Android Sound Quality?

[Willieboy]

Is there any consensus as to what Android device provides the best sound quality out of the box? I have a Motorola Droid Maxx with which I use the JetAudio player and it sounds pretty good to my old ears.

 

[Rukbat]

Sound playing music? Sound on phone calls? Young, blasting-music-damaged ears? Old ears like yours? Probably older ones like mine that require pretty powerful hearing aids?

That's one consideration. The other one is personal preference. When the phone signal starts losing bits (it's called "going digital"), I prefer the way it sounds on a GSM device. I have more trouble understanding bad audio on CDMA because it "goes bad" in a different way.

Then there's the question of which music. Beethoven's Fifth isn't going to sound as good or as bad on the same phone as gangsta rap.

Some of the larger corporate carrier stores have working demo phones. You decide which carrier covers the areas you need best, then you go to one of their stores and try all their phones out and decide which one sounds best, has the best "heft", looks nicest, meets the budget best, etc. (Always choose the carrier first. The best phone, if the carrier has no coveage where you need phone service, is useless.) And read the forums before you go. If "phone X" is giving everyone problems, you don't want that one even if they're giving it away free.

 

[!on]

There are threads on SQ android wise at HeadFi, obv. they suggest decent headphones & you have a choice of apps to play music. I think noozy is suggested as a great player that comes with it's own digital processing app (overriding the stock), VLC player has it's own SQ & Power Amp is also suggested.

I would guess there isn't much difference between audio chips I would start with decent cans & get lossless files, then when you have cash think about a better hardware.

Personally I prefer the DAC in my ipod touch (wolfson chip), like dance music so have HD25-1 sennheisers (not strictly audiophile but they're closed so make great all rounders & still sound great).

I would defo look at proper stand alone player over what a phone can do. I hear Cowon players are great for SQ. I don't think we've heard the last from Sony either!