[awayeah]

I can also confirm that cracking is gone with new update. It changes firmware of audio components to newer than on Harman/Kardon version. It's first audio update I think for the "normal" version of One M8.
 
If anyone is planning to root or install custom to try Viper4Android - don't! I tried 2 most popular custom ROMs and also tried various audio mods and enhancements. While you do get plenty of configurable options it's just sounds worse - trust me. One M8 with stock ROM and newest update is as good sounding as it gets. Disabling LPA also doesn't do any good. Be happy with what you get
 
BTW. I tested cracking with Sony XBA-H3 - on max volume. I'll try other power hungry IEMs to see if there's to crackling on them too.

 

[trisenk]

Yeah, I can also confirm that 4.4.4 does the job.
 
In the meantime I've tried V4A, and while they can change the sound, they do not necessarily make it better. YMMV of course, but I've come back to stock rom.

 

[DisCHORDDubstep]

http://www.htc.com/us/smartphones/htc-one-m8-windows/ YEAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[VortexGenie2]

Can somebody with the new 4.4.4 update check whether Boomsound can be forced off without headphones (for -overUSB purposes).  We don't have the update here in Canada yet.
 
Also, can V4A be used to offset Boomsound (maybe with an inverse EQ or something like that) when using a portable DAC?  I'm still trying to make the M8 to Fiio e18 work for me.  Thanks.

 

[UprightMan]

http://www.htc.com/us/smartphones/htc-one-m8-windows/ YEAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
why would this be a good thing?  Spotify client is crap on it, there is no OTG for external Dacs...  

 

[awayeah]

  Can somebody with the new 4.4.4 update check whether Boomsound can be forced off without headphones (for -overUSB purposes).  We don't have the update here in Canada yet.
 
Also, can V4A be used to offset Boomsound (maybe with an inverse EQ or something like that) when using a portable DAC?  I'm still trying to make the M8 to Fiio e18 work for me.  Thanks.

Boomsound is always off when using external DAC (like FiiO E18). Icon shows up because smartphone doesn't detect headphones but it's just an icon. Please don't use V4A for HTC One M8 - for me it ruins the sound.

 

[VortexGenie2]

  Boomsound is always off when using external DAC (like FiiO E18). Icon shows up because smartphone doesn't detect headphones but it's just an icon. Please don't use V4A for HTC One M8 - for me it ruins the sound.

Do you mind sharing your source or rationale for the Boomsound information?  There seems to be contradictory posts earlier in this thread.  
 
Thanks for your insight on V4A.  I will definitely heed your advice, especially since I dislike rooting my phones.

 

[awayeah]

Do you mind sharing your source or rationale for the Boomsound information?  There seems to be contradictory posts earlier in this thread.  

Thanks for your insight on V4A.  I will definitely heed your advice, especially since I dislike rooting my phones.

I did a little testing. Same songs on Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and One M8 with allegedly boomsound on. Same sound. Boomsound changes the sound pretty strong and pretty badly. It's easily audible. So that's why I think it's just an icon and it's not doing anything to audio send via OTG

 

[VortexGenie2]

I did a little testing. Same songs on Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and One M8 with allegedly boomsound on. Same sound. Boomsound changes the sound pretty strong and pretty badly. It's easily audible. So that's why I think it's just an icon and it's not doing anything to audio send via OTG

Thanks for sharing.  Though I completely agree with your interpretation, your test design doesn't allow for the possibility that the Galaxy Tab alters the audio in a manner similar to Boomsound when outputting audio via OTG.  An AB test using both devices through an external DAC should be accompanied by another ABC test using both devices (Galaxy Tab, HTC One M8 Boomsound On, HTC One M8 Boomsound Off) through their own headphone ports, to truly isolate the effect of Boomsound.  I mean, if we're being over-the-top accurate.
 
But having owned Samsung devices in the past (assuming relative audio uniformity, at least compared to Boomsound), and perhaps with a little common sense, I would agree if you thought that what I wrote above was ridiculous.
 
