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For audiophiles, the GS1 was a good phone with the Wolfson DAC. I currently use a variant of the GS1 - the Epic, which I imported from the US.
Anyways, the GS2 was a let down - the Yamaha DAC was not up to par.
Any ideas what the DAC is on this phone?
- The Wolfson one (I hope)
- The Yamaha one (probable, but I hope not)
- A TI DAC perhaps? (probable given that this phone was made with a TI SOC)
Edit:
We now have an update:
The Texas Instruments TWL6040 8-Channel High Quality Low-Power Audio Codec
http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Samsung-Galaxy-Nexus-Teardown/7182/2
Will probably have to wait closer to when it launches in u.s. and some people break it down like ifixit or the like to find out.
I voided my warranty and your mum.
I think this post answers your question -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=18599287#post18599287
chris10230 said:
I think this post answers your question -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=18599287#post18599287
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Not really... Audio codec: Texas Instruments TWL6040
From what I've read below it looks like the TWL6040 is for PCM passthrough but I'm not sure what that means for the headphone output. Other sites list the TWL6040 as a power management device. The BB playbook has the TWL6040 and a Wolfson Micro WM8994E: Audio codec.
http://lwn.net/Articles/462732/
fair enough will have to wait for a more detailed specification to leak out then...
The DAC will make or break my decision to upgrade my SGS1. The reason why I didnt upgrade to SGS2 was because of the ****ty DAC.
XmDXtReMeK said:
The DAC will make or break my decision to upgrade my SGS1. The reason why I didnt upgrade to SGS2 was because of the ****ty DAC.
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I didn't have a smart phone yet so I jumped on the SGS2 but the audio quality is horrible. Really frustrating.
pastuch said:
I didn't have a smart phone yet so I jumped on the SGS2 but the audio quality is horrible. Really frustrating.
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I agree. I had to return my SGS2 and go back to the Nexus S. If they keep this up again I'm getting an iPhone.
Supercurio had a breakdown on engadget no mention of wolfman or yoohoo or whatever sound chips people are looking for or avoiding.
Audio codec: Texas Instruments TWL6040
USB Audio DAC (digital-to-audio converter with USB input and stereo outputs) should also be supported
The amp is more important than the DAC.
Audio quality
Does anybody have any idea what to expect for the audio quality compared to the Galaxy S2? That is my only gripe with that phone, the audio is low when I have my wired headset in for calls.
someone ought to tell supercurio, the TWL6040 is only a power management chip, not a DAC. (per this TI document http://www.ti.com/lit/sl/slyy028/slyy028.pdf )
bcpk said:
The amp is more important than the DAC.
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Both are extremely important but hardly anyone pays attention. Every time I see someone wearing cheap headphones I want to slap them.
10nisman94 said:
someone ought to tell supercurio, the TWL6040 is only a power management chip, not a DAC. (per this TI document http://www.ti.com/lit/sl/slyy028/slyy028.pdf )
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Yes, why don't you tell him? I won't tell him because of this:
http://www.ti.com/product/twl6040
TWL6040
8-Channel High Quality Low-Power Audio Codec For Portable Applications
tjtj4444 said:
Yes, why don't you tell him? I won't tell him because of this:
http://www.ti.com/product/twl6040
TWL6040
8-Channel High Quality Low-Power Audio Codec For Portable Applications
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That's an inaccurate description, see the TI parts summary document I linked. Proof: The playbook has this chip for power management of its Wolfson DAC. The wording on TI's site is incorrect.
EDIT: I don't contact him because I don't have a twitter
pastuch said:
Both are extremely important but hardly anyone pays attention. Every time I see someone wearing cheap headphones I want to slap them.
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You know, not everyone cares about the sound quality as much as you do.
On the other hand, if they were wearing expensive headphones that are ****, then that feeling might be more appropriate since they would then be thinking they were getting great audio quality but would be wrong.
pastuch said:
Both are extremely important but hardly anyone pays attention. Every time I see someone wearing cheap headphones I want to slap them.
