Android for Audiophiles: COMPLETE Guide

[@robertomata5054]

I've been sticking with LG phones for years because of their dacs, sad to see them step away from the phone business. Would be nice if LG started making dedicated music players as well

[@TheSkyrimps3]

Sony has amazing dacs too… but their phones are really expensive

[@haula251]

@@TheSkyrimps3 Yess Sony does great work job in audio (even better than iPhones) but they’re expensive because screen and cameras also great

[@chaitanyamore8786]

@@TheSkyrimps3 lol

[@gmemack8110]

I miss LG...LG if you're listening...

[@yesterdaystech86]

I kept both lg v10 and v30 as music players. Removed all other apps, took out the sim card and only turn on wifi for music streaming. Both have a lot of flacs and sound great with good battery life in this use

[@thishyna]

I’m watching this with my Starfields. Took a little bit to grow on me as I’m used to bass heavy earphones. Over a year later and I’m loving them. Just so crisp! Anyways, very clear and thorough video, thank you. I recently bought an inexpensive LG v50 to use solely as my DAP.

[@kittydukakis]

I have had the LG V20, V40, and now V60, and I only use them as DAPs-the sound rivals what I get from my desktop wired setup with a tube amp.

[@lennygith6254]

I am no audiophile but poweramp is another great android music player app. It gave new life to some of my earphones, including one I honestly cannot use without an equalizer. (Inviting comments from more experienced users)

[@theloshii]

Same plus the ui is so good

[@lennygith6254]

@@theloshii And there are plenty of themes available. Its one of the few apps I got the paid version of cause its just that good

[@quietgamer4429]

I'm a Poweramp user for years I'm just in love with the sound it gives to my earbuds the sound is incredible I can't never switch

[@rajithfernando6200]

Poweramp is frikkin awesome 🔥

[@marcgarito2011]

USB Audio Player Pro is awesome regarding music quality

[@markfischer3626]

I bought a Samsung S22 ultra about 18 months ago and didn't expect much. I bought an inexpensive C to headphone adapter for use with my Sony MDR V6. At Mac gain output was low until I switched on Dolby atmosphere. Gain increased considerably and is entirely satisfactory. Sound quality is excellent. A few months ago I bought an inexpensive Bluetooth receiver to connect to my main system. Sound quality was excellent but the signal wasn't strong enough. So I added a Radio Shack disco mixer for gain and tge results were also excellent IMO. I've been having a lot of fun creating Playlists on KZbin and filling them up. I'm sure I have over a thousand pieces of music in these lists already. I also use the custom equalization feature in the phone. I see no problem with CD quality Sound which the phone produces over Bluetooth and despite my knowledge as an engineer that CD quality is my reference standard analog can sound every bit as good and is indistinguishable from digital. I even connected my turntable that had been idle for almost 6 years and that sounds great too.

[@jeffjefferson7384]

Excellent guide mate. On a random note, would love to see you do a basic guide on how exactly external DACs improve sound quality. I've not really seen any remotely clear ones.

[@SeedRamples]

DACs convert the digital code in the audio file into an analog signal that amplifiers, headphones, or speakers can understand. "Better" DACs can convert the digital signal into an analog signal cleaner, being more true to what the digital file was trying to store. You can think about it like an artist making an oil painting based off of a picture on their computer. "Better" artists are going to make that painting look closer to how it appears in the picture. Now is where the debate comes in. Different DACs will give a different sound signature, and some people can prefer DACs that technically convert the digital signal to an analog signal worse. Just as how an artist can make that oil painting only vaguely resemble the picture, but certain people will like that painting more than the realistic one. If any of this is wrong, please help me understand this better and anyone else who might read this.

[@villageroma]

@@SeedRamples well the painting example is over simplifying. There are different factors that influences music from a dac. Its analogue output for example. As well as their digital implementation. The clock being used inside and other things implemented to fight the worst enemy of dacs which is called jitter. There are mainly 4 different chips used in dacs from ESS, Bur Brown, AKM and Cirrus. They all have their own interpretation of playing music and at the end of the day it’s about a matter of personal taste. The Cirrus Logic has a sound which is more tonally balanced. AKM generally has more mellow slow sound. Burr Brown comes with punch and dynamics. The ESS is a mix of the last 2 but comes emphasised in the low frequencies. I personally like the Cirrus Logic which is the one used on the Apple dongle.

[@clickbaitpro]

@@villageroma Wow that's really informative. Have you ever listened to R2R dac?

[@trocadero1965]

@@villageroma I ve bought to a usb dac dongle using a Cirrus dac a 32 bit /384kHz and makes a big difference on sound quality and this for 20€.

