Confused about what earbuds to buy - LG V30 Questions & Answers

First and foremost, a note to the mods:
I'm asking a question about V30 accessories, so I wasn't sure where to post this thread. If I chose, wrong, then please forgive me and move it. I'm really sorry!
Now for the question:
I want a good sounding in-ear earbud for my V30. I have a decent set of cans, but they aren't very portable and I want a a good set of earbuds too. I mostly listen to rock and metal and prefer flat sounding headphones (I think... I don't like the bass overpowering the vocals and I don't use any equalizers in my music player app... so, flat?).
I can't afford much, but $150 is the most I'm willing to spend and have narrowed my choices down to two specific headphones based on reviews here on XDA and Amazon.
The problem is, the headphones have a lot of drastically different specs and now I'm super confused on what to buy.
Choice 1 is the SoundMagic E80C
https://soundmagicheadphones.com/products/soundmagic-e80c-in-ear-isolating-earphones-with-mic
(scroll to specifications)
It has- compared to Choice 2- a lower frequency range (15Hz - 22KHz), but a higher sensitivity (102dB) and impedance (64 Ohms).
In fact, I bought them already and like them, but wondering if Choice 2 would be better.
Buyer's remorse combined with confusion of headphone spec meanings. UGH!
Choice 2 is the 1More Quad Driver Headphones
https://usa.1more.com/products/1more-quad-driver-in-ear-headphones
(Again, scroll to Specs)
It has- compared to Choice 1- a higher frequency range (20 - 40,000Hz), but a lower sensitivity (99dB) and impedance (32 Ohms). On top of that, it has 4 drivers and is THX certified (if that means anything with the V30).
Now, here's the reason for my confusion. Everyone here on XDA and many other sites are praising the V30's Quad-Dac, but say that it won't kick in under 50 Ohms. This is making me believe that higher impedance is better, so I need Choice 1 (why I bought it). However, audiophile websites are saying something like (based on my understanding) higher frequency is better and so is sensitivity. This is making me wonder if Choice 2 is actually better for me because the sensitivity is only slightly lower than Choice 1, but the frequency is almost double of Choice 1. They say too that bigger drivers aren't necessarily better, so... Choice 1 again?
So, after hours of research, buyer's remorse (wondering if I made the correct purchase), and my brain frying from confusion, I ask my fellow V30 owners:
Can you help me make a buying decision? Did I make a good decision and should keep the SoundMagic E80C, or should I return them and pay more for the 1More Quad-Drivers?
This decision needs to be based on the music I listen to and I don't want bassy headphones intended for hip-hop, rap, etc.
Thank you, Community and I look forward to seeing what you all have to say.

SOUND MAGIC E80: Superb, for in-ear headphones*. There may be something to the idea that higher impedance headphones have better sound quality by virtue of higher intensity magnetic field produced by more wire turns, e.g. better damping & control, faster response, etc. (E80 has 64 Ohm impedance, relatively high for in-ears and enough to trigger the V30 high impedance mode.)
The "C" suffix means some form of inline controls, there is (or was) also an "S" suffix model denoting inline controls. I got the version without inline controls, the E80.
On the other headphone with quad drivers: I tried a 1More triple driver, and the sound was muddy. My guess is that multiple drivers may introduce problems with intermodulation and also crossovers if those are used. Just a guess. Haven't tried the quad driver version, but after finding the E80, I have no need to.
(* In-ears have their own drawbacks, including effect on audio quality related to placement and seal in the ear, and "microphonics" aka noise conducted to the headphone from mechanical movement of cables. I accept those issues as the trade-off for the advantages of in-ears for use while exercising etc. The cable noise can be reduced by looping the cable over the ear.)
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I have both and prefer the Soundmagic by far.

Whichever earbuds you get, don't forget to easily root that phone(Magisk necessary), use WhiskeyOmega's mod for utilizing the advanced Dac preset always and installing Viper4Android.

XCaliburX said:
Whichever earbuds you get, don't forget to easily root that phone(Magisk necessary), use WhiskeyOmega's mod for utilizing the advanced Dac preset always and installing Viper4Android.
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Click to collapse
I'm not interested in rooting and last I checked, the ATT variant isnt rootable. (See edit) I rooted the V20 and found it to have been a complete waste of my time. It just didnt add anything useful for me.
I also had installed Viper4Android on the V20 and the Play Store kept disabling it because it thought it was malware or something. It was SUPER annoying to deal with on a daily basis and don't want to deal with it on my V30. Plus, I don't need it anyways since I said I don't use equalizer settings and prefer the settings to be flat. It sounds better that way. It sounds like how the bands intended their music to sound. (At least I feel that way)ñ
Edit: I think I'm wrong. I guess all variants except the T-Mobile one have root now? Still not interested though.

Tinkerer_ said:
SOUND MAGIC E80: Superb, for in-ear headphones*. There may be something to the idea that higher impedance headphones have better sound quality by virtue of higher intensity magnetic field produced by more wire turns, e.g. better damping & control, faster response, etc. (E80 has 64 Ohm impedance, relatively high for in-ears and enough to trigger the V30 high impedance mode.)
The "C" suffix means some form of inline controls, there is (or was) also an "S" suffix model denoting inline controls. I got the version without inline controls, the E80.
On the other headphone with quad drivers: I tried a 1More triple driver, and the sound was muddy. My guess is that multiple drivers may introduce problems with intermodulation and also crossovers if those are used. Just a guess. Haven't tried the quad driver version, but after finding the E80, I have no need to.
(* In-ears have their own drawbacks, including effect on audio quality related to placement and seal in the ear, and "microphonics" aka noise conducted to the headphone from mechanical movement of cables. I accept those issues as the trade-off for the advantages of in-ears for use while exercising etc. The cable noise can be reduced by looping the cable over the ear.)
...
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bilbo60 said:
I have both and prefer the Soundmagic by far.
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Thanks you two!
I think I'll keep the Soundmagic E80C's. After thinking about things a bit more (and reading opinions), the E80C's seem to be a better deal. They sound great, but cost less than the 1Mores do. So more bang for the buck I guess.