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lol...
blunden said:
You know, not everyone cares about the sound quality as much as you do.
On the other hand, if they were wearing expensive headphones that are ****, then that feeling might be more appropriate since they would then be thinking they were getting great audio quality but would be wrong.
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Most dont care AT ALL. Which is why we often end up with ****ty audio parts. If people cared as much about there audio as they did there screens all our phones would be alot better.
xManMythLegend said:
Most dont care AT ALL. Which is why we often end up with ****ty audio parts. If people cared as much about there audio as they did there screens all our phones would be alot better.
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Indeed.
I'm still with a variant of the original Galaxy S phone for that reason.
In fact, it's of so little importance that when listing specs, manufacturers don't bother listing it. [Groans].
Edit:
One reason why I strongly suspect that there may not be a Wolfson DAC is the lack of press releases from Wolfson:
http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/media_centre/press_releases/
More info regarding the audio codec specs:
http://www.omappedia.org/wiki/Audio_Drive_Arch
The Phoenix codec in OMAP4 is the analog part of the audio architecture. It consists of the following components:
Audio output:
Headset
Handsfree
Vibrator
Auxiliary
Earphone
Audio input:
Mic left input (Can be Main mic, HS mic or AUX/FM left input)
Mic Right input (Can be Sub mic, HS mic or AUX/FM right input)
Line In
The Phoenix codec renders samples at 88.4 KHz and 96 KHz. Handsfree speakers and other paths can only work at 96 KHz, but heaphones has two modes of operation:
Low power mode (88.4 KHz and 96 KHz). Consumes less power but the audio quality may be affected.
High performance mode (96 KHz only). Good for applications in which quality of audio is desired.
There are eight digital input channels on the Phoenix that can be used for rendering audio out to nine different analog outputs. There are 5 McPDM channels (DL0 -> DL4), an I2C channel, and two auxiliary inputs that can be used for the FM radio (AFM0, AFM1).
Possible. Any idea how good the audio quality is - mainly how well does it drive good cans?
So I found a Behringer UCA202 DAC online for really cheap and thought why not try it just for fun. Everything I've read says having one can help a bit and I figured at the least it would sound the same, but I plugged it into my Nexus 5 via OTG then plugged the AUX cord to my Jeep into the DAC and all bass and pretty much any other level of detail is gone from my music whether it's from Pandora, YouTube HD, or FLAC audio files. Audio sound quality is equal to listening to music over old mono bluetooth, you hear it fine but any highs and lows are removed. Has anyone else used this DAC that could give some suggestions?
Otherwise it's just as I assumed, DACs are pointless on good quality phones and that's why I can't find any DAC threads with the Nexus 5 involved.
herqulees said:
So I found a Behringer UCA202 DAC online for really cheap and thought why not try it just for fun. Everything I've read says having one can help a bit and I figured at the least it would sound the same, but I plugged it into my Nexus 5 via OTG then plugged the AUX cord to my Jeep into the DAC and all bass and pretty much any other level of detail is gone from my music whether it's from Pandora, YouTube HD, or FLAC audio files. Audio sound quality is equal to listening to music over old mono bluetooth, you hear it fine but any highs and lows are removed. Has anyone else used this DAC that could give some suggestions?
Otherwise it's just as I assumed, DACs are pointless on good quality phones and that's why I can't find any DAC threads with the Nexus 5 involved.
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Ummm, it's not a DAC. It's an interface.
theesotericone said:
Ummm, it's not a DAC. It's an interface.
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Yes, with a DAC in it. You need a DAC to get audio output through USB, there is no analog audio output through USB/USB OTG...
herqulees said:
Yes, with a DAC in it. You need a DAC to get audio output through USB, there is no analog audio output through USB/USB OTG...
