yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] FYL21:
Good point, I remember the LG V10 and HTC 10 got mediocre audio measurements on GSMArena but another site showed much better measurements, and LG V-series tends to be only around 0.75V output on PhoneArena. It's probably dependent on what headphone or measuring device is used and it either measured a low impedance mode or the onboard DAC instead of the discrete DAC. I remember there was some discussion about the Sony Xperia Z3 being poor in volume and that there was software tweak available to increase the output voltage. At the same time a lot of people still swear by the claim it had a dual DAC and class D amp, when these were just used for the built in stereo speakers (one DAC per speaker)! I would suspect the Note 9 uses separate DACs for each speaker as well, but I'm afraid the headphone jack output voltage remains constant. I wonder if anyone knows how it compares directly to S8 and S9/S9+? I've seen variable impressions of those two being compared.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] RockStar2005:
Yeah the HTC 10 was an incredible phone for audio. This very well-written review details why. (Focus on the headphone audio section, and any emboldened parts.)

The issue with reviewing the LG Quad DAC phones is these reviewers most likely don't realize the amp output volume can be made (and or "tricked" lol) into reaching higher volumes. So yeah, a 300-ohm pair of headphones are not gonna get loud enough in Normal Device Mode, but try it out again in the loudest one, High Impedance Mode or HIM (which is 2 notches above Normal Device Mode), and you'll quickly see just how "industrial strength" the amp(s) on the Quad DAC setup really are. I use my V30 to drive my 250-ohm Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro, and they do so VERY well! (Note: HIM is said to drive up to 600-ohm headphones!)

See I heard that too about the Dual DAC on the Z3, but you're sure it was just for the speakers??! Ughh Sony!!!! Sony Mobile should know better. lol Though on the more recent Xperia flagships, I was told by someone who owns the XZ Premium that if you enable AHO (Automatic Headphone Optimization), it improves the sound considerably. Still, those dual DACs SHOULD be used for headphone output as well. I guess when it comes to Samsung (Exynos-based ones) and Sony, you're better off using a third-party amp/DAC device.

My Z3 had very good audio. A $200 amp/DAC or DAP device 4 years ago could match it, but a $300 amp/DAC like my old Oppo HA-2 outdid it. The V20 I tried a while ago vs. my HA-2 MATCHED the HA-2, as did the HTC 10 (which I did keep as the V20 was too big for me at the time), which is why I soon after sold my HA-2 and kept the HTC 10.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] yourmumsbootloader:
But did the HTC10 have a swappable battery? The V20 can change batteries.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] RockStar2005:
No the HTC 10's battery was fixed.

Was it (V20)? Ok. I don't remember that but I'll take your word as fact.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] ErebusRaze:
I'll keep this brief. I have the US Snapdragon version, and am coming directly from the US Exynos Note 5. The difference in clarity favors the Note 5. There's depth where you can hear instrument separation and minute details far batter than on the Note 9. I've tried to fine tune the equalizer, but I haven't been able to replicate innate evenness of the 5. I also tested Atmos and immediately turned it off because all it does is mute the mids and place a heavy emphasis on the highs and bass. It's pretty terrible. I haven't tried it for watching films yet, so it may be better for that. All in all the DAC in the Note 9 isn't terrible (far better than the Note 4) But it'll definitely be enjoyed more by bass loving enthusiasts who don't have headphones with a flat(ter) response.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] RockStar2005:
Interesting. I knew the US Note 7 had a Exynos chip, but thought it was just that one. Didn't know US Note 5 did too.

Yeah EQ'ing can make a big difference, but definitely not ALL the difference. I EQ my LG V30 (Poweramp) as well.

I really wish companies like Samsung and Sony would release limited alternate versions of their flagship phones with improved sound quality. The audiophile population is (unfortunately) a smaller one, so this would serve to tap into that market, of which I proudly belong to. Sony planned to release a version of their Z4 phone (which was abandoned as well), dubbed the "Z4 Music", but it never took place. Just like how they sell their phones with more RAM to Asian-only markets, they could easily do the same thing and even charge a bit more to cover costs. I believe most audiophiles wouldn't mind paying an extra $50-$100 for an improved DAC/amp combo.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] yourmumsbootloader:
That's all? $50-100 on a $1250 phone. Not even bothering with the 128GB version since if you want audiophile goodness you're going to want to out it somewhere. You will have to get in line for those of us wanting a Developer Edition or unlocked bootloader willing to pay a premium. If you have not noticed many of the devs are gone. I bet it didn't take much for OEMs to pay them off to stop developing because many people just want the hard work of others for free.

