Sound Quality: PB vs N7 vs Kindle HD

Originally Posted by SUBLIMINALLYINCORRECT

theres also the tegra note 7 that came out last month thats got dual speakers.

EVGA Tegra Note 7 review: a gaming tablet with much to offer, much to learn

You are right. I had seen that and I think I initially did not include it in my search because there's just not much user-generated info out there on it and I cant find it in-store to test it. The expert reviews have been good to mixed on sound. One said best sound on any tablet he had heard and another said, was tinny on xyz song but shone in bass. I find user reviews generally give me a better idea of what the reality is and I haven't been able to find any where people actually used the tablet (vs commenters who debate on the specs) - it doesn't seem to be listed on the usual sites like amazon/best buy etc and on the few less-known it is listed, there are no reviews.

So if you have used / know someone who uses / know where I can test it / read user opinions about it - please let me know :) In any case, thanks for reminding me about it - I have added it to my original post in the list of comparison tablets, maybe someone who has it will pop up.

Originally Posted by Gooseberry Falls

You might also look into the HP tablet. It has the Beats audio. Otherwise, not great spec-wise:
Slate 7 Tablet | HP� Official Site

Also, the Sony 10" tab might be worth looking at as Sony has a good rep for audio but rather pricey:
16GB Xperia Tablet Z (Wi-Fi) - SGP311U1/B Review | Sony Store U.S. - Sony US

Thanks for the suggestions. I took a quick look and for any other lost musician out there looking for good SQ, here are the "quick" results: Beats Audio is getting mixed user reviews - some like it (I think with headphones) and some say its just fancy EQ. The Sony tab again - some reviews say good sound, some say bad speakers - maybe both are true and Sony is just having QC issues :) I will add them into my original post though if actual users can give more of a "vs with PB" sense.
Ill also try to find them in-store to test (as much as is possible over the din).

Originally Posted by Gooseberry Falls

You might also look into the HP tablet. It has the Beats audio. Otherwise, not great spec-wise:
Slate 7 Tablet | HP� Official Site

Also, the Sony 10" tab might be worth looking at as Sony has a good rep for audio but rather pricey:
16GB Xperia Tablet Z (Wi-Fi) - SGP311U1/B Review | Sony Store U.S. - Sony US

Thank you for the suggestions. Have you had a chance to try them vs your PB ? I'll try to test them in-store (as much as I can over the din).

For any lost musician out there, here's a quick round-up of reviews I read in a 10m google search - Beats Audio - some people like it and some people call it just fancy EQ. I noticed a trend that people who liked it said they used headphones. And yes, aside from possibly good audio, Slate it nothing to write home about. The Sony - people love the tab, some like the speakers, some don't...

So if anyone has actually used these and knows the comparison vs BB PB, do let me know. Because that is where all my in-store tests fail - well. first the in-store noise over which it is hard to tell anything but how loud a tab is vs the other, but also, there is no PB to compare it to!

The PlayBook has The BEST speakers of ANY tablet on the market . Hands down. Inown a PlayBook, a Nexus and Use an iPad for work and I can tell you that the sound quality of the PlayBook is far superior! No contest. Oh yeah, my kids all have Kindle Fires HD and my wife uses the anew HDX and the PlayBook beats them all. Add the dual HD cameras and you can make some decent hour videos.

Originally Posted by j477

Thank you for the suggestions. Have you had a chance to try them vs your PB ? I'll try to test them in-store (as much as I can over the din).

For any lost musician out there, here's a quick round-up of reviews I read in a 10m google search - Beats Audio - some people like it and some people call it just fancy EQ. I noticed a trend that people who liked it said they used headphones. And yes, aside from possibly good audio, Slate it nothing to write home about. The Sony - people love the tab, some like the speakers, some don't...

So if anyone has actually used these and knows the comparison vs BB PB, do let me know. Because that is where all my in-store tests fail - well. first the in-store noise over which it is hard to tell anything but how loud a tab is vs the other, but also, there is no PB to compare it to!

LOL. I'm not sure the PB is the "loudest". Maybe I misunderstood what you meant by "sound quality". It is hard to explain but the PB has a great tone to it. Not tinny but rich and vibrant. I think you will need to get one to compare for yourself. Try to find a place that will accept returns. Audio is a personal taste and I don't think you can go by reviews too much.