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Yes it has a DAC but it's not meant as a stand alone DAC. It's an interface or soundcard. Does your phone have enough juice to even operate the thing? Also for a device that sells for less than 30 bucks what exactly where you expecting? Get a real DAC. You will notice a huge difference. Until then do some more research on what you have and see if your meeting it's power requirements.
This is actually a pretty good review of the unit with lots of technical info.
http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/behringer-uca202-review.html
theesotericone said:
Yes it has a DAC but it's not meant as a stand alone DAC. It's an interface or soundcard. Does your phone have enough juice to even operate the thing? Also for a device that sells for less than 30 bucks what exactly where you expecting? Get a real DAC. You will notice a huge difference. Until then do some more research on what you have and see if your meeting it's power requirements.
This is actually a pretty good review of the unit with lots of technical info.
http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/behringer-uca202-review.html
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While I can't see power being an issue I suppose I'll test with my Nexus 7 and laptop. I know it's a cheap DAC but I've read many reviews using this DAC with tablets and phones for car audio, along with the nwavguy in-depth review and testing showing how it's not a multi-hundred dollar unit but still does amazingly well. My issue is it doesn't even sound decent. It sounds like I'm playing rap/hip-hop through an old Nokia on speaker phone, you can hear it clearly but there's no depth.
So I tossed this DAC in a closet after I got bored of trying to make it work right and forgot about it for a year or so till earlier today when I found it while cleaning. My Nexus 5 has been retired and serves no purpose other than a security camera now. I now have a Samsung Galaxy S5 and an RCA Maven Pro tablet. The RCA Maven Pro is an 11.1inch 2-in-1 Android tablet with detachable keyboard for around $120. You'd assume it's horrible thanks to the brand and price but they managed to cut corners in all the right places it seems. Downsides are no GPS, 1GB of RAM, terrible cameras, and a horrible speaker. Other than that it has faithfully replaced my $1200 laptop with zero issues other than adjusting to ditching Windows.
Now back on track when I listen to music I'm either using an aux cord plugged into my work truck or bluetooth when using headphones or in my new car. When doing a side by side comparison bluetooth, to no surprise, shows no difference between my Maven and S5. However when using an aux cord the RCA doesn't put out as much bass and highs are... I guess not as clear? I think audiophiles are insane most of the time so it's hard for me to describe when I do notice a difference. Anyways I plugged the UCA202 into the RCA's USB port (no OTG here, it has a full size USB port) and plugged my Sony MDR-XB950BT headphones in to it with an aux cord (these headphones are 100% passive when wired, no bass boost or other enhancements) and sound quality is just as great as my S5, all bass and highs are restored. Just to further the test I plugged it into my S5 and did the same test with the same results. These are the same FLAC song files from the same network location that my Nexus 5 was playing a year ago.
The whole time the issue was something in my Nexus 5. What it was I don't know and sorry you guys I don't plan on investigating, I just wanted to inform everyone that the Behringer UCA202 is in fact a quality budget DAC since this thread is a top Google result for "Behringer UCA202 Android". If you have a cheap device that you want the audio to be on par with the high end phones this will do it, and for my original purpose of at the same time giving a bit of amplification for a weak head unit without distortion it does that decently too. To finish this off I am NOT an audiophile. Just a human with human hearing that likes songs with bass on car head units that weren't always designed for it (I glued a 80mm CPU fan to the back of the HU in my Jeep ) So take my finer details however you'd like.
the DAC works great for my Nexus 7 2013 model.
maybe otg cable is sh1tty
Sent from my D820 CAF using Tapatalk
I use my n5 as my mp3 player in my car but the sound sucks. I'm thinking of getting a dac to fix this.
I have a otg cable to plug in my usb key that contains my mp3 library. So first I know i will need a y otg, have some all ready but not sur I have the right one but that is a detail. I dont really care about simultaneously charging my phone.
So what good dac do you suggest. Keep in mind I don't have a lot of money, not to sure what kind of budget yet.
Thanks
Please
nitramus said:
I use my n5 as my mp3 player in my car but the sound sucks. I'm thinking of getting a dac to fix this.
