HTC U11 Real Audio Review: Scan your ears, get great music! Easy! | Pocketnow

[@princymihawk]

So that usb c port is not better than a traditional 3.5mm jack ?

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Data ports are never better than traditional jacks on their own. They just move the DAC and Amp out of the phone and over to the headphones. Your phone stays the same price, your headphones get more expensive. HTC is at least providing some cool new tech features for their earbuds, but those features wont work with other headphones.

[@princymihawk]

Thanks for the answer

[@santoshmoopanar6584]

Hector G. but each and every music you hear is digital so you can get my point I think

[@santoshmoopanar6584]

Hector G. after this comment there is no point in arguing but I'll like to ask you have you ever heard of a component called DAC or ADC

[@princymihawk]

Hector G. Sorry for being ignorant

[@NeXMaX]

See, I'm conflicted with this. I like the U11 a lot, but I don't agree with how audio is implemented in this way. I am actually kinda bummed out that the DAC and amp combo in the U11's dongle is of an inferior quality to what's built into the 10. I like USonic the way it is implemented, but I dislike how it is proprietary and how they don't work with anything else. This is why I keep saying that any manufacturer killing off the headphone jack before a proper USB-C audio standard is ready for consumer release is not getting the memo right. You can absolutely get some benefits, but the potential drawbacks need to be addressed first.

[@shawnorjiakor]

D13H4RD2L1V3 There always replacements for better dongles.

[@shawnorjiakor]

D13H4RD2L1V3 But you're right tho.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Really frustrating. And it's not really HTC's fault. If Google would give us real USB audio i/o, then this wouldn't be an issue.

[@NeXMaX]

I hope that's the case. USB-C stuff needs to work on anything with that port.

[@RenatoLaporte]

D13H4RD2L1V3 The joke is that there is actually a standard. Almost all USB dac's world wide will work via plug and play USB 2.0 in any OS, even in Android (with the power drawn limitation). Up until Lollipop, the kernel of Android would support it, but there wasn't a proper support at api and app level, but Google implemented it. So everything using this standard, from a $5 USB audio adaptor to higher end dac's like schiits would work on Android, the only point is USB powered dac's like the FiiO K1 Juan uses, should be adapted for consuming less power, otherwise it might cause problems...

[@ravh6011]

do a review on Sony xz premium please

[@dreamerabe]

Sucks how pocketnow continually ignores Sony.

[@afistfulofpimples1745]

Bullshit

[@highmm2696]

@@dreamerabe Pretty much everyone does 😔

[@xMel21x]

Still using HTC One M8 since 2014. Should I get the U11 or wait One Plus 5?

[@gibillanmagnificul8653]

i d wait, i bought a smartphone now (xz premium) just because my old s3 is completely wrecked..otherwise i'd wait too

[@themiscreant65]

Melbourne Dauz Wait For LG V30 LG is gonna Blow Every one else

[@xMel21x]

Hritik Parmar I won't get LG, maybe on sound will be the best, but the phone won't be as good as it sounds.

[@themiscreant65]

Melbourne Dauz See that's the Problem People Judge A Certain Thing when they haven't used that LG V20 was Badass Phone !

[@xMel21x]

Hritik Parmar I didn't say that is a bad phone. but I don't like huge phones, I don't like the UI of LG , it doesn't run as smooth as pixel, htc or one plus and their OS updates takes too long.

[@priyo4388]

Already pre ordered it, can't wait.

[@WLWesleyJr]

Same here!!! SO EXCITED!!!! Spigen has a case for it btw on amazon.... They have 3 of them. I hear the case that comes with the phone is crap. You can preorder them on Amazon.

[@frank2011ab]

WLWesleyJr which color?

[@frank2011ab]

Big Boss which color

[@WLWesleyJr]

On Amazon they have a black on with the carbon fiber pattern, and a a crystal clear one. They are for pre-ordeer: www.amazon.com/Spigen-Crystal-Protection-Premium-Clarity/dp/B0728937FV

[@frank2011ab]

WLWesleyJr no which color you preorder htcu11?

[@CoOl2640]

HTC one m8 best htc phone.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

M8 was a beast.

[@emdotrod]

Totally a monster in audio quality

[@dopebass7898]

Ardimo Harsa axon 7 is better tho

[@juanfonseca31]

I'm watching this video with my htc m8 right now 😃. And it is so much the love for this phone that when the battery died I replaced it myself.

