[shrimants]

I'm wondering if we can all work together to find some smartphones that have a very nice flat frequency response and can be considered seriously as part of a portable rig. My own phone (nexus one) is going to die sometime soon and I will be needing to replace it.

I figured we could put links to and or the images of the frequency response charts for specific phones that have flat responses.

The ones I know of off hand:
-Apple iPhone (2nd gen and up) (latest 4s version)
http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_4s-review-665p5.php

-Samsung Nexus S w/Voodoo Sound+supported kernel
http://supercurio.project-voodoo.org/audio/voodoo-sound/Nexus-S-Voodoo-sound-DAC-direct.htm

-Samsung Galaxy S (original)
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i9000_galaxy_s-review-478p6.php

-LG Optimus 2x
http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_optimus_2x-review-564p8.php#aq

-Nokia N8 (USB Dac compatible)
http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_n8-review-523p5.php#aq
http://www.head-fi.org/t/517432/nokia-n8-and-feeding-a-portable-dac-with-usb-on-the-go/75#post_7565343 (usb audio out)

I figured I'd start the ball rolling. Its a bit late now but I can keep finding the charts and RMAA tests and link to them on here by editing the first post.

CHANGELOG:
-added galaxy S original
-removed galaxy S 2 for bad performance (http://www.anandtech.com/show/4686/samsung-galaxy-s-2-international-review-the-best-redefined/13)
-added LG Optimus 2x
-added Nokia N8

 

[nipit]

galaxy s, LG optimus 2x ,

 

[elfary]

Quote:

I'm wondering if we can all work together to find some smartphones that have a very nice flat frequency response and can be considered seriously as part of a portable rig. My own phone (nexus one) is going to die sometime soon and I will be needing to replace it.
I figured we could put links to and or the images of the frequency response charts for specific phones that have flat responses.
The ones I know of off hand:
-Samsung galaxy S2 (I'm pretty sure, anyways)
http://supercurio.project-voodoo.org/audio/galaxysii/galaxysii-galaxys-voodoosound--13dB-dac-no-load.htm
-Apple iPhone (2nd gen and up) (latest 4s version)
http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_4s-review-665p5.php
-Samsung Nexus S w/Voodoo Sound+supported kernel
http://supercurio.project-voodoo.org/audio/voodoo-sound/Nexus-S-Voodoo-sound-DAC-direct.htm
I figured I'd start the ball rolling. Its a bit late now but I can keep finding the charts and RMAA tests and link to them on here by editing the first post.

Galaxy S2 ? If you do not take into account the smartphone output impedance this research can not be reliable. Eg.The S2 will ruin the performance of armature iems due to the high output impedance of that infamous phone.
 
Plus i'm afraid Supercurio measurements are unloaded. Which says nothing of the performance when you attach an earphone (load).
 
The only thing i gather from Supercurio's links is that the dac section of these phones is noticiably worse than the iPhone dac (Less distortion and better crosstalk).

 

[shrimants]

nipit: Thanks for your contribution. I have added it to the main post.
elfary: Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I have removed GS2 from the list after further research. Not quite so jealous of my sister's phone now

 

[KT66]

Nokia N8 - if you can still get them.
 
Digital output via OTG usb, I use a Fiio E7
 
12mp camera, HD video
HDMI Output,
 
64gig possible via SD cards
 
And sounds good on it's own, drives my ES55s and SR60s easily, never need volume above half.
 
 

 

[chickpea]

Well, it depends on your criteria I suppose.  Any of the HTC phones that are going to get Ice Cream Sandwich soon (or those already with ICS) will have the ability to pass digital out USB to a USB dac/amp.  So, for instance, my HTC Sensation will be able to be paired with a fiio e7 or ibasso d7 and pass its somewhat lackluster d/a conversion off to the external dac/amp.

 

[KT66]

cool, didn't know that.
 
how would they compare directly out of the headphone socket?

 

[PCWar]

Quote:

Well, it depends on your criteria I suppose.  Any of the HTC phones that are going to get Ice Cream Sandwich soon (or those already with ICS) will have the ability to pass digital out USB to a USB dac/amp.  So, for instance, my HTC Sensation will be able to be paired with a fiio e7 or ibasso d7 and pass its somewhat lackluster d/a conversion off to the external dac/amp.

