[club968]

Has anyone hear compared the HTC 10's audio quality with any $500+ DAPs? If so, please let us know how that experience went, and which one you liked more. 

Thanks!

I've compared it with the onkyi doxq. Very similar in detail and soundstage I think. The onkyo was definitely more neutral...which I didn't like lol. I also used to have a ZX2, which sounded more musical to me compared to the HTC10. But the HTC drives my LCD X and my ATH-m50x better than the Sony could. Was close, but the HTC did it better. Granted when I used my SE846 iems, the Sony sounded better...better soundstage, more musical. Detail was probably the same. I'm not an audiophile though.

Probably not the comparisons you were looking for but you can find a used ZX2 for around $500-600. DPX1 for even cheaper used.

 

[RockStar2005]

I've compared it with the onkyi doxq. Very similar in detail and soundstage I think. The onkyo was definitely more neutral...which I didn't like lol. I also used to have a ZX2, which sounded more musical to me compared to the HTC10. But the HTC drives my LCD X and my ATH-m50x better than the Sony could. Was close, but the HTC did it better. Granted when I used my SE846 iems, the Sony sounded better...better soundstage, more musical. Detail was probably the same. I'm not an audiophile though.

Probably not the comparisons you were looking for but you can find a used ZX2 for around $500-600. DPX1 for even cheaper used.

 
The Onkyo doxq? Never heard of that. I think you meant the $600 Onkyo DP-X1??
 
No that is great info!! I def know of the $1200 Sony NWZ-ZX2 DAP, so for you to say the 10 still got louder than that (which isn't a surprise knowing what I know about how Sony limits the output volume of its Walkmans ((I used to own the A17)) to save battery life lol) is amazing! I wasn't expecting it to outdo the $1200 ZX2, so you're saying the 10 came close or VERY close to matching the ZX2??
 
I've heard the V10 and V20's soundstage is better than the 10's, so not surprised the ZX2's is too. But I'm hoping the HTC 11 will improve on that. 

 

[club968]

The Onkyo doxq? Never heard of that. I think you meant the $600 Onkyo DP-X1??

No that is great info!! I def know of the $1200 Sony NWZ-ZX2 DAP, so for you to say the 10 still got louder than that (which isn't a surprise knowing what I know about how Sony limits the output volume of its Walkmans ((I used to own the A17)) to save battery life lol) is amazing! I wasn't expecting it to outdo the $1200 ZX2, so you're saying the 10 came close or VERY close to matching the ZX2??

I've heard the V10 and V20's soundstage is better than the 10's, so not surprised the ZX2's is too. But I'm hoping the HTC 11 will improve on that. 

Yeah, dpx1....typing too fast I guess, lol. Yeah, if the 10 costed the same as the zx2 I'd pick the zx2...but the cheaper price of the HTC 10, the convenience factor and the ability to drive more demanding headphones makes the 10 a no brainer for me. And the sound really is close. Not identical, but would be hard for me to tell the difference if I was listening in my family room around everyone.

 

[RockStar2005]

So you're saying the 10 came close or VERY close to matching the ZX2?? lol

 

[Jamesye]

Has anyone compared the audio quality between LG V20 and HTC 10? The other day I went to the store to check out LG V20 (quad dac) and honestly wasn't all very impressed with the experience and currently I'm using Blackberry Q10 as source. However I was impressed when I switched to HTC 10. It seems like HTC 10 dac has more juice than LG V20 to drive my IE 80 which was not even necessary.

 

[RockStar2005]

  Has anyone compared the audio quality between LG V20 and HTC 10? The other day I went to the store to check out LG V20 (quad dac) and honestly wasn't all very impressed with the experience and currently I'm using Blackberry Q10 as source. However I was impressed when I switched to HTC 10. It seems like HTC 10 dac has more juice than LG V20 to drive my IE 80 which was not even necessary.

 
I've listened to both, but not at the same time. 
 
I wonder though, when you listened to the V20, you said you felt the HTC 10's DAC had more "juice" than the V20's did, but did you mean ampage/volume, or did you actually feel the sound quality (not including volume) was better? 
 
If it was volume, then you might want to give the V20 another try b/c you may have been in "Normal" mode which is the quietest of the 3 amp modes on the V20. The next one is "Aux/External Device Detected" mode, and then of course there's "High Impedance" mode. The trick to get at least "Aux/External Device Detected" mode is to plug in the audio cable into the V20 first, and then the headphones (or in your case, IEMs) second. Or else it's vice versa? Just try both and one of them will DEFINITELY work! High Imp Mode is a lil tougher, and I REALLY doubt you'll need that considering you're just using IEMs anyway. 
 
If it was DAC that you meant, meaning the sound quality was better on the 10, please elaborate some more. Was the clarity better? The sound separation? The bass/mids/highs? The soundstage?? I am interested to read your answers to all this. 

 

[deepoison]

Has anyone compared the audio quality between LG V20 and HTC 10? The other day I went to the store to check out LG V20 (quad dac) and honestly wasn't all very impressed with the experience and currently I'm using Blackberry Q10 as source. However I was impressed when I switched to HTC 10. It seems like HTC 10 dac has more juice than LG V20 to drive my IE 80 which was not even necessary.

