Low sound volume on Hi-Res Output with 32/384khz.

[fndrsm]

Hi newbie here.

Just using Poweramp in the last couple days. Want to ask. I play FLAC with 24bit/96kHz on Samsung Galaxy A54 + DAC Conexant 31993 attached. So on Poweramp there are two type output for USB DAC. OpenSL ES output and Hi-Res output. Btw. I use IEM KZ ZST Pro (I forgot the IEM driver specs)

When I use openSL ES output it play with OS default on 16bit/48kHz. So i tried the Hi-Res option and enabled the 32bit/384hKz option but why the volume so low and required me to maxed up the volume? The volume was normal on default OS 16bit/48kHz.

It is OS limitation or it just the way it works? (the low volume on Hi-Res)

OpenSL ES output :

1. 16bit/48kHz
2. Resampler : SW/SoX (tried both)
3. DVC on
4. Dolby : On/Off (tried both)

Hi-Res output :

1. 32bit/384kHz
2. Resampler : SW/SoX (tried both)
3. DVC on
4. Dolby : Off
5. Output : Samsung UHQA PCM (i don't understand this)

Thanks for the help.

[maxmp]

@fndrsm on some Samsung firmwares, 384 + DVC is not supported (192khz is the max for DVC), so disable DVC in this case.

It seems to be supported for OneUI 6.0, but still it may differ for a firmware variant and device (mid to high end devices have a better chance of supporting that).

[maxmp]

@fndrsm on some Samsung firmwares, 384 + DVC is not supported (192khz is the max for DVC), so disable DVC in this case.

It seems to be supported for OneUI 6.0, but still it may differ for a firmware variant and device (mid to high end devices have a better chance of supporting that).

 

Quote

Samsung UHQA PCM

This is how Samsung calls their hi-res audio subsystem internally. This is unique subsystem - it's very different from Android/AOSP audio engine which they started to use around Android 7-8 and it's still in a use.

[fndrsm]

1 minute ago, maxmp said:

@fndrsm on some Samsung firmwares, 384 + DVC is not supported (192khz is the max for DVC), so disable DVC in this case.

It seems to be supported for OneUI 6.0, but still it may differ for a firmware variant and device (mid to high end devices have a better chance of supporting that).

I see. I get it. But how about the low volume on Hi-Res. It's error or it just how the way it works? 

Thanks

[maxmp]

@fndrsm if you disable DVC it will give you -6dB volume reduction vs system level - this is controlled by "No DVC Headroom Gain" option (that can be increased, but it will reduce equalizer headroom). I would not call -6dB a low volume though. 

What is the volume in the stock player?

[fndrsm]

16 minutes ago, maxmp said:

@fndrsm if you disable DVC it will give you -6dB volume reduction vs system level - this is controlled by "No DVC Headroom Gain" option (that can be increased, but it will reduce equalizer headroom). I would not call -6dB a low volume though. 

What is the volume in the stock player?

When i'm using OpenSL output the volume on my phone is 30 and it loud enough for me to listen with my IEM. But to achieve that same loud with Hi-Res option it need to set at maybe 90-100. Both with DVC on. 

By The Way. I just used this OpenSL output today, since the beginning i used AudioTrack Output. But i think the result is the same between OpenSL and AudioTrack.

[andrewilley]

I have a Galaxy A54 too, and also a little Conexant 31993 DAC dongle (new-found love for Chi-Fi tech) and yes 384kHz output did seem much lower level . Possibly DVC related, but I didn't check much further as, since I'm not a bat, I settled for testing at 192kHz which worked fine.

I assume you have not yet updated to OneUI 6.0 Android 14 yet, because when you do you may find that on this setup Hi-Res fails completely. I have switched to using AAudio output for now, which runs very nicely at 192k/24-bit.

Andre

[fndrsm]

1 hour ago, andrewilley said:

I have a Galaxy A54 too, and also a little Conexant 31993 DAC dongle (new-found love for Chi-Fi tech) and yes 384kHz output did seem much lower level . Possibly DVC related, but I didn't check much further as, since I'm not a bat, I settled for testing at 192kHz which worked fine.

I assume you have not yet updated to OneUI 6.0 Android 14 yet, because when you do you may find that on this setup Hi-Res fails completely. I have switched to using AAudio output for now, which runs very nicely at 192k/24-bit.

Andre

Hi. I did updated to One UI 6.0. And after that i started using Poweramp and play FLAC file. So i don't know if there any different from the One UI 5.1. 

And yeah. I just try the AAudio output. It's good tho. The volume was normal (but i think slightly louder/higher on the same level with AudioTrack). It can be set up to 24bt/192kHz. DVC on.

I still learn this app. Let me know if i'm wrong or need something to learn. But i think i'm good with AAudio output for now. Thanks.

[maxmp]

@fndrsm Hi-Res output seems to be less compatible with the recent Samsung firmwares. Interesting that my test devices support Hi-Res output better on One UI 6.0 - now supporting 384khz + DVC, but these are higher end S22 and Flip5, mid range OneUI 6.0 devices may completely fail to load Hi-Res Output. May be this will be fixed by the "Security" patches later.

As for AAudio, it's a new native Android API which seems to be well supported on the recent Androids and devices.

[dustyshot]

1 hour ago, maxmp said:

@fndrsm Hi-Res output seems to be less compatible with the recent Samsung firmwares. Interesting that my test devices support Hi-Res output better on One UI 6.0 - now supporting 384khz + DVC, but these are higher end S22 and Flip5, mid range OneUI 6.0 devices may completely fail to load Hi-Res Output. May be this will be fixed by the "Security" patches later.

As for AAudio, it's a new native Android API which seems to be well supported on the recent Androids and devices.

I was using hi res until I put One UI 6 on my A54 too but hopefully that will be fixed. I put it on AAudio for now. I am using bluetooth Soundcore Life Q35. Using LDAC. It says 32/96 on the AAudio.

[fndrsm]

12 hours ago, maxmp said:

@fndrsm Hi-Res output seems to be less compatible with the recent Samsung firmwares. Interesting that my test devices support Hi-Res output better on One UI 6.0 - now supporting 384khz + DVC, but these are higher end S22 and Flip5, mid range OneUI 6.0 devices may completely fail to load Hi-Res Output. May be this will be fixed by the "Security" patches later.

As for AAudio, it's a new native Android API which seems to be well supported on the recent Androids and devices.

I see. Thanks for the information you provided. One more question, do I have to turn Dolby on or just let it turned off on AAudio output? @maxmp @andrewilley

Remembering the notice on the app that Dolby may force standard definition 16bit/48kHz.

Edited December 11, 2023 by fndrsm

[andrewilley]

@fndrsm Personally I leave any the external manufacturer-supplied audio tweaks turned off (especially which using high-res outputs which are a bit non-standard anyway) but it's up to you if you want to try.

Andre

[fndrsm]

11 minutes ago, andrewilley said:

@fndrsm Personally I leave any the external manufacturer-supplied audio tweaks turned off (especially which using high-res outputs which are a bit non-standard anyway) but it's up to you if you want to try.

Andre

I see, really appreciate your help, i'll keep Dolby off for now. Thanks.