e80 are not flat, they are quite bright and unbalanced and they lack bass like any other soundmagic E-series out there.
1more quad on the other side are as flat as inear headphones cand be, are balanced and have superb sound stage. they are not harsh on highs (like 1more triple are). they are not muddy or warm or bright, they sound almost like my monitor speakers i have on the desk which i can asure you that they are as flat as any speakers can be.
but if you prefer soundmagic, i think that you might not know what flat sound is...
i tried e10, e50, e80 and decided to spend more money and get something that has more quality because my years really hurt and not even a week on them couldn't get used to the very bright sound they have, which did not happen when i was using 1more quad.
i don't even know how you compare these two because the 1more is almost 4 times more expensive than e80...
if you want something that really sounds good you should also look at Shure SE846
and seach whathifi forum because here, on xda, i had arguments with people saying that there is no difference between bluetooth and wire...
and another mistake you made is that in the audiophile world you cannot speak of "bang for the buck" because you cannot find the best cheap ones out there, it's simply like this: if you want quality, you pay because if you buy something that is cheaper you cannot get the sound of a high quality earphones by using cheapr ones and apply some "tricks" on them, you just have a lower quality sound. (quality can be described in may aspects, some even call themselves audiophile and praise the "extra bass" sticker on some sony boxes)
but many people out there do not understand this.

iRS_ said:
e80 are not flat, they are quite bright and unbalanced and they lack bass like any other soundmagic E-series out there.
1more quad on the other side are as flat as inear headphones cand be, are balanced and have superb sound stage. they are not harsh on highs (like 1more triple are). they are not muddy or warm or bright, they sound almost like my monitor speakers i have on the desk which i can asure you that they are as flat as any speakers can be.
but if you prefer soundmagic, i think that you might not know what flat sound is...
i tried e10, e50, e80 and decided to spend more money and get something that has more quality because my years really hurt and not even a week on them couldn't get used to the very bright sound they have, which did not happen when i was using 1more quad.
i don't even know how you compare these two because the 1more is almost 4 times more expensive than e80...
if you want something that really sounds good you should also look at Shure SE846
and seach whathifi forum because here, on xda, i had arguments with people saying that there is no difference between bluetooth and wire...
and another mistake you made is that in the audiophile world you cannot speak of "bang for the buck" because you cannot find the best cheap ones out there, it's simply like this: if you want quality, you pay because if you buy something that is cheaper you cannot get the sound of a high quality earphones by using cheapr ones and apply some "tricks" on them, you just have a lower quality sound. (quality can be described in may aspects, some even call themselves audiophile and praise the "extra bass" sticker on some sony boxes)
but many people out there do not understand this.
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As noted, in-ear headphones designed to seal against the outer ear canal are very sensitive to fitment and seal. This is one of their drawbacks, and also produces widely varying opinions about any given headphone model.
I can produce a wide range of response (audio quality) with the E80 and any other headphone of this type simply by adjusting the fit, and also by using different tips. The bass is especially affected.
Even when a good fit and seal is obtained, the fit tends to loosen with use and user movement, one must periodically reseat the headphones to restore the seal.
Also, even if a tip produces a good seal, it may produce inferior audio quality compared to another tip, depending on headphone and individual user ear canal shape. For example, the Comply tips produce inferior sound quality in my ears compared to the base silicone tips of the E80. I suspect because the Complys have a longer and thinner opening "duct" and more absorbent material, which veil more of the driver, constrict airflow more, and absorb more sound energy than the silicone tips.
The E80 produce excellent response across the frequency range for me with the large silicone tips, when firmly seated just-so. If they are not seated just right, the quality suffers, just like all other sealing type in-ears. I'm comparing to two good standalone stereos and also other headphones.
No offense, but the Shure line is typically poor quality audio. They roll off at about 16-18kHz, producing noticeably dull sound compared to decent headphones. They made their name in professional monitors, which are intended for reliablility and durability, for use by performers, not high fidelity.
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Tinkerer_ said:
As noted, in-ear headphones designed to seal against the outer ear canal are very sensitive to fitment and seal. This is one of their drawbacks, and also produces widely varying opinions about any given headphone model.
I can produce a wide range of response (audio quality) with the E80 and any other headphone of this type simply by adjusting the fit, and also by using different tips. The bass is especially affected.
Even when a good fit and seal is obtained, the fit tends to loosen with use and user movement, one must periodically reseat the headphones to restore the seal.
Also, even if a tip produces a good seal, it may produce inferior audio quality compared to another tip, depending on headphone and individual user ear canal shape. For example, the Comply tips produce inferior sound quality in my ears compared to the base silicone tips of the E80. I suspect because the Complys have a longer and thinner opening "duct" and more absorbent material, which veil more of the driver, constrict airflow more, and absorb more sound energy than the silicone tips.
The E80 produce excellent response across the frequency range for me with the large silicone tips, when firmly seated just-so. If they are not seated just right, the quality suffers, just like all other sealing type in-ears. I'm comparing to two good standalone stereos and also other headphones.
No offense, but the Shure line is typically poor quality audio. They roll off at about 16-18kHz, producing noticeably dull sound compared to decent headphones. They made their name in professional monitors, which are intended for reliablility and durability, for use by performers, not high fidelity.
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yet you spoke only about the sealing which is important indeed, but i was speaking about the drive capabilities of the earphone itself asuming perfect sealing.
even so... for my ears the 1more quad has the best seal and i never need to refit them even when i am out with my bike or running.
foam tips never give a good seal but they are a little more comfortable over long periods of time (several hours)
if the fit tends to lose it might mean that the e80 are not for your ears and you should try to find some other that do not have fitting problems.
professional studio monitors are not made with reliablility and durability being the first in mind but the sound reproduction to be as flat as possible which helps the sound producer to hear and correct the mistakes he made during composition.
every standalone stereos have colorised sound compared to studio monitors which are flat.
i was trying to make a point in flat sound because that si what op was asking for.
if you are saying that shure se846 are low quality earphones and e80 are superior in terms of sound quality, then... we have a problem.
which, unfortunately, you cannot correct.
it is curious how you say that foam tips produce lower quality sound because of the sealing problems...
what you hear is not lower quality sound because you are using them in a way they were not supposed to. you need that good sealing!
it's not the size of the duct, or the asbsorbing material, it's the sealing.
out of curiosity, what are the speakers you compared to and the other decent headphones?

