Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Summary
In our evaluations we found the Marshall London telephone the best for overall audio quality, followed by the Samsung Galaxy S6 in second place and the BQ Aquaris M5 in third. While the Galaxy S6 came out on top for internal audio quality, the Marshall London phone also topped our speaker quality tests.Introduction
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Every day people use their smartphones, be it with earphones, headset or via the built in loudspeakers of the phones, to listen to music, view movies and YouTube videos. This is where a smartphone’s sound is important to us – we desire to listen to our music.
It should be said, that if you’re quite serious about sound, a smartphone’s internal audio cannot compete against a dedicated high end portable player such as Astell & Kern and iBasso, to name only two brands, out of the many that are out there in the market now. Similarly, a sound system or an aptX-empowered Bluetooth loudspeaker (aptX is an audio codec used by Bluetooth to transmit sound frequencies at a higher quality), will give you a much better experience over the small onboard speakers of any smartphone on the planet.
This post will focus on those who just want to use their smartphone for viewing films via the phone’s loudspeakers or listening to music via the internal 3.5mm auxiliary jack found on all smartphones (notwithstanding rumours of Apple desiring to remove this auxiliary input from the next generation of idevices).
Some of the questions you might be asking yourself right now comprise: Will I be able to hear the difference between phones (sources) if I’m not an audiophile? What audio equipment do I need to have to hear the differences? And do I need high quality music/films?
To make this a fair test we took all the smartphones into an isolated room to examine them with our own ears, using a number of different headphones and earphones at various price ranges to distinguish the differences. In our evaluations of the internal sound parts of each telephone, we included equipment from £425 custom in ear monitors to £5 universal earphones, where we noticed the differences between the telephones to be the same, no matter the audio equipment we selected. So yes you’ll hear a difference between the phones, regardless of what earphones or headphones you possess.
It does’t take an audiophile to hear the discrepancies between smartphones as it pertains to listening for differences. The only advantage an audiophile has over the typical consumer is that they understand their audio equipment well, know what to search for in songs they love and have sound supplies that helps them distinguish the differences at their risk. In no way is this post aimed for audiophiles only – in this comparison we will draw out differences heard between the telephones which are relevant to everyone, using any gear!
It’s safe to say the differences will be less indistinguishable with higher-end tools, and the same goes for the quality of the music recordings. With higher and higher bitrate, sample sizes -quality codec files, the differences become less indistinguishable.
In order to ensure we had all areas covered, we conducted our tests using a variety of distinct tunes at various recording qualities – our lowest sampled song was at 256kbps, 44.1kHz MP3. This is actually the default music standard when buying MP3 sound tracks from major resellers, such as Amazon.
Finally before getting into the comparison between the phones, let it be said that audio is a subjective question, where another’s might not be reflected by one individual’s experiences. In our evaluations we’ve remained objective and impartial, in order to share our professional views. We feel the experience and knowledge we have at PC Advisor is enough to provide you with a honest, unbiased assessment of the phones despite not having any audio recording gear to back up our claims.
We encourage the telephones to try out yourselves and share with us your experiences – all comments are welcome and we would be interested to hear your thoughts on our evaluations and assessments. It should be noted that testing machines will give you an idea of how the telephones should perform, but often the machine’s information is’t a true representation of how a telephone, headphone, earphone nor speaker will actually sound to the human ear.
Speaker quality
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
However, before testing each loudspeaker at a more normal volume, each phone to hear its maximum loudness was ramped up by us. We additionally held the phones in our hands to analyze for any vibrations which may cause distress in protracted periods of use and subsequently attempted to listen for any distortion being created by the loudspeakers. Many people like to use maximum volume with the telephone in hand. We don’t recommend this at all, but we have noted down our findings in each review below.
Alongside a short outline, we then broke down each of the telephones’ speakers by their physical loudspeaker placement, loudness evaluation (including distortion and vibration testing results), lows (including sub-bass and mid-bass), mids, highs and soundstage (including rot, instrument separation and tonality).
Apple iPhone 6s audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Apple iPhone 6s Physical loudspeaker placement:
Single down-firing speaker design with its place at the bottom-hand corner of the mobile. We found its placement if you hold your phone in your right hand to be lousy. It sometimes meant that sound was being supressed as a result of speaker’s positioning.
Apple iPhone 6s Loudness rating:
7.5/10 – The iPhone 6s did’t get that loud, which means that listening to the phone’s loudspeakers in a busy or loud surroundings mightn’t be pleasing. On the plus side there were distortions nor vibrations felt.
The sub-bass response is great, which was surprising to hear as we were’t expecting a single-loudspeaker phone to really generate any kind of sub-bass response. Its mid-bass is nicely presented and has a decent slam , however we felt the mid-bass did’t have the right amount of control to it.