That DAC on the snap is not terrible but definitely could be better. You could sacrifice some LTE bands and get the Exynos variant that will work in your region. And btw, it probably costs a lot more to make a small run of phones with better DAC than it costs an OEM to put more RAM or storage on a small run. Korean Samsung phones are a good example of this. They usually get some kind of bonus with the build of their phones and it doesn't cost anything R&D to add those small bonuses. Adding a custom DAC would cost some labor on the front end and the factory, that is if you want them to bother tuning and shielding it properly. $100 probably will not cover it. And there's always wireless. I prefer headphone jack but with many OEMs ditching the jack more and better options are coming out for wireless. The AKGN60 were a pleasant surprise for being free. Not my cup of tea but I decided to keep them if that means anything.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] yourmumsbootloader:
There is a lot more to it than purchasing power. Qualcomm needs to make the DAC section of their SOC more modular friendly or just come with it on the quality.

I still buy CDs. First thing I do is rip it into 44/16 FLAC and 320kb constant bitrate MP3. The MP3s are a backup of sorts.

"But once again, these Asian countries are withholding from the US for reasons I don't understand". LMAO. I have been studying various subjects and history and current state of affairs. I could say a lot of things but I will just say one... Imperial vs metric system. ?

I am fixing to look at those products you mentioned. I used to have a Sony MW600 and for the time it was awesome. Had an OLED screen that crapped out but still worked. Thing is menu was too complicated to try and continue using it. The big names in the portable audio need to step up with Bluetooth DACs. I still have my V20 as a dedicated DAP but boy would it be nice to have a bluetoof receiver with a nice DAC in it like ESS or Ashai Kasei. I know many people want a one device can do it all experience but as we move away from headphone jackss this niche needs to be filled. Something about the size of the iPhone 4 (or slightly bigger but thin) with a pairing/power button and volume buttons and you are set. Battery life would be better than wireless headsets and you still get the best of both worlds, hi res music and wired headphones that go to a badass DAC in your pocket.

I am fixing to write JDS Labs to see if they are working on something or need the idea. I have not looked on their website for a while but they have an amp the size of an altoids tin. I also have their CD5 DAC/AMP. The d is for DAC. The C5 was just an amp. This niche needs to be filled because top of the line DACs in phones will probably never be common unless all the iSheep buy those overpriced iPhones with ok DACs. iPhones sound better than 90% of the market and probably louder than 80% but the few times I've played with them the sound was too sterile.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] RockStar2005:
Yeah if Qualcomm up'd their game that would be great! But they prob won't. lol Sorry, but when it comes to audio, the word "integrated" is never a sign of quality. lol

That's cool. I was buying CDs too until recently and ripping them to AAC (and backing them up on Google Drive). But now that I see that iTunes Store only sells CD-Quality and Hi-Res (which are labeled as "Mastered for iTunes") albums, I just buy from them primarily. In some rare case where they don't have something I want, I would still be open to buying the CD version though. I confirmed with a supervisor there about the all that, and found info online to back it up as well. When comparing their Hi-Res album tracks to ones I already owned, I could not hear a difference either. It's great cuz I used to spend like double what I spend now on Hi-Res (and CDQ) albums.

Haha! Ok? Well all I know is they seem to think it's not worth giving us that extra RAM, so F them all for acting on it. lol

Nice. Yeah I'm keeping an eye on those devices too. It all depends on when and what phone I get next. I'm thinking to just wait until next year when the 5G phones start comin' out to upgrade. Battery life on both devices is supposed to be pretty strong. The BTR3 only take 1.5 hours to charge but lasts 11 hours. Hopefully by next year they have even better ones out.