[@GenaroJaramillo__]

HD2 Hands Down!

[@fluite9336]

Why does everyone give shit to HTC this is legit a great phone, but people still find reasons to bash it.

[@ahoymatie9286]

Catographer phones these days are so good that we need to find every bit of problem to separate it from other phones, it's pretty stupid but it is how it is

[@FunkatronicDingus]

Catographer because forcing a port out when there's more than enough room for it, forcing propeitary solutions, pushing a gimmick no one will use, and overpricing.

[@holycrapimbatman1760]

A Fos so the HTC u 11 is overpriced. ?? Seriously. In US it comes for $600 with some coupon codes. it may not have the greatest design but it is on par and even better than the S8 in some areas. They have done the correct pricing now. The only phone that goes toe to toe or even a lil faster than HTC u 11 is Sony XZP but it is 250$ more than the HTC u 11.

[@tornadoman25]

Catographer the phone is amazing. one of the best no doubt as per usual htc fashion (except u ultra lol) it's just the headphone jack removal that sucks anus

[@dreamerabe]

Catographer They do dumb things and they'll get called out. That is how the world works.

[@persananongrata]

This guy is knowing of bashing HTC. I do not care much of those you have presented. As long as It gives me a good USER experience. No bloat, No lag andd good battery.

[@princenemesis]

Good video.. curious I recently received an update for the usb c dongle on my U11, I wonder if they have made improvements since this video

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Nope. I got that update too. Didn't shoot the video until it updated.

[@princenemesis]

JuanBagnell ahh man.. cheers for the reply.

[@G-entleManAndScholar]

JuanBagnell What trick did you use to trick the V20 into max output, as y ou said in audio review? I have the Fostex th900 cans (23 ohms) & the 1/4 inch to 3.5 mm jack adapter kept triggering Google Assistant on the HTC 10. I switched to S8+, & though ok, I read the V20 is .99 volts of max output. S8+ is .73. HTC 10 (In which boomsound amped up EQ) is .97. iPhone 7 Plus is about .992, but HTC 10 sounded loude st of all. That's what lead to question about V20 impedance trick.

[@akshaykalra9179]

0:30 how is it proprietary if it's USB C?

[@RenatoLaporte]

Akshay Kalra usb-c physical connector that allows for other protocols like TB3. And there are so many pins extra that HTC and others can use it to get their headphones working in a different (not standardize) manner. Or they can be just using a USB dac with a proprietary driver not compatible with other devices, while all other USB dac will run just fine in any OS because they're all standard plug and play.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

How is it not proprietary if it doesn't work with anything else?

[@ChrisJones-ht9zn]

JuanBagnell Pocketnow's previous article stated that they would work with other phones that had enabled powered audio through USB C. Why the change in opinion?

[@ezakustam]

How does the audio quality over Bluetooth compare to other phones? Also, does the noise reduction only work on HTC's ear buds? If you were to connect with Bluetooth to a car stereo, would the phone do anything to reduce the effect of road noise?

[@princenemesis]

After using the u11 and the s8+ I can confirm the audio from the s8 is better in quality but the u11 seems louder. tested using Shure SE846 FYI

[@Marc_AD]

Feel like this video has been played at 0.9 of the real speed

[@Phanbot01]

If you were to lose either the USonic earbuds or the 3.5" adapter, replacements are available from HTC. $40.00 for the earbuds, $12 for the 3.5" adapter.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Phanbot01 not bad for the earbuds. I think that's a very fair price.

[@KyleMiller]

The Samsung audio configuration is configuring frequencies based on your listening feedback. For instance, some ears are more sensitive to highs than others. This is the kind of feedback that cannot be automated. Samsung's solution makes more sense and should deliver a frequency response more tailored for your ear. The difference might be Samsung's solution is not introducing noise reduction noise, which has its pros and cons.

[@goodplan223day]

excellent review as always juan! please keep doing this audio review as no other channel discuss so deep on how a phone's audio performs as you guys. as a guy who listens to music a lot, i really appreciate you doing this section. keep up the good work!

[@danishrammstein]

This is actually the first aspect of this phone that I find somewhat disappointing. I don't care much about removing the headphone jack and the noise cancelation is a great feature. What matters to me is overall audio quality and power of the built-in amp. I have a HTC 10 which has no problem powering my Beyerdynamics headphones. But what I get from this is that the U11 will be worse than the 10 at doing this, right? In terms of quality and volume that is

[@mmjiang426]

danishrammstein I have both 10 and U11, and I can say U11 is almost twice as loud as HTC 10. HTC 10 is actually the quietest in terms of speaker volume, compared to 8, 9, and 11. I have all of them.