The mids are affected by the low end response and are in fact V-shaped and thus are a bit recessed. This was a pity to hear as the iPhone’s internal sound is known to be sounding rather flat (a great thing in this context) but unfortunately this same principle was’t applied to its external loudspeaker.
The highs are a little rolled off, which is a little unsatisfactory, but natural contemplating its emphasis is more on the low-end frequencies.
Apple iPhone 6s Soundstage:
Its soundstage is decent where its instrument separation is astonishing. It was further remarkable to hear that its placement was accurate, despite having one little loudspeaker.
BQ Aquaris M5 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Aquaris M5 Physical loudspeaker positioning: Single down-firing speaker design with its location at the bottom-hand corner of the phone. We located its placement if you hold your phone in your right hand to be lousy. It sometimes meant that sound was being supressed as a result of loudspeaker’s placement.
BQ Aquaris M5 Loudness rating:
6.5/10 – The rating signaled here is how loud we discovered the Aquaris M5 to go without the Dolby Atmos program enable – as we’re conducting all tests in this post without any software alterations. We would have liked it to be louder by default and located the speaker loudness a little low.
Its lows expand well and have an emphasis on the mid-bass frequencies.
BQ Aquaris M5 Mids:
We discovered the mids to be clear, but slightly recessed. They can be regrettably impacted by the mid-bass slam and hence created a V-shaped sound touch.
BQ Aquaris M5 Highs:
The highs expand well and supply a pleasant sparkle to the top end frequencies. They’re somewhat rolled off, but on the whole impressive.
We were satisfied with the general soundstage presentation, but would have liked the Aquaris M5 to supply a deeper and marginally wider soundstage.
Google Nexus 6P audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Nexus 6P Physical loudspeaker placement:
We loved listening to its loudspeakers because of its front-
facing loudspeaker placement. That makes it superb for watching films or playing games on your own telephone.
With its double front-facing design, the loudspeakers were not soft and provided a great stereo sound. It also came to no surprise that the loudspeakers were the greatest on some of the phones we analyzed, simply due to the size of the Google Nexus 6P’s display. Yet, it did quite marginally distort at maximum volume, where the speakers became precise and less refined.
Google Nexus 6P Lows:
Yet we discovered the mid-bass guitar did’t have much presence and sounded somewhat subdued.
Nexus 6P Mids:
The reproduction of the mids had amazing imaging was really good and so. This was definitely the highlight of the phone’s loudspeaker output.
Nexus 6P Soundstage:
The soundstage is nicely presented, mostly due to its double-speaker design, where the reproduction of the songs were wide rather than narrow, which is a great sign. The instrument separation was good but lacked that bit of finesse. The tonality is nicely presented and its decay glows through.
HTC One M9 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
HTC One M9 Physical speaker positioning: Dual front-facing dual stereo speakers. We enjoyed listening to its loudspeakers due to its front-facing loudspeaker positioning. That makes it excellent for watching films or playing games on your telephone.
Volume was drastically lower than the much louder Google Nexus 6P and Marshall London, which both have dual front-facing speakers. This comes from the phone being made out of a complete metal structure.
HTC One M9 Lows: The sub-bass is adequate, with an average extension for a telephone’s loudspeaker, but unfortunately the sub-bass sounded cut off. Its mid-bass slam was somewhat uncontrolled and is a bit weak.
HTC One M9 Mids: The mids were average, with the sound back and recessed. Nevertheless, the HTC One M9 had a decent reproduction of the mids.
HTC One M9 Highs: The highs provide a great sparkle to the telephone’s overall sound signature and extended well.
HTC One M9 Soundstage: Its soundstage was good but lacked a little depth, which linked into our similar findings to the Google Nexus 6P. On the plus side, due to its double speaker design, its width was well presented.
LG G3 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
LG G3 Physical speaker positioning:
Single backward-firing speaker design with its place at the bottom-hand corner of the cellphone. We found its placement to be poor if you hold your phone in your right hand. It meant that sound was often being supressed as a result of speaker’s positioning.
Moreover, the positioning of the speaker affected the overall loudness of the phone’s loudspeaker. On the plus side there was no distortion, but rather there were little vibrations present through its metallic body design.
LG G3 Loudness rating:
8.5/10 – However we discovered that when the display was placed upwards it blocked the speaker’s output signal, due to the design of the backplate being arch. This meant the speaker’s loudness when being placed with its display facing upwards was reduced to a 7.5/10 – which is still louder than most smartphones out there.
The lows had a really negligible sub-bass extension, where its mid-bass is quite faint and not nicely controlled. This meant the LG G3’s overall low-end reproduction was quite unsatisfactory.
LG G3 Mids:
Its mids make the most of the poor mid-bass slam and are surprisingly great, where they had sense and an excellent reproduction of realism.
LG G3 Highs: The LG G3’s highs are really its standout attribute, where they were really well presented and well went at the top end.
