[Xperia Z3 General] RockStar2005:
Attention everyone.......... listen to what I have to say!

I've just read through this very SWEET thread on the Z3, which I now own, and I have to share with you my experiences with it and what you all SHOULD do to maximize your sound quality with this phone. It will take some extra spending, but nothing too crazy if you're looking to buy headphones anyway.

First off, thank you Whitigir for starting this AWESOME thread and for your valuable info on the 2 chips which comprise the Z3's audio awesomeness. I was trying to find this out and fortunately you were able to and shared it. Equally valuable was ALL of your comparisons with other modern smartphones and how the Z3 STILL sounded better than them.

Ok.......... so I'm gonna cover here what I'd suggest you all do regarding headphones, volume issues, sound settings, etc.

1) Headphones: I bought the Sennheiser HD 598 headphones first, just before I got my Z3. Great-sounding open-backed headphones, but they just weren't comfortable enough for me, and in the end, if you're not comfortable, the sound quality suffers. So I then got the Audio Technica M50X headphones. They were def more comfortable, but they didn't sound as good as the 598s. I researched a lot of headphones online, but was losing my patience, so I decided to hit Best Buy a couple times to be able to try out the headphones there. I tried out several brands, but it was one brand in their Magnolia section that finally won me over.......... the AKG K550 headphones. Third time's the charm?? In my case, YES! lol These headphones are closed-back, meaning the sound is locked in, but it sounds more closed in, like "suction-cupped", which I'm not crazy about. HOWEVER, AKG advertises these as "closed-back headphones with a spacious open-backed sound". And they were RIGHT on the money, as several customers have agreed. Open-backed headphones leak out sound more, but these really don't, unless you're listening to music at full blast, which is a bad idea anyway. But somehow AKG made these sound open-backed, and it's like giving the music room to breathe IMO. Looks-wise they are the best looking headphones I've seen, or at least up there, esp compared to the ones I already bought (I eventually returned the first 2). Oh and the comfort................ SUPER COMFORTABLE!!!!!! I've actually FELL ASLEEP with these headphones on, which I could say would never happen with my 598s. Some said the 598s were comfy, but to me they weren't, so whatever. So yeah ppl......... AKG K550. (Try to stay away from bluetooth, ACTIVE noise-cancelling, and headphones with in-line remotes as these are said to degrade the sound quality. NC are only good if you really need them like on trains and planes if you travel a lot. FYI)

2) Volume issues: Almost everyone on here says the Z3's headphone output volume is a bit low, but still great. I agree........ what I don't agree with is ppl saying you don't need an amp. Maybe on earphones yes, but if you're listening on headphones, then I HIGHLY recommend an amp. But which one? Some ppl think amps just bump up the volume, but that is simply not true. A good one like the one I got does more than that.

Well, I initially bought the FiiO E6 portable amp for $28 and was pretty happy with it. Don't let the price fool you, this amp def bumped up the sound quality an extra notch. But then I read that the E11k amp was a lil better and it was only $32 more, so I said F it. lol It has a nicer build (metal vs plastic, and it looks like a lil drinking flask lol), and it does a bit more for the sound than the E6. To be honest, my K550s the first time I heard them sounded a bit weak b/c I didn't have an amp yet, but when I went back weeks later after buying the E11k, the difference was staggering! Pairing this amp with the K550s = MUSIC GOLD! (at least vs other smartphones lol)

Z3 sound settings/options: The sound settings I use on the Z3 are as follows: Turn OFF ClearAudio+.......... it does nothing but weaken the sound IMO. Dynamic Normalizer is a maybe. It seems to bump up the volume but I don't know if you really need it, esp if you have an amp. I just leave it off. What I leave on is Surround Sound. Those in this thread that said they use the "Studio" option got it right. "Studio" does what DSEE HX does, but on lossless (CD-Quality and Hi-Res) tracks, and THEN some! It makes them sound more alive. DSEE HX only works on mp3s, so don't think it's doing anything for your lossless FLAC tracks. I still leave DSEE HX on as I mostly have mp3s (when I actually am testing out music on Walkman), but since I use PA, it doesn't help since DSEE HX is the ONLY option on the Z3 that you have to be using Walkman for it to be enabled (all the rest port over). The EQ? Well, I use PowerAmp (PA), which I find to be somewhat fuller & louder than Walkman app, but Walkman is STILL great too. If you don't want or have PA, then I suggest using the "Soul" preset on Walkman as IMHO it is the best one there. Clear Bass I DEF use as it offers a nice WARM bass sound which I like. On my K550s, I usually leave it b/t +5 - +10. Oh and for speakers, keep the Surround Sound for speakers option on too. It's just better.

