! HELP ! Audio quality from LG to Pixel - Bluetooth VS Type C dongles? - Google Pixel 4 XL Questions & Answers

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.

Related

Recommendations for noise-blocking or noise-cancelling headphones to use with HD2...?

I'm thinking about buying some new headphones to go with my HD2 for train journeys. The existing ones are actually not too bad quality for bundled 'phones, but they are not very sound-proof, so if you want to use them on the London Underground you can't hear anything!
I was therefore thinking about some Etymotic HF5 'phones which have very good acoustic isolation. Has anyone tried these with the HD2? Or can anyone suggest some alternatives?
(For people who want a microphone, there is an equivalent, the HF2, which has one).
Oh, I should also have said that I hate headphones which are bass-heavy. Descriptions like "accurate", "neutral", "detailed" and "transparent" tend to attract me. I also quite like 'phones that emphasise the mid-range. But emphasis on bass puts me right off.
QuietComfort
I have used since long the "QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling" headphones from Bose with my iPod and now also with my HD2. They are especially useful on planes and noisy environments, but also good for listening to speach on the phone. For the last you'll need the "QC3 mobile communications kit", which allows you to use the microphone in the cable.
I have used them to participate in long calls during the last weeks and they always feel comfortable.
I know they are not very cheap, but after having tested 3 or 4 different ones, this one is still my favourite.
I like a bit of extra bass kick so I have the Etymotic ER6i's. Noise cancelling is superb - I use most days on commute into London and whenever I fly. Customer support is excellent even if in the USA. My cable became faulty near the plug end and I'd gone over the 1 year warranty by a month or so. No problem - they gave me a returns code and it just cost me a few quid postage out to the states. New cables and plug, good as new on return.
I recently have modified the htc headset that was shipped with my leo. But it surely doesn't replace a high quality headset...
see wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=HTC_Leo%2FLEOHTCInEarHeadphones
sorry, can't get the link to work with opera...
cgeboers said:
I have used since long the "QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling" headphones from Bose with my iPod and now also with my HD2. They are especially useful on planes and noisy environments, but also good for listening to speach on the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am somewhat torn by high-end noise-cancelling 'phones. Can't decide if the sound quality and comfort are worth the bulk, or if I really ought to go for something I can fit in my pocket....
If anyone is looking for cheaper noise-cancelling 'phones, btw, these are an absolute steal at £50 (RRP £160!): http://www.play.com/Electronics/Ele...ctive-Noise-Reduction-Headphones/Product.html
pollenised said:
I like a bit of extra bass kick so I have the Etymotic ER6i's. Noise cancelling is superb - I use most days on commute into London and whenever I fly. Customer support is excellent even if in the USA. My cable became faulty near the plug end and I'd gone over the 1 year warranty by a month or so. No problem - they gave me a returns code and it just cost me a few quid postage out to the states. New cables and plug, good as new on return.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I'm aware, Etymotic 'phones aren't noise-cancelling, they simply block out noise by sealing your ears, which is quite different.
As I loathe 'phones that emphasise bass, it sounds like I might be well advised to steer clear of these! But thanks for the info (on Etymotic as well as on the ER6i).
hi,
i first tried the bose quite comfort3, very impressive sound expierience. the size, is way to big to travel/transport them around, its more a home device in my eyes. if the battery is empty, it stops working completly, and you need carry the bose charger to load it. the price of 300€ is simply more then i can/want effort.
the next headphone i tried was the Sennheiser PXC 250-II . they are made for traveling, so you can fold them away. the electronic and the batteries are in an extra case that can be clipped to the belt wich makes the headset lighter weight. the device is powered by 2 'aaa' batteries, and the headset needs the power only for the noise cancelation. wich means you have sound even with no batteries inserted. and the price is aroung 140€.
im travelling a lot by plane and both headsets do a brilliant job on noise reduction.
mad.
*EDIT* as i wrote this i saw bose now also have a more travelling like headset quitecomfort15, wich is using a single 'aaa' battery.
If you want portable and noise cancelling, I have a pair of Sony MDRNC22B Noise cancelling headphones and they are fab. good natural sound quality and the battery lasts for about 50 hours.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-MDRNC2...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1262974379&sr=1-1
Anyone have experience of the Nokia Portabel Handsfree Stereo Bluetooth BH-905? Been interesting in them for a while but haven't been able to try them yet.
derGrafZahl said:
I recently have modified the htc headset that was shipped with my leo. But it surely doesn't replace a high quality headset...
see wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=HTC_Leo%2FLEOHTCInEarHeadphones
sorry, can't get the link to work with opera...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice guide!!!
I bought some sennheiser MM50ip headphones so that I could it for handsfree, it works but not 100% as they dont have the buttons for channing tracks like the supplied ones. Call quality and sound is great though.
Now do I dare rip them apart to mod them to my likeing
Oh and check out this great site www.fakeheadphones.com if you intend to buy headphones over the internet esp ebay/amazon market place..... its scary how these fake headphones looks so close to the originals
Hey guys, I am looking for a good pair of noise cancelling headphones to use with my iPod touch. I travel long distances every day in the train and seem to have misplaced my old headphones. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
P.S
I wouldn't mind headphones with some extra bass.
For extra bass get vmoda heasdphpnes. However I use klipsch image s4 and can just use the bass eq and wont hear any background noise on the subway. Both are in-ear headphones.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Get the nuForce NE-6. End of story
http://www.amazon.com/NuForce-NE-6-earphones-NE-7M-without/dp/B002OR6OFW
I'm curious about voice calls. With the noise-cancellation, do you find that you speak too loudly? I know I tend to have that problem, in general, when wearing headphones. I am very interested in getting good noise-canceling headphones (preferably bluetooth) to use in my all-day conference calls from my sometimes-noisy house. But I am concerned about the talking too loud problem.
Buy beats by Dr. Dre studio hd
Simply awesome
SwiftKeyed from my HTC HD2 via XDA PREMIUM APP

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.
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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.

