iPhone 6 & 6 Plus Audio Quality

[kissmevn]

"Blow them out of the water in any song", it's a so funny, football type remark... Even if we gather that pure audio quality is anymore at the same level (which is not the case exactly), I just prefer the iPhone general ease of use, Apple's ecosystem and certainly iOS...At least in iOS apps are updating regularly...

I agree that that Apple ecosystem and ios are better than android for now.
But we're at head-fi so I just focus on my impression on the audio quality.
Sorry if that conflict with yours 

 

 

[SparkOnShore]

I agree that that Apple ecosystem and ios are better than android for now.
But we're at head-fi so I just focus on my impression on the audio quality.
Sorry if that conflict with yours :confused_face:  

Audio quality is close but not equal. I have nothing more to add, just check official measurements of outputs of different phones and you will see the differences in favor of all iPhones from 4s and on...

 

[ExpatinJapan]

Output impedances (out of date but has enough info)

http://monoadc.blog64.fc2.com/blog-entry-99.html

 

[meat01]

  Reading all comments that favor iphone 6/6s audio quality so much here.I have to run straight to my friend to try out the 6s/6+.
 
Well, using my k10 and LCD-2, I have to say they're no better than my previous phone lg G3.
They sound relax and easy to listen to (a bit on the warm side), but nothing else special.They lack dynamic, detail, solid bass...
My currently LG V10 testing side by side can blow them out water in any song.
Just my imo

 
When you say blow them out of the water are you talking about the LG V10 sounding louder?  Did you level match them?  Of course the louder sounding phone will sound better.  That is how are brain works.

 

[kissmevn]

Audio quality is close but not equal. I have nothing more to add, just check official measurements of outputs of different phones and you will see the differences in favor of all iPhones from 4s and on...

Well, imo measurements are just part of the story, you can't judge a book just by its cover, right ?

When you say blow them out of the water are you talking about the LG V10 sounding louder?  Did you level match them?  Of course the louder sounding phone will sound better.  That is how are brain works.

I'm sure that I manualy matching them by my ears. For example, I used the song "Davy Jones" to test the detail. The lg v10 can easily show the sound of the music box's parts rolling in the background while for the 6s, I have turn up the sound to a quite higher level that it create some distortion

 

[SparkOnShore]

Well, imo measurements are just part of the story, you can't judge a book just by its cover, right ?
I'm sure that I manualy matching them by my ears. For example, I used the song "Davy Jones" to test the detail. The lg v10 can easily show the sound of the music box's parts rolling in the background while for the 6s, I have turn up the sound to a quite higher level that it create some distortion

What you write here is at least doubtful... It is logically impossible for a whole sound part of a song to be presented by some kind of LG phone and not by any iPhone!!!! Sorry but something may be wrong with your friend's iPhone or it's just a troll...

And by the way, measurements are not the cover of the book. They are the whole book actually. Measurements are the only proof that what we believe we hear is real, since hearing for each person is influenced by many factors apart from audio, like brain conditions, expectations biases, momentary psychology etc etc...

 

[kissmevn]

Hmmm. I'm not an audiophile expert, I'm just telling the truth about what I hear and what I feel. Sorry if my impression bother you.
But you know,ESS Sabres are famous for their detail retrieval and sound quality. And LG V10 use ESS 9018C2M and the amp is ESS9602C.
 
Well, again about measurements, Mojo has several better numbers than Hugo (I my self own an Mojo). I think Hugo still sound superior

 

[SparkOnShore]

Hmmm. I'm not an audiophile expert, I'm just telling the truth about what I hear and what I feel. Sorry if my impression bother you.
But you know,ESS Sabres are famous for their detail retrieval. And LG V10 use ESS 9018C2M and the amp is ESS9602C.

Well, again about measurements, Mojo has several better numbers than Hugo (I my self own an Mojo). I think Hugo still sound superior

It's ok. You can go on "feeling" that your LG sounds better than an iPhone and that it has "more detail retrieval") If it makes you happy this way, I will not insist...

I cannot comment about Mojo or Hugo since I only listen directly from my iPhone's headphone out. I feel lighter that way...

 

[kissmevn]

Okay, that's right. Just be happy with what you like .
I just don't feel right when someone state that apple phone sound the same as dedicated music equipment so I must test that. Congrats, you're the most happy man in headfi

 

[elfary]

Brighter does not equate to more accurate. Just brighter. That's what V10 is against an iPhone 6.

To my ears iPhone 6 is bit more refined and rounded with my SE846s. YMMV.


If the tonality it's not right, then nothing else really matters.

 

[kissmevn]

Brighter does not equate to more accurate. Just brighter. That's what V10 is against an iPhone 6.

To my ears iPhone 6 is bit more refined and rounded with my SE846s. YMMV.


If the tonality it's not right, then nothing else really matters.

 
Yes, that's true. When I first receive the LG V10, using the stock player, it isn't as smooth as my Mojo.(I don't have a 846 so I don't know if they synergy well together.)
But I wouldn't go that far to call it bright, I think it's more of "flat" type. As I said, Apple's Iphone is a bit on the warm side.
 
Going back to the V10, when MM arrived, I updated and use power amp Alpha (build 702). Things improved in a good way.
The player brings out more potential of the ESS dac chip in V10. It sounds smoother, more dynamic, better separation...

 

[elfary]

   
Yes, that's true. When I first receive the LG V10, using the stock player, it isn't as smooth as my Mojo.(I don't have a 846 so I don't know if they synergy well together.)
But I wouldn't go that far to call it bright, I think it's more of "flat" type. As I said, Apple's Iphone is a bit on the warm side.
 
Going back to the V10, when MM arrived, I updated and use power amp Alpha (build 702). Things improved in a good way.
The player brings out more potential of the ESS dac chip in V10. It sounds smoother, more dynamic, better separation...

 
I said brighter than iPhone. Not bright. iPhone 6 is a pinch warm.
 
I would not have any problem using the V10 as my daily driver anyway. It's a great source (for iems at least=).
 
Smartphones like the V10 or the iPhone make me feel that carrying around a dedicated dap for my iems is utterly pointless. And an ergonomy/ubiquity slain.

 

[SparkOnShore]

I said brighter than iPhone. Not bright. iPhone 6 is a pinch warm.

I would not have any problem using the V10 as my daily driver anyway. It's a great source (for iems at least=).

Smartphones like the V10 or the iPhone make me feel that carrying around a dedicated dap for my iems is utterly pointless. And an ergonomy/ubiquity slain.

Hi Elfary,

After having the iPhone 6s Plus for 3 weeks now, I think it is even warmer than the iPhone 6 which I had been using for one year. But it is very good to my ears without any buzzing up to now. Regarding V10, kissmevn mentioned that there was a whole background sound in a song that he could listen clearly on V10 but not on iPhone. I found this claim outrageous because even if V10 is brighter, the differences are too minimal for someone to claim that he could hear something in a song on V10 and not on iPhone. Another strange claim was that he should turn up the volume on the iPhone to hear details clearly and this caused distortion!! I don't know but I never heard distortion from iPhone at any volume level...

 

[krismusic]

I find the top end of the 6S a bit rough. I'm using multi BA CIEM's. I don't know if there is a mismatch of some kind?

 

[smaragd]

My 6 plus also never caused distortion in my sensitive Westone UM-Pro 50... Nice detailed warm sound without listening fatigue. That said my previous LG Gpro was less engaging and too harsh at the top ( too bright ) and prolonged listening caused fatigue. I understand it didn't have the ESS DAC chip but still...

@ Krismusic... Do you use the stock cable or a silver plated copper cable with your CIEM?


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