I'm not being one sided here since I have both phones Wolfson in Samsung Galaxy S3, and iPhone with it's own sound chip.
I've been sticking to iPhone for quite a time. The first time I've ever used an apple audio device was a really nice white 4th gen iPod. It was a tremmendous shift in sound quality from my old Samsung Yepp mp3 player which I used all day all time. I loved it until I knew sound quality differences. But then I got to know a lot of audio devices. I used a really nice and the coolest at it's time Sony Walkman CD player the sound was super since it's directly amped from a CD and as we know lossless audio type is the best audio type since not a single frequency has gone like in a compressed mp3 files.
I just bought a red Shure SE 535-LTD limited edition Japan. Which also a big leap in earphones and headphones that I've bought all this time it's quite pricey. It's $560 and I don't make money which makes the wish list looked stressful. But I managed to save my money for the past 9 months until I have the money around last week. I bought this Shure SE535-LTD in one local store which is a network store originated from Singapore. Again, the sound quality of Shure top notch In Ear Monitor is amazing. Super sensitive, Triple-Driver, and finely tuned. In other words It's a sound system cramped in one little earpiece. Clearly, this is the best earphone that I've ever own.
The Wolfson DAC is just for the International version of Samsung Galaxy S3. For American market Samsung Galaxy S3 sadly uses Snapdragon's soundchip. The multi talented Snapdragon at it's best.
My impression is when I hear songs from Samsung Galaxy S3 it sounds neater, clearer, and sharp. The soundstage was amazing, adequate bass attack, and perfect mid. It's like when you hear songs you have this space of sounds around you and the vivid nuance it made, great separation, zero noise, so when it was silence it is quiet. Good high and cystal clear vocal. The only lackness is no thumping bass, and the volume stops at 15 which sometimes was not loud enough for my ears. I wish it could stop at 20 or 25.
iPhone 4 on the other side has a thumping bass, rich color, and blended sounds. I prefer the bass and volume in iPhone 4. Which makes some songs sounds clearer. And not a few people mistaken the volume they heard as clarity. iPhone can't deliver the separation of every single instrument like Wolfson chip does. That's why some songs sounds like a messed thread. The iPhone sounds really powerful and loud with punchy low and clear mid. But it lackness of high and soundstage made iPhone sounded dull.
I prefer the sound of Samsung Galaxy S3 than iPhone 4 since Samsung Galaxy S3 has an amazing soundstage compared to iPhone and better highs, clarity, accurate instrument hit. I'm listening to Frank Ocean, Lana Del Rey in .flac and Incubus's Are You In since it has great drum and instruments sounds.
Well many sources said that Shure SE535 doesn't sounds great with it's stock cable. So I'm looking forward to upgrade the stock cable with Baldur MKIII or MKII which I don't really sure the difference between it.
Nice read, been into the audiophile scene for about a year now... would rather pay $500 for a DAP than a phone, but nice to hear that the international S3 has a Wolfson DAC [wonder which model] and you can always add a portable amp to your phone for more volume and bass!
ReplyDeleteLook up Boeffla sound (need a suitable kernel) for the wolfson S3. It will allow you to unlock the power of the WM1811 chip and turn the amp 'up to 11' :) A real pleasure to listen to.
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