External DAC - Cyrus Soundkey. A Review - Huawei Mate 10 Accessories

I posed the question last month to see if anyone had used an external DAC with their phone. I am always keen to get the best Audio experience I can and was actually looking for a phone with a 'hi-fi' DAC like the tope end LGs and HTCs come with.
Once I cam across the Mate 10 Pro however i've not regretted a single thing. exce[t what i might be missing out on the Audio front.
I use 3 different Sennheiser headphones.
Urbanite over the ear
HD497 (must be 20 years old now)
and some Momentum M2.0 in ear for when I'm commuting/travelling
Not the highest of high end headsets, but a huge leap from the basics.
After some investigation into capabilities, bit rates and cost I purchased a Cyrus Soundkey from Amazon (£99). I didn't want to make a huge investment (some cost hundreds more) in case I was really wasting my time, but I wanted to do what I could to improve what I get our of the Mate 10 Pro.
It plugs into the phone using a provided OTG connector. You need a USB C adaptor or (as I did) you can get a USB C to micro USB lead (9" with a 90 degree USB C connector)
After some fiddling and ensuring it actually produced some sounds I got hold of some FLAC (lossless) files that I had down loaded previously and stuck them on my phone. The Cyrus can deal with 24-bit/96kHz FLAC Audio so I plugged in the Momentums and sat back to listen to Fleetwood Mac's The Chain. It was like listening to it again for the first time, but after having my ears syringed. So much detail and clarity was leaping out with every note. I did some more digging and found some of my favourite tracks in FLAC and went through the same process. Rush - 2112.. I've been listening to that album on and off for nearly 40 years. More detail than I ever though possible was leaping out at me. I am a very happy user, despite the wires and extra dongle bit hanging about.
For me as a music lover I have to say that it is a very worthwhile upgrade that I can take with me when I change my phone next.
It's not ideal when listening to 192 kHz files as it does have the occasional drop out. I am converting these to 96kHz as I type and think this will fox the dropouts
Here's what I bought
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyrus-SoundKey-Mobile-DAC-Black/dp/B073RFVHVY
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B078163B16
In summary, I think if you love music and are mad about the quality (and have the funds) give it a try.
Mike

Related

ATT Tilt with 3.5mm Sound Quality

I know the main point of a Tilt is not it's MP3 player function, but I just purchased an ATT Tilt and I am considering buying a 3.5mm adapter for it and just selling my Zune and use the Tilt as my MP3 player.
My question is, can anyone tell me how good the Tilt sounds with premium headphones and a 3.5mm adapter? Also, which adapter would you recommend. Thank you for your time.
It's surprisingly pretty good with phones, either through the cable or using the phone's Bluetooth to the Sony Bluetooth headphones that sell for about $100 at Best Buy. Seido (search on this site) sells the mini-USB to mini-stereo cable as well as a bunch of styli that I always seem to loose.
I use my tilt for my $10,000 car audio system. It's the same or a tad better then a cd.
hiya
I use my kaiser with RP-F350 Technics headphones and I can tell You this combo sounds great.
bro
I use my kaiser for music listening frequently and the sound quality is better than the majority of dedicated music players I've owned before.
I just sent out an order for the adapter today. Thanks for the input everyone, it is much appreciated.
I'm a picky audiophile; I never even considered serious listening on a portable audio player until this year. I evaluated several of the various software music players for Windows Mobile that are capable of playing losslessly compressed audio (FLAC) on my tilt, and found them all lacking. I used a 3.5mm adapter and headphones ranging from crap to UE triple.fi to shure e530 to AKG 701 to Grado GS1000. I was pretty much totally dissatisfied with the results, the sound is tinny, thin, filled with noise, and has very limited dynamic range. I also tried using several portable headphone amps which improved the range, but were still unsatisfying.
I ended up getting the cowon iaudio7 which just plain blows away any other portable player I've heard. While it still can't compare to a decent home system, paired with a portable headphone amp, it's actually a very decent sounding portable audio solution.
Thanks for the input man. Yeah, I am quite the audiophile too, I have a zune for the storage capacity alone, but I use my cowon D2 when i really want to listen to music, it has amazing sound quality. I just am tired of hauling around alot of devices and just wanted to see what people thought of the sound quality.
But again, thanks for everyone's input, I will post my thoughts when my order gets in
Tilt: Crappy Sound
I think the Tilt sound is the worst I've ever heard... I tried different players, earphones and also Btooth headset...but I can't make it sound properly.
I'll appreciate any advice.
Thanks in advance
macdo said:
I think the Tilt sound is the worst I've ever heard... I tried different players, earphones and also Btooth headset...but I can't make it sound properly.
I'll appreciate any advice.
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I listen to hour long mixes of electronic dance music (minimal house, tribal, tech-house) that tends to get distorted or muddy because of the amount of layers and bass oriented sound. When I listen to music on my Tilt individual sounds come out defined and the bass is really smooth. I mainly use the Technics RPDH1200 for when I want listen to music at home, and the Shure SE310 for when Im on the go. Have you tried using wired headphones?
i use Sennheiser's CX300 with the HTC Audio Player and the sound is very good. The only requirement is that you need to play around with the Audio Booster settings to select the correct equalizer settings for the music you're listening to to.
annulation said:
I'm a picky audiophile; I never even considered serious listening on a portable audio player until this year. I evaluated several of the various software music players for Windows Mobile that are capable of playing losslessly compressed audio (FLAC) on my tilt, and found them all lacking. I used a 3.5mm adapter and headphones ranging from crap to UE triple.fi to shure e530 to AKG 701 to Grado GS1000. I was pretty much totally dissatisfied with the results, the sound is tinny, thin, filled with noise, and has very limited dynamic range. I also tried using several portable headphone amps which improved the range, but were still unsatisfying.