Originally Posted by j477

Im not stuck on 7" - just on great speaker quality. Do you know any 8/9/10 inch tabs with better speakers ?

I don't think there are any. Comparing PlayBook to Asus Prime, iPad 3, N7 (2nd gen)... the PlayBook's sound is in a different league. it is the only mobile device I have ever owned that I don't mind listening to music on.

For well over a year I have been leaning my PlayBook against my bathroom window and uPnP streaming my music while in the shower. It's awesome (and the condensation hasn't even harmed it!).

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Originally Posted by Gooseberry Falls

LOL. I'm not sure the PB is the "loudest". Maybe I misunderstood what you meant by "sound quality". It is hard to explain but the PB has a great tone to it. Not tinny but rich and vibrant. I think you will need to get one to compare for yourself. Try to find a place that will accept returns. Audio is a personal taste and I don't think you can go by reviews too much.

Actually I do mean what you mean by SQ :) rich and not tinny - so thank you for the details because it does help me. Above I meant that over the in-store din, one cant really hear sound quality (only relative volume), so in-store tests are really hard to go by in determining better speakers. And yes, I am going to ultimately have to buy and try one of the now 6 tablets touting good audio on my list - I am just using peoples feedback to winnow it down to the potential one or two that seem worth trying :)

Originally Posted by j477

Thank you for the help! Just to confirm - this is the older generation Kindle Fire HD you are comparing it to ? i.e. the one at this link: Kindle Fire HD Tablet [Previous Generation]

That would be the one. It has good speakers but comparatively the PB has richer sounds.

Also - since you are a musician, any recommendations for good portable bluetooth speakers and this is not a dealbreaker but as a bonus - any good apps for making / listening to music - like grooveshark / itanpura on ipad ? Doesn't matter if not, speaker quality is what I'm after but would be nice bonus!


Listening to music on the PlayBook or any of the OS 10 devices is something that you can improve by using neutron player. I love having the ability to play around and get what I want from a sound. I record only voice snippets on the PB (simple with the voicenotes app) but all my editing and other serious tasks are taken care of on either my iMac or my MacBookPro via GarageBand. If you are Mac-based, those have worked best for me (haven't really looked for anything else, since I am not making money off of the music yet :D. If you are PC-based, I can look at some stuff that I have on my old Dell that I used before Mac'ing up :)

As for Bluetooth speakers, I'm using the WOWEE Gel Audio one. It was a gift from a friend, but it is amazing how much bass the gel manges to transmit to the surface :D, just bliss. For it's size, it does pack a punch. I think I saw it online for about 100$ (don't know how much you want to pay)

LP&HG

Originally Posted by j477

Thanks very much! This is the Nexus 7 2nd gen with the "Fraunhofer" surround sound they are touting ?

(Yes, I really wish I could hear them all for myself but 2 are no longer available in stores and hearing only the Nexus 7 in-store over the din doesn't tell me much. I'm hoping hearing other users' opinions will save me the trouble of buying and returning things.)

The 2nd gen Nexus7 is the one I was comparing to. What is cool is the Kindle HDX 8.9 has a better screen than the Nexus7 and iPad Air as well as being lighter than both. If the sound quality is anywhere near the PB it could be a winner.

As far as I know, Beats Audio is merely a brand under the auspices of Dr Dre. The assumption would be that he brings about as much tech know-how as Ashton Kuchener at Lenovo. In fact, you are getting less value, because some of your investment has gone towards paying a celebrity to be associated, rather than research. But, ooh, look at the pretty celebrity.

IMO the Kindle Fire Hd has better highs, everything else is about equal. You'd have to make sure to turn the Hd around to make the speakers "front facing" to get that full effect though..

Originally Posted by BBFunGuy

As far as I know, Beats Audio is merely a brand under the auspices of Dr Dre. The assumption would be that he brings about as much tech know-how as Ashton Kuchener at Lenovo. In fact, you are getting less value, because some of your investment has gone towards paying a celebrity to be associated, rather than research. But, ooh, look at the pretty celebrity.

