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*A review of the best according to the editors of expertology.ru. About selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

In modern smartphones, most users value three components in the first place: the screen, cameras and communication. And most often in that order of priority. But there is a separate category of users for whom sound quality is also important. And with this there are often difficulties, since when developing the next model, not every manufacturer pays due attention to this issue. The Expertology editors, with the assistance of our subject matter experts, have studied the smartphone market in late 2020 in detail and have prepared for you an overview of current models with good sound.

What does a smartphone with good sound mean?

To begin with, we should decide on the terminology and concepts, so that under the characteristic «smartphone with good sound» we understand the same things. The fact is that this is a rather vague characterization, and in order not to create inflated expectations in the reader, we will clarify the issue in some detail.

The ideas about good sound in a smartphone differ greatly among different users, depending on personal requirements and the depth of knowledge in the matter. For some, a pair of stereo speakers in the gadget case is enough for good sound, while others cannot imagine high-quality sound without a discrete digital-to-analog converter (DAC). We will approach the issue comprehensively.

The basic characteristic of a smartphone, in which you can generally start talking about high-quality sound — is the presence of support for lossless audio formats, i.e. without distortion. The MP3 format is supported by absolutely all smartphones, but for all its advantages, it by definition implies a loss in quality, while the FLAC format and the like retain the sound «as is».

Another plus in the treasury of high-quality sound are those models that that support Hi-Res Audio. This is not to say that it is a new technology, but it really began to appear in smartphones relatively recently. Its essence lies in the greater bit depth and increased sampling rate compared to the classic combination of 16 bit / 44.1 kHz, as it was quite recently in the standards of studio CDs. There are no strict criteria here, the sampling rate can be anything. As a rule, this is either 48 or 96 kHz, and the bit depth is not 16, but 24 bits. All these figures only speak of the potential for good sound, and if you see Hi-Res Audio (HRA) support in the characteristics of a smartphone, you will still need to make sure in any case how well the manufacturer has implemented this technology.

Another aspect that potentially characterizes the sound quality in a smartphone is that how the operating system handles the digital data of an audio file when outputting to speaker(s) or headphones. So, for example, in most smartphones, it doesn’t matter on iOS or Android, the original form of analog signals is restored from digital data encoded in an audio file. That is, in fact, there is a double conversion, which entails the inevitable addition of distortion to one degree or another, and the full potential of Hi-Res Audio cannot be revealed by definition.

In the iPhone, the above problem was not solved in any way due to the closeness of the operating system. As for Android devices, open source allowed smartphone developers to solve the problem by installing a separate digital-to-analog converter. It was the presence of a dedicated DAC in the form of a full-fledged chip and an additional output amplifier, until recently, that was actually an unambiguous criterion for good sound in a smartphone. Why only until recently? Here, too, it is worth taking a closer look at the question.

Even now in 2020, many people think that the real music smartphone is the one with a discrete DAC. And no one is embarrassed that such smartphones are simply impossible to find on sale. They are no longer produced, as this approach has not taken root. It not only seriously adds to the cost of a smartphone, but is simply not universal. Dedicated DACs, if they are found, are only found in some premium solutions, where the high price does not frighten the buyer from the very beginning. But the main reason for the departure of such technology is the improvement of alternatives. And here you need to say thanks to Qualcommwhich has really spent a lot of intellectual effort of its engineers to optimally integrate specialized nodes right into the processors.

So, for example, and Qualcomm Aqstic platform was created. It involves the integration of not only a DAC, but also an amplifier into the SoC, and in addition there is a whole set of add-ons for the software part — digital filters, codecs, neural network algorithms, and everything new and progressive that makes up modern audio technologies. And from that moment on, the actual getting of good sound on a smartphone depends on the smartphone manufacturer, on how it will take advantage of the excellent potential provided by Qualcomm. For example, by means of integrated audio modules, you can adjust the gain for the built-in DAC. A high value provides clear sound, but consumes more battery power, and not every manufacturer will sacrifice smartphone autonomy for good sound.