[@VanDungLe2510]

@@trocadero1965 Do you remember what model number is your Cirrus Dac?

[@steven2809]

Truly excellent well researched, well balanced video! This is an area most reviewers shy away from. It has taken me years to put together the knowledge you share here….. well done!

[@AudioFixation]

Thanks for the kind comments

[@DilanThimira]

Astounding review!! 🙂 Honestly, It's sad that people underestimate the audio jack these days

[@tonygonzales726]

I'm just now getting into improving the audio quality of the music I listen to on my mobile. My next mobile, unfortunately, will probably not include a headphone jack. Could you by chance, make a video on various different dongle dac/amps under £200? Thank you and love your new channel!!!

[@jerryandrews4725]

Fiio btr5,qdilex 5,ifi go blu these all are excellent Bluetooth dac amps

[@visionary4787]

This channel is a GEM i just got into IEMs and i needed this SO THANK UUUUU!

[@Domin8R1000]

On the topic of bluetooth headphones, I personally adore the AZ09 Pro from KZ (although I'm sure that their newest offering at the time, the AZ15, is more than wonderful) paired with the ZSN Pro X. Most of KZ's offerings are more than good enough to serve an audiofile's taste. I've heard nothing but great things from the KZ x Crinacle CRN as well. This company has wonderful offerings with balanced sound, allowing for the usage of equilizer apps such as Wavelet on android phones without the worry of drowning out certain aspects of your music. (I promise I'm not a plug for KZ or Wavelet, just discovered these things and thought others might see some good in it)

[@meh-hair-Vaughn]

Great video! Extremely informative. It turns out that the in-built DAC on my Samsung Galaxy S10+ is far superior to one of those $10 USB-C to 3.5mm DAC adaptors. The Samsung Galaxy S10+ can process upto 32bit/384Khz audio whereas the cheap USB-C to 3.5mm DAC adaptor that I have can only handle upto 48Khz sampling rates. Thankfully, the S10+ was one of the last Android phones to have a 3.5mm audio jack, so I just plug my earphones directly into them and they sound ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! So much so that I can actually notice the difference in sound quality when using the in-built DAC of the phone vs. the USB-C to 3.5mm DAC adaptor. All thanks to the USB Audio Player Pro app for Android, I can now confirm the bit-rate of the audio that is being played and that it matches with the bit rate being received by the internal DAC on the phone. Thank you for making such an informative video. Another KZbinr by the name of Darko.Audio also has similar videos that go in-depth about how to get the best quality audio out of your Android devices and Apple devices using external DACs. Greetings from Bangalore, India.

[@fun-ghi]

Amazing!! Alone in this video I got many answers I didn’t find yet or I didn’t even figure out the question. Or there’s a better solution for my current situation. Definitely a subscription 👍🏼🙏🏼

[@davebutler3905]

Thanks a million for this info and the app tips. I have since tried UAPP, and found it does exactly what you said it does. I'll subscribe and check out your other videos.

[@AudioFixation]

thanks, great to have you on board!

[@Ben-yt2rv]

you my friend are an absolute legend, I learnt so much. thank you

[@briannacluck5494]

This is good to know! I didn't realize android downsampled all your audio normally

[@d0nj03]

If Android doesn't do it your ears sure as hell will, as they can't hear anything past 20-ish kHz, making 44.1 kHz sampling quite enough, and 48 kHz more than enough for everyone.

[@Heheha329]

The frequencies still interact with each other tho

[@vext01]

I'm intrigued to hear your Bluetooth rant. I've been pretty impressed by APT-X HD and LDAC the like.

[@ahmadkhairilirham]

I second this, and please compare with UAT from Hiby.

[@josephnevin]

I've found a big difference between LDAC and USB DAC mode on my fiio btr5 even on streaming apps. USB DAC mode really opens up the earphone giving the audio a wider soundstage and bass more thump.

[@skyhero1888]

Of course ldac lose against a usb c dac /amp it’s a Bluetooth codec . Bluetooth Codecs are never audiophile. I use iPad Pro 12,9 M2 with Hiby FC4 and Meze 109 Pro headphone on Apple Music .

[@shared29]

I have been looking foward to this

[@Mr.P001]

UAPP has been a *God Send* for Android devices, one I purchased in the early days along with the MQA add-on once that was released. I do have a DAP or two but this app, USB dongles etc have helped when I didn't cancel carrying around another device

[@michelrainville1094]

Is uàpp compatible with a Samsung tablet or any other android tablet ? I’m guessing this is also true for tablets not only for android phones ? Tks

[@Mr.P001]

@@michelrainville1094 I believe it is. I have used it on tablets in the past

[@Costapersonal]

Yes, LG G phones have an excellent quality with Quad-dac, the best quality i ever heard, sad because they choose out of cellphone division. I use KZ, TRN and Kbear earphones.

