[gr8soundz]

  The Nokia 808 was a remarkable telephone for the time, yet probably because it lacked the "Facebook features" everyone was being told to use, it failed in the marketplace. Then Microsoft bought them and the rest is history.

 
Probably? (u don't sound too sure)
 
Make no mistake, the 808 had all the smartphone features and then some including an FM transmitter (which I still use occasionally) and Facebook support pre-installed. It also had the absolute best GPS I'd used; beaten only by Nokia's own HERE maps on android.
 
Microsoft buying Nokia was one of the worst things to happen for smartphones. At least Nokia was different enough to compete with the handful of successful smartphone makers. How many of us even know someone that has a Windows smartphone?
 
Android, imo, is the least risky of all the smartphone OSes (and I've tried them all starting with Palm OS and Windows CE). Android has the most support and, even if a particular device doesn't get the latest version, it will still be able to use the majority of new apps.
 
IF the Marshall London sounds good enough, it could be the ONE portable device to have for audio without having to carry a stack and without giving up all the functionality of a decent smartphone.
 

 

[interpolate]

I wasn't sure what emoticon to use for sarcasm/sardonic so I thought probably would maybe cover it. When it came out I was already an Android user and somewhat through a contract, so I couldn't really do so much about it. Also I wouldn't want go back to using Symbian in any form or manner.
 
The Marshall London if promoted to fashionitas can do very well, although if not, it will fall behind as most people suffer from "Emperor Palpatine Complex" i.e. More power!

 

[gr8soundz]

True, Symbian isn't the best daily driver and people definitely get caught up on uber specs. They'll pass on a Snapdragon 820 to wait for the 830 version but end up getting a free dumb phone.
 
Stopped being critical of specs after realizing most apps are designed for low specs. If my 2nd gen Kindle Fire runs most apps smoothly then a 3Ghz octa-core isn't required (android 7/8 will be out by then anyway).
 
Shouldn't overpay for low spec unless the materials and custom design are worth it.
 
The Marshall will never be mainstream. Just hope its good enough.
 

 

[interpolate]

Also when things are mainstream the hype and advertising has to live up to the manifesto. Remember the Apple phone issue where people needed educated on how to hold the handset? Antenna-gate or something like that...
 
I like the simplicity and openness of Android however the inner complexities and potential from a mobile device which can pass between any device capable of driving it including Linux.
 
Apparently the next FiiO device will be running on a custom build of Android which will be good as it will allow authorised applications to be run in place of the factory installed ones. Which will also mean it be latched to your Google account, meaning you could probably stream from the cloud or download from it. That would be good, very good for me in fact.

 

[cyph3r]

I guess its not yet available of tested anywhere. Does anyone have a link with results of analysis like THD, noise etc?
 
Any info on how the amplification was implemented in this phone.
 
I expect more and more "audiophile" targeted mobile phones will be coming onto the market during the next couple of years. The most recent range of DAPs is really fantastic and you get a lot of bang for the buck, but its yet another device in your pocket. I am already carrying two mobile phones every day. Nevertheless, I think it wont be easy to get to an audio quality level of a dedicated DAP. Some components (chips, capacitors etc) that will take some more space are needed so I expect audiophile phones to be rather bigger.

 

[gr8soundz]

Been back n forth emailing Marshall (had to explain what "balanced" meant to the rep). Here's what I sent:
By balanced I mean can the two jacks work with one carrying the LEFT audio only and the other carrying the RIGHT channel?

Only a few devices (including the Pono and Sony PHA-3) can do this but it significantly improves the sound quality when using certain headphones like the Sony Z7.

If possible, please run the question by your engineers. They should be able to tell us if this feature is built-in or if it can be implemented later via software.

Expected a big fat NO but got this reply:

Good news... yes, through the equalizer app coming loaded with the phone you can adjust the jacks independently. 
One equalizer to rule them all! Use one of the pre-loaded profiles or adjust the sound to your liking and save it as a custom profile. The Global Equalizer will apply your selected profile to whichever music player you use. Accessing the equalizer is quick via the M-Button.
 

 

[Guppy_]

That sounds like if 2 people are listening to the same song, each can tune indiviually to their tastes and not the balanced question you asked

 

[interpolate]

Also the advantages of balanced connections are more headroom, reduced snr and better crosstalk levels (negligible).

 

[gr8soundz]

I read it as the phone having 2 full, separate, independent amps. If so, that's a lot of power even when compared to most DAPs
 
Setting the balance on each to opposite L and R can work as a balanced mode (or at least psuedo balanced).
 
That's gotta be a first for a portable device.
 

 

[Toom]

Probably be able to call Pluto on it.

 

[interpolate]

Truly balanced sound comes from having independant mono channels per channel along with it's own negative voltage inversion. Panning channels without that would be only phase shifting the sound side to side. Then again i might be barking up the wrong tree.

Balanced headphones is still a but if a luxury.

 

[D3Seeker]

I'm gonna be in my hundreds before I get my passion fruit. What is this thing all about, hmmmm :?

And to the mutt down talking the spec horz among us, try actually running a decently optimized device rom to it's knees with actuall use before you telling people how to look at these things.....

It certainly had more raw power than any of the stand alone media players, thpugh that no doubt only thanks to the phone part. Shame really but progress is progress I suppose, even if its baby steps spanning years apart

 

[gr8soundz]

I'm gonna be in my hundreds before I get my passion fruit. What is this thing all about, hmmmm :?

And to the mutt down talking the spec horz among us, try actually running a decently optimized device rom to it's knees with actuall use before you telling people how to look at these things.....

 
Cocaine is a hell of a drug.
 

 

[D3Seeker]

Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

 

That it is.

 

[gr8soundz]

Found link to an unboxing video of the London on Marshall's page. Guess that (and the Marshall amp in the background) makes it official? but the guy doing it looks like some homeless dude (nothing funny about homelessness but this is one of the worst unboxings I've seen). Even has a skeleton of his deceased dog behind him and apparently a dead battery since he never actually turned the London on.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go5H_eZd2fg