[Baroninkjet]

I have not checked, but expect the DAC is the same. I sold/returned Nexus 4 and LG G2 both for audio reasons. Comparing G2 to Wolfson GS3, I heard something coming across as a layer of white noise overlaid on the top. GS3 doesn't have this, sounds purer. Also, unaltered G2 distorts noticably at higher volume levels. You can tweak GS3 and get way, way more volume out without anything like the distortion of G2. I really wanted to keep the G2, but I knew it would drive me crazy. You may get different results with different IEMs.

 

[olear]

Any comparisons between N5 and iPhone 5s, Note3?

 

[miandnan]

I have not checked, but expect the DAC is the same. I sold/returned Nexus 4 and LG G2 both for audio reasons. Comparing G2 to Wolfson GS3, I heard something coming across as a layer of white noise overlaid on the top. GS3 doesn't have this, sounds purer. Also, unaltered G2 distorts noticably at higher volume levels. You can tweak GS3 and get way, way more volume out without anything like the distortion of G2. I really wanted to keep the G2, but I knew it would drive me crazy. You may get different results with different IEMs.

The nexus 5 has no "white layer".

It is a silent background. This is with sensitive CIEM'S.
As for distortion at higher volumes I have heard none but I did not try to blow my ear drums out either.

 

[DrTone]

I have to agree on the noise floor. The Nexus 5 has the lowest of any android phone I've owned.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[goody]

yep i can confirm the sound quality from the nexus 5 is very good using my yamaha EPH 100 it sounds awesome ...best android mobile it even beats htc one with the extra detail....A phone that rivals the iphones...

 

[Gunbuster]

I had a wolfson GS3 and its white sound is what turned me off, despite siyah kernel.

In comparison the N5 is dead silent.

Tested both with tape moded IE8.

 

[pukemon]

The noise floor is silent on note3. Anybody compared these two phone and is the code usable on note3?

 

[quadomatic]

I was hoping this thread would appear at some point. I went from my Galaxy Nexus to this, and I was also pretty stunned at the sound quality. The output seems very clean and detailed. I'm curious as to what apps people are trying. I've been using Google Play Music since I have an All Access subscription.
 
For those of you who have a rooted phone, it may be worth it to install faux's kernel so you can get FauxSound support (which will let you raise the maximum volume on the phone; I'm not sure if it's because I'm using full-size headphones, but it seems necessary for me as the volume as it is isn't quite loud enough): http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2509655

 

[DrTone]

I'm not sure other players will use Kit Kat's direct DSP processing engine for playback. Which would mean much higher battery consumption and possible higher noise floor.

I'm sticking with Google Play Music for now.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Mariano3113]

Had to test for myself....and very glad that I did. Was using SE535 with an HTC EVO, Samsung Note II, HTC 8xt and an HTC One...was always bothered by the hiss especially between songs or phone rings. Was using an ibasso D-zero to have a quite background and was pretty sure I needed my next phone to have USB OTG audio support. Knowing the Nexus would be lacking this I was going to just grab a Note 3, but the headphone out on the Nexus 5 is shocking in that you hear only what you should hear with no extras.

Very glad for these posts sparking my interest to give the Nexus 5 a try. Have the Nexus 5 hooked up to the SE535's via DHC Symbiote Hybrid Cable (SPC).

 

[xFairyxTailx]

Sounds good! Guess I'll try for a Nexus 5 around December.

 

[Erukian]

I've been using my LCD-2's for about a year with my Schiit Gungnir+Mjolnir so I think my ears are pretty spoiled.
 
These are just my impressions. In any case, I find the Nexus 5 to sound flat, albeit quiet, with bloomy bass. I don't know, there's something missing. If I switch to my iPad 3Gen, for example, while using using my Klipsch X10's the sound becomes much more alive and I hear better instrument separation.  Also, my iPad puts out over double the volume of what the Nexus 5 can do. Sorry I don't have an iPhone to compare.
 
If I had to characterize the DAC/AMP on the Nexus 5 it's dark and muddy but listenable. This is a real shame since people were talking up the 24bit 192khz aspect of the phone. I'd love to see some benchmarks of this DAC vs other phones and see if my perception is reflected in measurements.

 

[cthip]

  These are just my impressions. In any case, I find the Nexus 5 to sound flat, albeit quiet, with bloomy bass. I don't know, there's something missing.

 
I'll agree with this.  I had the opportunity to listen to the Nexus 5 this weekend and compared it to my old Nexus S 4G with a Wolfson DAC, Voodoo Sound, and PowerAmp player.  On the Nexus 5 I used Google Play with all standard settings, not sure how the tracks were ripped/encoded/downloaded since the Nexus 5 was my brother's phone.  Headphones were Hifiman RE-0.
 
As mentioned in other posts, there was no noise, but overall the Nexus 5 sounded a slightly flat and the bass was a little muddy.  I had to max out the volume or come close to it to achieve my normal listening levels.  This was in a quiet room, I'm somewhat concerned that the amp might not be up to the task if I need to increase the volume due to increased outside ambient noise.
 
In spite of these small shortcomings, I'll still be picking up the Nexus 5 in December.  I'm very interested to see how it might sound with FauxSound.

 

[Ninety]

I've swapped over from an iPhone 5C and a Rockboxed iPod to the Nexus 5 as my main portable device, driving JVC FXC-80s and a-Jays Ones.

I'm using Poweramp with a +10dB Reply gain, but flat EQ and I'm really happy with the sound. The sound to me is fairly well balanced, perhaps lacking a little depth in the mids, but I'm really not getting the muddy bass a couple of people have mentioned.

I can happily say the Nexus 5 sounds good and not just good for a phone.

All just my opinions of course...

 

[Mariano3113]

   
I'll agree with this.  I had the opportunity to listen to the Nexus 5 this weekend and compared it to my old Nexus S 4G with a Wolfson DAC, Voodoo Sound, and PowerAmp player.  On the Nexus 5 I used Google Play with all standard settings, not sure how the tracks were ripped/encoded/downloaded since the Nexus 5 was my brother's phone.  Headphones were Hifiman RE-0.
 
As mentioned in other posts, there was no noise, but overall the Nexus 5 sounded a slightly flat and the bass was a little muddy.  I had to max out the volume or come close to it to achieve my normal listening levels.  This was in a quiet room, I'm somewhat concerned that the amp might not be up to the task if I need to increase the volume due to increased outside ambient noise.
 
In spite of these small shortcomings, I'll still be picking up the Nexus 5 in December.  I'm very interested to see how it might sound with FauxSound.

 
I cannot listen at more than 75% volume on the stock kernel but that may be my SE535 not needing strong amp performance - I was mainly using a DAC/AMP for the ability to achieve a Black -quiet free background. The Nexus 5 in that regard is better than the SG Note 2, HTC One, HTC EVO 4G OG, HTC Touch Pro 2, HTC 8xt, Samsung Galaxy S4.I get hiss from the others without using the iBasso D-zero but with the Nexus 5 I did not need to use the D-Zero to get a noise free connection. They have kernels for increased Headphone Out listening levels but those made anything above 30-35% volume too loud.
 
As for the muddy base- I only heard altered Bass when Play Music's Eq had been activated.  Have not tried Power-amp or anything else, as I am trying out ART instead of Dalvik and was waiting for others to test compatibility.
 
But yeah the flat sound "noise-free" sound is what got my attention with no need for altered audio-out.