imparanoic
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2016
- Posts
- 426
- Likes
- 119
i decent branded rugged case which does not bend will resolve this problem, but for a flagship phone, bad design fault nevertheless.
Best Smartphone for audiophile Part II (Updated: Jan 2020)
- Thread starter artpiggo
- Start date
-
- Tags
- smartphones
boodi
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2001
- Posts
- 7,001
- Likes
- 1,565
I have the Lg v30 and 2x v40 ( one defective ) ; I'm minding buying the v60 ; I would use it the most with Sony Z1r iem ,and Onkyo A800 (full size low impedence and needs more bits of voltage to sound as intended) ; both definitely benefit very much from a good bass source/amp . The v30 sounds grippy and fast but sometimes feels like it lacks dynamics power i.e. control on bass , and timbral fidelity is average to good , or quite lacking at timesBrief comparison of devices I tried lately: LG V60, LG V50, Spectra X (portable usb dac), Qudelix 5k (portable bluetooth+usb dac), Meizu USB DAC Pro (portable usb dac), and my old devices: LG V30, Meizu Pro5 (HiFi Phone)
Compare in terms of: Bass quality, Fullness, Balance, Resolution and details
LG V60 (US hw model, US Cellular firmware)
Bass quality 10
- The best I have heard, very realistic. All types of drums sounds realistic and energetic. And able to move quite amount of air, never had this kind of experience with my all BA IEM (64 Audio U12).
Fullness and tone 10
- Full sounding from mids to lows, and tone is natural and realistic everywhere.
Balance 10
- From highs to lows are quite well balanced, satisfying and fits all music genres.
Resolution and details 9
- Maybe the highs could be more airy
Overall: a huge league above other LG hifi phones. And also better than other hifi phones, portable dacs.
Looks like the design of ES9219 works, based on ES9218 with extra circuit to remove the need of custom tuning. I am not a fan of custom tuning.
(attention: need to make sure the jack is in 'normal audio device mode'. more than 50% chance it detected my IEM as external device, and the sound is bad.)
LG V50 (V500N Korean model hw and firmware)
Bass quality 5
- Bass drum doesn't sound realistic. And there is an area of bass frequency that is blurred.
Fullness and tone 6
- Sound characteristic is like many Japanese portable audio devices. The mids and bass are not full, I don't know how to describe this, it sounds 'small and sweet', instead of 'big and bold'. I feel that the sound is intentionally tuned to be like this (to fit asian market?).
Balance 8
- Not bad, slightly bass light.
Resolution and details 9
- Very good resolution and details, except the area of blurred bass frequency. otherwise it will be 10.
Overall: the dac chip is good. the but the tuning is not for all audience, not for all types of music.
Spectra X
Bass quality 8
- The transparency and amount of bass is great. However kick drum lacks density and realistic-ness, I can hear it, but can not feel it.
Fullness and tone 9
- Great, full and warm. Not as 'energetic' and LG V60. Driving power is better than other phones and portable dacs.
Balance 10
- Great, enjoyable
Resolution and details 9
- Great.
Overall: the best portable usb dac I have tried. the only little issue is the density of an area of bass.
Qudelix 5k
Bass quality 9
- Great.
Fullness and tone 6
- Not full, on the lean side, especially in the lower mids area.
Balance 9
- Okay, on the lean side.
Resolution and details 10
- The best of all of these I have tried. So fast, so detailed!
Overall: maybe that's due to the limitation of power, as a battery powered small bluetooth device and need to have long operation time. It is a great device given the limitation. But not for me, if all portable bluetooth DACs are like this, then I will not buy any of them in the future.
Meizu USB DAC Pro
Bass quality 9
- Great.
Fullness and tone 9
- Great, and alot of driving power.
Balance 8
- A little bit too much bass
Resolution and details 7
- Not as detailed as others.
Overall: Main issue is detail,resolution, and a little bit too much bass. But given the price, it is the best value.
LG V30 (Tmobile edition, no special sound tuning)
Bass quality 9
- Great, but not as good as V60
Fullness and tone 8
- Good, but not as good as V60. V60 is more 'realistic' everywhere.
Balance 9
- Good, a little on the lean side.
Resolution and details 10
- Great, I tend to think it is more detailed and more airy than V60.
Overall: Without special tuning, the sound is better.
Meizu Pro5
Bass quality 9
- Great, but not as good as V60
Fullness and tone 9
- Great, but not as good as V60. V60 is more 'realistic' everywhere.