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

only apples has 'acceptable' built in quality, rest need separate dac tbh i personally wont look below dragonfly cobalt, costly but dacs are lifetime investment

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

highend asus board also said to have 'better than mortals' onboard dacs, its custom flagship realtek

[@AlOne-xg6dv]

Very complete and comprehensive thoughts about that subject, thank you. I own the FIIO BTR 5 and use it with the bluetooth/LDAC settings and it works great with my motorcycle helmet headphones, hung inside with velcro. (i forgot the brand but those are from US and good sounding headphones).

[@TheChazas]

Always a joy to see Jon Hopkins in people's playlists.

[@neruwu]

Xiamoi's phones that do have an audio jack usually also have a better than usual dac build-in

[@twicengg1779]

Do you know what's the built in DAC for redmi note 10 pro?

[@bladecup]

​@@twicengg1779 Qualcomm WCD9375

[@santic5708]

@@bladecup and do u know of thats a good dac?

[@MaDKrEvEdKo]

I'm always up for a good Bluetooth kicking. The public's obsession with bluetooth audio has to end. Relatively good sounding models are so expensive you can buy insanely good wired headphones for the price and even great bluetooth headphones still fall short of greatness.

[@MrIndianRebel]

Didn't LDAC solve that issue? I know wired is always preferable, but Bluetooth technology has come so far that it's now as good as wired when it comes to quality, plus it also much more practical.

[@MaDKrEvEdKo]

@@MrIndianRebel LDAC on max quality can heavily suffer from interference between wifi and other signals especially in crowded areas. When I try to use max quality LDAC in my apartment it interferes with wi fi signal reaching my phone and if I'm in a crowded area music can also break up. This happens because of how much data is transfered, it's nearly unfit for Bluetooth. And yeah, max quality LDAC is still not as good as a wired connection.

[@MrIndianRebel]

@@MaDKrEvEdKo Are you sure, I'm really loving the LDAC codec on my Xm4. Anyways do you know how to get flac audio files for android?

[@MaDKrEvEdKo]

@@MrIndianRebel yeah, I had a few friends have that same problem. I do know how to get FLAC files on Android but ever since Apple Music added Lossless streaming I didn't need to do that much.

[@steven2809]

@@MrIndianRebel Bluetooth is nowhere near as as good as wired. LDAC is maximum 990 Kbps but often falls back to 660 Kbps for stability. CD quality is 1411 Kbps……no contest!

[@thedarkknight1971]

06:07 - YOU CAN sometimes make your android phone output audio through the USB C, but an app is required - I think 'Soundabout' or 'USB Audio Driver' may help, and as you mentioned 'USB Audio Pro' HELPS, and if memory serves, 'Developer Mode' will probably be needed to be unlocked too...🤔 But, in either case, Google REALLY NEED TO GET THEIR ARSES INTO GEAR because, with the decision to remove the headphone jack, their USB Audio Out part of Android NOT being modified in this area since Android 5(!!!) they NEED to enable the OS to handle modern USB 3.0 audio routing throughout ALL if not MOST Android phones!!! 😎🇬🇧

[@MeLikesPie]

Thanks this was actually what I was looking for !!

[@CalabreseRaider]

Love my LG V60, only need to use an external dac/amp to push my planar IEM's and headphones and the ifi go blu works great for that

[@AudioFixation]

Glad to hear you're still keeping the LG going! Do you use it as your phone as well or just as a media player?

[@CalabreseRaider]

@AudioFixation using it for both at the moment, once it goes, a sony experia with a 3.5mm audio jack, sad that LG has stopped manufacturing phones and this has been my fav phone, but I preferred the sound from my V40.

[@Audiorevue]

So I don't know how to really express my position as succinctly as I may like but I will say that I've noticed something on a continual basis between numerous different Android phones. So I was a long time iPhone user and I primarily listen to music through my phones when using my dragonfly black. And for a long time I was satisfied with that arrangement using my iPhone. However a year and a half ago I ended up breaking my iPhone and couldn't get it repaired and on short notice needed a phone so I went and bought the Google pixel 5. As soon as I hooked up my dragonfly to it and using it in the same way that I had been doing with my iPhone I could not help but notice this better sense of warmth to the sound and just in my opinion a more agreeable sonic signature. I've since moved on to Samsung Galaxy s21 and I'm back now with a Google pixel 6A and it just constantly holds true. Now granted with Android in general it resamples everything to 48 kilohertz but the newer pixels have some sort of hardware or software situation going on whereby it will stream bit perfect to a DAC through the USBC connector And I've confirmed this on both my Pixel 5 and my Pixel 6A using Quboz.