LG G3 Soundstage:
On the plus side had a great depth to it, which equated to an excellent tonality and instrument separation, although its soundstage could have been a little wider.
Marshall London audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Marshall London Physical loudspeaker positioning:
We loved listening to its speakers as a result of its front-facing speaker placement. That makes it superb for viewing films or playing games on your own telephone.
Marshall London Loudness rating:
9/10 – The Marshall London has a set of fantastic outside speakers, where its stereo sound creates a loud, but clear reproduction. We did discover the speakers to distort very slightly at maximum volume and when the speakers were on maximum volume created small oscillations through the telephone’s body.
The lows of the Marshall speakers were easily the best speakers we heard on any telephone. The sub-bass was only absent, but also went very well, which was surprising to hear. It does’t go without saying that its mid-bass response was also incredible for a telephone’s loudspeakers. The mid-bass had a great slam that could actually be heard and occasionally believed – something that was an extremely nice experience to have when listening to the Marshall London.
The mids are presented with an extremely slender and exact replica. The mids were somewhat changed by the mid-bass response, as the mids were marginally pushed back, thus making the Marshall London sound a little recessed and V-shaped.
Marshall London Soundstage:
The Marshall London’s soundstage felt a little unique, chiefly because of the sound touch that was presented through the telephone’s loudspeakers. The sound had a genuine, rock’n’roll feel to it, where listening to the Marshall London phone reminded us of the amplifiers that Marshall sell to musicians. The actual soundstage itself was fine and broad, due to its dual stereo speaker design. The speakers also had a fairly great depth to them, which added to the general experience.
Microsoft Lumia 950 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Microsoft Lumia 950 Physical speaker placement:
Single backward firing loudspeaker. Unlike the LG G3, the speaker’s placing does’t hinder its loudness. This comes from the design of the camera at the back of the telephone which slightly sticks out, preventing the loudspeaker from being muffled by the surface on which the phone is remaining.
Microsoft Lumia 950 Loudness rating:
8/10 – The Microsoft Lumia 950 has a clear, loud-sounding speaker and despite its backward firing speaker, was loud no matter which way the screen as facing. There are also no audible distortions or shakings felt on the telephone.
Regrettably, there was no sub-bass extension heard on the telephone and its mid-bass lacked any impact and also had poor control. It was disappointing to hear no real emphasis made on the low end frequencies.
Microsoft Lumia 950 Mids:
The mids were fortunately precise and well presented sounding, which comes from the phone having an extremely hushed mid-bass response.
Microsoft Lumia 950 Highs:
Highs that provide a good sparkle to music have been well expanded by the speaker.
Microsoft Lumia 950 Soundstage:
The soundstage alongside reproduction and the tonality, made the experience a little better and is well represented. We found the instrument separation to be good, but believed it still had some room for advancement.
OnePlus 2 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
OnePlus 2 Physical loudspeaker placement:
Single down-firing speaker design with its location at the bottom-hand corner of the mobile. Despite its placement, no type of hand grip changed the sound of the OnePlus 2. This comes from the loudspeaker being marginally centred rather than in the corner of the mobile.
OnePlus 2 Loudness rating:
6/10 – The OnePlus 2 was the most silent phone out of the other phones we tested, which is a shame as we would have liked to hear the cellphone reach a louder volume. Due to this, it has neither distortion nor any vibrations that could be heard or sensed at maximum volume.
OnePlus 2 Lows:
Its sub-bass extension is nearly non existent, whilst its mid-bass is very poor and does’t have conviction or much impact, whilst not having much control in the lows.
The midrange on the OnePlus 2 isn’t that striking, where it has an adequate replica and acceptable level of correctness.
OnePlus 2 Highs:
Its highs are well presented, where they supply a good expansion in the high end frequencies with an excellent sparkle. It should be noted the highs do produce a slightly sibilant sound, but is when it came to our audio evaluations ’t something that really worried us.
We additionally found the tonality and the instrument separation to be very great.
Samsung Galaxy S6 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Samsung Galaxy S6 Physical loudspeaker placement:
Single down-firing speaker design with its place at the bottom-hand corner of the phone. We found its positioning to be inferior if you hold your phone in your right hand. It occasionally meant that sound was being supressed as a result of loudspeaker’s positioning.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Loudness rating:
7.5/10 – The Samsung Galaxy S6 was’t that loud, but nor was it unpleasantly quiet. It sat of how the other smartphones performed at the center. There were distortions nor oscillations at its maximum volume.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Lows:
The sub-bass was nearly non existent, whilst the mid-bass had a rather small impact and little control. We felt the lows could have been drastically improved by Samsung.