I have a otg cable to plug in my usb key that contains my mp3 library. So first I know i will need a y otg, have some all ready but not sur I have the right one but that is a detail. I dont really care about simultaneously charging my phone.
So what good dac do you suggest. Keep in mind I don't have a lot of money, not to sure what kind of budget yet.
Thanks
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Are you sure you have not a faulty cable/ nexus 5 connector or bad regulated equalizer on nexus 5?
I ask you cause I m not an audiophile but nexus 5 sound great to my ears, almost like nexus s which feature one of the best DAC on portable devices
nitramus said:
I use my n5 as my mp3 player in my car but the sound sucks. I'm thinking of getting a dac to fix this.
I have a otg cable to plug in my usb key that contains my mp3 library. So first I know i will need a y otg, have some all ready but not sur I have the right one but that is a detail. I dont really care about simultaneously charging my phone.
So what good dac do you suggest. Keep in mind I don't have a lot of money, not to sure what kind of budget yet.
Thanks
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Click to collapse
Try dragonfly by Audioquest or Cambridge Audio USB DAC. They sound awesome. I prefer the latter one. =)
Thanks for the reply. Everything I get gives me more info to search and get informed.
If you want a good dac at reasonable money try fio,get from Amazon
Sent from my Nexus 5
"Sucks" is a subjective term, but I agree with Axel85. If you're currently getting terrible sound, a USB DAC is a costly hail-mary that likely won't solve your problem. USB OTG DACs are great way to salvage an aging phone as a media player or to bypass a damaged the 3.5mm output. Otherwise, they're a way to turn already "great" sound into "exceptional." I can say with complete confidence that, even over bluetooth, the Nexus 5's built-in audio is impressive. If it "sucks" on your setup, then you definitely want to ensure that the problem doesn't lie elsewhere before investing in a DAC. If it is, in fact, the Nexus 5, ship that sucker back to Google, because a DAC definitely won't help. Just be sure there aren't other elements in your setup putting the constraints on your sound reproduction.
Now if you're truly blessed (cursed?) with golden ears and an audiophile's insatiable desire for perfection, then "sucks" probably has a different meaning for you; Otherwise, it's best to rule out everything else before plopping down substantial cash on a USB DAC. On that note, the Nexus' internal DAC crushes any entry-level/ low-end ($30-$50 DAC), so you'd really only want to consider the next step up, and it is a big step in price. Great units from $120-$200 from Fiio or Cambridge Audio. I've heard the Audioengine D3 on a laptop and it was fantastic, the form factor is great, as well, but I haven't investigated whether it plays nicely with lollipop OTG. There are a lot of issues to consider -some are legitimate headaches. Aside from the additional clutter of more cables and another powered device, the effect on your phone's battery is not one to take lightly. You may be able to currently stream pandora all day long, but with your phone acting as a USB host, you have to be conscious of the potential power draw from any USB DAC. A big amplifier can drain that battery quickly without its own power source to supplement. Many DACs are even equipped with their own internal batteries, but regardless, the power question is not something to minimize. Depending on the unit, powered USB hubs and the right cables can provide an easy fix.
But before you go pulling the trigger on a DAC, let me suggest a few things and some troubleshooting steps...
On the software side:
Play with built-in equalizer/AudioFX/DSP (it may do nothing at all with your ROM & kernel). I also highly recommend that you try playing your media through an app called PowerAmp. If that doesn't give you the fidelity boost you're looking for, then give Viper4Android a whirl. It requires a slightly more complicated installation (depending on the ROM), and the tweaking can get advanced, but the results are truly impressive with the right music. "FauxSound" is a custom kernel I'm yet to experiment with because it's (currently) incompatible with CM12.1 CAF, but the reviews in the forums seem overwhelmingly positive. When it comes to sound, perceptible differences vary from person to person.