I ended up getting the cowon iaudio7 which just plain blows away any other portable player I've heard. While it still can't compare to a decent home system, paired with a portable headphone amp, it's actually a very decent sounding portable audio solution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've read some reviews on cowom products and they seem quite good. I bought an 80gb iPod simply because i had a lot of music purchased from the iTunes store and i wanted space. My music libary is about 8000 songs so i need a lot of storage. I might consider getting a cowon if i could find one with decent storage space, that's my priority right below that is audio qaulity. If anyone could recommend a good player with great space and good qaulity, i'd love to check it out.
Honestly, I know some people may hate the Zune, but if I had to choose again, I would most likely stick with my Zune 80gb but I just sold it because I am tired of lugging around so many gadgets with me. The build quality is amazing, it plays games to pass the time, the sound quality is also top notch and the software is pretty easy to use. Also, they just had a price drop and not to mention, it is pretty slim and the screen is really really crisp.
I kept my Cowon D2 because it is really small. It has a pretty slick touchscreen and has AMAZING sound quality. They have, 2gb, 4gb and 8gb models but they also have SD card slots that can handle any size. So it is expandable. Other than those, if you have questions, I have had many mp3 players and if you have any in mind I can give my opinion. Good luck.
RubberDucky451 said:
I might consider getting a cowon if i could find one with decent storage space, that's my priority right below that is audio qaulity. If anyone could recommend a good player with great space and good qaulity, i'd love to check it out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cowon makes players with up to 60Gb of space. But I'd say that if you are using a lossy compressed format, the player is not really going to help much so you may as well just stick with the ipod. Data loss during compression is probably going to have a much bigger impact than the sound quality of the different players out there. A better sounding player often enhances flaws in the source.
On a positive note, it is likely that very soon players will come out that have enough space to hold all of your music uncompressed (or at least losslessly compressed). My difficulty was finding one that sounds good and can play the lossless formats that I use (FLAC).
My biggest complaint with playing music on the Tilt is the stupid 'glitch' or skup that occurs ever 2-3 minutes. I think this would be a deal breaker for you.
I know this was well documented in other threads, did any resolution ever become of it? I recently flashed from the stock ATT ROM to a cooked 6.1 Rom so I'm waiting to see if that makes a difference.

Best budget BT IEM for M8?

Hello!
I am searching for affordable BT IEMs but with good sound quality and functions (vol +-,tracks,play/pause buttons)
To use with my HTC M8
I have found the Sony SBH-20 to be a good solution as I can plug my RE-272 to get BT + very good sound quality, though the RE-272 cable is too long because of the extension (you can't get stereo sound without it) and the SBH-20 is BT 3.0 and not APTX...
There are tons of Chinese branded BT earphones on Amazon like ''Soundpeats'' ''Mpow'' and ''Imarku'' that are all BT 4.0 and even sometime APTX!
But it's not like the SBH20, meaning the IEMs cant be replaced, so I have no clue which one has a good sound quality.
Please help!
I have a Samsung HS3000 thats like the sony but without the nfc pairing. Its APT-X and works pretty well. The only problem is that it is currently discontinued and I'm not sure where to find one.
lacrossev said:
I have a Samsung HS3000 thats like the sony but without the nfc pairing. Its APT-X and works pretty well. The only problem is that it is currently discontinued and I'm not sure where to find one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have heard not so good things about the samsung's one, we even have them in my country (Lebanon) for 50$ but I am not convinced, they say buttons are badly implemented and volume is low.
I have found the Sony SBH50 to be a better deal than SBH20, with the Oled screen I can read music names,SMS,caller ID...and even some weather infos (though I can live without it)
Actually I am using the HTC Stereoclip in my car which is aptx and BT 2.1 and the sound quality is very good, nearly as good as cabled connection by AUX, the Sony ones are not aptx but BT 3.0, so I guess aptx + BT 2.1 = non aptx + BT 3.0 right?
I don't know if I can trust the reviews at Amazon about this earphones by ''Imarku'' but it looks like a good deal http://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Wireless-Headphones-Hands-Free-Microphone/dp/B00S7ZXO9E/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t
Could you not just do a search on amazon for that exact thing? I trust the amazon algorithm to output the highest quality item first in the list. Just check the reviews on there.
I have tried a couple BT devices (Jabra, Sony, etc.) with IEMs over the past few years....somewhat of an headphone/IEM audiophile (2 portable headphone amps, 1 desktop tube based headphone amp, and have lost count on IEMs and headphones...if that says anything).
Currently using these when I want stereo BT connection with my M8. Soundpeats Qy7 I believe these are one of the 'clones' mentioned above. I also use Viper4audio mod for sound shaping (on a Viper 3.2.1 ROM'd M8 running 4.4.4). On the Qy7's, I've added ComplyFoam T400s. Works very nicely, have no major complaints. Not as good as a couple other options I have around (all corded, though), but that's to be expected. My biggest gripe is that they are prone to falling out, even with the ComplyFoams inserted correctly, and using the inner ear loops. Have to re-adjust every 10-15 minutes....just while sitting. Not a major deal though.
The best sounding setup I've ever used was actually the Jabra Street2 connected to a pair of Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10s...but the Jabra Street2 is plagued with intermittent skips and annoyances (and it was corrected with a firmware update, but mine won't update).
I'd like to try the Jaybird Bluebuds, but those aren't considered 'budget' by any standard, and happy enough with the options I have, atm.
FWIW. HTH.
sttw1fa said:
I have tried a couple BT devices (Jabra, Sony, etc.) with IEMs over the past few years....somewhat of an headphone/IEM audiophile (2 portable headphone amps, 1 desktop tube based headphone amp, and have lost count on IEMs and headphones...if that says anything).