[@d0nj03]

Could be the extra power output that gets unlocked in USB 3.0+ phones if they're streaming the music bit-perfect to the DAC and bypassing the Android audio stack: your DAC might have been underpowered and producing weaker bass than it should have, running off your iPhone, and maybe only started to sound correct or closer to correct once it got USB 3.0 power off Android phones running in bit-perfect somehow (though I've never heard of that being possible with any stock software, only with dedicated players like UAPP and HiBy Music).

[@g4anode]

+1 for Neutron which supports remote content libraries. It's perfect for me since I have all my music on a NAS and don't have terabytes of storage on my phone.

[@jabezhane]

For audio on the go I decided to not try and carry my entire music library with me. I instead chose my 30 most played albums and put those on the phone instead. That way I don't fill my phone up but always have my fave albums with me just in case. 30 albums is nearly a days worth of music...

[@rohantyagi8689]

Great video mate, got answers to all my questions. Thanks a lot! My support.

[@ddmareo]

i compared the two between uapp and hiby and i must say that uapp does the job way better than the latter. In hiby, I always experience stutter sounds when playing music, but uapp doesnt do that at all. In terms of sound quality, I cant really tell the difference but if you have a very good dac, you will notice that uapp is superior than hiby. This is one of the many cases of 'You get what you paid for'

[@luminousfractal420]

Shame they're running subscription at a crazy price. I'll be looking to the new kids on the block for a reasonable alternative.

[@warheadsteel7]

Great video as always. The English Riveria is a great album as well, hope you enjoyed it

[@Goob_G3]

Thankfully I got the last of LG's V phones so I won't have to worry about dongles for a while. I've been loving using my Moondrop Arias with it. I've also been really enjoying using PowerAmp as my offline music player.

[@thitran2415]

I still buy the lg g6. Brilliant quad DAC + quad Resolution

[@markj4066]

Some android phones that still have a micro usb connection like the LG G40 require an OTG adapter that converts the USB micro to USB C in order to use a dongle dac.

[@steven2809]

Exactly. And they are as rare as hens’s teeth I have found. It depends which end of the adapter is the ‘host’ mode. Usually it’s the USB C end…..no good for me. Amazon basics adapter didn’t work….

[@Foobymaster1]

Good to know I've more or less gotten to a good level now. I have the moondrop arias running through the btr 5. Now I just need to get uapp

[@mirasmelody]

notably, if youre looking to get some of the audio hardware, the starfield iems, the fiio btr5 as well as the dragonfly dac all have cheaper alternatives from the same brands that are extremely similar in what they can do at a cheaper price, that being the moondrop aria, the fiio btr3k and the black version of the dragonfly dac (forgot the name)

[@AudioFixation]

It's just called the dragonfly black and you're right, is about £50/$50 cheaper, thanks for mentioning that.

[@Foobymaster1]

I have the moondrop aria and I love them and at only $80, worth every penny.

[@krayozmines]

I saw soemone who compared the different dragonfly dacs and said that the dragonfly black doesn't really sound that much better than an apple dongle. This leads me to believe that buying red might be the better way to go

[@SteveHuffer]

For my listening and kit, the BTR5 through balanced is significantly better than the Dragonfly Red. Have not tried the Cobalt, but at the price it had better improve a hell of a lot.

[@Bobzilla206]

I have a Samsung A50 and use the USB DAC and the Neutron Music Player can sense the 8 channels on my 7.1ABKONCORE CH60 Gaming headset. Don't down the USB headphones because it's the only way to get HD sound. OTG cable is a must.

[@oahupc4688]

E1da 9038d6k dongle combined with poweramp equalizer app is the most insane combination I've ever heard. It's clean and powerful in ways I can't describe. If you are serious about sound you need to try this combo! Seriously! Btw I use gone mad music player classic as my main mp3 flac player. The EQ program mentioned above may not work with all your player apps, you will have to try it to see. It works with my gone mad music player and my KZbin music app. I use it in my car via the aux jack in. And with a special USB c hub with PD port you can charge your phone while using this DAC at the same time. It's perfect

[@akashsahu933]

what about the downsample thing he mentioned in video with ytmusic ?

[@grotejoost]

Tip: I have a Dragonfly Red and a BeyerDynamic dt 990 Pro. With my Oneplus 7 I don't have enough output to really drive the cans. It works but not as good as on a pc. Not even using USB Audioplayer PRO. Using the Red on my pc I can get enough juice. Check if your phone can actually handle the required output! Ps I am using the official dragontail.

[@AudioFixation]

Yes good point Joost thanks

[@doifeellucky]

I presume you’re using the 250 ohm version. How are you finding them? Any initial harshness in the treble which goes away after a few days use?

