I got my Meizu 16th global a few days ago and could compare it now to the Meizu Pro 5.
The first minutes I must admit I was really disappointed about the sound quality in comparison but later on I found that the sound quality wasn't actually that bad.
I listened to the following devices:
- Speakers: Direct Amp Input (passthroughing everything else in there) of Yamaha RX-V 1200 connected to HECO Metas 700
- Cheap Panasonic In-ear headphones (about 30€ a pair - I still find them very comfortable to wear)
- Meizu HD50 Headphones
I listened only on Spotify, mostly new but also some dated electronic music:
When listening on the 16th and the Pro 5 (switching more than 100 times between those devices
those were the things coming to my mind concerning the 16th sound:
- less dynamic
- less punch
- less precision
- less differentiated
- highs are good but still not on the same level
- good clarity
- softer
- by direct comparison "unexcited"
- Still, plays with everything with ease, meaning it does not sound "stressed"
- very deep basses were a little less deep than on Pro5
- less bright
- slightly less detailed
- bass sounds a little softer
- good voices (the bit more of softness might be sometimes an advantage for the 16th)
- also good stage, although not as good as Pro 5
- differences on headphones less obvious
- especially bass differences were with speakers much more obvious (punch, roughness better on Pro 5)
- highs were sometimes less "edgy" / "scratchy" -> felt sometimes actually better on 16th
- sounds sometimes like there is a filter in between taking away "directness" or clarity
- in general softer sound
- older songs with lower quality and higher noise level sounded better on 16th
- sound on my cheaper headphone nearly as good on the 16th as it is on the pro5 - on high volumes it sounds much more scratchy on Pro 5
At that point I was a bit disappointed and was actually considering to put it on ebay to sell right away.
Then I compared the 16th to the Xiaomi Mipad 4 (SD 660):
- more clarity
- less noise
- more loudness / dynamic
- 16th sounds great to max. volume where the Mipad doesn't
- both have a rather soft sound compared to Pro 5
- Mipad sounds a bit like a tape deck in comparison to Pro 5 & 16th XD
- Mipad:really bad sound on higher levels
- Mipad: bass sounds broken
So overall, I am still not finally decided if I keep the 16th.
The device itself is absolutely incredible concerning everything else.
Sound is good too overall, but it lacks a bit of charachter in my opinion, everything sounds good and clear but there is definitely something missing and it is not the device I would choose to just sit down and listen for 1 or 2 hours on my stereo to my most favourite tracks...
