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I bought a fiio e6 on amazon and sound quality has improved tremendously. Even with my a2dp receiver in my car, the improvement was great. Any other experience?
What kind of headphones are you using? i suspect that makes much more of a difference than the amp
I'm planning to get an E6 by the end of this month. Together with AKG K240 MK II. I will need the amp anyway, but it'll be good to know what ear-/headphones you are using.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA
Just tried my E6 on my i9100. Absolutely no change at all. Tried 5 different IEM's and 2 different headphones, they all sounded the same.
Maybe your E6 is broken!
I use it with akg K317 and in my car with a beewi bba100.
I've ordered an e5, which I should receive tomorrow, from what I've read the bass boost on the e5 is better than that of the e6.
I'll report back on any change on the sound quality, although don't expect anything in-depth, I'm no audiophile
without a proper lineout from the phone, the sound will either be same or worst in most cases. Because what youre doing is amplifying an amplified signal. So, if the amplified signal from the phone is bad, i'm pretty sure your external amplifier cant fix that.
You would need the Samsung official car dock for true line-out audio. Either that or make your own cable like the one here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=20710266&postcount=14
Maybe Bluetooth audio would also work, if you have a Bluetooth receiver with a decent DAC.
No matter what you use, it will not improve the overall sound of the device as it uses a cheap and crappy sound card. Any sort of amp including the Fiio E6 only brings EQ to the music, not to mention you actually lose sound quality because your using a jack to jack method unlike the iPod where they have special cables that connects directly into the DAC of the iPod because of the special provide cables which over-passes the direct headphone jack port. (Search up Fiio L9 Cable) Also when using the jack to jack cable that's provided with the Fiio E6 it lowers the loudness of the sound when connecting via phone to the amp.
Of course then there's the human ear, if you feel like it sounds great, good for you but in reality the sound is worse with EQ added to make you think it sounds great.
If your an audiophile you have to accept that the SGS2 isn't the best music device. Cowon for example or the SGP are good sounding music players. It's a waste of money to buy a Fiio E6 Amp unless your using an iPod to be honest cause it significantly improves the iPod devices.
That's my 2 cents, take it or leave it as you wish.
Blegh said:
without a proper lineout from the phone, the sound will either be same or worst in most cases. Because what youre doing is amplifying an amplified signal. So, if the amplified signal from the phone is bad, i'm pretty sure your external amplifier cant fix that.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, I noticed no change in sound quality with my e5. However it can make it a LOT louder, so if that's something you need, you might still want to consider getting one of these
Intercrew said:
unlike the iPod where they have special cables that connects directly into the DAC of the iPod because of the special provide cables which over-passes the direct headphone jack port. (Search up Fiio L9 Cable)
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Click to collapse
The galaxy s 2 does also have line out which bypasses the headphone jack (for example the samsung car dock does line-out over the micro usb port) but there doesn't seem to be anything available to buy to do this without the dock. However as claimui said you can make your own cable too
EDIT/UPDATE January 2013: The USB-DAC option is now working for AOSP based i9300 and North American phones!
Here is my thread on how to get it working for Liquidsmooth (cm10.1 clone) on my AT&T S3:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2116877
---------------------------------------------------------
EDIT/UPDATE 02/12/2013 --- This USB-DAC functionality also now works with the Xylon AOSP ROM after the JackNorris patch:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=37925178#post37925178
Also, LiquidSmooth thread is closed now due to the team breaking up. But a new thread will likely be opened soon as the ROM is still being developed by the new Liquid team.
---------------------------------------------------------
EDIT/UPDATE 2/28/13 for North American S3's (not sure about Euro S3):
CZ Eddie said:
For the 4.1.X AOSP ROM's, only LiquidSmooth and Xylon work. If you can find them anymore. All stock based/rooted ROM's work.
LiquidSmooth ROM never skips, it had flawless audio performance. But you lose the headphone jack on LiquidSmooth. And the 4.1.X Xylon ROM was a WIP ROM with various bugs.
The 4.1.2 LiquidSmooth ROM was fantastic. Never once had any cd-skipping type sounds. Sounded excellent and was a flawless, bug-free ROM. Perfect if you didn't need the headphone jack, which was the only issue. BUT, I can't find that ROM download anymore. I have a nandroid and if someone bugged the hell out of me, I might be talked into uploading it. But it was a nandroid from a dirty flash so I can't guarantee it will work perfectly.
