptx and aptx HD are different! Aptx HD headphones are very rare. The aptx codec is not limited to certain SoC as the headphones i have are not SD!
See this about Android O and LDAC and aptx.HD
http://www.androidauthority.com/bluetooth-audio-android-o-758401/

jah said:
I know that aptx and aptx HD are different! Aptx HD headphones are very rare. The aptx codec is not limited to certain SoC as the headphones i have are not SD!
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Sorry, you are correct. Aptx HD is a Qualcomm product and I naturally assumed that phones that don't use a Qualcomm SoC wouldn't have this ability. My bad.

Sound chip in Note8 (SM-N950F) - Cirrus CS47L92

Pubbaa said:
apologize for the following question-
how does note 8 stack up against htc10,...i know i know it's a silly question, yet curious, i haven't tried the v20 quad dac ... people highly praise it though
i'm just a simpleton ...i was earlier a edge plus user, had to switch because of samsung not giving memory slot.
music+camera are my main priorities , but miss the deep blacks of sAMOLED.
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Yes the HTC10 could drive headphones harder than ANY portable device on its own that I used and sounded pretty good at it too.
And the faded looking LCD is the reason why I punted it. Compared to my Note5 it made me sick.

allargon said:
It will be a looooong time if ever before phones catch up to DSLR's. It will be a long time before phones catch up to dedicated audio players, because as you said they can't provide the necessary amplification (especially without significant distortion).
Back on topic, if the international Note 8's carry the Cirrus logic DAC's, what will the US (Qualcomm 835) Note 8's carry? What does the US S8/S8+ carry? I assume it will be the same. The V30 and it's quad DAC comes out soon, too. I don't think the Note 8 will match that one, either. However, I want my S-pen. So, I just want to be good. I don't expect V30 greatness.
Back off topic, a few people mentioned AptX in this thread. AptX makes Bluetooth audio less awful, but it's no replacement for a quality DAC and wired headphones. It shouldn't even be part of this discussion.
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Hi, Thanks for the reply. I don't know for sure what the snap dragon use I understand they have their own system and the DAC is possibly part of the SD processor? This would need research and as I will be purchasing the International Xynos mobile I don't follow the SD programme. Sorry I cant be helpful on the SD mobiles.
Regards, Ryland.

Truly wireless earbuds for the Note 8?

Which truly wireless earbuds are you using with the Note 8 and you would recommend? Looking to buy one.
Been eyeing the Beoplay E8. I am more concerned about audio fidelity (for a bluetooth device) over any other factors.

Praks93 said:
Which truly wireless earbuds are you using with the Note 8 and you would recommend? Looking to buy one.
Been eyeing the Beoplay E8. I am more concerned about audio fidelity (for a bluetooth device) over any other factors.
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The Beoplay E8 and Apple Airpods seem to be the best for the Note 8.
very good review of a few including the two above:
the guy named Jay does a solid comparison of the E8 and Airpods on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/cr/B074WTL19N/ref=mw_dp_cr

opasha said:
The Beoplay E8 and Apple Airpods seem to be the best for the Note 8.
very good review of a few including the two above:
the guy named Jay does a solid comparison of the E8 and Airpods on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/cr/B074WTL19N/ref=mw_dp_cr
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My concern is that he is testing all these using an iPhone. With the Note 8, even the codec being used changes. That is why I am looking for actual people using the Note 8 with wireless buds.

Praks93 said:
My concern is that he is testing all these using an iPhone. With the Note 8, even the codec being used changes. That is why I am looking for actual people using the Note 8 with wireless buds.
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He tested with note 8:
a few Amazon reviews have the note 8 in the link I posted comparing the E8 to Airpods.

Praks93 said:
My concern is that he is testing all these using an iPhone. With the Note 8, even the codec being used changes. That is why I am looking for actual people using the Note 8 with wireless buds.
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I've been using Beoplay E8's with Note 8 for the past 3 weeks and I've gotta say, I'm amazed! Audio quality is good, connection strong, and no issues so far. App lets you adjust audio and build is outstanding.

I've been using Gear Gear Iconx (2016) would love to upgrade to the 2017 model for better battery life.

I got the 2018 icon X. They can be paired with a device or even used without one. They sound good and have good touch controls.

I had the Icon X 2018, got them from B&H for $150, they were great at the beginning, but some annoynaces were like this:
1. No way to Power Off the buds without putting them back in the case, this means lots of charging/discharging the whole time.
2. Touch controls became finicky after about 2 weeks.
3. Totally subjective I know, but they hurt my ears, tried all combinations.
Back to Jaybird RUN, with latest FW Update the BT connection is rock solid, Volume is much higher than the IconX 2018, and the sound fidelity through the Jaybird App EQ settings is Superb to say the least, and I'm a musician so I know quality sound vs ... you know!

I just picked up the Blueant Pump Air.
Not bad at all and super light (4 grams)
http://www.myblueant.com/products/headphones/pumpair/

I have finally decided to pick up the E8. Once the Note 8 gets Oreo (which should be soon), i guess the lack of aptx will not matter much.
How is the audio delay when watching youtube videos with the latest firmware?
On a side note, there is Ashley Chloe's Fuse coming out soon. They have aptx and usb c charging! Would have considered them if they were to be available by mid february.

