Today, every smartphone, among other things, is used as an audio player, with which you can listen to music both through headphones and through an external speaker. But not every model is ready to please its owner with really high-quality sound. So if music isn’t empty words for you, take a look at the 2022 ranking of smartphones that are best for playing and recording sound.

Xiaomi 11T is an inexpensive smartphone with stereo sound

Presenting this smartphone at the end of 2021, Xiaomi focused on its “cinema magic”, however, the camera is not the main advantage of Xiaomi 11T , and in terms of sound, it can compete with full-fledged flagships. This model has two external speakers that provide stereo sound. And, although the stereo is one and a half here (the top speaker is a little quieter), Xiaomi 11T reproduces music clearly and without noticeable artifacts.

The smartphone also supports Dolby Atmos surround sound technology , but it still lacks volume: the leaders in the rating are able to give out a richer bass. Another relative disadvantage of the Xiaomi 11T is the lack of a 3.5mm audio jack. But it is more than compensated by a complete adapter, as well as Hi-Res Audio smartphone certification . In practice, this model is really good in combination with wired headphones.

Xiaomi 11T has not only great sound, but also a good camera

But in terms of audio recording, Xiaomi 11T may disappoint you: the sound is focused only on medium and high frequencies and almost completely excludes bass. At the same time, this smartphone is an optimal ratio of price and performance due to a 108-megapixel camera with a bunch of software chips and a powerful pre-flagship processor Dimensity 1200 .

Google Pixel 6 is a smartphone with a good camera and sound

The sixth Pixel was not criticized only by the lazy, and for good reason: the Google Tensor processor cannot be called a truly flagship one, but the smartphone’s chips still outweigh its shortcomings. Let’s start with the audio, and in this regard, the Pixel 6 offers excellent sound recording quality with three microphones.

But you’re probably more interested in the Pixel 6 ‘s playback features. The smartphone has two stereo speakers, which, due to the ” Adaptive Sound ” function, adapt to the user’s musical preferences. At the same time, the Google Pixel 6 focuses on the mids, dampening bass and treble a bit.

The sound quality of Pixel 6 is not inferior to the older model Pixel 6 Pro

In general, the sound is in line with the cost of the device and surpasses smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S22 in terms of quality . But buying a Google Pixel 6 just as a music device is a dubious undertaking. The smartphone is aimed at amateur photographers who will appreciate proprietary image processing algorithms, but connoisseurs of sound playback through headphones will be a little upset by the lack of a 3.5 mm minijack .

Samsung Galaxy A53 is a smartphone with good sound and battery

Oddly enough, a smartphone with good speaker sound is in the line of low-cost Samsung devices. According to the DXoMark audio test , the Samsung Galaxy A53 outperforms, for example, the iPhone 11 Pro Max in terms of external speaker quality . Bold statement, right? At the same time, the stereo speakers of the smartphone really produce sound without artifacts, but they have limited bass and a low volume level.

Partially, the shortcomings of the main speaker are compensated by the cool sound on audio recordings. It is good even when recording video on the front camera, and in this respect, the Galaxy A53 can outperform any competitor in the mid-budget segment. But the lack of a 3.5 mm jack will force the owner to rush to look for an adapter if you need to connect headphones.

Galaxy A53 is a well-balanced smartphone with good sound and moisture protection

If we ignore the sound features, the Galaxy A53 can be called a successful mid-range smartphone with a good camera, which is equipped with an optical stabilization system, and excellent autonomy due to a capacious 5000 mAh battery and an energy-efficient Exynos 1280 processor .

Black Shark 4 Pro is a smartphone with good sound in headphones

Significantly ahead was the Xiaomi sub-brand phone , aimed at an audience of gamers. If you are at least a little familiar with mobile players, then you probably know that the sound for them is one of the main features that allow you to gain superiority over rivals. Therefore, the developers of Black Shark 4 Pro could not deny themselves the pleasure of equipping the device with an audio jack with outstanding sound in headphones.

Gamers know a lot about good sound, so they choose Black Shark 4 Pro

But musically, the Black Shark 4 Pro is good not so much with a headset as without it. The smartphone has 4 speakers, 2 of which are focused on low frequencies, but they are so lacking in the same Galaxy A53 or Xiaomi 11T . Not only are the speakers loud, but they do not distort the sound at high volumes. For recording, the Black Shark 4 Pro is also good, but not when shooting with a selfie camera.

Like the Google Pixel 6 , the Black Shark 4 Pro isn’t exactly music lovers. It will suit those who are looking for a gaming device or just want to have a performance headroom for several years ahead. At the same time, the smartphone is large and not very autonomous, and the camera corresponds to the average budget level.

Black Shark 5 Pro is the best smartphone for music

Surpass last year’s Black Shark 4 Pro was its able successor. On paper, everything is the same here: 4 speakers, audio jack, support for DTS and Cirrus Logic components . And given the fact that, in fact, the Black Shark 5 Pro just installed a new processor, buying it may not seem like a very rational decision. However, in practice, the smartphone works wonders.

The Black Shark 4 Pro has louder speakers, but inside it’s almost the same as last year’s smartphone

Firstly, its speakers have become incredibly loud, which is noted by DXoMark experts. At the same time, the sound recording quality has reached an incredibly high level, due to which the Black Shark 5 Pro can easily compete with the iPhone 13 Pro Max for the title of the best smartphone for recording concerts. Although, of course, the camera here is much simpler, and can not be compared with counterparts equipped with OIS.

Who is this phone for? Gamers, lovers of powerful devices and those who advocate that playing music through external speakers has the right to life. If you only care about the sound in the headphones, then in comparison, the Black Shark 4 Pro and Black Shark 5 Pro will not show any significant increase.