As to troubleshooting the phone's output:
It should go without saying, but if your factory head unit and speakers and are junk ...if music has never sounded good on your system, a USB DAC isn't the miracle worker you need. Spend the money on a decent head unit and/or upgrade your speakers. An underpowered, factory installed head unit can turn otherwise decent speakers into muffled distortion makers, so take stock of the equipment you're working with and manage expectations. If you're an audiophile, you can likely ignore much of this, but for the sake of anyone else in a similar boat, considering a DAC to improve audio, lets go down the troubleshooting checkbox:
1) First and foremost, check your source files. If you're streaming, make sure it's high quality. You may need to go into the app's advanced settings. For most people's ears, there are diminishing returns above 320kbps MP3 /256AAC vs. the storage requirements. With the right gear and the right source though, "lossless" music can bring out elements you never heard on your favorite tracks: fingers lifting and moving along frets, or a half-note you never caught. If your ROM is capable of natively playing 96000Hz 24-bit FLAC, by all means, give it a go (or any other lossless).
2) Test your 3.5mm headphone connection with decent pair of actual headphones. Still sucks? Spray the jack with compressed air and see if it helps. Try with another set of headphones. Try with a friend's car, try on your home stereo. Then connect to your car and compare. If it's worse, swap out the cable before anything else. Quality matters here. The difference between the the $0.99 cable you buy at the gas station and the $12 cable at BestBuy can be huge. A quality cable means one sheilded for interference with wiring and connectors made of materials that optimize conductivity (often a thin gold plating). Many are even cut specifically to ensure a solid connection through the narrow opening of an aftermarket case/protector. A better connection means better sound.
3) If all is well with the 3.5mm, plug it into your mobile charger. Audio still clean? If not, try another charger. Still sounding crappy? Is this limited to the car or did you hear it on your headphones? How about over bluetooth? If it's only in the car, and sound gets worse on the charger, there might be a ground loop somewhere in the car's electrical system (often this manifests as a high frequency whine that increases as you accelerate, or changes frequency when you turn on the A/C, headlights, etc). This could be as simple as something plugged into the cars cigarette lighter, or a bad connection somewhere in the vehicles electrical system... The problem is the "somewhere" part, and tracing it down can mean pulling fuses all day long.
3) If you connect over bluetooth (not optimal) perform the same tests. If bluetooth degrades audio quality significantly, then your car stereo may be on an older standard that simply can't operate at the bandwidth capabilities for high-bitrate audio. Aside from just not using bluetooth, there's no simple fix for this. If you dont get a drop in audio quality when connecting to another bluetooth device, then your in-car options are limited: connect via 3.5mm out, replace the head unit with a newer one, or install a bluetooth 4.0+ adapter to the car stereo's auxillary inputs. It's worth at least mentioning that, although unlikely, interference from other devices could be an issue. Anything that operates within the same wireless spectrum as bluetooth could be a source of interference. A bluetooth obdii reader, a wireless transmitter from a rear view camera, even other phones in the car that have been paired with the stereo.... Anything on 2.4ghz Normally, there's a preamble before transmission that keeps devices operating on these frequencies from interfering with each other, but if there's a bluetooth device in the vehicle on an early standard, that may not be the case. Also, if there's any USB 3.0 connection (powered hub, thumb drive) in close proximity to bluetooth, get rid of it or buy a shielded extension cable -noise emitted at the connection crushes bluetooth throughput and connection reliability.
Regardless, just make sure that the rest of your system is up to the task before investing in a DAC. Don't get me wrong, they are fantastic with the right gear, but each component of your setup can improve output as much as it can act as a bottleneck on the quality of the sound it reproduces. Make sure the investment is worth it by ensuring your system is ready for it. If not, put your money towards the fundamentals: Head unit + speakers.
mborzill said:
If your ROM is capable of natively playing 96000Hz 24-bit FLAC, by all means, give it a go.
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Are you aware of any such ROMs?
