Best Smartphone for audiophile Part II (Updated: Jan 2020)

[Results45]

I think the general consensus on the the current gen is none of them have stellar audio performance. I've never heard an Asus Rog (no microSD?), but the Sony 1 V is very good. The speakers are kinda stellar. Bluetooth very good. But wired I use a Dragonfly Cobalt, which does sound better from the Sony than my LG (V20/G8). Or better yet, from my Walkman

I've had my Sony Xperia 10 IV (the latest "10 V" has virtually identical specs) for almost 10 months and I use mine with my Hidizs S9 Pro DAC-AMP dongle when I have over-ear headphones plugged in and probably planar magnetic IEMs too if I ever get one in the future.

The reason why I went for the Xperia 10 IV/V is the battery life.

It's basically iPhone 13/14 Pro Max class battery life crammed inside of a iPhone 13/14 Pro sized shell and since the energy efficiency of the Snapdragon 695 is very similar to Apple A15/A16 you get 30-50% longer battery life across the board.

That's 23 hours of tested medium-light use (16 on the iPhone Pros) for surviving a transpacific flight with enough left for a full day of use and at least 8 days on standby with "STAMINA MODE" (5.5 days on battery saver on the iPhone Pros).

The longevity on STAMINA standby also makes it ideal for multi-day backpacking trips as I can also use it with GAIA GPS without cell service negating the need to carry around a dedicated GPS navigation device.

And regarding the 10 IV/V's older brother the Xperia 1 IV/V I'd love to have a phone with a 3.5-5X physically variable optical zooming telephoto camera as it's so insanely awesome to have lens tech that used to only exist in point-and-shoot cameras 15 years ago now shrunk down to the size of a pea and crammed inside a pill-sized module in a phone.

Alas I find much more utility in a phone that lasts 2-4 days on a charge than one with much more performance and photography capabilities (which is why I also bought a Oppo Reno 10X Zoom around the same time) but only lasts a waking day on a charge.

All that to say that it's crazy to have a phone with perfectly decent performance that keeps up with the Galaxy S9 & OnePlus 6 while lasting 2-3X on a single charge making it the perfect DAP when paired with a DAC dongle.

Oh and and it regularly gets listed on eBay for $250-$275

 

[PsiCore]

Does the Asus Zenfone 10 have similar game sound tuning like the ROG series? Or is it more focused on natural music sound?

 

[Results45]

Does the Asus Zenfone 10 have similar game sound tuning like the ROG series? Or is it more focused on natural music sound?

Well it has a headphone jack and decent battery life (no dedicated internal DAC-AMP of course)

 

[352178]

In Europe, there are still new Xperia 10 III phones, for about 250 EUR and 24 months warranty. I like that the display flickers at 61% and below, unlike the Xperia 10 IV that flickers at all brightness settings. Can somebody comment on the audio and the phone itself, please? Plus, it has better recording capabilities.

 

[boodi]

V30 still can be found new in box on eBay, so can G8X too
https://www.ebay.com/itm/185604712822?epid=5011101774

I have ( still ) v30 v40 v50 v60 , and some $$daps .

Remaining in the realm of of p2p ratio and whats better nowdayas , I would higly advice the v60 , I ever-so-slightly prefer the v40 and v50 with the Sabre dac' Meridian tuning favor , and lately use the v60 for convenience - anyhow i can't say that v60 dac' set and sound is inferior v40, at all . v30 felt a bit mechanical and raw at a point so i left it behind .

I could go around with my 1zm2 and ibasso dx300 max but - frankly - it's not 30x better difference as price would suggest ( speaking sound only here , not power/voltage etc) so I rule them out for extra-portable use with low ohm iem

Ow , i am typing from v60 while listening to superb music through it in a park at moment , not feel miss an inch of sound quality and feel so lightweight.

 

[boodi]

Btw i bought another one (used v60: cheap too...) in case it dies

 

[boodi]

Last thing a trick I learned from my 1zm2 , put airplane mode ON to gain half inch in sound quaility, may be placebo ymmv may work on a phone not another but...