iRS_ said:
yet you spoke only about the sealing which is important indeed, but i was speaking about the drive capabilities of the earphone itself asuming perfect sealing.
even so... for my ears the 1more quad has the best seal and i never need to refit them even when i am out with my bike or running.
foam tips never give a good seal but they are a little more comfortable over long periods of time (several hours)
if the fit tends to lose it might mean that the e80 are not for your ears and you should try to find some other that do not have fitting problems.
professional studio monitors are not made with reliablility and durability being the first in mind but the sound reproduction to be as flat as possible which helps the sound producer to hear and correct the mistakes he made during composition.
every standalone stereos have colorised sound compared to studio monitors which are flat.
i was trying to make a point in flat sound because that si what op was asking for.
if you are saying that shure se846 are low quality earphones and e80 are superior in terms of sound quality, then... we have a problem.
which, unfortunately, you cannot correct.
it is curious how you say that foam tips produce lower quality sound because of the sealing problems...
what you hear is not lower quality sound because you are using them in a way they were not supposed to. you need that good sealing!
it's not the size of the duct, or the asbsorbing material, it's the sealing.
out of curiosity, what are the speakers you compared to and the other decent headphones?
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I refer to professional in-ear monitors used by performers on stage, such as made by Shure. These are quite different than headphones used in a studio for mixing and production, which are made for accurate audio.
I have not tried all Shure in-ears, but the ones I tried performed as one would expect judging by the specs indicating complete rolloff at 16-17 kHz. That is completely missing at least the top 4 kHz of nominal human hearing range, and the sound was pathetic. Dull, lifeless.
I suspect that this may be related to the use of heavier materials (for durability), which lower the upper natural frequency response due to greater inertia of moving parts.
I compare with a standalone system using an NAD receiver with Klipsch RF-3 speakers plus Klipsch 15" sub, and another with NAD preamp, AVA amp, and Infinite Slope speakers (no longer in business).
Headphones are a personal preference matter, the disagreements and debates never end. No doubt, many who find dull headphones e.g. Shure that only extend to 17 kHz to be "good", will say that other headphones that extend to 20 kHz and above (upper hearing frequency ranges) are "too bright", To each their own, I prefer to hear the full range including both upper and lower frequencies, of the music.
Best thing to do is buy a few different headphones to try from sellers with good return policies. Then you can decide for yourself.
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Tinkerer_ said:
I refer to professional in-ear monitors used by performers on stage, such as made by Shure. These are quite different than headphones used in a studio for mixing and production, which are made for accurate audio.
I have not tried all Shure in-ears, but the ones I tried performed as one would expect judging by the specs indicating complete rolloff at 16-17 kHz. That is completely missing at least the top 4 kHz of nominal human hearing range, and the sound was pathetic. Dull, lifeless.
I suspect that this may be related to the use of heavier materials (for durability), which lower the upper natural frequency response due to greater inertia of moving parts.
I compare with a standalone system using an NAD receiver with Klipsch RF-3 speakers plus Klipsch 15" sub, and another with NAD preamp, AVA amp, and Infinite Slope speakers (no longer in business).
Headphones are a personal preference matter, the disagreements and debates never end. No doubt, many who find dull headphones e.g. Shure that only extend to 17 kHz to be "good", will say that other headphones that extend to 20 kHz and above (upper hearing frequency ranges) are "too bright", To each their own, I prefer to hear the full range including both upper and lower frequencies, of the music.
Best thing to do is buy a few different headphones to try from sellers with good return policies. Then you can decide for yourself.
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Click to collapse
yes, professional in-ear monitors have a different purpose and i never used a pair. i think that nobody compose music only using headphones and everyone has a pair of monitors which sound very different compared to normal speakers which are made to soung 'good'. that's why i felt a big difference between a dac for audition and a audio interface designed for audio composition (burson conductor and audient id4). i liked the audient more becuse it sounds more natural. i always disable all effects from audio players and drivers.
i have tried only these shures (856) and i liked them (yes, they are a bit warm), nut i like more 1morequad and above all the speakers i have (m3-8)
i have done some tests and i cannot hear much above 17khz and even at this frequency it needs to be really amped to hear it clarly (or the source was bad)
brightness of a headphone doesn't mean that they extend to 20khz or above, it means that the hights are way louder than the rest of the range (i think that you already knew this). i think that what you are trying to say is that every headphone has its own signature and not all humans hear the same, but because of this debate never ends.
one fact is clear, after using the soundmagic for a week i had to sell them because they were literally hurting my ears and had to boy something else.
i do not know if you tried the 1more quad but the sound they produce are more clear and bit warmer than soundmagic (maybe because the highs are not that much amplified) and i can use them for a whole day without having any problems. (yes, same volume for both on modded nexus 5x and then high impedance mode for lg v30)
i also prefer to hear the full range but i do not prefer to sacrifice the lows for more highs.
other courious thought i have is that your audio equipment is way above soundmagic e80 yet you say they sound very good...

