[obsidyen]

 
I will be buying S6 when it comes out. All S6 versions worldwide will have Exynos SoC, so probably a Wolfson DAC as well. Wolfson has been bought by Cirrus Logic, so it could also be Cirrus Logic instead.
 
According to GSM Arena, the sound quality is amazing. I'll add other audio reviews about S6 as more reviews are published. From the review:

 

Top-notch audio quality

The Samsung Galaxy S6 audio output is easily among the cleanest we have seen a smartphone produce. Posting excellent scores top to bottom in the first part of our test, the Samsung flagship barely let its stereo crosstalk spike in the second one. In fact the stereo quality with headphones is the best in the class as you can see from the result table below.
Overall this is some of the most accurate audio reproduction you can find on the market and one that should be good enough for even the most demanding audiophiles.
On the other hand volume levels, while good, are not quite among the best we've encountered. The Samsung Galaxy S6 is still going to be loud enough for the majority of users, but the HTC lineup holds a lead in that department.

Test	Frequency response	Noise level	Dynamic range	THD	IMD + Noise	Stereo crosstalk
Samsung Galaxy S6	+0.01, -0.04	-95.6	92.8	0.0024	0.0094	-94.5
Samsung Galaxy S6 (headphones)	+0.02, -0.05	-92.6	91.9	0.0025	0.042	-83.4
Samsung Galaxy S5	+0.02, -0.08	-96.3	93.3	0.0017	0.0089	-95.2
Samsung Galaxy S5 (headphones)	+0.01, -0.08	-96.3	93.3	0.0095	0.018	-61.9
Apple iPhone 6	+0.06, -0.02	-94.0	93.9	0.0012	0.0065	-73.4
Apple iPhone 6 (headphones attached)	+0.11, -0.06	-93.8	93.8	0.0022	0.099	-65.1
Sony Xperia Z3	+0.02, -0.08	-86.4	86.4	0.014	0.021	-86.6
Sony Xperia Z3 (headphones attached)	+0.29, -0.10	-85.7	85.7	0.035	0.064	-50.8
HTC One (M8)	+0.04, -0.10	-95.4	93.4	0.0012	0.010	-93.2
HTC One (M8) (headphones attached)	+0.04, -0.08	-94.9	93.9	0.0014	0.018	-79.7

 

 

 

​

 

[psikey]

I will likely get the 64 or 128GB S6 Edge. Thanks for starting the thread, the GSM Arena feedback is the only info I've found myself up to now.

 

[obsidyen]

You're welcome, reviewers usually don't care about headphone jack audio quality. Some people criticize gsmarena's methods but it's better than nothing. Phonearena measures output power, I'm also going to post that when they post their review.

 

[Fishzerg]

Thanks for starting the thread, have been very curious about this.
 
Also refering to the Samsung Alpha thread where we have been discussing S6: http://www.head-fi.org/t/731572/samsung-galaxy-alpha-audio/15

 

[macronox]

Here's a breakdown of my experience with the sound quality on the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S4, Note III and comparison to Mac Mini 2012.
 
Sound signature: 
The sound on the S6 at first was dull using both Spotify extreme quality and Google Play songs. The dynamic range was very limited, vocals distant, and poor warmth and harmonics. I also did a blind test with a non audiophile person and the Note III switching back and forth between the S6, and the person confirmed that the sound on the S6 is not very dynamic at all. This is compared to both S4, Note III, and Mac Mini that had much warmer, dynamic sound, with smooth strong mid range vocals. Using SoundAlive equalizing with various settings and Adept Sound did not improve the issue.  I disabled both. There continues to be a bug with equalization where the equalizer stops working from song to song and you can reset it by lowering the volume down to zero and back up and equalizer kicks in again.
 
After the first update pushed by T-mobile, and maybe even a Spotify update (I'm not sure), the sound quality switched to the following signature. The highs and vocals are very pronounced. The vocals are shrill, earpiercing and most of the voice operates at higher frequency lacking depth, smoothness, and overall warmth with the sound having dynamic range but being so clean that it is dull and the bass not really encompassing the entire sound stage. You can use Spotify to test this back and forth yourself and any Mac would work.
 
Overall, the the sound is too shrill and clean (making it dull) with the vocals needing more depth.This is surprising considering there's a Wolfson DAC inside. I'm a bit disappointed, and I am considering going to a Galaxy S5 instead.
 
Volume Level:
Slightly lower, but roughly the same as S4 and Note III, most of the time at 60-70% depending on the song.

 

[obsidyen]

I've heard similar impressions from many people. I guess, despite the Wolfson dac, Samsung screwed the amp section, or simply didn't care enough to make it good. It seems I'll have to wait for the next iPhone for high quality music playback (I won't get iPhone 6 now that 6S/7 is a few months away from release) unless LG makes a surprise with G4 which I really doubt. Apple and HTC seem like the only phone manufacturers who care about sound quality.