Now for those like me who want a bit more, I suggest PA (as I'd just mentioned). If you do, I suggest "Rock" as the preset, which you can make the default by simply going to EQ, tapping Save, tap & hold on Rock, tap Assign, check off Speaker, Wired Headset, & Bluetooth (Yes Whitigir, wired IS better than bluetooth lol) and then Ok. Wallahh...... Rock is now your default preset. Leave Tone and Limit off. Stereo X is ok but I leave it off since it's surround sound capabilities are nothing compared to "Studio". If you like, I have a backup settings file for my PA that I can e-mail to ANYONE on here to import onto their PA. This will save you at least 5-10 minutes of fumbling through the settings. Simply PM me and it's yours!

The combination of the Z3 + E11k amp + K550s + PA + Hi-Res FLAC tracks is the BEST combo I've encountered! The source material does matter, so at least for the bands you really love, I highly recommend Hi-Res. They sound better not so much b/c they have more "room" for the music to breathe, it's more b/c that studio engineers are known for taking GREATER CARE when it comes to recording and mastering Hi-Res tracks vs CDs/mp3s. What it says in article I just hyperlinked is:

But Montgomery counters that even a properly encoded MP3 can satisfy most listeners. And while other audio experts we talked to wouldn’t go as far as Montgomery, many are dubious about the added quality of high-resolution audio.

Nevertheless, there could still be value to high-resolution audio, and the Boston Audio Society study offers a clue as to why. Toward the end of the paper, the authors suggest that sound engineers often put more care and attention into higher-resolution recordings than they do to mass market CD releases.

Dr. Sean Olive, President of the Audio Engineering Society and Director of Acoustic Research for Harman international, agrees. “I’ve heard some wonderful CDs, but I’ve also heard some wonderful 24/96 files,” Olive said. “I really think the difference is how well they’re recorded and mastered.”

So where do you buy Hi-Res tracks from?? Here are the 3 I use or will use (Pono Music is display only right now, but WILL open shop in early 2015, which I confirmed by actually calling them and asking):

http://www.hdtracks.com/ (Their library is growing weekly. I've already downloaded several albums from them, and they all sound great. I noticed a on Led Zeppelin III and IV, a couple tracks had some slight crackling, but the same crackling was found on the mp3s, so I guess it's how it was recorded? It's not a big deal really as it only lasts a short time. They require you to buy the whole album in most cases, so keep that in mind. They have 3 independent companies check their albums, so you know they're what they say they are. I only download 24/96 b/c the Z3 can only do up to 24/96, and I heard that 24/192 can sometimes sound "too spacious", and plus they cost more.)

http://store.acousticsounds.com/superhirez (Like hdtracks.com, you must buy the entire album)

https://ponomusic.force.com/ccrz__HomePage (Neil Young's baby. When they finally open, I will be happy b/c unlike the first two choices, Pono Music LETS you purchase individual Hi-Res tracks if you don't want the whole album, which in some cases I do not.)

Bookmark all these choices and look for your fav albums on them all!

Other thoughts: I think the camera on the Z3 is MORE than ok.......... I think it's fantastic! I've tried other music apps like Neutron player, and I'm sorry but, none of them including Neutron measure up to PA in terms of sound quality and ease of use (UI). PA IMHO is the GOLD STANDARD when it comes android music listening. The Walkman app is a close second. One thing I like about Walkman is if you're playing a Hi-Res track, it marks that track with a gold "HR" badge so you know what's up.

For white balance improvement, go to Display settings: I used white balance setting for RGB as follows:

178

188

47

It makes the pics a lil less blue and more realistic IMO.

For camera, I just use Superior Auto as it still TAKES the pic at 20.7 MPs, but lowers them down to 8 MPs, but the source quality is still there. When you look at it, it should still be sharp. For those that want manual, I've been told this is good for Manual mode: Manual, 15mp, auto iso, image stabilisation off, metering spot, focus mode touch.

Hope that helps!!! lol It's a lot, but I needed to show you guys what's worked for me. Lemme know what you think.

RockStar2005