Hello friends i want to buy V30 plus because it has DAC, my doubt is whether i can use 32ohms earphone? will this sound good. Because i could see LG V30 plus supporting only above 50 ohms. is it true? please help. i have 1more quad drive earphones which so great in clarity.

P.K.Shivaram said:
Hello friends i want to buy V30 plus because it has DAC, my doubt is whether i can use 32ohms earphone? will this sound good. Because i could see LG V30 plus supporting only above 50 ohms. is it true? please help. i have 1more quad drive earphones which so great in clarity.
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It "supports" all earphones. It will adjust to make any earphones sound good.
Without root only those with about 50 ohms or more will get HIM (high impedance mode). Your can artificially trigger that by adding short 3.5mm accessory impedance plug with any earphones or through root.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-v30/themes/whiskeyomegas-v30-sound-mods-t3757115

ChazzMatt said:
It "supports" all earphones. It will adjust to make any earphones sound good.
Without root only those with about 50 ohms or more will get HIM ((high impedance mode). Your can artificially trigger that by adding short 3.5mm accessory impedance plug with any earphones or through root.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-v30/themes/whiskeyomegas-v30-sound-mods-t3757115
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Click to collapse
Thanks dude for the reply.:good:

TinAudio T2. 45$. mind blowing

Personally I think the 1more Triple Drivers are a better value (and sound just as good) as the 1more quads.

Hey everybody! I got my "SoundMAGIC E80S RED Reference Series Flagship Noise Isolating In-Ear Headphones with Microphone and Remote for all Smartphones + Extra eartips" yesterday.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N0U9YMM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
So far I'm VERY pleased with them in comparison to the GGMM C800's I was using before:
https://smile.amazon.com/GGMM-Isola...qid=1536606946&sr=1-1&keywords=GGMM+C800&th=1
I actually felt like I NEEDED to get the new headphones because I was having a weird thing with the GGMM's where I couldn't get the volume loud enough even with the volume all the way up and ViPER4Andoid tweaks. It wasn't always that way but has become a recent issue.
Now with these SoundMAGIC E80S ones the sound is SUPER loud. I don't have the Hi-Fi Quad DAC volume set above like 33 and that's already quite loud. Actually this morning I had to tweak the Hi-Fi Quad DAC and ViPER4Android settings because the highs were so clear that it was actually painful. I was using the Magisk module for ViPER4Android 2.5.0.5 but I removed that and put the unofficial ViPER4Android 2.6.0.5 from "Team_DeWitt" in /system/priv-app instead:
https://labs.xda-developers.com/store/app/com.pittvandewitt.viperfx
So far it's working well except that it sometimes crashes and I have to restart it. The 2.5.0.5 Magisk version had problems where it would frequently go to "Processing: No" and I had to reboot to get it working again. This unofficial 2.6.0.5 version seems to have fixed that, which is awesome! Also on the 2.5.0.5 I was having a problem with some Convolver impulse response files (such as SRS_1-1.irs) where the volume would constantly dip for fractions of a second. It drove me nuts and I THINK so far that this 2.6.0.5 has fixed that too!
So anyway these SoundMAGIC E80S headphones are pretty freaking amazing. I needed to tweak the DAC and V4A but right now my ears are in heaven!

Related

headphone amps

I have about 30 different headphones/earbuds etc that I have collected over the years. They range from stuff like the $30 earbuds (some of which sound pretty good) to my high end Ultimate Ears TripleFi & a set of Etymotic ER-4P earbuds.
I had never tried a headphone amp before, but on the advice of a poster here I recently bought two different Fiio amps. I have both the little E6 & the bigger/more powerful E11.
When using these with the cheap stuff like the ibeats etc. they don't make a heck of a lot of difference other than increasing the volume & boosting the bass if you want..(both have 3 different EQ settings)
On the higher end stuff it is a whole different story however. The Etymotic set produces sound that is absolutely to die for running from either amp. The TripleFi are the same way.
I use both sets all day at work in a pretty noisy work environment. I like the warmer sound of the UE's slightly better, but the Etymotic's isolate background noise better. Both block ambient sound better than my Bose QC 15's & sound a heck of a lot better (of course that's not saying much....). The Etymotic completely totally block ALL ambient noise, it is like sticking a cork in your ear allowing you to listen to music etc at a lower volume than with the cheaper sets. I use the foam tips that come with them which are similar to the comfort foam tips.
As far as the AMPs go, the E6 absolutely blows me away as far as what it delivers for the size/price etc. When I first opened the box, the thing was so tiny/light (it is about the size/weight of a matchbook) that I figured it was more of a joke than anything. I payed $20 for it on ebay, & first looking at it I figured I had just wasted my money.
Then I charged it up & tried it out with the Etymotics. I was absolutely stunned at what a difference it made in the sound. I have never been all that impressed with those earbuds before (especially considering what they sell for). The difference in sound quality running from either AMP is night & day however.
The E11 has double the power of the little one & a few more features (& I love the rotary volume control) but it is a LOT bigger/heavier & best suited to home use.
I have used both all day at work at various times. I'm not sure how long the batteries last as neither one has ever gone dead on me & I have used both for around 10 hours at a time.
Thanks for the feedback, I've have a pair of ER-4's myself and I've heard an amp is a must for them, just never got around to buying one. I shall have to give the Fiio E6 a try with them.
I think you'll be happy with the E6 (& you sure can't beat it for the price). The amp and the correct tips where the two things that improved the sound dramatically.
I must have tried 10 different tips before I realized that for my ears, the black foam tips gave the best bass response etc. I had tried two different sets of comfort foam replacement tips & wasn't happy with the sound of either one. The CF where very comfortable, but they where longer & after a while I realized that the farther out the tips push the buds, the less bass they produce.
I've been using the gray 3 flange ear tips with them, they've worked pretty well for me.
mjones73 said:
I've been using the gray 3 flange ear tips with them, they've worked pretty well for me.
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I can't use those tips, my ear canal must be too big.
When I try to use those, I get no bass at all & they fall right out of my ears

