Hi all
I recently got the Sensation XL, absolutely amazing phone. But I've encountered a slight bug/fault. I'm not sure if it's just with my device or with everyone's.
The issue:
If I'm listening to music with the Beats Audio enabled and I receive a notification of any sort the beats audio disables itself, but still says enabled. But when it goes to the next song it enables itself again.
I've tried a factory reset and it's done nothing to fix the problem.
I've tried using both my Beats Solo HDs and the supplied in ear Beats, but still getting the same issue.
Thanks for your help!
For me, the beats enhancement kicks if Im using beats or normal headphones. I dont have the same issue as you though. Sounds like software but could be a dodgy connection as well - have you checked inside the port for dust or any other foreign objects?
First of all I have to say the audio quality is a lot better than the One X+. There's a lot more detail in the highs. however with the default music player and sometimes with PowerAMP too, I get this crackling in certain songs especially if near maximum volume (example: the slow part of Touch by Daft Punk). Anyone else have this problem? It doesn't always happen in PowerAMP but still occasionally does. It seems more like a decoding issue than a hardware issue though as most files play fine.
So far every In Ear Headphone I have tried (I think they are all 16 ohms but not sure about the HTC IEMs) distorts at volume 12/15. This is stock player with Beats off. 12/15 SOMETIMES sounds okay with Poweramp.
Panasonic HTX7 (40 Ohms) - slight crackle only at maximum volume, no noticeable distortion at 14/15.
FYL21 said:
First of all I have to say the audio quality is a lot better than the One X+. There's a lot more detail in the highs. however with the default music player and sometimes with PowerAMP too, I get this crackling in certain songs especially if near maximum volume (example: the slow part of Touch by Daft Punk). Anyone else have this problem? It doesn't always happen in PowerAMP but still occasionally does. It seems more like a decoding issue than a hardware issue though as most files play fine.
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I don't have crackling sounds, however, I don't listen to such type of music. I can test some songs on my phone just send the song in flac specifying the time, when you've heard the noise. I would also recommend to disable beats enhancement and listen once again.
tsokh said:
I don't have crackling sounds, however, I don't listen to such type of music. I can test some songs on my phone just send the song in flac specifying the time, when you've heard the noise. I would also recommend to disable beats enhancement and listen once again.
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I am travelling right now and do not have flac files. Most of my songs are 320kbps and Beats is turned off. using the 901e which does not have LTE and I do not have a SIM so its on Airplane mode. (Mostly using as a camera and music player) The distortion only happens with long deep bass notes at high volumes (search for Touch by Daft Punk and skip to when the slow part begins.) IAlso very noticeable with The Leaves Have Flown From the Poplars. (A Russian song by Vitas) The distortion happens on all headphones I have tried so far including the Audio-Technica CKM500 (I have two one with talk and volume switch and the regular one without) and the stock buds. I think it could be a software issue with the Qualcomm DAC as the Galaxy S4 had similar issues but was fixed in an update. Unfortunately HTC One users have also noticed this problem but HTC has not addressed it (yet anyways). my One X+ cant reach the Butterfly S' volume but even Beats on there isnt this distortion...
Similar diistortion only happens on my iPad 2 if I am at maximum volume which is a bit higher than the Butterfly S and much less noticeable. Perhaps its just the sound processor going beyond them sound card's limit causing clipped peaks for bassy sounds. It happens to my One X+ if I out EQs too high above maximum volume or use preamp in PowerAMP
I also heard the distortion with long deep bass notes at almost max levels of volume on Daft Punk - Touch. However, I don't think that it's comfortable to listen to music at such volume levels. Tried almost all possible options - here is my research (tested everything on PowerAMP):
mp3 320kb + Beats on + HTC RC E160 => distortion very noticeable
mp3 320kb + Beats off + HTC RC E160 => distortion very noticeable
mp3 320kb + Beats on + Sennheiser HD25SP => distortion very noticeable
mp3 320kb + Beats off + Sennheiser HD25SP => distortion very noticeable
flac + Beats on + HTC RC E160 => distortion very noticeable
flac + Beats off + HTC RC E160 => distortion almost gone, but can be heard on some bass
flac + Beats on + Sennheiser HD25SP => distortion very noticeable
flac + Beats off + Sennheiser HD25SP => no distortion
Also I would like to highlight that with Beats on crackling sounds always appeared and were noticeable, in flac and without Beats the sound became more clear.
