Google Pixel Fold Audio test

We subjected the Google Pixel Fold to our rigorous SBMARK audio test suite to measure its performance both when recording sound using its built-in microphones, and when playing audio through its speakers.
In this review, we’ll analyze how it performed in a variety of tests and several common use cases.

Overview

Key audio specs include:

• Two speakers (top left, bottom right)
• No audio output Jack

Reproduction

Registration

Google Pixel Fold performed very well in SBMARK audio tests. With a Playback score of 135, it’s the best foldable device we’ve tested to date for audio playback, thanks to a pleasant sound signature from the built-in speakers. It worked best when playing music, but it also worked well with movie content and when playing games.

In recording, the Pixel Fold was best for recording with the front camera folded. Performance is slightly degraded when opening the device and recording with the main camera, and even more when using the recorder app, which only allows monaural recording. Across all recording apps, microphones were mostly unaffected by wind noise or device handling, but lack of consistency across use cases prevented a better recording score.

Our testers were also not slightly impressed with the spatial performance in both playback and recording. However, with the Pixel Fold’s large size in its unfolded state, it should have been able to get a wider stereo output. Instead, it joined the list of foldable devices that can’t convert its form factor into an audio performance advantage.

Trial summary

Learn about SBMARK audio tests: For scoring and analysis in our smartphone audio reviews, SBMARK engineers perform a series of objective tests and undertake more than 20 hours of perceptual evaluation under controlled laboratory conditions.
(For more details on our playback protocol, click here; for more details on our recording protocol, click here.)
The following section compiles the key elements of our extensive testing and analysis performed in the SBMARK laboratories. Detailed performance evaluations in the form of reports are available upon request. Do not hesitate to contact us.

On playback, the Pixel Fold offered good overall tonal balance, focused primarily on the upper midrange and lower treble. This resulted in good clarity of most musical content, but a lack of high end extension was evident on instruments such as cymbals. Bass was decent, thanks to the good upper bass. However, low-end extension was pretty poor. Dynamic performance was good, with crisp, accurate attack and decent bass accuracy. The punch was also good, but could have done with a touch more low-to-mid energy.

The Google device also delivered decent width, but the audio scene didn’t extend beyond the physical form of the device, and given the phone’s large (unfolded) size, our testers expected something better. The balance was good but slightly offset up. Individual sound sources were easy to spot in the audio scene, and both distance and depth rendering were accurate. Our experts have found the minimum volume to be too low, making it difficult to hear quiet passages in highly dynamic content, such as classical music. Maximum volume was quite loud, however, and while volume consistency was good, our testers found the upper steps stalled. In terms of unwanted audio artifacts, our team noticed significant compression at maximum volume and heavy aliasing.

Hear about the playback performance of the smartphone tested in this comparison with some of its competitors:

Here’s how the Google Pixel Fold fares in playback use cases compared to its competitors:

Here are some sound pressure levels (SPL) measured while playing our sample recordings of hip-hop and classical music at maximum volume:

The following graph shows the gradual changes in volume from minimum to maximum. We expect these changes to be consistent across the range, so that all volume steps match user expectations:

When recording, the Pixel Fold had a nice timbre, especially when recording with the selfie camera. However, it lacked some brilliance with the main camera, and our testers also noticed dull highs when recording loud events, such as concerts. Bass was also not enough with the main camera. Like the timbre, the dynamic performance was slightly dependent on the use case. The results were best when recording with the selfie camera in the folded state of the device, with a precise envelope, sharp attack and excellent signal-to-noise ratio. The dynamic results decreased slightly when recording with the main camera and the device open, and even more with the memo app.

In terms of space, Google delivered good location and distance rendition with most apps, except for the recorder app, which doesn’t allow for stereo recording. Recording volume was decent overall, but could have been better in all use cases. Under most recording conditions, Google was virtually free of unwanted audio artifacts. However, when recording concerts or other events with high SPLs, our testers noted distortion, fairly strong compression, and a slight pumping. Background rendering was natural and artifact-free in all use cases, but lacked bass and depth most of the time.

Here’s how the Google Pixel Fold fares in recording use cases compared to its competitors:

Here are the sound levels recorded in the audio and video files, measured in LUFS (Loudness Unit Full Scale); for reference, we expect volume levels to be above -24 LUFS for recorded content:

In this audio comparison, you can hear how this smartphone handles wind noise compared to its competitors:

matrix(3) {
[“Google Pixel Fold”]=> string(70) “resources/Google/PixelFoldV2.1/GooglePixelFold_MicrophoneArtifacts.m4a”
[“Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4”]=> string(74) “resources/Google/PixelFoldV2.1/SamsungGalaxyZFold4_MicrophoneArtifacts.m4a”
[“Oppo Find N2”]=> string(65) “resources/Google/PixelFoldV2.1/OppoFindN2_MicrophoneArtifacts.m4a” }