Develop Bugs

How is the DAC in this compared to the 2012 model?

Hey guys and gals, wondering if anyone has any info on the DAC in one of these babies. The 2012 model was just barely better than me trying to recreate the music with my voice so I rather not make that mistake again. Does anyone have any links to reviews or anything, I believe its a qualcomm chip. I have the HTC One and it's acceptable but nothing special either. Anyways lets hope its better, I don't wanna have to get an iPad mini!

Not totally sure, but as you pointed out I'm not sure it could get much worse lol. So I'll go out on an unconfirmed limb here and say better by default?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

garage_man said:
Hey guys and gals, wondering if anyone has any info on the DAC in one of these babies. The 2012 model was just barely better than me trying to recreate the music with my voice so I rather not make that mistake again. Does anyone have any links to reviews or anything, I believe its a qualcomm chip. I have the HTC One and it's acceptable but nothing special either. Anyways lets hope its better, I don't wanna have to get an iPad mini!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Better than the ****ty DAC from the Tegra 3? of course!. Better than an ipad mini? I''m not sure, but at least the quality is good.

Well it can't be worse lol. That took away all media aspects apart from youtube..and even then. It should be comparable to the HTC One though right? I mean that isn't particularly amazing either but it is good enough for on the go.

I only had the N7 2012 for a week, and I thought it sounded like crap: amazingly awful!!
The N7 2013 is absolutely better. I am not using good headphones, but can tell the difference anyway. My Nook HD+ has great sounding audio out, so if sound quality is key, I'd steer you that direction (it's super cheap and takes CyanogenMod, but ain't super fast).
Basically I think it boils down to very much improved, and definitely good quality. Not an audiophile device i'd bet, but it isn't geared for that market anyway. If sound was your only hold-out issue, I think you can breathe easy and buy an N7 without worries.
-Pie

Alternative with great speakers

Was looking forward to the M9 but not seeing a lot of promising upgrades over m8.
Biggest need is good stereo speakers.
- unlocked bootloadet would be nice, at least rootable
- 5 inch plus screen
- better camera than m8
-apple not an option
Does this unicorn exist?

tomplatz said:
Was looking forward to the M9 but not seeing a lot of promising upgrades over m8.
Biggest need is good stereo speakers.
- unlocked bootloadet would be nice, at least rootable
- 5 inch plus screen
- better camera than m8
-apple not an option
Does this unicorn exist?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nexus 6 is the only one that meets your stated requirements.

orange-man1 said:
Nexus 6 is the only one that meets your stated requirements.
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Click to collapse
what about the S6 and S6 Edge, don't leave them out like that

KuroKeita said:
what about the S6 and S6 Edge, don't leave them out like that
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One of the requirements was good stereo speakers, so that eliminates Samsung phones. This list is so specific that I can't think of anything besides the Nexus 6 that checks all the boxes.

orange-man1 said:
One of the requirements was good stereo speakers, so that eliminates Samsung phones. This list is so specific that I can't think of anything besides the Nexus 6 that checks all the boxes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh, i forgot about that one and yeah, with that, the only one left is the nexus 6

Xperia Z3

Saygus v2

z3 has very poor speaker like all sony phones
note4 have very loud speaker and clear it fairly good
the phones of this year is have a lot of problems like lg flex 2 lag like hell with snap 810
the lg pro 2 is way faster with snap 800

Now that we've had a few come online. Asking again, any unicorns like this? Upcoming note 5?

M9 is best bet for these criteria. Screen slightly less than 5" though.

augie7107 said:
M9 is best bet for these criteria. Screen slightly less than 5" though.
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It's a heated debate but the camera isn't a whole lot better though from what I'm seeing. May just have to ride it out with my M8 for another season.
They blew it on the M9 IMHO.
Thanks

tomplatz said:
It's a heated debate but the camera isn't a whole lot better though from what I'm seeing. May just have to ride it out with my M8 for another season.
They blew it on the M9 IMHO.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm actually quite hopeful for software updates to improve the camera. I took some photos with the HDR Camera+ app, and the images are significantly clearer with greater detail than using the stock or Google camera.

I think the Z5 is my unicorn. can't wait

Then you might as well wait a couple more months for the Snapdragon 820 devices...serious improvements there. Otherwise, this Fall the HTC One A9 Aero might be something you want to check out.

Any of the new xperia devices.
In all fairness the HTC Speakers are better than the Sony ones.