Bluetooth headphones

Hi all,
Anyone here recommend a good set of bluetooth headphones fir less than £60 ($90) bought some goji gt016 and they become really distorted when you switch to bluetooth from wired.
I'm looking for a wired option with the ability to take calls and use features on the phone also bluetooth 4.0 if that's an advantage not sure what advantage that has at the moment.
Thanks
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
It's not less then $90 but it is extremely good, as it makes uses of Samsung's proprietary UHQ bluetooth. http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones-accessories/EO-PN920CBEGUS . I got mine for $170. I use this with PowerAmp Alpha and the Samsung control application . I only play 24 bit 192 hz flac's. I may be drinking the Koolaid, ut I find the difference, with everything tuned to these encoding protocols, absolutely breathtaking for a set of bluetooth headphones. By way of background, since 2006, I have purchased and lived with over 20 different bluetooth stereo earbuds, on ear, over ear headphones. I currently have a V-Moda wireless and a set of the Bragi Dash wireless earbuds. Now, YMMV, but I can't praise these enough. I may get trolled for this, but they are comparable to the wired KEF M500 http://www.kef.com/html/en/showroom/mseries/m500/m500/index.html#.V1aRRbgrI-U
I really liked my Samsung Level U Pro headphones that I paid $60 for, but now I'm using the LG Tone Platinum's which are more expensive ($200) but sound great. I would give the Samsung Level U Pro headphones a chance, they support aptX, and UHQ streaming on top of getting good battery life.
I've had these
SOL Republic On-ear https://www.amazon.com/SOL-REPUBLIC-1430-02-Wireless-Headphones/dp/B00H267SZK/ref=sr_1_31?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1465655005&sr=1-31&keywords=wireless+headphones&refinements=p_n_feature_two_browse-bin%3A509316%2Cp_n_feature_four_browse-bin%3A12097501011%2Cp_n_feature_three_browse-bin%3A12097499011
But didn't like the on-ear , so I bought these
Bose Soundlink Around Ear Wireless, they're a blessing, great sound and comfort. Too bad the price is so high
https://www.amazon.com/Bose-SoundLink-around-ear-wireless-headphones/dp/B0117RGG8E/ref=sr_1_2?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1465654917&sr=1-2&keywords=bose+ae2w

No 3.5 Audio Jack in Next Iteration of Samsung Galaxy Line

Already rumors circulating that the 3.5 audio jack will be eliminated on the next iteration of Samsung Galaxy phones. That's too bad. Basically a deal breaker for me as I will not purchase any phone with a notch or missing a 3.5 audio jack, (and I would argue one with a quality DAC attached).
Looks like next time that I'm looking to replace my phone, it will be with a much cheaper Chinese phone and that I'll be using the money left towards a dedicated DAP from here on out.
Oh well...
It's idiotic to believe such rumours so early on when the don't even have a single reputable photo of the phone
they have said that since s6 and here we are
droidrzr1610 said:
It's idiotic to believe such rumours so early on when the don't even have a single reputable photo of the phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, when every other manufacturer except LG is doing it, I could imagine Samsung doing it, too. Also they already presented their AKG bluetooth lineup. It would make sense moneywise to kill the jack, so they can sell those better...
I hope not, if they stay with it, they'll get all the headphone jack people on their side. Even right now, I only switched to Samsung because they're the last remaining headphone jack phones with a community.
I'd love to go LG, but there are just no ROMs, kernels or other mods at all.
I dont use Jack 2 years now and im ok! Bt Headphones is more comfort to wear
Michuta said:
I dont use Jack 2 years now and im ok! Bt Headphones is more comfort to wear
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Click to collapse
I connect my phone to various devices like my speakers in my kitchen or like a HIFI at friends. I use my phone with headphones but I connect it almost everyday to all sorts of speakers.
Michuta said:
I dont use Jack 2 years now and im ok! Bt Headphones is more comfort to wear
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just because it's more comfortable to wear doesn't mean it's better in general.
Quality is worse, not just because of codecs, but also because there are actually no good wireless headphones out there.
Yes, I can convert my IEMs to wireless, but then I'm still stuck with just AptX, because there are no "wireless cable" options for LDAC / AptX-HD, except I'm gong with a bluetooth DAC - Which would be even less comfortable than the normal cable in the first place.
I don't even start how unstable LDAC and AptX-HD are.
Just because you find it ok, doesn't mean it's indeed ok to remove the headphone jacks. At least until we get a proper replacement tech where we don't sacrifice anything.

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

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