 

[andrewski]

Last thing a trick I learned from my 1zm2 , put airplane mode ON to gain half inch in sound quaility, may be placebo ymmv may work on a phone not another but...

Airplane mode gives me a half inch when using my Dragonfly Cobalt dongle as well. I've appreciated the difference more and more over time

 

[reverbhifi]

Oh. Just knew that.

Hi Guys,

It's 2023 so probably not many are still using the Vivo Nex S but I am

So after trying the Russian workaround without success as well as messaging Vivo support to add UAPP and Qobuz to the HIFI list, I finally found a useable workaround

- download a long empty MP3 (found an 8 hr one)
- download VLC media player and enable it in HIFI mode
- add a VLC widget and have this file loaded
- in UAPP, set to internal hi res mode as Artpiggo suggested
- once you play UAPP, press play on your VLC widget and play the empty file in parallel which triggers HIFI mode
- disable all app sound notifications as they will interrupt this mode
- if you notice the volume dropping just press play on this empty VLC widget again
- Qobuz directly doesn't work as it's interrupted by VLC
- if you skip tracks HIFI sign will disappear however continues playing through HIFI mode until you notice a volume drop
- if you receive a call, just note that UAPP will continue playing unless you stop it
- with this combination I tried my BWP7, B and O, Keff headphones etc and even my Marshall earbuds and all sound more natural comlered to thr LG G8X or even my trusty LG BO Hfi Plus module from the G5 days
- Nex S as a phone runs great and with a Nova Launcher is almost stock like
cheers

 

[artpiggo]

Hi Guys,

It's 2023 so probably not many are still using the Vivo Nex S but I am

So after trying the Russian workaround without success as well as messaging Vivo support to add UAPP and Qobuz to the HIFI list, I finally found a useable workaround

- download a long empty MP3 (found an 8 hr one)
- download VLC media player and enable it in HIFI mode
- add a VLC widget and have this file loaded
- in UAPP, set to internal hi res mode as Artpiggo suggested
- once you play UAPP, press play on your VLC widget and play the empty file in parallel which triggers HIFI mode
- disable all app sound notifications as they will interrupt this mode
- if you notice the volume dropping just press play on this empty VLC widget again
- Qobuz directly doesn't work as it's interrupted by VLC
- if you skip tracks HIFI sign will disappear however continues playing through HIFI mode until you notice a volume drop
- if you receive a call, just note that UAPP will continue playing unless you stop it
- with this combination I tried my BWP7, B and O, Keff headphones etc and even my Marshall earbuds and all sound more natural comlered to thr LG G8X or even my trusty LG BO Hfi Plus module from the G5 days
- Nex S as a phone runs great and with a Nova Launcher is almost stock like
cheers

correct. this is the way I use silence.mp3 and everything play together got Hi-Fi for vivo.

 

[reverbhifi]

correct. this is the way I use silence.mp3 and everything play together got Hi-Fi for vivo.

Since you are the Vivo expert, here comes the next question

- Newer flagships like X80 pro have a built in CS43131 but no 3.5 jack
Have you been able to test UAPP/Qobuz using an analog pass through dongle (and where to get one anyway?) to utilize the internal DAC? If so how is the quality

- the challenge with newer flagships is having to use an active dongle with its own built in DAC, when you play true hi res that is Qobuz via UAPP, then every time you get a call you have to disconnect the dongle and UAPP driver manually
- other 3.5 flagships like Xperia don't have a built in ESS/Cirrus professional DAC
- that leaves the newer Vivo flagships again as the only potential solution. Problem is they aren't available in the UK so can't test. Can anyone confirm how it goes with either X80 pro global or X90 pro Global? Soomal says X80 pro sounds better even though both use the same CS43131. They don't say anything about UAPP or Qobuz though

Thanks

 

[artpiggo]

Since you are the Vivo expert, here comes the next question

- Newer flagships like X80 pro have a built in CS43131 but no 3.5 jack
Have you been able to test UAPP/Qobuz using an analog pass through dongle (and where to get one anyway?) to utilize the internal DAC? If so how is the quality

