[metalgear]

looking at either of these phones as an upgrade.
 
they're both very similar for phone functions, samsung edges it for me for the camera and fingerprint sensor ....but sony has the bigger battery that is so promising . anyone has any details about hardware inside?

 

[bmichels]

the Sony Z2  has option for 24-bit output to external DACs !!   This is a BIG PLUS for us !  
 
I don't think S5 can without third party player like UAPP !
 
SONY : 
 

 
 
see also this comparaison 

 

[irvin59]

I think the galaxy note 3 sounds fantastic by itself without an external dac if you have right iem's and use viper4android tuned to your liking. I'm using UM merlin and the level of detail and size of soundstage is amazing on well mastered uncompressed and Hi Res files. Not the case with lower level iem's. I think you would really have to go high up the dac ladder to get any significant improvement  and would strongly recommend maxing out on iem's first, and keep it portable rather than movable. I'm assuming the S5 will have comparable or better sound than the Note3.

 

[metalgear]

new dac in the s5
 

 So the new Samsung Galaxy S5 will be equipped with Wolfson WM5110 mobile 24-bit/192kHz DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) chip which is one of the most powerful DAC up to date. The Wolfson WM5110 is a low power-consumption high definition (HD) audio processor with advanced DSP (Digital Signal Processing) features.

 
but that direct USB out option from the Z2 is also very appealing. if this is software enabled someone might just find a workaround for the s5. 

 

[jgalvez21]

i hope note 4 have the same wolfson DAC.
 
qualcomm doesnt cut it for me... i have to use amps or i have to push volume to max. volume curve is not easy on the ears

 

[fcpchop88]

interesting link about that wolfson dac http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/17/wolfson-wm5110-audio-chip/

 

[Duncan]

Is having 24/192 external DAC capability built into firmware such a big thing, when you have things like UAPP?
 
Genuine question... - seeing that a lot of people that come to places such as head-fi don't run stock anyway...
 
Strangely though, I've gone the opposite direction, in my mind - unless you either have a high-end headphone out on the device, or a very high end amp / dac combination, that you're better off spending your money on a standard 16/44.1-48 device that performs very well...
 
I've sacrificed my CEntrance M8's performance for the benefit of a 'one box does all', with the HTC M8...

 

[Haverholm]

  new dac in the s5
 
 
but that direct USB out option from the Z2 is also very appealing. if this is software enabled someone might just find a workaround for the s5. 

 
Where's that quote about the Wolfson from?

  Strangely though, I've gone the opposite direction, in my mind - unless you either have a high-end headphone out on the device, or a very high end amp / dac combination, that you're better off spending your money on a standard 16/44.1-48 device that performs very well...
 
I've sacrificed my CEntrance M8's performance for the benefit of a 'one box does all', with the HTC M8...

Is the HTC M8 that good? Have you had a chance to compare it to Galaxy S5 or Sony Z2?

 

[Duncan]

 
Is the HTC M8 that good? Have you had a chance to compare it to Galaxy S5 or Sony Z2?

No, admittedly not heard an S5 or a Z2, but - if it is indictment enough, using the HTC M8 has now enabled me to (for the most part) leave my CEntrance Hi-Fi M8 at home, and put less burden on my pockets...
 
The 'One' M8 (confusing having two items with the same model number) DOES suffer from hiss though, at the top end of the volume, with sensitive IEMs...

 

[metalgear]

   
Where's that quote about the Wolfson from?

 

 
http://aqreviews.com/samsung-galaxy-...chip-equipped/

according to this the s5 has a pretty good dac:

So the new Samsung Galaxy S5 will be equipped with Wolfson WM5110 mobile 24-bit/192kHz DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) chip which is one of the most powerful DAC up to date. The Wolfson WM5110 is a low power-consumption high definition (HD) audio processor with advanced DSP (Digital Signal Processing) features.

http://itersnews.com/?p=42645
and this says that the software working on the wm5110 will provide better noise cancellation, HD sound in variouis settings (speaker/phones etc)....
 
spec sheet here;
www.alpha-audio.nl/wordpress/wordpress/wp.../Wolfson-wm5110.pdf‎

 
FEATURES
 600 MIPS, 600MMAC multi-core audio-signal processor
 Programmable wideband, multi-mic audio processing
- myZone
TM
 stereo adaptive ambient noise cancellation
- Transmit-path noise reduction and echo cancellation
- Microphone beam-forming
- Wind noise, sidetone and other programmable filters
- Dynamic Range Control, Fully parametric EQs
- Multiband Compression, Virtual Surround Sound
 Multi-channel asynchronous sample rate conversion
 Integrated 6/8 channel 24-bit hi-fi audio hub CODEC
- 6 ADCs, 100dB SNR microphone input (48kHz)
- 8 DACs, 110dB SNR headphone playback (48kHz)
 Audio inputs
- Up to 6 analogue or 8 digital microphone inputs
- Single-ended or differential mic/line inputs
 Multi-purpose headphone / earpiece / line output drivers
- 3 stereo output paths
- 33mW into 32Ω load at 1% THD+N
- 100mW into 16Ω BTL load at 5% THD+N
- 3mW typical headphone playback power consumption
- Pop suppression functions
- 2µV
 noise floor (A-weighted)
 2 x 2W stereo Class D speaker output drivers
 Four-channel digital speaker (PDM) interface
 SLIMbus® audio and control interface
 3 full digital audio interfaces
RMS
- Standard sample rates from 4kHz up to 768kHz
- Ultrasonic accessory function support
- TDM support on all AIFs
- 8 channel input and output on AIF1
 Flexible clocking, derived from MCLKn, BCLKn or SLIMbus
 2 low-power FLLs support reference clocks down to 32kHz

Advanced accessory detection functions
- Low-power standby mode
- ‘Switchable ground’ support for different headset types

Configurable functions on 5 GPIO pins
 Integrated LDO regulators and charge pumps
 Small W-CSP package, 0.4mm pitch

 

[truckdriver]

The iFixit teardown of the Galaxy S5 shows a Qualcomm WCD9320 (as I assume is part of the Snapdragon 801 SoC for the U.S. version).. http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Samsung+Galaxy+S5+Teardown/24016

 

[live1]

ive tested the sgs5 vs htcm8 i made a thread bit nobody was intresed

 

[truckdriver]

BTW, the Qualcomm WCD9320 is the same audio chip that's in the Snapdragon 800 SoC. That means it's the same one in the LG G2 and Note 3.

 

[Haverholm]

  BTW, the Qualcomm WCD9320 is the same audio chip that's in the Snapdragon 800 SoC. That means it's the same one in the LG G2 and Note 3.

Which isn't half bad, as far as I've read...?

 

[truckdriver]

  Which isn't half bad, as far as I've read...?

 
I don't claim to be able to hear a DAC separate from its implementation and amplification. The Note 3 is the best portable player I've heard so far using my SE846 earphones (after installing Viper4Android and finding good settings). The Note 3 sounds better than 2 other devices (I own) that also have Viper4Android installed.