Thinking of getting a Nextbit Robin..

How do you guys like the Robin? How is the battery life. Audio quality on headphones , and the cameras? Oh and also how does Snapchat look on it ? Thanks ! Currently have the mate 8. The design on the Nextbit is what I like

@jordy787 - Hey there, thanks for considering us! I'm really happy with how our camera turned out. It used to be quite slow, but we've made huge improvements! Regarding audio quality, I 'd say for my Bose headphones, I'm really enjoying it. Some people have mentioned some Bluetooth connectivity problems to headsets, but that's been on rare occasions. My wife uses Snapchat all the time and has a good time. Robin is an awesome device and we hope you'll like it too!

Nextbit_Khang said:
@jordy787 - Hey there, thanks for considering us! I'm really happy with how our camera turned out. It used to be quite slow, but we've made huge improvements! Regarding audio quality, I 'd say for my Bose headphones, I'm really enjoying it. Some people have mentioned some Bluetooth connectivity problems to headsets, but that's been on rare occasions. My wife uses Snapchat all the time and has a good time. Robin is an awesome device and we hope you'll like it too!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply! That's cool that you guys are on XDA haha. Is there any updates coming out that give better battery life ? Heard it's not the best

Yep, I'm here a bunch. Actually our team is working on a battery improvement update for Q4. Some people aren't impressed with battery life, but I'm getting about 3.5-4 hours of SOT with medium usage. My network quality is for the most part good, and i'm on Wi-Fi mostly. I don't take a lot of pictures, and mostly just hang out on Reddit.

Main complainsts: weak GPS lock on.
Outside of that, it's been 5x better than my previous 5X =)

The Robin is awesome.. point blank! For what it is it's amazing.. there is a few flaws of course! But doesn't all phones have flaws? My main issues with this phone?
1. There does not seem to be a lot of support yet..
2. There is literally like no cases for it haha.
Other than that this phone was made for my hands.. best phone I've used in.. ever.. this is coming from someone that has built roms for the Nexus devices for years.. I will not be getting a nexus this year.. why? The Robin has landed in the nest and I don't see if going anywhere until the Nextbit 2 phone if and when it comes out I'll be one of the first buyers!
Sent from my Robin using Tapatalk

Smartphones have gotten so good that we now tend to focus on whats wrong with the phone instead of whats great about it. We used to want good cameras, good screen, good built quality and decent battery life. Nowadays most phones come out the box with all these checked off, so we then start to be picky and choosy and whatnot. Most Android phones now come with everything that you will need to get you through the day. So really think about what it is that is most important to you. You can go out and spend $500+ for a GREAT camera phone, or another one that has all kind of added features and mods. The NBR is attempting to stray way from that in my eyes, and thats what caught my attention.
I bought me and my wife one each used on Swappa for $215 each, hers arrived yesterday and in the 5 minutes that i got to play with it, I was VERY impressed with it. I cant wait to get mine tomorrow and then i can update this, but honestly its a no brainier to me.
For $200 or so used how can you go wrong with this? we can sit here and point out the bad things all day, but at the end of the day it all comes down to what YOU are looking for when it comes to your most personal device. I want 3 things; good camera, good screen, and good battery life. I have spent a lot of time looking into all of this and thats why i came to the conclusion of going for this phone. I know battery is not going to be the best, but then again that also reminds me to put my phone down and go enjoy life Hope this helps.

I feel this phone rocks. It is true. For the price of admission, the phone is excellent and hold up. Battery life is good too as it compares to phones with good battery life specs and greater size battery phones. It does get hot at times and cracks a bit, but with support for stuff like that, not bad too. Only thing I wish it had was a better camera. Not bad for what it is. But with phones that have a greater picture quality, feels a bit dated. Memory usage, no slowdown and snappy. Clean android with the Google Launcher for me.
Sent from my Robin using XDA-Developers mobile app

jordy787 said:
How do you guys like the Robin? How is the battery life. Audio quality on headphones , and the cameras? Oh and also how does Snapchat look on it ? Thanks ! Currently have the mate 8. The design on the Nextbit is what I like
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't even purchase the Nextbit Robin. It has huge audio playback glitches via 3.5mm and enabling built-in Equaliser in Google Play Music messes up the quality.