[@Thestripper1]

Paid €990 for a new phone the other day. It needs a DAC 3.5 to USB-C dongle to go with my earbuds and headphones. Sound is making low volume pops and crackles, especially when listening to podcasts when the person speaking takes a short pause. It's like the further we go into the digital age, rudimentary functions start to fail.

[@Heheha329]

Just cost cutting and even if analog audio is better most people use daws l to produce so it doesn't matter.Since it's a digital recording anyways.Even if you write it to a cd.

[@vitoantolini555]

Increíble good vídeo. High quality and clear tech description. Very didáctic examples. Good topic sequence. Congratulations.

[@LgnShorty]

The LG phones had an awesome QUAD DAC 3.5 mm

[@couadm3718]

At the moment, I use my Android phone Xiaomi Redmi as a transport by connecting it via USB-type C - type C wire to the new product, the Fiio K11 R2R DAC. I chose a player with bit perfect technology, USB AUDIO PLAYER PRO (UAPP) The player is paid, it is not expensive, about $ 8. The advantage of this player on android is the direct transmission of a digital signal to a USB DAC. Another advantage is that it supports HiRes streaming services Tidal and Qubus. I am very pleased with the sound quality. I recommend.

[@V4Now]

I store my flac on my phone, I'll give Hiby a shot thanks👍🏾

[@AudioFixation]

Let me know what you think.

[@javiercomesanafranco4714]

Maybe this is a dumb question, but if I connect some mainly thought to be wireless headphones, like the Sony WH1000XM4, via an USB Dongle with a DAC to my phone, but I keep them on to use the noise-cancelling, does that improve sound quality or since they're on they'll always use the built-in DAC?

[@ahmadfodeh3413]

Thank you for your efforts, got all I needed to know !

[@Feemy]

Great video! Very informative and insightful. Thank you!

[@thitran2415]

If you are an audiophile, get an lg phone that supports quad DAC. My choice is lg g6/lg v20/v30. Quad hd Res and quad DAC and rather quite small 5.7 inche - 6 inches. Or go HTC 10. All metal build. Quad hd Res. Either that or get a dragonfly usb

[@Ashevillian]

Great overview! I really appreciate how educational your videos are. Curious to know that if you already have an active USB c dongle and want to use an external DAC, can you still use the active dongle or do you need to get a passive dongle?

[@bronkolie]

Both a passive and active dongle convert the single to analogue. There wouldn't be much point in using an external DAC if you've already converted it. Can't you just plug the external DAC straight into your phone?

[@villageroma]

The new Rog phone 5 has double ESS Sabre DAC that sound way better than old LG phones. Suited for high impedance big cans as well

[@FaizAlshehri]

hello there, I am thinking of replacing my LG v30 & Note 10+ with a used LG V60, solely for the Quad DAC. Is the ROG5 really better than the V60 ?

[@villageroma]

@@FaizAlshehri back in the day (more than a year ago) yes. This assuming you want just a phone to listen to music. By today standard almost every dac dongles sounds better than the than any past phones. If for iems and easy to drive cans look at Luxury & Precision W2 and the Caiyn R2R for the best sound. They really sounds way better than anything else on the market. For difficult to drive headphones with high impedance and planar you need a portable amp like the Venture Electronics Megatron which is at the same level of a good desktop amp.

[@gabrielodunlami17]

Thank you for this video, you just answered all my questions.

[@Andyxx15]

does 3.5mm on my phone provide Hi-Res ?

[@quietlydigital7291]

This is why i like my M11 Plus. The customized version of Android used bypasses the SRC. Even with apps like Deezer, Spotify, etc. Only issue is it gets hot, and runs a bit slow and laggy at times.

[@AudioFixation]

I wish I could get one of those!

[@theovonskeletor3709]

Do you have a link to this information?

[@quietlydigital7291]

@@theovonskeletor3709 To what information?

[@theovonskeletor3709]

@@quietlydigital7291 about it bypassing the src by default

[@quietlydigital7291]

@@theovonskeletor3709 That's how all DAPs work....been like that for ages. Not to mention it's mentioned right on their website. AND you can verify it yourself when you have the DAP. Which I've already done. Just play a music file, and it'll tell you what it's actually playing.When I play a 96khz file, it says 96khz in the OS. Same with 44.1. No resampling to 48khz at all.

[@zenithaquatic6477]

Reused my old phone (Xperia ZL) running on android 8.1 lineage to my digital music transport and buy a usb dac dongle (questyle m12) connected to usb port on both. With hibymusic player it can do bit perfect audio output. I think the sound quality of my usb dac closed enough to mid or even high end DAP unit in the market.