Stock ROM's skip sometimes when initially connecting audio and also when taking calls or other events occur. Otherwise they work great.
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Click to collapse
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ORIGINAL THREAD TEXT BELOW:
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So, you're like me and you want to use your North American Galaxy S3 with your car stereo to stream Pandora, play MP3's and listen to your phones Navigation directions.
But, Bluetooth obviously sucks for so many reasons.
And the USB analog audio output has too many clicks/clacks and otherwise degraded sound.
So what do you do? You're an audiophile (or a wanna-be like me) and NEED better, cleaner sound!
Well, here is how you can get near audiophile quality sound from your GS3 to your car stereo.
1) Purchase an external USB DAC (digital to audio converter). This takes your phone's digital audio and cleanly converts it to analog audio for your car stereo to handle.
So why don't we just use the phone's internal DAC? Well, because it's a cheapy, crappy sounding Yamaha DAC. Samsung cheaped out on us! So we're using a BETTER DAC instead.
I bought the Behringer UCA202 USB DAC for just $30 shipped.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/160904879602?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
2) Now you need to get the digital audio out of your phone and into the external DAC! And you also need to make sure your phone still charges! So I bought this USB-OTG cable that has a charging adapter. It's just $10 shipped:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/160912100776?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
3) And then you need a dual-RCA to 3.5mm cable to get the analog audio from the DAC into the Car Stereo! I used one similar to this $3 shipped one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-FT-3-5mm-...=US_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item2a134140b0
And so what are the results you ask?
HOLY MOLY!
Not only is the audio quality MUCH improved, but the sound is so CLEAN now. No clicks, burps, or any other weird background noises. Just straight CD quality background silence.
Even my GPS voice sounds prettier. hahah
Bass is tighter and deeper. Highs are more revealing. Everything is so much better that a novice could tell it sounds better.
And yes, GPS navigation works perfectly. If I'm listening to Pandora or an MP3 and my GPS needs to talk, then my music will go several db quieter and GPS will speak up, then afterwards the music will automatically go back to full volume.
UPDATE EDIT: Google Maps voice gets cut off when it starts talking, if I'm not already listening to music. When music is playing, then Google Maps voice talks perfect. But if nothing else is using sound, then I think Google Maps doesn't force its voice out enough and the first part gets cut off. This could have been a one-day deal or other issue. I need more time with it.
Also, one thing I hated about Bluetooth was everytime I turned my car off for just a minute, when I would power it back on the Bluetooth would not consistently reconnect. Well, this USB-OTG has been very consistent for me so far. Music just picks back up where it left off at and is fairly quick to do so.
Cons? Well, I haven't tested hands free calling yet. But I'm told it doesn't work with this USB-OTG to DAC configuration. Maybe there is a bluetooth solution for that. I dunno? And AOSP does not yet support DACs.
UPDATE EDIT: Bluetooth hands-free works perfectly when I'm using the USB-OTG to my DAC. I'll add pics & info below.
UPDATE EDIT: Once in awhile, my cheapy DAC gets weird sounding when I first start up music. Like a CD player skipping. I just stop and start the music again and it's fine. Or it quickly goes away on it's own. Doesn't happen very often though.
UPDATE #2 EDIT:*I flashed a new ROM today and everything has been 100% flawless so far. That last ROM had lots of weird issues.
Pros? Freakin everything.
Pics are below.
Here is the DAC and the USB-OTG cable:
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This is how you configure the DAC. You can probably also use the headphones output instead of the stereo RCA, but I didn't try it.
I wired up my USB-OTG cable to my iBOLT dock. It comes up through my dash defrost vents.
This is what the three connectors on the USB-OTG cable look like:
Here is the DAC being wired up. I taped up the non-used RCA's to prevent anything bugging with them.
I wrapped up the DAC with DUCT tape.
Hid it behind my dash.
Here is the USB-OTG cable with my iBOLT dock.
The car stereo w/audio cable attached. Some car stereos have the 3.5mm connector in the back. Or a dual-RCA input. I'd prefer one of those to have a cleaner install. Maybe someday I'll upgrade my car stereo.
