Develop Bugs

Rant: HTC phones speakers are sorry pieces of crap

So, I recently ran into my old BB9700 phone and was playing music on its speaker for a bit. I have to say it was amazing.
And that reminds me how horrible my current G2 speaker is. If any of you have a BB 9700, you know what I'm talking about.
HTC makes amazing phones but when it comes to speakers, it is just a sorry piece of crap. I hope they will improve it soon.
Ok, rant off. Happy Sunday, everyone
Oosp, just realized this is in wrong forum. Mod please move it to approprite section. Thank you.

androidtoy09 said:
So, I recently ran into my old BB9700 phone and was playing music on its speaker for a bit. I have to say it was amazing.
And that reminds me how horrible my current G2 speaker is. If any of you have a BB 9700, you know what I'm talking about.
HTC makes amazing phones but when it comes to speakers, it is just a sorry piece of crap. I hope they will improve it soon.
Ok, rant off. Happy Sunday, everyone
Oosp, just realized this is in wrong forum. Mod please move it to approprite section. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My bro just got the Lg optimus one and we compared speakers and his killed mine lol .. g2 speaker is garbage!

I would agree. My Galaxy S has a much better sounding speaker, no where near as tingy or high frequency like.

HTC - sh*t speakers, sh*t cameras, and in this phone a sh*t hinge. Its a trade-off that I put up with for the dev support HTC handsets get, and if you're not into rooting then usually HTC software works mostly properly out of the box, unlike Samsuck and Moto.
I sure would like it if HTC just "did it right" though, and specced every single component decently - I would just pay the extra to have an awesome phone with great screens like Samsung, great speakers like Apple, great keyboards like - well HTC manage that part ok.
I wonder if LG are going to step up their game with a qwerty super-phone any time soon...

i have to admit, the g2 has one of the worst speakers I have ever heard on a phone

ill agree with the g2, my wing wasnt that better, but my TP2 killed all the phones i ever had. loud, clear, great for phone calls and energy rom was the beast.

my g1 speaker was actually pretty good

My incredible has a great speaker and a great camera
Sent from my HTC Incredible running myn's warm twopointtwo RLS5 using the XDA app

Wrong sub-forum.

yea I'd have to agree, the G2 is terrible...as was my Nexus One. Before that I had a Nokia N95 and good lord those things rivaled my laptop speakers. They were so clear and LOUD! Ughh but Symbian is terrible

Desire Z vs LG Optimus vs iPhone
Of the 3, I found the iPhone 4 was the best speaker (OS not for me though)
, but the Desire Z is MUCH better than the LG Optimus.

I have to agree with the op, in general, htc phones of late, desire onwards, have had exceptionally dire speakers, my DZ is about on par with the original desire - pretty useless. It's a shame cos it does make a huge difference to daily useability, so many times I look at my phone and find notifications I've not heard go off. Some of the best ones I've owned would have to be, nokia n91, nokia n95, nokia 5800, SGS, SE xperia min pro (amazing for size) and moto milestone.
Come on HTC, get it sorted, oh yeah, HTC TP2 was awsome too as someone said, only one really

The speakers on my sisters cliq are amazing. Even the bass sounds high quality and it is easily 30% louder than mine. I can't really complain though my phone is almost always on vibrate.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

It's okay... I have heard much worse in the past but the HTC Surround has some nice ones! They should add some speakers in all future HTC quertys.

lol.. all of HTCs WM phones have awesome speakers as someone said their TP2 had a awesome speaker. i had that phone too and it was loud and clea, same with the HD2. i think its tmobile lol. cause the incredible has an amazing speaker. i have the mytouch 4g and it sounds like a peice a poo high pitch idk

Why would u buy a phone just to complain about it? The speaker isn't very good though your right I been using this coming from the vibrant and the speaker was way better still debating on keeping the trade or not
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

Don't want to believe it, but it's DARN TRUE. IT'S GARBAGE! (Loud enough for phone ringtones but still, it's bad)
I really have no idea why they decide to put a GARBAGE speaker into a super device. Common, a better speaker doesn't cost too much more rite???
HTC~ Hello~ super phone users deserve a super-speakers too don't we?

i hate my G2s speaker. my roommate has a droid and it can completely drown out my G2s speaker. fortunately enough the g2s performance among other things are superior to any other phone (currently imo).