The mid-range on the Samsung Galaxy S6 is not that notable, where it has reasonable level and a decent reproduction of correctness. We believed that at times the phone’s loudspeaker would sound a little recessed and V-shaped.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Highs:
The highs on the other hand have a great degree of extension and are good. This supplies a fantastic sparkle and a nice experience whilst listening to vocals.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Soundstage:
Its soundstage coupled with its sound reproduction and is well presented, particularly with its device separation, provides an exact and impressive soundstage.
Samsung Galaxy S7 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Samsung Galaxy S7 Physical loudspeaker positioning: Single downward-firing speaker design with its place at the bottom-hand corner of the mobile. We located its positioning to be lousy if you hold your phone in your right hand. It occasionally meant that sound was being supressed due to the loudspeaker’s positioning.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Loudness evaluation:
8/10 – The Samsung Galaxy S7 improves a touch over its younger brother, the Galaxy S6, where the sound is slightly louder. We didn’t notice any distortions or oscillations present at maximum volume.
The sub-bass is non existent, whilst the mid-bass is controlled, but doesn’t have the impact you might crave when watching movies.
The mid range seemed a little abnormal, because of sensed mids increase by Samsung. This did result in a more mid-centric sound signature over the Galaxy S6, but regrettably wasn’t an accurate reproduction.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Highs:
Unlike the Galaxy S6, we discovered the highs to roll off at the top end. Nonetheless, the sparkle the highs could supply, making it okay for us to enjoy music and films impressed us.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Soundstage:
We found the soundstage to be nicely presented, with depth and a pleasant width to the telephone’s speaker. Device separation was adequate for casual listening sessions.
Sony Xperia Z5 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Sony Xperia Z5 Physical speaker placement:
We loved listening to its speakers because of its front-facing loudspeaker placement. This makes it excellent for watching movies or playing games in your cellphone. It should be noted that in comparison to the Marshall London, HTC One M9 and the Google Nexus 6P, the loudspeakers were’t as obvious to see, where the speakers are almost concealed behind its display.
Sony Xperia Z5 Loudness rating:
7/10 – The Sony Xperia Z5 was’t that loud, and leaned towards the more quiet side. It sat somewhat of the other smartphones performed in the bottom half. It should be noted that there were noticeable vibrations at the rear of the mobile due to its total metal construction. Out of all the phones we analyzed, we believed the vibrations were noticeable on the Xperia Z5.
Sony Xperia Z5 Lows:
We believed the lows were the Xperia Z5’s weakest connection, with practically no sub-bass extension and hardly any mid-bass presence. In comparison to the other phones that had very little mid-bass presence, the Xperia Z5 had a good control in its low end tones.
The mids are well presented, where they sound forward and are accurately represented. We were impressed by its mids, which were assisted by the lack of a mid-bass presence.
Sony Xperia Z5 Highs:
The highs are expanded and provide a good sparkle to music. We were really impressed by Sony managed to get the right level of high-end frequencies, without making them sound sibilant.
The soundstage is especially notable due to its instrument separation, which is brilliant and is quite good. We found the tonality and imaging to additionally be truly amazing.
Conclusion
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
It came to no surprise that the four phones with dual front-facing loudspeakers all sounded better than the single fire-designed loudspeakers. Despite them having all different sound signatures and qualities, it was a much better listening experience with the loudspeakers facing us, in place of the loudspeakers being hidden at the rear or at the bottom of the cellphone.
In conclusion, we believed that the Marshall London had the best blend of high, mid and low frequencies to supply a yet strong and impressive sound. If external speaker sound is important to you, then the Marshall London should be the phone that’s top of your to-buy list. See all smartphone reviews.
Internal sound quality
The majority of our testing was primarily based on the harschacoustic SH-2 custom IEMs and the modded Denon AH-D2000 headphones.In the sections below, we also attempted to list the audio chipset or codec versions located within the telephones. It was generally difficult to find, especially with those that did’t have another codec interface installed and were using the on board SoC (system on chip) sound module.
In order to make this review additionally useful for active commuters, we’ve included the listening degree in which the tests were performed at. This is not an indication of the amount at which you should be listening, but rather the amounts we picked for our testing. This allowed us to compare the various phones at the same perceived output amount.
For instance, some telephones had to be really driven to their maximum volume, whereas others were outputting the same perceived volume but at 60 per cent of their overall volume. This means some telephones can go louder than others and their drivability (audio power output) is better than those that had to be cranked up to be heard. Also see: Finest Android telephones 2016.
Moreover, to make the internal audio reviews even more applicable to those that plug their phones into amplifiers (like a car’s aux input jack), we analyzed to see if we could hear any interference or distortion when the phones were in an idle state. Some phones are understood to cause audio noise and issues when their central processing unit is clocked down to a low power saving mode (for example when the telephone’s screen is turned off). The amplifier was linked to the phones with a 3.5mm to 3.5mm Custom Art silver braided interconnect cable.