Balance 10
- Great
Resolution and details 9
- Great, not as good as V30
Overall: Very good. I like it more than all other phones, except V60.
Side notes:
I have tried several phones with 'big audio brand' tuning, including LG V20 B&O edition, LG V50 (Meridian tuned), Meridian USB DAC, Meizu Pro5 special firmware versions which has audio algorithms tuned by 'famous musicians'.
After some time I either returned / sold them, or flashed firmware back to 'stock' edition. Because the sound got special unnatural treatments here and there, make the device not suitable for all types of musics and headphones.
I don't know why, I can only guess, these big brands or musicians have their special types of favorite music, and their special headphones. they tuned the dac based on their special artistic perspective.
Do you think it makes sense to go from v30 to v60 , is the upgrade in sound worth ?
I also have use fiio Q5s-TC as reference portable amp/dac ( sound signature of the Monolith THX ) , and was *very surprised to notice that v30 and v40 in usb out + bit-perfect mode sound different when feeding the Q5s-TC ( the different tuning is still there , to a lower extent but can be heard well ) ; which of course I did not expect at all.
the Qudelix 5k is too lean / some timbres are kind of light ( or lacking body ,whatever) and the Q5s-TC sounds quite much better ,I'm selling it too along v30 and v40 eventually
Last edited:
boodi
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2001
- Posts
- 7,001
- Likes
- 1,565
Fast findings of mine ( comparison/confirmation of @yfei findings )
LGv30 ( no tuning )
PRAT 9 : the v30 is fast.., and fun to listen to.
Bass quantity / quality 7 : right enough and even a bit more of that, considering it is an ultra convenient portable gear.
Separation 7 : same .
Timber fidelity 7 : same .
Fullness 8 : sound is rich ,a little compressed at times . Uncapable though to resolve well the most intricate passages .
Balance 8.5 : balanced in the 3 parts bass mids and highs , not really V shaped
Resolution and details 8 : good/very good for portable
Soundstage 6.5 : a bit short , depending on track and genre can feel constricted .
Dynamics 7 : decent dynamics
Power / drivers handling 7 : good enough for i.e.m.e and most mainstream low impedence medium and high tier headphones , not for all though some of them will want or need more handling power.
Extras: on bitperfect USB-out, the v30 sounds better then v40 .
Lgv40 ( Meridian tuning )
PRAT 9 the v40 is as fast as the v30 , identical , very fun .
Bass quantity / quality 6.5 : Meridian tuning is a slight re-touch and refinement to the bareback soundisgnature of the v30 , like @yfei reported . I admit bass has less grip and less impact then on v30 -tighter bass-, it can sound a bit bloated with a lower midbass range more loose then on v30 . Equalizing can change a little this character , anyhow this "added bloat " gives more stage depth too .The reach of bass is rhougly same but v40 has longer lower-bass decay , v30 is drier .
Meridian opted for a less upfront and more dreamy like presentation in general with v40 : with a bass that is more far and less congested then on v30 , and more wet too ; more separate from the rest which I appreciate . Bass has an aplomb that is missing on v30 , and be it artificial or not , makes for a more textured bottom . I like it. I would like to tell that at Meridian they know how to handle sound well..., .. but that it might not be for super-purists . If someone has the chance to listen to Pink Floyd on a full Meridian rig he will likely stumble as me into an unexpected experience he will probably remember for long .
Separation 8 : separation and presentation is overall better then on v30 for some added (artificial? or not ) space among music parts.
Timber fidelity 6.5 : the sound presentation is more spacious and soundstaging - engaging and interesting , at the cost of a little less timber fidelity for instruments , then on v30.
Fullness 7 : sound is less congested then on v30 , not lean still , with a nicer wet quality for bass ; and on the other hand as uncapable as v30 to decipher effortlessly the more intricate music ensamble passages .
Balance 8 : balanced in the 3 parts bass mids and highs , a hint of V shape with smoother frequencies transients ; v30 is just more linearly upfront .
Resolution and details 8.5 : half inch better then v30 to my ears , at least for a little less compressed presentation some details result more immediately discernible
Soundstage 8 : a noch better then v30 , hi-fi effects echoes depth of field and stereo imaging are reproduced with a better level of refinement.
