Android Redmi K20 Pro blew me away with the DAC/ amp capabilities!!

[red dragon]

I am. Can't even understand what happened...unlocked bootloader...TWRP....flashed some firmware....flashed PE ROM ( after cleaning caches)...rebooted...played with the ROM....nothing spectacular..nothing bad.... basically same as de bloated MiUi
Tried to lock the bootloader with OEM lock bootloader ( or similar in ADB command)...restart...bam!! Stuck in a bootloop.
Thankfully the fastboot was accessible, downloaded a factory fastboot image, flashed with the mitool with locking enabled..same ugly MiUi..trusty nova launcher and that java debloater..all good.
Not going to near the custom ROM in near future, Nova has saved me from MiUi torture.

Post automatically merged: Sep 25, 2020

I need a phone which can do normal stuff, play music, video...if I fall in love with pixel ( never will, not worth it, will happily carry my ancient Canon) will buy a ****ing pixel. A ROM won't change a cheap ass Xiaomi to a pixel.

 

[ChairmanSaab]

I am. Can't even understand what happened...unlocked bootloader...TWRP....flashed some firmware....flashed PE ROM ( after cleaning caches)...rebooted...played with the ROM....nothing spectacular..nothing bad.... basically same as de bloated MiUi
Tried to lock the bootloader with OEM lock bootloader ( or similar in ADB command)...restart...bam!! Stuck in a bootloop.
Thankfully the fastboot was accessible, downloaded a factory fastboot image, flashed with the mitool with locking enabled..same ugly MiUi..trusty nova launcher and that java debloater..all good.
Not going to near the custom ROM in near future, Nova has saved me from MiUi torture.

Nova launcher has been a trusty companion since 2012, no matter what phone the family member has got, the first thing I do is install the Nova Launcher! There's was another one that I used called Apex but switched to Nova soon after.

 

[Soyab0007]

Wow!! 13k members...it must be a rage in India. Before discovering the amazing audio output, I didn't think much about the phone, was using it sparingly only to answer the students.
In fact it was kind of annoying me with crapware notifications.
After the shock with audio quality, uninstalled the stupid games etc. It had Flipkart preinstalled!!

notchless display, 855sd and price is the selling point for k20pro

 

[pacificb0y]

I am. Can't even understand what happened...unlocked bootloader...TWRP....flashed some firmware....flashed PE ROM ( after cleaning caches)...rebooted...played with the ROM....nothing spectacular..nothing bad.... basically same as de bloated MiUi
Tried to lock the bootloader with OEM lock bootloader ( or similar in ADB command)...restart...bam!! Stuck in a bootloop.
Thankfully the fastboot was accessible, downloaded a factory fastboot image, flashed with the mitool with locking enabled..same ugly MiUi..trusty nova launcher and that java debloater..all good.
Not going to near the custom ROM in near future, Nova has saved me from MiUi torture.

Post automatically merged: Sep 25, 2020

I need a phone which can do normal stuff, play music, video...if I fall in love with pixel ( never will, not worth it, will happily carry my ancient Canon) will buy a ****ing pixel. A ROM won't change a cheap ass Xiaomi to a pixel.

i have used POCO F1 hated MIUI , i installed oxygen OS custom rom and loved using it , i personally liked the non bloated oxygen os rom , its also available for K20 pro incase you decide to go for the herculean task again do consider trying oxygen OS once

Xiaomi and Redmi Debloating: Download and How-to Guide

 

[red dragon]

Thanks mate, I may someday...so far the de-bloated MiUi with Nova is working fine. Yes, oxygen OS is indeed good ( I had a 5T last year and lost it)
I could get the OnePlus 8 Pro, as it's available here, but the 3.5 mm out is more important to me in a phone than the cameras.
And the custom ROM I installed possibly has some audio driver issues. It has the HD audio option, but it didn't change the sound output much. I will happily live with a phone which can only make and receive phone calls, but sounds great and can be used as a DAP.
I'm still shocked by this phone's headphone out.

