[andrewski]

I am still on LG G8, but unfortunately, the battery is lasting less and less, so I will need a solution soon.
Despite all the good stuff on LG G8, the glued-in battery is a real bummer!
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/LG+G8+ThinQ+Battery+Replacement/146108

Pretty soon I'll need to buy a Sony, or finance my first Samsung

 

[homesickmadmax]

I am still on LG G8, but unfortunately, the battery is lasting less and less, so I will need a solution soon.
Despite all the good stuff on LG G8, the glued-in battery is a real bummer!
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/LG+G8+ThinQ+Battery+Replacement/146108

Wait for it a couple of years:

 

[korzh]

I have 3 audio phones ( Meizu Pro 6 Plus , Xplay 5S & Xplay 6).
I have 2 USB dongles ( S9 Pro & Link2 Bal ) & a Topping DX7 Pro.
I have a Spirit Pro , Listen Pro & Elegia.

While they sound awesome , i don't use Xplay 5S & 6 anymore.
Mainly because of the UI.
I use S9 Pro with Pro 6 Plus (plug & play) and Listen Pro.
I use DX7 Pro with Galaxy S7 (LDAC) and Elegia.
I didn't use Link2 Bal since i received it , but i think it would switch with S9 Pro to be use with Listen Pro.

While Xplay 5S may be the TOFL in audio smartphone segment , to me S9 Pro does everything XPlay 5S does , but better : soundstage , level of detail , neutrality ...

Really , you should take a look to #donglemadness and find something that suit you taste in the TOP10 - TOP20.

Hi! Again. Since I over and over thinking about future phone and dongle, can you please update what you use right now and what you think is better now?

I get audiotechnika a2000z and wonder why i not listen it earlier - the same drivers as audiotechnica ath es10, but sound so different,

And of course, for driving this headphones you need a "a drop dead power" amplifier

If I wil have a chance in future , I will buy audiotechnica audiotechnica 2000ti

So to what should I look in future?

And another question - friend of mine just want a good sounding phone on a new android, And I tell him, that there is no solution for this right now, you can only get regular phone + usb dongle

So the point now is which dongle now significantly better than xplay5s and xplay6

 

[TheUnknow]

Hi! Again. Since I over and over thinking about future phone and dongle, can you please update what you use right now and what you think is better now?

I get audiotechnika a2000z and wonder why i not listen it earlier - the same drivers as audiotechnica ath es10, but sound so different,

And of course, for driving this headphones you need a "a drop dead power" amplifier

If I wil have a chance in future , I will buy audiotechnica audiotechnica 2000ti

So to what should I look in future?

And another question - friend of mine just want a good sounding phone on a new android, And I tell him, that there is no solution for this right now, you can only get regular phone + usb dongle

So the point now is which dongle now significantly better than xplay5s and xplay6

Still using the DX7 Pro with Elegia.
Now , i'm using Topping G5 with Listen Pro , portable endgame to me. No need for anything else.
Here is a test that compare G5 with S9 Pro.

Dongle + smartphone is the best option right now so check out this channel : AndyAudioVault.
To bad DongleMadness delete their website , otherwise i would have tell you to go and find a dongle that fit your taste.

 

[352178]

+1 for the Listen Pro with ESS DAC. I use the LG V10 and the integrity with the ESS treble extension and Listen Pro`s sparkling treble is incredible. Not all ESS, though, the E1DA 9038 was laughable. I would buy a refurbished LG G7 from AliExpress. I bought one for $ 100 or so, battery life was 93%, according to Accubattery Pro. The XDuoo Link2 Bal is great, but no match for LG V10. Its CS DAC is musical and analogue sounding...but there is just something magical how the LG V10 integrates treble extension with deep bass, without sounding V- or W-shaped. I have been comparing them for the last few hours. Next, I would want to try the Ibasso DX170, since I am not ready et to splurge for the Fiio M15. A good, portable, light and affordable dongle is the 7Hz 71, which is surprisingly good sounding, especially with Focal Listen Pro. But it is no match for the LG G7, nor is the Xduoo Link2 Bal (which sounds bad on balanced with HD 599 SE - compressed and congested). Plus, the G7 has higher PWM frequency than the G8 and is much better on the eyes.

 

[andrewski]

That's hilarious that a G7 might be my best option to upgrade (battery at least) from my G8 I do think G7's speaker would be an upgrade over G8.