tsokh said:
I also heard the distortion with long deep bass notes at almost max levels of volume on Daft Punk - Touch. However, I don't think that it's comfortable to listen to music at such volume levels. Tried almost all possible options - here is my research (tested everything on PowerAMP):
mp3 320kb + Beats on + HTC RC E160 => distortion very noticeable
mp3 320kb + Beats off + HTC RC E160 => distortion very noticeable
mp3 320kb + Beats on + Sennheiser HD25SP => distortion very noticeable
mp3 320kb + Beats off + Sennheiser HD25SP => distortion very noticeable
flac + Beats on + HTC RC E160 => distortion very noticeable
flac + Beats off + HTC RC E160 => distortion almost gone, but can be heard on some bass
flac + Beats on + Sennheiser HD25SP => distortion very noticeable
flac + Beats off + Sennheiser HD25SP => no distortion
Also I would like to highlight that with Beats on crackling sounds always appeared and were noticeable, in flac and without Beats the sound became more clear.
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Thanks for the info, I was thinking of exchanging my phone but I think maybe all units have this problem just nobody listens at that high a volume. With my IEMs I dont but I mitnhave to with my Panasonic HTX7s. At volumes 11/15 and below with Beats off there is almost no distortion with my CKM500iS.
I have noticed something more terrifying which is a faint but audible hiss and zips and zaps sounds like computer noise with headphones plugged in but no music playing, if you scroll down a page you sometimes hear the high pitched noise get a bit louder... Disappointed not at HTC but how Qualcomm handled these DACs. Even the One X+ which probably had Realtek DAC fixed most of the problems the original One X had. In my Butterfly S this static is continuous while it only plays when music plays on my HOX+ and barely noticeable unless Beats is turned on.
I don't think the problem is in DAC itself, but in the built-in amplifier. Found the same problem thread on Galaxy S4 forum, but the issue was fixed by the latest firmware release - so lets hope, that HTC will also provide some fixes. However, I won't rely on any custom roms, as most probably, the fix is inside the kernel, which we can't reload without S-Off.
Most users will not notice the problem listening to music with moderate volume.
tsokh said:
I don't think the problem is in DAC itself, but in the built-in amplifier. Found the same problem thread on Galaxy S4 forum, but the issue was fixed by the latest firmware release - so lets hope, that HTC will also provide some fixes. However, I won't rely on any custom roms, as most probably, the fix is inside the kernel, which we can't reload without S-Off.
Most users will not notice the problem listening to music with moderate volume.
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Do you hear any processor noise like high pitched squeaks?
I want to know if other users have this distortion issue :S
I don't hear any high pitched squeaks, but there is an audible hiss only with max volume when I scroll pages with music playing in background or with no music at all - I don't pay attention to it. In my opinion, there always be a hiss in smartphones due to touchscreens being so close to DAC, amplifiers and other hardware - you can't neglect physics, so I really don't bother about it. I know only one exception - IBasso DX100, but that's completely other functional device. If you want really good sound, get a music player but not an all-in-one solution.
tsokh said:
I don't hear any high pitched squeaks, but there is an audible hiss only with max volume when I scroll pages with music playing in background or with no music at all - I don't pay attention to it. In my opinion, there always be a hiss in smartphones due to touchscreens being so close to DAC, amplifiers and other hardware - you can't neglect physics, so I really don't bother about it. I know only one exception - IBasso DX100, but that's completely other functional device. If you want really good sound, get a music player but not an all-in-one solution.