Finally, one more point, already much more obvious. Recently we have seen a massive trend of manufacturers to abandon the standard connector for headphones 3.5 mm «minijack». This is an extremely unpleasant trend for music lovers. The thing is that the USB Type-C interface can broadcast an audio signal in two ways: in the form of a digital stream (CDLA) or in the form of an analog signal (Direct Audio). In the second case, ordinary headphones with a USB plug, or “minijack”, but with an adapter will suffice. But there is a caveat — all this is possible only with a properly implemented Direct Audio mode, and this implies the correct switching of the output circuits of the amplifier and the corresponding group of contacts of the connector itself. And such a scheme is not implemented in every smartphone with a Type-C port, unless it is a flagship. As for the CDLA digital mode, the conversion to “analog” takes place either directly in “specially trained” headphones, or in a USB-DAC adapter, which means it does not depend on the smartphone itself.

So, we have dealt with those points that, in the realities of the end of 2020, can indicate a smartphone with good sound, and now we will begin to analyze the characteristics of models that fully or at least partially meet these criteria.

Rating of the best smartphones with good sound + Expertology + full update

The rating is based on an analysis of the technical characteristics of smartphones on the RankQuality portal.

The best cheap smartphones with good sound

In the first small selection of the review, we will consider the most affordable smartphones that differ at least in good sound. This means that in one model or another there may not be a serious technological base so that a smartphone can be called musical, but at least this issue has been worked out by the manufacturer.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro

Rating: 4.7

Let’s consider an inexpensive smartphone from Xiaomi as the first number — this is the Pro version of Redmi Note 8, and we emphasize that we are talking about Pro. The difference between Redmi Note 8 regular and Pro is literally dramatic, and the price is quite affordable.

And let’s start with the sound. This model has no pronounced technical prerequisites for high-quality sound, and the model got into our review precisely for the second of the above reasons — the sound capabilities of the smartphone are carefully worked out, the manufacturers literally squeezed the maximum out of the underlying hardware. The processor here is not Qualcomm, but MediaTek Helio G90T, that is, there is no Aqstic technology by definition. However, independent tests showed only good and excellent results in key parameters.

And these are the test results. Testing was carried out through different external sound cards. The average noise level was about -90 dB(A), which is very good; dynamic range — about 90 dB (A); harmonic distortion is negligible — about 0.001%; channel interpenetration is about -90 dB. The subjective sensations when listening to the testers are also extremely positive — parasitic noise is not felt, frequency band drawdowns are indistinguishable, the quality is generally uniform throughout the entire range.

Now let’s go through other characteristics of the smartphone, as they can also affect the choice. The screen here is 6.53 inches in diagonal size, IPS matrix with a resolution of 2340×1080 with a dot density of 395 per inch. Who is confused by the fact of IPS, and not OLED matrix, we recall that this is the cheapest smartphone in our review, and the IPS matrix in it is one of the highest quality in this price category. Case dimensions — 76.4×161.35×8.79 mm, smartphone weight — 200 g. A big fashion and practical plus — the case is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on both sides.

The set of cameras here more than corresponds to the level of the device. On the back side there are four modules — 64, 8, 2 and 2 megapixels, the last one is a depth sensor. There is autofocus and macro mode. Front camera — 20 megapixels. The quality of the pictures is quite at the level, as far as it is generally possible for such a price.

Another advantage is a capacious 4500 mAh battery with fast charging via USB Type-C. On a full charge in the usual «average» operating mode, the smartphone will work without problems for two days.

OPPO A9 (2020) 4/128GB

Rating: 4.6

Now let’s look at another smartphone at a price comparable to the previous model, where the sound component is just as excellent, and even in places the sound component is better worked out. Recall that OPPO is one of the largest Chinese electronics manufacturers. It is part of an even larger BBK holding, which owns such equally well-known brands as Vivo and OnePlus.

The sound in this very budget smartphone is generally pleasantly surprising even against the background of more expensive and promising models. It is strange that all these advantages, which will be discussed later, are not particularly emphasized by OPPO itself, although compared to other smartphones of the same class, this model differs more than noticeably in sound quality.