Finally it should be said that despite some phones having the same audio chipset, they can sound a little different. This comes from the manufacturers tinkering and optimising the sound chipsets themselves. This is’t via the Android applications, but instead via the low level hardware coding that is performed on the sound processors.
Each phone will be split into several sections: Internal Audio Chip, Amp Test, loudness level, lows (sub-bass and mid-bass), mids, highs and soundstage (including decay, instrument separation and tonality).
Note: We understand output impedance is an important topic among audiophiles; however we did’t locate any phone to have too large impedance. We estimate the average output impedance per telephone to be between 1-5 ohms, but do’t have the hardware equipment to back up this claim.
Apple iPhone 6s audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Apple/ Apple and Cirrus Logic 338S00105 Audio processor /Cirrus Logic 338S1285.
Apple iPhone 6s Amp Test:
We discovered there was a slight touch of hindrance and small static sounds that were audible when the screen was turned off, which was disappointing.
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
75-80 percent – We found the iPhone 6s to be adequate in loudness for most individuals, nevertheless if the telephone were to be used with cans that demand more power, an external amplifier would be needed to fully drive them.
Apple iPhone 6s Lows:
We found the sub-bass did’t go that well, but discovered the mid-bass to be controlled and have the right amount of impact.
Apple iPhone 6s Mids:
The mids are exceptionally well presented and have an accurate tonality to them. They had just the right amount of emphasis to them and did not feel recessed nor pushed back.
Apple iPhone 6s Highs:
Apple did a fabulous job here with the highs. The quality portrayed in the highs is positively magnificent. The iPhone 6s had the greatest high-tone frequency response out of all the phones we tested. It had the appropriate amount of sparkle, and extended well. This did mean they were marginally sibilant, but that didn’t cause us any problems.
Apple iPhone 6s Soundstage:
We found the soundstage to be the poorest noise characteristic of the iPhone 6s. We found the soundstage to be lacking in both width and depth, meaning the music did ’t feel as engaging as we’d have liked. The decay also left us wondering why the iPhone 6s seemed distinct from most of the other phones we examined. It unfortunately had some type of background noises that were quite hard to hear present.
BQ Aquaris M5 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
BQ Aquaris M5 Amp Test:
We discovered an exceptionally challenging-to-find hiss when used with an amplifier. As it was really difficult to discover, we aren’t overly worried about it.
BQ Aquaris M5 Loudness Level:
55-60 percent – we were incredibly impressed by the Aquaris M5’s ability to drive high impedance cans through its ability to produce -enough volumes at 55-60 percent volume.
We were impressed with its sub-bass and mid-bass reproduction, which was exceptionally well done. We did however find it to slightly cut off in the lower sub-bass frequencies.
BQ Aquaris M5 Mids:
Unlike the Marshall London which houses the same sound chipset, we were impressed by its midrange reproduction which was -sounding and well presented. There was a slight V-shaped, warm sound signature, but that is something we have found to be a common characteristic in Wolfson audio processors.
BQ Aquaris M5 Highs:
We found the highs to roll off somewhat at the top end frequencies. On the other hand, the highs so provide life and soul to music and have a pleasant sparkle.
BQ Aquaris M5 Soundstage:
The soundstage is a somewhat mixed bag, although we discovered it to have great imaging, and good width, but felt the depth and instrument separation could have been a little better presented.
Google Nexus 6P audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Nexus 6P Internal Sound Processor:
Google Nexus 6P Amp Test: There was a very small amount of distortion with a little hissing while on idle.
Google Nexus 6P Loudness Amount: 90-95 percent – We found that the Google Nexus 6P had to be actually turned up to a maximum volume to be really used, making it a poor choice for commuters that might use their phones in a loud environment.
Google Nexus 6P Lows:
The sub-bass does’t extend considerably and is sadly cut-off, whereas the mid-bass is really nicely presented by having a good slam and an excellent management.
Google Nexus 6P Mids:
The mids on the Nexus 6P are very well presented, where they carry a great reproduction. We located the mids to sound to most of the other phones out there.
Google Nexus 6P Highs:
Where they were’t rolled off and were well went the highs were also nicely presented. Additionally, they had a genuinely nice sparkle to them which added something additional to the songs. It should be noted the Nexus 6P did have a small amount of sibilance, which was’t a difficulty for us, but with earphones or cans which are more sensitive it could cause problems.
Google Nexus 6P Soundstage:
The soundstage is certainly amazing, where we found the instrument separation to be top class for the tonality to actually complement the cellphone’s complete sound touch and a smartphone. We found the imaging to be truly amazing.
HTC One M9 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
HTC One M9 Internal Sound Chip:
SoC (system on chip) Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810 – Presumed to be using the Qualcomm WCD9330 Audio Codec.
