HTC Hero SQ
Sep 4, 2009 at 11:17 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 31

Mannevond

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I'm in need of a new phone and have been thinking about the HTC hero for some time now. With microSDHC approaching usable sizes at 16 and 32 GB, I see it becoming my portable DAP. Unfortunately, no shop let me plug my own card, amp and cans into their demo units
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Current portable rig is rockboxed 30GB iPod 5.5g with LOD, 18V CMoy with oversized PSU and railsplitter, AD8620 opamp. Headphones of choice are Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 32 Ohms. I want a source that brings similar SQ as the quite excellent flac output from the iPod.

Since I can't demo it with my own gear and reference songs, I wonder if someone can answer the following:

- How is the signal quality from the jack? It will go to a separate amplifier; "weak" is ok as long as the signal is clean and natural
- Can it play flac files? I rip all my CDs to flac and would rather not rerip 400+ CDs.

Thanks in advance for your input
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Sep 4, 2009 at 11:58 AM Post #2 of 31
You mean you are looking for a decent DAP to pair your HTC phones and SDHC card? and require it can play flac?

There are too many DAP can satisfy youre requirement. I think the first page of portable source column of headfi org have many information on DAC selection.

Such as the hotest Microsoft New HD, Sony X, and AMP3 and so on. It is depends on your budget.

Just cost few minutes to find your preference one. For every body have his taste.
 
Sep 4, 2009 at 12:06 PM Post #3 of 31
Was I that unclear? I want to know about the sound quality of the HTC Hero cell phone. I have cans and amp, just want to find out about the audio qualities of that phone. Suggesting other (non apple!) cell phones would work too
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Sep 4, 2009 at 1:21 PM Post #4 of 31
I'm not sure what the Hero SQ is like, but I would suggest that you can easily transcode your FLAC files to another, lossy format (high bitrate, of course) to save space on the phone.

As much as I love my FLACs, if I had to listen to music from my phone, I'd prolly go lossy just to save precious space. The real solution, I think, is just to get a proper portable player to use instead. (I love my 16G iAudio 7.)
 
Sep 4, 2009 at 1:35 PM Post #5 of 31
I don't mind the limitation of 32GB for flacs, that's roughly where I am today. Plus, the microSD cards aren't bulky so I could pack several if 32 GB wasn't enough.

As I stated in my first post, I want to replace my phone with a new one, and if I can use it as my portable DAP and get rid of one device in my pocket, that'd be just great. But it has to be as good as or better than rockboxed ipod playing flacs. If the Hero could deliver that, my search would be over.

Seems that noone has bothered to test it for "audiphile" use. Ohwell, maybe I should continue to carry two phones, ipod and amp and get over it...
 
Sep 4, 2009 at 11:18 PM Post #7 of 31
Not really a definite indicator of the sound quality of the phone, but GSMArena.com did a review of the HTC Hero and usually does audio quality tests for any phone they review (testing the frequency response, noise level, dynamic range, THD, IMD+ noise, and stereo crosstalk).

It's at the bottom of the page here.
 
Sep 5, 2009 at 9:39 AM Post #8 of 31
Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterDLai /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Not really a definite indicator of the sound quality of the phone, but GSMArena.com did a review of the HTC Hero and usually does audio quality tests for any phone they review (testing the frequency response, noise level, dynamic range, THD, IMD+ noise, and stereo crosstalk).

It's at the bottom of the page here.



Thank you for finding that. Quite a good review all together
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The data indicates quite bad audio performance. That's sad. Seems that I have to keep the ipod as my portable source. Maybe there is a difference between the built-in headphone socket and the mini USB adapter... We shall see
 
Sep 6, 2009 at 1:50 AM Post #9 of 31
well other htc phones g1 and magic can run modified firmware to play flac, i currently use cyanogenmod on my htc magic...give it a few weeks and im pretty sure one might be out for the hero, if it alrdy hasnt.
 
Sep 6, 2009 at 10:50 AM Post #10 of 31
Can you say anything about SQ on the magic? Hero and magic are supposed to be more or less the same hardware, Hero sporting more RAM, fullspeed cpu and slightly improved OS+sense ui. Thanks
 
Sep 7, 2009 at 5:51 PM Post #15 of 31
How do you play flac on ipod touch? There is no ipodlinux or rockbox for it afaik. I think it isn't because of encrypted firmware or something
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