First of all, it should be said that there is a stereo effect in the external sound through the speakers. True, it is achieved not with a full-fledged stereo pair, but with the coordinated work of the system speaker and the speaker. The latter, of course, is in no way comparable in characteristics with the former, and is used as a «playing along» with the main one, almost exclusively to create that same stereo effect.

But the sound in the speakers is only a small fraction of the advantages of this model in terms of sound. Much more importantly, the smartphone supports the entire set of codecs that are crucial when listening to audio via Bluetooth. These are aptX, aptX HD, as well as LDAC specifically for owners of Sony wireless headphones. In practice, this means that you can connect «over the air» almost any headphones, even the highest level, and unleash their full potential while listening to music from your smartphone.

But that’s not all. This model has a standard wired 3.5 mm mini-jack headphone output, which has recently become “fashionable” among manufacturers to refuse. It would seem that this is nothing special, because the «minijack» is still in many other models. In fact, everything becomes clear if you try to listen to music in wired headphones. The quality, purity and detail of the sound are surprising in a good way, the smartphone easily “rocks” even full-size headphones that are weighty in every sense. This unequivocally hints that there is still at least a separate amplifier chip inside, or even a whole discrete DAC. But, again, there is no such data in the official specification, which is very strange.

Good sound is not the only advantage of this smartphone. It has a high-quality IPS screen with a resolution of 2340×1080 and a size of 6.53 inches, a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 body, a capacious 4500 mAh battery with fast charging, a good MediaTek Helio G90T processor, 6 GB of RAM, an infrared port, an NFC short-range wireless communication module. A separate advantage is a set of cameras, and the quality of shooting is clearly superior to the average result for smartphones of the same level.

realme 7 8/128GB

Rating: 4.7

If the previous smartphone in the review was focused specifically on sound quality, and the manufacturer approached the issue in a versatile and extremely thorough way, then in realme 7 the emphasis is still on performance and maximum functionality at the most affordable price. However, there are still advantages in sound, and quite tangible, and the processor should be thanked for them.

This smartphone has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G SoC. The G index means «Gaming», which clearly hints at the increased gaming capabilities of the device. But about them later, and first of all about the sound. This processor already has Qualcomm’s proprietary Aqstic™ technology, the essence of which we explained at the beginning of the article. Let us briefly recall that the technology implies the presence of a digital-to-analog converter in the processor itself, plus a whole set of specialized algorithms and codecs, which are designed to form such a sound that is not inferior in quality to dedicated DACs.

Like the previous model, this smartphone supports everything that is necessary for high-quality broadcasting of high-quality sound «over the air» via Bluetooth — these are the aptX and aptX Adaptive Audio, Qualcomm TrueWireless ™ codecs. Supported by Dolby Atmos with Hi-Res Audio certification.

As in the previous model, the effect of stereo sound on the speakers is achieved here by the coordinated work of the system speaker-loudspeaker and the conversational speaker. Support for wired headphones is also simple and affordable here — a standard 3.5 mm mini-jack.

And now about other important characteristics of this model. The most noticeable, in every sense, place is the screen. Its size is 6.5 inches, high-quality IPS matrix with FullHD + resolution (plus, this is a correction for proportions) 2400×1080 pixels with a density of 405 per inch. The numbers are quite good, but the standout feature is the screen refresh rate. Here it is 90 Hz, and that is another big fat plus for this smartphone. The cameras are also quite good: the rear unit is triple — 48, 8 and 2 megapixels, front camera — 16 megapixels.

The battery capacity in realme 7 also cannot but rejoice — 5000 mAh in the context of the existing hardware is able to provide continuous operation in normal mode up to three days.

The best mid-range smartphones with good sound

Now let’s turn your attention to more expensive smartphones with good sound. Here, in addition to a decent sound, there are also noticeably more remarkable characteristics than the models from the previous selection.

Xiaomi Mi 9T 6/64GB

Rating: 4.7

It will open a selection of Xiaomi Mi 9T — a more «advanced» smartphone, when compared with the above-described Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro. It was announced in June last 2019, and now it costs about 25 thousand rubles on Russian trading floors.