Not sure why a rant about hardware is in the Themes and Apps section, but Oh well...
Yeah -- I was hoping the speaker would be better than my previous phone (Kaiser) but its not. But to be honest I rarely listen to music from the speaker anymore -- I might put it on low to get some background music at night but thats about it.
From my Kaiser days -- someone discovered that if you put the phone on top of a Styrofoam cup (empty of course) so that the rear speaker is pointing into the cup, it resonates and sounds amazing. I have yet to try that with my Desire Z though.

Hmmm...
Just got my G2 today and wasn't happy with the speakers.
Reboot to recovery, flash the attached DSP Manager, and reboot.
When the phone comes back up, open up your newly installed DSP Manager. If you go into the Equalizer, just tick the box and you should be good to go. Don't adjust the settings up, because it will be distorted... the settings are already included in the attached zip... all you have to do is enable.
This worked very well for me... just passing it along!

weak audio volume..Why, is it samsung or google?

i so love my GNEX i sold my 4S because its a lot better.. but when it comes to volume i cant accept the fact that its very weak and considering its a google flagship device, i dont know if google or samsung decided on this kind of speaker..im thinking of samsung put a crap speaker so it will not be competitive againts the next SGS3..in comparison with the 4s it its no where near, 4s is two time louder and has the best speaker in all mobile..thats the only short coming i have on this device, all in all its still the best smartphone around now..

It's a Samsung issue I've read quite a few posts similar to yours
Sent from my ADR6300 using xda premium

is it on the software or the speaker itself?

emorej said:
is it on the software or the speaker itself?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bet its a mixture of both. And I bet when CM9 is ready we can up the volume with voodoo.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

Download Audioguru

emorej said:
i so love my GNEX i sold my 4S because its a lot better.. but when it comes to volume i cant accept the fact that its very weak and considering its a google flagship device, i dont know if google or samsung decided on this kind of speaker..im thinking of samsung put a crap speaker so it will not be competitive againts the next SGS3..in comparison with the 4s it its no where near, 4s is two time louder and has the best speaker in all mobile..thats the only short coming i have on this device, all in all its still the best smartphone around now..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's true the speaker isn't as loud but it's not the worst either. If you've ever had an htc device you'd see that Sammy is the middle ground. at the end of the day, there are so many benefits to this phone that the few drawbacks aren't dealbreaksrs. just a matter of getting used to the fact that the speaker is satisfactory instead of unusually loud
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

rashad1 said:
Download Audioguru
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Downloading audio guru does absolutely nothing.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

emorej said:
i so love my GNEX i sold my 4S because its a lot better.. but when it comes to volume i cant accept the fact that its very weak and considering its a google flagship device, i dont know if google or samsung decided on this kind of speaker..im thinking of samsung put a crap speaker so it will not be competitive againts the next SGS3..in comparison with the 4s it its no where near, 4s is two time louder and has the best speaker in all mobile..thats the only short coming i have on this device, all in all its still the best smartphone around now..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, the volume on this device sucks. The speaker is really weak. However don't lose hope, there are programs you can use to vastly improve it, for one... Volume+. It's in the market.
As for the 4s having "the best speaker in all mobile"... you may want to look into a little company called RIM. As the 4S is not even half as loud as any blackberry that I've come across. They are second to none in this department. This is a particular pet peeve of mine. Barring Rim, it seems like every smart phone manufacturer out there has totally forgotten that these things are "supposed" to be cell phones FIRST. They keep pushing the limits of screens, cameras, cpus, yet they all keep forgetting about basic things like call quality & battery life. Things that "should be important", for a mobile phone. And unfortunately, the vast majority of the public is to blame for this... With their stupid megapixel & benchmark penis envy. Very frustrating to me...