 

[macronox]

I'm glad to hear that I'm not only one hearing this. I usually increase the treble on my equalizer and lower the bass with an equalizer peak at 2-3 KHz. The S6 just pumps out way too much treble raising the male voice into much higher frequencies. And as I mentioned, it can't be corrected with an equalizer. On the other hand, despite this issue, you can hear the force and control of the DAC holding on tightly while pushing the dynamic range to new levels for a phone. It's just that the airiness and warmth are not there. As you mentioned, maybe it's the amp (Maxim MAX98505 class DG audio amplifier). I would recommend getting the S6 just to hear what I'm talking about and then returning it if you agree. Unfortunately for me, I have made it a rule not to buy LCD phones and to stick with AMOLED. I dislike the backlight bleed, the poor black levels, and the overly bright whites. I hope the S7 will have warmer sound. The S6 is pretty much a perfect phone in many ways, but the audio is a deal breaker. I do like the LG displays even though it's and LCD, so let's keep our fingers crossed for the G4. I am expecting to have the Galaxy S5 on hand for comparison on Saturday, so I'll be back for some more comments.

 

[Duncan]

Coming from a different standpoint, i have just picked up an S6 edge, to sit alongside the iphone 6+ and the HTC M9...

Will be a fun shootout

 

[macronox]

Let us know what you think after comparing! I haven't listened to the iPhone 6 or HTC M9. I heard the camera still sucks on the M9. The S6 has amazing low light shots.

 

[obsidyen]

  Let us know what you think after comparing! I haven't listened to the iPhone 6 or HTC M9. I heard the camera still sucks on the M9. The S6 has amazing low light shots.

 
Yes, I don't own the M9 but I tried the camera at Mediamarkt and it's terrible. I took the same shot with iPhone 6 Plus and it was so much better.

 

[Aeneas]

This is very disappointing.
I'm still impatiently waiting for mine (128GB delayed) but this is giving me second thoughts.
 
On the other hand, I don't like iOS and the M9 is barely offers and update on the M8 in many areas. And the M9+ as a China exclusive makes me think I'd be stupid to buy the M9. 

 

[Duncan]

This is very disappointing.
I'm still impatiently waiting for mine (128GB delayed) but this is giving me second thoughts.

On the other hand, I don't like iOS and the M9 is barely offers and update on the M8 in many areas. And the M9+ as a China exclusive makes me think I'd be stupid to buy the M9. 

Depends what you want / have at the moment...

The M9 sounds great, the S6 (Edge) looks great (not sure on sound yet, loading music on at the moment...

 

[macronox]

Here's a comparison of the S6 and S5:
 
The ear piercing highs a more tamed in the S5 compared to S6 and tolerable. Although it still has more treble than the Note 3 and S4, there's also more warmth than the S6 and the upper lows and lower mids are much more present so you get larger, warmer bass. The mac mini 2012 does a better job than any of these, with very smooth mids, lows and no piercing highs.  I think I'll stick with the S5 for now. Apparently Samsung thinks upping the treble and screaming vocals are considered better sound. The highs are getting more and more pronounced from S4, to Note 3, S5 and then S6.
 
Also, a note about the display color. The S5, like the S4 and Note 3, has darker deeper more saturated reds and a warmer display. This is more pleasing to the eye and I think the S6 took away some of the magic of the AMOLED by making the colors brighter and less saturated. In a store with bright lights, you could probably fool somebody by telling them the S6 is a new type of IPS LCD.

 

[Duncan]

I personally feel that some of the S6 audio issues are fixable in firmware...

My reason for thinking this, when pausing (in Neutron) you can hear the volume stepping down, rather than smooth gradation on the M9 (or most other handsets!!)... This is very like the M8 in its early days, before firmware fixes...

Can live in hope, however - contrary to the above, I think I prefer the screen of the S6 vs Note 4 etc. Doesn't look so 'overblown', but that just goes to show there is no perfect answer

 

[obsidyen]

  Here's a comparison of the S6 and S5:
 
The ear piercing highs a more tamed in the S5 compared to S6 and tolerable. Although it still has more treble than the Note 3 and S4, there's also more warmth than the S6 and the upper lows and lower mids are much more present so you get larger, warmer bass. The mac mini 2012 does a better job than any of these, with very smooth mids, lows and no piercing highs.  I think I'll stick with the S5 for now. Apparently Samsung thinks upping the treble and screaming vocals are considered better sound. The highs are getting more and more pronounced from S4, to Note 3, S5 and then S6.
 
Also, a note about the display color. The S5, like the S4 and Note 3, has darker deeper more saturated reds and a warmer display. This is more pleasing to the eye and I think the S6 took away some of the magic of the AMOLED by making the colors brighter and less saturated. In a store with bright lights, you could probably fool somebody by telling them the S6 is a new type of IPS LCD.

You know what, I'm not surprised. I'm used to European sound signature found in many European made amps and speakers. Fidelio X2 is a great example. A full, rich sound that doesn't stray much away from neutrality. It seems Asians (Koreans and Japanese in particular) have a taste for V shaped, bright sound that has too much treble and bass but recessed mids. K-Pop and J-Pop sound just so weird because of this. Fostex TH900 is a prime example of this sound signature with its strident and lean sound signature with heavy bass and piercing highs. I think Korean engineers tuned the sound to their liking. Europeans and Americans don't enjoy that sound signature, at least most of them.