topic Exact HD audio parameters, anybody? in XPERIA archive

Exact HD audio parameters, anybody?

GebErit — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 07:40:32 GMT

I own a Sony Xperia Z1 Compact. It clearly outputs HD audio, meaning the sound processor upscales the MP3 files from 44.1 kHz, 16 bit to some other internal HD format, processes the audio in that format and then outputs this HD signal to headphones.

Does anybody know the exact parameters? Is it 192 kHz, 24-bit what they send to D/A converter?

(I seached for this information in the phone's manual but there is no such information provided there.)

Re: Exact HD audio parameters, anybody?

Excessionist — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 13:02:29 GMT

Hi! Thanks for your question. Until recently, I was product owner for Sony Mobile audio capabilities, so I believe I can answer correctly.

In Xperia Z1 Compact, as well as all our other products from 2013 and before, all audio is convered to 48Khz/16 bits upon entering the Android sound system & mixer. This is generally the case in all recent Android products unless anything else is stated by the manufacturer. This conversion is done to simplify mixing of differnt streams, such as when playing notification sounds or ring signals when you are listening to music, and is not expected to affect audio quality either way. This mode can handle resampling of up 96kHz/24 bit audio files into 48kHz/16bits.

In Xperia Z2 and Z2 tablet, we have however added the capability to play high-resolution audio (which we define as audio with either sample rates higher than 48Khz, or bit dephts greater than 16 bits (i.e. 24)) to a USB DAC - portable or stationary. Thiis mode can handle audio up 192kHz/24 bits, but 192kHz and 176,4kHz cannot be played back on the internal output - only over USB (due to the limitiations in the resampling mentioned above).

Hope this helps.

Re: Exact HD audio parameters, anybody?

GebErit — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 07:05:08 GMT

Thank you very much for your answer!

So it is not HD audio. It is 48Khz / 16 bits.

In any case, the output DA converter is doing great job and the quality of the music is very high when good headset is used.

Re: Exact HD audio parameters, anybody?

Excessionist — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 09:21:57 GMT

We are glad you enjoy it!

Re: Exact HD audio parameters, anybody?

ElEsido — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 13:45:49 GMT

Thanks, Excessionist. Could you raise the current product owner's attention to the fact that many Z1 users would like "high-res audio over USB"? Possibly it could be ported from the Z2.