[Whaleshark12]

...From the E18 or the M8?

M8 - common issue with clipping / distorting I'm afraid...

E18 - not heard about that if that is the case...

...As to the poster that says to use the M8 rather than the E18, there is one key reason not to - if you have ANY hi-res (above 16/48) files - the M8 cannot do hi-res of any description without offloading it to the USB...

I use it to play FLAC file, well. I only have a few high res music in my library. + I don't really like the sound signature of Htc M8 internal DAC. That's why i use E18 to compensate for it.

  I can tell you where the clipping comes from. From this unbelieveable utterly Crap called "Boomsound".
Turn that crap off, if you want soundquality. This setting with earphones/headphones will do nothing than worsen the soundquality by a mile.
Bass and treble are getting raised too much, causing distortions. I couldnt listen with that, it hurt my ears because its that bad.
 
Other than that.. i have never heared any clipping or distorting from my M8. Perfectly clean everything (using UE 900, without any additional DAC/AMP)
 
To the hi-res argument: So what? Do you really think the soundchip is even close in beeing that good, that you could possibly hear any difference between 16/44,1, or higher? I call 100% voodo on that. NOONE will be able to hear a difference there --> doesnt matter. you probably wont even hear a difference between lossless and a good 320 kbit/s mp3 on most songs (well, maybe because most songs have a mediocre quality), by using "just a smartphone".
Caring about hi-res on "just a Smartphone" is like caring about a spoiler on a city car :/
 
Btw: A GOOD soundchip, that can only 16/44,1 will sound by miles better than a bad soundchip, that is capable in playing hi-res bitrates.
 
In my Optinion, there are only 3 reasons, why you should use a DAC instead the M8 itself as a player:
- You want a better soundchip, because you use high end headphones (and no, high end is not 200 dollars)
- You want/need more Output power
- You want/need a <1 Ohm output impedance because you drive extremely sensitive multi-BA inears.
 
From my experience: the Soundchip/dac/source/whatever you want to call it has MUCH less influence on the Soundquality, than most people claim ^^

That's what i been thinking, that boomsound ruin it. I don't like to listen to music in public using speaker. It ticks other people off. I enjoy listening to them privately (using IEM). Clipping sound only occur when I'm connected to E18 and with the BoomSound on (I can't turn it off, it is grey out). Other than that, direct connecting to the phone itself was decent. Just that the mid sound too crowded on most song. Which wasn't my liking. Anyone here have tried the Harman Kardon Mod over the xda forum?

 

[Duncan]

Darkseth Yup, look at my signature, and you'll see how not quite right you are with that post (with relation to me at least)...

Additionally, I can assure you that the M8 does clip quite badly - I've been posting about that in both this thread, and also over at XDA, and - ultimately does not have a very good output when compared to higher end sources...

That is NOT saying that the M8 is totally bad, but - what I am saying is that the M8 certainly isn't reference grade, and can very easily be bettered...

 

[uelover]

@Darkseth Yup, look at my signature, and you'll see how not quite right you are with that post (with relation to me at least)...

Additionally, I can assure you that the M8 does clip quite badly - I've been posting about that in both this thread, and also over at XDA, and - ultimately does not have a very good output when compared to higher end sources...
 

 
My M8 does not cause the music to clip at all. Period.

 

[Duncan]

My M8 does not cause the music to clip at all. Period.

what volume do you listen at, and which version of kit Kat are you on?

 

[uelover]

what volume do you listen at, and which version of kit Kat are you on?

 
I am on 4.4.2
 
With USB Audio Player Pro (without USB DAC attached, aka internal DAC) I am close to max volume.
 
With USB Audio Player Pro (with USB DAC attached) I bypass the internal volume control.
 
With HTC Stock Player I am on variable depending on the track and headphone I am using.

 

[Darkseth]

  That's what i been thinking, that boomsound ruin it. I don't like to listen to music in public using speaker. It ticks other people off. I enjoy listening to them privately (using IEM). Clipping sound only occur when I'm connected to E18 and with the BoomSound on (I can't turn it off, it is grey out). Other than that, direct connecting to the phone itself was decent. Just that the mid sound too crowded on most song. Which wasn't my liking. Anyone here have tried the Harman Kardon Mod over the xda forum?

I'm not talking about the external speakers. On them, you NEED boomsound, or it just sounds tinny. I have tried it myself while flashing H&K Soundmod (which disables Boomsound completely).
On Headphones on the other hand, you CAN turn it off. If you dont, you get pretty much just an agressive EQ effect on it: overall volume gets raised up, bass gets raised up by abit, and treble gets raised by a good bunch (and THATS causing distortions)
 

@Darkseth Yup, look at my signature, and you'll see how not quite right you are with that post (with relation to me at least)...