I was looking at new Samsungs, and without a microSD I need 512G. Only their enormous Ultra has that much storage.

We need a new thread for smallest phone with microSD that doesn't suck at Bluetooth

 

[352178]

I haven't tried the G8, but G7 has an excellent speaker. It was praised at Gsmarena's review. I took a ULM version (USA unlocked) with Android 9, because I didn't want Android 10 on the Korean one. Although it was remarkable, I sent the latter back. G7 in High impedance mode shows unique, top of the line bass with Kz Pr1 Pro. Thick, thumpy and fast, well controlled... unheard of at this price range.I bought mine from 99100 store in AliExpress. It's sounds is tremendously detailed and dynamic, almost too much, almost aggressive. It shines with DSD scans from vynil. And the phone's blazingly fast and smooth in multitasking.
There's a highly specialized service centre nearby..The tech guy says it's very easy for him to change the glued battery for $ 25, excluding the price of the battery. He says the newer Google Pixel phones have substances as thick as concrete and impossible to deal with. We all love Google, don't we...

 

[poskus]

hello,boys, i want smartphone for music only use as dap. what is at moment best smartphones for with 2.5, 3.5 or 4.4 jack,512Gb memory or micrSD slot and with LDAC,lhdc or aptx HD bluetooth codecs,wifi 2.4 and 5 ghz .

or better idea get good DAP ? im see at prices range smartphone 400-700eur or dap 500-1000eur. I know for used ones can get for lower prices,even top noch older models, but think want buy new for use few years.

 

[botmann]

It's really hard to recommend any phone with all the wants/needs you have asked. Not many phones have headphone ports; almost all flagship phones got rid of the years ago. Bluetooh is way too popular and convienent for the general population to really ever come back.

WiFi, most newer phones will include WiFi 6; many flagships will have 6E. I wouldn't worry about the WiFi.

Because of the no headphone jack, phones will include better bluetooth. Phones released within the last year, most will have Bluetooth 5.2. Flagship models, many will have 5.3. Codecs is a different story. Most phones will have either LDAC or AptX. AptX will vary to which version. Companies like Samsung do not include the newest AptX because they don't want to pay for the licensing. Plus, I think it is because most people's Bluetooth devices will include not newer codecs; thus lack of demand.

If you go with the USBC dongle such as a DAC/Amp, it doesn't really matter. Many will have a headphone jack. Most do not do Bluetooth transmission because they're designed for wired headphones. The FiiO BTR5 or BTR7 are a good bang for the dollar and are pretty robust considering what they are able to drive. They do have a more balanced sound and can be slightly technical. It's a good sound to most, even though they may not love it. If you something easy to drive, a cheapy USBC to 3.5mm adapter may be sufficient. All smartphones have a DAC, but most consumers don't give a care with one it is as long as it sounds ok. Plus, many use headphones that are bass heavy so like it matters anyway.

You should be able to find several phones with SD cards slots. Although, this is starting to disappear. iPhone has never had it. Samsung started removing it. Middle and lower tiers still include it. The current flagship don't have it; I read it may be coming back with the new version.

That said, LG seems to come up often with better audio than most. Samsung, I think, is decent, but no audiophile is going to recommend it. They're solid phones overall. Does almost everything pretty good, but nothing perfectly. I wouldn't recommend one for audiophile listening. Good support, lots of hacker/root community, screen, SOC chip (snapdragon), 4 year Android support, RAM, one UI, DEX, are reasons why I would. I use my S23U all the time with bluetooth TWS headphones (Soundpeats) or Focal Bathys, lapdocks, and so forth.

 

[poskus]

It's really hard to recommend any phone with all the wants/needs you have asked. Not many phones have headphone ports; almost all flagship phones got rid of the years ago. Bluetooh is way too popular and convienent for the general population to really ever come back.

WiFi, most newer phones will include WiFi 6; many flagships will have 6E. I wouldn't worry about the WiFi.

Because of the no headphone jack, phones will include better bluetooth. Phones released within the last year, most will have Bluetooth 5.2. Flagship models, many will have 5.3. Codecs is a different story. Most phones will have either LDAC or AptX. AptX will vary to which version. Companies like Samsung do not include the newest AptX because they don't want to pay for the licensing. Plus, I think it is because most people's Bluetooth devices will include not newer codecs; thus lack of demand.

