yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Xperia Z3 General] subhani:
Whoah! I can't find the post for that. How does it compare to V4A? It doesn't require root? My body is READY... show me the link, G.

BTW, why does xda tell me i've exceeded my thanks for today. I haven't thanked anyone yet. :confused:
[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
Thanks alot but i found a non root equivalent of v4a. Called noozxoide. I made a post where u can read all about it.

Whatever works for you Ravi. But I'm pretty sure the E6 (or any amp and/or DAC) will do things to the sound that software simply can't. That's based on not only what ppl have said here, but also on several reviews on Amazon as well as what music experts have said over at Head-Fi.org. Those ppl know way more about this stuff than we prob do. lol One reviewer on there even said: I got the Fiio e6 as a replacement for my previous Digizoid zo. Boy, was i blown away. The fiio, for a 30$ amp, does things which I have not seen in even some 300$ amplifiers.

That's cool at least that noozxoide doesn't require root though, yet is still on par with V4A. I have a rooted HTC One M8, which gave me many more options that I truly love, but it takes time to achieve that and once you do, you have to take extra steps to maintain & update it too. That is why I'm switching my M8 next Wed for the Z3, b/c it seems like pretty much every benefit that I wanted to have on my M8 the Z3 will have stock. And looks-wise, although I love my M8's very premium look, there's just something about metal AND glass together that takes it to another level. I have a Sony BRAVIA TV too which also sports that same design & look. To me, it just can't be beat.

RockStar2005
[Xperia Z3 General] subhani:
Aymen!
[Xperia Z3 General] raviboy100:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2911558
[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
Hey everyone,

Finally got a chance to try out the new Sennheiser HD 598 headphones and the FiiO E6 portable amp on my current HTC One M8. Yeah, lemme tell you........ these headphones are GREAT, but with the amp put into the mix, the sound goes from a solid A-/A to a bonafide A+!!

Not only does the E6 CLEARLY amplify the sound, but i thought I wasn't gonna use its EQ settings (of which it has 3)......... EQ2 though........ if Harman/Kardon mod on my M8 wasn't unleashing the sound enough already on its own (as Z3's DSEE HX and/or Hi-Res will), it + EQ2 on amp unleashes it to a whole new level!! lol No joke!

I tried amp w/o its eq, just amp itself..... volume was louder, but not doing any "cleaning up" or adjusting to the sound........ which is what's supposed to happen in that setting I guess. But yeah, when you activate EQ2 (blue backside indicator light on), you can hear even MORE of the guitar and bass too. So for me........ phone on whichever EQ setting sounds best, volume at about 70%-75% (Z3 may need to go louder though cuz M8 is naturally louder for headphones).......... E6 DEF will be included, kept on and EQ2 activated with amp volume at full blast...........and headphones. I tried playing both mp3s and FLAC tracks, and it was f'ing amazing!!! I highly recommend this setup, and these headphones too if ur looking to buy. I paid $181 for mine off Amazon which is great considering the retail price is $320.

The only negative for both these headphones and the amp is that the connector cables' "butt" is too fat and even with my Spigen case which has perfect cutouts for connecting cables to the phone, it would go in but not stay put, so I had to remove the case on phone to try them out. I'm gonna hit Radio Shack or else Best Buy to find adapters for these cables with slim "butts", or else I'll have to use them with no phone case. We'll see what happens.

Thoughts and questions?

RockStar2005
[Xperia Z3 General] PePPiZCH:
Glad you're happy with your choices!
[Xperia Z3 General] subhani:
Ravi, I tried using this app, it is very finicky. Temperamental. The settings don't always stick. Some others don't have any effect. Others make the sound QUIETER. One thing is certain... The bass will rock your cans. Oh yes... So I have it just for when some tracks are lacking that oomph in the bass dept. It DOES NOT increase the volume output in any case. There is an option for it and it works randomly when your volume slider is upper mid point but as soon as you touch the volume slider it disables the amplitude. At the maximum levels of volume, I tried to enable that higher volume but it simply wouldn't work.

