Google Pixel 4a Smartphone Audio Review

[KSTR]

I normally don't listen much to music over my 4a (non-5G) but did a listening session today and true, the limited output level really may be a problem with high impedance phones especially with highly dynamic unprocessed music.
But with 32Ohms cans or In-Ears and normal/modern program I feel it's absolutely sufficient, as is sound quality (an understatement, actually).

 

[Chromatischism]

Does the 5g output more sound than the normal 4a? I have the 4a and doesn't even come close to producing enough sound even through an amp

More than enough for my IEMS at least. Volume slider is really low most of the time.

 

[Chromatischism]

I normally don't listen much to music over my 4a (non-5G) but did a listening session today and true, the limited output level really may be a problem with high impedance phones especially with highly dynamic unprocessed music.

Pretty sure that applies to all phones that don't have a special headphone amp like the LG V series. I needed that for a 600 ohm set of AKGs.

 

[Jimbob54]

Pretty sure that applies to all phones that don't have a special headphone amp like the LG V series. I needed that for a 600 ohm set of AKGs.

The few phones I have had in the last few years that have had 3.5mm have been lacking in output once you factor in some EQ. To the point where I gave up and welcomed dongles into my life.

 

[Jimster480]

Pretty happy with my Pixel 4a 5G.

I wouldn't buy a google phone. The vendor lock in there is the same crap as iPhone.
At this time it only makes sense to support small phone vendors so we still get choices. Since people wasted money on things like Samsung and Pixel and iPhone we have no more LG as a consequence. If people don't support Sony then we will lose them too and then it will be only garbage choices from garbage brands.

 

[Chromatischism]

I wouldn't buy a google phone. The vendor lock in there is the same crap as iPhone.
At this time it only makes sense to support small phone vendors so we still get choices. Since people wasted money on things like Samsung and Pixel and iPhone we have no more LG as a consequence. If people don't support Sony then we will lose them too and then it will be only garbage choices from garbage brands.

I don't consider Pixel to be "garbage", in fact it's a great phone, especially considering the price.

I would like to try a Sony but I don't have the budget for that and I would get killed on resale.

 

[bethslave]

I will purposefully resurrect an old thread in case somebody still has one of these. My wife and I both still do. We don't like large phones and the low output voltage has never been a problem for any of the earbuds or IEMs I've thrown at it [most recently the Truthear Crinacle Zero Blue]. Battery capacity is still over 50% at the end of the day and there's just no reason to upgrade to something I'll like less. Security updates are a concern which brings me to the reason for this post. Thanks to the kind folks at LineageOS anybody with the unlocked version of the Pixel 4a can still receive security updates. After backing up your data, follow the instructions here and enjoy fully patched Android 14 for as long as the hardware lasts:

Info about sunfish | LineageOS Wiki

wiki.lineageos.org

 

[Chromatischism]

Interesting. I've been thinking of what use I should put my 4a 5G to now that I'm using a Pixel 8 daily.