[stenog]

Interesting. I need to get a new phone soon. Is the HTC 10 a good option? I have been on iOS for years with a company-provided phone but we are parting ways soon. For a personal phone audio quality is most important to me and I won't use many other functions.

In my opinion yes. I seriously doubt you will hear a big difference between your current portable setup and the HTC 10. I can't hear a big difference when I use my U12 or B&W P7, I actually prefer my U12 with the HTC 10. I would never use the HTC 10 with the Amiron or the DT 1990. But all this is of course just my opinion.

It really depends on who you ask... I found that even FiiO X5ii was much better than any phone I compared it with back then... Smartphones have their own limitations, depends what you'll be plugging into them - consider things like: There is a reason why X5-3 costs this much and is bought so well - the sound is really a thing of its own.

Can I ask which smartphones and headphones did you compare. There are several smartphones today with very good SQ. Cost is not necessarily a parameter that can be used. And just to be clear, I have the FiiO X5iii and like it very much .

 

[Dobrescu George]

In my opinion yes. I seriously doubt you will hear a big difference between your current portable setup and the HTC 10. I can't hear a big difference when I use my U12 or B&W P7, I actually prefer my U12 with the HTC 10. I would never use the HTC 10 with the Amiron or the DT 1990. But all this is of course just my opinion.



Can I ask which smartphones and headphones did you compare. There are several smartphones today with very good SQ. Cost is not necessarily a parameter that can be used. And just to be clear, I have the FiiO X5iii and like it very much .

HTC 820, Alcatel One Touch Idol, Huawei P9 Lite, Xiaomi Mi Max, ZTE Blade VEC 4G, FiiO X5, FiiO X5ii, FiiO X5-3, Opus #3...

My general findings were that it depends a lot on what you're driving and what sound you're going for... If you're comparing X5-3 to some phones, I have a feeling that very few will have the same bass and bass control as X5-3, especially with big headphones - this is a strength of X5-3.

The treble is smooth on X5-3, if this suits one's tastes, then it is cool.

Just saying - I couldn't properly drive ie800 from any smartphone...

 

[stenog]

HTC 820, Alcatel One Touch Idol, Huawei P9 Lite, Xiaomi Mi Max, ZTE Blade VEC 4G, FiiO X5, FiiO X5ii, FiiO X5-3, Opus #3...

My general findings were that it depends a lot on what you're driving and what sound you're going for... If you're comparing X5-3 to some phones, I have a feeling that very few will have the same bass and bass control as X5-3, especially with big headphones - this is a strength of X5-3.

The treble is smooth on X5-3, if this suits one's tastes, then it is cool.

Just saying - I couldn't properly drive ie800 from any smartphone...

None of these smartphones are top of the line today. But anyway I don't think we disagree that much

I only use easy to drive headphones with the HTC 10. The B&W P9 is in principle very easy to drive but the HTC 10 can't control the bass. The FiiO can, as much as the bass can be controlled on the P9....

If you ever get the possibility, try the ie800 with the HTC 10, LG V20 or similar quality smartphones.

 

[Dobrescu George]

None of these smartphones are top of the line today. But anyway I don't think we disagree that much

I only use easy to drive headphones with the HTC 10. The B&W P9 is in principle very easy to drive but the HTC 10 can't control the bass. The FiiO can, as much as the bass can be controlled on the P9....

If you ever get the possibility, try the ie800 with the HTC 10, LG V20 or similar quality smartphones.

I'll surely do it if I have the chance!

 

[coolcrew23]

I bought an ipod touch a couple of months before I knew the Fiio X5iii was coming out. The one thing that makes me go back and forth is the lag that the X5iii has. The downside is only having 32GB.

Yeah, 64GB is now 300usd where i'm from. While the fiio x5iii is around 380usd.

With an ipod no need to get external memory.

With fiio no need to get cases.

 

[aangen]

My X5iii has been so unhappy lately that just for giggles I put a 200 GB card loaded with FLAC files into my brand new Galaxy S8. Legend has it that the S8 is a very poor sounding device. I plugged my 846s into it and using USB Audio Player PRO I was quite surprised that the sound isn't all that bad. And the random play all function works like it should. So sadly, the X5iii is sitting on the shelf until the next upgrade. Sigh and hooray I guess.

 

[Niouke]

None of these smartphones are top of the line today. But anyway I don't think we disagree that much

I only use easy to drive headphones with the HTC 10. The B&W P9 is in principle very easy to drive but the HTC 10 can't control the bass. The FiiO can, as much as the bass can be controlled on the P9....