Additionally, I can assure you that the M8 does clip quite badly - I've been posting about that in both this thread, and also over at XDA, and - ultimately does not have a very good output when compared to higher end sources...

That is NOT saying that the M8 is totally bad, but - what I am saying is that the M8 certainly isn't reference grade, and can very easily be bettered...

Then your M8 is probably defect, or your songs were badly produced. Mine produces perfectly clean sound (well.. at least theres nothing like clipping or any distortions).. Not really different from my old Galaxy S3 with Wolfson Audiochip + Boefflia kernel tweaks. So, i cannot confirm this issue, at least on mine.
 
I never said M8 is reference grade, by FAR not. Thats the whole base of my claim, that it doesnt matter at all, if your music on the M8 has 16/44,1, or any special hi-res.
Beeing able to play hi-res (like the LG G2 claims to be able to) has zero advantages, if the Soundchip + amplifier are not able, to show those unbelieveable small nuances in quality.
Thats like having a 1080p TV; which is able to run 4k videos. doesnt bring you much, since the TV Panel still has only 1080p pixels
 
Compared to all other smartphones, the M8 has one of the best/highest audio quality (which also gets pushed up by the dedicated amplifier). But compared to a high quality DAC (let it be a Fiio E17/E18, or even some 200-500$+ DACs) its still inferiour.
 
But compared to my Asus Phoebus, my M8 doesnt sound much worse when using my T90 to compare. in fact, the difference is pretty small.
But maybe not a good comparison here with this headphone. The T90 doesnt need much power, and runs really well on almost every source.
 
What i wanted to say is.. If you have to decide between the M8 (while Boomsound turning off), and the Fiio E18 as DAC/AMP replace (while Boomsound can NOT be turned off), my choise here would be very easy.
 
 
(Small edit: Even on my Desktop build (Asus Phoebus + Beyerdynamic T90) i have never heared a difference between any special hi-res. If you can provide me any source where you have an good example, i'm quite curious^^)

   
My M8 does not cause the music to clip at all. Period.

Mine neither, like i said above.
 
I am listening at around 50-75% (depending on the overall volume of the songs), all above that is just too painfull for me. Since the output power is quite high, and the UE 900 arent really "power hungry".
My Music is mostly Flac and 320 kbit/s mp3. Rarely below that.
Boomsound is also Turned off while using headphones.
 
Oh yea, i was also using the normal 4.4.2, that came out (using Android Revolution HD roms since i have my M8). Just a few days ago i switched to 4.4.3, didnt tried the sound yet. But i doubt it sounds different.

 

[DisCHORDDubstep]

I'm not talking about the external speakers. On them, you NEED boomsound, or it just sounds tinny. I have tried it myself while flashing H&K Soundmod (which disables Boomsound completely).
On Headphones on the other hand, you CAN turn it off. If you dont, you get pretty much just an agressive EQ effect on it: overall volume gets raised up, bass gets raised up by abit, and treble gets raised by a good bunch (and THATS causing distortions)

Then your M8 is probably defect, or your songs were badly produced. Mine produces perfectly clean sound (well.. at least theres nothing like clipping or any distortions).. Not really different from my old Galaxy S3 with Wolfson Audiochip + Boefflia kernel tweaks. So, i cannot confirm this issue, at least on mine.

I never said M8 is reference grade, by FAR not. Thats the whole base of my claim, that it doesnt matter at all, if your music on the M8 has 16/44,1, or any special hi-res.
Beeing able to play hi-res (like the LG G2 claims to be able to) has zero advantages, if the Soundchip + amplifier are not able, to show those unbelieveable small nuances in quality.
Thats like having a 1080p TV; which is able to run 4k videos. doesnt bring you much, since the TV Panel still has only 1080p pixels

Compared to all other smartphones, the M8 has one of the best/highest audio quality (which also gets pushed up by the dedicated amplifier). But compared to a high quality DAC (let it be a Fiio E17/E18, or even some 200-500$+ DACs) its still inferiour.

But compared to my Asus Phoebus, my M8 doesnt sound much worse when using my T90 to compare. in fact, the difference is pretty small.
But maybe not a good comparison here with this headphone. The T90 doesnt need much power, and runs really well on almost every source.

What i wanted to say is.. If you have to decide between the M8 (while Boomsound turning off), and the Fiio E18 as DAC/AMP replace (while Boomsound can NOT be turned off), my choise here would be very easy.


(Small edit: Even on my Desktop build (Asus Phoebus + Beyerdynamic T90) i have never heared a difference between any special hi-res. If you can provide me any source where you have an good example, i'm quite curious^^)
Mine neither, like i said above.