Does volume + actually increase the volume? Or is it just like the app someone up there mentioned?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

I miss Nokia when they always put a pair of stereo speakers on their phones.
I like how my mom's optimus one had the loudspeaker and earpiece as one. When you play videos the sound is directed towards you instead of coming out from the back of the device.

ztm.000 said:
Does volume + actually increase the volume? Or is it just like the app someone up there mentioned?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Buy the volume+, not the free one (free goes up to volume 4).In settings of the volume+ select for speaker volume 6 or 7.You ll see the difference.You can also do it for headphones
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

vapotrini said:
I agree, the volume on this device sucks. The speaker is really weak. However don't lose hope, there are programs you can use to vastly improve it, for one... Volume+. It's in the market.
As for the 4s having "the best speaker in all mobile"... you may want to look into a little company called RIM. As the 4S is not even half as loud as any blackberry that I've come across. They are second to none in this department. This is a particular pet peeve of mine. Barring Rim, it seems like every smart phone manufacturer out there has totally forgotten that these things are "supposed" to be cell phones FIRST. They keep pushing the limits of screens, cameras, cpus, yet they all keep forgetting about basic things like call quality & battery life. Things that "should be important", for a mobile phone. And unfortunately, the vast majority of the public is to blame for this... With their stupid megapixel & benchmark penis envy. Very frustrating to me...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh yes RIM has good sound on their speaker too i used bb9900 before, iphone 4s is 2x louder than the ip4.. i think gnex has the same speaker as the SGS2, im thinking that this is only because of ICS..

ztm.000 said:
Does volume + actually increase the volume? Or is it just like the app someone up there mentioned?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Volume+ definitely increases the volume properly... I have mine at +8 and it's night and day compared to how it was at stock - I was seriously considering returning the phone as I simply couldn't hear the notifications and ringer unless it was in a quiet room.
And you can get the full version of Volume+, free from the author's site - http://androidaudiohacks.com/?page_id=2 so it's worth a try anyway!

Does volume+ require a rooted phone?
Similar, but a bit off-topic, how would it affect my experience if I rooted the GN (for specific apps to work) but kept stock ICS? Would I still receive official google updates, and would there be any difference anywhere?

danielvago said:
Does volume+ require a rooted phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, it doesn't need root.

How is the Ion?

Heya.
I'm due for an upgrade this week, and am deciding between the Ion and the S3.
The S3 is good and all, but I kind of want to save some money and get the Ion. For the price, the specs are quite nice, even without ICS.
So, how do you like the phone? Is the speaker nice and loud?
I'm coming from my little HTC Aria to one of the two mentioned phones.

L551 said:
Heya.
I'm due for an upgrade this week, and am deciding between the Ion and the S3.
The S3 is good and all, but I kind of want to save some money and get the Ion. For the price, the specs are quite nice, even without ICS.
So, how do you like the phone? Is the speaker nice and loud?
I'm coming from my little HTC Aria to one of the two mrewqentioned phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just got the ion after selling my Galaxy Note which is a lot like the Galaxy S3.
I bought unlocked but I think the upgrade price for the ion makes it a no brainer. I mean you can get it for $49 from best buy.
It is a very capable phone. The camera is better at fixed length then the Note, or the Galaxy Skyrocket, or even the iphone 4s. The zoom is not as good however as the Galaxys. Low lighting isa win for the ion.
The speaker is very loud but lacks bass. That is the same on every phone I've ever had though.
The coolest thing for me is the connections. I can hook it up to the tv via hdmi and see all apps. Not just what apple wants me to see like with the iphone tv out. Now if I ever get my ps3 controller to work ill have pretty much a full game console in my phone .
I can't say its the best phone ever and ill probably end up getting another because thats just what I do but imo the ion is as good as there is right now, especially for the price .