HTC One M9 Amp Test:
There was a tiny number of hindrance and hissing when the HTC One M9 was used alongside an amplifier. The hissing and hindrance was hard to hear, so we believed it was minimal for most users.
HTC One M9 Loudness Level:
75-80 percent – We found the HTC One M9 to be sufficient in loudness for most individuals, however if the telephone were to be used with cans that need more power, an external amplifier would be required to fully drive them.
HTC One M9 Lows:
We found the sub-bass to moderately go well, but does cut off in the lower sub-bass areas. Despite the HTC One M9 depicting an adequate mid-bass slam, we did feel that it could have been improved with a little more control.
HTC One M9 Mids:
Its mids are well presented but due to the minimal hiss and distortion there is a slightly strange reproduction that is conveyed in the mid-range frequency.
The highs are very well presented and extend exceptionally well. We discovered them to supply a good amount of sparkle, which did lead them being a little sibilant.
Its soundstage is average and we did locate it to portray a duller, more mundane audio signature. The HTC One M9 describes a decay that is decent but due to a slight bit of distortion has some odd blimps when playing high-tone frequencies. We felt its overall soundstage could have been somewhat deeper and a little broader seeming to supply a better overall audio listening experience.
LG G3 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
LG G3 Amp Evaluation:
The LG G3 suffers from enormous hindrance that ’s even audible without an amp and used with slightly sensitive earphones. We were extremely disappointed with its issues and additionally found that the phone created a double clicking noise every time a 3.5mm jack is plugged into the phone. This frustrating and annoying characteristic cannot be disabled and becomes a distraction when plugging into the telephone in a jack. Furthermore, we found the phone to make tremendous computer hard-drive sounds when being used alongside an amplifier – this comes from poor shielding of internal components of the phone and the audio jack from the processor.
LG G3 Loudness Level:
60-65 percent – We discovered the LG G3 able to drive everything we threw at it, which is remarkable considering it’s only a smartphone.
LG G3 Lows:
The LG G3’s bass was really broken up, as we believed the sub-bass was not well expanded and was cut-off. Whereas with the mid-bass we felt it produced just the right number of slam and supplied a great quality reproduction.
The mids are a bit recessed and slightly pushed back, but nevertheless are well portrayed.
LG G3 Highs:
The LG G3’s highs are decent but we did’t feel they supplied our music with the appropriate amount of sparkle. We felt that the highs lacked a bit of life and extension (due to being rolled off) at the top-end.
Its soundstage is not a little open, where we felt the songs were being somewhat suffocated and not having enough room to breathe. With that said, we believed the tonality alongside the decay to be precise and well presented.
Marshall London audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Marshall London Internal Audio Chip:
Wolfson Microelectronics WM8281 DAC.
Marshall London Amp Evaluation:
We didn’t notice any difficulties with the Marshall London linked to an amplifier.
Marshall London Loudness Amount:
80-85 percent – we felt the Marshall London would lack a bit in loudness for most individuals, especially if the telephone were to be used with earphones, where the phone would need more power from an external amplifier to completely drive them.
Marshall London Lows:
The sub-bass and mid-bass reproduction was incredibly well done. In fact, we found it to copy the most desirable basshead sound out of all the telephones – with a great sub-bass extension and a powerful mid-bass slam.
Marshall London Mids:
Regrettably due to the emphasis on the lows, the mids took a hit and seemed recessed and marginally pushed back. This created a V-shaped sound trademark, which was fine for classical music, where there is a lot more emphasis on the mids, but not actually desired for R ’n’ B and rock tunes.
Marshall London Highs:
The highs do expand well and supply a pleasant sparkle, but are somewhat rolled off at the top end.
Marshall London Soundstage:
The soundstage is well presented, but we felt the instrument separation and tonality could be slightly better presented. It was interesting to hear the sound trademark to be presented in a Rock ’n’ Roll manner, which led itself to supply a warm and enjoyable phone that is sounding. Where the output sound is neither precise nor neutral sounding, this does have its drawback.
Microsoft Lumia 950 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Microsoft Lumia 950 Internal Audio Chip:
Microsoft Lumia 950 Amp Test: The Lumia 950 suffers from crackling noise and little pulse sounds whilst remaining on the lockscreen.
Microsoft Lumia 950 Loudness Level:
75-80 percent- We found the Microsoft Lumia 950 to be adequate in loudness for most folks, yet if the telephone were to be used with cans that demand more power, an external amplifier would be needed to fully drive them.
Microsoft Lumia 950 Lows: We located the sub-bass to be a little rolled off, which was a shame as its mid -bass is well presented and has a fine managed slam.
The mids of the Lumia 950 are quite accurate, with it not overly pushed back and seeming realistic. We discovered the mids could have been a little better in their replica, but we were satisfied with the overall tonality.
Microsoft Lumia 950 Highs:
Its highs expand well, flawlessly complements the overall sound touch. We found that with its expansion and small bit of sparkle, music was enjoyable to listen to.