Currently using these when I want stereo BT connection with my M8. Soundpeats Qy7 I believe these are one of the 'clones' mentioned above. I also use Viper4audio mod for sound shaping (on a Viper 3.2.1 ROM'd M8 running 4.4.4). On the Qy7's, I've added ComplyFoam T400s. Works very nicely, have no major complaints. Not as good as a couple other options I have around (all corded, though), but that's to be expected. My biggest gripe is that they are prone to falling out, even with the ComplyFoams inserted correctly, and using the inner ear loops. Have to re-adjust every 10-15 minutes....just while sitting. Not a major deal though.
The best sounding setup I've ever used was actually the Jabra Street2 connected to a pair of Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10s...but the Jabra Street2 is plagued with intermittent skips and annoyances (and it was corrected with a firmware update, but mine won't update).
I'd like to try the Jaybird Bluebuds, but those aren't considered 'budget' by any standard, and happy enough with the options I have, atm.
FWIW. HTH.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your report.
I have read that the QY5 and QY7 were having these problems of falling which are a big deal for me as I will use them while jogging.
HIFIMAN can be perfect with SBH50 if the TRRS 3.5mm plug was compatible with it, but I doubt
vegetaleb said:
Thanks for your report.
I have read that the QY5 and QY7 were having these problems of falling which are a big deal for me as I will use them while jogging.
HIFIMAN can be perfect with SBH50 if the TRRS 3.5mm plug was compatible with it, but I doubt
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One other little tidbit.....IEMs, are nowhere near a 'one size fits all' prospect, even when the manufacturer gives you (like the QY7) 3 different sized ear loops (to hold them in your ear) and also 3 different sized ear tips (the part that inserts into the ear canal).
In my experience......owning 20-30 different sets of IEMs over the past 10 years...some manufacturers work better for me, and some just never will. Ultimate Ears (before purchase by Logitech), Sennheiser, Plantronics....almost always fit me well. Other brands (Shure, Panasonic, Sony, Onkyo, etc.), not so much.
What I'm getting at is the QY7 may not exhibit that issue at all for you, like it does for the reviews from others (including me). If you order from a place that has a liberal return policy....then you could try and see. Amazon is currently showing $36 for me....not very expensive, even by corded standard pricing....might be worth a shot.
I always take reviews with a slight grain of salt....and look at them a bit differently (than most I think). In respect to the QY7, there are 1K+ reviews, with ~75% of them being reviewed at 4 or 5 stars. Not bad. When reviewing.....participation of positive reviews don't account for nearly as much as sellers/manufactuers would want, (it's in the 10-20% range). The bad/negative reviews have a much higher participation....then, all in all, taking that into consideration....there are many more that are happy with the QY7 vs. those that aren't, but it's hard to see that. Just MHO. FWIW. YMMV. :silly:
If you really want to get into all things IEM and headphone.....Google 'Head-Fi Forums'. Then.....sorry about your wallet!
sttw1fa said:
One other little tidbit.....IEMs, are nowhere near a 'one size fits all' prospect, even when the manufacturer gives you (like the QY7) 3 different sized ear loops (to hold them in your ear) and also 3 different sized ear tips (the part that inserts into the ear canal).
In my experience......owning 20-30 different sets of IEMs over the past 10 years...some manufacturers work better for me, and some just never will. Ultimate Ears (before purchase by Logitech), Sennheiser, Plantronics....almost always fit me well. Other brands (Shure, Panasonic, Sony, Onkyo, etc.), not so much.
What I'm getting at is the QY7 may not exhibit that issue at all for you, like it does for the reviews from others (including me). If you order from a place that has a liberal return policy....then you could try and see. Amazon is currently showing $36 for me....not very expensive, even by corded standard pricing....might be worth a shot.
I always take reviews with a slight grain of salt....and look at them a bit differently (than most I think). In respect to the QY7, there are 1K+ reviews, with ~75% of them being reviewed at 4 or 5 stars. Not bad. When reviewing.....participation of positive reviews don't account for nearly as much as sellers/manufactuers would want, (it's in the 10-20% range). The bad/negative reviews have a much higher participation....then, all in all, taking that into consideration....there are many more that are happy with the QY7 vs. those that aren't, but it's hard to see that. Just MHO. FWIW. YMMV. :silly:
If you really want to get into all things IEM and headphone.....Google 'Head-Fi Forums'. Then.....sorry about your wallet!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol I know Head-Fi, I bought the Hifiman IEMs thanks to their reviews.
And yeah they are a little snobbish with people paying 600$ for IEM
Reviews at Amazon are not always a good results, specially for IEM.
I bought 4 years ago a pair of these Sony http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDREX10LP-BLU-In-Ear-Headphones/dp/B004UDZ8O6 which are still like you see rated 4 stars.
I have never heard a such awful sound in all IEM till now, they were way too in the lows, nothing in the mids not highs, no details!
Why is it so well reviewed? well I figured it's because it costs only 12$ and people who like the sound quality were fans of ''only bass'' music like rap and rnb, which are the only type of music I don't listen too btw.
That's why I am afraid the QY7 models are so well reviewed for the same reasons.
I have found one review that was extremely positive for the Soundpeats QY7 in a blog and another one that smashed it in Head-Fi as a ridiculous sound quality with emphasis on lows only (like the Sony I hated)
I'm sure you know this....but just putting it out there. You can EQ with most any music player (I use PowerAmp)....and with Viper Audio's Viper4Android FX you can even EQ Spotify, Slacker, MOG, Pandora, iHeartRadio.....almost anything. It even has separate options for EQ'ing the different output methods, Bluetooth connected versus wired, for example.
Not trying to twist your arm....but $36 to try them....maybe $6 to return them if they don't work out (Amazon return policy is pretty good, just have to pay return shipping).
Sound wise, they aren't bad IMHO. You're jogging with them. Are you really going to miss the upper/lower 10-15% of the sound spectrum while jogging (as opposed to the pounding of your feet and breathing, since you are wearing IEMs)? And, even if so, you could EQ that back in.... For everything else not jogging, you've got the HiFiMan's. :good:
One other idea (and again, you probably know this if you've spent any length of time on Head-Fi)....reviews of IEMs that include the words 'clarity' and 'detail' are IEMs that are biased towards the high end vs. the low end comments of 'boom' 'bass' 'heavy' 'muddy'.