Dynamics 7 : as v30
Power / drivers handling 6.5 : very slightly behind v30 to my ears (and headphones)
Extras : on regular headphones out I prefer it to the v30 , the sound is less rough and more pleasing on the long , makes for a more comfortable listen too .
v30 is still fast and engaging being a fraction more gripping , upfront ; my preference for everyday portable fast ready solution goes without many doubts today to the v40 , for its slightly different presentation
Qudelix 5k
PRAT 7
Bass quantity/quality 7
Separation 9
Timber fidelity 7.5
Fullness 5.5
Balance 9
Resolution and details 8
Soundstage 8
Dynamics 7.5
Power / drivers handling 7
Extras : it sounds a bit lean . And like a good or very good student depending on genres .
E1da 9038s
PRAT 6.5
Bass quantity/quality 6
Separation 8
Timber fidelity 8.5
Fullness 7
Balance 8
Resolution and details 9
Soundstage 9
Dynamics 5
Power / drivers handling 10 ( enough power to blow any headphones drivers I guess)
Extras : it sounds a bit flat or too flat. Analytical too . Dynamics are really missing .
Fiio Q5s-TC
PRAT 8.5
Bass quantity/quality 9.5
Separation 9.5
Timber fidelity 9.5
Fullness 9
Balance 9.5
Resolution and details 9.5
Soundstage 8
Dynamics 9
Power / drivers handling 9
Extras : it sounds like a dream if one considers the portable-size factor. It shows authority and control almost anywhere , eq proof , and I suspect also it shares some signature with the Monolith THX which I will have later this year .
LGv30 ( no tuning )
PRAT 9 : the v30 is fast.., and fun to listen to.
Bass quantity / quality 7 : right enough and even a bit more of that, considering it is an ultra convenient portable gear.
Separation 7 : same .
Timber fidelity 7 : same .
Fullness 8 : sound is rich ,a little compressed at times . Uncapable though to resolve well the most intricate passages .
Balance 8.5 : balanced in the 3 parts bass mids and highs , not really V shaped
Resolution and details 8 : good/very good for portable
Soundstage 6.5 : a bit short , depending on track and genre can feel constricted .
Dynamics 7 : decent dynamics
Power / drivers handling 7 : good enough for i.e.m.e and most mainstream low impedence medium and high tier headphones , not for all though some of them will want or need more handling power.
Extras: on bitperfect USB-out, the v30 sounds better then v40 .
Lgv40 ( Meridian tuning )
PRAT 9 the v40 is as fast as the v30 , identical , very fun .
Bass quantity / quality 6.5 : Meridian tuning is a slight re-touch and refinement to the bareback soundisgnature of the v30 , like @yfei reported . I admit bass has less grip and less impact then on v30 -tighter bass-, it can sound a bit bloated with a lower midbass range more loose then on v30 . Equalizing can change a little this character , anyhow this "added bloat " gives more stage depth too .The reach of bass is rhougly same but v40 has longer lower-bass decay , v30 is drier .
Meridian opted for a less upfront and more dreamy like presentation in general with v40 : with a bass that is more far and less congested then on v30 , and more wet too ; more separate from the rest which I appreciate . Bass has an aplomb that is missing on v30 , and be it artificial or not , makes for a more textured bottom . I like it. I would like to tell that at Meridian they know how to handle sound well..., .. but that it might not be for super-purists . If someone has the chance to listen to Pink Floyd on a full Meridian rig he will likely stumble as me into an unexpected experience he will probably remember for long .
Separation 8 : separation and presentation is overall better then on v30 for some added (artificial? or not ) space among music parts.
Timber fidelity 6.5 : the sound presentation is more spacious and soundstaging - engaging and interesting , at the cost of a little less timber fidelity for instruments , then on v30.
Fullness 7 : sound is less congested then on v30 , not lean still , with a nicer wet quality for bass ; and on the other hand as uncapable as v30 to decipher effortlessly the more intricate music ensamble passages .
Balance 8 : balanced in the 3 parts bass mids and highs , a hint of V shape with smoother frequencies transients ; v30 is just more linearly upfront .
Resolution and details 8.5 : half inch better then v30 to my ears , at least for a little less compressed presentation some details result more immediately discernible
Soundstage 8 : a noch better then v30 , hi-fi effects echoes depth of field and stereo imaging are reproduced with a better level of refinement.