I have the Jabra elite sport and I really like them
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...tAQoQgcgCCEM&usg=AOvVaw2MG-SYwF_n8q6eGxk79VoA

Willy318is said:
I had the Icon X 2018, got them from B&H for $150, they were great at the beginning, but some annoynaces were like this:
1. No way to Power Off the buds without putting them back in the case, this means lots of charging/discharging the whole time.
2. Touch controls became finicky after about 2 weeks.
3. Totally subjective I know, but they hurt my ears, tried all combinations.
Back to Jaybird RUN, with latest FW Update the BT connection is rock solid, Volume is much higher than the IconX 2018, and the sound fidelity through the Jaybird App EQ settings is Superb to say the least, and I'm a musician so I know quality sound vs ... you know!
Click to expand...
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1. They power off on their own when disconnected from blue tooth.
2. I've had them since Christmas and use them everyday. Touch controls work as good as they did when I got them. Not sure what exactly would make them "finicky" after working fine.
3. They literally have four different size pads. If you can't find a fit, then you got wonky ears lol.
Seems you quickly wrote off the IconX because you all ready had your mind made up. Which is fine, but let's be honest. The jaybird RUN is an icon X knockoff. And what's funny is I read more issues about the jaybird sounding bad and not fitting right. They even have the same pod case setup that Samsung uses. And surprise, surprise, they are just $15 less msrp than the icon X. You can tell they are trying to be the icon X. I'll just stick to the original that happens to also work seamlessly with my device. I'm also not sure what being a musician has to do with hearing sound quality, but hey, as long as you feel good about it...

I was looking at the B&O but ended up ordering the crazybaby nano off indiegogo mainly due to BT5 and future proofed.
These are shipping this month and the order is locked so have no doubt to question this date (as I am with other campaigns).

NONE OF THEM SOUND GOOD
you'd be disappointed.
i have the the bose one, bragi one

TheUndertaker21 said:
NONE OF THEM SOUND GOOD
you'd be disappointed.
i have the the bose one, bragi one
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IconX sound great.

Gizmoe said:
1. They power off on their own when disconnected from blue tooth.
2. I've had them since Christmas and use them everyday. Touch controls work as good as they did when I got them. Not sure what exactly would make them "finicky" after working fine.
3. They literally have four different size pads. If you can't find a fit, then you got wonky ears lol.
Seems you quickly wrote off the IconX because you all ready had your mind made up. Which is fine, but let's be honest. The jaybird RUN is an icon X knockoff. And what's funny is I read more issues about the jaybird sounding bad and not fitting right. They even have the same pod case setup that Samsung uses. And surprise, surprise, they are just $15 less msrp than the icon X. You can tell they are trying to be the icon X. I'll just stick to the original that happens to also work seamlessly with my device. I'm also not sure what being a musician has to do with hearing sound quality, but hey, as long as you feel good about it...
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Hey, do you have issues? or really really long free and boredom time at your hands?
You criticised and analyzed every bit of word that I wrote, as if you are the master of the world, and you know everything and that you are God of technology. Grow the f up dude, I was just sharing my experience peacefully, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
I loved the IconX but preferred the Jaybird RUN at the end, end of story!

Let's not forget that the Truely wireless "thing" is still a new "thing" they will mature with time and provide better options than what we have now.
I have gone through a bunch of them - at the holiday -, and it was like you cannot just get all the PROS from all of them into 1 set, each had their pros and cons, like anything else.
I was expecting the Bose to be the top, but with their open-ended design, the sound was very shallow and thin, maybe it was made like this by design to provide ambiance awareness or sth., Elite Sport was great too.

Willy318is said:
Hey, do you have issues? or really really long free and boredom time at your hands?
You criticised and analyzed every bit of word that I wrote, as if you are the master of the world, and you know everything and that you are God of technology. Grow the f up dude, I was just sharing my experience peacefully, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
I loved the IconX but preferred the Jaybird RUN at the end, end of story!
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Hey, I just didn't agree with you and I stated why. You are getting a bit heated over it. Relax... :thumbsup:

Could someone suggest one that won't cost me a kidney? Already sold my right kidney for Note 8. Jk but foreal nothing over $100? Now I could just search top ten earbuds for under $100. But I rather hear from someone who has the same phone as me. I've seen different results with headphones from 1 phone to a totally different phone.

Nick216ohio said:
Could someone suggest one that won't cost me a kidney? Already sold my right kidney for Note 8. Jk but foreal nothing over $100? Now I could just search top ten earbuds for under $100. But I rather hear from someone who has the same phone as me. I've seen different results with headphones from 1 phone to a totally different phone.
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Good wirefree headphones will be hard to find sub $100 since the tech is still new :/
If you are looking for good wired headphones, I'm using A-jays Five and Xiaomi Mi Headphones Pro HD and both are great for little money Jays sounds more natural and Mi sounds more bassy