[@danishrammstein]

mmjiang426 I'm speaking about the volume of the build in dac and amp for headphones. Have you tried using some quality headphones on both devices and compare them in terms of volume?

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Amp should power about the same, but it's a big step down in noise and dynamic range.

[@Justdigit2]

mmjiang426 that's a contradicting statement in compare with this review?

[@Mobiltelekomnet]

mmjiang426 what about headphone sound? which is better, htc 10 or U11?

[@syedtanvirulhasan5507]

I don't know why other tech reviewers of today's age are not concerned about audio system of mobile phones... for me audio is the third most important thing of a phone. after display and camera!! Thanks Juan for the review.... try to compare every phone with axon 7 as benchmark as it's the best phone for audio so far...

[@eviltoms]

Riyad Hasan Ikr! A premium phone with a good dac, headphone jack, and stereo speakers would be great. Wish they revamped the Nexus 6P.

[@Justdigit2]

So? Where I can read the review with the results and test gear?

[@LuqmanHM]

I think it would be nice if HTC had included an additional 3.5mm jack along with the u sonic usb-c earbud...maybe not much space left given the battery size??????

[@myrahmaan]

Can you please do a headset sound comparison of HTC 10 and AXONE 7

[@osmosis2313]

Hey Juan, just wanted to know if you could start spouting out numbers in terms of noise, stereo crosstalk etc. I found that the OP3T actually distorts audio if you try to increase the gain beyond what it is, whilst the S7 Edge (Exynos) is actually able to be driven quite loudly if you increase the hardware gain (Only editable using root). Comparing numbers between devices using GSMArena's audio test seems to be inline with what I generally hear when listening to different phones. Their tests show the OP3T to have higher levels of distortion compared to a lot of devices. Just figured it would be nice to compare the numbers you have between different devices you test.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Osmosis Jones I showed them on camera. don't see much value in reading them.

[@proeditzgaming]

Why people are saying htc is shit and overpriced. Really i dont understand. Im really happy of having htc u ultra. For me its a nice phone. It has all great specs and great camera ,and only affordable price around 1300 riyals.

[@ttom089]

Ive been using this phone since this past Monday. audio is better then LG g6 not as good as my v20i had but it is the closest I've heard to it and being water resistant. this battery is ridiculous. it'll last 18hrs heavy use no problem. my? is this phone better then the 10?

[@jeffmerheb3182]

So the S8 will actually sound better AND louder compared to the HTC USB C to 3.5mm adapter? I have couple KZ earphones with memory wires that I love for sports. And what about a comparison between the U 11 + adapter 3.5mm vs HTC 10?

[@ahmedhanif911]

I lost my adapter after a week and contacted HTC they are sending me a new one for free :) they currently don't have the U11 adapter but the other U phone accessories work

[@dkimmortal]

with iPhone I can't choose, but if I'm going for an android device, it having an analog 3.5mm port will be a factor in the decision. HTC wouldn't make the cut sadly

[@SonnyBCreative]

Being an audiophile, the on-board DAC and focus on HQ sound is one of the biggest reasons I support HTC. I'll have to stick with my HTC 10 for now

[@Asthbendriel]

So basically their solution is really good but the concern is it just works on their own hardware and the compatibility options for the old 3.5mm hardware are not as good are not as good. Well that may be because headphones don't work on their own, I heard (was it on the presentation) they work with the microphones in the phone to analyze the background audio for noise cancellation. Would be nice to see them work on other phones with such feature though

[@safroach]

I just ordered HTC 10 Evo also know as Bolt. The online store I made the purchase, I believe will not provide me with a 3.5 mm adapter or Type C earphone either. So I am thinking of buying one on ebay, which is hard to get one. My question is, does a USonic earphone purchased separately work with HTC 10 Evo as well? TIA!

[@georgedoucherson1142]

any one know the name of the song that plays at 1:10?

[@davidperry4013]

My ideal android phone would have 1/4 inch headphones jack and a dedicated sound card and amp insolated in a separate PCB from the logic board and covered in EMF shielding for best sound quality. The phone is about 3/8 thick. It will also have a user replaceable 4500 mah battery and a quad core hyper-threaded Intel Atom SOC. Also software that automatically adjusts the amplification to headphones impedence.