I have it for bass though.

BTW, I have revisited Poweramp and Walkman and I have my my Poweramp set up in such a way that the audio is just sweet! I'm in favour of PA after these new settings I've set. Dang, I think walkman is good for the DSEE HX option, but you lose the ability to tweak anything else like the equaliser etc. I like the more granular controls of PA and have it set just right. Somehow, PA sounds louder too. Bass is cleaner.

Sorry if I've confused you Rock. LOL. Go into a tmo store with your e6 and sennheiser and have a listen before you buy buddy. If you like PA, you'll be right at home.
[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
lol....... Oh, I'm getting the Z3 no matter what Subhani! Based on what several ppl have said on here, Walkman, after enabling DSEE HX, ClearAudio+, etc, has been said by many to be better than PowerAmp. Or at least as good, if not better. The EQ2 setting on the E6 works to FURTHER unleash the sound, taking further what DSEE HX (and even Hi-Res I guess?) does on the Z3, or what the Harman/Kardon mod on my M8. I have faith that Walkman will not disappoint when the time comes. Hopefully I'm not wrong! lol The amp will make sure that my volume level is satisfactory, but it will also bring out the sound in a way the Z3 (or any smartphone really) can't on its own.

I do love PowerAmp though. But after using H/K, I realize that PA alone can't bring my music to life in quite the same way a good mp3 upscaler like H/K & DSEE HX can when utilized. I can use EQ2 on the E6 to do that too, but I don't know how it would be w/o that extra help from H/K / DSEE HX. On my headphones is one thing, but then in the car I'd have to bring the E6 with me too, and I don't wanna do that.

RockStar2005
[Xperia Z3 General] maverick1103:
Hi RockStar2005,

Sorry I didn't PM you u back had a crazy week!

I'm glad you've got your headphones now, plus thanks for providing your feedback about the amp as well, I think from what I have read on here the amp is the best option if you've got some decent headphones.

I've been using the Sony NC earphones this week commuting to work, where the NC brings many positives - blocking all fellow commuters out, I was so surprised with the results from these £25 earphones; however sound quality wise not on par with my Bose.

They'll do for a backup pair but I'm switching back to my Bose and I'm going to order the amp.

Mav
[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
Hey Mav,

No problem!

Yeah I think it is too. I'm gonna try it out in my car as well, just to see, but I dunno if I wanna always be carrying it around and stuff too. But it's pretty cool nonetheless, as are the 598s.

I think those NC earphones are great esp for commuting. If you're wearing a jacket then you can always stash them in there, where headphones would be a bit more challenging. lol But if you're going to like work or something then it's fine I guess. I returned my NCs last week but I MAY one day buy them again. I sometimes commute by train from the suburbs to the city (downtown Chicago). The other day I did to go meet up with some visiting out-of-town family. Used my $30 V-Moda earphones which are really good on my current M8, but I have a feeling the NCs on the Z3 would sound better. We'll see. I don't really commute that often so not sure if it's worth it.

You could always try the NCs out WITH the E6 amp and see how that goes too. The NCs are obviously easier to carry around, but yeah, the Bose headphones I'm sure sound better.

RockStar2005
[Xperia Z3 General] Richie5767:
How does this work? Is this an application that you can download through play store?

From reading these reviews, it seems that is works fine. I just wish they had something like this for the camera.
[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
Richie,

What do you mean by "this"? The E6 portable headphone amp? Not sure what you're referring to.

RockStar2005
[Xperia Z3 General] maverick1103:
Well I've just found out that the inline remote and mic will not work on my Bose whilst it's connected to the amp, kinda annoying really but that's because the amp doesn't pass through the extra pin for those features....

Not sure now if I should get it, those might seem small things compared to the gains I'll receive but I use the inline remote quite a bit, plus the calling feature.