[@theBtotheJ23]

Is there any app like UAPP that will work with Amazon music?

[@beansnrice321]

Since there is so much diversity in Android, I've run into wild differences on certain phones. For example, a recent Motorola phone I picked up seems to really struggle with playing some stereo sounds, since it only has mono output. Even using the stereo to mono accessibility settings, seem to have no effect on some apps functions. Important apps, like alarms and notifications, for example. I can't tell you how disorientating it can be to wake up to only half of a Super Mario Brothers theme. =(

[@ShawnJonesHellion]

Never again will I buy moto. Their phones are so junky compared to other phones in the h rich people price point. In fact they are worse than some cheapie newbs in the market I had.

[@ralfdiedrichsen4571]

Hi! I like that kind of videos understandable for dummies like me. I have a quastion concerning this. I use a Samsung S21 Ultra and a Sennheiser Momentum 4. Not ideal because the Samsung does not support aptX adaptive but ok for standard streaming and mp3-files. When listening to the part of my library that consists of music with 16Bit/44.1Khz or even higher rates I use a USB-C to USB-C-Cable between phone and headphone and even my ears hear an advantage switching between BT and Cable. What I am wondering is: Is there any gain in soundquality when I use a mobile DAC like the Fiio KA3 and a 3.5 to 2.5 (or 4.4 to 2.5) cable or is the USB-C-connection the best to use? Additionally: I use Poweramp for local files. Does it make sense to switch to something like USB-Audioplayer PRO when using the USB-C or the DAC-variant?

[@hipidipi20157max]

The Oppo can output audio through the usb-c and also has headphone jack but I purchased aa Apple USB-C to headphone dongle anyway. The headphone output gives louder sound than the sound with the Apple dongle. But none work with my headphones, sound is too tiny even at max volume. The inside ear hedphones sound louder but I hate those things inside my ears, I want headphones that cover my ears.

[@MHKyo1132]

Great video explaining the intricacies of android audio! A shame that mainstream apps such as Spotify will be forever plagued by the resampling process done by the os

[@AudioFixation]

I know. Tiresome

[@ShawnJonesHellion]

Shame humans just sit around an whine about most corporations on the planet scamming them instead of just taking them over 😊

[@DominikPhilipp1]

Really like your videos, keep the good work going. Have you some experience with android DAPs that can bypass systemwide the resampling of android? Such as e.g. the Hiby R5 Saber or the iBasso dx160. Do these really play bit-perfect e.g. in Amazon Music or Apple Music?

[@antoshiquemozdziak2141]

Didn’t hear the difference in musical shop the difference between iphone 6 with external dac and good music player. Maybe specific tracks can help

[@afistfulofpimples1745]

All daps have a bypass

[@Metal_seer]

,Thank you. Very helpful

[@GiovanniDeMedici98]

First thing you must do when you get android phone is to root it and replace stock audio driver with ViPER, amazing sound quality with many many features like bass boost EQ and much more.

[@RideWithTechie]

Or buy poweramp equaliser. You can really feel the difference.

[@GiovanniDeMedici98]

@eL Goblinoo Disagree with both, New version of ViPER on magisk for android 11 does better job.

[@GiovanniDeMedici98]

@eL Goblinoo Idk why would you call ViPER shitty, It's briliant! works wonders with my Fiio Q1 Amp/Dac and my UM Mest MK2, Have you installed it properly ? It's a system software installed via magisk so you need to root your phone. Also depends on what phone you have, compared to my friend who owns mia1 I have better sound quality on my Note 8.

[@GiovanniDeMedici98]

@eL Goblinoo Mest doesn't need super fancy eq for it sound as intended tbh.

[@pauliusb]

Or buy LG V60, its own system EQ is outstanding.

[@CelesteOnYoutube]

Did you try the player PowerAmp ? I just love the damn thing.

[@Mr_Tee_Cee]

neutron Audio player has been my standard audio player on my LG V50 for years now

[@waynestevens1654]

A53 5g user I use video mp3 converter all my music 🎶 is convertered to 192 kb/s . Use video converter to convert ts files from bbc radio 1 Essential Mix as well

[@Alejandro-ww5vt]

How about directly using USB-C headphones, like the cable that comes with Sennheiser Momentum 3 that allows to play music using USB-C?

[@ibrahimcivanoglu2758]

Thank you or the detailed explanation. May I ask whether there is a specific reason why you have not mentioned PowerAmp?

[@deathstroke5776]

Yes...for us Poweramp is still on top.

[@afistfulofpimples1745]

Poweramp does not do bit perfect, so he will not mention it.