I have Se535 and I liked v20 more than htc10...can't explain in detail as I am not audiophile

Problem with v20 is that it requires high impedance earphones(read somewhere)...just googled, Impedance of se535>ie80

 

[RockStar2005]

I have Se535 and I liked v20 more than htc10...can't explain in detail as I am not audiophile

Problem with v20 is that it requires high impedance earphones(read somewhere)...just googled, Impedance of se535>ie80

 
deep, 
 
You don't have to be an audiophile to explain in detail necessarily. Even just a general description or reason why would be useful to readers on here. 
 
I don't know about that. If you're just using IEMs, there's no reason why "Aux/External Device Detected" wouldn't be MORE than enough to drive IEMs. 
 
I've never heard of "high impedance earphones"? I can't believe what constitutes "high impedance" for IEMs could be the same for regular headphones though. 

 

[N0sferatu]

I've had the HTC 10 since it first was released.  Still sounds great every day no matter what headphone in my collection I use.  
 
Denon AH-D7000 - pricey but easy to drive and they sound wonderful
 
Sennheiser HD600 - high impedence drives them easily...albeit not as loud due to high resistance cans but that is expected.  Bottom line they go really loud without an issue
 
Sony MDR XB50 (cheap ear buds) - plays awesome

 

[RockStar2005]

  I've had the HTC 10 since it first was released.  Still sounds great every day no matter what headphone in my collection I use.  
 
Denon AH-D7000 - pricey but easy to drive and they sound wonderful
 
Sennheiser HD600 - high impedence drives them easily...albeit not as loud due to high resistance cans but that is expected.  Bottom line they go really loud without an issue
 
Sony MDR XB50 (cheap ear buds) - plays awesome

 
So you're saying that, like the V10 and V20, the HTC 10 also has different "amp" modes too??
 
If so, can they be changed manually or is it all based on "automated detection" like the LG phones??

 

[club968]

So you're saying that, like the V10 and V20, the HTC 10 also has different "amp" modes too??

If so, can they be changed manually or is it all based on "automated detection" like the LG phones??

Doesn't have different modes, it just goes all out all the time.

 

[RockStar2005]

Doesn't have different modes, it just goes all out all the time.

 
Oh ok. Didn't know that. So compared to the V20, can it get LOUDER, or not as loud as V20's High Impedance (aka, the loudest mode the V20 offers)?

 

[club968]

I think the V20 was able to power more demanding headphones to higher levels. The HTC10 does a great job as well, but if you need that little extra you probably are better off with the V20. I run my Audeze LCD-X and my audio Technica ath-m50x at the perfect level for me with the 10, but the volume is almost at its max. If I had more demanding phones, I'd probably need a v20 (or an amp but that defeats the purpose)

 

[RockStar2005]

I think the V20 was able to power more demanding headphones to higher levels. The HTC10 does a great job as well, but if you need that little extra you probably are better off with the V20. I run my Audeze LCD-X and my audio Technica ath-m50x at the perfect level for me with the 10, but the volume is almost at its max. If I had more demanding phones, I'd probably need a v20 (or an amp but that defeats the purpose)

 
Ok. I kinda figured the V20 could get louder. But still, if the HTC 10 can power the M50x with its impedance of 38 Ohms and sensitivity of 99 dBs, and still just be ALMOST at max, that's pretty impressive!

 

[deepoison]

   
deep, 
 
You don't have to be an audiophile to explain in detail necessarily. Even just a general description or reason why would be useful to readers on here. 
 
I don't know about that. If you're just using IEMs, there's no reason why "Aux/External Device Detected" wouldn't be MORE than enough to drive IEMs. 
 
I've never heard of "high impedance earphones"? I can't believe what constitutes "high impedance" for IEMs could be the same for regular headphones though. 

To be honest, I dont understand the term impedance much. But this is what I found online ....the article I've referred in my previous post:
http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/LG-V20-Review_id4262/page/3?utm_campaign=website&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email
 
In short, this what they wrote about V20:
"LG V20 is a very capable music player, but one should not expect any auditory miracles out of it. Its main advantage over other handsets is that it can drive professional and high-end earphones with ease, so if you have a pair of high-impedance studio monitors, these will work with the phone just fine. Sound will be loud, clear, and dynamic. However, the great majority of earphones are of low impedance, so they’ll perform just as well in the V20 as they would in most other high-end handsets."
 
So, they say V20 ~= other phones if you use low impedance earphones/headphones.
 
For the comparision of HTC 10, v20, I used HTC 10 in TMobile store for 10-15mins and played songs from youtube while I have bought V20 (so playing mp3/FLACs) ...Comparision is not fair but I try to summarize my observations. ...... I found V20 to have wider soundstage compared to HTC 10. V20 is more analytical. HTC 10 is more bassy. I found the vocals in HTC 10 to be airy while it sounds clear and natural in V20. Regardless, both sounds great. I did setup personalized sound profile before listening to HTC 10.