the general speaker is not that great. it makes loud enough but not good enough quality sound
phone speaker is almost NOT loud enough, but the voice quality is fine
camera is actually not as good as X10's, but it has much faster shutter/focus speed.
the screen is super clear but kinda yellowish. better check the screen out before you decide buying the ion
don't expect the phone to be completely smooth even though it is smooth enough. it will be solved if we got android 4.1 update
anyways, for a $50 phone, xperia ion is perfect

Ion Rocks
I got mine yesterday for $50 from BB (I also have a HTC One X). I'd say Xperia Ion will get you the most bang for your bucks - seriously!.
An amazing sharp screen, LTE, 1 GB RAM, great camera & design, dedicated HDMI port and a lite nice fluid UI - I can't ask for more from a phone with a $50 price tag.

Well I paid 100 at ATT because I was worried about losing unlimited data going somewhere but still great price for what you get. Screen is amazing. I live the HDMI and with LTE I streamed netflix to my TV with zero buffering screens. I love that I can go anywhere and do that. Also quite the snappy phone with a very nice camera
Sent from my Sony Xperia Ion

My last phone that I had for more than a month was also the Aria (Had the HD2 and then the LG Nitro til I got the Ion) and I'm loving it so far, once I get root it'll be perfect imo.

wolf0491 said:
Well I paid 100 at ATT because I was worried about losing unlimited data going somewhere.......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have unlimited data, but have the 2gb for $25. I want to go to Best Buy, but I fear they might screw up my plan.

Renew contract wont effect phone plan. Just tell the associate you want to keep everything the same. If they cant do it there, they can phone in to Att corp. Let them worry about that, for you feel free to upgrade.
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

sniktawm said:
I don't have unlimited data, but have the 2gb for $25. I want to go to Best Buy, but I fear they might screw up my plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was able to keep my 200 MB for $15 and my 200 SMS for $5 when upgrading through Best Buy. I saw the salesperson screen, and there was an option to check if the customer wanted to keep their plan. Just make sure it gets checked when you're getting your phone. Also, the salesperson might have to call AT&T, it happened in my case, but it might have been because I have a discount at my school and my account is set as enterprise type.

Get the ion from best buy. It comes with an 8gb sd card and they'll price match Sam's club $40 price. When I played with it in store the speaker was quite loud with xLoud on and the screen is awesome. Not a fan of amoled, just doesn't look right
Sent from my HTC One X

erwaso said:
Get the ion from best buy. It comes with an 8gb sd card and they'll price match Sam's club $40 price. When I played with it in store the speaker was quite loud with xLoud on and the screen is awesome. Not a fan of amoled, just doesn't look right
Sent from my HTC One X
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's no AT&T in the Sam's Club where I live. Just Sprint and Verizon. $40 is a really good deal. Maybe I should call around other Sam's Club and see if they carry the Ion
Sent from my R800at using xda app-developers app

erwaso said:
Get the ion from best buy. It comes with an 8gb sd card and they'll price match Sam's club $40 price. When I played with it in store the speaker was quite loud with xLoud on and the screen is awesome. Not a fan of amoled, just doesn't look right
Sent from my HTC One X
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Geat to know. I really don't understand why company's use amoled. Oled is kinda cool... But lcd just wins.
Sent from my R800x using xda app-developers app

Ion to get official JB www.androidtaskforce.com/2012/07/21/official-jelly-bean-update-list/
Sent from my X10i

Anybody uses Note 2 as their primary MP3 Player?

Does Anybody use Note 2 as their primary MP3 Player? How's the Wolfson Audio? I hoping to phase out my iPod 1st Generation (its been working for all these years; still strong, but need more capacity, lol)

winlinmac001 said:
Does Anybody use Note 2 as their primary MP3 Player? How's the Wolfson Audio? I hoping to phase out my iPod 1st Generation (its been working for all these years; still strong, but need more capacity, lol)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's nice and clean, no audible hiss. Sounds great.
And the note 2 also supports the apt-X Bluetooth standard.
http://www.csr.com/products/60/aptx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apt-X

winlinmac001 said:
Does Anybody use Note 2 as their primary MP3 Player? How's the Wolfson Audio? I hoping to phase out my iPod 1st Generation (its been working for all these years; still strong, but need more capacity, lol)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, and when voodoo sound is available, you won't need another mp3 player.....ever!

