Top 11 Smartphones with the Best Audio Quality in 2017

Music junkies will appreciate this list of top 11 smartphones with the best audio quality in 2017.

Nothing beats having great music on your phone since you pretty much always have your phone on hand. Also, nothing beats the sounds of an iPhone, but that’s just my humble opinion. However, some people prefer to be rebels and choose to live life without an iPhone, which we just can’t understand. If you’re one of those people, this list is for you because it focuses on everything but the iPhone.

You could call this list one on the best smartphone for music lovers 2017, considering that’s probably the most important use of your phone’s speakers. To listen the music. Some phones are really made for music lovers as they now sell stereo speaker mobile phones. Whether you listen to rock, rap, jazz, country, pop, or classical music, your music will sound that much better with high-quality speakers. Hi-Res audio phones of 2017 sometimes offer better than CD-quality audio and in some cases are getting pretty close to the quality that artists work within the studio. So, if you want to hear what your favorite artist hears in the studio, we found the best phone for music sound quality.

Top 11 Smartphones with the Best Audio Quality in 2017

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The time when we start calling smartphones, compact supercomputers is not very far away. Every year the manufacturers are pushing the envelope further and further. Any smartphone in the market will enable you to play and listen to your music library on the go, while also doing a number of other things. But, if you are an audiophile (a hi-fi enthusiast) just being able to play the song will not do it for you. We understand that, and this is why scoured the internet in search of the best sounding phones for 2017. A phone may come with a premium price tag and all the fancy bells and whistles, but may not necessarily offer you the best audio experience. So going for a top of the line flagship smartphone is not always the best solution for audiophiles. For our research regardig smartphones with the best audio quality in 2017, we sought help from the following websites, Mobile ScoutAndroid Authority and GSM Arena. GSM Arena does extensive testing on smartphones, and one of their standard criteria is to test the smartphones for its audio quality.

When it came to ranking the phones on our list of the mobile phones with best music quality in 2017, we went with GSM Arena‘s fan system. If you really enjoy a smartphone, then you can become a fan of that smartphone and show your support. We figured that the higher the number of fans a smartphone has, the better. We are not concerned with price or overall hardware rating of a phone in this case, but just the audio quality. However, with time the fan numbers will increase, and that could affect our rating in the future. Okay, now since that’s out of the way let’s get our list of top 11 smartphones with the best audio quality in 2017 started, so you can find out what we think is the best sounding phone 2017.

11. ZTE Axon 7

Number of fans: 502

ZTE Axon 7 is not a well-known phone so to speak. That said, excellent sound quality is not limited only to flagship devices. Whether you prefer headphones to listen to your favorite songs or like to use the loudspeakers, Axon 7 has got you covered. Not only does it boasts a hi-fi music playback through its headphones, but it also has dedicated dual stereo speakers as well. Axon 7 supports 32-bit/192kHz audio playback with Dolby Atmos audio enhancement. You also get digital to analog conversion via the headphones as well. For the money, you just cannot go wrong with Axon 7 – it is a great alternative to flagships for audiophiles on a budget. An excellent way to start our list of smartphones with the best audio quality in 2017, right?

10. HTC U11

Number of fans: 540

The HTC U11 is one of the latest from HTC. You can expect the very best of HTC’s technology to be put in this neat little package, and HTC did not disappoint its fans. This phone is on par with looks and performance of the big names out there. Anyway, your HTC U11 offers 24-bit/192 kHz audio playback right out of the box. It also comes with twin BoomSound stereo speakers, with amazing loudness and clarity. The headphone performance is also incredible. But, since this is a flagship device, you are going to have to part with a considerable amount of money to be able to enjoy the features of this smartphone. However, HTC U11 does not come with a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack. Instead, it comes with a more advanced USB solution.

9. LG V30

Number of fans: 550

LG has made some amazing smartphones, and most of their smartphones are well known for incredible out-of-the-box audio performance. LG’s latest, the LG V30 does not disappoint as well. However, the previous smartphone of LG’s V series the LG V20 also made it into our list, as well and has been ranked higher than the V30. So you can understand that the V30 is facing some serious opposition from its predecessor. In fact, if you are on a budget, the V20 might be a great option for you, if you do not mind dated hardware, but you still get amazing audio quality. LG V20 offers 32-bit/192 kHz audio playback, and 24-bit/48 kHz audio recording. Overall, a solid performer when it comes to enjoying music. That’s why we put it on our list of smartphones with the best audio quality in 2017.