This brings up an interesting little conflict in ideas though.  Some sources I've read state that when using an external DAC from an Android source, it doesn't matter what hardware you're coming from.  Others state that there are near-clinical differences between Android-specific audio source.  While I know that some phones have the ability to send higher resolution audio via USB OTG than others, I'm still curious to know at what exact level audio export through USB takes place.  Assuming an equal output resolution, do some devices perform more or less signal processing  than others?  (apologies if I'm veering off course a little here)

 

[DisCHORDDubstep]

why would this be a good thing?  Spotify client is crap on it, there is no OTG for external Dacs...  

should I care? I just like windows phone... Oh plus I don't use Spotify.

 

[awayeah]

  Thanks for sharing.  Though I completely agree with your interpretation, your test design doesn't allow for the possibility that the Galaxy Tab alters the audio in a manner similar to Boomsound when outputting audio via OTG.  An AB test using both devices through an external DAC should be accompanied by another ABC test using both devices (Galaxy Tab, HTC One M8 Boomsound On, HTC One M8 Boomsound Off) through their own headphone ports, to truly isolate the effect of Boomsound.  I mean, if we're being over-the-top accurate.
 
But having owned Samsung devices in the past (assuming relative audio uniformity, at least compared to Boomsound), and perhaps with a little common sense, I would agree if you thought that what I wrote above was ridiculous.
 
This brings up an interesting little conflict in ideas though.  Some sources I've read state that when using an external DAC from an Android source, it doesn't matter what hardware you're coming from.  Others state that there are near-clinical differences between Android-specific audio source.  While I know that some phones have the ability to send higher resolution audio via USB OTG than others, I'm still curious to know at what exact level audio export through USB takes place.  Assuming an equal output resolution, do some devices perform more or less signal processing  than others?  (apologies if I'm veering off course a little here)

Signal processing? It's digitally sent bits of information - it's the same 010010101... in all devices Maybe people complaints have more to do with badly compressed music or something. Anyway there's no logic in such theories.
BTW I also think that DAC in HTC One M8 is good enough so there's no reason in using external DAC. Unless there's not enough power - but in that case amp would be just as good or maybe better (depanding on the amp used). That's why I'm selling my FiiO E18 - it's just not worth it to carry it around....
 
Of course if someone install Viper4Android or some other audio "enhancements"/equalizer it will affect sound quality. But from what I've read most smartphones out-of-the-box (or after disabling boomsound and similar) has completely flat freq. response.

 

[Simma]

Now that the crackling issue is fixed and I can use my M8 again for music, does anybody know a way to really add more volume steps system wide.

I tried xvolume for xposed once, but it wasn't working properly.

 

[awayeah]

Now that the crackling issue is fixed and I can use my M8 again for music, does anybody know a way to really add more volume steps system wide.

I tried xvolume for xposed once, but it wasn't working properly.

I've also tried xvolume and it worked properly (be sure that you have enabled it in xposed modules before turning it on - install, enable in xposed, turn on, give it root access, choose volume steps and restart phone).
You can also try GravityBox module for xposed. It has the option to increase volume steps to 30 (also worked for me).

 

[Soused]

  Signal processing? It's digitally sent bits of information - it's the same 010010101... in all devices Maybe people complaints have more to do with badly compressed music or something. Anyway there's no logic in such theories.
BTW I also think that DAC in HTC One M8 is good enough so there's no reason in using external DAC. Unless there's not enough power - but in that case amp would be just as good or maybe better (depanding on the amp used). That's why I'm selling my FiiO E18 - it's just not worth it to carry it around....
 
Of course if someone install Viper4Android or some other audio "enhancements"/equalizer it will affect sound quality. But from what I've read most smartphones out-of-the-box (or after disabling boomsound and similar) has completely flat freq. response.

 
I have the One M8 and I agree - why would you bother to add an external DAC? And it gets plenty loud enough for me too, so no amp needed either.

That's right, I am a naked head-fier.  Oh the shame.

 

[Simma]

  I've also tried xvolume and it worked properly (be sure that you have enabled it in xposed modules before turning it on - install, enable in xposed, turn on, give it root access, choose volume steps and restart phone).
You can also try GravityBox module for xposed. It has the option to increase volume steps to 30 (also worked for me).

Thanks for the info. Could you tell me what kind of Rom you were using?
Because I've tried XVolume on Sense once and I could change the volume steps to 45, but the volume only changed every third step. so effectively there were still only 15 steps.
I've also read from a lot of people having the same problem, and that it's definitely not working on Sense.
 
I'm thinking about flashing an aosp based Rom to try it again.