ScientificOne said:
Yes, and when voodoo sound is available, you won't need another mp3 player.....ever!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Besides it being a little big, I just wear sweat pants in the gym..
Seriously nice sound using C5s.

Any idea when the Voodoo bits will be coming out?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.projectvoodoo.controlapp&hl=en This voodoo sound??
ScientificOne said:
Yes, and when voodoo sound is available, you won't need another mp3 player.....ever!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like power amp

Recall 1st Generation Nanos
I thought Apple lets you switch your 1st generation nano with a 6th.
http://www.apple.com/support/ipodnano_replacement/
In any case. Note 2 is my primary mp3. I have no complaints.

Have an iPod Touch, lol
FifteesGlasses said:
I thought Apple lets you switch your 1st generation nano with a 6th.
http://www.apple.com/support/ipodnano_replacement/
In any case. Note 2 is my primary mp3. I have no complaints.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Some_dude36 said:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.projectvoodoo.controlapp&hl=en This voodoo sound??
I like power amp
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1.
sent from t-mobile note 2 (not rooted yet)

Someone did a review.....let me flex my google fu.....
Ah, here it is!
---------- Post added at 01:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:20 PM ----------
Forgot to mention, if you look at the comments on that YT page you'll see that the reviewer states that the audio has been improved by the last 2 OTA updates.
He states that his device is, "My device is a 64GB Marble White Samsung Galaxy Note 2 SHV-E250L for Korea."
I guess it may be another reason to anticipate the upcoming OTA.......if we get it before the phone is obsolete.

PsychoSane said:
Someone did a review.....let me flex my google fu.....
Ah, here it is!
---------- Post added at 01:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:20 PM ----------
Forgot to mention, if you look at the comments on that YT page you'll see that the reviewer states that the audio has been improved by the last 2 OTA updates.
He states that his device is, "My device is a 64GB Marble White Samsung Galaxy Note 2 SHV-E250L for Korea."
I guess it may be another reason to anticipate the upcoming OTA.......if we get it before the phone is obsolete.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know mayne , I can't believe the GS2 is getting it before us :/

I stopped using my ipod when I got my S2. Now I have a spotify account and have been so happy with having all that music at my disposal and not having to fill up my SD card. Plus the rom I'm on doesn't support 64gb anyways.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium

I use noozxoide with monster turbine pro gold
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium

Sometimes I use my Droid X as my iPod Touch type device. This saving battery juice of my Galaxy Note 2 for later. But more and more I am using my Galaxy Note 2 as my main media player device. Both devices have the same good collection of music in their SD cards. But for me it is easier just to enjoy the music on the same device as I do other things with. More often than not I listen to streaming music and radio rather than I listen to music on my SD card.. For me having unlimited data services allows me to not worry about how much data I using while listening to music and radio online. So for me listening music files on my SD card is older school of doing things.
But yes, Galaxy Note 2 is a very good MP3 player. I enjoy the quality from Galaxy Note 2.
Note - My Droid X has FM radio. So I do use that as my portable FM radio.

What are some good head phones? Is our device powerful enough for reg ear cover head phones? I saw a pair of sony s on amazon for like 23 bucks. looked like a good deal. Anyone have any experience with skullcandy fullsizers?

I am using Wicked Jawbreakers earphones from Alliance that I got couple of years ago. They are very good sound quality coming from earphones. Yes, you can use over-the-ear headphones with Galaxy Note 2. I don't like Sony headphones, earphones, speakers or sound equipment because Sony sound is a little harsh and too colored for me. I like Sennheiser for headphones and Alliance for earphones. Both companies make very good sound quality and very affordable head/earphones.