[@cemmy57]

sennheiser momentum wireless 2 clearly sounds way better than sony or galaxy buds for my experience, i ordered all 3 and decided to keep the sennheiser. this is only from a perspective od listening to music.

[@steven2809]

Doesn’t do LDAC……

[@clydeosterhout1221]

My older LG phone just died. But even though it had a rep for having excellent audio out put (and it wasn’t bad) it never sounded as good as my iPod 5.5 gen or my iPod mini. Using the same ear buds, same music, same file type, the iPods always seem (for me) to have a “broader and deeper” sound. Better than my iPhones and iPads, my Fire Tablets, my iPod Nanos, or anything else I have tried. I know that sound quality can be very subjective, but is there a reasonably priced DAP player out there that sounds better than a 20 year old iPod?

[@RajarshiRoy77]

Very informative. Im planning to buy G7 and build a streamer

[@fluffylambut]

Great video. Thanks. In July 2022 are the Android processing limitations mentioned (necessitating Music Player Pro App) still in effect. I have a Samsung S22 Ultra.

[@AudioFixation]

Yep, android resampling still alive and kicking in 2022 unfortunately!

[@fluffylambut]

@@AudioFixation So any DAC will not receive a full signal without, say, the app you recommend?

[@anshul4262]

For the UAPP app to bypass the android playback, is it necessary to have a DAC? I purchased the app for black shark 3 pro which has a 3.5 mm jack but with Tidal I am only able to get playback via Android 44.1kHz. If I uncheck play via android in absence of a DAC, I am unable to play songs.

[@owenwijaya108]

nah, u can turn on the hi res option in the uapp settings if your phone support it

[@kollectormairu6881]

FUN FACT the lg hi thinq a 100$ phone is probably the best sounding (phone) I use it as my main dac, ITS NOT GOOD FOR A AMP, ITS GOOD AS A DAC (lol I commented before watching)

[@PeteWade]

great video. thank you. you mention the lg v30 and v40 but not the v50 or v60. did something change with these last two models to reduce their attractiveness? my long serving v20 is on its last legs and im planning to purchase a used one of these as i loved the 20.

[@nicksummerson143]

More information on the DAC for the LG V series. V10 - ESS Sabre 9018 DAC, Sabre 9602 headphone amp V20 - ESS Sabre ES9218 Quad DAC (tuned by LG or B&O Play, depending on the market) V30 and G6 (Asian market G6 only) - ESS Sabre ES9218P Quad DAC (tuned by B&O Play) V40 and G7 - ESS Sabre ES9218P Quad DAC (tuned with Meridian) V50 and G8 (and G8x) - ESS Sabre ES9218P Quad DAC (tuned by Meridian) V60 - ESS Sabre ES9219 Quad DAC (most likely tuned by LG)

[@magnus00125]

When charging my android phone through 12v and listening to music through 3.5 jack to radio, I get annoying interference from the car when accelerating. But when I use a usb c cable into the radio I get both charging and music and no annoying noise - made my day :) though I may not be an audiophile.

[@iamcarl4591]

For the audio sampling part I bought the FiiO KA5 simply because the FiiO app of it can bypass that completely and in theory capable to play 768kHz/32Bit (I've only Tested 192kHz/32Bit tho)

[@ahphodg260]

Would you recommend devices like the Sony NW - A306 for the price it’s double the of the portable LDAC but it’s a fully integrated device. ( I hate dongles)

[@AudioFixation]

Hi sorry I have no knowledge or experience of that unit

[@danthemaninfierno]

Yes I recommend it! Just make sure you get an uncapped Japanese version.

[@trevwagner666]

Thank you so much for this, i use apple music and on my phone i dont get lossless so this will really help

[@orior3650]

very nice video thank you ..just got 1 little silly question which android phone has best speakers that you ever heard ?

[@luminousfractal420]

Picked up a dac from Ali 'jcally p90' excellent bitrate support and power output, fingers crossed it sounds good. Good price on em.

[@SStrudles.pastry]

Is there a way to circumvent the Android OS' frustrating quirk of downsizing the quality of music files without having to download a third-party app?

[@AudioFixation]

Sadly not without rooting your phone (which carries its own risks and disadvantages)

[@SStrudles.pastry]

@@AudioFixation Damn, that's a shame. Thanks for the reply.

[@stephens2984]

i'd like your opinion on an android tv box with optical out being used as a network player and internet radio into my hifi. any recommendations as to software would be appreciated.

[@PhillipMaquiso]

Hi. I would appreciate some inputs. I have a phone which is a PocoF1 with a 3.5 mm jack. Should I turn off/disable the system equalizer when im using a usb c dac (jcally jm04) + ZSN Pro X IEM using a Hiby music app and playing FLAC files.

