Best Smartphone for audiophile Part II (Updated: Jan 2020)

[omgarlala]

Yes

Thanks. Just got my phone yesterday. Loving it

If i were to use Neutron music player to play the downloaded files, will make a bigger difference?

 

[artpiggo]

Thanks. Just got my phone yesterday. Loving it

If i were to use Neutron music player to play the downloaded files, will make a bigger difference?

Please set like this for best result

64 bit processing on
Replay Gain off

Then inside audio hardware,
Dither off (some might like but I don't)
Ultrasonic filter off (same as dither, depends on you)
Generic Driver on
Click inside Generic Driver > Direct PCM on
Follow source frequency on

And please use FLAC for best experience.

 

[lantian]

Please set like this for best result

64 bit processing on
Replay Gain off

Then inside audio hardware,
Dither off (some might like but I don't)
Ultrasonic filter off (same as dither, depends on you)
Generic Driver on
Click inside Generic Driver > Direct PCM on
Follow source frequency on

And please use FLAC for best experience.

Please make sure it actually works on your devices. Most of the time custom formats don't even exist and they all go trough androids 48khz resampler, to see if it is working press on the screen that tells you info about channels and khz, if it shows the correct khz there or it shows nothing there then you are getting bit perfect output. It should be used only if you do not have a option for high res codec by default. 64 bit processing should always be off, neautron themselves said to turn it off, or did the new update change anything in that regard?

 

[artpiggo]

Please make sure it actually works on your devices. Most of the time custom formats don't even exist and they all go trough androids 48khz resampler, to see if it is working press on the screen that tells you info about channels and khz, if it shows the correct khz there or it shows nothing there then you are getting bit perfect output. It should be used only if you do not have a option for high res codec by default. 64 bit processing should always be off, neautron themselves said to turn it off, or did the new update change anything in that regard?

- 64 bit could be on if cpu is 64-bit architecture. It does give more stable response. some smartphone at the past are not supported. But I believe all smartphone these day or even DX200 is recommended to be 64 bit on.

You can find reference from him directly: http://neutronmp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=440

"64-bit version increases quality but you shall decide for your self whether you really need 64-bit processing when using Neutron on mobile device running on battery. If you have charger nearby or keep device constantly connected to external power supply then 64-bit Neutron is always recommended. If you are using high-quality external speakers and amplifier then you will notice difference between 32 and 64 bit processing. It is also true for high quality car audio system. May be somebody has very precise hearing then 64-bits are also for you."- Dmitry

- Just click the first option which is "Direct PCM" in audio hardware. And ignore custom format option. This set up is working perfectly with every device I own

Reference: http://neutronmp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4014

 

[lantian]

- 64 bit could be on if cpu is 64-bit architecture. It does give more stable response. some smartphone at the past are not supported. But I believe all smartphone these day or even DX200 is recommended to be 64 bit on.

You can find reference from him directly: http://neutronmp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=440

"64-bit version increases quality but you shall decide for your self whether you really need 64-bit processing when using Neutron on mobile device running on battery. If you have charger nearby or keep device constantly connected to external power supply then 64-bit Neutron is always recommended. If you are using high-quality external speakers and amplifier then you will notice difference between 32 and 64 bit processing. It is also true for high quality car audio system. May be somebody has very precise hearing then 64-bits are also for you."- Dmitry

- Just click the first option which is "Direct PCM" in audio hardware. And ignore custom format option. This set up is working perfectly with every device I own

Reference: http://neutronmp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4014

Ok so it can be on. Though,only benefits are if you are using the dsp effects neutron offers and nothing more.
Higher audio quality when active:
Resampling (if you have non 44.1 kHz music)
Equalizer
Surround
Crossfeeding
While second link states same what I said before about it possibly not being real, therefore working, all options in there are custom and may not be real. So far none of them have worked on neither of my devices with bit perfect output, all reverted to 48khz.
"Once custom format is configured start playback, access Audio Hardware dialog and tap on info panel with Channels, Frequency, ... to see real output format which is used by device, if it is not the format you set then your custom format does not work."

 

[Murat]

I am considering to buy a new phone for my wife. Two candidates are: Mi Note and Letv x900?What do you think? Mi note 16 gb is sold for $150 locally. I have to import x900 from AliExpress. I have mx4 pro already bought. Also, has the bamboo edition of the mi note the same audio specs as the regular one? Thank you...