?
[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
Mav,

Hmm......... I see your dilemma. lol Well, you could always try looking around at other amps to see if they have that extra pin you need. My 598 headphones don't have an in-line remote like your Bose or the H/K NC headphones do, and I don't really take calls with my headphones (or plan to) either, so for me it's not an issue.

It's up to you man. You could just take the calls the old-fashioned way? lol I just keep the volume on amp at 100% and adjust volume from phone. The phone itself is basically MY "in-line remote". lol Just a thought.

You could always test it out and return it if you don't think the pros outweigh the cons too.

RockStar2005
[Xperia Z3 General] maverick1103:
RockStar2005,

I see what you mean, it's mainly for shipping tracks and pausing than controlling the volume as such, it makes life much easier when commuting.

As for calls yes it's not a major issue not having the mic facility, prob just laziness lol!

I think I may get it anyway and see how it goes.

Mav
[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
Mav,

Cool man. Lemme know if you do what you think of it. Remember, EQ2 (blue light on back) ftw! What's nice when you turn it off then back on later, it remembers the EQ you last used (if it was on when u last turned it off), so you shouldn't have to re-enable it each time. It doesn't have a low battery indicator, but they (I asked FiiO lol) say you should know if volume goes too low to recharge, although it's said to have a 10-hour battery life if fully charged. You'll know it's fully charged though when the red corner light turns off while charging. FYIs.

RockStar2005
[Xperia Z3 General] Richie5767:
I am referring to DSEE HX & Hi Rest Audio. Is this an application you install on your z3? or is it an accessory add on for your headphones?

The only details I have of it is that it increases the volume on the z3.
[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
Richie,

The Z3 COMES with both Hi-Res and DSEE HX automatically built into the Z3. I believe the Hi-Res works no matter what player you use, but DSEE HX (mp3/AACs/lower quality FLAC upscaler) only is available if you use the built-in Walkman app. Hi-Res will only kick in when you play Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WMA etc tracks (i.e. 24-bit/96KHz or higher). You'll know Hi-Res is working b/c from what ppl have said who already have the Z3 (I get mine next Wed) a "gold star" will show up while the song is playing (at least it does in Walkman) on the player screen. What I don't know is if Hi-Res kicks in with other players. I wanna say it does, but can anyone here confirm that??

DSEE HX will kick in basically whenever Hi-Res doesn't. That means when you play mp3s, AACs, CD-Quality FLACS, etc. It essentially UNLEASHES the sound of these compressed music files, which does appear to add volume. Think of mp3s and AACs like regular standard definition TVs......... before HD came along I mean. Like "480p". Then you have CD-Quality FLACs (like mp3s etc, they are still 16-bit/44.1KHz) which are like "720p", or regular HD. But UNLIKE mp3s and AACs, these are lossless though still compressed files. So they're smaller than uncompressed files and take up less room, yet none of the original sound data is lost (so a win-win!), which is a crucial component of Hi-Res tracks. And finally there's Hi-Res........ or "1080p" (FULL HD) - "4K"............. which comes in various flavors. I believe 24-bit/96KHz is where Hi-Res officially starts, or "1080p". Then you have like 24-bit/176KHz or more often, 24-bit/192KHz, which is where you're in "4K"-like territory.

The DAC (digital audio converter) they use on smart phones are getting better and better (but still not necessarily top-of-the-line, yet), but you can always improve it I guess by using a separate one and connecting in b/t the phone and headphones. I don't think it's necessary with the Z3, but some may argue that. Instead of a DAC, I use a portable headphone amp.................... namely, the FiiO E6 portable amp, for only $27.99 off Amazon, and it definitely elevates (and FURTHER unleashes) the sound quality and volume to another level, even at that price. One person said on another site that it does what most $300 portable amps can't do. All I know is, I'm definitely NOT returning mine! lol I even tried it in my car just now and I was hearing tight (vs uncontrolled) bass-thumping Iike I'd never heard before from the drums of songs I've heard dozens of times. I highly recommend it!