MiracleMiah said:
Don't even purchase the Nextbit Robin. It has huge audio playback glitches via 3.5mm and enabling built-in Equaliser in Google Play Music messes up the quality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I never ended up getting it. I have a OnePlus 3 now.

jordy787 said:
Yeah I never ended up getting it. I have a OnePlus 3 now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Keep an eye on this Nextbit Robin section. Going to post a thread where I helped Nextbit and in return they banned me for speaking the truth.

MiracleMiah said:
Keep an eye on this Nextbit Robin section. Going to post a thread where I helped Nextbit and in return they banned me for speaking the truth.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow..that's is totally unprofessional!

Hi all! Have few questions and depending on the answer I may or may not purchase Robin.
1) I am with T-Mobile and need the device to support: 1) VoLTE, 2) Band 12 and 3) WiFi Calling(3rd item is not priority if first 2 are supported)
2) How loud and clear are front stereo speakers compared to other phones such as ZTE Axon 7 or Alcatel Idol 4s?
3) How fast is the 32GB storage compared to other phones (UFS 2.0)?

Charkatak said:
Hi all! Have few questions and depending on the answer I may or may not purchase Robin.
1) I am with T-Mobile and need the device to support: 1) VoLTE, 2) Band 12 and 3) WiFi Calling(3rd item is not priority if first 2 are supported)
2) How loud and clear are front stereo speakers compared to other phones such as ZTE Axon 7 or Alcatel Idol 4s?
3) How fast is the 32GB storage compared to other phones (UFS 2.0)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) First two are supported as far as I know. I have the Robin on T-Mobile and Band 12 absolutely works.
2) Wifi calling is T-Mobile specific (at least their version) so I doubt you'll be get that.
3) Cameras are OK. If you're a shutterbug, in this price range the Nexus 5X is a better choice. A casual snapper in good lighting can get nice pictures from the Robin and those are good enough for social media.
4) These front facing speakers are very good. Not as good as the Idol 4S and as loud as the ZTE Axon, but pretty good. Audio jack is solid.
5) Battery was trash before the September update, and now it is OK. Still helpful to have the charger handy, but you can eek through a day. it charges really quickly though if you've got a 2.0 charger handy.
6) Read/Wrote speed on the internal storage is good enough.
I like mine. I'll definitely keep it around, even if I upgrade to a HTC 10.
Sent from my SGP612 using XDA-Developers mobile app

Charkatak said:
Hi all! Have few questions and depending on the answer I may or may not purchase Robin.
1) I am with T-Mobile and need the device to support: 1) VoLTE, 2) Band 12 and 3) WiFi Calling(3rd item is not priority if first 2 are supported)
2) How loud and clear are front stereo speakers compared to other phones such as ZTE Axon 7 or Alcatel Idol 4s?
3) How fast is the 32GB storage compared to other phones (UFS 2.0)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
storage speed is so so. not as good as samsung phone but it's acceptable.

Now would be a good time to get one. Only $169 with free shipping.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D3Q8EGY

Tikerz said:
Now would be a good time to get one. Only $169 with free shipping.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D3Q8EGY
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just pulled the trigger on this... At that price it's a steal.
If Nextbit would have crammed a 3000mah battery in the thing I wouldn't have any reservations.
But I just couldn't resist.

Also thinking of getting one because of the price drop. Have read CM13 really helps the battery life over stock ROM.

PutoFace said:
Also thinking of getting one because of the price drop. Have read CM13 really helps the battery life over stock ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cm13 actually has a little bit of a battery drain, but performance is a lot smoother than stock on cm13 in my opinion.

willyboi said:
Cm13 actually has a little bit of a battery drain, but performance is a lot smoother than stock on cm13 in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know! Just purchased my Robin yesterday and should get here tomorrow. :good:

Better DAC?

I had the S7E and frankly the headphone audio was terrible. I've since moved to the HTC 10 and the audio is excellent.
Now I'm not expecting HTC level audio, but something better then the s7e would be nice. Even just better software processing.
Has anybody compared any of these devices from an audio standpoint?

Since it's the same hardware as the S7 I'd expect the same sub-par sound quality unfortunately. The US version keeps getting the shaft in this regard.
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

I'm curious to find this out as well...
I had the S7 Edge and it wasn't bad just not as good as the HTC 10 - audio on the HTC was a standout feature.
I wish Samsung would put more effort in this area - in their defense though, they have been known to include some nice Wolfson DAC's in past Galaxy phones like the Note 5. I think it varies depending on which model you purchase (Exynos/Qualcomm).
Apple is rumored to improve audio on the iPhone 7 since they remove the headphone jack, so let's see if Samsung responds and gives more attention to it on the S8 and beyond.

