[Erukian]

If sound quality is your game, look elsewhere. Old and new iPhones are notoriously good for their discrete DAC chips. Samsung also has a pretty decent history of using Wolfson DAC's in their phones but you need to be very particular about which model you buy (US vs world models of the same phone can have different audio components).
 
Hope this helps.

 

[saratoga]

  If sound quality is your game, look elsewhere. Old and new iPhones are notoriously good for their discrete DAC chips. Samsung also has a pretty decent history of using Wolfson DAC's in their phones but you need to be very particular about which model you buy (US vs world models of the same phone can have different audio components).
 
Hope this helps.

 
The USA version of Samsung's phones (almost?) always use Qualcomm DACs.  This is true of almost all LTE phones, except for some of the Exynos ones sold in Korea.  I think Qualcomm bundles (or maybe requires?) that you use their DAC chip with the Snapdragon processors.  Not that this is a bad thing, its actually a lot better than a lot of the budget parts you see (e.g. look at the crap Nvidia used in the Nexus 7) with pretty high drive current and flat frequency response.
 
As far as I can tell, the main problem with it on the nexus 5 is that the voltage regulators are set too low, resulting in very low maximum output before you get distortion.  This could probably be fixed in a ROM if someone were really motivated to dig through the binaries.  Then again, I use IEMs with the N5 so although its kind of a dumb mistake, I don't really mind it too much personally.

 

[saratoga]

Anyone know if the fiio x1 sound quality is better then the nexus 5? Is it a slight difference or quite a huge improvement or do I need a much larger investment to hear any differences at all?

 
Well it'll go easily 25 dB louder, so in that sense its a lot better.  For IEMs its probably not such a big difference though, since they usually run at lower voltages.  I wouldn't want to run a big set of high impedance cans off the N5 though.

 

[hstubc]

Just tested my Fiio X5 which is $300 against my Nexus 5. I got sensitive ears but I see no difference in sound quality between the two. What a shame for Fiio! I had high hopes...

 

[xriddler]

  Just tested my Fiio X5 which is $300 against my Nexus 5. I got sensitive ears but I see no difference in sound quality between the two. What a shame for Fiio! I had high hopes...

hstubc just wondering what headphones were you using?

 

[hstubc]

hstubc just wondering what headphones were you using?

I'm using sennheiser ie 800, etymotic 4pt and shure 1440

 

[hstubc]

I'm using sennheiser ie 800, etymotic 4pt and shure 1440

The funny part is that at first I got x3 a week ago. That one sounded different but in a not so positive way. So I ended up buying the better model X5... Unfortunately the output on my headphones sounds like my Nexus 5. I'm also playing lossless Flac files.

 

[SmOgER]

Okay, I couldn't be more confused after reading this thread.


I'am looking for a relatively cheap smartphone with good audio out. At first I thought iPhone 5/5C is the way to go, but they surely look overpriced compared to Nexus 5, One M7, LG G2 and other android devices alike. Plus, the iPhone 5 will get only one another iOS update ( which should come in the next 6 months) which could make it somewhat laggy (like iOS8 on iPhone 4S or iOS7 on iPhone 4), not to mention that after that the support will be over while with iOS support is everything (new apps only supporting the newest OS).  The most important aspects for me are sound quality and design, but I absolutely love the design of Nexus 5 and iPhone 5.  After reading first couple of pages I was almost convinced I will be getting Nexus 5, but now I don't know anymore if I should think it has incredible or rather terrible sound quality lol. Should I go with a compromise in design and opt for M7 instead?


 


 


PS. Maybe someone could compare Nexus 5 output to MacBook Air? My MacBook with boom app (system wide EQ) sounded really good, while my desktop PC with gigabyte ep45t-ud3r board can only match it if I pair it with FiiO E6, otherwise the output is terribly weak and kinda lifeless (EQ wasn't helping either). For MacBook FiiO wasn't doing anything other than even furthermore increasing ridiculously high output volume. 

 

[Baroninkjet]

The only new Android with decent power output is newest HTC M8. Or get a Galaxy I9300, which is easy to hack and has excellent Wolfson DAC. I like the Galaxy sound better than my IP6.

 

[SmOgER]

Guess what, looks like I've found the perfect phone for me, the Meizu MX3, it looks gorgeous (had a chance today to play with it) and according to GSMArena power output is even better than on M8:

The smartphone delivered some of the finest output we have seen, and with no EU-mandated volume limitations to worry about, also garnished it with volume levels far above anything else in the market (yes, including the HTC One lineup).
The no-headphones test brought excellent scores all over the field and no weak points whatsoever.
The second trial went almost as well, with the above average increase in stereo crosstalk the only thing not imrpessive about the MX3 performance. This is certainly a smartphones the audiophoiles should watch out for.

This suits my needs just perfectly!

 

[vrapan]

The Macbook air sounds very good 

  Okay, I couldn't be more confused after reading this thread.
I'am looking for a relatively cheap smartphone with good audio out. At first I thought iPhone 5/5C is the way to go, but they surely look overpriced compared to Nexus 5, One M7, LG G2 and other android devices alike. Plus, the iPhone 5 will get only one another iOS update ( which should come in the next 6 months) which could make it somewhat laggy (like iOS8 on iPhone 4S or iOS7 on iPhone 4), not to mention that after that the support will be over while with iOS support is everything (new apps only supporting the newest OS).  The most important aspects for me are sound quality and design, but I absolutely love the design of Nexus 5 and iPhone 5.  After reading first couple of pages I was almost convinced I will be getting Nexus 5, but now I don't know anymore if I should think it has incredible or rather terrible sound quality lol. Should I go with a compromise in design and opt for M7 instead?
 
 
PS. Maybe someone could compare Nexus 5 output to MacBook Air? My MacBook with boom app (system wide EQ) sounded really good, while my desktop PC with gigabyte ep45t-ud3r board can only match it if I pair it with FiiO E6, otherwise the output is terribly weak and kinda lifeless (EQ wasn't helping either). For MacBook FiiO wasn't doing anything other than even furthermore increasing ridiculously high output volume. 

I did not like the N5 when I heard it. I did not have much time and it was only spotify that I listened to but it was very dull and unengaging sound. Compared to the Air or my iP6 I wouldn't use it as a primary DAP device. 
 
The problem you will face with the iP5 is it's battery life. It is abysmal. Especially if you use it for Spotify/Tidal what have you might as well forget using it as a phone if you are not within close proximity of plugs at all times.

 

[SmOgER]

Nevermind, like I said I'am going for Meizu MX3

 

[xriddler]

Well its not only about the output of the device. Louder doesn't always mean better

 

[SmOgER]

Well its not only about the output of the device. Louder doesn't always mean better

 


Have you read the whole part about sound in that linked review? The only average aspect of it's SQ is stereo crosstalk, everything else - frequency response, dynamic range, noise levels... is practically top notch. Overall the SQ seems to be better than on HTC One, now that's quite the result!

Also, when you have lots of extra gain, the EQ capabilities increase quite substantially.

 

[hstubc]

GET NEXUS 5. IT sounds identical to Fiio X5 lol