I am listening at around 50-75% (depending on the overall volume of the songs), all above that is just too painfull for me. Since the output power is quite high, and the UE 900 arent really "power hungry".
My Music is mostly Flac and 320 kbit/s mp3. Rarely below that.
Boomsound is also Turned off while using headphones.

Oh yea, i was also using the normal 4.4.2, that came out (using Android Revolution HD roms since i have my M8). Just a few days ago i switched to 4.4.3, didnt tried the sound yet. But i doubt it sounds different.

lol. 4k on 1080p. Reminds me of people who get a gaming computer so they can have their game run at like 140 fps, yet their tv has a 60hz refresh rate so you wont be able to see the difference past 60 fps. Also, people who have a 60hz refresh rate on their tv or monitor, and say that the human eye can't see more than 60fps. Or with headphones... People with beats solo's and MDR-ZX100's saying that the human ear can't hear past 192kbps, and that they know its true because they tried it on their cheap headphones. I know the human eye can see more than 60hz, but you have to have a screen that has more than a 60hz refresh rate, and that the human ear can hear more than 192kbps, but you have to have a good source, dac, and headphones to hear the difference.

 

[Duncan]

That clears that up then...

It isn't that the M8 doesn't clip, it is that it doesn't clip under volume 13/15... I will happily concur there, so there needs to be a caveat

 

[Darkseth]

Hmm that might be.. At least regarding the Headphone jack, i have yet to find a headphone, thats not loud enough pre 13/15 for me but that won't happen, since i dont plan to replace my T90 for the next decade

 

[uelover]

That clears that up then...

It isn't that the M8 doesn't clip, it is that it doesn't clip under volume 13/15... I will happily concur there, so there needs to be a caveat

I have yet to find an iem that I can push above 70% without going deaf on the m8.

With USB Audio player the output level is somewhat lower and I can push the amp up to 100% without clipping

 

[oryan_dunn]

I'm not sure if this has been posted here yet or not
http://www.anandtech.com/show/8078/smartphone-audio-testing-htc-one-m8-and-samsung-galaxy-s5
 
He does frequency response testing out of the headphone jack, with and without boomsound.  With boomsound, it's a crazy V shaped and the top end is clipped.

 

[benandfaith]

When I connect my FiiO E07k to my One M8 via USB OTG cable, the option to turn off boomsound is greyed out. (I know this has already been highlighted).
 
I know I can simply use the E07k as an amplifier by connecting with 3.5mm interconnector, but I'd rather use the DAC in my E07k... but with boomsound on, it's no good.
 
What, if any, workaround is there? 

 

[pukemon]

Just to add some input here that might be of help.

I purchased a T-Mobile USA variant of the m8. Supposedly the only difference is it's missing 3 LTE bands and qualcomm's antenna tuner. On 4.4.2 music was a joy especially headphone out as USB out was mono. Fast forward to this last tuesday and I converted my m8 to stock EU rom. Didn't test 4.4.2 on EU rom but I did upgrade to 4.4.3 which actually took me a few days to figure out how so I was on .2 EU a few day. I finally sat down and did some listening last night. Yuck. USB out is not stereo but sounds muffled and I don't k ow if it because boomsound is greyed out so I can't turn it off. And then the clipping and bad quality y'all have been speaking of at volume 14 and 15 is now present. Kind of pissed now. Everything was perfect on .2. Volume, no distortion, clean bass nice highs, spacious, you name it. I forgot to turn boomsound off but when I did it did nothing to clean up the sound until I put volume at 13 or lower. Kind of thinking about downgrading back to .2 to get the nice sound back. Battery life is a little bit worse anyways and can't figure out why. Phone slept like a champ on .2. But I still need to do more testing before I do.

BTW, audio was all tested through a JDS labs C5D. Neutron is my player of choice but it exhibited that craptacular sound worse. Poweramp was actually fine. But I fiddled with some settings in neutron and it did absolutely nothing to alleviate the crap sound until I put it at 13. Poweramp actually sounded fine on any volume but still doesn't sound as good as neutron.

 

[Whaleshark12]

n I connect my FiiO E07k to my One M8 via USB OTG cable, the option to turn off boomsound is greyed out. (I know this has already been highlighted).  
I know I can simply use the E07k as an amplifier by connecting with 3.5mm interconnector, but I'd rather use the DAC in my E07k... but with boomsound on, it's no good.
 
What, if any, workaround is there? 

I rooted mine just to flash the harman kardon to get rid of these issue.

 

[francopro]

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Any information on 24 / 192 support ? I know that the branded harman kardon version support hi-res but what about the standard international version ?