The basis of good sound in this model is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor on eight cores with Adreno 618 graphics. In advertising companies, you can find the wording, they say, this smartphone has a separate digital-to-analog converter. In fact, this statement is nothing more than marketing, since there is a DAC, but it is still not separate, but built into the processor using the technology that Qualcomm implemented in its new SoC series.

The fact that the DAC is integrated does not negate the actual advantage — that it exists at all. In addition, here we see all the other advantages of this series of processors. Namely, support for the Qualcomm aptX, aptX-HD, LDAC codec and the entire set of add-ons within the Qualcomm Aqstic technology. This applies, of course, to the transmission of high-quality sound via Bluetooth 5.0 and via wire as well — the smartphone has a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack “minijack”. As for the sound of the speakers, there is no longer a stereo effect here — the role of the loudspeaker is performed by the only system speaker, however, it is quite high-quality and loud.

Touching upon other important characteristics of this model, it is worth noting a high-quality 6.39-inch screen with an AMOLED matrix with a resolution of 2340×1080 and a density of 403 dots per inch. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

The performance provided by the processor is complemented by 6 GB of fast RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. Unfortunately, there is no support for external microSD memory cards in this model, and taking into account, to put it mildly, not a record amount of built-in storage, this is already a clear drawback.

The cameras in this model are definitely to be commended. On the back side there is a main camera of 48 megapixels, already almost a flagship level with PDAF autofocus, but without optical stabilization; the wide-angle is already a simpler level, but still with a decent resolution of 13 megapixels; but the third module is also interesting — a telephoto camera with a resolution of 8 megapixels and a double optical zoom. The front camera is also powerful — 20 megapixels, and even a retractable platform is provided for it, that is, there is no «perfectionist’s nightmare» on the screen — no cutouts or holes.

Autonomous operation of the device is provided by a solid battery with a capacity of 4000 mAh with a fast charging function via the USB Type-C interface.

ZTE Axon 10 Pro

Rating: 4.8

The second model in this collection is significantly more expensive than the previous one, but at the same time more interesting in almost all respects, including sound quality. This is the actual flagship without any compromises and reservations. The model was announced in July last 2019.

As in the previous model, the processor serves as the basis for high-quality sound here. And here it’s not just anything, but the whole Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 — the most powerful at the time of development of the SoC model on eight cores with Adreno 640 graphics and all the engineering and software achievements that Qualcomm introduces into its mobile microprocessor systems.

The ZTE Axon line itself is “music lover”, despite the fact that the manufacturer abandoned the standard 3.5 mm “minijack” connector back in the ninth model. Fortunately, ease of use and compatibility did not suffer from this in any way — this model is equipped with a special adapter, and there will be no problems connecting your favorite headphones with a standard plug. We hasten to reassure those who may have concerns about the quality of sound transmission over the USB bus — the smartphone is fully adapted for the correct signal transmission in Direct Audio mode.

Now a little more about the capabilities that the processor provides. The digital-to-analogue converter WCD9340 with output amplifiers is built into the central chip. This is the main point that determines the sound quality. Then, fortunately for music lovers, the DTS:X Ultra technology is also introduced here, through which the sound can be adjusted in a wide range.

In addition to everything described, the smartphone supports OnTheGo (OTG) technology, which implies a simple connection to a smartphone of various peripherals. So, as such a peripheral, you can connect an external DAC to the gadget, choosing it separately according to your personal preferences. Finally, this model has a full-fledged stereo pair — high-quality, loud and generally high-quality speakers.

A few words about other characteristics of this model. The screen here, as befits a flagship, is AMOLED with a resolution of FullHD 2340×1080 with a pixel density of 398 per inch. The screen size is 6.47 inches.

The cameras in the smartphone are powerful and of high quality. The rear unit consists of three modules: the main 48 megapixel lens is combined with an 8 megapixel telephoto lens in one unit, which protrudes slightly above the body surface; the third module is a wide-angle with a resolution of 20 megapixels. The telephoto is equipped with a 3x optical zoom, plus another 5x hybrid. There is no optical stabilization, but really fast, tenacious and “smart” autofocus.

