[Gilly87]

Interesting article...I'd be curious to see those tests run again using Android phones like the Nexus 5 and G2X with software like Voodoo and Faux Kernel installed that give manual control over analog and digital gain to see what their actual impact on measurable aspects of SQ is. I notice that the N5 really runs into most of its problems at high volume, which comes from stressing the amplifier and not maximizing the use of digital volume control. I can hear audible differences using Faux Kernel with the analog gain taken all the way down: noticeably less distortion which leads to improved sense of instrument separation, more realistic imaging, and an overall less "blurry" sound.

This article offers many interesting details about smartphone audio quality, with measurements for the Nexus 5 and the LG G2.

~Brian

 

[Max Minimum]

Seems like everyone who doesn't have a problem is using bass heavy IEMs...I guess at the end of the day if your IEMs are bassy, the Moto X is not a bad source!

Yeah it's really not bad at all.  Comparing it to the Galaxy S4, there isn't a lot of difference with eq either flat or off.  The S4 does give you a bit more customization if you want to tweak the sound, though.  With the Moto X you are stuck with presets...even when you select that badly-labeled "custom" profile.  Be sure to set surround to off for most things, though you may find recordings here and there that actually sound good with it.  I'll have to compare it to my wife's 5th gen iPod Touch when I get a chance.

 

[mtliu]

I picked up a Moto X at the beginning of this year. It is now something I carry around with me everywhere. It is awesome and my IPods and IPads are now retired as far as music listening goes. This Moto X is what I wanted in college! Too bad at the time the cassette walkman just came out and I was still lugging around hundreds of pounds of vinyl and not using anything to help me keep track of appointments. many years later I did use Palm devices, but the Moto X is just the shnizzet for me!

 

[FangJoker]

Seems like everyone who doesn't have a problem is using bass heavy IEMs...I guess at the end of the day if your IEMs are bassy, the Moto X is not a bad source!

Yeah it's really not bad at all.  Comparing it to the Galaxy S4, there isn't a lot of difference with eq either flat or off.  The S4 does give you a bit more customization if you want to tweak the sound, though.  With the Moto X you are stuck with presets...even when you select that badly-labeled "custom" profile.  Be sure to set surround to off for most things, though you may find recordings here and there that actually sound good with it.  I'll have to compare it to my wife's 5th gen iPod Touch when I get a chance.

Just use viper4android instead of the stock eq or any other eq app.

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

 

[mtliu]

I actually use an older app that has BBE processing. I listen through mostly earbuds. I used to be an an audiophile, then I worked for a stereo store and got that out of my system and am now perfectly happy with good (not great) sounding equipment. I know BBE technically adds  distortion, but I like it that way. I also prefer $25 earbuds (with a dynamic driver) to IEMs that use TWFK Knowles drivers - so I'm a weird one. . . 

 

[raymartin]

Well as long as I have used my Moto X (for almost 2 months now) with the soundmagic e10 , I can say this is one of the best portable music device u can carry, better than my ipod nano and Sony portable music player, also than my Galaxy S4 (it's bass processing just feels wrong)
Great for me may be bad for someone else
Punchy bass, but still great mids, and great clarity

 

[mtliu]

I like that I'm only carrying one electronic device.around now and its case doubles as a wallet.

 

[Max Minimum]

  I picked up a Moto X at the beginning of this year. It is now something I carry around with me everywhere. It is awesome and my IPods and IPads are now retired as far as music listening goes. This Moto X is what I wanted in college! Too bad at the time the cassette walkman just came out and I was still lugging around hundreds of pounds of vinyl and not using anything to help me keep track of appointments. many years later I did use Palm devices, but the Moto X is just the shnizzet for me!

Yeah, the Moto X may not have the latest specs but everything it does is just so elegantly implemented and optimized that it is one of the most enjoyable devices to use on the market right now. 
 
I remember the days when cassette players and cd players were considered portable devices, too.  These days, while on the move, I mostly use Google Play Music, my phone, and a set of IEMs...and I get much better sound than I could get with the best (then considered) portable equipment available.  Interesting times...

 

[Max Minimum]

Just use viper4android instead of the stock eq or any other eq app.

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

Replacing the built-in eq is definitely the way to go.  I'm using Equalizer right now.  Works great, but I'll definitely check out viper.  Thanks!

 

[mtliu]

When I picked up my Moto X in Jan 14, I was the only person I knew that had one. Very slowly, I started to see others get one. Students in my class, random people at Target, and just this week, my boss. 
 
Even though I dislike the sound of Beats products, I have to thank them for making wearing headphones (not just iems or buds) in public more than socially acceptable. Currently I'm using $10 cans that I transplanted MDR-V700J drivers into. Removing the foam filters present on the drivers and shoving the 50mm drivers into smaller on-ear housing seems to tighten up the bass, get rid of the V-shaped midrange, and open up the highs - plus since the cans look like they cost $10, no one will mug me for them. 
 
I don't use any eq, but I do use BBE. 
 
It really does a great job at music playback. 
 
I do wish someone would design a phone that has a screen that is exactly half the size of an Ipad Mini. I think that would be the perfect size. Take an Ipad Mini and cut it half lengthwise and that would be the dimensions of my perfect phone.

 

[Whitigir]

mtliu, why not Sony Xperia Z3 ? It is one of the good sizing phone. The only thing that bug me is the home/power button. It gotta be on the side of the phone

 

[mtliu]

The Sony is not compable with my carrier. The carriers it is compatible with charge more than 2x and sometimes over 4x what I pay now for the exact same service. This is also why I dumped one of the main carriers recently to go with my current company. There are some recent and intersting prepaid companies going through discount stores that come close, but the actual price of the service is still at least 80% more than what I pay now.

 

[oqvist]

Just ordered a Moto X. This thread do somewhat reassure me. I like 95 % of the human population have bassy mobile sound devices. In my case the Yamaha EPH-100 I doubt that a little roll off will hurt any. It´s not like I will do tons of Audeze LCD-2 listening on it.
 
Can´t wait compare it to my Ipod touch 3G. I dropped my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 which is why I ordered the Moto X in the first place. So can´t do any comparison with that.

 

[mtliu]

I owned the first gen Moto X when it came out. My carrier upgraded me the 2nd Gen - sometimes called the 2014 model. They do sound pretty good for a phone. It's comparable the sound of main-stream media players. Cool thing about the Moto X 2014 (and other similar phones) is that they can sync with my car via Bluetooth and be controlled via the steering wheel media controls. 
 
The Moto X was the first phone I had that could take a standard 3.5mm out - the other phones I had needed some kind of adapter. Some were proprietry - which was especially annoying.
 
However, hooking up an external DAC such as the Fiio E17K sounds much better than the stock output - but this is taking it to the next level with stacking devices.

 

[oqvist]

So I could expect at least equal sound quality to a Samsung Galaxy Note 2? I am not super picky when on the go so that has been okay even though my Ipod touch 3G is a bit better. But since it´s not a phone and an extra device and I mostly use spotify these days I hardly ever carry it.