Dynamics 7 : as v30
Power / drivers handling 6.5 : very slightly behind v30 to my ears (and headphones)
Extras : on regular headphones out I prefer it to the v30 , the sound is less rough and more pleasing on the long , makes for a more comfortable listen too .
v30 is still fast and engaging being a fraction more gripping , upfront ; my preference for everyday portable fast ready solution goes without many doubts today to the v40 , for its slightly different presentation
Qudelix 5k
PRAT 7
Bass quantity/quality 7
Separation 9
Timber fidelity 7.5
Fullness 5.5
Balance 9
Resolution and details 8
Soundstage 8
Dynamics 7.5
Power / drivers handling 7
Extras : it sounds a bit lean . And like a good or very good student depending on genres .
E1da 9038s
PRAT 6.5
Bass quantity/quality 6
Separation 8
Timber fidelity 8.5
Fullness 7
Balance 8
Resolution and details 9
Soundstage 9
Dynamics 5
Power / drivers handling 10 ( enough power to blow any headphones drivers I guess)
Extras : it sounds a bit flat or too flat. Analytical too . Dynamics are really missing .
Fiio Q5s-TC
PRAT 8.5
Bass quantity/quality 9.5
Separation 9.5
Timber fidelity 9.5
Fullness 9
Balance 9.5
Resolution and details 9.5
Soundstage 8
Dynamics 9
Power / drivers handling 9
Extras : it sounds like a dream if one considers the portable-size factor. It shows authority and control almost anywhere , eq proof , and I suspect also it shares some signature with the Monolith THX which I will have later this year .
Last edited:
Hi to All. Got my Asus Rog Phone 5 today.
Testing sound and both speaker's and 3.5 mm jack are fenomenal.
Testing sound and both speaker's and 3.5 mm jack are fenomenal.
Last edited:
MarkJohny3
New Head-Fier
Did you listen to any LG with Sabre? Is the DAC or tuning actually better than on LG or it is just as good?
Yes I had LG G8 and sounds for me just as good with all sound tunings possible in menu with wide EQ. For price around 600€ is fenomenal. Front dual
speaker's are best I ever heard in smartphone loud, clear with some bass on it.Asus ROG Phone 5 with USB AUDIO Player Pro works flawlessly!!!
larry piencenaves
500+ Head-Fier
No more future lg phones eh....
https://www.cnet.com/news/lg-will-s...ness-in-july-to-focus-on-smart-home-robotics/
https://www.cnet.com/news/lg-will-s...ness-in-july-to-focus-on-smart-home-robotics/
PureViewer4t1
100+ Head-Fier
Yeah, another one bites the dust. First Nokia and BlackBerry then HTC and now LG. I wonder when Sony's time is.
But at least we have ASUS and vivo who care about audio.
Silent Xaxal
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 16, 2014
- Posts
- 375
- Likes
- 33
How is the RedMagic 6 and Red Magic 6 Pro audiowise?
larry piencenaves
500+ Head-Fier
We never know if how long asus will continue its partnership with ess in their next rog phones and vivo's xplay series, aside from nex s, have been long discontinued. So Lg leaving the smartphone industry is a significant loss for us audio enthusiasts.
PureViewer4t1
100+ Head-Fier
Well LG arguably discontinued V series by announcing Velvet, so they already left even before shutting down.
As for Asus, you could say the same about LG.
And I know they don't have a 3.5mm jack, but still the latest vivo phones have CS DACs.
But ultimately you're right. Three is better than two.
Barusu Lamperouge
Headphoneus Supremus
Yes I had LG G8 and sounds for me just as good with all sound tunings possible in menu with wide EQ. For price around 600€ is fenomenal. Front dual
The major drawback of Asus is their poor software support. Their last year's flagship got A11 just a couple of months back. And Rog Phone 3 is still in beta. For a phone which is a daily driver, poor OS support is a major drawback as it directly impacts security of your device. Well not that LG had stellar OS support but in these modern times, consumers have every right to use an up-to-date device. Spec wise Rog phone is by far the best phone under $800 i.e. if you're based outside Asia and not an avid gamer. I don't hate Asus, even I was close to purchasing them a couple of weeks back but their daily usability (bulkiness and portability) and software support made me choose S20 FE 5G over them at a similar price point.
And in terms of audio performance, S20 FE is no slouch. Samsung has done a good job with Dolby in tuning the stock Qualcomm DAC.
I am in no way undermining your choice. If you like it more power to you and I wish that this phone serves you well. I am sharing my view which I feel needs to be shared with the community.
Asus Rog Phone 5 has ESS sabre DAC and 3.5 headphone jack and dualstereo speakers
Last edited:
PureViewer4t1
100+ Head-Fier
No, I was actually talking about vivo's latest flagships (X60 Pro+ for example).
Users who are viewing this thread