All good :highfive: Everyone searches for something different in IEMs/headphones, just like the many tastes of music itself.
sttw1fa said:
I'm sure you know this....but just putting it out there. You can EQ with most any music player (I use PowerAmp)....and with Viper Audio's Viper4Android FX you can even EQ Spotify, Slacker, MOG, Pandora, iHeartRadio.....almost anything. It even has separate options for EQ'ing the different output methods, Bluetooth connected versus wired, for example.
Not trying to twist your arm....but $36 to try them....maybe $6 to return them if they don't work out (Amazon return policy is pretty good, just have to pay return shipping).
Sound wise, they aren't bad IMHO. You're jogging with them. Are you really going to miss the upper/lower 10-15% of the sound spectrum while jogging (as opposed to the pounding of your feet and breathing, since you are wearing IEMs)? And, even if so, you could EQ that back in.... For everything else not jogging, you've got the HiFiMan's. :good:
One other idea (and again, you probably know this if you've spent any length of time on Head-Fi)....reviews of IEMs that include the words 'clarity' and 'detail' are IEMs that are biased towards the high end vs. the low end comments of 'boom' 'bass' 'heavy' 'muddy'.
All good :highfive: Everyone searches for something different in IEMs/headphones, just like the many tastes of music itself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't ask me why but I feel these Imarku http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S7ZXO9E?ref_=pe_623860_70668520 sound better than QY7-QY5, the seller told me it's totally different from the QY5 and QY7 clones you see in Amazon. BT 4.0 but no aptx (which is not a big deal as BT 3.0 and + are already good enough).
The thing is that they won't deliver to my sis in NYC before the 10th Feb with standard delivery, I will have to pay the fast delivery 13$ to be sure she get it before she meet my friend.
So the that's why I can't try and return like you said, I must be 100% sure it's a good deal for me before buying.
I have a friend who is traveling to NYC next week for 3-4 days, I live in Lebanon and if I want to do a delivery from Amazon to here it will cost me 80$ more lol.
Imarku looks like a good deal if I trust the 24 reviews but I am afraid of the diameter of the earphone itself right after the rubber part as it looks too large and could make it falls on the first jogging vibration,even do some irritation to my ear, the Sony SBH50 is a sure thing as I can plug any IEM if I don't like the ones that come with it. That's why I can't decide :crying:
Oh and btw IEM BT here are the most expensive models like Bose and Beats, even Sony doesn't bring the ''cheap'' models SBH20,50 and 52, they have only 1 model at 150$
You can find some headphones (over the ear) BT like Energysistem for 80$ but I don't see myself jogging with such big things.
Missed the fact about being in Lebanon.
I also have the SBH-50. What did you need to confirm with it? Just that a TRRS plugged IEM would work with it? Don't know that I've tried that. But, I could and let you know.
The way it's 'supposed' to work is that when a TRRS plug is in a regular stereo (3 part) receptor....the result is the same as if both parts were stereo (3 part) connection.
sttw1fa said:
Missed the fact about being in Lebanon.
I also have the SBH-50. What did you need to confirm with it? Just that a TRRS plugged IEM would work with it? Don't know that I've tried that. But, I could and let you know.
The way it's 'supposed' to work is that when a TRRS plug is in a regular stereo (3 part) receptor....the result is the same as if both parts were stereo (3 part) connection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The weird thing is that when I connect directly the TRRS plug into the M8 only one earphone will work, but if I plug it to the HTC BT Stereoclip with the help of a female 3.5mm to female 3.5mm, the sound is stereo like if the TRRS to TRS cable was used
Hoping the Sony SBH50 will act the same it will be awesome because the Hifiman RE-272 and 262 cable lenght with TRRS plug is short and perfect for the Sony SBH50, it's the extension cable (which act as TRRS to TRS adapter too) that add an extra 80cm!
Charging up the HBH50 and will do some comparisons with it connected to a couple different stereo IEMs, and an Apple iPhone 5s headset (the only version of IEM/buds I have with TRRS plug).
Honestly the HBH50 will be the best option, IMHO, as you can use it with any headphone.
Of course, the reason I don't always use the HBH50 is that it's a bit 'bright' with it's presentation of sound. The Jabra Street2 I have is a bit more my liking, which, while I'm no basshead....I do like accurate, tight, controlled, emphasized rhythm (percussion and bass guitar) section. But, the top end still has to be there and quite accurate as well.
Will report back, may be tomorrow....still gotta work! :silly:
Here's why the HTC M8 and M7 before it can't make a stereo sound with the TRRS of Hifiman.
It's the RE-0 one but I am sure it's the same as RE-272 and 262
So as you can see the third ring which is used by earphones+mic models as mic is used here for left channel, I wonder if we can do something app based...
I couldn't find a female TRRS to male TRS small cable yet instead of using the 80cm one.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Highly doubt a software solution will fix this type of a hardware (the balanced iem plug wiring) issue.
FWIW, the HBH50 works great on the HTC M8 with an iPhone 5s Apple iem/bud earphone (the ones included in purchase). which has the 4 option plug, with the back connection being the mic. Just note, the mic of the headset is NOT connected. This setup uses the mic of the HBH50, but puts stereo out to the Apple iem. All keypress functions of the HBH50 work fine. Auto-reconnect upon turning the HBH50 on/off works nicely too.
And...the HBH50 does come with a iem/bud/headset on it's own that has a short cord.
HTH.
sttw1fa said:
Highly doubt a software solution will fix this type of a hardware (the balanced iem plug wiring) issue.
