[stozzer123]

So news is just coming out about the new HTC WP8 models.
 
standard fare pretty much apart from one little snippet about there being an improved amp section at both the speaker and hp out to "improve performance in harder to drive cans"
 
http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/09/htcs-first-windows-phone-8-smartphones-the-8x-and-8s-are-much-needed-shots-of-colour/

 

[DrTone]

I think I'm going to give Windows 8 a try this time around.  I've had an iPhone and various Androids.
 
More competition in the market would be great.  That said it's going to be an uphill battle for W8.

 

[stozzer123]

I love the OS simple and works well while looking good.  I have the lumia 900 right now before that the Sony xperia arc and iphone 4.  

 

[gkanai]

http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/19/3345684/windows-phone-8x-by-htc-specs-release-date-features

 

[toptalent]

I want to give this thread a bump.
 
We all know the "Beats" in HTC phones is just a gimmick. But how much of a difference will this dedicated headphone amp make? Additionally, do you think HTC will use the integrated snapdragon DAC for the phone (the same DAC they use on HTC One X US version and Samsung Galaxy S3 US version) or a higher quality (possibly Wolfson?) DAC to go with the amp?
 
If by any chance they really decided to put a quality DAC + a quality headphone amp in this phone, it could potentially become a game changer in the portable audio world. Sure an audiophile grade dedicated player or a USB otg+portable DAC/Amp setup can most likely still produce better sound, but you can't ignore the convenience of a phone + high quality sound all in one.

 

[Unwise]

Gonna bump this as well considering the htc 8x is now out. 
 
If anyone has the phone please let us know if the extra 2.5 v to the headphone amp truly helps in driving headphones. Thanks so much!

 

[elfary]

Quote:

I want to give this thread a bump.
 
We all know the "Beats" in HTC phones is just a gimmick. But how much of a difference will this dedicated headphone amp make? Additionally, do you think HTC will use the integrated snapdragon DAC for the phone (the same DAC they use on HTC One X US version and Samsung Galaxy S3 US version) or a higher quality (possibly Wolfson?) DAC to go with the amp?
 
If by any chance they really decided to put a quality DAC + a quality headphone amp in this phone, it could potentially become a game changer in the portable audio world. Sure an audiophile grade dedicated player or a USB otg+portable DAC/Amp setup can most likely still produce better sound, but you can't ignore the convenience of a phone + high quality sound all in one.

 
iPhone 3GS was the audio changer of the portable audio world. And iPhone 4/4S took that headphone out even further.
 
To me this is HTC's late 2012 marketing ploy. I can recall how HTC One X (international version) was touted as "studio sound" (when it has an unbereable hiss that it's louder than the music on soft sections)

 

[stozzer123]

sitting with a one x right now, not getting that at all.

 

[Unwise]

Well I believe the Iphone 4/4s have around 1.7 volts routed to the headphone jack. The 2.5 in the htc 8x is a substantial increase. The beats marketing is just a gimmick but the actual hardware addition might be hugely beneficial.

 

[tds101]

I'm craving an upgrade to the Lumia 920. Especially with the 7 band EQ,... The HTC 8X still looks like a fantastic choice.

 

[tds101]

Darn oops,...

 

[Bas72]

Typing this on an HTC 8X. Great phone, beautiful design, love WP8 - really refreshing after years of iPhones.

Soundwise there is a little thing that bothers me: the hiss I hear when using low-impedance headphones. Using Klipsch Image S4's now, and in the softer parts the hiss is always audible. Between tracks it's gone, so it looks like a software rather than a hardware/wiring issue. Hope HTC and/or Microsoft can fix this with a software update.

 

[edtech99]

Have been using the HTC 8x for 2 days now.  Using B&W P5 headphones.
 
I did some testing on mostly rock and folk tracks between Beats enabled and disabled.  Overall, I'm a little underwhelmed with both.  For a while, I was listening with Beats disabled because I thought it had a flatter sound.  However, I was getting listening fatigue really quickly.
 
Today, I decided to listen for a while with Beats enabled.  So far, I feel like I'm getting less fatigue.  If this is true, then Beats is not just simply about EQ.  There would be something going on that is decreasing distortion.
 
Was curious what was going on here, and found that GSMArena does some amount of technical analysis on phone audio quality:
http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_windows_phone_8x-review-844p6.php
 
They test phones with all software audio enhancements disabled.  I found it interesting that their frequency response curve for the 8X showed a very clear decrease on both the low and high end.  Since we know Beats adds back bass and treble, this would seem like the circuitry is being matched to the software in some way to create a balanced sound.
 
Is it possible that there is something going on here similar to the early days of Dolby NR, where Dolby NR recordings had some frequencies adjusted in the recording, then Dolby would re-adjust them back in playback?  The idea being that the original sound quality was better preserved as it passed through a medium that could cause distortion.  Back then, it was analogue tapes causing the distortion.  Today, it's poor quality files + lots of noise in phone circuitry.
 
BTW... I do also hear a faint hiss while tracks are playing.  That doesn't seem to depend on Beats on or off.
 
Ed

 

[Bas72]

One other annoying little thingy: when the sound level drops beneath a certain threshold, sound is clipped. At that moment the hiss is gone for a second too. When sound comes back, the hiss is back too. This is NOT an audiophile grade telephone, great as it may be in other areas.

UPDATE 22-Dec: The "Portico" update for Windows Phone 8 solved the problem for me! Hooray! The update broke the Beats Audio switch (no distinction between on and off positions anymore) but I don't really care about that - I was never a big fan of Beats Audio anyway.