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I think this whole crackling issue has to do with impedance. My Panasonic HTX7 which has 40 ohms of impedance has almost no crackling at maximum volume with 320kbps mp3s. The other headphones I tested were 16 ohms which is relatively common. They also tend to hiss more while the HTX7 does a good job masking light hiss. However, I am not sure what the impedance of the RC E160 is but it might actually be higher than 32 as many stock earbuds are. (mine that came with the phone are not E160 they are the same in-ear pair that come with the HTC One)
The other problem is the hiss is continuous as long as the headphone is plugged in. In my One X+, the hiss is only present during and slightly before and after music or just a simple sound is played. I think in the Butterfly S the headphone amplifier is causing this hiss.
Also if you use the camera and take a picture while playing music the music will obviously pause but it sometimes resumes at a slightly lower volume although the volume level actually remains the same - you must unplug your phone and then replug it in. It's as if taking a picture turns off the amplifier. Sometimes Beats Audio is rather inconsistent as well it seems to sometimes apply the EQ but not increase volume.
FYL21 said:
I think this whole crackling issue has to do with impedance. My Panasonic HTX7 which has 40 ohms of impedance has almost no crackling at maximum volume with 320kbps mp3s. The other headphones I tested were 16 ohms which is relatively common. They also tend to hiss more while the HTX7 does a good job masking light hiss. However, I am not sure what the impedance of the RC E160 is but it might actually be higher than 32 as many stock earbuds are. (mine that came with the phone are not E160 they are the same in-ear pair that come with the HTC One)
The other problem is the hiss is continuous as long as the headphone is plugged in. In my One X+, the hiss is only present during and slightly before and after music or just a simple sound is played. I think in the Butterfly S the headphone amplifier is causing this hiss.
Also if you use the camera and take a picture while playing music the music will obviously pause but it sometimes resumes at a slightly lower volume although the volume level actually remains the same - you must unplug your phone and then replug it in. It's as if taking a picture turns off the amplifier. Sometimes Beats Audio is rather inconsistent as well it seems to sometimes apply the EQ but not increase volume.
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HTC RC E160 has around 40-50 Ohm impedance, Sennheiser HD25-SP 60 Ohm. Hiss only noticeable on volume after 12. The problem with volume might be caused by Beats enhancement, as I didn't have such issues with my phone.
tsokh said:
HTC RC E160 has around 40-50 Ohm impedance, Sennheiser HD25-SP 60 Ohm. Hiss only noticeable on volume after 12. The problem with volume might be caused by Beats enhancement, as I didn't have such issues with my phone.
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Well I think IEMs and earbuds regardless of impedance are more suspect to hiss. I find 12/15 to be the optimal listening volume for my IEMs but there's already the bass distortion. 14/15 sounds fine with my HTX7s. Because the highs are much better on the Butterfly s than the HOX+ I'm somewhat paranoid of audio clicking (not crackling) perhaps I'm too used to One X+'s sound signature which is a bit low on the highs.
Overall while I'm impressed by the audio quality but the distortion disappoints me as I hoped the headphone amp would give a higher volume for most headphones.
I had contacted HTC regarding this issue but have yet to recieve a more detailed reply. So far I only received news that they forwarded the issue to the "relate department" to confirm it. It's already been a few days though... =S
also with PowerAMP i notice some occasional audio popping (not distortion) even at some lower volumes. Maybe it's because I'm switching between stock player and PowerAMP without closing one of them, but I have not had this issue with my One X+ (the only real issue with the One X+ is audio skip and sometimes a crash, which usually only happens if you turn on the screen).
At 12/15 it seems bass distortion doesn't always happen especially if you play the whole song instead of skipping to that section where it's supposed to happen.
I've tried PowerAMP and Neutron, the bass distortion happens on both.
FYL21 said:
also with PowerAMP i notice some occasional audio popping (not distortion) even at some lower volumes. Maybe it's because I'm switching between stock player and PowerAMP without closing one of them, but I have not had this issue with my One X+ (the only real issue with the One X+ is audio skip and sometimes a crash, which usually only happens if you turn on the screen).