And here is the finished product. My S3 docked, charging and outputing beautiful digital music!
LINKS:
How to make your own USB-OTG cable with power:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1828032
List of compatible DACs:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/1320#post_9038046
The official Galaxy S3 sound quality thread (TONS of info!!!):
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1633685&page=2
UPDATE EDIT:
Here is how you get Bluetooth hands-free calling working. I tested it today. Started listening to music via PowerAmp through the USB-OTG to DAC to my car stereo which was set to the AUX input. Then I accepted an incoming call. My car stereo automatically switched to Bluetooth input on it's own and I could hear/talk over bluetooth to the car stereo/speakers without any problem. After disconnecting the call, my car stereo automatically went back to AUX input and my USB-OTG/DAC music resumed playing nicely.
So here are the steps.
1) Connect your phone to your car stereo via Bluetooth.
2) Click the "settings" button next to your Bluetooth connection in the phone:
3) Put a checkmark in "Call Audio" and de-select "Media Audio".
4) When you accept a call on your phone, click the "headset" button and all audio will be played over your car speakers and your voice will be picked up by your hands-free microphone.
My next step is to figure out a way to get TASKER to automatically select "headset" when I'm in my car.
EDIT:
Here is my new dock and new cable solution. Just one single cable down under my dash.
Great post and very well put together but there a couple of things
1) doubt pandora is of audiophile quality
2) most people won't hear a difference since most don't have super expensive speakers in their car
3) the amp/dac you have has 2 ANALOG outputs (rca and headphone) and 1 digital output (Optical cable)....since you're using the analog output.... its been through an amp already.... then your stereo amps the signal again.... so technically you're amping an already amped signal. If you want to notice a difference use a line out/digital signal to ur stereo.
http://www.headstage.com/USB-DAC-Cable/USB-DAC-Cable-with-35mm-Mini-Plug-75cm-30::10134.html
would be the perfect solution..lineout.... small.... don't need to hide anything, and take it with you inside ur house and use it for the receiver at home also.
But if you want something with analog, lineout and portable.... i'd go with an E7 from Fiio... need to buy a 10 dollar adapter for the line out.... but for about 80 you can listen to it from ur s3 or computer straight to ur headphones via analog. use the line out adapter to hook it up to ur car stereo or home receiver. so best of both worlds.
If you're going to quote something, please don't quote a zillion pictures with it.
krash183 said:
1) doubt pandora is of audiophile quality
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Click to collapse
Absolutely it is not "audiophile" quality. But that doesn't mean it doesn't sound better with my current DAC configuration. Because it does sound better now. Though it's still limited by the lower bitrate/conversion Pandora offers us.
My 320kbps and FLAC MP3 collection sounds absolutely incredible though.
krash183 said:
2) most people won't hear a difference since most don't have super expensive speakers in their car
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Click to collapse
I have $60 Alpine speakers and it was a heck of a difference. I can only imagine how much better it'll get when I do eventually put high end separates in here.
My subwoofer is fairly high end though.
You don't need high end speakers to notice a cleaner sound.
krash183 said:
3) the amp/dac you have has 2 ANALOG outputs (rca and headphone) and 1 digital output (Optical cable)....since you're using the analog output.... its been through an amp already.... then your stereo amps the signal again.... so technically you're amping an already amped signal. If you want to notice a difference use a line out/digital signal to ur stereo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh?!? Nothing has been amplified before it hits my car stereo. My phone deliveres a digital signal to a converter, which convers the signal to a high end analog signal directly into my car stereo. This means neither the DAC in my phone or my car stereo is used.
CZ Eddie said:
Huh?!? Nothing has been amplified before it hits my car stereo. My phone deliveres a digital signal to a converter, which convers the signal to a high end analog signal directly into my car stereo. This means neither the DAC in my phone or my car stereo is used.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not talking about the DAC... talking about the amp section. But I read the specs wrong on your link,
"The stereo headphone output features a dedicated level control and lets you listen to both the input and output."
I thought the level control was for the headphone and RCA out, but reading more the RCA is a lineout.
The E7 you mentioned is a very popular one indeed.
This one is on my "upgrade wishlist" if I ever get more serious. It's being compared with >$300 DAC's due to the chipset it uses.
edit: removed link due to report that this particular DAC may not be compatible with Android.
