[wolfxomg]

I think Chinese OEMs stopped bothering with the HiFi DAC AMP setups (VIVO, Meizu) because nowdays these Chinese DAPs are selling more, so apparently all the focus (their parent companies probably) IS going there instead of smartphones. And even there they use a stupid li-ion sealed shut design. Unfortunate trends all over the place. Now with LG gone, and confirming that Xperia 1 mk3 not having any damn HiFi features, I'm convinced that this whole spectrum of market for us is even thinner. Very sad. Everyone is too greedy, want to sell their wireless crappy buds like Apple but they forget one thing, no matter what they do, Apple pockets more cash for wireless market entirely as a whole.

 

[Percival]

It looks like my next phone will be either the Asus ROG 5 (although I'd be happier if somebody measured its audio performance) or an LG V60 (the safer bet, but not easy or cheap to get in the UK).

 

[Barusu Lamperouge]

I think Chinese OEMs stopped bothering with the HiFi DAC AMP setups (VIVO, Meizu) because nowdays these Chinese DAPs are selling more, so apparently all the focus (their parent companies probably) IS going there instead of smartphones. And even there they use a stupid li-ion sealed shut design. Unfortunate trends all over the place. Now with LG gone, and confirming that Xperia 1 mk3 not having any damn HiFi features, I'm convinced that this whole spectrum of market for us is even thinner. Very sad. Everyone is too greedy, want to sell their wireless crappy buds like Apple but they forget one thing, no matter what they do, Apple pockets more cash for wireless market entirely as a whole.

Spot on. The market for smartphones with audio is on the verge of death. An average consumer is very much satisfied with Dolby/DTS/Dirac optimisation and eliminating 3.5mm jack leads to 2 new products - USB dongle and TWS/Wireless earphones. Also, nowadays most consumers want better cameras from their smartphones as opposed to good audio performance. The novelty of playing audio from smartphones has worn off in last 5-6 years and now users want their smartphones to replace a need for a pro camera. Honestly best possible way to go about this is to get a good and small portable amp/dongle to get hi-fi music on the go. Unless someone is very much comfortable with carrying 2-3 devices during daily commutes which last an hour or so on average just to listen "Hi-fi" sound.

Because IMO a smartphone is more than a music player/DAP. So audio should hardly be one of the top priorities while purchasing them. Also, another reason why most companies are ditching external amp or better DAC is that it's not simply worth the extra cost as no user buys their phones for a fabulous audio performance. They'd rather bin that amp and add some glossy new lens or use some gimmicky feature to lure in users. Maybe this trend will die down soon till then all of us can hope and pray that some company brings a genuinely good smartphone with path breaking audio performance.

 

[Barusu Lamperouge]

It looks like my next phone will be either the Asus ROG 5 (although I'd be happier if somebody measured its audio performance) or an LG V60 (the safer bet, but not easy or cheap to get in the UK).

For LG, just check beforehand with the local support center about after-sales support. You don't want to have a brick worth £260 with you in case, things go south.

 

[Percival]

For LG, just check beforehand with the local support center about after-sales support. You don't want to have a brick worth £260 with you in case, things go south.

Hmm. I'd be surprised if LG support it at all - even if I buy a new one. They'll probably tell me that it was never sold here, so they can't repair/replace it.
It's a good point, but if the Asus has a UK release, that would be a point in its favour.

 

[Barusu Lamperouge]

Hmm. I'd be surprised if LG support it at all - even if I buy a new one. They'll probably tell me that it was never sold here, so they can't repair/replace it.
It's a good point, but if the Asus has a UK release, that would be a point in its favour.

Or rather go for a mid-fi smartphone+a portable amp. Better investment and you get very good audio quality OTG for next 2-3 years. Or an old Xperia 1 is still a better deal than both LG and Asus.

 

[Percival]

Or rather go for a mid-fi smartphone+a portable amp. Better investment and you get very good audio quality OTG for next 2-3 years. Or an old Xperia 1 is still a better deal than both LG and Asus.

I don't really want to carry additional equipment if I can possibly avoid it. I have a Cambridge Audio DACMAGIC XS which is pretty good (and which I now have to use with my V30+ as the ESS DAC has stopped working), but it's annoying to carry in my pocket along with a phone. LG DACs are also known to be very good (both from my own experience as well as measurements on Audio Science Review).