If you ever get the possibility, try the ie800 with the HTC 10, LG V20 or similar quality smartphones.

There is an argument that all DAC are born equal and the only thing differentiating them is the amplification stage stacked after it. That said a xperia Z5 with an Fiio E11K stacked on it can't reach the level of precision offered by the X5-3. Having heard the terrible S8 I'm not convinced that the latest smartphones are the best and I also feel like the xperia Z1 was much better than the Z5. the HTC 10 and LG V20 are a different topic as they seem to be orientated towards audio, hopefully I'll be able to try "high" impedance BA IEM's on them one day.

 

[superuser1]

OT: LG V30 is on its way in September.

 

[stenog]

There is an argument that all DAC are born equal and the only thing differentiating them is the amplification stage stacked after it. That said a xperia Z5 with an Fiio E11K stacked on it can't reach the level of precision offered by the X5-3. Having heard the terrible S8 I'm not convinced that the latest smartphones are the best and I also feel like the xperia Z1 was much better than the Z5. the HTC 10 and LG V20 are a different topic as they seem to be orientated towards audio, hopefully I'll be able to try "high" impedance BA IEM's on them one day.

Completely agree with this.

And just to correct myself. With "quality smartphones" I mean sound quality. We have an excellent tread that covers this.

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/best-smartphone-for-audiophile-part-ii-updated-jun-2017.853115/

 

[WayTooCrazy]

OT: LG V30 is on its way in September.

WHAT!? Here's to hoping they added Balanced out... hahahaha. I actually gave my V20 to my son so I could upgrade to the S8+. Better phone... crappier audio (not by a little bit either IMHO).

 

[jetpacksam]

Hi,
Has anyone done an A/B between this and the X5ii? Majorly on the fence, and have yet to find any type of opinion as to the sound difference being worth the cost.
Streaming and Bluetooth are not in play as I use neither.
Any opinions would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[jmills8]

Hi,
Has anyone done an A/B between this and the X5ii? Majorly on the fence, and have yet to find any type of opinion as to the sound difference being worth the cost.
Streaming and Bluetooth are not in play as I use neither.
Any opinions would be appreciated.
Thanks.

A few own or owned it and are on thread.

 

[psikey]

There is an argument that all DAC are born equal and the only thing differentiating them is the amplification stage stacked after it. That said a xperia Z5 with an Fiio E11K stacked on it can't reach the level of precision offered by the X5-3. Having heard the terrible S8 I'm not convinced that the latest smartphones are the best and I also feel like the xperia Z1 was much better than the Z5. the HTC 10 and LG V20 are a different topic as they seem to be orientated towards audio, hopefully I'll be able to try "high" impedance BA IEM's on them one day.

Just shows how we all hear things differently but may also come down to the combination of player/earphones as much as anything.

I only use SE846's now to be honest and not the audiophile that many are, constantly having to try new earphones/DAC's/DAP's etc, but have previously had a ZX2 & Mojo as my "peak" devices.

I was so impressed with the Exynos S8 I nearly considered selling my X5III. To my ears it sounds much nicer that the S7 I had (or S3/S4/S5/Note plus numerous Apple and Sony Z5). My ears can still enjoy the sound more coming out of my X5III but its not a massive step.

As many know, the SE846's are really sensitive & only 9 Ohm which might be the key thing here, because if I use my old 50 Ohm Klipsch X10i or 24 Ohm B&W P7 then the X5III sounds much better than fed from the S8.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

There is an argument that all DAC are born equal and the only thing differentiating them is the amplification stage stacked after it.

One of the truest sentences I have seen in a while.

I think this is common sense.
If 2 items share the same DAC but are priced over $1000 different and one claims superior sonics to one or the other they are comparing implementation/integration of the dac with the power stage,filters etc. And they often totally ignore the enormous factor that is the drivers, which have the final say in everything.
P.T. Barnum woulda loved this hobby. He coulda made a killin

 

[Niouke]

One of the truest sentences I have seen in a while.

I think this is common sense.
If 2 items share the same DAC but are priced over $1000 different and one claims superior sonics to one or the other they are comparing implementation/integration of the dac with the power stage,filters etc. And they often totally ignore the enormous factor that is the drivers, which have the final say in everything.
P.T. Barnum woulda loved this hobby. He coulda made a killin

Someone in sound science (can't remember the name) went as far as saying that all modern DAC produce a near perfect conversion and that all the differences perceived (wider stage for the sabre models etc) are just a myth and a side effect of the implementation of the DAC (one DAC per channel, channel separation in amp stage, better grounding etc). In theory it holds water and I have not enough objective evidence to confirm.