[@ricomeierringrose2794]

What about the HTC U11 plus. Could you compare it to the normal U11

[@davidhunsinger1587]

so Juan, the dac built into the usonic earbuds are better than that of the adapter included? how do they stack up to the "hifi certified" HTC earbuds of yesteryear paired with the HTC 10?

[@sausje]

Most likely just software restrictions on that port from preventing you to use other brand ones, if so, a custom rom solves it all.

[@alvinnipal566]

Nice review. Which color is good. Black or the blue

[@zyekuto777]

"Adapter with built-in DAC and amp" ? Not using Snapdragon835's WCD9341 DAC/amp?

[@jeffmerheb3182]

@Pocketnow So you consider the S8 to be better than the U 11+ its adapter for our 3.5mm earphones?

[@MRbeqa100]

So it means previus HTC 10 have an better dac then U11?

[@LuanBunyak]

Fiio works on the U Play but not on U11?

[@Iminenttest]

How is the blue bluetooth on the device?

[@jameshiggins4067]

How is the HTC One M8 sound when there is a lot of noise (Example the lunch room at school or the bus) I have a Moto Z which has a pretty loud speaker but can't hear it for crap at lunch.

[@bl00dyt0ssers]

How's the sound quality from the dongle compared to that of the iPhone 6s 3.5mm jack? (which sounds decent enough in my ears) Was planning to switch back to HTC after 2 years with the 6s because the U11 looks really promising :/

[@nazar6575]

Nice review... but you know we all are just waiting for your real cam review!

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Nezar Anwar :-) coming soon

[@Browningate]

Here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJuzppd3p5WqZsU

[@peterhayton]

Though HTC's headset has some truly innovative features (especially for our off box hardware). I agree Juan, it seems a shame that we are not yet getting higher quality 3.5mm adapters, where they now feel like an afterthought on a device. If only this phone could use some of that tech to benefit other headphones, could we have a major audio contender here?

[@Keboonline]

Is there any chance you get the coming htc U11 plus for an audio review? I am still considering the LG v30 or the htc U11 plus, but if the U11 plus is the same like the U11 audio wise that would be very disappointing...

[@vulcanitu2578]

Do other USB C headphones work with the phone?

[@elexceer6226]

If they want to lose 3.5 jack they should put another type C port

[@Alovon]

Wait what was that HTC phone with the flash above the camera?

[@arsalshahzad8525]

Alovon htc 10 evo

[@amirlashkari9838]

Thanks for the short speaker comparison vs Axon 7, nothing can beat the Axon 7. Eagerly waiting for your real camera review :)

[@shshankking]

I have 3T and iphone 6s...still love my 6s for music...

[@TheTechTutorial]

Hey Juan, i dont know if you'll read this but whats your opinion on oneplus strategy ditching the 2 year old oneplus 2

[@DennisSchmitz]

Having way less distortion than any other phone is a setback? Do I miss something?

[@Ycyjames]

is it ok to use the u sonic earphones on an HTC 10? it has a type c port too and a 3.5mm headphones jack. will it compatible with other phones/laptops with a type-c port?

[@VarunaJanardanan]

Love this audio review series. Keep em coming

[@cutegau1315]

Should buy s8 or htc u11??? some people say s8 but why dont chose htc u11??

[@cutegau1315]

I want to design which one to choose??

[@cutegau1315]

ok tks u

[@MRbeqa100]

I relly hope you got this result becouse of you used usb c to 3.5 adaptor for this test, lot of people says that u11 with stock headphones sounds much better than iphone and samsung

[@THEJSB360]

Can you use the USB type c ear phones in galaxy S8??

[@jadn4479]

I do have these earphones and they do not get uncomfortable at all even after hours, you must have some sort of weird ears.

[@SuperKopiroti1]

harware for headphones with no jack?

[@SubaruWRC1996]

A few times it stops the boom sound and says not allowed to play over HDMI, Bluetooth or chromecast. Wtf is this it works other times

[@adnanabdalqdr10]

What if i put the adapter on my htc u11 and used beats ep is it will be have a good sound bass and quality ?

[@chucke3305]

My phone says it does not recognize ear phone not compatible. It work for a while what's wrong?

[@bulldogsplash1]

Great. I preordered this phone based on its audio ability to find out it's behind even samsung. What are you playing at HTC?