Here is a list of known working DAC's:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/1320#post_9038046
by using the rca to headphone cable it automatically is in analog therefore not digital at all and all those conversions and amplifications can and most likely causes some signal degradation...it's kind of a round about way to get cleaner sound when your using low bitrate streaming music...
CZ Eddie said:
The E7 you mentioned is a very popular one indeed.
This one is on my "upgrade wishlist" if I ever get more serious. It's being compared with >$300 DAC's due to the chipset it uses.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/140847495065?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
96khz/24bit...wow thats impressive.... I'm using a old silverstone DAC with a burr brown connected to an old x-head amp, But it works well since it was only 10 bucks used haha. Want to get this and find a used objective amp.
killj0y said:
by using the rca to headphone cable it automatically is in analog therefore not digital at all and all those conversions and amplifications can and most likely causes some signal degradation...it's kind of a round about way to get cleaner sound when your using low bitrate streaming music...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, you may want to research the subject a little more.
Subscribed.. Great thread..
Does this provide a true line out, or is volume still controlled by the phone?
Also since there's clearly audiophiles here has anyone tried or heard of this?
http://www.gromaudio.com/store/usb_adapters/index.html
I have a Jetta and it would be great to be able to use my steering wheel controls to skip/replay tracks...
Again.. Great thread..
ddiehl said:
Does this provide a true line out, or is volume still controlled by the phone?
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Click to collapse
Volume is controlled by the phone still.
Though the volume button on the DAC does also affect volume.
I set mine to full volume on the DAC. Forgot to mention that in my OP.
So my Car Home Ultra application automatically sets Android volume to max, and I end up using my car stereo's volume knob for everything.
ddiehl said:
Also since there's clearly audiophiles here has anyone tried or heard of this?
http://www.gromaudio.com/store/usb_adapters/index.html
I have a Jetta and it would be great to be able to use my steering wheel controls to skip/replay tracks...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, never looked into that. But there are lots of steering wheel control thingies developed for car stereos.
Something else I want to look into is this sucker. Infinity IMS:
http://www.harmanaudio.com/search_browse/product_detail.asp?urlMaterialNumber=IMS
A DAC developed *specifically* for Android should be available in January.
It's kind of expensive though.
The AudioQuest Bumblebee:
Designed specifically for Android devices
24-bit ESS Sabre conversion chip
Supports all music files including 24-bit/192kHz lossless
Drives headphones directly with 3.5mm mini-jack output
Fixed or Variable output modes
Asynchronous transfer for accurate digital timing
64-position (computer-controlled) analog volume control
Isolated dual master clocks
Colour changing LED to indicate source sample rate
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.avland.co.uk/aasp/audioquest/1220/bumblebee/bumblebee.asp
CZ Eddie said:
Hmm, you may want to research the subject a little more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with killjoy. You are not getting the full benefits of your dac if it's just connected via aux in.
You will have to either use a usb or optical connection.
I was about to get a leckerton uha 6s mk ii, but I couldn't find a way to have hi fi connection with my car stereo.
And fwiw, I do connect my international sgs3 (Wolfson chip) with a denko cable interconnect tipped with neutrik plugs. Audio via neutron player. Very good. But definitely not hi fi.
Sent from a Galaxy far, far away
rab1412000 said:
I agree with killjoy.
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Click to collapse
So you also think that the DAC or phone is amplifying the signal? Because that's what he said.
It's a pre-amp DAC, guys.
rab1412000 said:
You are not getting the full benefits of your dac if it's just connected via aux in.
You will have to either use a usb or optical connection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that would be great if there were a plethora of car stereos with optical input, but there aren't.
This isn't an "audiophile" thread. This is a thread to help people get cleaner and better audio sound in their cars when using the S3 as a source.
CZ Eddie said:
So you also think that the DAC or phone is amplifying the signal? Because that's what he said.
It's a pre-amp DAC, guys.
Well that would be great if there were a plethora of car stereos with optical input, but there aren't.
This isn't an "audiophile" thread. This is a thread to help people get cleaner and better audio sound in their cars when using the S3 as a source.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Afaik all stand alone dacs have a pre amp or else you wouldn't hear music from it. However the better ones have specific connectors to bypass the internal amp to avoid double amping.