HNIC215 said:
I'm curious to find this out as well...
I had the S7 Edge and it wasn't bad just not as good as the HTC 10 - audio on the HTC was a standout feature.
I wish Samsung would put more effort in this area - in their defense though, they have been known to include some nice Wolfson DAC's in past Galaxy phones like the Note 5. I think it varies depending on which model you purchase (Exynos/Qualcomm).
Apple is rumored to improve audio on the iPhone 7 since they remove the headphone jack, so let's see if Samsung responds and gives more attention to it on the S8 and beyond.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess even being able to use a USB DAC would be nice too.

busab said:
Since it's the same hardware as the S7 I'd expect the same sub-par sound quality unfortunately. The US version keeps getting the shaft in this regard.
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the Exynos S7E & that was pants in the audio dpt both headphone & speaker. It's not a good start for the N7 - $h it audio,,,,

@home said:
I had the Exynos S7E & that was pants in the audio dpt both headphone & speaker. It's not a good start for the N7 - $h it audio,,,,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I keep waiting on Samsung to up their audio game but every year I'm disappointed. Audio doesn't even seem like an afterthought.
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Plus now since there is no Root most likely we can't even use viper4android
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

This is why I'm thinking of getting a Note 4 C to go with my Note 5, cause that was brilliant with audio having a wolfson dac.

How does the S7 compare to the Note 4, S4 or S5 in audio quality? You guys have me nervous about my pre-order since I use headphones so much. I don't have anything super fancy, just some Shure SE215's

I use a Cyrus/Usher home audio system plus Grado and Sennheiser cans for headphone listening.
It depends if you call booming bass and searing highs 'good quality' audio?
If you care about music reproduction the Exynos version is actually very good. - Wolfson co-developed Lucky DAC.
I also have a Audio quest Dragonfly Black external DAC and although I use it if I listen critically the difference is not night and day.
If you're unlucky enough to have the Snapdragon version (for several reasons) you won't enjoy your audio as much. It uses the integrated chip.
Headphone amplifier power is limited in both versions. It goes plenty loud (for many unfortunately the decisive factor as to 'good sound') but it won't please head bangers.
If you value your hearing you probably won't want to go there.
The included head buds are useless by the way. I'd bin them asap.
(S7E Exynos user)

drummerman said:
I use a Cyrus/Usher home audio system plus Grado and Sennheiser cans for headphone listening.
It depends if you call booming bass and searing highs 'good quality' audio?
If you care about music reproduction the Exynos version is actually very good. - Wolfson co-developed Lucky DAC.
I also have a Audio quest Dragonfly Black external DAC and although I use it if I listen critically the difference is not night and day.
If you're unlucky enough to have the Snapdragon version (for several reasons) you won't enjoy your audio as much. It uses the integrated chip.
Headphone amplifier power is limited in both versions. It goes plenty loud (for many unfortunately the decisive factor as to 'good sound') but it won't please head bangers.
If you value your hearing you probably won't want to go there.
The included head buds are useless by the way. I'd bin them asap.
(S7E Exynos user)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But the thing is the S7E Exynos isn't very good with headphone audio, that's the whole problem.

naruto.ninjakid said:
Plus now since there is no Root most likely we can't even use viper4android
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note 4 N910C was totally fine [at least for my non-professional view] w/o Viper. I didn't want to root for 6 months or so in order not to null my warranty. Right now it's even better w Viper. I wish someone can review and make side-by-side comparison for Note 7 (I guess Exynos version) and Exynos Note 4 in terms of SQ!

@home said:
But the thing is the S7E Exynos isn't very good with headphone audio, that's the whole problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

The Note 7 has Qualcomm's new Aqstic codec, and the S7E does not. This is the same one used in the HTC M10. That should help some, although the amp may be the weak link in the chain at this point.
https://www.qualcomm.com/news/relea...m-powers-next-generation-samsung-galaxy-note7
(in first paragraph)
Sent from my SM-N920V using XDA-Developers mobile app

PsiPhiDan said:
The Note 7 has Qualcomm's new Aqstic codec, and the S7E does not. This is the same one used in the HTC M10. That should help some, although the amp may be the weak link in the chain at this point.
Sent from my SM-N920V using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is that for EU version or the US?