What headphones/earphones are you using with your S3?

So, I'm looking to buy some new headphones or earphones and I'm not sure what to go for. I was thinking of a set of Sennheiser HD 439s, but is the S3 strong enough to power them and also is there something better out there for roughly the same price?
My question: What do you use and how would you rate it in terms of Sound Quality, Build Quality, Comfort and Bass Production?
anonymous373 said:
So, I'm looking to buy some new headphones or earphones and I'm not sure what to go for. I was thinking of a set of Sennheiser HD 439s, but is the S3 strong enough to power them and also is there something better out there for roughly the same price?
My question: What do you use and how would you rate it in terms of Sound Quality, Build Quality, Comfort and Bass Production?
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Click to collapse
S3 with Jh13pro,sound quality i''ll rate 4star(if 5star is full rate),
compare my cowon j3,i feel j3 will be more details ,
i feel all phone(including some mp3 walkman ) is not enough able to drive high impedance headphones
Creative EP-630, very good for the price
Using Sennheiser MX470, about 20€ when i bought them (over an year ago). Don't have the kick the previous version ones had but they do have a very decent audio quality. Thought several times about replacing them but meh, they are actually very good, doubt i'll find better ones on this price range since i will only use sponge earbuds. Can't stand wearing in-ears and won't use full ear cover phones on the street - overkill to what i want from them and make me look like a retard anyway