8. Xiaomi Mi 6

Number of fans: 657

Xiaomi is a smartphone manufacturer out of China, that gained a lot of popularity recently. They produce amazing quality smartphones that look, feel and perform like flagship devices, but costs a mere a fraction of the price. Xiaomi Mi is their latest device to hit the market, and this device has all the bells and whistles you can expect from a top of the line flagship phone. And that includes crisp audio performance as well. Xiaomi Mi 6 performs much better in the audio department than all of its predecessors. It is also quite inexpensive, compared to other devices that made it into our list. The mic quality is just the best in the Chinese market.

7. Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Number of fans: 776

Next in line on our list of smartphones with the best audio quality in 2017 is Samsung Galaxy Note 8. Despite the issues with Galaxy Note 7, Samsung made a recovery with their latest installment in the Note line. The Galaxy Note 8 shares similar features with their flagship Galaxy S 8, unsurprisingly which also made it onto the list. But, we are more interested in the audio quality of the smartphone. And in this department, the Galaxy Note 8 shines ever so brightly. The device is a bit big and has a 6.3-inch display. If that does not bother you, then this is definitely a device capable of satisfying any audiophile. However, the phone does not come with dual speakers, but when it comes to audio quality which we are most concerned with, this phone is a beast.

6. LG G6

Number of fans: 821

Another LG device makes it on our list, and mind you it is not the last. LG is the brand most audiophiles look at when considering a new smartphone. LG has pretty much revolutionized the sound game for the smartphone market. Thanks to LG’s innovations, other big league smartphone manufacturers are putting a lot of effort in providing their customers with the best sound quality as well. The LG G6 is a performer, it rocks the latest hardware the industry has to offer, and on top of that, it rocks the most recent audio bits that will make any audiophile drool. 32-bit/192 kHz audio playback and wide dynamic range just sweeten up the deal even more. And of course, it rocks the revolutionary Quad DAC system.

5. LG V20

Number of fans: 853

We are halfway through our list of top 11 smartphones with the best audio quality in 2017, and at number 5 we have the LG V20. This is the first smartphone to truly popularize the Quad Dack system. The phone also boasts a 32-bit/192 kHz audio playback along with 24-bit/48 kHz audio recording. However, one criterion the phone falls short of is that it does not have dual loudspeakers. Which may be a negative to some, but when it comes to audio quality, LG V20 holds its own against some of the toughest competitors in the market. It is even ranked higher on our list than its successor the LG V30. Of course, the phone does not have the best processing power in the market right now, but if you are only concerned with audio quality, there is no reason for you to spend more than an LG V20 costs to get it.

4. OnePlus 5

Number of fans: 938

OnePlus is another brand out of China, and the OnePlus phones are highly regarded as flagship killers due to their extraordinary specs and very competitive price. The OnePlus 5 is their latest installment. Needless to say, that it comes with all the features that you can expect from flagship devices and at a much lower price point. But the feature we are most interested in is the audio quality, and OnePlus does excel at that too. It supports 32 audio bit playback and can reproduce audio frequencies that even dogs cannot hear. For the price point, it is one of the best audiophile phones out there right now.

3. Sony Xperia XZ Premium

Number of fans: 1125

The Sony Xperia XZ Premium is the latest flagship phone from Sony’s huge range of smartphones. Sony has always been highly regarded as an excellent manufacturer of electronic devices, and they do not disappoint with their smartphone line. Xperia XZ follows Sony’s unique design philosophy and incorporates the best features at Sony’s disposal. However, we are more interested in Sony’s Hi-Res audio output. When you listen to music on the Xperia XZ premium, you will feel the difference.


2. Nokia 6

Number of fans: 1442

The second entry in our list of top 11 smartphones with the best audio quality in 2017, is the once king of the smartphone market Nokia. Nokia 6 is something that a lot of people were excited about, and when it comes to audio, it does deliver. The smartphone has a dual speaker audio output, and when it comes to headphones, Nokia 6 is equipped with Dolby Atmos Sound Enhancement system. So as you can imagine, the phone is sure to rock your world. One more thing to note here is the price point on this phone. It is the cheapest phone on the list, so if you are on a budget, then you should just pick up a Nokia 6 right now.

1. Samsung Galaxy S8

Number of fans: 1515

At the very pinnacle of our list, we have Samsung’s latest flagship, the Galaxy S8. Not only does the phone look and feel entirely different than any other competing designs, but it also performs better than any other smartphone in the market as well. And the audio quality of the Samsung S8 is virtually unrivaled at this moment in time. However, with a device as unique and powerful as the Galaxy S8, you can expect a big price tag as well. But, if you are an audiophile and would not stop until you get the very best, the Galaxy S8 is the way to go for you.

This wraps it up for our list of top 11 smartphones with the best audio quality in 2017.