[Gilly87]

Have you tried Neutron?
Quote:

Try Cubed player or GoneMad music player, both have better sound quality than all the apps mentions above in my opinion.

 

[tds101]

Only a BBE app will actually change the sq,...these just provide a different means to the same end. An equalizer, if correctly implemented, will still be an equalizer. The exception is the voodoo kernel. That's something different. These are just apps with different layouts that mostly all do the same thing. We just have differing opinions about which ones we like best.

 

[makavelijm]

While this may be true, during my own comparisons while searching for the best music player I found cubed player and GoneMad and found it to sound more open with better clarity. I don't know how it does it, and technically it should just be the the chip that holds the key to SQ but give them a go, then you will know what I mean.

 

[Gilly87]

Did you compare to Neutron? If so, which of those two do you think is better and what are the differences?
Quote:

While this may be true, during my own comparisons while searching for the best music player I found cubed player and GoneMad and found it to sound more open with better clarity. I don't know how it does it, and technically it should just be the the chip that holds the key to SQ but give them a go, then you will know what I mean.

 

[tds101]

While this may be true, during my own comparisons while searching for the best music player I found cubed player and GoneMad and found it to sound more open with better clarity. I don't know how it does it, and technically it should just be the the chip that holds the key to SQ but give them a go, then you will know what I mean.

I've tried both, plus a few others - including Neutron. I opted to use PowerAmp, as the way it operates and it's settings work best for me. YMMV,...everyone's opinion is different. With this decision it's not what's "best", as different people say each one gives the best sq. it's all about what's best for the individual user.

 

[headfinoob]

I think one important question is whether the players can pass information to an external DAC without altering bitperfectness when the EQ and DSP settings are disabled.

 

[tds101]

Flat eq is flat eq across the board, supposedly. Has anyone bothered to measure if each app gives perfectly flat playback if the eq is disabled?

 

[skamp]

I measured Poweramp, it's flat (with all DSP functions off).

 

[Gilly87]

My only problem with poweramp is that the EQ compresses the dynamic range; the one on Neutron has fewer bands, and lacks one below 100 hz which would be really nice, but at least it doesn't decrease the realism of the sound.
Quote:

I measured Poweramp, it's flat (with all DSP functions off).

 

[skamp]

My only problem with poweramp is that the EQ compresses the dynamic range

Why would Poweramp silently activate a compressor when the EQ is on?

Technically, any EQ will slightly reduce the dynamic range: with positive values, either a limiter is used, or the signal might clip; with negative values, the noise floor is raised. But the overall reduction is negligible, and it's certainly not what's called "dynamic range compression" (DRC).

 

[syn010110]

Unfortunately PowerAMP, DoubleTwist and all of the other alternative music apps I've tried ignore the ALBUMARTIST tag. I really need that tag or all of my Touhou arrange albums get split all over the place by the vocalist's name rather than the doujin circle.
 
Only the "boring" Google Play Music seems to properly handle tags, prioritizing ALBUMARTIST when present. It also recently got gapless playback, which is pretty nice.

 

[NZtechfreak]

Quote:

Unfortunately PowerAMP, DoubleTwist and all of the other alternative music apps I've tried ignore the ALBUMARTIST tag. I really need that tag or all of my Touhou arrange albums get split all over the place by the vocalist's name rather than the doujin circle.
 
Only the "boring" Google Play Music seems to properly handle tags, prioritizing ALBUMARTIST when present. It also recently got gapless playback, which is pretty nice.

 
Contact PowerAMP via their forums and ask them to add support for that tag type. Very responsive developer.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

My only problem with poweramp is that the EQ compresses the dynamic range; the one on Neutron has fewer bands, and lacks one below 100 hz which would be really nice, but at least it doesn't decrease the realism of the sound.

1. what you say about poweramp doesn't make sense
2. Have you looked into the extended menu for the eq in neutron? All 4 bands can be configured to alter any frequency you want. (the sliders have a limited range but you can enter any value you want by tapping the numbers on the right

 

[Gilly87]

1. If you use the EQ on PowerAmp, and you listen for the second you turn it on, you will hear the music stop for just a split second, and when it comes back, the sound is changed from before, even if the EQ is left flat. I am pretty sure it compresses the sound; this was discussed in another thread a couple of months ago and there seemed to be a small consensus about the effects it has.
 
2. Awesome, thank you! This drastically improves its usefulness, you are my hero for the day My X10 now deliver a rather deliciously textured but well-measured punch right at 50hz ^_^
Quote:

1. what you say about poweramp doesn't make sense
2. Have you looked into the extended menu for the eq in neutron? All 4 bands can be configured to alter any frequency you want. (the sliders have a limited range but you can enter any value you want by tapping the numbers on the right

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Quote:

1. If you use the EQ on PowerAmp, and you listen for the second you turn it on, you will hear the music stop for just a split second, and when it comes back, the sound is changed from before, even if the EQ is left flat. I am pretty sure it compresses the sound; this was discussed in another thread a couple of months ago and there seemed to be a small consensus about the effects it has.
 
2. Awesome, thank you! This drastically improves its usefulness, you are my hero for the day My X10 now deliver a rather deliciously textured but well-measured punch right at 50hz ^_^

 
1. That's the Direct Volume Control feature kicking in.  It adjusts the system volume such that if you do boosts in the graphic EQ, what it does instead is boost the system volume then apply EQ cut to everything except the boosted band.  If you disable DVC in settings, have a flat EQ and push the preamp to max, the sound does not change, either in volume or timbre, the moment the EQ is turned on or off.  But Direct Volume Control is a good feature, as long as it works properly (it doesn't on my phone, volume changes are not applied properly) and as long as people don't get paranoid about that pause when the EQ is turned on or off.
2. Glad to be of help