At 12/15 it seems bass distortion doesn't always happen especially if you play the whole song instead of skipping to that section where it's supposed to happen.
I've tried PowerAMP and Neutron, the bass distortion happens on both.
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I don't have audio popping, however, I don't use multiple music players. I didn't install stock music player, playing everything with PowerAmp.
I contacted HTC Canada because I was having some problems getting the message to HTC Taiwan (they can accept messages in English but there is a bit of a language barrier and the responses are often partially fixed). An HTC North America representative then told me this was now a known issue with the Butterfly s. They told me to run the diagnostics program and to close third-party apps which may interfere with the music, but the problem is still there.
The current solution is only using high-impedance over-ear headphones, but the maximum volume still has a little distortion.
I would like to know if anyone with Bluetooth is having the same issue. If that's the case then it's not the headphone amplifier it's the DAC.
Another thing I would like to point out is if you power on the phone it doesn't remember the headphone volume level you had before you turned off your phone the previous time.
The representative then suggested there may be a malfunction with the headphone amplifier of my phone and asked me to phone the HTC RMA Center, which I think is a bit of a hassle... I might as well wait until I get back to Taiwan in a few months and take it to an HTC service center to ask about the problem.
Considering tsokh had a similar problem I think it might not be a malfunction...
unfortunately the problem is still there in the latest software update...
FYL21 said:
unfortunately the problem is still there in the latest software update...
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What's your cid
Sent from my HTC Butterfly s using xda premium
daorderdillon said:
What's your cid
Sent from my HTC Butterfly s using xda premium
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HTC_621
Perhaps I do have a defective headphone amp or something's wrong with the DAC I haven't checked Bluetooth though...
My phone is a 901e purchased from an HTC store Taiwan.
@tsokh what is yours?
FYL21 said:
HTC_621
Perhaps I do have a defective headphone amp or something's wrong with the DAC I haven't checked Bluetooth though...
My phone is a 901e purchased from an HTC store Taiwan.
@tsokh what is yours?
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HTC_622 and I'm not having no problems
Sent from my HTC Butterfly s using xda premium
daorderdillon said:
HTC_622 and I'm not having no problems
Sent from my HTC Butterfly s using xda premium
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which headphones are you using and what volume level?
With my over-ear headphones (Panasonic HTX7) only the absolute maximum volume level distorts. 14/15 sounds fine, indeed it sounds amazing, the headphone amp drives them very well. I struggled getting decent volume on my HOX+ (Beats gains well, but adds some artifacts, preamp causes similar bass distortion what I'm having here, but not as bad).
Can someone comment on the music player audio quality and how it compares to viperaudio mod? If it is subpar, what music player are you using? I'm on verizon so viperaudio is not an option until/if we get root. Thanks in advance.
kheltek said:
Can someone comment on the music player audio quality and how it compares to viperaudio mod? If it is subpar, what music player are you using? I'm on verizon so viperaudio is not an option until/if we get root. Thanks in advance.
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My experience so far has been good. Through the 3.5mm headphone jack it plays really well through my car stereo, nice dynamic sound with pretty low distortion. More base heavy than I would go for but definitely well rounded. The phone speaker itself I find a little distorted due to the big base but it depends on your style of music and volume levels. The volume goes quite high also.
I'm comparing this to my last phone which was the nexus 5, personally I felt the nexus 5 volume was too low and lacked any base and made it sound tinny because of it. Even with viper audio I was never satisfied with it. The Moto x on the other hand got a few smiles from me with how it handled some of my favorite tracks on my commute.
The last phone I can remember really enjoying my music on was the galaxy s1 international version with voodoo music mod. That was quite a while though and honestly can't remember it enough to compare. Still, maybe that gives you some indication to what I would be looking for audio wise
Im using Apollo for my music player and the sound is great. If u have upgraded to 5.0 theres a built in EQ under settings/sound where u can modify how it sounds thru headphones and front speakers.
That's also in 4.4