That's cool about JDS. Didn't know the D meant DAC. Yeah I've seen the C5 before. I buy Altoids all the time too for my car. lol Yeah it's funny about the iPhones because they are rated even above the Android phones for audio, yet I've known ppl who own iPhones who have used cheaper amp/DACs like the AudioQuest DragonFly Black and they claimed to hear improvements with the Black. So I dunno. lol Yeah I agree on the iPhone amp power too. I've seen on Phone Arena that iPhones and HTC phones have the loudest amps, though in reality the TRULY loudest one is the LG ones with the Quad DAC. Phone Arena measures these phones with the Quad DAC amp setting at the lowest one (of three), but the highest one (known as High Impedance Mode) yields a VERY strong amp output that is said to have the ability to drive up to 600-ohm headphones!
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] yourmumsbootloader:
I hate you. ?. I am eyeballing the ES100. Doubt I will buy it. There is dual AKM4375 DAC. Asahi Kasei are pretty good. My Marantz microprocessor has a 6.35mm jack. I put my Beyerdynamics on that and it was very nice unexpectedly but only 2m cords. Toys toys toys for the matrix. I don't remember which was the loudest. M8 or V20. V20 had a much lower noise floor though. I haven't fully tested the Note9 yet because I can't wear headphones at work. I can wear a mono Bluetooth though. No music at work but I can listen to lectures and broadcasts. The iPhone messes it up sometimes. ?

The DAC amp below can make my chest rattle with my Beyers. I like it but it's too loud. But it is size of about 2 iPhone 4's with 1200mah battery. I'm really enjoying the AKGN60 for now. The stereo speakers on the Note 9 are pretty decent too. Also a JBL Flip 3. So the Aqstic DAC not tanking it is of little concern for me.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] RockStar2005:
LOL!!!!!!!!

Well if I had a Samsung phone, esp a non-Exynos one, I'd be MORE than just eyeballing the ES100 or BTR3! lol And BOTH are available for under $100, which is probably the craziest aspect of it all!!

I just came across this brand new review of the BTR3. I would advise you read it carefully. The same site did a review of the ES100 previously as well. From what I gathered, the ES100 is better if you have 100-300 ohm headphones, which I do, b/c its amp is apparently much stronger than the BTR3's, which can only drive up to 100 ohm headphones/earphones. Not sure which Beyers you have? For me, I like the BTR3 more, but b/c of its amp limitation, I guess the ES100 would be the better choice for me. But it appears neither one can outmatch the LG Quad DAC if you read both reviews. But I don't plan on being with LG forever unless they fix up that camera to at least MATCH what Samsung and Sony can do. Hopefully again next year the next BTR or ESX00 device will offer even more.

Yeah from what I've read those are very reputable DACs, much like Sabre, Wolfson, Cirrus Logic, etc. The BTR3 is sporting the newer (single) AKM4376A vs. the ES100's dual AKM4375A DACs.

Yeah not sure. I actually owned both the M8 and 10, and tried out the V20. I would say though it was more than likely the V20 in HIM b/c it has the same Quad DAC setup as the V30. The V30 offers more only in that it comes with 2 sound filters under the Quad DAC settings that the V20 didn't have.

Yeah I thought that was pretty cool of Samsung to up their bonus incentive by offering on-ears vs. earphones. The AKG N60 is rated quite well too. I'm happy you like it! Yeah both Samsung and Sony have improved their speakers, esp Samsung, who as you very likely remember not too long ago only offering that stupid down firing-only single speaker, but now offers stereo speakers ftw, which Sony was already doing for years (like my old Z3 and X Performance). Ironically, my "audiophile" V30 offers the same silly speaker the older Samsungs did. But I'd rather they did that than skimp on the headphone audio tech. I do miss having front-firing stereo speakers though, so hopefully my next phone will have that.

This is the Head-Fi thread I joined recently on the ES100. You may wanna check it out, perhaps even going back a few pages or forward. But that link goes to a post from yesterday which mentions UPCOMING devices by Radsone as well. Wonder what that ES300 is all about?? (scroll down to the NEXT post by CactusPete about that.) You think it's an upgrade to the ES100? Hopefully yes with MORE ampage and a DUAL DAC AKM4376A setup ftw!!!! lol

Remember, LDAC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] yourmumsbootloader:
Neither one offer a form factor I like. I might have to sketch one with some ideas and send to JDS labs, schiit and a couple other companies willing to put something nice out for $150 ±$50. Power is not everything. Having a very low noise floor helps a lot too.