Absolutely. I use Spotify as my main source of music and it's fantastic. I have it connected via Bluetooth in my car and it sounds fantastic. Although I've been using my phone as my main Mp3 player now since the original iPhone.

Anyone know how to import playlists from computer to the phone?
I'm looking for a bluetooth heaphone that sounds good, comfortable, and lasts 8+ hours. Trying out the beats wireless right now.

Some_dude36 said:
What are some good head phones? Is our device powerful enough for reg ear cover head phones? I saw a pair of sony s on amazon for like 23 bucks. looked like a good deal. Anyone have any experience with skullcandy fullsizers?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to Headfi.org, that's the forum you should go to re: headphones/earbuds.
I personally love my Sony MDR-EX310LP earbuds which i got off a deal on Amazon for $38. (50% off MSRP).
Klipsch S4's are highly rated (can get them for ~$37 on a deal, actually got a pair coming in this past wednesday off Amazon).
Monster Turbine series are actually quite good (but don't buy ANYTHING else from them)
I also like the Sennheiser CX-300's too, but i like the feel of the sony buds better.
As you can tell, my experiences are on the "low" end of things in terms of headphones (I have heard some good things about the Sony XBA-4's which have a MSRP of $350, but then again, I'm kinda a Sony fanboy).
If budget is a concern (which unless you can afford $500 headphones/earbuds it is), I'd recommend going to slickdeals.net and grabbing whichever headphone/earbud people think is a good deal, which usually means good performance for the price.
Rule of thumb: NEVER buy Beats... unless they're 90% off... seriously.

Sol republic track hd in white is what I use. If.You like bass and hate beats by dre, these are heavenly
Sent from my Rooted Gameboy

Pixel and Pixel XL Audio Quality

I'm on the verge of picking up a new phone. I originally wanted the Note 7, but waited and then heard about the LG V20 with its Quad Dac. I'm still holding out hope that the Pixel XL has some really nice audio out capabilities (at least better than my Xperia Z3v or Galaxy Note 3). I prefer the quicker updates the Pixel will get, but still. My main use right now would be the 128gb model as I use my phone everyday for listening to music (as well as typical phone stuff). I refuse to carry a DAP and a phone. So basically, what do you guys think? I haven't seen anything discussing the audio capabilities.

waytoocrazy said:
I'm on the verge of picking up a new phone. I originally wanted the Note 7, but waited and then heard about the LG V20 with its Quad Dac. I'm still holding out hope that the Pixel XL has some really nice audio out capabilities (at least better than my Xperia Z3v or Galaxy Note 3). I prefer the quicker updates the Pixel will get, but still. My main use right now would be the 128gb model as I use my phone everyday for listening to music (as well as typical phone stuff). I refuse to carry a DAP and a phone. So basically, what do you guys think? I haven't seen anything discussing the audio capabilities.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have heard anything in particular with respect to audio quality either.....but if your looking for headphone quality I doubt it will get better than lg v20....if you looking for speakerphone quality then you may as well save some money and get the 6p with the dual front facing speakers and still get pure Google experience and updates.

Either wait for the V20 ( slow updates, hard to root, no development...I have a v10)
Or get the Pixel and a outboard DAC/like a Opportunity HA2.
The 6P with the dual front speakers is obviously the better option for video without headphones.

The best all around solution is 6p and use viper4android to get the quality audio experience you seek plus ffs plus current Android updates

Well, I was looking for a device that had a decent DAC built in. I'm not sure what the Snapdragon 821 brings to the table. I do not subscribe to using software/DSP/EQ to make the audio sound good. I use nice headphones to listen to my music so I don't want to muck it up with software that "fakes" the sound. I don't want to add external devices (such as my Cambridge DacMagic XS or Oppo HA-2) as I'm trying to trim down to a single device.

The best sound by far will be the Htc with viper4android as it rocks I doubt you will find any smartphone that has as good of audio as the Htc 10 with viper4android.