Well, some clarification is necessary... even stock kitkat should *play* a 24/96FLAC, but "Natively" isn't the correct terminology. If that were true 24/96 on the N5, this thread wouldn't exist. The Nexus 5 downsamples significantly, but the better the source, the better the sample. Quality will be great coming from a lossless 24bit/96khz source, but its not gonna be true 24/96 if its coming from the Nexus 5's internal DAC. It'll be downsampled to its hardware and software limitations. I know with kitkat this was 16bit/48khz, but I can't speak to whether or not this ceiling *actually* increased with Lollipop. In theory, the N5's Qualcomm Wolfson wcd9320 DAC supported up to 192khz, and Lollipop bumped support up to 96khz, but if I recall, it's the Snapdragon 800 that isn't capable of 24/96. Without a DAC, and downsampled to 16bit/48khz, you might get an imperceptibly lower noise floor, but other than I doubt you'd hear a difference between lossless sources.
Personally I think it's total overkill to use up that kind of space without having a DAC capable of reproducing it (or freakin golden ears) but if you're going for the most accurate reference track you can find for problem-tracing, have at it. Even Downsampled, that FLAC will sound much better than an encoded mp3.
If there's a ROM with true "native" 24/96khz reproduction on the N5 I certainly don't know about it... Or need it.
As to specific ROMs and compatibility: Cyanogenmod is my go-to. I prefer Viper4Android over AudioFX, but with major tweaking (specific to my headphones). Out of the box, AudioFX is great.
Lollipop, in general, has vastly improved audio performance. Raised sampling resolution from 16 bit PCM to 24bit and sampling rate from 44/48khz to support 96khz (if the phones hardware can support it, else USB DAC). Lower i/o latency gives the closest thing android has seen to real-time audio since the start (which has been a major issue for musicians,DJ, game developers, even VoIP). Floating point sampling is new too, which, in theory, reduces clipping, improves headroom and dynamic range.
Do I need to use a custom ROM with an external DAC like the Fiio E18 or other DAC's? Could I simply purchase any external DAC? If not what do I need to look for when shopping for external DAC's that work with the Nexus 5?
My Nexus 5 is stock currently on 5.1.
Thank you for any advice.
Viper 4 android.
Hello, I am very much kind of headphone lover guy.
Recently, I bought Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 32Ohm (32Ohm version for portable users).
But the sound is not coming to its best. I plugged the same headphone to iPhone and it's working awesome. iPhone quality is same as it work on macbook and PC.
So, I was worried, is my headphone supportable on my Nexus 5 or I just have to invest in buying mp3 player.
I will provide link, where you all cann see the specifications and tell if that is supported on this device or not, because I am not that much of technical guy.
Headphone Link - http://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/shop/dt-770-pro-32-ohm.html
I have rooted my phone and is currently running on ElementX kernel and Chroma ROM.
Hope you guys can help me.
Thank you.
Is it quality that's bad or volume level? Or a bit of both?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
More of a volume. The quality is good.
Try this - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.n5rvb.nexus5realvolumebooster
Also i always use poweramp with the preset set on rock. Always find it the best sounding
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Install any kernel management app, like kernel adiutor, and in sound menu raise headphone gain.
So I just did what you said. I already have paid version poweramp and installed volume booster, set it to 19 and 95 for headphone and speaker. Set my present to rock, but I was just little curious, are you also facing a little distortion in the sound or just me? Because I think, I can listen the distortion, maybe because these are kind of Audiophile headphones, so they are giving deep detail of every sound.
As far the volume matters, its 2.00AM, so very much silence environment but I can definitely feel the volume is increased.
How much did I set the headphone gain too?
I already installed the volume booster app, should I also gain on this app too?
Try these!!!!!
These are the "loudest" and best in-ear buds you can get!!!! http://amzn.com/B00WI79EK0 They are Zorloo "Z:ero". Forget about booster apps, eq apps, etc... This thing has a inline "DAC" it plugs into the "USB" port and not the 3.5mm jack. Read up on it!!! I have wasted money on many in the ear, over the ear, everything under the sun to get the best sound and these are my latest find. (Thanks to an article about the Nokia 808 and how people are pimping them out). I cant say enough how LOUD!!!!!!!!!! they are.
YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!
I think they are lurking under the radar because its not a "Brand" name like Shure, Whitestone, or any of the "high" end stuff people are used to paying 100's of dollars for. But the technology using "DAC" has been around and if your looking for something to drive your "over the ear" stuff maybe a usb cable micro to mini adapter and then a USB DAC Stick might work for you... I am sure you can also try to "hack" the "Z:ero" by cutting off the "ear buds" and then going to the local "radio shack" and getting a 3.5mm stereo input jack and soldering the four wires to it and you just made yourself a custom low cost "DAC"...
Just a quick review I google...
http://www.soundguys.com/zero-digital-earphones-review-5997/
Try them!!!
Install viper for android. It helps with the sound processing on the N5 immensely.
I was going to say something about the impedance, but my headphones are a higher impedance than that 35ohm, and I'm pleased with the quality and volume. I know you are not looking for just volume, you are looking for volume and quality. Something I found in the past with some of the Android EQ settings (didn't matter which app) some of the settings like bass boost, would actually lower the volume coming to my headset.
A good set of headphones shouldn't have to have any EQ settings changed at all, leaving it on flat should be the best, and for preference, you can always use flat as a reference.
Every headphones is different from others: if you want a boost in volume/quality, you should try an amplifier like FiiO E6 (http://www.amazon.it/FiiO-E6-Amplif...6?ie=UTF8&qid=1439893840&sr=8-6&keywords=fiio )
32 ohm is a bit high for a smartphone, so there is a possibility that Nexus can't handle that well.
I have a pair of 32 ohm dt770 as well as 32ohm mmx300 Beyerdynamic. They both work fine.
They definitely shine with a good headphone amp, but if you're running without one straight to a phone or laptop, definitely get 32 ohm. It's the lowest they make for mobile type uses.
Hi guys,
I've been reading contradicting opinions on sound quality from headphones output for this device (adapter actually). How would you rate it in terms of loudness and overall sound quality? Also, do you find it inconvenient to use in any way?
Thanks,
g
gimche said:
Hi guys,
I've been reading contradicting opinions on sound quality from headphones output for this device (adapter actually). How would you rate it in terms of loudness and overall sound quality? Also, do you find it inconvenient to use in any way?
Thanks,
g
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i dont believe thats contradicting opinions... i tested 3 or 4 handsfree (xiaomi noise cancellation usb-c, sony mdr nc-31 em and other cheapest) and i did a comparation with xperia (z3 and z5) and sound is more natural on xiaomi; loud is it enough (if u dont like ,u can root and increase manual the volume until u can damage ur ears)...is a very good phone about sound
Thanks 7tky. What I meant by contradicting, is that some reviewers claim that sound from wired headphones is awesome, and some claim it's crap. That's why I wanted to hear opinions from people that actually own and use this phone.
gimche said:
Thanks 7tky. What I meant by contradicting, is that some reviewers claim that sound from wired headphones is awesome, and some claim it's crap. That's why I wanted to hear opinions from people that actually own and use this phone.
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I'd say sound from this phone is pretty damn good, and GSMarena's tests confirm that. The phone can power pretty big headphones too. It powers Sennheiser HD6XX's pretty well and those are 300ohm cans. Obviously not close to as clear as a dedicated DAP/Amp combo but still impressive that it can power such headphones to near uncomfortable volume. Also according to a review that I can't seem to find anymore, the phone outputs analag signal from the USB-C port so the dongle doesn't have a DAC and Amp in it. All it is doing is turning the USB-C port into a 3.5mm jack which probably explains the capability to power my Sennheiser's.
Yup, I looked into this myself. I had a DAC and AMP combo for my old Moto Nexus 6 (I wasn't happy with the sound quality of the jack). This phone is surprisingly nice. I ended up buying a few extra USB C headphone adapters straight from Google (the official ones for the the Pixels were $9 when I got them). I haven't needed my DAC and AMP since switching.
