List of music players outputting to akm dac - ZTE Axon 7 Guides, News, & Discussion

Hello,
An update of the music player i am using (AIMP for android, free) just release an update (v 2.60) with the ability to choose between opensl and audiotrack for the sound engine. In audiotrack, i'm pretty sure it is driving the akm dac 4490 inside my axon 7 (mine 2017G B06) : when i switch between super and normal in audio settings there's a blank and i hear clearly the difference.
I ve search for other players that can drive the axon 7 dac and i found :
- stock player
- neutron
- google play music
is it right ?
Have a good day.
nevro

Hi, neutron player false positive I think.
Switching super HiFi and changing sound in player does not mean that it fully utilitize akm DAC. You will get better Sound on YouTube on any stream.
I will check aimp new features, thank you for the tip.
Try n7 player is my suggestion.

Use this if your bootloader is unlocked and the whole system can use the AKM DAC. Works on system or Magisk. https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/module-universal-deepbuffer-remover-t3577067/page11
Sent from my ZTE Axon 7 using XDA Labs

Infy_AsiX said:
Use this if your bootloader is unlocked and the whole system can use the AKM DAC. Works on system or Magisk. https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/module-universal-deepbuffer-remover-t3577067/page11
Sent from my ZTE Axon 7 using XDA Labs
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Excuse me, but can you explain why this enables the akm dac on any music player?
I don't quite understand.
Can you post a screenshot showing it works with your preferred player for example?

nfsmw_gr said:
Excuse me, but can you explain why this enables the akm dac on any music player?
I don't quite understand.
Can you post a screenshot showing it works with your preferred player for example?
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I've been using it on custom ROMs and my assumption is that it basically wires everything to the AKM DAC. That's because a) even in Youtube, Netflix and games the sound was clearly from the AKM DAC, and b) I'm on stock, was using Youtube without the patch and eventually felt so let down by the crappy shoebox sound that I downloaded it and flashed it.
Try it for yourself: download the flashable zip, put some music on YouTube (on stock it can't use the AKM DAC even by toggling the switch, that's why you should use youtube), then flash the zip and try again after it boots. There's no way around it, it's not placebo. It might sound worse for you if you have different cans or you want a different sound though

nfsmw_gr said:
Excuse me, but can you explain why this enables the akm dac on any music player?
I don't quite understand.
Can you post a screenshot showing it works with your preferred player for example?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It allows the system sound effects like equaliser to affect all audio like how it was in KitKat. It's an option in ARISE and maybe default in Ainur (I forget, needs testing). This is just the function alone, it works well with the mod author's other audio FX installs.
I love Viper for tuning headphones for their individual Frequency Response with it's excellent graphic equaliser in V4A 2.3.4.0. Lowering output gain with it's advanced options seems to help lower Google Play Music so I can hear my game sounds higher, need to test this more to confirm. I find combining it's Speaker Optimisation with Dolby's surround with flat EQ produces the best speaker audio. Having tried most audio mods and effects on my old Z3C, keeping things simple with just these produces the best results. I'm yet to test a couple of mods that were incompatible with the Z3C and retest others on the Ax7. But as an audio purist and from experience, I don't believe any audio effects will improve audio rather than just modify the sound, unless they prove to retune the chip processing at a low level.
As Username suggested, have something like YouTube playing in the background and toggle the Hi-Fi to confirm a difference. It can be uninstalled by reflashing for system-based, or respectively via Magisk Manager, but TWRP backup in case. Audio isn't really something you can screenshot haha, it has to be on your device locally to be heard. This mod should be common knowledge by now for getting the most and expected out of an audio beast such as the Axon7 on stock.
Sent from my Xperia Z3C using XDA Labs

Thanks guys.

And what about PowerAmp on a stock rom?

Still seems troublesome on 704 alpha. Mine seemed ok but then started getting a fail error for hi res.
I just use Jet Audio as my default player with 32 bit enabled and AM3D plugin used. Sounds great.

