Oh but I do love my phone - Page 2

jimhelm · 02-21-2012, 12:38 PM

I'm disappointed in the music spotify contains for streaming. NO tool. NO white stripes. NO led Zeppelin.

Audio Galaxy is pretty cool. have you checked that app out yet? a

Undertoad · 02-21-2012, 01:05 PM

No I hear their users are drummers

All legal streaming services are going to have greedhead bands that don't participate. Spotify lets you add your own mp3s into their interface and so if you need them, there they are... I think that's about all I need

Undertoad · 02-21-2012, 01:07 PM

Appreciate it, but this is a big-ass phone and that is one of the down sides... it doesn't fit much of anything.

There is no charging dock for it yet, in desk or mobile versions, which is weird.

Clodfobble · 02-21-2012, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

No I hear their users are drummers

Can you give me a simple breakdown of why Spotify might be superior to Pandora? I don't use either, I've just heard a lot more about Pandora, so I wondered.

Undertoad · 02-21-2012, 07:36 PM

Spotify is more oriented around listening to albums, or playlists that you construct. Pandora is more like a radio service that offers you things it thinks you probably like to listen to, based on what you say you like.

Grooveshark is a less interesting interface (IMO), supports album and playlist play like Spotify, but it is thought to be illegal and may not survive legal challenges.

Google, Amazon and Apple all offer ways to stream your own music to your own phone. These support the model where you buy your music first, and you send it to them so they can stream it back to you on demand. I have only tried the Google version. It sucks and remains one of the worst Google products.

Undertoad · 02-23-2012, 05:20 PM

This Alarm Clock Xtreme is the stuff. (This app is available for both Android and iPhone)

You figure, an alarm clock for a smartphone, that's no big deal.

Well I tell you they have thought of everything. Here is everything:

ALARMS

You can set as many different alarms, and each can repeat on as many different days of the week as you like. You can select a different ringtone for each alarm. You can set a different message for each alarm.

You can set the alarm to start at 0% volume, and slowly increase to 100% any volume level you like.

This 0-to-100 volume increase can happen over 60 seconds or even up to 20 minutes if you like. Imagine that, your alarm gently increasing in volume until you notice it and shut it off! I tell you, it is a fine thing, I tell you!

SNOOZE

You can allow snooze on your alarm, or not. The snooze can be set for any length of time, from 1 minute, to an hour. (If you set it for 9 minutes, I pity you.)

You can have the alarm display up two buttons on the screen when it goes off, one for dismiss and one for snooze. Or, you can tell it to snooze when you shake the phone, or press a side button.

DISMISS

You can also choose to dismiss the alarm when you shake the phone.

You can also have it require you to solve a math problem, or enter a CAPTCHA, to dismiss the alarm. I have not tried these features.

SAFETY

You can force it to play the alarm even if the phone is in quiet mode. You can force it to play the alarm through the phone speaker, even if headphones are plugged into the phone.

I tell you, they thought of everything!

xoxoxoBruce · 02-23-2012, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Now. Instead of owning a separate music playing device, one has just a phone, and Spotify streams the music to the phone.

Ok, I've heard people say that before, mostly in commercials.

But you are a musician. You are also musically and technologically knowledgeable. So my question to you is, are you satisfied with the quality of sound you're getting from your phone/death star?

Undertoad · 02-23-2012, 06:54 PM

Lemme tell you, a few years ago I took my entire collection of about 800 CDs and ripped them to FLAC, which is exactly the CD in audio quality;

Then I converted the FLAC files to MP3 at various rates.

I A-B tested tons of different things, on speakers and different headphones.

Above a certain quality of mp3 (128 kpbs) I could not tell a dime's wortha difference between any of 'em.

Spotify has low and high quality streaming settings, so you can choose whether to save bandwidth or save your ears. IME the high-quality is CD-quality and the low quality is... kinda acceptable. I understand the high quality is 320kpbs OGG format. That's top notch.

Undertoad · 02-23-2012, 07:02 PM

Add: Spotify quality settings are documented here:

http://www.spotify.com/us/help/faq/tech/codec-quality/

320kbps high quality, 160 medium quality, 96 low quality. The first two are what they use for desktop, the last two are what they use for mobile.

wolf · 02-23-2012, 07:10 PM

I think that alarm clock was the amazon.com free app of the day a couple of months ago. I does rock. I actually like the feature that requires you to do increasingly complex math to prove you're awake enough to shut it off.

xoxoxoBruce · 02-23-2012, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Add: Spotify quality settings are documented here:

http://www.spotify.com/us/help/faq/tech/codec-quality/

320kbps high quality, 160 medium quality, 96 low quality. The first two are what they use for desktop, the last two are what they use for mobile.

Yes, but it all depends on the quality of the device you're listening to them on. That's why I asked about the quality of the music you're hearing from the phone.

Undertoad · 02-23-2012, 10:14 PM

Most of the difference comes from the earbuds / speakers in my experience.

xoxoxoBruce · 02-25-2012, 12:40 AM

Oh, OK. I suppose the phone being all digital and shit, wouldn't affect the music much as log as it had the power to drive the buds.

By the way, did you see the hour long whyy show on Robert Trout?

Undertoad · 02-25-2012, 04:36 AM

Yea, it seems to me like the fine details of fidelity have been worked out at this point. I think all the ear buds are driven using rare earth magnets so it just takes a sip of power to make them go. Unlike driving a big loudspeaker where huge amounts of power are needed to make bass sounds (my personal specialty), because the speakers have to move a lot of air.

Hey but even that area is changing. I use rare earth neodymium speakers in my bass cabinets because they save weight.