Samsung Galaxy S10 lite

Rating: 4.8

Consider now the junior representative of the Galaxy S10 line manufactured by Samsung. This is not a flagship, and not even a «junior flagship», but an ordinary mid-budget. We put it next to the real flagship ZTE Axon 10 Pro for one reason. It is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, the same one that is in the older models of the Samsung Galaxy S10. The fact is that older models are also equipped with the same processors, but they are supplied to the American market, and versions with Exynos 9820 go to Russia. It is also very good, but it is devoid of all those add-ons in terms of sound that Qualcomm mobile single-chip systems certainly please .

So, from the introduction it is already quite clear what is the basis of good sound in this smartphone. Yes, this is a processor with a built-in digital-to-analog converter and output amplifier, support for aptX and aptX-HD, as well as LDAC. Also here «in the kit» are all those additional features and benefits that Qualcomm Aqstic technology provides.

Of the minuses in terms of characteristics related to sound, one can single out, in particular, the lack of a standard 3.5 mm headphone output. Here, USB Type-C serves this purpose. And although the smartphone is equipped with a standard headset, it is unlikely that it will satisfy the user experienced in good sound, and unlike the previous model, this model is not equipped with an adapter.

The general conclusion for this model is as follows. There are prerequisites for getting good sound in headphones. But the manufacturer does not particularly focus on this issue, and even in the standard software package there is no normal player that would reveal the full potential of Qualcomm Aqstic technology. If older versions of the Samsung Galaxy S10 without the lite prefix with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, and not with the Exynos 9820, were officially delivered to the Russian market, we would definitely recommend them, and not the lite version.

But, unfortunately, in Russia they are available only in the «gray» version. Therefore, you can get a new product from Samsung and good sound at the same time only by specially confusing the selection of an adapter for headphones and some “dancing with a tambourine” with the software. Actually, older models even have a normal 3.5 mm headphone output, support for UHQ Upscaler and Dolby Atmos. So if you have the opportunity to purchase the American version of at least a limited version of the flagship Samsung Galaxy S10e, you should take advantage of this opportunity.

Sony Xperia 1

Rating: 4.9

The selection will be completed by a smartphone of a brand that simply, with its entire history, should even be associated with good sound. This is an Xperia 1 model made by Sony. And here all the most important characteristics are focused on high-quality sound reproduction. Well, the overall attractiveness and demand for the smartphone is added by the fact that although it is last year, it is the flagship, which at the end of 2020 is still on sale in sufficient quantities and at a much lower price.

First of all, the processor plays an important role for high-quality sound. A powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 is installed here on eight cores with Adreno 640 graphics. Of course, all Qualcomm’s developments on the topic of interest to us are available. This is a built-in DAC, amplifier, the whole set of relevant technologies: Aqstic ™ audio technology, Broadcast Audio technology, TrueWireless ™ Technology; support for aptX, aptX HD and LDAC codecs.

The above technologies are aimed more at the transmission and reproduction of sound «over the air» via the Bluetooth 5.0 interface. But with wired broadcasting here, too, almost complete order. “Almost”, because in the Sony Xperia 1, the developers entered the same mainstream track as other manufacturers with their flagships and the total rejection of the standard and ancient 3.5 mm audio minijack.

Yes, here the headphones are connected via USB Type-C, which can cause pain for many music lovers. But, do not forget that this is still the flagship, and even Sony. It supports not only Direct Audio mode, but also USB Host Mode, due to which you can connect not just USB headphones to your smartphone, but even the most advanced “ears” with built-in digital-to-analog converters or a separate external DAC with headphone output. In any case, the sound quality in the headphones will be excellent, and the smartphone will easily replace almost any separate player. It is only desirable that the headphone impedance be within the «standard» 32 ohms, since the integrated WCD9340 DAC in the processor is supplemented with amplifiers, but the power is still not an infinite reserve.

Another nice point in this model is that the system and conversational speaker form a stereo pair. Conversational, although not able to sound exactly the same as the main one, it copes with the task of creating a stereo effect perfectly. And the “icing on the cake” here is the Dynamic Vibration System. Its essence is that the smartphone adds vibration to the beat of the melody to the sound. This makes this model musical in the maximum sense.