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Well it depends on what you need. If you like the included ear buds I'd say you're ahead.

[@Jeffreelz]

Now this is the real deal when it comes to audio review. Nicely done as comprehensively tackled every aspect of sound quality. That's why your my fave Juan. Keep it up. Ow btw my bad news is... My mighty LG V10 died a week ago. Yeah it's the bootloop. Sigh

[@SamuelSylvester]

I'm going galaxy s8! I love HTC but 3.5mm is a must!!! in the future if they had 2 USB C jacks and headphones that worked anywhere I'd consider... it is a shame cause I'm a HTC fan boy and the thought of buying a Samsung almost feels wrong!

[@markcoysimon]

+JuanBagnell I'm getting my U11 with a bundled JBL Reflect Aware USB Type C Earphones. Do you think I will be able to get the full spectrum of the DAC and audio quality for a third party USB-C earphones? Now I'm worried and my excitement is going down the drain for the U11.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Mark 'Coy' Simon Quilantang I think those jbls's should perform really well. often we're more concerned if the dac can properly drive the headphones than the other way around, and it looks like this is a tight partnership between HTC and JBL.

[@markcoysimon]

JuanBagnell I hope so too! Crossing my fingers on this one! Thank you!

[@MuIqHa93]

Juan, how would it fair with a third party USB C DAC?

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

I don't know. I showed in the video it didn't work with my current USB DAC. I don't own any other USB headphones atm.

[@MuIqHa93]

JuanBagnell I guess I missed that part. Thanks for the answer. And..not being able to use an external DAC doesn't seem promising. The speakers sound great though. Hoping for a better phone audio solution from ZTE or Google.

[@MiracleWarriors]

Would be cool if a OEM could introduce USB C headphone coming with the phone but still making the Jack on the phone. And later on they could kill Jack but not like this sudden death attempt .

[@financewithrishabh8568]

a very comprehensive and understandable review... i might even add that this review was one of my favorites... please do more such reviews.. thanks

[@buttercrazy30]

So the usb type c headphone adapter is crap unless you use only their earphone and phone.

[@aviels111]

I dont understand why they need to remove the 3.5mm jack. And hate the fact that I cant charge the phone while I listening to music or watch a movie with the headphones.

[@alejandrosolisjr7015]

Hi there, I don't like the htc one u11 life earbuds it's so friggin low and I'm hard of hearing impaired I need something how to turn it up the volume louder, louder ty

[@benokanruzgar8863]

seems like lg v20 keeps the crown in hand (as a phablet) , while axon 7 keeps it in pocket (as a phone)

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Yup. Still the kings of audio. No contest.

[@ישראלדמרי]

JuanBagnell what about the 10? is the audio better even with this dongle?

[@benokanruzgar8863]

thanks Juan. its always a joy to watch your specific reviews on devices. (Audio and Camera)

[@skaterhellraiser]

does the USB c port on the HTC U11 run audio at 24 bit, 192 khz ?

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Building Peaks not out of the supplied dongle. I showed that in the video.

[@skaterhellraiser]

JuanBagnell oh okay thanks. I must of misunderstood some of the information on the video. HTC u11 runs at CD quality? is that 44.1 khz, 16bit? & thanks for the clarification. I will stay with my HTC 10. I do a lot of audio music recording in 24 bit 192 khz. I like to play it back through my dac with some decent earphones. I use the HTC hi-res ear buds. are these ear buds better quality than the HTC pro studio earphones?

[@PocketUau]

Does anyone know if other Type-C earphones work with the Honor 8? I'm thinking of the Xiaomi ones for example.

[@cavkic]

it IS a dealbreaker, if I can't charge my phone while playing games at home, in a room with other people where I need to use the headphones as well it kinda is a big deal... and a reason I wont go anywhere near the U11 or iphone 7

[@TheDuncanAK]

the type c ports gives better sound than the 3.5 jack .. that's the results for tests other companies did

[@abhishekagarwal787]

There's nothing more well worded and well analysed Tech video on the Internet. I am a guy who critically reviews the Tech KZbin channels that i Follow!

[@chumalama4938]

what happened to Hyme Rivera ?

[@SILVERFIANSO]

Does the HTC USonic Adaptive Audio Earphones, the earphones that come with the HTC U11 , work with the HTC 10? Since the HTC 10 has a USB Type-C port, the earphones should work with the phone, right? Can anyone confirm this? Since I do like have my earphones plug into my phone at the bottom of the phone. I don't mind sacrificing my USB port from time to time, especially when just walking around.