And from what I've seen the DAC is internal on this phone (as opposed to the Pixel 2 which needs the DAC to be in the dongle). Idk if that allows the port to send more power straight to the headphones or not. But I'm happy.
I thought I would get annoyed by the dongle, but I ended up just ordering a few of the Google ones and keeping them on my headphones.
Plus, Viper4Android works fine for me for some additional tuning of audio (I'm using AOSP ROMs though, not MIUI, not sure if it works in MIUI).
Keep in mind I just use some Klipsch earbuds (R6, X11, and AS-5i), nothing that requires a crazy amount of power to run.
Hope this helps.
Ok, I bought the phone and tested it for a while now, so thought I might share my experience here...
With global rom phone came with (unfortunately, I don't know the version), sound quality was great, but volume was low. Further, it had a weird bug - when I was listening to music and notification cut trough, volume would jump much higher. I could easily recreate the bug by playing music, then going to sound settings and touching slider for ringtone/notification volume, then back to music. Volume would jump higher every time. Some googling reviled that lots of people experienced similar volume jumping bugs.
OTA update (again, I don't know to which miui version) fixed this, but volume was still relatively low. When I say this, I'm comparing it to my previous devices. I'm not trying to fry my ears, though it's always nice to have the option as some music is simply mastered to much lower volume, especially older stuff.
Now I'm on lineage and volume bust is just what miui was missing - few notches higher. I listen modern pumped-up stuff 2 or 3 steps below max, and crank it up to max for very low volume old stuff. Perfect balance for me.
I guess tweaking the correct config file would adjust volume limit on miui. If anyone knows how to do that, please share, it would be much appreciated.
If someone's curious about it, I'm using zero audio carbo tenore earphones.
My audioquest Dragonfly usb DAC stopped working after a MIUI upgrade on my mix 2 since the summer. That is, the phone recognises the DAC but the sound quality light stays red (instead of say, indigo) to indicate no signal.. Updating to MIUI 10 made no difference. I've confirmed it works with the 2S running Android 8 opr 1.70623.032 - My Mix 2 has opr 1.70623.027 and he meeting if that's a difference or if anyone has similar issues of a USB digital audio converter not working on their Mix 2?
paul_mcbride said:
if anyone has similar issues of a USB digital audio converter not working on their Mix 2?
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I'm interested in answer to this question too. Have you tried messing with developer options? Is the problem miui related ; did someone test on linage / aosp based roms?
...anyone tried this thing?
bleached45 said:
Yup, I looked into this myself. I had a DAC and AMP combo for my old Moto Nexus 6 (I wasn't happy with the sound quality of the jack). This phone is surprisingly nice. I ended up buying a few extra USB C headphone adapters straight from Google (the official ones for the the Pixels were $9 when I got them). I haven't needed my DAC and AMP since switching.
And from what I've seen the DAC is internal on this phone (as opposed to the Pixel 2 which needs the DAC to be in the dongle). Idk if that allows the port to send more power straight to the headphones or not. But I'm happy.
I thought I would get annoyed by the dongle, but I ended up just ordering a few of the Google ones and keeping them on my headphones.
Plus, Viper4Android works fine for me for some additional tuning of audio (I'm using AOSP ROMs though, not MIUI, not sure if it works in MIUI).
Keep in mind I just use some Klipsch earbuds (R6, X11, and AS-5i), nothing that requires a crazy amount of power to run.
Hope this helps.
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Click to collapse
Is the google dongle more sturdy? i have a Brainwavz HM5 which have a thick cable and the flimsy cable in the dongle supplied with the mi mix 2s feels like it will break any second from the weight of the cable on my HM5.
i skipped the original adapter and buy a new adapter(it's a dac hidizs sonata hd )
and use with my earphones is 1more triple driver.
no comment for that, oh i just forgot that, 1 word - perfect :v