ROG 6 Pro - How to Disable AudioWizard for better Sound Quality (aptX Adaptive Bluetooth)

[Tayan]

I was wondering if there's a way to disable the DIRAC AudioWizard DSP app as it affects audio quality (both via the 3.5mm headphone jack with UM MEST MK2 IEMs and over Bluetooth using aptX Adaptive with my Noble FoKus Pro TWS).

I know for a fact that this app/postprocessing is causing deterioration in sound quality even when left on the "music" preset with default headphones. Please see attached screenshots which includes my settings with developer options as well.

I'm coming from an LG V60 and expected the SoC DAC to be a downgrade with plugged IEMs but it should be identical over Bluetooth since it supports aptX Adaptive (and Lossless at that) - it's just that the AudioWizard is interfering and if I cannot bypass that then I'll have to return the phone as it is a dealbreaker.

Model Name: ROG Phone 6 Pro
Firmware Version: 32.2810.2210.216
Rooted or not: No
Frequency of Occurrence: Constant
APP Name & APP Version (If your issue relates to the app): AudioWizard app and any high-res music streaming such as Tidal HiFi/MQA with Bluetooth aptX Adaptive.

[AndrewMcN]

I’ve discovered that removing the two packages above does not stop the Dirac EQ. It’s still there and controllable from the volume control pop-out. So, not point in pulling those packages.

It still seems to me like the Cinema mode might be the least distortive. Ultimately though, ASUS needs to provide customers with an option to turn it off completely.

[Tayan]

I have also manually removed both Dirac and AudioWizard packages from the phone with ADB (non rooted) and found that it made no difference in terms of sound quality improvement, it does sound identical through UAPP but it's no longer bitperfect. Both AudioWizard and Dirac presets are no longer accessible though from the menu and I can confirm it was hard uninstalled by searching the list of packages.
There is definitely a downgrade in sound quality compared to my LG V60 despite both phones saying it's aptX Adaptive once paired with my Noble FoKus Pro. This should not be the case over Bluetooth - obviously it'll sound worse with 3.5mm output since it's no longer a dedicated ESS Sabre DAC. It might be a "Snapdragon Sound" thing which is another layer of spatial DSP/EQ which seems integrated in newer Qualcomm flagships, it's an absolute dealbreaker. I wonder if this is how the landscape will look going forward because it seems that Qualcomm is proud to integrate this so called "Snapdragon Sound" into their new SDG2 chipset flagships. I'm not even sure if the Sony Xperia 1-IV/V have the same issue since they apparently also support SD Sound.

[AndrewMcN]

You can restore the packages with:
cmd package install-existing com.dirac.acs
cmd package install-existing com.asus.audiowizard

The APK's live at these locations but you cannot run them because they are marked as an integral part of ASUS's AOSP:
/system/priv-app/DiracAudioControlService/DiracAudioControlService.apk
/system/priv-app/AudioWizardView/AudioWizardView.apk

How can you be sure that it's no longer bit perfect? What were you listening to precisely? What defines bit perfect in this case?

[Tayan]

AndrewMcN

You can restore the packages with:

cmd package install-existing com.dirac.acs

cmd package install-existing com.asus.audiowizard

The APK's live at these locations but you cannot run them because they are marked as an integral part of ASUS's AOSP:

/system/priv-app/DiracAudioControlService/DiracAudioControlService.apk

/system/priv-app/AudioWizardView/AudioWizardView.apk

How can you be sure that it's no longer bit perfect? What were you listening to precisely? What defines bit perfect in this case?

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Aware on how to restore the packages. All I can say for sure is that the audio quality via Bluetooth (over the same aptX Adaptive codec with my Noble Audio FoKus Pro TWS) sounds much better on my 4 year old LG V60 compared to the ROG 6 Pro which seems like it has some sort of EQ/DSP/spatial effect (perhaps Snapdragon Sound) affecting the output over Bluetooth (hence why I say it's not bitperfect/clean). This should not be the case over Bluetooth (only with 3.5mm output IEMs) as it does not involve the ESS Sabre DAC in the V60. It's a software effect for sure. I'm not even sure if you can disable "Snapdragon Sound" completely. I have a week to decide on whether to return the phone or not but I'm leaning towards it despite eating a 20% restock fee which is basically $450 CAD.

[pesterevyasha]

Tayan

https://zentalk.asus.com/en/discussion/comment/243480#Comment_243480

Aware on how to restore the packages. All I can say for sure is that the audio quality via Bluetooth (over the same aptX Adaptive codec with my Noble Audio FoKus Pro TWS) sounds much better on my 4 year old LG V60 compared to the ROG 6 Pro which seems like it has some sort of EQ/DSP/spatial effect (perhaps Snapdragon Sound) affecting the output over Bluetooth (hence why I say it's not bitperfect/clean). This should not be the case over Bluetooth (only with 3.5mm output IEMs) as it does not involve the ESS Sabre DAC in the V60. It's a software effect for sure. I'm not even sure if you can disable "Snapdragon Sound" completely. I have a week to decide on whether to return the phone or not but I'm leaning towards it despite eating a 20% restock fee which is basically $450 CAD.

View post

use direct outputs in hi-fi players: uapp, neutron, fiio music, hiby music, power amp. I also strongly advise you to wait for firmware 241.Asus heard the requests and improved the sound quality on the speakers and 3.5