@home said:
Is that for EU version or the US?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Qualcomm is the company that makes the Snapdragon chip, so it's got to be the US version.
Sent from my SM-N920V using XDA-Developers mobile app

PsiPhiDan said:
Qualcomm is the company that makes the Snapdragon chip, so it's got to be the US version.
Sent from my SM-N920V using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I thought.
I'm talking about the Exynos version. Same as the S7E.

@home said:
That's what I thought.
I'm talking about the Exynos version. Same as the S7E.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
... which uses a Wolfson derived DAC. Likely better than Qualcomms solution, code notwithstanding.
Ultimate limitation is the DAC/amplifier chip ... ie. hardware.
Either way, you would be better off using an outboard DAC as mentioned previously or something like a high resolution player from Fiio if you want the last ounce of performance.
No phone will come close to a well implemented and dedicated player.
Forget about Viper and other similar players. Pretty lights that's it. It will do absolutely nothing for your audio other than adding some fancy looking equalizers. Use either Samsungs own player or the one from Google. Black player is another good one and simple.

drummerman said:
... which uses a Wolfson derived DAC. Likely better than Qualcomms solution, code notwithstanding.
Ultimate limitation is the DAC/amplifier chip ... ie. hardware.
Either way, you would be better off using an outboard DAC as mentioned previously or something like a high resolution player from Fiio if you want the last ounce of performance.
No phone will come close to a well implemented and dedicated player.
Forget about Viper and other similar players. Pretty lights that's it. It will do absolutely nothing for your audio other than adding some fancy looking equalizers. Use either Samsungs own player or the one from Google. Black player is another good one and simple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well maybe they have improved the DAC/amplifier chip for the Note 7.
It's annoying that a definite answer cannot be found on the net somewhere.

@home said:
Well maybe they have improved the DAC/amplifier chip for the Note 7.
It's annoying that a definite answer cannot be found on the net somewhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm monitoring http://www.head-fi.org/ time to time. I guess sooner or later some reviews of Note 7's SQ will appear!

Trade pixel for HTC 10?

Should I?
I miss my HTC 10.....have a pixel, enjoying the pixel updates but I somehow missed the HTC 10. I'm sad the pixel is not certified for at least volte
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

This is tempting, will send you PM.
Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk

cnu4u said:
This is tempting, will send you PM.
Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
?
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

He might think ur asking to trade. Like looking for someone to trade with.
PunishedSnake said:
?
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

kushman said:
He might think ur asking to trade. Like looking for someone to trade with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is correct.
I misunderstood what was asked.
Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 12:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:31 PM ----------
PunishedSnake said:
Should I?
I miss my HTC 10.....have a pixel, enjoying the pixel updates but I somehow missed the HTC 10. I'm sad the pixel is not certified for at least volte
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pixel Vs HTC10, my answer Pixel unless you are not liking something about it.
Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk

lolz why HTC 10. I have both. Don't get me wrong but Pixel has everything over HTC 10
Lighter
Faster
Better Camera
Battery is a bit better
Better handle in one hand
UFS 2.0

keaheng said:
lolz why HTC 10. I have both. Don't get me wrong but Pixel has everything over HTC 10
Lighter
Faster
Better Camera
Battery is a bit better
Better handle in one hand
UFS 2.0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sound
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

SD card support (if that matters to you).

I, too, own both the 10 and the Pixel. Overall I like the Pixel better because of how well the software works. I use PureNexus ROM on the Pixel even though completely stock is the best stock Android experience I've ever experienced on any device.
Recently PureNexus was ported to the 10, and now I'm only disliking one thing about the 10, as opposed to a handful. There are still a couple of quirks in PureNexus for the 10, but they are being worked on and they've made progress.
Anyway, though....if I had only the Pixel I would NOT trade for a 10.

