[ArniDroid]

....The S3 Exynos version had the same problem initially but was ironed out with firmware update. However, if you are not tied down to LTE or contract, get the International I9500(Octa-Core) from negri electronics or expansys, it has the best audio experience from my personal view with Wolfson WM5102 highend audio dac. I am using CX 870 32 ohms by the way.

Don't think this is the same issue. In s3, it was sometimes a ticking/popping noise with duration of a tenth of a second, it played well almost all the time. The issue was related to other apps, and the phones sleep state. If people kept their screen on the popping was gone. In that case it seemed like a easy fix.

Don't know what it is in s4's case but hope its also software/kernel related.

 

[NZtechfreak]

Agree with the poster above, I don't think this is quite same thing as the S3 crackling issue. This one has a direct correlation to the input impedance of the connected headphones. Hoping for a software fix though.

 

[trenzterra]

Sorry for cross-posting this here, but I'd thought it would be relevant, so here goes:
 
 
Quote:

Hi friends, a kind forum member from Android Central has done his own RMAA tests. His post is here: http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s4/270111-gsmarena-updated-its-audio-quality-tests-2.html#post2772816 and his RMAA analysis is here: http://www.jensign.com/S4Distortion/
 
Just a summary of his observations:
 
- Clipping was observed for under 14-ohm loads
- For a sine wave, the problem only shows up when volume is specifically set to 11/15.
 
What this probably means is that when you set your headphones to a high enough volume level (even above 15), if you play your normal audio track there will invariably be parts where the volume is slightly quieter than others, and I suspect some parts of the rack will reach this 'magical amplitude' resulting in the distortion you here. I have noted earlier with a 150Hz sine wave that using the normal player I don't get distortion at 15/15 except for a noise at the start of the track, but when I use PowerAMP I get full-blown noise throughout the test tone itself. Now I realise that because PowerAMP's 'direct audio output' feature is probably slightly softer than the stock player, the volume may be dipping to that magical amplitude.

 
I have an inclination that this is a hardware issue though, so I wouldn't put too high hopes on a firmware fix. Also I must add that for the PowerAMP case when I turn off the direct audio output feature the distortion doesn't occur.

 

[NZtechfreak]

Quote:

Sorry for cross-posting this here, but I'd thought it would be relevant, so here goes:
 
 
 
I have an inclination that this is a hardware issue though, so I wouldn't put too high hopes on a firmware fix. Also I must add that for the PowerAMP case when I turn off the direct audio output feature the distortion doesn't occur.

 
That's interesting, turning off direct audio in PowerAMP drops the volume output about 5dB compared to on.
 
I'm favouring a hardware fault at this point also, but obviously one hopes to be wrong!

 

[acruxksa]

I've been messing with my new i337 (ATT variant of the i9505) for about a week now.  I've also got an international version of the S3 (i9300) that I've been using for nearly a year.  I haven't really had time to sit down and conduct any serious listening comparisons between the two, but using the neutron player on both and my Vsonic GR02 IEM's they're pretty close in sound quality with ALAC files.  I'm hardly an expert, but If there is a difference in sound quality, it's not as substantial as people are making it out to be.  Also, I have zero issues with volume above 50% with my Vsonic GR02's
 
One thing that disappoints me greatly however is that my Fiio E07K does not work with the S4.  It works great with my S3 but for some reason it doesn't like the S4 (i've tried several different ROMS and a couple different kernels with no luck)

 

[4Paul4]

I have a set of XBA-2's which exhibit the problem behavior. Have tried 3 cheaps sets of headphones with no issues.

I saw somewhere that people are buying an adapter which they plug in between the headphone jack and the IEMs. It solves the low ohm problem.

Any idea where I can get such an adapter? I'd rather not have to replace my GS4 with the Xperia Z.

 

[dagraham]

Thinking of getting an S4 or HTC one but really concerned about this issue. I've got a pair of Fischer Audio DBA-02 mkii's which are 43ohms but i've heard that the impedance can move around.
 
Has anyone got a graph for the dba02 mkii? I can't find one anywhere. Or even better, has anyone heard the s4 with these headphones?