FWIW, the HBH50 works great on the HTC M8 with an iPhone 5s Apple iem/bud earphone (the ones included in purchase). which has the 4 option plug, with the back connection being the mic. Just note, the mic of the headset is NOT connected. This setup uses the mic of the HBH50, but puts stereo out to the Apple iem. All keypress functions of the HBH50 work fine. Auto-reconnect upon turning the HBH50 on/off works nicely too.
And...the HBH50 does come with a iem/bud/headset on it's own that has a short cord.
HTH.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks I ordered a white one from B&H (it's sexier and cheaper than the black one), you have to install the SBH50 app and the Smart connect app to use the full features right(SMS view,song names,ID callers...)?
Can you update its FW from the M8 too or you need an xperia phone?
vegetaleb said:
Thanks I ordered a white one from B&H (it's sexier and cheaper than the black one), you have to install the SBH50 app and the Smart connect app to use the full features right(SMS view,song names,ID callers...)?
Can you update its FW from the M8 too or you need an xperia phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This part I'm not really sure. I use a Pebble Steel watch along with a couple custom apps for SMS viewing/alerting, caller ID and call dialing/muting/handling features.
Both Slacker and PowerAmp (music apps) worked with the HBH50 without any additional software to show the song names and artist. Same for all the ff/rw/pause/play features. Only had to pair the HBH50 and it all 'just worked'.
For updating firmware...honestly never looked into it for the HBH, but if it's like the Jabra Street2, there's probably a separate app using Windows to do it with a USB cable.
HTH.
sttw1fa said:
This part I'm not really sure. I use a Pebble Steel watch along with a couple custom apps for SMS viewing/alerting, caller ID and call dialing/muting/handling features.
Both Slacker and PowerAmp (music apps) worked with the HBH50 without any additional software to show the song names and artist. Same for all the ff/rw/pause/play features. Only had to pair the HBH50 and it all 'just worked'.
For updating firmware...honestly never looked into it for the HBH, but if it's like the Jabra Street2, there's probably a separate app using Windows to do it with a USB cable.
HTH.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's trhough the Sony SBH50 app in the Google playstore,once you install it, it will say there is a new FW.
Hopefully I will get mine in the coming days, it's still with my friend in NY and he's coming back this week
Wow these SBH50 are really good!
BT 3.0 is superior to 2.1 + APTX, sound is clear, soundstage is wide and no muffling sound typical of BT compression.
The given earphones are way too bassy, I had to lower the bass in Viper4android well under the average.
The HIFIMAN RE-272 have a superb sound with the SBH50 but as expected the 3 strips stereo plug didn't work, I have to use the extension cable making it too long for a BT device unless I clip it on my Tshirt sleeve instead of the collar.
I will try to find a shorter extension-adapter cable.
All the functions of the SBH50 are supported with the M8, MP3 tag,caller ID...
Though the sound volume is not very loud, tried it with a 3.5mm to 3.5mm in my car instead of the HTC Stereoclip and it was perhaps 40% more quiet, but with the earphones the volume is good after adding +6db thanks again to V4A, it could have take an extra 10% more.

How do you rate Audio quality of Mi9?

Hello.
How do you guys rate the sound quality taken by a filmed video or a call, does the Mic sounds good enough for this device?
Btw, what about Bluetooth or Speaker, are all well playing or is there a lil inconsistency in lac of bad output?
How's the sound quality using wired earphone? I plan to upgrade from G6 with quad DAC but I'm afraid with the sound quality.
megadust said:
How's the sound quality using wired earphone? I plan to upgrade from G6 with quad DAC but I'm afraid with the sound quality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went from HTC 10 to this phone, the difference is definitely there
The included adapter is an analog one (meaning no DAC, just wiring from phone's internal audio dac)
I wouldn't say it's *bad* per se, it's just the most generic solution by qualcomm implemented. No fancy stuff.
However they did implement it good enough to be used by most ppl, but it's probably coming up short by audiophile standard.
The sound is flat, damp, and just a bit loose in my personal opinion. It just somehow got just a bit of sound stage in there though so that's arguably a plus.
I ended up with an external DAC by moshi as daily driver.
So if you're expecting the internal DAC to be as good as some high-end smartphone, probably not. However if you're mostly using it for web video / streaming, and can accept the sound is just damp, it's good enough.
P.S. You're going to use an typc-c to 3.5 mm adapter anyways, so just get a decent adapter (moshi adapter on the cheap side, audiolab p-dac on the higher end side), and call it a day.
jerry855202 said:
I went from HTC 10 to this phone, the difference is definitely there
The included adapter is an analog one (meaning no DAC, just wiring from phone's internal audio dac)
I wouldn't say it's *bad* per se, it's just the most generic solution by qualcomm implemented. No fancy stuff.
However they did implement it good enough to be used by most ppl, but it's probably coming up short by audiophile standard.
The sound is flat, damp, and just a bit loose in my personal opinion. It just somehow got just a bit of sound stage in there though so that's arguably a plus.
I ended up with an external DAC by moshi as daily driver.
So if you're expecting the internal DAC to be as good as some high-end smartphone, probably not. However if you're mostly using it for web video / streaming, and can accept the sound is just damp, it's good enough.
P.S. You're going to use an typc-c to 3.5 mm adapter anyways, so just get a decent adapter (moshi adapter on the cheap side, audiolab p-dac on the higher end side), and call it a day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for your explanation!
I expect the sound quality at least to be on par with my old S6 (which is a bit lower than G6). I tried my friend's new mi9 and I found it so dull and lack of everything (I'm only using low end cans 1more triple driver).
Do you find moshi DAC is on par with G6 (or maybe HTC 10)?
megadust said:
thanks for your explanation!
I expect the sound quality at least to be on par with my old S6 (which is a bit lower than G6). I tried my friend's new mi9 and I found it so dull and lack of everything (I'm only using low end cans 1more triple driver).