By the way I discovered a conflict scenario when using the deep_buffer remover to allow the AKM DAC globally.
Whenever a non equaliser effect supported app (not GPlay Music or Neutron) plays any audio simultaneously over the top of another app's audio playing. The hi-fi toggle will no longer switch until audio is paused. This isn't typically a problem as Super mode is preferred and will continue to function when on headphones.
However it means if an audio track is playing on speakers and any non EQ supported app plays any audio causing the conflict, then plugging in headphones they'll be stuck on the Snapdragon DAC. The reason being that speakers use the Snapd DAC and plugging in without audio stopped continues the locked conflict where hi-fi won't switch to the set preference.
A simple workaround is to just pause/stop all audio and the hi-fi preference precedence will automatically function on resume. This can be done before or after plugging, it doesn't matter. To confirm this the hi-fi switch will then function immediately when changed.
This took me several reboots and testing various audio to pin the cause. The easiest way to tell the difference between the DACs is to turn up volume to a level that feels comfortably loud on Super, then whenever the SnapD DAC is in use instead the volume is noticeably not loud.
I haven't tested if a notification or ringer sound will cause the same conflict issue. Safer to just pause/stop all audio when starting headphone use in case of any previous audio having already caused the conflict.
Sent from my ZTE Axon 7 using XDA Labs

Related

equalizer that works?

So far, at least over bluetooth, no equalizer seems to be working. There is a built in audio effects app, but that doesn't work, nor does disabling it seem to enable other apps to work.
Any ideas?
I strongly recommend Viper4Android. However, It's a little finicky on the stock rom, so you may also want to flash a rom before hand.
No root for this version of the phone yet.
Disable the phone's audio effect app, then use the EQ in PowerAmp. It works fine, using a BT headset.
Ace42 said:
Disable the phone's audio effect app, then use the EQ in PowerAmp. It works fine, using a BT headset.
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This is for streaming audio, not mp3s. PowerAmp just uses it's own built in player right? Won't work for my needs if so.
adamx said:
This is for streaming audio, not mp3s. PowerAmp just uses it's own built in player right? Won't work for my needs if so.
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I have multiple audio forms including AAC and OGG for songs. PowerAmp can use the device's equalizer OR the OS's (incl V4A, Dolby, SRS, etc). You need to disable DVC in PowerAmp settings for 3rd party equalizers to function. Also PA's equalizer can be disabled as there's a switch for it.
I don't have BT speakers to stream to or whatever, but over BT headphones I can edit the equalizer without issues.
Ace42 said:
I have multiple audio forms including AAC and OGG for songs. PowerAmp can use the device's equalizer OR the OS's (incl V4A, Dolby, SRS, etc). You need to disable DVC in PowerAmp settings for 3rd party equalizers to function. Also PA's equalizer can be disabled as there's a switch for it.
I don't have BT speakers to stream to or whatever, but over BT headphones I can edit the equalizer without issues.
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Right but can you use this with pandora, slacker, or spotify? Or does the audio have to be played within poweramp?
adam.nox said:
Right but can you use this with pandora, slacker, or spotify? Or does the audio have to be played within poweramp?
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Works with PA, but I can test it with youtube, Soundcloud, or one of ^those little later.
adam.nox said:
Right but can you use this with pandora, slacker, or spotify? Or does the audio have to be played within poweramp?
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It has to be played in poweramp. Unfortunately, without root, as far as streaming music goes. you're screwed. There are other equalizers on the Play Store, but due to Android's stupid equalizer API, they all hook into the system equalizer, which means they all sound the same.
Sent from my surnia using Tapatalk

V10 and Poweramp Alpha

Sooo, I'm a bit of a maniac of music listeningk, I hate listening to low quality music, and most of all, I hate listening music in the wrong way
Default music app just couldn't scan all of my music, I don't know why, so I put Poweramp on my V10, and everything was sitting in my library, seems good.
Without even installing the DAC fix, Hi-Fi was shown as active, and music playback was pretty nice over QuadBeat 3. Could be a placebo effect, but it worked good.
So I joined beta testing, and if someone out there is trying it out as well, he'll be aware of brand new audio optimizations built into the app. So... What is, on your opinion, the best choice to make? OpenSL? Experimental Hi-Fi? Do they really use our ESS DAC, or will they break it? Do you find any differences between Poweramp and stock player?
And also, are you happy about audio playback? (e.g. Music into a BT car) How did you optimize it?
i was using stock app till they fix hifi dac. b4 MM update hifi were only active with stock player. so i was kinda forced myself to use it. but when i update to MM and installed powerAmp right away(paid version). and Boom sound were great. i compared stock app with power amp and i can say that either stock app is CRAP or PowerAmp is so awesome. it rly worth using power amp
disregard
I've been using Poweramp paid for a long time (pre getting my V10). And in ALL instances Poweramp produces far better sound quality than any stock player, and some of the other after market players too. I using a BT headset lately so the quality is a bit lower
I've connected audio to multiple vehicles, and I honestly didnt mess with any optimizations at all. The sound quality was pretty good, I suppose I could've made some changes but they were rentals, and well, I didnt care that much