Headphones, a Disappointment

Headphones seem cheaply made.
Why no volume buttons?
Why not use standard 3.5mm?
Did Sony assigned only one part time intern to design the headphones?
Are they not standard 3.5mm phones? Anyway, they seem at least as good to me as the phone Apple bundles with their products.
Sent from my Xperia Z Ultra using xda app-developers app
They are standard 3.5mm unless you don't have a Z Ultra.
Sony produce some of the best ear buds out there and these are no exception. Crystal clear and pumps out the bass.
If the standard length of cord supplied with the headphones is too long for you to reach your phone volume control, cut it.
knite75 said:
Headphones seem cheaply made.
Why no volume buttons?
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Why no volume buttons? Those aren't standard. The only thing that truly is standard in a stereo headphone jack is the top/ring/sleeve design with 3 contacts and the 3.5mm size. The headphones that have volume buttons and/or action buttons use a non-standard additional contact, and devices which aren't designed with the non-standard headphones in mind can't even make use of the extra buttons, even if they may support other functionality with extra contacts. For example, my Galaxy Nexus can understand the action button on Apple earbuds, because it was made to expect that sort of functionality on the jack's extra contact, but it cannot understand the other volume buttons on the headphones as they are non-standard.
Afrobean said:
Why no volume buttons? Those aren't standard. The only thing that truly is standard in a stereo headphone jack is the top/ring/sleeve design with 3 contacts and the 3.5mm size. The headphones that have volume buttons and/or action buttons use a non-standard additional contact, and devices which aren't designed with the non-standard headphones in mind can't even make use of the extra buttons, even if they may support other functionality with extra contacts. For example, my Galaxy Nexus can understand the action button on Apple earbuds, because it was made to expect that sort of functionality on the jack's extra contact, but it cannot understand the other volume buttons on the headphones as they are non-standard.
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Actually using urbeats earpieces designed for HTC phone and it recognize the forward/backward buttons for volume up/down as well as the play and stop button that with a double push go to next track. Sony only put basic earpieces as all manufacturer, having volume on it or not does nothing to the quality. Never found basic earpieces giving a good quality, so nothing to cry about it.
Envoyé depuis mon C6802 avec xda premium 4
knite75 said:
Headphones seem cheaply made.
Why no volume buttons?
Why not use standard 3.5mm?
Did Sony assigned only one part time intern to design the headphones?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have just purchased the Samsung galaxy Note 3. I mention that to illustrate I am not biased to one brand.
In terms of sound reproduction, Sony are class leaders, they invented the 'Portable sound' technology. No standard headphones due justice to any of the branded phones they are sold with.
Sony head phones are the best available as an 'in the box' headphone BUT can be vastly improved on. Apple are amazingly among the worst?
I have a preference for Sennheiser and you can make a choice that suits your own ears.
If you don't like Sony sound reproduction I have no idea what to advise you? Oh and no in the box phones come with volume controls uless its a special offer.
Tell you what. I will exchange your Sony headphones for an unused pair of Samsung galaxy note headphones.:good:
What have you been using 'till this point? What brand of phone and have you tried other brands of headphone such as Sennheiser?
Regards.
I'm no audiophile (at all!), but i wouldn't say they're bad. I've noticed that thay aren't exactly pumping the bass like other more expensive ear plugs, but i personally think that the audio alone is fairly good. It's clean and it hits most tones, but again.. the bass is just not there. An EQ will quickly fix this though (yeah, i've tested it). If you're listening a lot to dance, trance, techno, dubstep, hip hop etc. then these won't cut it. If you listen to music with a lot of different instruments, then they'll be more suitable.
Again, i'm not an audiophile so these are just my personal thoughts.
The sony ones sound better than anything that I have that were "free". for free head phones they are good.
Ryland Johnson said:
I have just purchased the Samsung galaxy Note 3. I mention that to illustrate I am not biased to one brand.
In terms of sound reproduction, Sony are class leaders, they invented the 'Portable sound' technology. No standard headphones due justice to any of the branded phones they are sold with.
Sony head phones are the best available as an 'in the box' headphone BUT can be vastly improved on. Apple are amazingly among the worst?
I have a preference for Sennheiser and you can make a choice that suits your own ears.
If you don't like Sony sound reproduction I have no idea what to advise you? Oh and no in the box phones come with volume controls uless its a special offer.
Tell you what. I will exchange your Sony headphones for an unused pair of Samsung galaxy note headphones.:good:
What have you been using 'till this point? What brand of phone and have you tried other brands of headphone such as Sennheiser?
Regards.
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+1
OP seems to complain the things that comes with the bundle without comparing what other phones have to offer.
velvetmxo said:
The sony ones sound better than anything that I have that were "free". for free head phones they are good.
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+1
"sounding better" is personal preference anyway. no point to clarify with OP on the matter but yes, as for the headphone that don't look like a cheap earbuds, it's one of the good one in quality for it's range
LordManhattan said:
I'm no audiophile (at all!), but i wouldn't say they're bad. I've noticed that thay aren't exactly pumping the bass like other more expensive ear plugs, but i personally think that the audio alone is fairly good. It's clean and it hits most tones, but again.. the bass is just not there. An EQ will quickly fix this though (yeah, i've tested it). If you're listening a lot to dance, trance, techno, dubstep, hip hop etc. then these won't cut it. If you listen to music with a lot of different instruments, then they'll be more suitable.
Again, i'm not an audiophile so these are just my personal thoughts.
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Click to collapse
Really? I remember thinking they were too bass-heavy. Granted, I only used them while I was watching a movie, not actually listening to music, so maybe I need to give them another shot. However, I remember thinking they definitely sounded heavier in the bass than my XBA BT75 earbuds I normally use for music listening, which sound flatter and clearer to my ears.
EDIT: Yes, these stock Sony earbuds are definitely more bottom-heavy than my other ones. If anything, these need a bass cut, because they're bordering on being muddy. On the whole, they have a pretty obvious "smiley face" response, unsurprisingly. Lots of bass, and the high frequencies have been boosted as well--cymbals, for instance, are a little too "sizzly" for me.
AntiLazarus said:
Really? I remember thinking they were too bass-heavy. Granted, I only used them while I was watching a movie, not actually listening to music, so maybe I need to give them another shot. However, I remember thinking they definitely sounded heavier in the bass than my XBA BT75 earbuds I normally use for music listening, which sound flatter and clearer to my ears.
EDIT: Yes, these stock Sony earbuds are definitely more bottom-heavy than my other ones. If anything, these need a bass cut, because they're bordering on being muddy. On the whole, they have a pretty obvious "smiley face" response, unsurprisingly. Lots of bass, and the high frequencies have been boosted as well--cymbals, for instance, are a little too "sizzly" for me.
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Mine are the opposite. There are barely any bass. I'll do some research.
Sent from my Z Ultra, using XDA Premium 4
seems like more incentive to invest in some good headphones or buy the SBH52
Head phones-ear buds. A quick explanation.
I will try and make this brief and simple. Head phones-ear buds can only produce or reproduce the sound that they are connected to, the source. Headphones come in various types, in ear, (the type that come with the mobile), open head phones (the sound they reproduce can be heard by others in the room) and closed back (in theory only the wearer can hear the sound.
Next, The source, in terms of Sony devices, is class leading especially at this price point. Standard in the box ear buds are there as part of the package, they do not faithfully reproduce what the source produces. Non of them.
Frequency response. This is the level of bass to the level of treble each head phone is rated. Examples Sennheiser CX300-11 in ear. Frequency response;19-2100Hz. Sennheiser CX400-11, 17-22,000Hz. Translated this means the CX400 will be able to reproduce deeper bass tones and higher treble tones thus the midrange should be as clear as a bell.
Please remember what in ear buds use as a bass chamber is part our outer and part inner in, as far as the timpani goes, the 'eardrum', If we use a very high volume ,especially with in ear buds, damage can and is done to our ear drum and hearing. With this in mind such an ear bud MUST be used with caution. As soon as we connect an ear phone to a Sony device the volume is automatically reduced to ensure we don't damage the ear.
Now, we have the source, in our case the mobile phone, and the reproduction, the ear bud. What will also count to the overall quality of reproduction are the connections. The plug the cable also the quality of the components used in the manufacture of the ear bud or head phone.
It is false economy and rather unwise to use the in box freebies. Spend between 40.00€ and 50.00€ and one can purchase an ear bud or on ear open or closed head phone that will knock your socks of. Is it worth it? This is a question of how you use your device. I use it first as a mobile phone, secondly as a way to send and receive SMS and thirdly to listen to music, with this in mind I purchase branded head phones and branded ear buds.
A brilliant starter for in ear buds is the Sennheiser CX300-11. For a portable open ear head phone I use the Sennheiser PX100-11. Both are industry leaders.
let me quickly add there is no such thing as 'the best', its choice, its what type of sound each of us prefers. I use Sennheiser as I enjoy the type of sound they produce and for the price involved I find them exceptional, there are numerous other brands to chose from.
DO NOT go and purchase any sort of ear bud or head phone costing hundreds of euros as the source will not provide the FR for the head phones to reproduce. One has to evaluate with care how to match ones device between source and speaker.
I hope this small missive may help some members who enjoy music.
Kind regards.
Thank you for a quality post, Johnson (yes, I'll keep calling you that). Say, what would you recommend to a person who listens a lot to bass filled music?
Sent from my Z Ultra, using XDA Premium 4
LordManhattan said:
Thank you for a quality post, Johnson (yes, I'll keep calling you that). Say, what would you recommend to a person who listens a lot to bass filled music?
Sent from my Z Ultra, using XDA Premium 4
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Sennheiser CX400-11. FR: 17-22000Hz for ear buds, and the Sennheiser PX100-11. FR: 15-27000Hz for open back on head ear phones (they are portable as they fold up).
I am not to fond of in ear buds even though I always carry a pair, I use the CX300-11.
For general use and a simply stunning sound with bass to rattle your teeth, I use the PX100-11. They come in white or black.
Remember its the source that will count and with the Sony Walkman being utilised NOT the Google play, the sound is clear, well balanced, deep and very well controlled. Mid range is simply spectacular. I enjoy a very wide cross section of music from classical to pop to what ever.
Again I must add that there is nothing 'wrong' with using a graphic equaliser. I don't as I enjoy the music as it was recorded BUT if you enjoy that extra bass then go for it. Do remember when you deepen the bass using a graphic equaliser you alter the stage sound as a whole. No problem if you enjoy a bass heavy sound.
The good point is you have a very high quality source with the Sony. As such I sincerely believe the device deserves a fitting head phone or ear bud.
let us know what you purchase.
Oh and don't forget top allow the ear bud or head phone to 'run in' for 48 hours before you make an assessment. That is very important.
Regards.
AntiLazarus said:
Are they not standard 3.5mm phones? Anyway, they seem at least as good to me as the phone Apple bundles with their products.
Sent from my Xperia Z Ultra using xda app-developers app
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Same here
Sent from my C6802 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Best earphones under 100usd?

I am quite disappointed with the quality of headphones come with stock. I am music lover. Love rock song also some bollywood songs and some osho discourses. I love watching movies with surrounding effect. I have never bought any earphone before so please enlightened me with best quality and clarity with great bass ear phones. Also it must be convenient to wear for long time
Thanks
Check out bose they are comfy
try xiaomi piston 2, much much better compared to stock earphones.
AKG K323XS-a. Extremely small, light and comfortable, excellent sound. http://uk.akg.com/akg-product-detail_uk/k323xs-a-black.html
These are the only in-ear earphones I can wear for hours on end without getting a migraine or sore ears.
Bose is the Apple of the audio world. Overpriced and overhyped, with a very moderate quality. Don't waste your money on that.
Anymore reply.. I want other feedback also
saurabh88 said:
Anymore reply.. I want other feedback also
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Very few models will provide volume controls and working answer/start/pause button, so an option might be to get the stock headset (which is dirt-cheap on ebay, but indeed poor) and replace on the main cable just the speaker with something that you like how it sounds (in the reasonably low-cost segment - under 50 - I was very impressed with some older Panasonic earbuds, but sadly the newer low-cost models are no longer in the same quality range, and you have to move to the middle-to-high-cost segment to get the same quality).
One piece of advice i can give you: don't buy earphones that are made for iPhone(but this is what you will get if you want quality) for controls. MIC will work ok but controls will suck.
I have Skull Candy 50/50 or something. the controls are not fully.
For calls and music listening:
- Ultimate Ears 300vm or 500vm (both on heavily discounted at Amazon due to discontinuance) - 26 db isolation - great products/great performance (select Android versions) - both $23 (do not be afraid of the low price)
For working out, heavier use, more critical music listening (and can handle calls just fine with extra isolation that goes into the ear canal) use:
- Etymotic Research MC2 Earphones/Microphone - 35 db isolation - $69
- Etymotic Research HF2 Earphones/Microphone - 35 db isolation - $128
(- Etymotic Research HF5 Portable In-Ear Earphones (Cobalt) - 35 db isolation - $120 sorry these are only headphones))
I own the300vms. the HF2s. Upon seeing the reduced prices I bought more of the Ultimate Ears 300vms for business use (where I tend to lose them occasionally). I also bought a 500vm to try out and compare. I finally bought a higher end 600vm for my wife/son's ipod/ipads.
The controls on the headsets work as intended including mute.Not sure why other phones have issues unless they are ipod/ipad phones being used in Android environment or vice versa. Those have issues (microphone, buttons).
Not sure why they are discontinued but suspect marketing and distribution issues, ie lack of commitment to full UE line by Logitech who bought UE some time ago. Get them while available.
See here for more info:
UE: http://www.logitech.com/en-us/support/lue
Ety:http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/hscomp.html
PS...Both UE and Etymotic know 'ears', heaphones, primarily in the Pro Music market. They make the best products but just don't have the marketing hype of Beats, Bose, and other phones more freely available.
Yurbuds. I love mine, use them for running a lot and in general. Sweat resistant, great sound, a lot off different with mics, w/o mics, over the ear, in the ear, tangle free cords. That's just a few.
http://yurbuds.com
O yea and they are almost impossible to fall out if worn correctly.
Try the JVC fxt90 .they've been around a while now but I still believe they're really great for the price approx $75ish on amazon. I currently own them and they are extremely musical yet detailed. They have great reviews on other forums as well.
Klipsch S4a and Sol Republic Amps HD are my favorite buds under 100 and even over 100 to be honest
VSonic VC02. They were probably the best In ears I've heard. There is also an earphone review site somewhere where you can get a list of all the earphones, the reviews, and the prices.
I have to give soundmagic a good review with the e10 and e10m if you need a mic. Very good quality sound reproduction. Just get some comply tips for them and you will be surprised what you thought were good ear buds. Both under 50 USD.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
As someone mentioned earlier I support the Xiaoumi Piston 2 headphones. The volume and Google now button work great as does the microphone. The sound qualty is really good IMO and I enjoy using then on my Asus Laptop, Note 3 and 2nd Gen Nexus 7.
Here's the link to the ongoing thread
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2771551
Sennheiser or go home
Sennheiser 280 headphones, but you'll probably have to order them online or at a musical instrument store (selling guitars and microphones for example). I paid $110 Canadian for them, so they're probably $100 US or less. Best headphones I've ever used. But they're full-size, over-ear headphones. If you're an audio person, then don't waste your time or money on earbuds. To create sound (of any quality), a speaker needs to move air. It's not possible to get quality sound from a ¼" speaker, since it's too small to move enough air for quality sound.
The only downside (for some) is no Bluetooth on these headphones. But if you're looking for good audio quality at a price worth paying (Bose sounds good but it's just overpriced) then Sennheiser 280s are worth every penny.
Click thanks if I helped you
Sent from my SM-N900W8 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Also depends if you want wired or bluetooth headphones. I have bluetooth headphones LG tone+ 700 and 800. Love both. 700's usually are 50 bucks or 800's will run you higher right at that 100 dollar range. I find that they have great audio quality, (the 800's are better) and the charge lasts for 8 hours and you don't have the whole cord thing to deal with. I exercise with them and use them for my daily commute. To deal with calls, the sound quality is good and i don't get any complaints. I'm able to use the buttons on the neck wrap (this thing lays around the base of your neck) and it works well for forwarding tracks or going back tracks. The volume control works fine and answering calls are fine. Just thought you might be interested.
sauron82 said:
Sennheiser 280 headphones, but you'll probably have to order them online or at a musical instrument store (selling guitars and microphones for example). I paid $110 Canadian for them, so they're probably $100 US or less. Best headphones I've ever used. But they're full-size, over-ear headphones. If you're an audio person, then don't waste your time or money on earbuds. To create sound (of any quality), a speaker needs to move air. It's not possible to get quality sound from a ¼" speaker, since it's too small to move enough air for quality sound.
The only downside (for some) is no Bluetooth on these headphones. But if you're looking for good audio quality at a price worth paying (Bose sounds good but it's just overpriced) then Sennheiser 280s are worth every penny.
Click thanks if I helped you
Sent from my SM-N900W8 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Click to collapse
+1, I loved my Sennheiser - Adidas CX680 they didnt have a mic but the sound was great for a sweatproof headphones, now I moved to a Jaybird Bluebuds X they are bluethooth they are more expensive but I'm very happy with them.
http://theheadphonelist.com/
This guy knows his stuff regarding earbuds and IEMs at all price points. You can read the running summary also at:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/478568/mult...07-03-14-p-936
if u r looking for one with a good mic , i'll suggest sennheiser mm 30g 60bucks
Xiaomi piston 2.0
Don't be fooled by the price. They sound extremely good and are very durable. All the controls work on our phone.
Just make sure you buy from an authorized reseller, as you don't want to end up with a fake copy.