I have both the HTC 10 and Google Pixel, and I find myself missing the HTC 10 a lot. There's a few trade offs. HTC has those sense panels when you scroll to the left, and the Pixel has those info card things that give you headlines to news articles and what not. I prefer the Pixel's implementation.The camera on the Pixel also out performs any camera I've yet to play with on a smartphone, and while the screen isn't the best in the industry, I do find the Pixel's screen much brighter than the HTC 10.
What the HTC 10 does offer me is this: exceptional audio quality from the 3.5mm headphone jack. I've had to buy a mini portable dac/amp that I carry with me to even get to the level of audio performance the HTC 10 has, and since I'm not much of a photographer, the difference in camera quality doesn't seem as significant as the difference in audio quality. I also miss the HTC's all metal industrial design. It has absolutely no scratches or dings on it. I have a few dings on my Pixel because the aluminum is fairly thin.
The audio on the HTC 10 makes it more of all-in-one device for me since it cancels out my need to carry a portable dac/amp, and while it doesn't hit every notch on "excellent," it does manage to be great at most everything that's important.
At this point though, I'm looking at the new Essential phone. Something about the quirky appearance really appeals to me.

mnguyen127 said:
What the HTC 10 does offer me is this: exceptional audio quality from the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is the audio out from the headphone jack that much better than the Pixel?
The main reason I don't have a Pixel is because my SD card holds 5 years worth of pictures and video from past smartphones all the way back to a Samsung GS3.

Superguy said:
SD card support (if that matters to you).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that too, have a 256gb card from a samsung promo

I notice the verizon one lacks band 17, would converting to us unlocked enable that band?

revoltech said:
Is the audio out from the headphone jack that much better than the Pixel?
The main reason I don't have a Pixel is because my SD card holds 5 years worth of pictures and video from past smartphones all the way back to a Samsung GS3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strongly suggest you back up the photo to somewhere else if you had not do it.

DummyPLUG said:
Strongly suggest you back up the photo to somewhere else if you had not do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't done it in awhile because I am so lazy about removing the SDcard but I am doing it at this moment since the phone could use a cleaning outside its case.

revoltech said:
Is the audio out from the headphone jack that much better than the Pixel?
The main reason I don't have a Pixel is because my SD card holds 5 years worth of pictures and video from past smartphones all the way back to a Samsung GS3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The audio is definitely that much better. It's probably my most missed feature using my Pixel. For me to get similar audio quality on my Pixel, I have to use a portable DAC/AMP, which is super finicky using a USB Type-C connection. I actually have to download a separate audio player on my Pixel in addition to using my portable DAC/AMP in order to get a similar experience that I would get from my HTC 10. The HTC 10 is highly praised on the head-fi forums for its audio prowess. It essentially serves as its own digital audio player (DAP) in addition to being an awesome phone. The combination of the two is rare for audiophiles. The only phones that I can think of that do something similar are the LG V10, LG V20, ZTE Axon 7, and possibly some Sony phones.
The audio quality is night and day when I switch my headphones using the HTC 10 and Pixel.

revoltech said:
I haven't done it in awhile because I am so lazy about removing the SDcard but I am doing it at this moment since the phone could use a cleaning outside its case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you already know about this ignore me but I use a free 50 GB Mega app to automatically backup my photos when I'm on WiFi. You can also specify even charging only if you like. You can also specify your own custom secondary location on your device to back up from.
Or you can use Google Photos. On non-pixel device you have to let it downgrade your photos and videos slightly to get unlimited storage or don't and get whatever amount of Drive space you have available but then you can tell Photos to free up space and it'll only delete what has already been backed up.

mnguyen127 said:
The HTC 10 is highly praised on the head-fi forums for its audio prowess. It essentially serves as its own digital audio player (DAP) in addition to being an awesome phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know of that forum, used to frequently visit there in the past and I never seen any smartphone being praise for its audio reproduction abilities. Although, I do agree the HTC 10 is just as good as the M8 when it comes to audio quality. I used to carry a portable amp to drive a pair of DT-770s. Nowadays I am way too lazy and just use a forum recommendation, Edifier p-180 earbuds.

revoltech said:
I know of that forum, used to frequently visit there in the past and I never seen any smartphone being praise for its audio reproduction abilities. Although, I do agree the HTC 10 is just as good as the M8 when it comes to audio quality. I used to carry a portable amp to drive a pair of DT-770s. Nowadays I am way too lazy and just use a forum recommendation, Edifier p-180 earbuds.
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Head-fi threads have examined most modern phones to compare the quality of internal dac/amps inside smartphones. There's a thread on the s8 ongoing about the quality of the dac it's using (likely a wolfson/cirrus logic dac), but the reviews have been a mixed bag compared to the likes of the htc 10 or lg v20. there's quite a few threads on head-fi regarding audio quality since a lot of people would like to replace their DAPs with their smartphones.