US Variant SG3 lacks Wolfson Audio Chip

[jaekim717]

The Galaxy S III was widely tipped to possess a Wolfson digital-to-analog converter for high quality audio output -- a feature not seen in this range since the first Galaxy S. That notion has just been confirmed by the Scottish electronics firm itself, which says its WM1811 Audio Hub has been selected for use in Sammy's flagship. The chip promises "crystal clear voice call quality" and "enriched audio playback for music and video" thanks to its 24-bit hi-fi DAC, active noise reduction circuits and other wizardry. The GS II, meanwhile, used a Yamaha DAC to convert digital data (e.g. in an mp3 file) into an analog signal that could drive a speaker (for example in your headphones), but even if most people couldn't hear the difference, audiophiles have insisted they preferred the sound in the older Galaxy. The only question remaining, which the PR after the break does not expand upon, is whether the Wolfson hardware is found in all variants of the new phone. Check out the More Coverage links for further reading.

Update: Francois Simond (aka Supercurio) tweeted us to say that the US variant of the GS III uses Qualcomm's own WCD9310 for audio, not the Wolfson. Yup, it's that multi-talented Snapdragon S4 again.



Wolfson confirms the Samsung Galaxy S III uses its audio chip -- Engadget

Not sure if the avg person can tell the difference, but thought i'd share

 

[Suntan]

Who plugs wired headphones directly into their phones anymore?

-Suntan

 

[Roboticz]

I'm just curious... how big of a deal is this? Are you going to notice a big sound quality difference?

 

[NightxFall]

Who plugs wired headphones directly into their phones anymore?

-Suntan

... Everyone?

Sent from my Ally using Android Central Forums

 

[elvis1935]

I don't so not everyone does.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

 

[galatians3v6]

See my post here about audio problems with the US variant.

 

[Crispy]

I'd speculated this was the case a long time ago ever since we learnt the S4 was the SoC. The big deal is Supercurio's Voodoo Sound, that with the Wolfson chip in the Nexus S was the best sound.

But from all accounts the sound isn't that bad in the S4 chip.

 

[Suntan]

See my post here about audio problems with the US variant.

If you're noticing noise at low volumes and quiet passages, I would suggest you give something like this a try. Turn up the volume on the phone and turn down the volume on the dial.

RadioShack? 1/8" Adapter w/ Volume Control - RadioShack.com

Alternatively, you could just have a bum handset.

-Suntan

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

This is a big deal for someone like me (if I had an SGSIII), because I'm kind of a big audiophile, and Voodoo sound on the Infuse was pretty amazing.

With all of the internal storage available it's not too far fetched to think someone has a pretty large collection of lossless music that they'll store on the device and then listen to on headphones. There are plenty of good headphones that can be driven with a standard headphone jack, and lossless audio + Voodoo sound + good headphones is a great way to get audiophile sound on the go.

 

[NightxFall]

I don't so not everyone does.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

Ok, well everyone else I know listens to music on the go with their headphones. I guess there will always be a few exceptions... but most people use headphones. I actually don't know what the alternative is unless you just don't like music or like blasting your music on your phone in public

Sent from my Ally using Android Central Forums

 

[galatians3v6]

If you're noticing noise at low volumes and quiet passages, I would suggest you give something like this a try. Turn up the volume on the phone and turn down the volume on the dial.

RadioShack? 1/8" Adapter w/ Volume Control - RadioShack.com

Alternatively, you could just have a bum handset.

-Suntan

This is true, I could do that but it's annoying that I would have to. I'm trying to find out if anyone else has the same problem but my local store doesn't have a display model or any in stock for comparison yet.

 

[Mellimel22]

Ok, well everyone else I know listens to music on the go with their headphones. I guess there will always be a few exceptions... but most people use headphones. I actually don't know what the alternative is unless you just don't like music or like blasting your music on your phone in public

Sent from my Ally using Android Central Forums

That's what I'm trying to figure out lol

Sent from my Nexus S 4g using Tapatalk 2

 

[mrpat67]

That's what I'm trying to figure out lol

Sent from my Nexus S 4g using Tapatalk 2

I use blue tooth stereo headphones. I'm not passing judgment on wired headphones, just guessing that is what was being referred to.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[steven252000]

Yet another thing that the International version has that the U.S. version does not. It is all kind of adding up which stinks. No Wolfson audio, no fm radio, no video preview in video gallery area and of course no quad core. I know there are trade offs in order to have LTE here in U.S. but dang. Our SIII is begining to look more like a SIIs.

 

[Suntan]

I use blue tooth stereo headphones. I'm not passing judgment on wired headphones, just guessing that is what was being referred to.

Yeah. That's what I was getting at.

BT headphones are much more convinent than having a wire janking around as you move about. If you're looking for high end audio quality, plug the USB connection into a small amp/DAC and have far better sound than even the international version will offer.

...or you could just complain about the onboard audio.

-Suntan

 

[jk175d]

Yet another thing that the International version has that the U.S. version does not. It is all kind of adding up which stinks. No Wolfson audio, no fm radio, no video preview in video gallery area and of course no quad core. I know there are trade offs in order to have LTE here in U.S. but dang. Our SIII is begining to look more like a SIIs.

If you launch the video player app you do indeed get animated thumbnails. Not in the Gallery app, but in the video player app.

This phone is so bada$$, I can't beleive all the griping.

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

Yeah. That's what I was getting at.

BT headphones are much more convinent than having a wire janking around as you move about. If you're looking for high end audio quality, plug the USB connection into a small amp/DAC and have far better sound than even the international version will offer.

...or you could just complain about the onboard audio.

-Suntan

That doesn't really work for on the go listening, though. If I'm going to do that I'm going to sit and home and not use my phone for listening to music at all.

 

[Suntan]

That doesn't really work for on the go listening, though. If I'm going to do that I'm going to sit and home and not use my phone for listening to music at all.

To each their own. There are self-powered DAC/amp setups that are smaller than the phone.

It's not like something this sized would totally cramp your style.

Still, it is what it is. Personally, I have expensive Shure IEM that I use while on the go. As they are very efficient I get the background noisefloor static that the poster up above commented about on a couple of my gadgets, but I just use an inline volume reducer to cut the noise out.

When I'm at home, they sound a lot better with proper amplification. Something that the Wolfson DAC wouldn't change even if it was included on the US version.

Even so, I doubt a person would notice the difference if they were "on the go." The surrounding ambient noise is usually enough to negate any real world improvements. Then you're just left with perceived bias.

In any case, yeah it would be nice to have the brand-name DAC onboard, but something tells me the real world difference between the two has much more to do with placebo than anything else.

-Suntan

 

[NIKSTORM]

See my post here about audio problems with the US variant.

I really don't care about amazing audio quality like suntan seems to be into .... However this problem that galatin mentions sucks.

 

[Mtn_Scott]

Yet another thing that the International version has that the U.S. version does not. It is all kind of adding up which stinks. No Wolfson audio, no fm radio, no video preview in video gallery area and of course no quad core. I know there are trade offs in order to have LTE here in U.S. but dang. Our SIII is begining to look more like a SIIs.

I will gladly trade quad core, fm radio, and wolfson audio for LTE and an extra gig of ram.
But thats just me.