 Can you provide the source of this information? I have a HTC Rezound and am searching on a daily basis on any updated info for this issue.

 

[shrimants]

I dont know if we should count USB DAC support. Perhaps in its own section it would be fine to include it. My concern is that an ipod 5g and 5.5g video are godawful devices until you do iMod to them or pay money to have it done for you. Furthermore, if you spend 300 bucks on an ipod and then 400-600 on an external dac or dac/amp combo for it, why even bother going with it in the first place?

If you have a link for me for specif phones detailing how to get USB audio output, i'll add it in there. Otherwise, criteria for the primary portion of the list would be a good frequency response and various other tests. RMAA isnt the most revealing set of tests in the world but for a phone I think if you can get frequency response and low noise you are good to go.

 

[thread]

O gawd yes. I would LOVE me some Android to DAC action. I'm actually pretty sure right now that I'm going to plunk down $270 for the upcoming linux-based Spark tablet.... which should totally support driving a USB DAC.

Sent from my Droid 3 with Tapatalk.

 

[KT66]

Quote:

I dont know if we should count USB DAC support. Perhaps in its own section it would be fine to include it. My concern is that an ipod 5g and 5.5g video are godawful devices until you do iMod to them or pay money to have it done for you. Furthermore, if you spend 300 bucks on an ipod and then 400-600 on an external dac or dac/amp combo for it, why even bother going with it in the first place?
If you have a link for me for specif phones detailing how to get USB audio output, i'll add it in there. Otherwise, criteria for the primary portion of the list would be a good frequency response and various other tests. RMAA isnt the most revealing set of tests in the world but for a phone I think if you can get frequency response and low noise you are good to go.

    N8 is about $200? maybe less? E7 $90ish
   Thats less than an IPhone, with easy digital out, HMDI out
   and better camera.
   
   Just not as pretty and OS makes you earn it

 

[shrimants]

Like I said, KT66. Find and post the link that either confirms that the N8 can do USB audio output or (preferably) the guide that tells a user how to get USB Audio output working on their own N8. I'll be happy to post the link up in the first post

EDIT: also, its not 200 bucks. http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-Touchscreen-Featuring-Navigation-Camera-U-S/dp/B003ZX7RL4

 

[maped]

There's a whole thread about the N8 in this same subforum that tells all about how to utilize the Usb otg to feed music to an external dac, check here. I actually bought the N8 just to use as a dap, since neither the sound quality nor the battery life of my Motorola Defy was good enough to allow me to listen to music and radio through a whole workday and also use it as a phone at the same time. With N8 you also get a great camera and support for microsd-cards and the added bonus of being able to feed an external dac. And at least Gsmarena  seems to think the headphone out is pretty good quality too (they also have audio measurements of pretty much every other smartphone on the market). Availability/price might be a problem in the US, but at least here in Finland and to some extent other parts of Europe they are readily available used, I got mine for 150€, it's pretty much in perfect condition and it still has almost a year of manufacturer's warranty left. As a smartphone lack of horsepower means it can't compete with my Defy, but as a "smart-DAP" (wifi, Spotify etc.-capability, apps, games) I think it's a good contender for Ipod Touch, Cowon D3 and Sony Walkman Z-series, and even trumps them with the camera and usb host.

 

[shrimants]

Thanks, i've added the N8.

Keep them coming!

 

[elfary]

To me any portable device that is labelled as hi fi sounding must be compliant with all of these conditions:
 
1. Output impedance ≤ 2 0hms
2. THD ≤ 0.02
3. IMD + Noise ≤ 0.02
4. Stereo Crosstalk  ≤ -60  (For a 16 Ohms load)
5. Built in line out
 
The only smartphones that are compliant to my knowledge are:
 
iPhone 3GS
iPhone 4
iPhone 4S
 
Pretty sad news indeed. The competition does not seem to be interested in hifi. I guess they engineer to the lowest common denominator (the very fact is that the majority of the people just listen through the bundled earbuds) instead of aiming for greatness.