Wavelet Android EQ

[luft262]

The main problem is that there doesn't seem to be any parametric eq that is available for Android without rooting the phone In the meantime Wavelet seems to be the best option for Android users. Otherwise Equalizer APO with the Peace interface is probably the best I know of. If you have any suggestions please don't hesitate to post them! Thanks.

 

[Matias]

I like this app a lot but a manual PEQ is really missing here.

 

[martijn86]

If you have any suggestions please don't hesitate to post them!

I tried Sonarworks SoundID recently since it was recommended and officially supported by the latest Drop Panda firmware. There are two issues that I had with that app:
- It always factors in your personal preference that you set using loops of royalty free music that I'm not familiar with. You can't disable that user preference and just target neutrality or harman.
- Every time it wouldn't recognise my headphones and I had to manually unpair and pair again. So that got old pretty quickly.

But. It might work for you. So definitely try it out and see what it can do for you.

Note: I later discovered that I messed up myself:

Holy shit!!! I owe both the creators of Wavelet and SoundID an apology for my rant…

SoundID is different to Wavelet in that it uploads corrections to the Panda. It doesn't need to be connected to the app afterwards.

 

[ZolaIII]

@martijn86 I think you're best option is to find Panda in measurements repository on github and fail a complaint there. I don't really use Wavelet anymore as all EQ's are Harman curve based and I don't follow it. SoundID is same thing regarding EQ target but much worse in every way than Wavelet (in my experience).

 

[ZolaIII]

Best PEQ can be found in Neutron but I stopped using it (long time ago) as it whose plagued with various bugs. Who knows me by that changed in the meantime but I seriously doubt it.

 

[martijn86]

Holy shit!!! I owe both the creators of Wavelet and SoundID an apology for my rant. There's nothing wrong with my ears. I heard something that could resemble a correction that was applied twice... Well . As it turns out, SoundID uploads your corrections to the headphone. So while I uninstalled the app, the processing was still active and wavelet then basically did the same on my phone. This was 100% user error. The compression that I experienced at higher volumes must have been a limiter in the Panda. I'm going to leave my mistake on here and add a note, maybe it can prevent others from making the same mistake.

 

[ZolaIII]

I noticed that it actually starts working with some songs in Qobuz and stops working for other songs? In YouTube Music is works with every song. I'm not sure what's going on (software-wise), to cause it to work with certain songs, but not with others. I noticed this with Amazon HD Music, while I was trialing it, and again with Qobuz.

Can you elaborate little more? To my better knowledge when the default Androida audio driver/chain is used output is limited to 44100/48000 Hz anyway but that doesn't prevent Wavelet to work (it actually inserts on it).

 

[luft262]

I can't elaborate more as I don't fully understand it, but when using Amazon HD and Qobuz I notice the Wavelet EQ will work with some tracks and not others. On YouTube Music and Tidal (standard fidelity) it always works. The developer emailed me to try updating Android as not all sample rates may be compatible with the DAC. I have the newest version of Android, however, and I use an external DAC via usb (JDS Atom Dac) so I'm not sure what the problem is. It's riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

 

[ZolaIII]

If you (app with which you play them) use standard android audio driver (in my experience) Wavelet should work as output is anyway sempled down to 44100\48000 Hz by it (including Android USB Audio 2.0 driver). It won't work with third party USB audio 2.0 drivers.

 

[luft262]

Sounds good. I haven't altered the phone's drivers.

 

[luft262]

Side question, but does that mean the highest sample rate an android device is capable of outputting is 48 kHz? So If I plug my phone into an external DAC even if the music is say 96 kHz and the DAC supports it my phone (running android) is only going to output up to 48 kHz via USB to the DAC anyway?

Thanks.

 

[Chordeater]

The main problem is that there doesn't seem to be any parametric eq that is available for Android without rooting the phone In the meantime
....
If you have any suggestions please don't hesitate to post them! Thanks.

Universal Audio Player Pro includes a 10-band parametric equalizer and is probably the best audio app for Android. Take a look at all its features in the Play Store.
Wavelet is very good but it is limited because it always uses, if exists, the equalization tending to the harman curve based on the measures of Oratory1990, and my case, for example, I often prefer the Crinacle equivalents, even sometimes adjusted in the low and high extremes to my needs (sensitivity to the treble, adjustment of the cups as it affects the bass ...).
In UAPP you can test any suggested equalization and try any change you think of.

 

[ZolaIII]

Side question, but does that mean the highest sample rate an android device is capable of outputting is 48 kHz? So If I plug my phone into an external DAC even if the music is say 96 kHz and the DAC supports it my phone (running android) is only going to output up to 48 kHz via USB to the DAC anyway?

Thanks.

With default driver and USB driver in short yes.

 

[DaQ]

Side question, but does that mean the highest sample rate an android device is capable of outputting is 48 kHz? So If I plug my phone into an external DAC even if the music is say 96 kHz and the DAC supports it my phone (running android) is only going to output up to 48 kHz via USB to the DAC anyway?

Actually, that's the default behaviour of the Android OS. Whatever bitrate you play, the operating system resamples it 48khz, and there is no built-in way to bypass it. If I am not mistaken the only workaround possible is to use USB Audio Player Pro application & use an external dac/dongle.

 

[ZolaIII]

Actually, that's the default behaviour of the Android OS. Whatever bitrate you play, the operating system resamples it 48khz, and there is no built-in way to bypass it. If I am not mistaken the only workaround possible is to use USB Audio Player Pro application & use an external dac/dongle.

Any of apps whit it's own USB driver's and in case of BT LDAC it can output up to 96 KHz.

 

[luft262]

Actually, that's the default behaviour of the Android OS. Whatever bitrate you play, the operating system resamples it 48khz, and there is no built-in way to bypass it. If I am not mistaken the only workaround possible is to use USB Audio Player Pro application & use an external dac/dongle.

When I go to Audio Player Pro in the Google play store it says "not compatible with this version". I'm running a Pixel 4a 5G with the latest version of android. Any thoughts?

 

[ZolaIII]

When I go to Audio Player Pro in the Google play store it says "not compatible with this version". I'm running a Pixel 4a 5G with the latest version of android. Any thoughts?

Download trial time limited build from their official website and try it out. Neutron is only player with fully configurable/adjustable PEQ there is.

 

[luft262]

Neutron looks sick, but it's like $100s of dollars if I'm looking at the same thing...

 

[ZolaIII]

Neutron looks sick, but it's like $100s of dollars if I'm looking at the same thing...

No you are not.
https://neutroncode.com/
7.98$ on the play store. Official trial app for it is 30 days with out of limitation. PEQ is configurable by all means (effect, straight, number of bands and cetera).

 

[luft262]

OK. I found it cool. Will it work with streaming players? Like Qobuz or Youtube Music?