Microsoft Lumia 950 Soundstage:
As it made the sound somewhat suffocated, we discovered the soundstage to be a bit shut and regrettably hindered the functionality of the sound. On the plus side, we did find the device separation being completely brilliant, and alongside a great decay, created a good sense of width and depth to the complete sound quality.
OnePlus 2 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
OnePlus 2 Internal Sound Processor:
OnePlus 2 Amp Evaluation: The OnePlus 2 endured from interference when used alongside an amplifier. Similar to the LG G3, it also generated a little ticking sound when left on idle and a hard drive sound when being used. This was disappointing to hear from the OnePlus 2 as we were expecting a crackle-free output after having partnered with MaxxAudio to create some applications-side tweaks.
OnePlus 2 Loudness Level:
60-65 percent – We discovered the OnePlus 2 able to drive everything we threw at it, which is notable considering it’s only a smartphone.
OnePlus 2 Lows:
We found the sub-bass to not actually extent that nicely and felt cut-off. Despite having an adequate amount of mid-bass slam, we found the mid-bass to be also disappointing, as it lacked precision and control.
OnePlus 2 Mids:
Due to having a bit of a mid-bass slam, we located its mids to feel a little recessed and pushed back. We were disappointed not to discover it excel in the mids department.
OnePlus 2 Highs:
Its highs extend but are somewhat rolled off at the top-end frequency.
OnePlus 2 Soundstage:
We located the soundstage closed sounding, where we believed the mobile’s internal sound had very little room to breathe – due to it having a soundstage that was shut. We additionally located the imaging and positioning a little unsatisfactory.
Samsung Galaxy S6 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Samsung Galaxy S6 Internal Audio Chip:
Wolfson Microelectronics WM1840 DAC
Samsung Galaxy S6 Amp Test:
When used alongside an amplifier we were able to hear very minimal interference, which happened when on idle. We felt it was enough to be insignificant as the interference was minimal.
We found the Samsung Galaxy S6 capable to drive everything we threw at it, which is impressive considering it’s only a smartphone. It was easily the most powerful phone output signal we experienced out of all the other smartphones that we compared it to. It was positive as it enables people to use their cans or higher impedance earphones with the Galaxy S6 to see this from Samsung.
The standout feature on all Wolfson chips are the unbelievable bass reproduction they carry. We did feel the mid-bass slam was somewhat uncontrolled, but its overall reproduction of the lows was amazing to hear.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Mids:
We believed the mids were a little recessed and created a little bit of a V-shaped sound to the phone’s internal output signal.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Highs:
We discovered the highs to widen really nicely, and provide a fantastic sparkle to the music we were listening to. Furthermore, unlike other phones that had a good high-tone result, but sounded a little sibilant; we found the Galaxy S6 to expand well, without being sibilant, which was a pleasant surprise.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Soundstage:
As said above, we felt the sound touch was a little V-shaped. We found tonality and the instrument separation to be great, but what really stood out was its accurate reproduction of the music, which was extremely well received.
Samsung Galaxy S7 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Samsung Galaxy S7 Internal Sound Processor:
Cirrus Logic CS47L91 Audio Codec
Samsung Galaxy S7 Amp Test:
We were able to hear very minimal interference, which happened when on idle when used alongside an amplifier,. As the hindrance was minimal we believed it was enough to be insignificant.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Loudness Level:
80-85 percent – Over the Galaxy S6, it was substantially less capable to drive higher impedance cans. We were somewhat baffled as to why Samsung decided to have the volume increments actioned by the volume rock, to alter the volume of the telephone by an estimated eight percent over the five percent increments it previously had on the Galaxy S6. This leads to audio being either a little too low or loud, at least to our ears.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Lows:
Unlike the Galaxy S6 which boasts astonishing sub-bass capacities through its Wolfson chipset, the Galaxy S7 has a reproduction that is less remarkable, although good. We found the sub-bass to go well, but not as deep as the Galaxy S6. On the plus side, we sensed the mid-bass was marginally more controlled and did not overpower the mids, due to a punchy and accurate reproduction.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Mids:
Despite having a Cirrus Logic audio codec, we found the mids to be a little pushed back, creating a V shaped sound touch. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it creates a more fun sounding phone and joined with the lows, provides a good mix.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Highs:
The highs are a little rolled off at the top end, but do have a nice sparkle to them. We’d have liked an inbetween highs replica of Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S7, where we found the Galaxy S6 to be a touch on the sibilant side, whilst the Galaxy S7 is rolled off.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Soundstage:
We found the Galaxy S7’s soundstage to lack width and depth, but have good device separation. There are settings which allow you to tinker with the soundstage reproduction, but as we’re testing the raw codec and chipset quality in our finest sounding phone roundup we cannot factor these tweaks.