M9guy said:
The best sound by far will be the Htc with viper4android as it rocks I doubt you will find any smartphone that has as good of audio as the Htc 10 with viper4android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was thinking about the HTC 10, but Viper4Android is something I wouldn't use. It seems to just be an EQ. I don't use EQ nor do I have any interest whatsoever in doing so. It doesn't increase the quality of the audio coming out of the device.

waytoocrazy said:
Well, I was looking for a device that had a decent DAC built in. I'm not sure what the Snapdragon 821 brings to the table. I do not subscribe to using software/DSP/EQ to make the audio sound good. I use nice headphones to listen to my music so I don't want to muck it up with software that "fakes" the sound. I don't want to add external devices (such as my Cambridge DacMagic XS or Oppo HA-2) as I'm trying to trim down to a single device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in the same boat as you. I used a HTC m8 and purchased a Nexus 6p for pure android. The Nexus DAC was terrible so I traveled with both phones. Last month i sold my 6p in anticipation of the event because of HTCs history with audio. I'm regretting that now: I'm sure if the Pixel had a dedicated DAC Google would have played it up during the event.
I'm currently researching a phone to replace my m8: It seems like best are the LG G5, v10 upcoming v20, Axon 7, and of course HTC10. The HTC10 will probably be my next phone: it sucks because it seems like you always have to compromise something.

djstone86 said:
I'm in the same boat as you. I used a HTC m8 and purchased a Nexus 6p for pure android. The Nexus DAC was terrible so I traveled with both phones. Last month i sold my 6p in anticipation of the event because of HTCs history with audio. I'm regretting that now: I'm sure if the Pixel had a dedicated DAC Google would have played it up during the event.
I'm currently researching a phone to replace my m8: It seems like best are the LG G5, v10 upcoming v20, Axon 7, and of course HTC10. The HTC10 will probably be my next phone: it sucks because it seems like you always have to compromise something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed! To be honest, I find the Xperia Z3v merely acceptable. It is a little better sounding than my Galaxy Note 3 was. I'm not even looking for something "powerful" as I have 25-32ohm headphones. Though they are quite resolving and I enjoy using them around the house and when I go out in general. If in the end, the Pixel doesn't have good sound (ie... needs to be at least 24/192), and the V20 isn't going to work for me. I'll just keep using my external DACs.

Nexus6p or V20 would work for now...

waytoocrazy said:
Well, I was looking for a device that had a decent DAC built in. I'm not sure what the Snapdragon 821 brings to the table. I do not subscribe to using software/DSP/EQ to make the audio sound good. I use nice headphones to listen to my music so I don't want to muck it up with software that "fakes" the sound. I don't want to add external devices (such as my Cambridge DacMagic XS or Oppo HA-2) as I'm trying to trim down to a single device.
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This is the same reason I am still using Nexus 6 as my daily driver, i tried many phones (Note 4, N6P, Note 5, S7 Edge, Note 7 SD820 version etc..) in the last 2 years and no phone has better audio quality thru audio jack than N6. HTC 10 has some what better audio quality but I don't want to downgrade screen size below 5.5".
It infuriates me whenever people suggest Viper/Arise etc.. to make up for the poor DAC in the phone.
Hoping pixel phone has decent DAC.

I'm going to get the V20 due to the audio quality of the Note 7 (and I'm guessing it's not great on the Pixel either). Quad DAC is going to be amazing.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using XDA-Developers mobile app

waytoocrazy said:
I was thinking about the HTC 10, but Viper4Android is something I wouldn't use. It seems to just be an EQ. I don't use EQ nor do I have any interest whatsoever in doing so. It doesn't increase the quality of the audio coming out of the device.
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If people stopped having such solid opinions on things, they'd be pleasantly surprised by what they find. At least, try using viper4android. You have no idea the difference it can make.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA-Developers mobile app