If you go with the USBC dongle such as a DAC/Amp, it doesn't really matter. Many will have a headphone jack. Most do not do Bluetooth transmission because they're designed for wired headphones. The FiiO BTR5 or BTR7 are a good bang for the dollar and are pretty robust considering what they are able to drive. They do have a more balanced sound and can be slightly technical. It's a good sound to most, even though they may not love it. If you something easy to drive, a cheapy USBC to 3.5mm adapter may be sufficient. All smartphones have a DAC, but most consumers don't give a care with one it is as long as it sounds ok. Plus, many use headphones that are bass heavy so like it matters anyway.

You should be able to find several phones with SD cards slots. Although, this is starting to disappear. iPhone has never had it. Samsung started removing it. Middle and lower tiers still include it. The current flagship don't have it; I read it may be coming back with the new version.

That said, LG seems to come up often with better audio than most. Samsung, I think, is decent, but no audiophile is going to recommend it. They're solid phones overall. Does almost everything pretty good, but nothing perfectly. I wouldn't recommend one for audiophile listening. Good support, lots of hacker/root community, screen, SOC chip (snapdragon), 4 year Android support, RAM, one UI, DEX, are reasons why I would. I use my S23U all the time with bluetooth TWS headphones (Soundpeats) or Focal Bathys, lapdocks, and so forth.

i have focal bathys too, paired with focal stellia and meze rai penta IEMs. oppo x3 is good for music. has 3.5 output. yes,newer model dont have headphone outputs or microsd cards. so,better look to dap this time. thanks for long story .

 

[andrewski]

Last year I gave up looking for a phone and got a DAP. The Sony NW-WM1AM2. Loved it so much I got the ZM2. Turns out, I still need a phone. Bought the new Sony Xperia. It has a headphone jack, microSD, and is expensive. Hope I like it

 

[poskus]

Last year I gave up looking for a phone and got a DAP. The Sony NW-WM1AM2. Loved it so much I got the ZM2. Turns out, I still need a phone. Bought the new Sony Xperia. It has a headphone jack, microSD, and is expensive. Hope I like it

what xperia?

 

[andrewski]

what xperia?

1 V with 512G green. Getting it this week

 

[bixby]

Wait for it a couple of years:

'Bout freaking time.

FWIW- I have owned the V10, V20, V30, G6 and G7 thinQ. V10 is a bit special and the one with the most presence region push. G7 is my fave overall detailed and balanced.

I have one of the minty G7s up on the bay under cymruroots. Although after reading how some of these supposed great dongles not doing so well against it, I may be keeping it. haha.

 

[Results45]

Hey all, it's been a while since I last posted an updated version of the "Smartphones that Still have a 3.5mm Headphone Jack" list. Been pretty busy with work, family, and extracurriculars but I am still keeping up with new phone industry releases so that I'm aware of which brands to update first.

Asus (Zenfone & ROG Phone) and Sony (all recent & new Xperia models I believe) are still going strong with keeping headphone jacks in all their models. Motorola/Lenovo/Legion-Xiaomi/Poco/Blackshark-ZTE/Red Magic-Infinix-Nokia-TCL all seem to be still keeping the jack in a decent fraction of their midrangers & gaming models while Samsung has let it slip from all models except for A1x/M1x/F1x & A2x/M2x & M3x series. BBK Electronics (OnePlus-Oppo-Vivo-Realme), Huawei, and Honor (now owned by SZNIT) seems to be following suit after Samsung.

IIRC Apple has had no new phones with a 3.5mm jack since the iPhone 6S & OG iPhone SE while Google dropped it entirely after the Pixel 5a and Fairphone as well after the Fairphone 3+. LG, HTC, and Blackberry have all seemingly bowed out of the smartphone space for now though all three companies are still working on other kinds of cool tech -- never say never but I wouldn't keep up my hopes either.

I am actually very curious about any experience you guys might have with the stock 3.5mm audio output quality and performance from the Zenfone 9 & 10 compared to Xperia, ROG, LG, and HTC phones

And as always I recommend investing in a 5000-7000mAh phone + AMP-DAC dongle combo with multiple balanced outputs (Fiio KA3/KA5, Hidizs XO/S9 Pro, Cayin RU6/RU7 are all extremely good at their respective price points) as a high quality pocketable audio solution for $350-$850 over a dedicated, fully integrated $1000-$3000+ DAP of equivalent performance, features, and battery life.