Audio Frequency Playback on Mobile Audio Devices

[YoloSwag]

Hey guys, I wanna ask about some technical stuff and not-so technical stuff about audio playback on some audio devices.

 

I'm planning to get a good music player to replace my current iPod Nano 6th Gen. Not necessarily replace it as to size and all, but as a music player in general.

So here's what I'd like to know - on the iPod Classic and iPod Touch technical specifications page, I noticed in the "Audio" section, it says...

• Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz

       *that's not the earphones' frequency range but the range of the audio device itself.

So does that mean it wouldn't playback some frequencies below 20Hz and above 20KHz? I mean, sure most of us probably won't hear or at least barely hear sound with those frequencies but it's more of that feeling. It's hard to explain so just an answer to that question would suffice. If I had some good headphones that could produce those frequencies then that would make it useless if a particular device would just filter it, right?

 

And, I want to know if the new Xperia Z3 Compact can do this.

Nothing about frequencies are listed here in Sony Mobile's product page.

[Flyguygamer]

Hey guys, I wanna ask about some technical stuff and not-so technical stuff about audio playback on some audio devices.

 

I'm planning to get a good music player to replace my current iPod Nano 6th Gen. Not necessarily replace it as to size and all, but as a music player in general.

So here's what I'd like to know - on the iPod Classic and iPod Touch technical specifications page, I noticed in the "Audio" section, it says...

• Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz

       *that's not the earphones' frequency range but the range of the audio device itself.

So does that mean it wouldn't playback some frequencies below 20Hz and above 20KHz? I mean, sure most of us probably won't hear or at least barely hear sound with those frequencies but it's more of that feeling. It's hard to explain so just an answer to that question would suffice. If I had some good headphones that could produce those frequencies then that would make it useless if a particular device would just filter it, right?

 

And, I want to know if the new Xperia Z3 Compact can do this.

Nothing about frequencies are listed here in Sony Mobile's product page.

20Hz to 20,000Hz is pretty standard. I doubt you will notice it. Even some REALLY good headphones have that frequency response. 

[Aniallation]

So does that mean it wouldn't playback some frequencies below 20Hz and above 20KHz? I mean, sure most of us probably won't hear or at least barely hear sound with those frequencies but it's more of that feeling. It's hard to explain so just an answer to that question would suffice. If I had some good headphones that could produce those frequencies then that would make it useless if a particular device would just filter it, right?

My HTC Desire could play 10Hz tones through the headphone port to my car stereo for testing my subs, so I wouldn't say that it can't play frequencies below 20Hz or above 20KHz just because that's the frequency response.

[YoloSwag]

20Hz to 20,000Hz is pretty standard. I doubt you will notice it. Even some REALLY good headphones have that frequency response. 

I know, and there's no way I could test whatever it is. Because if, say, I get a pair of headphones with 20Hz-20KHz and another with 18Hz-22KHz, there's no way I could compare those because 1, it'll most probably come from different manufacturers, and 2, from different materials or whatever so I couldn't really test it myself. I just wanted to know, because why would those things even exist in headphone specifications if they were entirely irrelevant even to audiophiles.

 

It's really hard to explain. Sorry if you're not getting this because I find it hard to explain this even to myself

So, finding out is one thing, after that maybe I can give an answer to my question

[YoloSwag]

My HTC Desire could play 10Hz tones through the headphone port to my car stereo for testing my subs, so I wouldn't say that it can't play frequencies below 20Hz or above 20KHz just because that's the frequency response.

So you're saying in the tech specs of your phone it only says something like 20Hz-20Khz but you definitely can play something like below 20Hz?

[DigitalHermit]

20-20k is pretty much standard... You can try testing for it by hooking up an oscilloscope to the stereo out if you want to test if it can do frequencies outside the defined range...

[Aniallation]

So you're saying in the tech specs of your phone it only says something like 20Hz-20Khz but you definitely can play something like below 20Hz?

I don't know the exact frequency response of the HTC Desire but it wasn't an audio oriented phone like newer HTCs so I highly doubt that it was rated for 10Hz, but it could play 10Hz and output it perfectly fine.

[YoloSwag]

20-20k is pretty much standard... You can try testing for it by hooking up an oscilloscope to the stereo out if you want to test if it can do frequencies outside the defined range...

Ok, that's too technical for me, I might get back to that later on. So, thanks

 

20-20KHz is what seems to be normal around the net and I can't find some definite review on frequencies below or above that.

I guess it still comes back down to definitive sound clarity.

[DigitalHermit]

Ok, that's too technical for me, I might get back to that later on. So, thanks

 

20-20KHz is what seems to be normal around the net and I can't find some definite review on frequencies below or above that.

I guess it still comes back down to definitive sound clarity.

 

I tend to ignore frequency range on the player side of things, unless it's noticeable... I have an edifier 2.1 set which only plays 150-20k, and I confirmed this by playing back a 10-20k sweep on my headphones, then on my speakers... The 2.1 didn't play until around 150 as specified, but the headphones started outputting even at 10 (not audible, but can be felt)...

[Flyguygamer]

I know, and there's no way I could test whatever it is. Because if, say, I get a pair of headphones with 20Hz-20KHz and another with 18Hz-22KHz, there's no way I could compare those because 1, it'll most probably come from different manufacturers, and 2, from different materials or whatever so I couldn't really test it myself. I just wanted to know, because why would those things even exist in headphone specifications if they were entirely irrelevant even to audiophiles.

 

It's really hard to explain. Sorry if you're not getting this because I find it hard to explain this even to myself

So, finding out is one thing, after that maybe I can give an answer to my question

Take your current audio setup. Find the part of the system with the WORST (Smallest) frequency response and then google that response. Click on a video like this and find out when you can't hear it anymore. At that point get audio gear with a response larger than that. 

[YoloSwag]

I tend to ignore frequency range on the player side of things, unless it's noticeable... I have an edifier 2.1 set which only plays 150-20k, and I confirmed this by playing back a 10-20k sweep on my headphones, then on my speakers... The 2.1 didn't play until around 150 as specified, but the headphones started outputting even at 10 (not audible, but can be felt)...

 

Take your current audio setup. Find the part of the system with the WORST (Smallest) frequency response and then google that response. Click on a video like this and find out when you can't hear it anymore. At that point get audio gear with a response larger than that. 

 

I don't know the exact frequency response of the HTC Desire but it wasn't an audio oriented phone like newer HTCs so I highly doubt that it was rated for 10Hz, but it could play 10Hz and output it perfectly fine.

 

Thanks for the experience sharing. I think I'll just get a music player I like and worry about the frequency stuff when I start a Vinyl collection :lol:

I think I might have over thought some things. I'm just gonna listen to some music on the go, and not really heavy listening like the "I need to hear those fingertips scrape the guitar strings imperfectly" thing.

In any case, thanks to all of you who posted. I'll make a new thread when I make a couple of leaps into some serious heavy listening