Dolby atmos & viper4

This refers to the eragon 2.8 rom that comes with both.
Should only one be used for best sound?
For years I have not bothered with anything like this as I used the poweramp app which comes with its own sound settings that I've been happy with. Can I get better sound using Dolby or viper?
What are your opinions on this?
Both drivers can provide a much better audio if you equalize them correctly.
I prefer viper because you can have a different profile for the speaker, headhones and usb/bluetooth.
With atmos, if you equalize correctly for the speaker, when you listen through the headphones it's messed up with a lot of bass and i end up turning atmos off and on.
Fran Montero said:
Both drivers can provide a much better audio if you equalize them correctly.
I prefer viper because you can have a different profile for the speaker, headhones and usb/bluetooth.
With atmos, if you equalize correctly for the speaker, when you listen through the headphones it's messed up with a lot of bass and i end up turning atmos off and on.
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Do you use the music player that came with eragon?
If you use a different music player app that has its own eq/tone settings, should I leave them flat/0?
arlrb said:
Do you use the music player that came with eragon?
If you use a different music player app that has its own eq/tone settings, should I leave them flat/0?
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I am talking about Spotify for music, speaker ok but if a play it in my car's bluetooth audio is a mess.
I noticed same behaviour with youtube in speaker/headphones (can't play youtube in my car yer )
I think best equalizer profile for the speaker has a 'U' form.
arlrb said:
Do you use the music player that came with eragon?
If you use a different music player app that has its own eq/tone settings, should I leave them flat/0?
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JetAudio Plus with its own 20 band EQ all the way for me.

Dolby Atmos in Nougat

Currently I am on 7.0 Nougat but it was available on 6.x.x too. When sound through speakers is at very low volume, i.e. first or second setting and with Dolby Atmos on (on most players or apps supporting it), I can hear this hissing sound especially on speech (movies) or let's say at the start of a song when there is a single sound only rather than a background/mixture of it. It is bound to the sound playing and is not just permanent noise coming from the speakers or headphones.
Before 7.0 I heard this "hissing" via the speakers only, now it's to be heard also via headphones so I believe it to be software related rather than hardware. When Dolby Atmos is off, the hissing/clicking-like sometimes noise is gone. Probably it still exists but is barely audible at all.
Anyone else having similar observations? I'm not a DTS/surround sound specialist but wonder if the issue relates to how different channels/frequencies are set to work coming from the phone's (two only) stereo speakers/headphones or has something to do with the included amplifiers. I mostly use the custom DA profiles where sliders are above 50%. If pretty down or with some of the extra settings off (normalizer etc), the effect is less audible but still exists. Once I get the volume up via the phone's hardware buttons, "hissing" kind of disappears but this is more to do with the mixture of sounds where speech/isolated single sounds are no longer audible alone.
For the above reason I've been avoiding having Dolby Atmos on in almost any movie, Kodi or even games, still I love it for the way it changes the entire spacial environment, so if I knew what's causing it I'd gladly go for a fix. My Axon is A2017G.

