[DroidArmy]

I'm just going to throw this out there because I feel like you should know. The s3 has one of the worst audio chips in the world. The s3 has been known for buzzing, crackling, and a very high noise floor. I should know because I've owned one. I would get a phone which can actually play music well before you start judging your ultimate ears. Chances are a good amount of it is the phone.


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[michaelf]

I'm just going to throw this out there because I feel like you should know. The s3 has one of the worst audio chips in the world. The s3 has been known for buzzing, crackling, and a very high noise floor. I should know because I've owned one. I would get a phone which can actually play music well before you start judging your ultimate ears. Chances are a good amount of it is the phone.


Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk

Did you have the international version or the American one?

 

[DroidArmy]

I'm just going to throw this out there because I feel like you should know. The s3 has one of the worst audio chips in the world. The s3 has been known for buzzing, crackling, and a very high noise floor. I should know because I've owned one. I would get a phone which can actually play music well before you start judging your ultimate ears. Chances are a good amount of it is the phone.


Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk

Did you have the international version or the American one?

The American version. The international one used a wolfson chip which is actually pretty good


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[michaelf]

The American version. The international one used a wolfson chip which is actually pretty good


Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk

Yes, I have the international version.
Good sound and a removable battery, SD card were the deciding factors when I was buying the phone.
I was not aware of the horrors of Samsung ROMs and Touchwiz

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
Did you have the international version or the American one?

 
I have the T-Mobile version and it has noise clearly audible at up to about the second press of the volume up button from silent on NeutronMP. However since I seemed to be the only one to have had that problem. Past that I still liked the HTC One and iPhone better, but USB audio and expandable local storage was more important for me as I used it as a USB output audio server.

 

[michaelf]

   
I have the T-Mobile version and it has noise clearly audible at up to about the second press of the volume up button from silent on NeutronMP. However since I seemed to be the only one to have had that problem. Past that I still liked the HTC One and iPhone better, but USB audio and expandable local storage was more important for me as I used it as a USB output audio server.

 
I am gonna guess you got it on a contract and the international one was not an option.
I do not have noise issues but the again its a different audio chip.
 
I probably should have mentioned on the first post I have the international version.
 
You said about the frequency response of the US S3 that its dark, have you tried an international one and can you compare it?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
I am gonna guess you got it on a contract and the international one was not an option.
I do not have noise issues but the again its a different audio chip.
 
I probably should have mentioned on the first post I have the international version.
 
You said about the frequency response of the US S3 that its dark, have you tried an international one and can you compare it?

 
My brother actually, then before the contract was up he got a Note II - I'm not really sure how the family plan works but since my Mom doesn't need the latest phone and there was no clause about who can use the phone, he sent it to me...and now I'm the only one here using a US version with the supposedly sh***y audio chip. Unfortunately the one time I had access to the local (international) version I was too busy with other gear, so I didn't get to try, but someone who borrowed my phone to do the comparo did note the other one seemed more open and more detailed, although not by much really. As in even he said that it being free trumped everything, including selling it and paying more to get the other version (this was in 2012). for me I really just need the USB audio; on the go I don't really mind if it sounds a little dark, as it isn't exaggerated and it's something I can live with when, for example, I'm stuck waiting for somebody or in the library working on my MA thesis.
 
Just to put it all in perspective, using its USB audio output through a D-Zero doesn't help the tonal qualities that much. A little less warmth, but every other benefit was in the amp; however if I do use it as such USB audio is still preferable over the earphone output since it's a PITA to mix the gain on the phone and the ampto balance the sound, then I have to make adjustments again if I have to change the volume.

 

[michaelf]

My brother actually, then before the contract was up he got a Note II - I'm not really sure how the family plan works but since my Mom doesn't need the latest phone and there was no clause about who can use the phone, he sent it to me...and now I'm the only one here using a US version with the supposedly sh***y audio chip. Unfortunately the one time I had access to the local (international) version I was too busy with other gear, so I didn't get to try, but someone who borrowed my phone to do the comparo did note the other one seemed more open and more detailed, although not by much really. As in even he said that it being free trumped everything, including selling it and paying more to get the other version (this was in 2012).

So you inherited it, that makes sense, and you probably are the only one here with a US variant, well you and DroidArmy before he sold it.
 
 

For me I really just need the USB audio; on the go I don't really mind if it sounds a little dark, as it isn't exaggerated and it's something I can live with when, for example, I'm stuck waiting for somebody or in the library working on my MA thesis.

Currently I find myself skipping a lot of albums, when the highs are just too distracting, I had a similar experience with a pair of Sennheiser OMX 680, but those were cheap and I just gave them away.
 
 

Just to put it all in perspective, using its USB audio output through a D-Zero doesn't help the tonal qualities that much. A little less warmth, but every other benefit was in the amp; however if I do use it as such USB audio is still preferable over the earphone output since it's a PITA to mix the gain on the phone and the ampto balance the sound, then I have to make adjustments again if I have to change the volume.

To tell a truth I am more and more skeptical as to how much of an improvement I am gonna get from a €200-€250 DAC/amp or standalone player. So if anyone here in the forum is in Cyprus and can demo a portable device I'm buying coffee to a cafe of his/her choice.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

To tell a truth I am more and more skeptical as to how much of an improvement I am gonna get from a €200-€250 DAC/amp or standalone player.

 
It depends on which player or which DAC. I've listened to some that were worse in some areas than my amp's PCM2702-based USB DAC (as in that's the USB receive and DAC in the circuit, minimalist design), and they cost as much or more than that amp, and some of them get great reviews here and elsewhere. The Marantz CD5004 for example hada "huge" soundstage, but on my headphone and amplifier, I had the drums going around my head, which is only possible if Dream Theater hired Reed Richards to replace Mike Portnoy. Since Reed Richards is a fictional character, then obviously this won't be natural sound either. The previous generation Rega Apollo was also just too dark on my amp and headphone. I won't be surprised if there are DACs out there that might have the same issues, but so far the ones I've tried recently - HRT iStreamer, Schiit Bifrost, ODAC - don't have this issue. Compared to mainstream, multi-purpose devices the sound was more "live" and dynamic, and yes I try to get the volume levels as equal as possible.

 

[michaelf]

It depends on which player or which DAC. I've listened to some that were worse in some areas than my amp's PCM2702-based USB DAC (as in that's the USB receive and DAC in the circuit, minimalist design), and they cost as much or more than that amp, and some of them get great reviews here and elsewhere. The Marantz CD5004 for example hada "huge" soundstage, but on my headphone and amplifier, I had the drums going around my head, which is only possible if Dream Theater hired Reed Richards to replace Mike Portnoy. Since Reed Richards is a fictional character, then obviously this won't be natural sound either. The previous generation Rega Apollo was also just too dark on my amp and headphone. I won't be surprised if there are DACs out there that might have the same issues, but so far the ones I've tried recently - HRT iStreamer, Schiit Bifrost, ODAC - don't have this issue. Compared to mainstream, multi-purpose devices the sound was more "live" and dynamic, and yes I try to get the volume levels as equal as possible.

I'm specifically speaking about DACs in the €200-€250 range and portable, the sources you mentioned cost more but I get your point.