 

[artpiggo]

I am considering to buy a new phone for my wife. Two candidates are: Mi Note and Letv x900?What do you think? Mi note 16 gb is sold for $150 locally. I have to import x900 from AliExpress. I have mx4 pro already bought. Also, has the bamboo edition of the mi note the same audio specs as the regular one? Thank you...

X900 is better if your wife is willing to carry big phone.

 

[Murat]

Thanks for the quick response artpiggo The phone will be bought on the basis of pure sound quality/enjoyment. I will be able to use it in the evenings for maybe a few hours when she doesn't use her phone. I just bought a yamaha pro 500 to pair with it. Is the treble too much emphasized/piercing on the x900 because I am treble sensitive?
Does anyone know this bamboo edition of Mi Note has the same sabre dac? It is much cheaper here.

 

[Vympels]

Thanks for the quick response artpiggo The phone will be bought on the basis of pure sound quality/enjoyment. I will be able to use it in the evenings for maybe a few hours when she doesn't use her phone. I just bought a yamaha pro 500 to pair with it. Is the treble too much emphasized/piercing on the x900 because I am treble sensitive?
Does anyone know this bamboo edition of Mi Note has the same sabre dac? It is much cheaper here.

Hey ,
Yes the Mi Note Bamboo edition have exactly the same specs as the "regular" one.

 

[Murat]

Thanks Vympels If not for the custom taxes I would have already ordered the x900 after seeing mx4 pro's potential. For me, mx4 pro is more musical, enjoyable and makes a perfect pair with the ie80. I place it above the sony nw-zx100. I never thought smartphones could perform this good.

 

[Murat]

By the way I should thank artpiggo for praising the meizu pro 5 that much. I couldn't find it but I bought its sibling mx4 pro and couldn't be more happier soundwise.

 

[tienbasse]

By the way I should thank artpiggo for praising the meizu pro 5 that much. I couldn't find it but I bought its sibling mx4 pro and couldn't be more happier soundwise.

It's funny that you would say that.
It took me 5 months to sell mine right here, and I had to let it go for less than 200€ despite its virgin state (no scratch, not even one yer old).
These days, people want the best, but preferably for nothing...
Which is a shame, when you consider that it is as powerful as a Galaxy S7, comes with less Google garbage and no Samsung garbage, has better battery, better built quality, and cost nearly half the price.
Go figure...

 

[s4tch]

It's funny that you would say that.
It took me 5 months to sell mine right here, and I had to let it go for less than 200€ despite its virgin state (no scratch, not even one yer old).
These days, people want the best, but preferably for nothing...
Which is a shame, when you consider that it is as powerful as a Galaxy S7, comes with less Google garbage and no Samsung garbage, has better battery, better built quality, and cost nearly half the price.
Go figure...

if you can't sell something for 5 months, most probably it would mean that the price is too high. i've seen plenty of pro 5's being sold for around 150-160€ on ebay. this is an old phone, there's no 2 ways about it. still a good one, though.

 

[artpiggo]

Thanks for the quick response artpiggo The phone will be bought on the basis of pure sound quality/enjoyment. I will be able to use it in the evenings for maybe a few hours when she doesn't use her phone. I just bought a yamaha pro 500 to pair with it. Is the treble too much emphasized/piercing on the x900 because I am treble sensitive?
Does anyone know this bamboo edition of Mi Note has the same sabre dac? It is much cheaper here.

x900 has treble emphasis especially if you use with Studio monitoring Beyerdynamic. I am not sure how it pairs with Yamaha because I never tried that. I am more into portable IEM. But you have my warn already.
Bamboo version is same spec as regular.

 

[Smartaudiophone]

Hi friends, i just wanted to give a quick tip: If your smartphone sounds crappy and you don`t want to spend a lot of money, get an LG Hi-fi plus from ebay or something (it`s dirt cheap) and be happy.
I have an LG V20 with B&O logo and just bought an xperia xz premium to replace it. Phone is great, but sound quality isn`t, so i was already thinking of selling it, but then rembered that i had that module flying around somewhere.

Short story: I plugged it in, and it worked instantly with the Sony stock player on android 8 Oreo. It is recognized as a 24bit/48hz device, so there isn`t even a need to download or buy the USB audio player pro...
The quality is day and night in comparison to the standard 3.5mm jack on the XZ premium (and any other phone for that matter) and even in comparison with the b&0 tuned V20 in aux mode, it sounds audibly better( better mids and highs and spacier, wider sound) and it`s louder. I still have both phones here, so i compared the sound immediately. Also, just like the V20, you can trick it into AUX and high gain mode with the same method. That method was described here a thousand times so i won`t repeat it again.