With all the equipment I have I am covered. The CD5 sounds good but not warm like I prefer. It can get loud easily. Bass modes. I have Beyer COPs and DT770pro 250ohms. Love those headphones. Some B&O H3s which I like very much. Even sound good on the snap note9. Haven't tried my 770s on note 9 yet. Sure I will be disappointed. COPs sound good but don't reach their potential. BTW, if you don't know what COP is, it is Custom One Pro. Highly recommend it. Very fun headphone and low impedance. Still using the AKGN60 and I use it to help me sleep occasionally.

Neither one of those DACs excite because of form factor and I would have to pick the ES100 to handle my 770s. Maybe if on sale for $50 I might splurge if I have a hole burning in my pocket. There is one I liked though it was much thicker than I preferred. I think it was $400. Is there a company called iDSD? I still rock my Moto X Pure occasionally. Very underrated for some reason. I never found out if it used snap DAC or aftermarket. Motorola tended to use companies like Wolfson from time to time. Anyways I would be in the market for 600ohm closed or open back headphones. I am open to open back because I don't own any. And some killer IEMs. H3s are really good but I want a pair of good Sennheiser or maybe 1more.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] RockStar2005:
Well that would be awesome if you did that. You must have some real pull with JDS if you think they would just make one because you asked though. lol Yes a low noise floor is important too. I believe those two devices have that as well, though I'd have to go back and check to make sure.

Ok that's right, DT 770. And COP. I used to own the B&O H6 2nd Gen though the ear pads were too small on me. I've read though that the new H9i has bigger ear pads is considered by some to be the best noise cancelling headphones out there, even above Sony's MDR1000XM3 and B&W PX.

I had to look up COP to be honest, so now I know. lol Sounds/looks cool, but I only like having one premium headphone at a time. I guess I'm monogamous in that way. lol

Ok. Well I've heard of iDSD, but I wonder if it offers BT at 24-bit and also has LDAC? I thought it was just a wired amp/DAC?

Well I have a running list on Amazon for headphones of all kinds, so I can prob help you pick out a solid open-back if you like. I prefer closed-back myself b/c I travel with my headphones so yeah, open-back isn't really ideal. I wouldn't worry so much about the impedance as I would the quality of the headphones. I also have some IEMs on my list as well. The brand names all vary. Let me know if interested and I can list some for you. Also, if so, then include your price range and I'll let you know what I got on my list that fits for both open-back and IEMs.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] yourmumsbootloader:
Lol @ my pull @ JDS. Pull my finger. But no they're a small company and they might be down to do it. The market for these BT receivers is small and they might be able to whip up something.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] xMadMike:
We need to campaign for pocketnow to revive the real audio reviews they used to do! Then they could review the Note 9 :D
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] dannejanne:
The Note 9 (Exynos) has really surprised me with the audio quality in headphones. I didn't expect much as the Note 8 was mediocre and sounded flat. Now the sound has a pretty wide soundstage and it's a lot better than Note 8 ever was. I'm comparing it with my LG G7 and it's really not that far behind. Sure the G7 has a bit wider soundstage but the difference is really not that big. Happy camper here. This is very decent audio performance.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] RockStar2005:
Interesting!

What else do you notice different b/t the Note 9 and Note 8 besides the wider soundstage?

Makes me wonder Samsung had AKG tune the headphone audio for them (finally)? But I haven't heard anything saying they did that yet.

---------- Post added at 07:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:57 PM ----------

Well hopefully! lol

Nice!

Yeah let me know if you need any help finding headphones or IEMs. Or if you get the ES100 or BTR3.