- the challenge with newer flagships is having to use an active dongle with its own built in DAC, when you play true hi res that is Qobuz via UAPP, then every time you get a call you have to disconnect the dongle and UAPP driver manually
- other 3.5 flagships like Xperia don't have a built in ESS/Cirrus professional DAC
- that leaves the newer Vivo flagships again as the only potential solution. Problem is they aren't available in the UK so can't test. Can anyone confirm how it goes with either X80 pro global or X90 pro Global? Soomal says X80 pro sounds better even though both use the same CS43131. They don't say anything about UAPP or Qobuz though

Thanks

answer to the
"Newer flagships like X80 pro have a built in CS43131 but no 3.5 jack analog pass through dongle (and where to get one anyway?) to utilize the internal DAC? If so how is the quality"

vivo has sold the separate usb c to 3.5 mm (no dac inside the dongle, it will utilize internal dac of vivo phone) I never experience it though.
Note: the vivo phone that is compatible is only vivo that has no 3.5 mm port, has only usb c.

I don't buy more vivo phone. I might buy one for collection once I see cheap second hand price.

 

[reverbhifi]

answer to the
"Newer flagships like X80 pro have a built in CS43131 but no 3.5 jack analog pass through dongle (and where to get one anyway?) to utilize the internal DAC? If so how is the quality"

vivo has sold the separate usb c to 3.5 mm (no dac inside the dongle, it will utilize internal dac of vivo phone) I never experience it though.
Note: the vivo phone that is compatible is only vivo that has no 3.5 mm port, has only usb c.


I don't buy more vivo phone. I might buy one for collection once I see cheap second hand price.

I will probably do that same but hard to find a deal! As it stands, I tried the G8X and Nex S as I couldn't source a decent V60. G8X was on A9 and stayed that way but is both laggy and screen is looking outdated with the notch. Strangely enough, Nex S has an older processor but performs much better as a daily driver and with the HIFI workaround sounds better on headphones I have. Granted, aux our into a speaker and the G8X goes louder but is just too boomy and harsh for over the ears. I believe the last flagship with a professional grade DAC was the Rog 5S, but i couldnt try before selling out and I heard bad things about signal issues, updates, camera etc...

So is the Nex S the end of the road before going dongled up and having to disconnect the dongle everyone to switch from UAPP driver to a phonecall? That would be not ideal at all

 

[artpiggo]

I will probably do that same but hard to find a deal! As it stands, I tried the G8X and Nex S as I couldn't source a decent V60. G8X was on A9 and stayed that way but is both laggy and screen is looking outdated with the notch. Strangely enough, Nex S has an older processor but performs much better as a daily driver and with the HIFI workaround sounds better on headphones I have. Granted, aux our into a speaker and the G8X goes louder but is just too boomy and harsh for over the ears. I believe the last flagship with a professional grade DAC was the Rog 5S, but i couldnt try before selling out and I heard bad things about signal issues, updates, camera etc...

So is the Nex S the end of the road before going dongled up and having to disconnect the dongle everyone to switch from UAPP driver to a phonecall? That would be not ideal at all

Correct. For me, I am going to buy iphone 15 and use it with dongle dac instead. As android, if using external dac, might not process bit perfect when using apple music app as it is my daily app for HiRes Lossless streaming.

I will go back to android phone once the bit perfect lossless usb audio working app-wide.

 

[reverbhifi]

Correct. For me, I am going to buy iphone 15 and use it with dongle dac instead. As android, if using external dac, might not process bit perfect when using apple music app as it is my daily app for HiRes Lossless streaming.

I will go back to android phone once the bit perfect lossless usb audio working app-wide.

With USB C finally coming that makes sense as Qobuz would also go lossless natively u like Android - challenge is certain apps like Blackberry hub etc... don't work on iPhone it will be a major shift but look forward to hearing your experience shifting to IOS - I need encouragement

On another note - some claim Qobuz bypasses android sampling on certain phones however using my Hiby FC3 the lights only play right when on UAPP driver. Any experience with that? To my ears the only app that sounded CD like was Qobuz