[@shiroyukirein3365]

Hi, for S22Ultra which already output 32bit / 384 khz, should i get a dongle or a USB DAC or get an IEM cable with USB-C input?

[@axlpam]

Excellent video! Thanks a lot!

What about PowerAmp? Does it allow direct USB access too?

[@trocadero1965]

No TWS reviews please)), It took me 6 months of purchases to understand that I needed iems! And I still own Jabra elite 75t and top of the range Jbl club pro plus which sounds nice but nothing like a good 30€ Kc Zex for example...

[@ebenezerspludge8369]

Great video, I'm looking for an audio player that will make all my music sound around the same level. I play a lot of music in my car and even though I have all high quality rips some of my albums have no bass or sound distorted. I use neutron but it's a pain to listen to anything on shuffle.

[@alexspata]

very well explained, thanks for the useful tips

[@extendedp1]

Which phone is considered better to use as a dedicated music player, the LG v40 or the LG V60? Thanks

[@SukhES]

I still have my old Samsung Galaxy S4. Listening to music on S4 is way better than new note 10 which has Dolby Atoms. Dolby does not work or music it only loud the sound. where as old Samsung Sound Alive EQ system has many pre set for music and better custom options. Bass Boost on S4 is excellent and pretty bad on Note 10 compare to S4. I think Samsung should Dump Dolby Atoms from their upcoming phones and switch back to their own sound alive system. 5.1 and 7.1 virtual profiles best for any kind of audio.

[@HasanAlKharfan]

Hello, could you do a revised version of this? And potentially review the sony wfxm5 or samsung buds 3 pro?

[@HasanAlKharfan]

Could you also speak more about tidal and apple music? There are new updates!

[@BlipfromNL]

Supposedly, from Android version 10 and on, there is native software support for up to 192Khz audio. Your pixel is running Android 11 ish if I'm not mistaken. Had not experienced artifacts while listening through LG V60 (Android 10) with hi res Qobuz audio files. Your thoughts on this?

[@phizlip]

Kinda.. any file 48khz and below gets upscaled to 48khz and file above 48khz gets upscaled to 192khz in the same messy way as pre android 10 48khz audio. For example, a 96khz file will be upscaled to 192khz. I hope this helped

[@phizlip]

This doesn't apply to high end dacs in phones such as the LG V series however, files on the LG V series like the V40 and V60 will play back bit perfectly no matter what and will play at the proper sample rate. You don't need to use anything like UAPP there.

[@BlipfromNL]

@@phizlip thanks so much for elaborating! I'll stick to my one-device solution (V60) for now, as long as I can keep it my daily driver!

[@mdshadabakhtar9891]

​@@phizlip great explanation... Are you available anywhere where i can get touch with you for audiophile talks if you r interested.

[@audioaficionado9494]

Love my LG G5. Was going to get a new LG, but 'life isn't good' for their phone division. Too bad my HiBy R3 DAP OS doesn't have Spotify streaming.

[@aku7598]

To me, the best sound I get is from old Samsung Note 3+ fiio q1 + fiio fd7 Even replacing Note 3 with Sony Xperia 5 ii, the sound as good as Note 3.

[@jmxtra]

Good day, any update on this video would be appreciated. I understand there may be updates to Android o/s that can avoid the limitation with HiRes streaming , thanks

[@danmadden5621]

I believe different androids can do different things such as my LG G8. I use Amazon HD and when I plug my headphones directly into the headphone jack and play a 24/192 file, the Amazon app indicates that the file is 24/192, but then the Amazon app indicates that the device capability is 24/48 and then it says the audio output is 24/48. NOW!!!.....when I plug in my S9 Pro dongle DAC/AMP into the phone the Amazon app says that the file is 24/192........then it says the device (S9 pro) is capable of 24/192 and that the audio output is 24/192.

[@badhatharry4323]

PowerAmp and GalaxyBuds 2 Pro is great. If anyone else uses this combo: turn down the preamp slider a bit in PA, then the audio doesn't overblow all the time

[@antoshiquemozdziak2141]

What’s about tidal on android DAP? Didn’t hear the difference in musical shop, between iphone 6 with external dac and good music player. But it’s only my feelings

[@kevinwoodruff4252]

Hello, I've just started dipping my toes into the world of dac from listening to vinyl. The app you mention in this video (USB audio player pro). Can i download this app and not bother with a dac dongle? Or do i still need one. I currently have a Pixel 4a. Also I'm thinking getting the ifi go link to use with my pixel 4a? Thanks again.

[@fredriks91]

I use an s22 ultra , sony wf/wh 1000mx4 with Ldac and using Deezer ( sometimes tidal) i think i have a cheap dongle because i cant hear any big differences between LDAC and AUX