You got the Exynos Note 9 or Snapdragon one?
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] yourmumsbootloader:
Snappity snap snap.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] RockStar2005:
Ok that's what I thought.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] dannejanne:
I don't know what they did with the audio but whatever it is it gave results. Besides the wider soundstage in headphones the external speakers are also miles better than on Note 8. One of the best I've heard in fact if not the best. Also the second biggest change is the battery life. It's a lot better than on Note 8. So audio performance and battery life are the big upgrades for me (basically sold Note 8 because of poor audio and subpar battery life). Which is what i also wished for. I think the screen is a little bit less oversaturated also and that's a good thing if you ask me. Might be imagination and bad memory though. Still gamma is way off which makes colors darker than they should. But that's typical Samsung by now. So count on "black crush" just as usual.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] yourmumsbootloader:
Black crush as usual? My phone displays stuff quite well. I'd blame the source content first before I blame Samsung. On that note, Samsung needs to give us CMS controls like their TV's. It would be nice to fine tune it to have a calibrated display. Many, actually I should more, people would probably complain if Samsung did a proper calibration on their flagships. Apple has done really well with their LCDs in reviews and for the most part iPhone LCD screens are top notch in contrast and black levels for LCD, but how come units in my hands seem oversaturated in a lot of apps and YouTube videos?
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] RockStar2005:
Ok. ALL good info to know! I actually knew about the improvement in battery life already, but not the speakers. What about call quality, esp on speakerphone? My buddy had the Note 8 and said it was terrible.

Yeah Samsung tends to oversaturate the colors which leads to inaccurate color display. It's better I think now than before but they still tend to fare towards "warmer colors", which is something I really don't like, and it makes me continue to prefer like Sony's phones more for that b/c they are known to be very color accurate.

Any other improvements in audio besides the wider soundstage? Or just that?
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] yourmumsbootloader:
I am not that sure about phones but Samsung seems more accurate ootb than Sony phones. This is definitely true for their TVs. I don't know why Samsung shoots for oversaturation on their phones when they have the best OLEDs and it isn't necessary to counterbalance washed out colors.

Speakers are quite good on note9. All of them. Doesn't sound tinny either. YouTube reviews have been saying the new iPhones are much louder than the note but GSMarena has them almost the same dB with iPhone barely edging out note9. I think Samsung should shoot for front facing stereo speakers to make it even better. Flat calibrated screen. Bixby remap. And swappable battery. Then it'd be perfect phone. Except the snap needs a better DAC and amp though that isn't as big a deal to me.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] RockStar2005:
I haven't really compared their TVs, but for phones, I've owned at least 2 phones from each company, and both times the Sony one was the more accurate one. Samsung tends to display more warmer tones, which look nice, but to me are less appealing. This new review of the Note 9 vs. the new Xperia XZ3 (and 2 other phones) mentions it as well in several parts. I've also seen a couple recent video reviews that confirmed the same point.

I don't know why Samsung does that either man. lol I wish they'd stop it already.

That's awesome on speakers. I'm REALLY quite happy that Samsung is finally offering stereo speakers. Though yeah, front-facing on BOTH speakers not just top WOULD be ideal.

Well to me it is on DAC and amp quality, but if everything else was fixed I'd just get a third party device like the ES100. They say the Samsung phones still lag, which I don't like either. They need to get rid of TouchWiz already.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] yourmumsbootloader:
Samsung has always calibrated to the warm side. Sometimes too warm. I believe it is called the D6500K. 6500K is the color of sunlight and looks natural. If you prefer cooler temps then you should avoid Samsung. Calibrating to cooler temps makes people look unnatural and have a blue tint. That's why you see more people complain about yellow whites on Samsung phones and TVs more than complaints of red, pink or blue. I prefer warmer temps also so it doesn't bother me and is much easier on the eyes, especially at night. I also have chronic insomnia so this is better for me.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Questions & Answers] RockStar2005:
It's not so much preferring "cooler temps" as it is I just prefer that the pics I take reflect what my eyes see. At least 90% of the time, that's not what I got from Samsung with my old S7. (I had the S5 too but only for 4 days b/c I couldn't stand it and instead for the HTC One M8, which I loved. lol Though I wish back then it had the same awesome camera the newer HTC phones have.)

That sux about the insomnia. I just have Night Mode scheduled to automatically enable between 9:30pm-6:30am on all my phones. That helps with that. But if I wanna look at a pic or something I'll momentarily turn it off to see it more accurately.