PsiPhiDan said:
I'm going to get the V20 due to the audio quality of the Note 7 (and I'm guessing it's not great on the Pixel either). Quad DAC is going to be amazing.
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InsertDumbNick said:
If people stopped having such solid opinions on things, they'd be pleasantly surprised by what they find. At least, try using viper4android. You have no idea the difference it can make.
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What he said..... you should try V4A....you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Funny how people criticize a phone for not having front facing speakers, but the HTC 10 doesn't have them and it is one of the best sounding phones out there right now... and yes, I have a 6P as well. I encourage everyone to save their judgement for when we actually get to hear it or someone gives a review on it.

droidguy22 said:
It infuriates me whenever people suggest Viper/Arise etc.. to make up for the poor DAC in the phone.
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So True!
PsiPhiDan said:
I'm going to get the V20 due to the audio quality of the Note 7 (and I'm guessing it's not great on the Pixel either). Quad DAC is going to be amazing.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using XDA-Developers mobile app
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I'm very much leaning that way myself.
InsertDumbNick said:
If people stopped having such solid opinions on things, they'd be pleasantly surprised by what they find. At least, try using viper4android. You have no idea the difference it can make.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA-Developers mobile app
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bsg411 said:
What he said..... you should try V4A....you'll be pleasantly surprised.
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As for the others who continue to suggest V4A or other software EQ/DSP... enlighten me on how painting a smiley face on a turd of a DAC makes it sound better? It doesn't... it simply alters the sound. I have multiple headphones that I use for different genres of music. THAT is what I use to alter the sound that I'm looking for. EQ and DSP are only meant to cover up the shortcomings of the headphones native sound signature. How would I know if I'm making things worse by polishing a Turd of a DAC by warping the sound signature? If I wanted to make things more "bassy" or "echoey" or whatever you want. I'd just pick up a pair of Beats headphones and call it a day. I'm sure it is a fantastic piece of software, again... it is completely opposite of what I'm looking for. Though, thank you for letting me know that it is out there. The 5 YouTube videos I watched let me know that it wasn't something I'd be interested in beyond a novelty.

bsg411 said:
What he said..... you should try V4A....you'll be pleasantly surprised.
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I've used it. It helps, but it's still lipstick on a pig. The amp and DAC make a much larger difference. I liked Viper4Android on other devices but there will be no comparison to a phone with a vastly superior DAC. The HTC One M8 was by far the best audio quality I'd ever heard before because of its DAC and amp combo. Did much better than my other phones paired with V4A.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using XDA-Developers mobile app

It's already known the pixel phones won't have a DAC and your interest level in pure sound quality is high and clearly outweighs the custom Roms or pure Android experience or early updates you get with Google phones...so I'm not sure what the hesitation is.... Get the phone with the DAC. Honestly the pixel phones are over priced and hardware specs are not comparable to the price.... I'll be keeping my 6p

bsg411 said:
It's already known the pixel phones won't have a DAC and your interest level in pure sound quality is high and clearly outweighs the custom Roms or pure Android experience or early updates you get with Google phones...so I'm not sure what the hesitation is.... Get the phone with the DAC. Honestly the pixel phones are over priced and hardware specs are not comparable to the price.... I'll be keeping my 6p
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You're right. I'll keep an eye on them, but the more I find out about it, I don't think it is the right device for me.
Thanks again!

There is some potentially good news here, Guys. I just read the hands-on with Anandtech and while they didn't mention much about the audio quality, they did say that it has the Qualcomm Aqstic audio codec. So, yes, it's Qualcomm, but it's of much higher quality than the "normal" Qualcomm. The Aqstic is the same DAC/codec used in the HTC 10 which I find little fault with. I think the V10 is still a tad cleaner with a better noise floors, but these are extremely minor differences. For pure Google, fast updates and a nice design, I can easily settle for a Qualcomm Aqstic audio solution rather than an exotic "quad DAC" which still hasn't been released or heard by any audiophile reviewers I don't think. I'm all in for this phone.
-Collin-