Dr. Dre is actually more known as a record producer. He is just as popular for the songs he's made for other artist as the ones he makes for himself. The rapping stuff came 2nd for him, so he knows a bit about sound quality.

Originally Posted by battleax78

Dr. Dre is actually more known as a record producer. He is just as popular for the songs he's made for other artist as the ones he makes for himself. The rapping stuff came 2nd for him, so he knows a bit about sound quality.

He does not, however, know anything about audio technology, nor do any 'Beats' labelled products have anything greater to do with him than celebrity brand endorsement.

My wife's netbook has 'Beats' audio, yet contains the exact same audio chipset as can be found on any cheap laptop motherboard, and utterly unremarkable speakers which produce a standard of output far below the PlayBook's.

In a nutshell, the 'Beats' logo means precisely nothing. Sorry folks.

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Originally Posted by battleax78

Then call out Beats Electronics. To suggest Dre is just some celebrity moron equivalent to Austin Kucher at Lenovo is short sighted and just plain moronic. I'm pretty sure he can suggest a chipset but that doesn't mean Beats will listen when all they are concerned about is their bottom line.

You are arguing with a straw man. My post wasn't intended as a stab at Dr Dre (if he makes money from endorsing a brand, fine by me). I am simply making clear the fact that having a 'Beats' logo on a product means precisely nothing.

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Originally Posted by Deckard79

You are arguing with a straw man. My post wasn't intended as a stab at Dr Dre (if he makes money from endorsing a brand, fine by me). I am simply making clear the fact that having a 'Beats' logo on a product means precisely nothing.

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Just to make a final point on this thread jack, he is actually a founder of Beats Electronics. I should have said they have no control over the chipset or hardware the manufacturer who licenses their software product (which is basically a pre-set equalizer) ultimately uses.

My original response was not to you. It was more about equating Dre to Aston Kucher at Lenovo.

PlayBook is LOUD! Wow it surprised me, I think it's louder than the first gen fire hd, seriously. Quality, I'll have to report on a comparison later but so far it seems to be edging out on top

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I have at one point or another used all of these tablets and the Galaxy Note 10.1 as well (which does have front facing speakers) and I still say that the PlayBook is the best when it comes to sound volume and clarity. It totally smokes my Note 10.1 in both as well.

Originally Posted by djrupey

If you are interested in sound quality then you should only be thinking of playing uncompressed files (FLAC, WAV, etc). Even on the PB's speakers the difference is noticeable. Played on a decent stereo system it is glaringly obvious. Also use the Neutron music player, which is an audiophile app which replays music to a far higher quality than the built-in music player. I can't comment on the PlayBook comparison with other tablets because I haven't used any. But remember that as with all music systems, the source and playback device/programme is more important than speakers. As with a car and home stereo, a really good head unit/turntable/CD player and good amplifier will make even the cheapest speakers sound wonderful. That's not to say that good speakers are not important, they are, but you won't turn crap input into wonderful sound by buying expensive speakers to mate up to a cheap, rubbish music source. It will just make your crap music source sound even worse.

I don't think this is true - sorry. There are far more factors at play.

For example - the complexity of the waveform being converted (complex Jazz tends to convert less effectively than, say, folk).

The codec being used for lossy compression, and the encoder software are important factors.

Bitrates are also an important factor.

Dynamic range of source is an equally important factor.

I am an audiophile - I own Linn equipement, and built my own speakers from component parts. In most instances I am unable to recognise any difference between a 256k/bit WMA file and cd source in blind testing (and I even know exactly what to listen for).

Some audiophiles claim to have a 'golden ear' with an ability to pick up differences in sound quality and determine what is better. However, almost all are disproved with proper scientific tests. The human ear is very imprecise and unreliable. Furthermore, expectation bias makes accurate determination of sound quality even more of a minefield.

Unless lossy files use terrible bitrates or have been encoded poorly, the quality of DAC, amplifier and most of all speakers are the important determining factors in sound quality.

Anyone claiming otherwise, I challenge you to prove it.

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Originally Posted by battleax78

Just to make a final point on this thread jack, he is actually a founder of Beats Electronics. I should have said they have no control over the chipset or hardware the manufacturer who licenses their software product (which is basically a pre-set equalizer) ultimately uses.

My original response was not to you. It was more about equating Dre to Aston Kucher at Lenovo.

