[visanj]

Can someone set this straight for me....

people are always recommending various mods, roms etc. What do these actually do, I know they give you various options for EQing etc, but can they really improve on the actual quality of the sound?

Is it necessary, and can anyone explain why?

Also, I read Poweramp is the best media player to use, is this true?  Does it make any difference in quality to the stock apps

Thanks

I had nexus 4. I rooted and changed stock kernel to Franco kernel. There was considerable difference in sound quality

Simuilarly there is a popular case on Samsung Galaxy S flashing different roms just for voodoo kernel

ROM just changes UI, Performance etc. Its the associated kernel making difference in sound quality

 

[TabCam]

Can someone set this straight for me....

people are always recommending various mods, roms etc. What do these actually do, I know they give you various options for EQing etc, but can they really improve on the actual quality of the sound?

Is it necessary, and can anyone explain why?
Also, I read Poweramp is the best media player to use, is this true?  Does it make any difference in quality to the stock apps

Thanks

For me, the order of things which affect SQ the most are:
1) HP/IEM
2) dac
3) amplifier
4) software

Item 3 is more important if you have large, inefficient HPs. If you do not use the onboard dac you can achieve a much higher SQ and the software is less important if the dac is supported, otherwise you are limited to something like USB Audio Player Pro.

For me, playing bit-perfect helps a lot, but most phones are limited to 48kHz playback so this will directly affect SQ. Phones which support both 44.1 and 48 kHz have a big advantage.

The ROM/O.S. starts to play a bigger role when you can't play bit-perfect and if you have a lot of tasks/processes running on your phone.

E.Q. is for those who do not mind degrading the SQ a little in trade for adjusting the sound to their liking or to help mask HP/IEM deficiencies.

There is more to it, but these are to me the most obvious ones. Hope this helps.

 

[jasonb]

Well, I've had a Verizon LG V10 for 5 days now. Its pretty sweet.

 

[jamor]

Well, I've had a Verizon LG V10 for 5 days now. Its pretty sweet.

Did you get white or black? How's your signal?

 

[jasonb]

Did you get white or black? How's your signal?

Black. Signal seems fine. I'm in a weak and congested area though. 
 
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/local/2015/08/08/hudson-valley-worst-cell-phone-service/31331963/

 

[Headphony]

  hi. it is not mx5 pro but MEIZU PRO 5. the phone is using an exynos 7420 soc with an ess 9018 dac. config could either be 3/32 or 4/64 ram/storage with up to 128 gb micro sd. currently with the highest antutu score among the smartphones. just waiting for mine to arrive anytime now and will give first impression later on.
 

Hi-Fi Sound 2.0​

http://www.meizu.com/en/products/pro5/hifi.html

In thee PRO 5 has improved greatly, the transient performance is excellent and the sound is powerful and accurate, even the high-end headset can accomplish any task with ease.​

ES9018K2M
High-end DAC chip

OPA1612
Professional audio amplifier

NXP PBSS
Transistor

Solo
amp circuit

​

​

Learn more about Hi-Fi ​

 
 
Looks promising!

 

[robodelfy]

I've just been switching between poweramp and neutron listening to a flac file, and I really can't hear a difference. I did A/B with my Moto E and the HTC one m8, and the difference was big!  The Moto E was way too bassy, noisy, and had no feeling of space. The one m8 totally opens up the sound stage, and is far more balanced

 

[Wholelottalove]

I was hoping to get some info. I'm planning on buying a new smartphone. I'm trying to decide between Sony Z5 or Samsung S6/Edge, which one would be better for audio quality? Also, I'm open to other suggestions (new phones only).

 

[jamor]

  I was hoping to get some info. I'm planning on buying a new smartphone. I'm trying to decide between Sony Z5 or Samsung S6/Edge, which one would be better for audio quality? Also, I'm open to other suggestions (new phones only).

 
might as well wait for the samsung s7 at this point.  might have an ess dac too.

 

[ehjie]

  I was hoping to get some info. I'm planning on buying a new smartphone. I'm trying to decide between Sony Z5 or Samsung S6/Edge, which one would be better for audio quality? Also, I'm open to other suggestions (new phones only).

... M9+ or Note 5,,,,, depends on your brand preference..... - my take would be on the tied & tested

 

[jamor]

  I was hoping to get some info. I'm planning on buying a new smartphone. I'm trying to decide between Sony Z5 or Samsung S6/Edge, which one would be better for audio quality? Also, I'm open to other suggestions (new phones only).

 
 
Also take a look at the LG V10.  Has an ESS DAC/Amp in it.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/782706/lg-v10-new-ess-chipped-flagship-android-phone-from-lg
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/785335/lg-v10-hi-fi-audio-quality-review-on-serious-audio-performance

 

[Mython]

Sometimes I wonder if anyone reads anything except the very last page, of any of the threads on head-fi, before they post...
 
 

 

[Toom]

Has anyone heard of the LG V10?

 

[jamor]

Yea the new LG car with the V10 engine.  Pretty dope.

 

[Guppy_]

  Sometimes I wonder if anyone reads anything except the very last page, of any of the threads on head-fi, before they post...
 
 

Well to be fair, OP should update first post with newly added info! as a sticky perhaps?