Do you find moshi DAC is on par with G6 (or maybe HTC 10)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if you're using e1001, that's definitely good enough to hear the difference TBH. The integrated stuff is flat at best, but I'd call it pale (and damp).
And yeah, the moshi dac has been working out pretty well for me, I'm mostly in for the 3yr warranty but the sound is at least on par, if not more than HTC 10 in my opinion. To be fair HTC did a nice job on their audio on 10 so that's saying something.
But I mean, for $25 on a 24/192 audio adapter I'm happy with what I have. (It also works on PC, but I think most external DAC does.)
If you want something more close to sony A-series walkman quality, you'll probably have to check p-dac.
Also, mandatory:
* audio is a very personal experience, these are my personal experience and preference, you should probably try before you buy and shop around. *
jerry855202 said:
Well if you're using e1001, that's definitely good enough to hear the difference TBH. The integrated stuff is flat at best, but I'd call it pale (and damp).
And yeah, the moshi dac has been working out pretty well for me, I'm mostly in for the 3yr warranty but the sound is at least on par, if not more than HTC 10 in my opinion. To be fair HTC did a nice job on their audio on 10 so that's saying something.
But I mean, for $25 on a 24/192 audio adapter I'm happy with what I have. (It also works on PC, but I think most external DAC does.)
If you want something more close to sony A-series walkman quality, you'll probably have to check p-dac.
Also, mandatory:
* audio is a very personal experience, these are my personal experience and preference, you should probably try before you buy and shop around. *
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. Where did you buy the moshi dac for $25? Is it usable while charging the phone?
Use Bluetooth or upgrade to something which does?
My Sony wh1000xm3 sound great!

! HELP ! Audio quality from LG to Pixel - Bluetooth VS Type C dongles?

G'day XDA community!
Being the type that aims to get the most out of my headsets, I've always been Pro - 3.5mm jack. The clarity, the bass, and the ability to fine-tune everything about my audio experience has always been a high priority for me. Always stuck to my LG phones because of the Quad DAC support. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Now my V30 is on the way out. Lost count of the amount of factory resets, custom ROMs and other tricks I've done to fix my spotty 4G signal and, worse still, my 'cracking' sound from time to time. Tried ATH-M30x's, Bose QC 25 Acoustics, and even the el' cheapo $2 earbuds from the local gas station, and there's simply nothing to do about it. Warranty is a no go, either.
SO, I'm fairly set on purchasing a orange Pixel 4 XL, but the *hesitant* no 3.5mm jack concerns me. A lot of my stuff still uses the blessed 3.5mm connector, and I'm wondering if investing in a good quality Type C to 3.5mm connector would give me comparable/better quality to my V30 (H930DS model), or if I'd need to just bite the bullet, and invest in some GOOD Bluetooth headphones.
Apologies if it's a ridiculous question to many, but the limited research I've done online seems to indicate that early BT headsets gave craptastic audio, but I'm not familiar on the state of BT audio at the tail end of 2019. The great hardware in the phone is what's clinching the sale to me, especially the 90hz display and the wireless charging *bloody finally!*.
Cheers mates! :good:
rayzerblayde said:
G'day XDA community!
Being the type that aims to get the most out of my headsets, I've always been Pro - 3.5mm jack. The clarity, the bass, and the ability to fine-tune everything about my audio experience has always been a high priority for me. Always stuck to my LG phones because of the Quad DAC support. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Now my V30 is on the way out. Lost count of the amount of factory resets, custom ROMs and other tricks I've done to fix my spotty 4G signal and, worse still, my 'cracking' sound from time to time. Tried ATH-M30x's, Bose QC 25 Acoustics, and even the el' cheapo $2 earbuds from the local gas station, and there's simply nothing to do about it. Warranty is a no go, either.
SO, I'm fairly set on purchasing a orange Pixel 4 XL, but the *hesitant* no 3.5mm jack concerns me. A lot of my stuff still uses the blessed 3.5mm connector, and I'm wondering if investing in a good quality Type C to 3.5mm connector would give me comparable/better quality to my V30 (H930DS model), or if I'd need to just bite the bullet, and invest in some GOOD Bluetooth headphones.
Apologies if it's a ridiculous question to many, but the limited research I've done online seems to indicate that early BT headsets gave craptastic audio, but I'm not familiar on the state of BT audio at the tail end of 2019. The great hardware in the phone is what's clinching the sale to me, especially the 90hz display and the wireless charging *bloody finally!*.
Cheers mates! :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't call the quality of Bluetooth headphones "craptastic" but the quality certainly is noticably worse than wired headphones. A GOOD set of Bluetooth headphones will cost you a lot more for worse quality (but not bad). There are also other downsides to consider like RF interference and the fact that the headphones will have to be replaced every 3-5 years.

Question Buds or Wired Earphones

Curious what users are doing for audio. Wired eaphone options are pretty thin if you're connecting via USB but they provide the range that Bluetooth can't match. I've had mixed results, what's your take?
varcor said:
Curious what users are doing for audio. Wired eaphone options are pretty thin if you're connecting via USB but they provide the range that Bluetooth can't match. I've had mixed results, what's your take?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am only using Buds series for a while as they came free with the S-series in Australia when pre-ordered. Very convenient.
Buds+ you need a set if for nothing other than phone calls. That's all I use on my 10+
Using the c port for audio output all the time is going to screw up cables and maybe the port it's self. Tell Samsung to not jack off
varcor said:
Curious what users are doing for audio. Wired eaphone options are pretty thin if you're connecting via USB but they provide the range that Bluetooth can't match. I've had mixed results, what's your take?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I use a USB C to 3.5mm convertor and good wired haedphones (with a wider soundstage and instrument separation) for immersive listening at home (usually in the eveing after dinner, before I go to bed). I use the dongle mainly becasue I already have wired headphones that I don't want collecting dust - and I don't want to spend a lot on larger wireless headphones when a relatively cheap adapter can do the same thing for me.
