Samsung i730 Has SRS "WOW XT" Technology... So?

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?ContentId=4804' target='_blank'>http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.a...?ContentId=4804</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The SRS WOW XT technology, from SRS Labs, Inc. is part of the new Samsung SCH-i730 Pocket PC Phone Edition, launched by Verizon in the USA. The new device is the first SRS WOW XT audio enhanced Windows Mobile device, and also the first SRS WOW XT-enabled mobile phone to go on sale in the USA. The new phone is a Microsoft Windows Mobile Pocket PC 2003 dual-band CDMA EV-DO compatible converged device, with MP3 capability."</i><br /><br />I don't ordinarily link just to random PRs like this one, but I'm curious if any new i730 owners have played music on their devices, and if so, how the SRS features sounded when enabled. I've historically been unimpressed with "3D" features built into both software and hardware players, but I'm always curious if it's getting better.

[powder2000]

I look at this as more of just marketing fluff. This product has this feature that is not offered anywhere else! C'mon, you know you want it!

[Gex]

This "audio enhancement" software really makes a huge difference in the audio quality of my i730. More so through the included stereo headset but even through the the built in speakers you can hear an improvement. I didn't think it would matter either but im happy its there after hearing the difference it makes..

[Chucky]

From memory SRS WOW used to be a free plugin for Winamp ages ago. For smaller speakers it actually did a pretty decent job of making music sound better, but for larger speakers or in the case of the i730 decent earphones I wouldn't expect anything too dramatic.

[Darius Wey]

I can tell the difference in Windows Media Player with SRS WOW enabled and disabled. I question the importance of it on the i730 though. Will you hear much of a difference through the integrated speakers? Probably not. What about the headphones? Perhaps, but is it necessary? An adequate knowledge of equalizer settings is more than enough to make a good tune sound great. While equalizers might not induce system-wide sound improvements since it's all localised to the media player, it does give you the freedom of choice to tweak the sound according to how you want it, and when you want it.

[xdev]

im not too impressed by srs wow, but the srs truebass is usefull....the audio on my C500 is bland and yuck, and so was the audio on my blue angel, but after installing the bass and treble sliders that people had got from the 2210 it made a huge difference. so i think software DSPs/equalisers are pretty important

[redlikemethodz]

The SRS WOW does have some what of a wow factor to it on my i730. I used to listen to mp3z quite often on my i700 and do notice a difference w/ this new feature.

[sapibobo]

SRS WOW try to make a simulation of multiple speakers output from only dual speaker device. This of course create true surround sound feeling without decreasing sound quality. And its much better than just try to spatialing the sound output.

I tried Samsung Yepp MP3 Player equipped with the same technology and it is sound great. It beats iPod sound quality IMO.

In this PPC world only GS Player provide surround sound algorithm (not SRS WOW) and i think it is still the best player to match PPC system. Somehow GSPlayer sound better at Toshiba E800 than HX4700.

The question is will SRS provide plug-in for MP3 player in PPC system? Heck even WMP 10 PPC does not have it.

[Don't Panic!]

The difference is impressive Janek. The only problem is finding decent headphones for that 2.5mm proprietary jack. The included ones don't fit in my ears, and finding a decent over the ears set has been impossible.

I'm just not ready to take the battery hit that bluetooth stereo headphones would cause.

[ctmagnus]

The only problem is finding decent headphones for that 2.5mm proprietary jack.

I ordered a dongle from ppctechs so I could use my preferred headphones with the 2.5mm jack on my SMT5600.

Here's the link (http://www.pocketpctechs.com/main~unit~Audiovox_SMT5600-309~area~accessories~item~PPCPADPT11.htm).

[CoreyJF]

I actually disabled it on mine. I think it sounds better without it.