Hope those were enough details for you! If you have more questions, feel free to ask.

RockStar2005
[Xperia Z3 General] Richie5767:
Thanks for clarifying.
[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
No problem.

RockStar2005
[Xperia Z3 General] oryan_dunn:
Lachlan reviews the A15 Walkman, which has all the same sound enhancements as the Walkman app on the Z line. He talks about DSEE HX and what it does, as well as ClearAudio+. Spoiler, he leaves both turned off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=...v=fNIRC0kVvWg&feature=player_detailpage#t=734
[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
Oryan,

I wasn't really convinced that I should be using ClearAudio+ (even before seeing this video excerpt), but it sounds like DSEE HX does have some positive impact on the music, so that's good to know. I may try ClearAudio+ myself just to hear the difference, but if it doesn't improve the sound quality, then I'll just leave it off.

Thanks,

RockStar2005
[Xperia Z3 General] subhani:
This is exactly what I do and I haven't watched the video yet! You will find this to be the story for most people who prefer

1. More bassier notes, since DSEE HX and CA both dampen the bass somewhat

2. Cheapo ear buds like me who can't afford high cost cans/buds and other audio accessories, as using a good pair of those would really distinguish between DSEE HX on and off.

3. More granular control over their music either by using PA settings or even the built in Walkman/Sony settings like the 5 bar EQ, the choice of headset presets, virtual surround etc. CA+ and DSEE HX understandably take full control of the sound output according to what it was configured to do in order to give you that 'upscaled' audio fidelity. They disable manual user manipulation of the audio when they are enabled.

As I've said before, with PowerAmp, you get a better equaliser, slightly louder output without distortion, better definition in the instruments and stronger cleaner bass.
[Xperia Z3 General] Tmel14:
Question for anyone using the Walkman app - I could be imagining things but I swear when I first loaded all of my music on, the smart playlists could hold loads of songs (for instance Newly Added held all the songs – about 5,000 – that I’d just put on and Recently Played had all the songs I’d played in the last week) but as of last night the smart playlists can only hold 50 songs. I did have to clear all media storage data last night as I was having a problem with Album and since doing this I noticed the 50 song thing on my smart playlists.

Am I just imagining things and have they always only been able to hold 50 songs or has my phone suddenly changed this?
[Xperia Z3 General] subhani:
Sorry, I never checked prior to your report but I can confirm that it is indeed limited to 50, the auto self curated playlists that is.
[Xperia Z3 General] smaragdhk:
If you like Poweramp you should also give Neutron Media Player a try... enable dither, crossed, 64 bit processing, imho sounds even better than Poweramp. I've used both apps for over 2 years... Neutron has finally improved its user interface. Both apps allow you to control the pre-amp settings too, adding a dB boost in case your headphones are hard to drive...
[Xperia Z3 General] subhani:
Gonna give that a shot and feedback... Thanks very much.
[Xperia Z3 General] Akiainavas:
I'm actually pretty impressed with that feature - not going to dive into technicalities, but most of my mp3 music, even in 320kbps - does in fact sound better with it being on - so if it's actually better, or just in my taste - i don't know - but I really like it and always keep it turned on.
[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
I gave it a try, and wasn't too impressed. The UI may have been improved, but I still wasn't crazy about it. Didn't see any presets except for 2 marked #1 and #2, and it wouldn't let me use #2 even when I'd purchased the full version (they give you 2 hours now to return a purchased app for a full refund instead of only 15 minutes like before). Even with 64-bit processing enabled, I still felt like that PowerAmp's (PA) overall sound was better and the bass was both more present and tighter. I think the reason why it suffered was the lack of EQ bands. Neutron only has 4, while PA has 10.