2. Galaxy Buds live for use during the workday for calls and casual music streaming while going running in the morning, or other outdoor activity. Very comfortable for long use, strong reliable connection and good mic quality for phone calls. Easy to carry around without a tangle of wires.
If I did not have a pre-existing collection of earphones, and was given a gun-to-the-head choice of just one device, I'd choose the wireless earbuds over the wired ones, simply because it fits my needs the best. YMMV.
The big Buds+ thread:
Galaxy Buds, Buds+ Set up
Install the Galaxy Wearable and Galaxy Buds software. Update software and Buds firmware, this is important because the old versions sound sucks. Turn on/go to Developer Options in Settings and on the Bluetooth Codec setting toggle on Samsung's...
forum.xda-developers.com
I haven't used to Buds Pro so I can't comment on them but their body is a different design from the Buds and Buds+. The Pros may not stay in as well though.
The Buds/Buds+ are identical dimension wise.
The wings and ear pieces are interchangeable between these two models.
They don't fall out, ever. For calls you can put them in loosely and they still stay put. The Buds+ bring longer battery life (very long) and better sound Q than the Buds, I have both.
With respect to audio listening devices I'm compelled more towards sound quality than convenience. Buds are developing as the market grows with improved acoustic profiles and software integration for codecs. They also provide a higher flexibility for physical variations like exercise and two way communications.
The biggest drawbacks are the diminished range of audio signals, reliance on the Bluetooth subsystems and charging metrics. In my youth and midlife I spent years in a variety of bands. Rock, alternative, blues, techno and even country. Lots of nights preforming live gigs and even more time in studio sessions. As a result my listening skills are pretty well developed.
Not a big believer in high priced units knowing a $50 set can put a pair of $300 sennheisers to shame. When I surrendered my S10 Plus to my wife I started researching wired units with USB Type C Connectors. Dongles while useful for retaining a good 3.5 jack unit are just another link in the chain so I've dismissed them.
What I've found is there isn't much to chose from, just a handful. Much to my dismay 1MORE Quad Driver, which offers pristine audio quality have yet to expand beyond it's 3.5 jack. So I settled on the next best option which had to deliver a solid bottom and midranges, which most units lack, they're too tinny and treble focused.
In the interim I found a decent set of Samsung/AKG Type C noise cancelling earphones. They no longer manufacture them but a few sellers in South Korea still stock the item. Not expensive at $70 USD and the sound quality is a solid 8 on a scale to 10. Strong response in all ranges and very comfortable in my ears, YMMV. Another plus is the noise cancelling doesn't sap a lot of power which can lead to reduced volume. In conjunction with Poweramp and some solid tunes, life is good!
varcor said:
With respect to audio listening devices I'm compelled more towards sound quality than convince. Buds are improving as the market grows with improved acoustic profiles and software integration for codecs. They also provide a higher flexibility for physical variations like exercise and two way communications.
The biggest drawbacks are the diminished range of audio signals, reliance on the Bluetooth subsystems and charging metrics. In my youth and midlife I spent years in a variety of bands. Rock, alternative, blues, techno and even country. Lots of nights preforming live gigs and even more time in studio sessions. As a result my listening skills are pretty well developed.
Not a big believer in high priced units knowing a $50 set can put a pair of $300 sennheisers to shame. When I surrendered my S10 Plus to my wife I started researching wired units with USB Type C Connectors. Dongles while useful for retaining a good 3.5 jack unit are just another link in the chain so I've dismissed them.
What I've found is there isn't much to chose from, just a handful. Much to my dismay 1MORE Quad Driver, which offers pristine audio quality have yet to expand beyond it's 3.5 jack. So I settled on the next best option which had to deliver a solid bottom and midranges, which most units lack, they're too tinny and treble focused.
In the interim I found a decent set of Samsung/AKG Type C noise cancelling earphones. They no longer manufacture them but a few sellers in South Korea still stock the item. Not expensive at $70 USD and the sound quality is a solid 8 on a scale to 10. Strong response in all ranges and very comfortable in my ears, YMMV. Used in conjunction with Poweramp and some solid tunes, life is good!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Poweramp... whatever earphones or buds you use, use Poweramp to dial them in. I would hate my Buds without it for listening to music.
It's graphic equalizer is second to none.
Poweramp has a steep learning curve but is extremely configurable. Applicable only if you have a music database.
blackhawk said:
Poweramp... whatever earphones or buds you use, use Poweramp to dial them in. I would hate my Buds without it for listening to music.
It's graphic equalizer is second to none.
Poweramp has a steep learning curve but is extremely configurable. Applicable only if you have a music database.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One badass feature Poweramp has which other platforms lack is the preamp slider which actuates as a great gain function, it's versatility second to none.
Guys aren't you a little concerned about the safety of the TrueWireless (TW) buds? I mean, the fact that they have a direct wireless connection passing directly trough your brain, doesn't feels a bit weird.. Something about it seems fishy to me when I think of limiting radiation exposure.
I use Bluetooth headphones where the BT receiver is under my neck. The cable is separately connected to the KZ ZS6 which have 4 speakers in each headphone. The sound is out of this world.
Most buds employ direct wireless connectivity. Does the BT signal cause damage to the brain? Ask an ENT Specialist but the buds don't transmit BT, they recieve it. Excess volume is the number one harmful side effect in near tympanic audio signals. My question is if you're going to use a wired connection in your BT configuration, why not use wired earphones? The audio quality is superior and you won't need to worry about BT scrambling your brain.
varcor said:
Most buds employ direct wireless connectivity. Does the BT signal cause damage to the brain? Ask an ENT Specialist but the buds don't transmit BT, they recieve it. Excess volume is the number one harmful side effect in near tympanic audio signals. My question is if you're going to use a wired connection in your BT configuration, why not use wired earphones? The audio quality is superior and you won't need to worry about BT scrambling your brain.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well actually the wired vs wireless quality is not something to even discuss. The above headphones I mentioned, eat any other headphones I have ever tried for breakfast when it comes to quality.