Equalizer with the dac

Is anyone aware of an equalizer that works well with the dac? Every equalizer I've tried, you have to turn it on and off and then on again everytime you switch songs, it happens in all players. Spotify doesnt even have an equalizer anymore, even though my galaxy s6 did. I love that it has a dac, but I hate that I can't customize the equalizer, the 5 options they provide are really lackluster. I've got dt770s and they can handle a strong bass boost, but don't provide much bass on their own. So I need an equalizer to get them to sound the way I want to. The basic bass option they have in the dac options only boosts bass and drops treble, which lowers the audio fidelity of most music I listen to. I can't for the life of me understand why they would provide a high grade dac and not give you the option of customizing the equalizer, someone whos gonna use the dac is obviously going to want the most options possible.
I would highly recommend viper4 Android! I have used it for about a year and it has lots of options and a great eq! To me the most powerful Android eq/processor around.
banshee28 said:
I would highly recommend viper4 Android! I have used it for about a year and it has lots of options and a great eq! To me the most powerful Android eq/processor around.
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There are many (viper4android) on the Play Store, which one do you recommend? Have you used it with the DAC on the V30? Thanks
Viper4android requires root. Even if you can get it on the play store it won't work. As far as I know anyways. If it did not require root I am sure everyone and their mother would be using it.
That's right, well that's why I like root and not have to worry about which apps I am allowed to install, lol. I hear ya, it's a great app. I may hold out for the unlocked one just for this app!
When you run your audio through an equalizer it is no longer bit-perfect. Most people who care about the kind and quality of DAC used would not want to decimate the audio. You are better off choosing a heaphone/iem/speaker that "colors" your audio to your liking.
I use this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.pinpong.equalizer
It sounds great....when it works. It's temperamental to say the least, but using the same pair of earbuds (both wired and wireless), when using it, it sounds better than my Pixel 2 XL with Viper installed.
mlknez said:
When you run your audio through an equalizer it is no longer bit-perfect. Most people who care about the kind and quality of DAC used would not want to decimate the audio. You are better off choosing a heaphone/iem/speaker that "colors" your audio to your liking.
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Stock dacs in phones cant power higher ohm impedence headphones. Changing equalizer settings just enhances certain frequencies while lowering others, its still going to sound better with higher grade headphones/amps. Not to mention high grade headphones are capable of outputting better bass or treble without buckling. Dacs arent only used to reproduce sound at its originally intended quality. For example, if i run the same equalizer settings with a g430 gaming headset, a lot of the sound is hidden behind the bass, but with my dt770s and a proper dac I can still hear the otherwise lost sound while still getting a good bass kick. I'm able to achieve it on my pc with my external dac/amp, I'm trying to do the same on my phone.
Frosternal said:
Is anyone aware of an equalizer that works well with the dac? Every equalizer I've tried, you have to turn it on and off and then on again everytime you switch songs, it happens in all players. Spotify doesnt even have an equalizer anymore, even though my galaxy s6 did. I love that it has a dac, but I hate that I can't customize the equalizer, the 5 options they provide are really lackluster. I've got dt770s and they can handle a strong bass boost, but don't provide much bass on their own. So I need an equalizer to get them to sound the way I want to. The basic bass option they have in the dac options only boosts bass and drops treble, which lowers the audio fidelity of most music I listen to. I can't for the life of me understand why they would provide a high grade dac and not give you the option of customizing the equalizer, someone whos gonna use the dac is obviously going to want the most options possible.
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Did you ever make any progress on this? I'm the same boat - tried a LOT of EQs with the same results - no change if it's via the DAC or bluetooth. I have a set of Sennheiser PXC550s which have their own app with an EQ, but that's only for locally stored music and doesn't apply to Spotify, Amazon Music, etc. Sound is still good, but I'd love to make some subtle adjustments and am very frustrated that I can't.
are there any possibilities to adjust the DAC even better over other apps? because the prefabricated settings of LG do not agree with me
I use Equalizer FX. Pro. It's built in EQs work pretty well with my Sony MDR-7550s, but I do wish it had more than 5 bands so that I could tune them a little better.
Quad DAC is all well and good, but surely it should have a built-in DSP. Currently I have OPPO Find 7 with the incredible Maxxaudio (system DSP, not third-party). I was looking at V30, with its audiophile credentials (and to LGs credit they're not behaving like sheep and following Apple - no headphone jack - idiocy), but without a superior system DSP the audio will sound inferior. Rather defeats the purpose, because not many folk listen to music without an EQ.
JetAudio with AM3D plugin works great with the V30S ESS DAC.
The AM3D is not exactly an equalizer, but similar tailoring idea, with something else sorta like spatial clarification. It makes the sound more clear if adjusted right, along with adjustment of bass and treble ranges.
...
The best equalizer specifically developer for Spotify is SpotiQ. You can create a specific EQ for each song or album, awesome.
RonnieJamesDio said:
The best equalizer specifically developer for Spotify is SpotiQ. You can create a specific EQ for each song or album, awesome.
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You dug up an old thread from 2018.
You can add LG's equalizer. These developments below are from 2019:
How-To add LG's Equalizer to your Hifi Quad Dac Sound Section
https://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-v30/how-to/how-to-add-lgs-equalizer-to-hifi-quad-t3905870
Fully enable DTS 3D stereo (root needed)
https://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-v30/how-to/enable-dts-3d-stereo-lg-v30-variants-t3887139
Posts like this seem a bit spammy to me. Can you elaborate on your experience with that SpotiQ equalizer and how you found it?
An equalizer that works in the digital domain of the already compressed Spotify audio stream generally cannot yield very good sound quality.

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