 

[Party Monger]

Thanks mate, I may someday...so far the de-bloated MiUi with Nova is working fine. Yes, oxygen OS is indeed good ( I had a 5T last year and lost it)
I could get the OnePlus 8 Pro, as it's available here, but the 3.5 mm out is more important to me in a phone than the cameras.
And the custom ROM I installed possibly has some audio driver issues. It has the HD audio option, but it didn't change the sound output much. I will happily live with a phone which can only make and receive phone calls, but sounds great and can be used as a DAP.
I'm still shocked by this phone's headphone out.

Try one of the custom roms based on miui. They remove all the trash not just deboat. Plus add a lot more features and better performing kernels.

 

[red dragon]

Will the banking apps and Google pay work without rooting ( and the magisk thing) the custom ROM?
I finally understood in Xiaomi phones you can not relock the bootloader with a custom ROM and TWRP. That's a big disadvantage. AFAIK OnePlus used to allow that ( at least in 5T)
Using a phone with unlocked bootloader isn't a good idea to my limited understandings.
I really can't trust an imported Chinese phone from India that too with an unlocked bootloader.
Moreover our organisational app for internal communications ( it's like WhatsApp) collects some HW information, though it got installed (they installed it remotely) but I'm sure it will stop working with an unlocked bootloader and custom ROM.
And honestly, after debloating and using Nova, I'm perfectly happy with the performance and battery life.
After using the Pixel Experience launcher for a brief period, was not really blown away by it. I will rather buy a pixel if I want something cleaner and different. MiUi 12 is definitely not bad ( as claimed by certain tech websites/ videos) it's working as smooth as pixel ROM ( If not better)

 

[Party Monger]

Ordered the BLON BL 03 on Headphonezone

Post automatically merged: Oct 1, 2020

Will the banking apps and Google pay work without rooting ( and the magisk thing) the custom ROM?
I finally understood in Xiaomi phones you can not relock the bootloader with a custom ROM and TWRP. That's a big disadvantage. AFAIK OnePlus used to allow that ( at least in 5T)
Using a phone with unlocked bootloader isn't a good idea to my limited understandings.
I really can't trust an imported Chinese phone from India that too with an unlocked bootloader.
Moreover our organisational app for internal communications ( it's like WhatsApp) collects some HW information, though it got installed (they installed it remotely) but I'm sure it will stop working with an unlocked bootloader and custom ROM.
And honestly, after debloating and using Nova, I'm perfectly happy with the performance and battery life.
After using the Pixel Experience launcher for a brief period, was not really blown away by it. I will rather buy a pixel if I want something cleaner and different. MiUi 12 is definitely not bad ( as claimed by certain tech websites/ videos) it's working as smooth as pixel ROM ( If not better)

Check a review of them on youtube. They cover everthing.

 

[Rockfella]

Looking at this thread I will someday

Ordered the BLON BL 03 on Headphonezone

Post automatically merged: Oct 1, 2020

Check a review of them on youtube. They cover everthing.

Nice share your thoughts on blon 03.

 

[red dragon]

Finally installed pixel experience successfully... didn't need it, but was curious to know what happened.
Just needed a factory data format from TWRP recovery. Didn't bother to check steps, did what seemed logical and it was easy.
Somehow it passed safety net and Netflix/ Google pay/ few banking apps are working fine.
DAC drivers were present ( at least the option was there) and the wired sound quality didn't worsen.
Will use it for few days.
One big advantage: it clears up a lot of space
MiUi 12 was as snappy as this. Speed is not really a big thing ( as people @ various forums are going crazy over) FOD works fine ( may be a tad slower than MiUi)
The camera app is weird though.

 

[laIn]

a little bit off topic but does anyone know about the quality of DAC in the pocophone f1.
Edit- i also bought blons after seeing them discussed in the thread, i had been using these very old audio technica ath-cks77x for a long time now hope these are a upgrade.