Sony Xperia Z5 audio performance
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Sony Xperia Z5 Internal Audio Processor:
SoC (system on chip) Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810 – Presumed to be using Qualcomm WCD9330 Audio Codec
Sony Xperia Z5 Amp Test:
We also found a beat sound that occurred after the telephone was connected via a 3.5mm input.
Sony Xperia Z5 Loudness Amount:
75-80 percent – We found the Sony Xperia Z5 to be sufficient in loudness for most folks, however if the telephone were to be used with headphones that need more power, an external amplifier would be needed to fully drive them.
Sony Xperia Z5 Lows: Its sub-bass was a little cut-off, which was a pity as we discovered its mid-bass guitar to be nicely presented, despite really being a little uncontrolled.
The mids were striking on the Sony Xperia Z5, where we believed the mids were being slightly boosted and had a frequency that is good. Nevertheless, we did discover it to seem a little contrived in its reproduction.
Its highs extend well, which really complements its soundstage as the sparkle has a nice resonance with the phone’s internal audio output.
Sony Xperia Z5 Soundstage:
We discovered the soundstage to be lacking, due to it being a little closed in its replica. The audio touch of the phone was somewhat boring, albeit its slightly artificial mid-range reproduction. On the plus side, we found the instrument separation completely exceptional.
Conclusion
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Most people will use their telephones without an external headphone amplifier of any kind, as it was able to readily drive our earphones and most of our cans to an acceptable level and this also boded well with the Galaxy S6. In contrast, some telephones, like the Google Nexus 6P fought to drive low impedance earphones, let alone slightly more challenging-to-drive headphones that had higher impedance. This is the Samsung Galaxy S6 is our recommendation for its audio capacities that are internal that are excellent.
Audio jargon buster
Best Audio Phone 2016 UK
Mid-bass: This is the bass slam – the more noticeable bass frequency found in virtually every audio equipment.
Lows: Lows are known as the bass – it’s a mix of both the sub-bass and mid-bass frequencies.
Mids: The mid-range frequency, the “in-between” of the low and high frequencies. This is everything from a variety of instruments and vocals and can sometimes be split up into the lower midrange that features male vocals and the higher midrange that projects female vocals and transportation system off of the bass. If the midrange reproduced accurately and is fostered, it can add tunes and a sense of clarity – this is where the term “cleaner sound” came from and where a lot of portable amplifiers often focus on.
Highs: The better the highs are, the more sparkle you’ll have. Sometimes you might be treated with too much high end frequencies, hence resulting in sibilance. A good extension of the highs can lead to a more open soundstage.
Soundstage: As the name imply the soundstage is virtually. It refers to placement and the positioning of the sound relative to your ears.
Sibilance: The “hiss ” noise or drawn-out “ Ss” sounds discovered in specific earphones that have a spike at a high frequency that is certain. Sibilance is’t exactly a bad thing, but when there of it, it can become irritating and problematic for sensitive ears.
Instrument Separation: The term is rather self-explanatory, but when talked about in audio equipment refers to the way instruments sound in distinct places. Commonly when music is recorded, or films producer will make a certain sound by choice come from a particular direction. The instrument separation assists in the immersion of the music when coupled with the soundstage.
Decay: The decay is frequently described with the selection of materials used in headset or earphones. Its definition is’t set in stone, but is used to describe the way sound frequencies bounce off materials and finally resonate.
Imaging: This term is used to describe the way the music is depicted – inferior imaging means the sound that’s being reproduced is’t accurate. Imaging is often linked with the decay and the soundstage, as it goes hand-in-hand with both of these terms.
DAC: Some cellphone makers have elected to have a committed DAC, as it generates a sound that was more precise.
Warm sound: Frequently used to describe a V-shaped sound touch. A V shaped signature – so called because of the pattern created when a physical (or on-screen) equaliser is set this way – is created by an emphasis on the low end and high end tones, whilst the mid-range frequencies are pushed back. This created a sense of warmness to the sound – that makes it more interesting to listen to.
Sound Signature: This is often described to be the unique stamp from a maker. Individuals will commonly refer to sound signature alongside a name of a maker (i.e.: The Wolfson sound signature). It may also be used to describe the audio is being depicted – as a warm/cold sound.
Rolled-away / Cut off: These terms are used to describe highs and the lows. The low-end when not fully expanded can look cut off, where a producer has essentially not extended the lows. The term ’rolled-off’ functions in the exact same principle, but is frequently used to describe the highs – where they sound soothed outside, rather than went.
Output Impedance: This really complicated sound term is commonly hard to describe. With the aim of simplicity, output impedance in audio is output signal and the resistance that can be heard from an amplifier. In the case of a phone, this applies to the internal amplifier found within a telephone. The output impedance can create an absence of bass or a skewing of the frequency response of a source, in this event a telephone.
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