[@brianwj5]

I feel like the early hands on videos made the U11 very promising but there seems to be some holes in the game in all these high end devices. I still think this is the best overall device of the year so far.

[@tkuniverse339]

For me, a phone without a headphonejack not a real option. I dont want and can't find any headphones replacing my CX3.0 or CustomOne Pro. The dongle ia just flimsy and using USB Type-C headphones is not that practical since you will eventually twist the cable a lot, since you can't spin it around like a 3,5mm jack. I use my headphones a lot and I couldn't live without them, that's why I'm not buying a phone without a headphonejack like the Essential Phone, U11 etc.

[@darthdarthbinkss]

Can't wait for the camera review

[@DarkPa1adin]

waiting for Axon 7S or Axon 7 2017!

[@jimmycychowski1142]

I'm gutted with that finding...I love the htc10 for its audio playback with its supreme headphone jack, I was almost willing to accept the dongle life if the U11 had better sound with the dongle, I guess ill stock up on a few Htc10s

[@faridamin2410]

Are you serious Mr midget? Just got the U11 and it's by far the most superior phone over the competitions out there right now, I'm absolutely in love with the HTC U11 which finally took my love away from my HTC One m8 after 3 and half years of super heavy use without a problem not even a frozen screen. Love the super reliability and excellent over all experience of HTC phones.

[@TheLukass71]

Glad to see you using the razer blade as your laptop :D

[@raymondlg7815]

Wait fo the U11 Plus to hit USA. That translucent black omg

[@dharmendaryadav1]

Can you please review lg g6 quad dac(korean version) ?

[@0M1995]

I am so disappointed that HTC lost in their strong department.

[@Mobiltelekomnet]

Omar Abbas htc still best in the sound depertment

[@0M1995]

I don't like the included headphones I like over ear headphones which won't sound great as Juan says.

[@Mobiltelekomnet]

Omar Abbas this test is not fair

[@G-entleManAndScholar]

Glad I got the S8+. HTC M8 was the best they made. The 10 was close, but I give up on HTC.

[@CallMeNumber8]

how do you find the fit of the phone U11 inside the front regular trousers pocket (for a man) with that dongle attached to headphones. Are you able to easily take out and put back in the pocket the phone without struggling with that dongle? I just don't see how that would be possible. Is there enough space in the pocket for the dongle attached? Would any kind person record a video and show me how they put in and take out the U11 in their front pocket WITH the dongle for headphones attached and as detailed as possible? I send you million karma points if you do or to anyone that does :) please help out a bro!

[@fuzz33594]

Compared to whichever One M phone you were using, not to mention my Axon 7, the U11 sounds blah. Please HTC, bring back dual, front-facing speakers and put the fingerprint scanner on the rear.

[@fakenews3676]

wheres himey riverraa?

[@zhiarw]

this review worthed my like for every bit it took my mouse to hover over the like button and smashed by my left click,well done.

[@brewmasuisui2216]

Great review as always

[@2Two1One2Two]

Please please please please real audio review of the Xperia XZ Premium! PLEASE!

[@stevend3753]

Love you used the new Foo fighters video in this video.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

YUP!

[@bartiz12]

So they went with HTC 10 route after all. Finally HTC has flagship on par with other top competitors but too bad it is not an audiophile experience anymore. Frankly, audio quality both from headphones and speakers was a deal breaker for me and the most important feature in fact. I own a pair of 80 ohm headphones and even in my friends' OnePlus 3T the loudness was just about right at 100%. I also had opportunity to try HTC M8 and I was blown away by how 80% was more than enough for me. I bought my phone 3 months ago and I was stuck between HTC 10 and ZTE Axon 7. I am really glad I went with ZTE. The audio (after Android 7 update - European version) is amazing. 60 % - 70% is enough for my ears but sometimes if I really want to I can go all the way, so having power reserve is really nice thing. The speakers are capable of being audible even when I am doing some loud household tasks. Too bad ZTE software is not as polished as other manufacturers but I still hope they will fix issues with next Android update.

[@SomeGadgetGuy]

Thing is, you never really want to drive a system at its max. Why I love the Axon and V20. On my 70ohm cans I can't really listen beyond 60% without it getting painful.