Do not get me wrong I have nothing againt Dr. Dre, or Kuchener. My beef is with people who see them associated with products, and this is enough to persuade them of the products quality.

I have done music production also, but I did it on a workstation using reference speakers, in soundproofed rooms filled with exotic audio equipment. Not some crappy laptop with tinny speakers. ie Beats audio. But Dre uses them so they must be good, right? If he does use them. He does not use them.

I use my PB for videoing my guitar playing so I can see where I am going wrong. The PB is excellent, both video and audio. Shame about the playing.

I also have a no-name cheapo tablet that sounds dire and a GoClever (from Poland, I believe) which does all sorts of things such as having an aerial that you pull up to watch digital TV and a transmitter for sending audio to the car radio. Its audio is OK, but not a patch on the PB.

There are Android apps to carry "printed" music which are used quite a bit by people I know. You really need a large tablet for that and some means (eg foot pedal) for the page turning although maybe you don't if you are "just" a singer..

Originally Posted by ghundiraj

LP&HG

Thanks very much for the tips. If you have them handy, yes, please do share what you did on PC. I don't produce my own stuff but always good to know how to do it - so one knows the "expert" is doing it correctly or can add ones own twist to whatever the "usual" is.

Money may come collaterally but Music --- it's not something you do for the money :)

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

The 2nd gen Nexus7 is the one I was comparing to. What is cool is the Kindle HDX 8.9 has a better screen than the Nexus7 and iPad Air as well as being lighter than both. If the sound quality is anywhere near the PB it could be a winner.

I absolutely love the Kindle 8.9 screen - it is perfect for watching movies / flipping through photo books (which otherwise remain unseen on the laptop) --- if the sound is as good as PB, I will get it --- however, I tried Kindle 8.9 - I dont remember HD or HDX -- and although i couldnt tell sound quality (store was too noisy) --- i could at least tell it is nowhere as "loud" as the new Nexus. Now I know quality is all-important but one needs a certain threshold level of volume to appreciate quality and I am not sure it has it. Also - consumer reviews (not expert but user reviews) of the 8.9 were that the sound was awful (compared to Kindle 7 HD)...

If you do get to try an 8.9 in quiet - let me know what you think about its sound overall and vs PB.

Originally Posted by battleax78

IMO the Kindle Fire Hd has better highs, everything else is about equal. You'd have to make sure to turn the Hd around to make the speakers "front facing" to get that full effect though..

Thanks. When you say "better highs", do you mean louder volume or less distortion on the top notes ? Although if the PB is close enough, it wins because I don't want to have to keep turning the tablet around and around.

Originally Posted by Georgefly97

PlayBook is LOUD! Wow it surprised me, I think it's louder than the first gen fire hd, seriously. Quality, I'll have to report on a comparison later but so far it seems to be edging out on top

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Thanks very much! Yes, please let us know which you feel has better sound (PB vs Kindle speakers back and front facing).

I had almost convinced myself to get both and compare - but I don't want to get into the whole return hassle - esp since BB PB is only available from 3rd party sellers now and most of them mumble about various fees and conditions when questioned about their return policy.

Originally Posted by Billaboard

I use my PB for videoing my guitar playing so I can see where I am going wrong. The PB is excellent, both video and audio. Shame about the playing.

I also have a no-name cheapo tablet that sounds dire and a GoClever (from Poland, I believe) which does all sorts of things such as having an aerial that you pull up to watch digital TV and a transmitter for sending audio to the car radio. Its audio is OK, but not a patch on the PB.

There are Android apps to carry "printed" music which are used quite a bit by people I know. You really need a large tablet for that and some means (eg foot pedal) for the page turning although maybe you don't if you are "just" a singer..

Thanks for the feedback :) It sounds like everyone loves the sound on their PB. Now I just have to get over the fear that these 3rd party distributors (only place to get a new PB now) are selling defective returns as new (lots of reviews on some sellers on Amazon like that - not for PB but their other products) and I will get a PB with bad speakers.

Yes, "just" a singer here :) I carry my lyrics on my Kindle e-ink reader which I much prefer to the lit screen on tablets. Also - I must be missing something - how do you turn pages on a tablet using a foot pedal ?