But there is such a thing as overkill, or the law of diminishing demands, too. I also decided to try out the full version of JetAudio, which is also well-rated. JetAudio's full version comes with a choice of using either a 10 or 20-band EQ. But even with the 20-band EQ on "Rock" (and also tried "Rock 2"), while I thought it was better than Neutron, I can't really say it was better than PA. PA may have been slightly better still. It was pretty close. But I def wouldn't take it over PA. PA's UI is fantastic...... it allows you to not only save default presets, but it also lets you save a given preset for a certain song by overriding the set default but just for that song. On top of all that, it lets you save your FULL EQ and menu settings (except for those individual song overrides, which I only use for a handful of tracks anyway) to a file which you can give to other ppl who may have trouble configuring all that, or even for when you upgrade your phone and get PA again. You just import the file through PA's settings menu (3-dots button at top right), and within a few seconds everything is ready for you. (If you're interested in my PA full settings file, send me a PM.)

So I returned both Neutron and JetAudio for a full refund and am going to remain on PA. But it was still good to try out the competition!

RockStar2005
[Xperia Z3 General] hospital349:
My personal preference for audio playback is: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dogsbark.noozy&hl=en_GB :good:

EDIT: Additionally. I've started using https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.noozxoidelabs.eizo.rewirepro&hl=en_GB which is by the same company. Here are screenshots of my settings for the built in speakers:

Earphone/headphone settings are a different story, as they're all built differently, so you'll have to play around. Though, just an heads up: don't bother selecting the top option (Deliver natural balanced sound), as it tends to make the volume much quieter. Excellent equalizer and personally, I prefer it to Sony's. Makes the speakers fuller, warmer and slightly louder. Give it a whirl. Nothing to lose. :)
[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
Hospital,

Have you compared it to PowerAmp? If so, what do you like better about it? Please give as much detail as you can. I will consider trying it out. Does it play FLAC? How many bands is the EQ?

Thanks,

RockStar2005
[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
I saw the Noozy description on the site, but thanks for reposting it here.

Day and night eh? I guess I'll give it a try. But I actually like presets b/c even though I'm picky on sound, I don't really like playing "studio engineer". So you're saying it has no EQ presets, just an EQ you have to manually adjust? How many bands is the EQ?

FLAC-16? I thought FLAC only went from Levels 1 -8?

Yes, the E6 is incredible and I'm VERY happy I bought it. For the Z3 I think it definitely makes a difference, esp if you're using headphones. Not so much on earphones. For headphones though, I have the Sennheiser 598s which sound fantastic! I actually just ordered (and received today) the E11K FiiO amp from Amazon. Charging it right now, and gonna test it out vs the E6 tonight. It's only $30 more than the E6, so I decided why not? It outputs more millwatts (mW) than the E6 (450 vs 100), so I guess that equates to better sound. We'll see. It has to really wow me to beat out the E6 though.

I'll post back here soon after trying out Noozy.

P.S. So EIZO is for the built-in speakers only?

Thanks,

RockStar2005
[Xperia Z3 General] hospital349:
EIZO will work for both built-in speakers and line-out. There are options for both, which can be separately adjusted, which is fantastic, as nobody wants to use the same settings for both.

Regarding frequencies and bands:

"Soundbar Speaker Size Response supports 100Hz, 200Hz, 300Hz via Noozxoide Psychoacoustic II settings. It is a digital audio with uncompressed sample sizes of 24-bit / 192 kHz."

No idea about FLAC-16. They state that Noozy is compatible with that format, so the engineers must know something that we don't. :cowboy:

I suppose it's the other was around after all - It's just a tons of presets, that can be combined. So there are several drop down options in different sections, that form layers of sound types, rather than the interfaces with the knobs and dials that you move and down. It's a really intuitive and user-friendly interface, as well as being flexible. Sorry about the misinformation.

I'm a non-technical audiophile and know very little about the in's and out's of frequencies and how sound works. However, I have a reasonably good ear for sound. :cyclops:

Sorry that I couldn't elaborate further, but urge you to try it out for yourself. :good: