Any DAC above $2 is a scam you DO NOT pay for Audio Quality you pay for Features (Article)

[bobbooo]

It goes to show how easy it can be to mess up the sound coming out of mobile devices - so many dependencies on OS and built-in apps and settings.

A modern smartphone on stock firmware using a good music app like Neutron or UAPP will produce a clean, flat frequency response in the vast majority of cases. A niche case of a 5 year old device running on custom third-party firmware is another matter, and can be expected to cause problems like these.

 

[Asylum Seeker]

I did exactly that, playing the files with VLC as well as UAPP. Exact same results in every case.
I also went through all the Android settings and disabled the system EQ and all other audio stuff.
So, I don't think the measurements are flawed. They're showing what's coming out of the headphone jack, for better or for worse. If it's messed up by built-in software, it's best to know. It goes to show how easy it can be to mess up the sound coming out of mobile devices - so many dependencies on OS and built-in apps and settings.

BTW, this is unique to the headphone jack analog output. When I use UAPP and stream audio out the USB to an external DAC, it's clean. As expected, since it's just streaming out the bits.

It could be the testing methodology. Or it could be that the devices do indeed have poor FR response out of the headphone jack. But your results do not a blanket indictment make.

 

[bobbooo]

Or it could be that the devices do indeed have poor FR response out of the headphone jack.

The measurements I posted previously show that's not the case, at least when using the stock Android/Samsung firmware, as the vast majority of people do.

 

[MRC01]

I don't believe it's a measurement error, as I used 2 different apps and my other equipment measures flat response and low distortion per specifications. The cause here appears to be OS or software related. Whatever the reason, it's useful to know that flat response and low distortion from mobile devices is not necessarily a given, as loading different software or OS can cause such big differences, even when all system audio settings are set to neutral/disabled. I didn't expect these results, but unexpected results are interesting and educational.

 

[Palladium]

From my experience and observations only the ALC1150 or better chips from Realtek that output 2V RMS are good. The weaker chips are rather anemic as line-out, but for something that is included for free and good enough for most users there's really no justification for meme-hating them like some holier-than-thou elitists.

 

[PolkFan]

From my experience and observations only the ALC1150 or better chips from Realtek that output 2V RMS are good. The weaker chips are rather anemic as line-out, but for something that is included for free and good enough for most users there's really no justification for meme-hating them like some holier-than-thou elitists.

I want to add when you spend $200 on a motherboard nothing in it is free.

DAC chips have been basically perfected since the 90's its the implementation that can suck but even that now a days is at the good enough territory where even the best dac on this site still wouldn't sound different.

 

[A800]

From my experience and observations only the ALC1150 or better chips from Realtek that output 2V RMS are good. The weaker chips are rather anemic as line-out, but for something that is included for free and good enough for most users there's really no justification for meme-hating them like some holier-than-thou elitists.

The ALC1150 is really good for what it is.

 

[Palladium]

I want to add when you spend $200 on a motherboard nothing in it is free.

It's free as in nobody really buys the more expensive boards for ALC1150/1220 per se but for more expansion options or for better components like CPU VRMs.

Also $200 for a mobo is chump change compared to audio snake oil.

 

[ZolaIII]

It's free as in nobody really buys the more expensive boards for ALC1150/1220 per se but for more expansion options or for better components like CPU VRMs.

Also $200 for a mobo is chump change compared to audio snake oil.

Sure thing... Just another snake oil.

 

[magicscreen]

Sure thing... Just another snake oil.

Snake oil like Topping D10. If you have and DAC on the PC motherboard or smartphone why on earth do you want to spend money for buying and external DAC?
I do not mention if some audiofool is buying a Topping D90.
I have not seen any successful blind test between ALC1150 and an expensive DAC.

 

[ZolaIII]

Snake oil like Topping D10. If you have and DAC on the PC motherboard or smartphone why on earth do you want to spend money for buying and external DAC?
I do not mention if some audiofool is buying a Topping D90.
I have not seen any successful blind test between ALC1150 and an expensive DAC.

You buy a good stand alone DAC & you are good as long it works & besides DAC/AMP is something you want to hide and separate from any interface noise (mechanic & EMI) as best as you can. In PC there's many sources of the noise & most manufacturers really don't care. I have 20+ years old Creative sound card (Audigy SB 2) and it's perfect fine for general use & still work's perfectly fine & you could find one for 10$ now. It lacks the DSD native suport & PCI buss is dead which for me whose a reason for upgrade but I went portable this time around.

When I said snake oil in MB sense I whose referring to more phases CPU power supply & future's you really don't need nor will ever use. You can find a deacent ATX bord without any shortcuts taken with all your ever need including ALC1220 for some 120$ not 200$ Gaming, LED, OC... Snake oil.

 

[bennetng]

Strange. I tested a loopback connector, then I tested the devices by playing back freq REW freq sweeps. I've used the same method testing other devices, and they measured flat response. And, I tested them the same way I listen to them. So whatever I measured is what I'm hearing.
However, if someone else measured them having flat response, perhaps LineageOS is mucking with the audio? I've disabled the system audio EQ and other stuff, and played the tones using USB Audio Pro in "bit perfect" mode with all EQ disabled, so it should be flat.
Of course, I was using the headphone jack output, not the USB output (which is the point, since the purpose of this measurement is to assess sound quality of the headphone output), so LineageOS or USB Audio Pro might be doing something funky to the audio even though I've disabled everything I know of.

I have an extremely old and low end HM1S phone with LineageOS (Android 7.1.2) installed and by default the AudioFX app sets a non-flat EQ similar to yours.

When it is disabled I got flat results by using the OS built-in music player app:

 

[MRC01]

I did the same thing with the AudioFX app: set it to flat, and disabled it. Glad it worked on yours, but mine still measured all wonky.

 

[PolkFan]

Sure thing... Just another snake oil.

Yeah in some cases it is over priced for sure we have $1000 boards lol. However a cheapo $50 board has terrible VRM i mean 120C+ temps that overheat and throttle the CPU.


Also LOTS of people spend more on a board for better audio or higher bandwidth Ethernet chips

 

[Wes]

p. 7...

Did I miss the DBT's that were done?

 

[Jimbob54]

Why on earth would they hide it there?

Same reason they put pull handles on the exits to public toilets. Fuckwittery.

 

[nqa3]

If the onboard DAC is that good, how come I can hear more dynamic and clear sound after changing from ALC892 to cheap SB, using the same speaker? The speaker was just a BeoPlay A6 which is hardly audiophile, and the main difference is not bass but overall. Are some shortcomings amplified by speakers? However I couldn't tell the difference years ago with a pair of Castle bookshelf which sounded softer and less dynamic, with another set of onboard and SB X-Fi Go.

 

[Berwhale]

If the onboard DAC is that good, how come I can hear more dynamic and clear sound after changing from ALC892 to cheap SB, using the same speaker?

Have a read of this... https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...in-influencing-perceived-sound-quality.13793/

 

[stalepie2]

If the onboard DAC is that good, how come I can hear more dynamic and clear sound after changing from ALC892 to cheap SB, using the same speaker? The speaker was just a BeoPlay A6 which is hardly audiophile, and the main difference is not bass but overall. Are some shortcomings amplified by speakers? However I couldn't tell the difference years ago with a pair of Castle bookshelf which sounded softer and less dynamic, with another set of onboard and SB X-Fi Go.

Is the Beoplay wireless? Then it has its own DAC and amp inside the unit rather than coming from the soundcard on the PC. If not then I'd also ask if Creative installed audio software that runs in the background with effects like "crystalizer," bass and surround automatically turned on (https://www.soundblaster.com/technology/sbx-pro-studio?crystalizer) . I had Sound Blaster card once and I had to uninstall that stuff to be sure it wasn't affecting the sound.

 

[nqa3]

Is the Beoplay wireless? Then it has its own DAC and amp inside the unit rather than coming from the soundcard on the PC. If not then I'd also ask if Creative installed audio software that runs in the background with effects like "crystalizer," bass and surround automatically turned on (https://www.soundblaster.com/technology/sbx-pro-studio?crystalizer) . I had Sound Blaster card once and I had to uninstall that stuff to be sure it wasn't affecting the sound.

I used line-in to the speaker. Despite being marketed "wireless" its connectivity was barely usable. For SB I installed only the driver extracted from .cab without any app or tray icon, since there were lots of complaints.