 

[red dragon]

They are indeed a huge upgrade. First thing you will notice is an apparent lack of low end, but once you upgrade the eartips and your ears get accustomed to that sound, you will be able to appreciate the sound if you go back to your old earphones and compare.
I was completely spoiled by very expensive earphones, these saved me...sorry, no idea about Pocophone, but I'm sure they will be more than adequate to drive the BLONS. My Note 10 lite drives them very easily.
Don't upgrade your source right away. Some people don't like detailed earphones and these are very detailed for their price ( and almost all known IEMs 5 times their price)
I don't have much of mid/high end portable source. They sound fantastic with very cheap DAP ( fiio m3 pro) and mobile phones. But they scale very nicely with high end stuff too ( I do have nicer non portable set ups)

Post automatically merged: Oct 4, 2020

Oh!! The camera app in pixel experience ROM is absolutely garbage..

 

[laIn]

Generally, whenever I get new headphones I sleep with them plugged in and music playing overnight, its probably placebo or something but by the time I wake up my ear become accustomed to new sounds.

If you are having trouble with camera app you can either try the Google camera port,(this is what I have been using with pixel experience on poco f1) or you can either install and camera for k20 pro, and is the port of original mi camera app, so if you liked original miui camera app better you can use the port.

 

[red dragon]

I have installed GCam or something similar. Don't use the camera much anyway, but the stock camera app in that ROM is a joke.

 

[MadAxe]

A lot of K20 Pro users here. Can someone help me with my thread Carrier Aggregation on Airtel on Redmi K20 Pro

 

[red dragon]

Will shill some more for blon.
I know nothing about electronic music, but took an Ableton certification course about a month back.
The teacher there took an album of Prodigy ( Fat of the Land) and dissected it thoroughly to show how powerful and innovative sampling can be.
(Prodigy was a huge band even in India long ago)
I've heard that album many times over with absolutely amazing speakers from Focal ( played directly from Prodigy's original Reason 5 project and various stages of production and mixing)
Now after almost 6 weeks was listening to the same album in Spotify ( nothing fancy, typical Spotify's highest quality settings with their standardized limiter applied) with T2/ BL03/ Sennheiser ie40 pro/ HD598/ AT M40X and my all time favourite Ety ER4 .
BL03 just destroyed the ER4s, sure the later is slightly more detailed ( possibly due to fantastic isolation) but everything else was better in these BLONs.
I don't usually compare anything to the Etys ( as I love them the most) as nothing ever has come close to those tiny single dynamic driver IEMs, but BL03 is definitely more musical.
It's like the difference between HD 598 and 600.
I know the 600 is better in detail retrieval, tighter and faster bass ( with the right amp of course) and I had those for a long time. But I always preferred the 598, it's much more musical, spacious and enjoyable to me despite the glaring flaws ( extremely slow bass decay)
BTW, can't find the newly released HD 560 anywhere ( online/ offline) That's going to be my last headphones.
Some of my YouTuber audiophile friends have it, but they are not willing to sell ( even at a significantly higher than MRP request)

 

[red dragon]

Finally the original T2 arrived ( not the pro/ plus versions) and already lost one of those blue foam eartips ( those fit my ears perfectly)..these are good, seriously good, don't know why they smoothened the highs in later versions.
Even 5 years ago one had to spend 300-500 USD to get this kind of sound.
Long live chi fi.

 

[dissel]

I received Blon BL-05 from the Aliexpress - Post COVID purchase, Seller is Wooeasy, Blon cable Phone Cable is free from the seller - TRN 2.5mm balanced cable bought separately - My two beloved OPPOTY

 

[cloudval]

I received Blon BL-05 from the Aliexpress

how much it cost ?around half of headfonezone ?

 

[i_rock098]

So reading all the post here about the Blon got me curious.

Whats the difference between Blon BL 03 and 05. Also how do they compare to my current favorite IEM of KZ Zs10 Pro. The Zs10 Pro is Holy shit good especially for the kind of music i listen to (heavy metal & edm). Are the Blon better in this use case?