Question Sony Xperia 1 IV speakers too low, how to fix?

Hello All. This is my first Sony phone and the volume output is abysmal on this thing. Even in a quiet empty room it seems you can hardly hear anything useful until the volume bar is at halfway. Is there a fix for this to increase the total output of the speakers? (Also seems to have low volume with wired headphones)
well, sony certainly is not among the louder ones, think that this goes a waaaaaaaay back when EU put some regulation on how loud portable devices can be. Back then it was really terrible, NC phones were nonexistent, just like chinese IEMs. Not much to chose from and to pick something with higher sensitivity. Mine sound OK with the earphones I have, even with XM2 on cable. Could it be louder? Yes. Does it need to be? Probably not. So try some more sensitive headphones or try some DAC, those are cheap and really portable this days. If you have a decent headphones, it might even improve the sound.
And the phone itself.......don't have anything in the same class and age to compare with. Seems OK or as crappy as any other phone TBH. BT speakers are dirty cheap today and any single one will outperform a phone, just like a soundbars and TVs, so I never really use phone speakers when I wanna listen something. For messages and useless videos is fine
Very good suggestions. Just seems odd that a flagship phone is this low. Even old phones I have laying around are louder. Its about as odd as the flashlight brightness. SMH lol
well, wifey has a poco f2 pro. And that one can be heard on the other floor of the house. And while certainly louder then xperia it is also certainly way worse sound the higher you go. I mean, there is only so much you can do with speakers and enclosure of that size. Clearly, bass is not something that is expected so forget that. But highs on poco getting terrible after some 75% volume, you just want it to go silent. I can tolerate the noise from xperia at max level but can't the one from poco. SONY was all about sound quality on promo materials so that might be the reason. lower volume but "better" sound quality.
Back in the days I had N900, that was a thick brick, also with stereo speakers and remember it as one of the better sounding phones.
No issue with mine for bluetooth headphones, never listen to videos/music direct on the phone so not something that concerns me at all, I always have headphones nearby. Having said that, just tested it listening to music and volume seems in line with expectations and my other phones....sorry

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