And in the last decade it appears they have worked out how to make amps light too. I used to lug around a 45 lb amp in order to get 500 watts per channel, but now the power amps weigh like 15 pounds. I don't know where that difference appeared but my back is glad for it.

HungLikeJesus · 02-25-2012, 08:26 AM

On the down side, last night my wife and I were out for dinner. The family at the next table was using their phone to play cheesy pop music, despite the fact that the restaurant had their own music system going.

It was very discordant, and I thought that there just might be an international incident.

02-21-2012, 12:38 PM	#16
jimhelm a beautiful fool Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: 39.939705 Posts: 4,504	I'm disappointed in the music spotify contains for streaming. NO tool. NO white stripes. NO led Zeppelin. Audio Galaxy is pretty cool. have you checked that app out yet? a __________________ There's a Shadow just behind me. Shrouding every step I take. Making every promise empty, pointing every finger at me. _tool

02-23-2012, 07:10 PM	#25
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	I think that alarm clock was the amazon.com free app of the day a couple of months ago. I does rock. I actually like the feature that requires you to do increasingly complex math to prove you're awake enough to shut it off. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

02-25-2012, 12:40 AM	#28
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Oh, OK. I suppose the phone being all digital and shit, wouldn't affect the music much as log as it had the power to drive the buds. By the way, did you see the hour long whyy show on Robert Trout? __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

02-25-2012, 08:26 AM	#30
HungLikeJesus Only looks like a disaster tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: above 7,000 feet Posts: 7,208	On the down side, last night my wife and I were out for dinner. The family at the next table was using their phone to play cheesy pop music, despite the fact that the restaurant had their own music system going. It was very discordant, and I thought that there just might be an international incident. __________________ Keep Your Bodies Off My Lawn SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.

02-21-2012, 01:05 PM	#17
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	No I hear their users are drummers All legal streaming services are going to have greedhead bands that don't participate. Spotify lets you add your own mp3s into their interface and so if you need them, there they are... I think that's about all I need

02-21-2012, 01:07 PM	#18
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Appreciate it, but this is a big-ass phone and that is one of the down sides... it doesn't fit much of anything. There is no charging dock for it yet, in desk or mobile versions, which is weird.

02-21-2012, 07:36 PM	#20
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Spotify is more oriented around listening to albums, or playlists that you construct. Pandora is more like a radio service that offers you things it thinks you probably like to listen to, based on what you say you like. Grooveshark is a less interesting interface (IMO), supports album and playlist play like Spotify, but it is thought to be illegal and may not survive legal challenges. Google, Amazon and Apple all offer ways to stream your own music to your own phone. These support the model where you buy your music first, and you send it to them so they can stream it back to you on demand. I have only tried the Google version. It sucks and remains one of the worst Google products.

02-23-2012, 05:20 PM	#21
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	This Alarm Clock Xtreme is the stuff. (This app is available for both Android and iPhone) You figure, an alarm clock for a smartphone, that's no big deal. Well I tell you they have thought of everything. Here is everything: ALARMS You can set as many different alarms, and each can repeat on as many different days of the week as you like. You can select a different ringtone for each alarm. You can set a different message for each alarm. You can set the alarm to start at 0% volume, and slowly increase to 100% any volume level you like. This 0-to-100 volume increase can happen over 60 seconds or even up to 20 minutes if you like. Imagine that, your alarm gently increasing in volume until you notice it and shut it off! I tell you, it is a fine thing, I tell you! SNOOZE You can allow snooze on your alarm, or not. The snooze can be set for any length of time, from 1 minute, to an hour. (If you set it for 9 minutes, I pity you.) You can have the alarm display up two buttons on the screen when it goes off, one for dismiss and one for snooze. Or, you can tell it to snooze when you shake the phone, or press a side button. DISMISS You can also choose to dismiss the alarm when you shake the phone. You can also have it require you to solve a math problem, or enter a CAPTCHA, to dismiss the alarm. I have not tried these features. SAFETY You can force it to play the alarm even if the phone is in quiet mode. You can force it to play the alarm through the phone speaker, even if headphones are plugged into the phone. I tell you, they thought of everything!

02-23-2012, 06:54 PM	#23
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Lemme tell you, a few years ago I took my entire collection of about 800 CDs and ripped them to FLAC, which is exactly the CD in audio quality; Then I converted the FLAC files to MP3 at various rates. I A-B tested tons of different things, on speakers and different headphones. Above a certain quality of mp3 (128 kpbs) I could not tell a dime's wortha difference between any of 'em. Spotify has low and high quality streaming settings, so you can choose whether to save bandwidth or save your ears. IME the high-quality is CD-quality and the low quality is... kinda acceptable. I understand the high quality is 320kpbs OGG format. That's top notch.

02-23-2012, 07:02 PM	#24
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Add: Spotify quality settings are documented here: http://www.spotify.com/us/help/faq/tech/codec-quality/ 320kbps high quality, 160 medium quality, 96 low quality. The first two are what they use for desktop, the last two are what they use for mobile.

02-23-2012, 10:14 PM	#27
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Most of the difference comes from the earbuds / speakers in my experience.

02-25-2012, 04:36 AM	#29
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Yea, it seems to me like the fine details of fidelity have been worked out at this point. I think all the ear buds are driven using rare earth magnets so it just takes a sip of power to make them go. Unlike driving a big loudspeaker where huge amounts of power are needed to make bass sounds (my personal specialty), because the speakers have to move a lot of air. Hey but even that area is changing. I use rare earth neodymium speakers in my bass cabinets because they save weight. And in the last decade it appears they have worked out how to make amps light too. I used to lug around a 45 lb amp in order to get 500 watts per channel, but now the power amps weigh like 15 pounds. I don't know where that difference appeared but my back is glad for it.

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