The buds do receive and emit BT and it is happening right next your ears. The bigger issue I mean is that the 2 TW headphones are directly communicating with each other trough some sort of electromagnetic connection that I had never heard of until I googled "how do True Wireless headphones work." That direct connection is not BT and it is emitting and receiving at the same time, directly trough your brain... You feel me?
No one is talking about that and no one is assuring us it is safe. It is almost as if it is magic and no one should be even thinking of it.
The BT headphones with a cable that I showed above, have their BT antenna in the little black thingy you see on the pic, it is usually hanging under my neck, which is at least 20+cm from my brain.
I am aware we cannot fully escape radiation but we could at least try to limit the artificial type a little bit when we can. Just my 2 cents.
Yeah the massive amounts EM radiation that Nicola Tesla subjected himself to killed him at the early age of 86
If a little low energy EM is all it takes to TKO today's whatevers... good luck with the hard stuff.
babyboy3265 said:
Well actually the wired vs wireless quality is not something to even discuss. The above headphones I mentioned, eat any other headphones I have ever tried for breakfast when it comes to quality.
The buds do receive and emit BT and it is happening right next your ears. The bigger issue I mean is that the 2 TW headphones are directly communicating with each other trough some sort of electromagnetic connection that I had never heard of until I googled "how do True Wireless headphones work." That direct connection is not BT and it is emitting and receiving at the same time, directly trough your brain... You feel me?
No one is talking about that and no one is assuring us it is safe. It is almost as if it is magic and no one should be even thinking of it.
The BT headphones with a cable that I showed above, have their BT antenna in the little black thingy you see on the pic, it is usually hanging under my neck, which is at least 20+cm from my brain.
I am aware we cannot fully escape radiation but we could at least try to limit the artificial type a little bit when we can. Just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Near Field Magnetic Induction (NFMI) is the wave you're concerned with, not the BT wave. It's been around a lot longer than BT, first used in hearing aids decades ago. Can't say if it's harmful but I'm sure studies have been done. You really like your setup, whatever works for you but I won't agree sound quality is capable of matching a good wired set. BT doesn't have the range wired sets offer, regardless of how you tweak the codecs, the conductivity is inherently deficient.
I have a pair of Shure se846 earbuds that I connect via the Shure USB/DAC cable and it sounds absolutely fabulous when listening to anything CD quality and above. For convenience sake however, I use the Sony WF 1000XM4s and they sound really just as good. Especially with the LDAC codec.
chetly968 said:
I have a pair of Shure se846 earbuds that I connect via the Shure USB/DAC cable and it sounds absolutely fabulous when listening to anything CD quality and above. For convenience sake however, I use the Sony WF 1000XM4s and they sound really just as good. Especially with the LDAC codec.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The biggest problem with S21 Ultra Codecs is they squashed aptX Adaptive, aptX Low Latency and aptX HD even though the Snap 888 SoC supports it. The reason, they're pushing their own Scalable Codec, Galaxy Buds and they don't want to pay Qualcomm's licensing fees. The aptX Codec available on the device is an older, vanilla version, not much different than SBC. Cheap bastards!
varcor said:
The biggest problem with S21 Ultra Codecs is they squashed aptX Adaptive, aptX Low Latency and aptX HD even though the Snap 888 SoC supports it. The reason, they're pushing their own Scalable Codec, Galaxy Buds and they don't want to pay Qualcomm's licensing fees. The aptX Codec available on the device is an older, vanilla version, not much different than SBC. Cheap bastards!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You got LDAC and SSC. Get the Buds+ and be happy. I'm using them right now, been using them for the last couple hours... their battery life is really long and they sound good. They link up seamlessly with a Samsung phone. Samsung actually got it near perfect... finally
Or jump ship to the newest Sony with the codecs you want plus a 3.5 mm jack.
Given a choice I'll take a vinyl over a cd or anything digital every day of the week. Why, because it's direct sound, BT just gets in the way. The Samsung/AKG ANC's are dirt cheap with great response throughout the entire range.
Was listening to some old tunes, The Best of Simple Minds. What separates them from others is their dynamic composition and arrangement. As a musician when I listen to a song, I feel the song as a whole, but I'm paying much closer attention to each of the individual instruments. When you can hear the sound of the guitar pick hitting strings, not the reverberation of strings, the click of the pick, your know your audio signal is tight.
When I upgrade it's going to be wired with 4 drivers, likely the 1More Quad Driver, may have to deal with a dongle. There's virtually zero overlap of frequencies. Put that set in your ears and you'll throw rocks at any BT device on the planet.
varcor said:
The biggest problem with S21 Ultra Codecs is they squashed aptX Adaptive, aptX Low Latency and aptX HD even though the Snap 888 SoC supports it. The reason, they're pushing their own Scalable Codec, Galaxy Buds and they don't want to pay Qualcomm's licensing fees. The aptX Codec available on the device is an older, vanilla version, not much different than SBC. Cheap bastards!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I totally agree there. Don't know why they did this but at least I can use LDAC and it sounds even better than aptX
Buds+ is mandatory for a Samsung phone if for nothing other than calls. Music sounds pretty good using SSC.
Now the real bad news...
No sealed system can faithfully reproduce the sound stage. You must have a minimum of 2 stereo open air speakers*. The stereo (or more) acoustic waves need open air to interact with one another to reproduce the sound stage. This is what creates the electronically coupled sound stage ie where it was recorded to your listening area.
Headsets and earbuds destroy the sound stage.
Even DTS and Dolby headphone solutions don't come close to the complex sound stage an open air system reproduces.
Read it and weep ( you will when you hear the difference).
*minimum 12 - 50,000+ hz frequency response for optimum sound stage

Categories

Resources