The reason I mentioned hi fi sound and the limitations of the aux in is to serve as a sort of warning to you and others. As you have the us sgs 3 (with the poor internal dac) and a cheap external, connecting via aux in is definitely a good option.
However getting a more expensive dac such as the Sabre equipped ones you mentioned MAY NOT improve your sq due to the limitations of the inter connection.
Sent from a Galaxy far, far away
rab1412000 said:
Afaik all stand alone dacs have a pre amp or else you wouldn't hear music from it. However the better ones have specific connectors to bypass the internal amp to avoid double amping.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no freakin internal amp in this DAC. WTF.
How many times do I have to stress this point? LOL
rab1412000 said:
The reason I mentioned hi fi sound and the limitations of the aux in is to serve as a sort of warning to you and others. As you have the us sgs 3 (with the poor internal dac) and a cheap external, connecting via aux in is definitely a good option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We're not using AUX in on the DAC. We're using the digital input on the DAC. The DAC is then converting that digital signal to analog where it's being sent directly to my car stereo amps (via the car stereo).
The signal is going to be analog at some point, no matter what you have in your bag of tricks. I believe that even digital amplifiers have to convert the signal to analog at some point, though I could be wrong on that one.
rab1412000 said:
However getting a more expensive dac such as the Sabre equipped ones you mentioned MAY NOT improve your sq due to the limitations of the inter connection.
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Click to collapse
That is the craziest statement ever.
Yes, interconnection will always be somewhat of a limitation.
But processing can always be improved upon.
Nice writeup, it was an a-ha moment for me recently, that I should be using my Fiio E7 in the car. Haven't done anything about it like you have.
The next step is to take the digital out of the DAC and send it right to the digital input of a DSP, such as this:
That's what I'm talking about! Who needs a head unit?
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SIII
OSNPA said:
The next step is to take the digital out of the DAC and send it right to the digital input of a DSP, such as this:
That's what I'm talking about! Who needs a head unit?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whoahh. :good:
http://www.zapco.com/zapcoprocessors.html
Lol I wasn't talking about the aux in of the DAC but the aux in of the stereo, which is the weak link here.
The dsp unit above is the solution your looking for if you want true hi fi. You will never get it by connecting thru aux in of stereo is what I'm saying.
Also no need for insults or derogatory statements here mate. We are all trying to help each other. My comments, whether they agree with your opinions or not, should be taken constructively
Sent from a Galaxy far, far away
It's actually not a DAC (digital-to-analog converter). It doesn't have a Digital input, per their Website. The volume control is for monitoring the input and output so that wouldn't need a Amp. This is a USB audio interface for pc and macs.
The UCA202 allows you to connect instruments and other audio devices to your computer, effectively merging the analog and digital worlds. It accomplishes this by providing two analog mono Inputs and Outputs (for monitoring), USB connectivity and an additional S/PDIF optical output for direct analog-to-digital conversion. The stereo headphone output features a dedicated level control and lets you listen to both the input and output.
It has only analog inputs and a S/PDIF out that coverts analog to digital. So i'm sure what he's saying is that this unit takes the analog from the phone and cleans it up before it's delivered to analog input of Head Units...
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/UCA202.aspx
CZ Eddie said:
Whoahh. :good:
http://www.zapco.com/zapcoprocessors.html
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Click to collapse
I've used that specific one, just not with the digital input. I am more experienced with audio than I am with android, pm me if want to do something drastic.:thumbup:
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SIII (AT&T)
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Click to expand...
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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Click to collapse
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.
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
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
Hello, I have broken the pixel 2 adapter after having used it for more than 2 months, very poor construction quality and very normal audio. I'm looking for an adapter that delivers better audio quality and if it can be more power, it does not matter the price but it's not crazy either. I have some Audio Technica Ath-m40x and some in-ear Fiio F9. I was looking at a post that compared some adapters and what you can appreciate is that the HTC adapter is much better and apparently the better than the razer. Anyone recommend me another or with this I will be happy?