 

[4Paul4]

The ohms can move around, but not that much.
The handset comes with a 35ohms set of headphones so your 43 ohms shouldn't be a problem.
 
I have thought of a work around for my 8ohms XBA-2's.  I intend to buy a Nokia BH-111 which connects via bluetooth I'll plug my IEMs into this.
 
Any reason why this won't work?

 

[NZtechfreak]

Quote:

The ohms can move around, but not that much.
The handset comes with a 35ohms set of headphones so your 43 ohms shouldn't be a problem.
 
I have thought of a work around for my 8ohms XBA-2's.  I intend to buy a Nokia BH-111 which connects via bluetooth I'll plug my IEMs into this.
 
Any reason why this won't work?

 
Not entirely true, the impedance in ohms can vary a great deal of balanced armature IEMs (Sony XBA-3 impedance ranges from 10ohm to 90ohm depending on frequency, for example).
 
The stock ones won't be BA so they won't be subject to the same variance and no danger of them unmasking the crackling, the DBA-02 is probably going to be OK given it is rated at 43ohms (I'm assuming at 1KHz) - it will be less at lower frequencies but unlikely to cross under 16ohms. I can't actually find measurements for the DBA-02 however to confirm that, would recommend trying them out with an S4 and some bass heavy music to check.

 

[dagraham]

Quote:

 
Not entirely true, the impedance in ohms can vary a great deal of balanced armature IEMs (Sony XBA-3 impedance ranges from 10ohm to 90ohm depending on frequency, for example).
 
The stock ones won't be BA so they won't be subject to the same variance and no danger of them unmasking the crackling, the DBA-02 is probably going to be OK given it is rated at 43ohms (I'm assuming at 1KHz) - it will be less at lower frequencies but unlikely to cross under 16ohms. I can't actually find measurements for the DBA-02 however to confirm that, would recommend trying them out with an S4 and some bass heavy music to check.

 
I've see a graph for the Brainwavz b2(which i think is the same as the dba-02) and the impedence looks like it stays well above 25ohms in the lows but drops down to about 20ohms at about 8k. I'm a complete newbie at this but that's how the graph looked to me, so i presume that would be okay? Thing is, that's the dba-02 mki but i have the mkii's so i don't know if they are significantly different.
 
I listened to both the s4 and the HTC one in the shop today with the Fischer's and couldn't notice anything although they both hissed slightly if you listended for it(although my iphone 4 also hisses slightly). The biggest problem is that the s4 demo units have no actual "songs" on them, just weird studio tracks making it difficult to judge the sound. The HTC sounded pretty good.
 
One thing i found weird is that everywhere i've read that the S4 is quieter than the HTC but the s4 I tried was actaully ear-splittingly loud! I couldn't even turn it a third of the way up without hurting my ears.
 
I think i'll just have to make a choice, get the phone and cancel the contract within the 14day period if the problem shows up.

 

[DrelzGear]

are there any good earbuds you guys would recommend that are compatible with the S4? I'm currently using Sennheiser ie80s and don't know any that's of the same quality. Or where i can find this impedance adapter?

 

[deaffob]

I'm also interested in knowing how do Senn ie80s play with i9500 and i9505.

 

[DrelzGear]

I'm also interested in knowing how do Senn ie80s play with i9500 and i9505.

They sound good until you get the volume past 60%, anything with bass starts having that cracking sound, any higher and then it's not tolerable

Sent from......

 

[cresny]

Has anyone else tried the "Adapt Sound" feature?  I know it seems like a gimmick -- a lot of folks won't go near anything that seems at all like an EQ -- but it worked surprisingly well for me. I was coming from a Galaxy S variant with Wolfson/Voodoo Sound and when I first tried the S4 (9505/Qualcom) I was pretty disappointed. Sort of both muffled and uncontrolled compared to what I was used to, barely tolerable. Almost out of desperation I set up the Adapt Sound and things really livened up and got more clear for me. It makes sense really, everyone has different hearing capabilities so no one is really objective anyway. Problem is, it only seems to affect the stock music app. I'd like to enable it for everything.

 

[deaffob]

They sound good until you get the volume past 60%, anything with bass starts having that cracking sound, any higher and then it's not tolerable

Sent from......

I'm assuming that you have i9505?