The best top smartphones with good sound

And the final mini-selection in the review of the best smartphones with good sound according to Expertology magazine will be devoted to the most advanced and expensive smartphones that are relevant as of the end of 2020, the manufacturers of which have attended to a thorough study of the issue of high-quality sound.

Apple iPhone Xs Max 256GB

Rating: 4.7

This device got into our rating, perhaps, not because of the sound quality. Most of all, we liked the amount of permanent memory. 256 GB is enough for a huge music library, even if the ALAC format is used. Good stereo speakers are used for sound output. If we talk about Apple technology, then only the HomePod speaker and tablets from the iPad Pro series sound better — that is, significantly larger devices. Another device supports branded wireless headphones AirPods. However, the sound in these «inserts» is not for everybody. Unfortunately, wired headphones can only be connected using an adapter — among the connectors on the case there is only Lightning.

This model develops the ideas of the anniversary iPhone X. This means that the device again received a waterproof case. On its front panel is now a 6.5-inch OLED display. The screen resolution is 2688×1242 pixels, the aspect ratio of 19.5:9 would make it convenient to work with two applications at the same time, if such a function was present in iOS. But who knows, it is possible that it will appear in future updates.

At the top of the display is a branded cutout, inside which there is a place for the front camera and various sensors, including those responsible for face recognition. The resolution of the front camera is small, only 7 megapixels. The rear camera, consisting of two lenses and the same number of 12-megapixel matrices, looks much more interesting. The main optical unit has an f/1.8 aperture. With it, you can create excellent portrait shots. The second lens is for shooting at 2x optical zoom. I am glad that the camera received optical stabilization, and the processor power was enough for 4K video shooting at 60 frames / s.

The flagship device from Apple has support for a large number of high-speed wireless standards. There is also an NFC chip designed to pay for purchases via Apple Pay. As for the battery, its capacity is enough for several days of battery life. Of course, the smartphone supports fast and wireless charging.

Xiaomi Mi 10 8/256GB

Rating: 4.8

The first to consider is the top flagship Mi 10 manufactured by Xiaomi, released in February of this year 2020. The smartphone is truly “stuffed”, as befits a very, very expensive flagship, and this also applies to sound quality.

On the processor side, the smartphone has the maximum equipment that was possible at the time of development — everything is controlled by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 single-chip system with Adreno 650 graphics. This implies exactly all the same technologies that the Snapdragon 855 boasts, and a number of improvements a little more and additions. That is, here we also have a built-in digital-to-analog converter and amplifier, full support for aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, LDAC «wireless» codecs, in a word, the whole set of achievements of Qualcomm Aqstic ™ technology. In addition to everything, there are also such useful additions as a customizable Golden Ears filter, support for Hexagon ™ Voice Assistant voice control, support for high-quality 384 kHz / 32-bit audio.

Headphone connection here is only via USB Type-C. This is a bit offensive to music lovers, but certainly not at all surprising, given the total refusal of manufacturers from the 3.5 mm “minijack” in older expensive models. In this case, in fairness, this does not really spoil the situation, since the smartphone comes with an adapter. For headphones there is a set of presets and a manual equalizer.

Finally, speakers. Here the manufacturer is definitely pleased. Xiaomi did not stint on a full-fledged stereo pair — two normal system speakers, and the speaker does not take part in creating a stereo scene at all. This is a rather rare occurrence, and here we put a big plus for this model for such a solution. Moreover, the speakers are 7-magnetic, powerful and loud with a significant margin for adjustment, and even with pronounced detailing in places.

Let’s briefly go over the rest of the characteristics of the smartphone — the flagship, after all. The screen here is 6.67 inches in size, AMOLED matrix with a resolution of 2520×1080 with a dot density of 386 per inch. Remarkably, the screen refresh rate is 90 Hz. Powerful 4-piece rear camera unit: 108MP main camera with autofocus and OIS, 13MP ultra-wide angle, macro camera and 2MP depth sensor each. The front camera is powerful — 20 megapixels.