Maybe this video can answer your question.
https://youtu.be/_0div1uRciQ
Galeonero said:
Hello, I have broken the pixel 2 adapter after having used it for more than 2 months, very poor construction quality and very normal audio. I'm looking for an adapter that delivers better audio quality and if it can be more power, it does not matter the price but it's not crazy either. I have some Audio Technica Ath-m40x and some in-ear Fiio F9. I was looking at a post that compared some adapters and what you can appreciate is that the HTC adapter is much better and apparently the better than the razer. Anyone recommend me another or with this I will be happy?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recommend Apple's USB-C to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter.
- smaller and slimmer compared to Google's adapter
- no echo (in calls)
- quieter than the Google adapter, as noted here
The quieter volume is a blessing for those with sensitive IEMs, where even the lowest volume can be too loud. Especially in WhatsApp voice calls.
With Google's adapter and my (sensitive) Shure SE215s, even the lowest volume on my Pixel 2 was often too loud. Using the Apple USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter, I have more leeway: previously uncomfortably loud voice calls are now perfect.
Thank you for your response, I bought the Hidizs Sonata hd cable v2 about 2 months ago. It is an excellent purchase
Galeonero said:
Thank you for your response, I bought the Hidizs Sonata hd cable v2 about 2 months ago. It is an excellent purchase
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Really? I just ordered one befor a week well still waiting the SONATA HD 2 because i get very crazy about this quit volume of the pixel and not so good sound the main reason to order the Sonata even with earbuds with about 30 Oms indemendance volume to the max doesnt sound as loud as they have to... compared to my old HTC 10 with loud and crystal Hi Res Audio so im wondering the the Sonata will improve that.
tsalta said:
Really? I just ordered one befor a week well still waiting the SONATA HD 2 because i get very crazy about this quit volume of the pixel and not so good sound the main reason to order the Sonata even with earbuds with about 30 Oms indemendance volume to the max doesnt sound as loud as they have to... compared to my old HTC 10 with loud and crystal Hi Res Audio so im wondering the the Sonata will improve that.
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Click to collapse
Look, my overall score is 4/5.
It has a LOT of power, I use it with my Fiio F9 PRO and Audio Technica ATH M40X I do not pass 30%. The sound is good, I think it's better than the google dongle but it's not the big thing as they say on their website, do not expect an extraordinary quality sound but it's not bad at all.
The construction is quite good and durable, although you have to be very careful as well, my advice is that when you have it connected and put it in your pocket, put it up on the connector and that it is inside the adapter, that only the cable comes out .
I really like that you have a case so you keep it and it does not break because you put it in your backpack and it hits you.
But like any Dongle that connects via usb-c has its counter and is that it disconnects very easy and I suspect that it can break faster the smartphone connector.
I do not recommend it because it is uncomfortable to take it, it is better to buy the Fiio bluetooth adapter BTR3 or the EarStudio ES100
Galeonero said:
Look, my overall score is 4/5.
It has a LOT of power, I use it with my Fiio F9 PRO and Audio Technica ATH M40X I do not pass 30%. The sound is good, I think it's better than the google dongle but it's not the big thing as they say on their website, do not expect an extraordinary quality sound but it's not bad at all.
The construction is quite good and durable, although you have to be very careful as well, my advice is that when you have it connected and put it in your pocket, put it up on the connector and that it is inside the adapter, that only the cable comes out .
I really like that you have a case so you keep it and it does not break because you put it in your backpack and it hits you.
But like any Dongle that connects via usb-c has its counter and is that it disconnects very easy and I suspect that it can break faster the smartphone connector.
I do not recommend it because it is uncomfortable to take it, it is better to buy the Fiio bluetooth adapter BTR3 or the EarStudio ES100
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the advice im planing to use it with some of mine Hi res Earbuds a nd Headphones that i love to use back when i had a JACK on my HTC so will compae the quality with that Sonata and the same earphones earbuds using external DAC like Sonata compared to the build in in HTC 10 i hope at least the sound to be close as posible.
tsalta said:
Thanks for the advice im planing to use it with some of mine Hi res Earbuds a nd Headphones that i love to use back when i had a JACK on my HTC so will compae the quality with that Sonata and the same earphones earbuds using external DAC like Sonata compared to the build in in HTC 10 i hope at least the sound to be close as posible.
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Click to collapse
Many people say that it has a sound very similar to or better than the LG V20 and v30. But honestly I have no idea I never tried one