Apple iPhone 11 128GB

Rating: 4.9

Our experts could not ignore the “star” Apple trademark with its iPhone 11. Despite the fact that the 12th iPhone was released at the end of 2020, we still take the responsibility to recommend a model that is more time-tested and the masses of users .

Recall that due to some features of this special premium niche in the smartphone market, iPhones are by no means champions in terms of good sound. But the bad sound of the iPhone 11 in question also cannot be called in any way. Claims of a purely technical nature can be valid in relation to the sound in the headphones.

The fact is that due to the peculiarities of the iOS operating system, when sound is output to the headphones via a wire, the digital data is converted back into an analog signal, which means that additional distortions are added. The average ear will not notice this, but for music lovers, this awareness is enough to already feel discomfort.

iPhone fans get out of the situation in exactly the same way as users of Android smartphones without a built-in DAC do — by connecting an external DAC. One of the most popular and proven solutions by many users is the combination of iPhone and iFi Audio HIP-DAC. It was most widely used in the budget version of the iPhone SE (2020), and is completely true for the flagship iPhone 11. Be that as it may, the decision is controversial, since we are talking about the physical addition of a full-fledged additional device, which practically kills compactness and greatly reduces portability .

But what should be praised in this model is the dynamics. Here, for once, a full-fledged stereo pair appeared, moreover, of high quality, with clear sound, good volume and a good margin for adjusting this very volume.

Otherwise, this is a top-end iPhone, and that actually says it all. The most powerful high-performance and optimized Apple A13 Bionic processor, 128 GB of internal memory, the usual lack of an external memory card slot, support for two SIM cards of cellular operators (one electronic eSIM), maximum IP68 water protection, spectacular appearance.

The screen is IPS, but of exceptionally high quality, so the lack of an OLED iPhone can be forgiven, although there are also plenty of dissatisfied with this circumstance. Resolution — 1792×828 pixels at a density of 324 per inch. The screen size in diagonal is 6.1 inches. Case dimensions — 75.7×150.9×8.3 mm, weight — 194 g. Operating system — iOS 13.

Sony Xperia 5 II

Rating: 4.9

And our review will be completed by the most expensive smartphone, even more expensive than the previous iPhone 11. This is another Sony Xperia product, namely, the most advanced model in this series as of 2020, the Sony Xperia 5 II.

The same powerful processor is installed here as in Xiaomi Mi 10, and the point is not in power, but in the fact that this is the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 with Adreno 650 graphics, which means that we have all that wonderful set of comprehensive support tools here. high-quality sound, which Qualcomm has been successfully implementing for several generations of its single-chip mobile systems in a row.

We will not repeat ourselves too much, we only recall that in terms of audio this processor has solid advantages: a built-in DAC with amplifiers, full support for codecs and profiles for wireless high-quality sound transmission via Bluetooth 5.1. In addition, additional enhancement technologies are implemented in the same processor — Qualcomm Aqstic ™, Golden Ears, Hexagon ™ Voice Assistant Accelerator, Aqstic ™ smart speaker amplifier and others.

To say thanks to the developers and creators of the model for not touching the standard «ancient» 3.5 mm headphone jack «minijack». In addition, this model has a full-fledged stereo pair. generating high-quality and loud sound.

And now briefly about other characteristics of the model. The screen here is 6.1 inches in size, as in the iPhone described above, but an OLED matrix with a resolution of 2520×1080 with a density of 449 dots per inch. The screen refresh rate is 120 Hz.

The rear camera unit here is triple: a 12 megapixel ultra-wide angle, a 12 megapixel wide-angle lens and a 12 megapixel telephoto lens. The block itself is powerful, and the quality of the shots could well produce a wow effect. The front camera is quite simple — 8 megapixels.

In terms of communication, the smartphone is even a little ahead of its time, we are talking, for example, about the latest generation Wi-Fi module 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6). RAM is 8 GB, built-in — 128 GB. There is a card reader that supports huge amounts of external memory cards up to 1 TB. A 4000 mAh battery provides a decent autonomy of the smartphone.

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