 

[Barusu Lamperouge]

I don't really want to carry additional equipment if I can possibly avoid it. I have a Cambridge Audio DACMAGIC XS which is pretty good (and which I now have to use with my V30+ as the ESS DAC has stopped working), but it's annoying to carry in my pocket along with a phone. LG DACs are also known to be very good (both from my own experience as well as measurements on Audio Science Review).

Try for an old Xperia 1 if you can get one then nothing like it

 

[Percival]

Try for an old Xperia 1 if you can get one then nothing like it

Would it drive Sennheiser HD600s? What's the output voltage? I've never seen measurements of that phone, which puts me off somewhat. That and the fact that it doesn't have a dedicated DAC (if I'm not mistaken).

 

[Barusu Lamperouge]

Would it drive Sennheiser HD600s? What's the output voltage? I've never seen measurements of that phone, which puts me off somewhat. That and the fact that it doesn't have a dedicated DAC (if I'm not mistaken).

Most phones more or less are in the same ballpark range with miniscule differences. You can read more about that here - https://m.gsmarena.com/gsmarena_labs_new_loudspeaker_test-news-41789.php

A HD600 would be a difficult task for any smartphone, except LG used to do it with its HIM which was barely enough for them to sound reasonable. A smartphone never has/will drive a 300 ohm monsters to the hilt. Even other phones with Sabre DACs could not drive them. For such headphones, you need an external amp.

 

[Percival]

Most phones more or less are in the same ballpark range with miniscule differences. You can read more about that here - https://m.gsmarena.com/gsmarena_labs_new_loudspeaker_test-news-41789.php

A HD600 would be a difficult task for any smartphone, except LG used to do it with its HIM which was barely enough for them to sound reasonable. A smartphone never has/will drive a 300 ohm monsters to the hilt. Even other phones with Sabre DACs could not drive them. For such headphones, you need an external amp.

My HD600s sounded great with my V30+. In fact, high impedance headphones seem to work better
(See https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...o-measurement-of-lg-g7-thinq-smartphone.4468/)
.

I agree that it would sound better with external amplification though.

 

[franka]

Good afternoon, I have been experiencing problems in the reproduction of tidal mqa (master) in the mobile lg g7, it does not play the songs. Anyone else has happened ?
I have tried to restart the mobile, uninstall the application and others, but I'm still the same
Thanks

 

[etlouis]

It looks like my next phone will be either the Asus ROG 5 (although I'd be happier if somebody measured its audio performance) or an LG V60 (the safer bet, but not easy or cheap to get in the UK).

I got the ROG 5.

While it's not a full on DAP like my WM1A, it does perform better than any "dongle" and snake oil I've purchased for iphone X.

I am now using Onkyo app to push out DSD / FLAC files out of the 3.5mm.


The instrument separation and amount of detail is improved, I'd say about 65% of wm1a. Bass sinks deeper. The output power is good. This is quite impressive.

However I'd dock points for flat timbre and soundstage/layering. I guess for those qualities you need capacitors and better circuitry. Also I'm worried about a lack of security updates and overall dislike for android devices. Other than that, the ROG is a nice device.

 

[kislaykaushal]

I got the ROG 5.

While it's not a full on DAP like my WM1A, it does perform better than any "dongle" and snake oil I've purchased for iphone X.

I am now using Onkyo app to push out DSD / FLAC files out of the 3.5mm.


The instrument separation and amount of detail is improved, I'd say about 65% of wm1a. Bass sinks deeper. The output power is good. This is quite impressive.

However I'd dock points for flat timbre and soundstage/layering. I guess for those qualities you need capacitors and better circuitry. Also I'm worried about a lack of security updates and overall dislike for android devices. Other than that, the ROG is a nice device.

Does rog 5 support native DSD playback. If yes, then to what level? For instance, Vivo nex supports DSD64 whereas LG G8x (on android 9) supports both DSD64 and DSD128. If a device is able to play a DSD file, it does not necessarily mean it is playing it natively. At least to my ears, native DSD sounds far better than FLAC /converted DSD.

 

[yfei]

Recently I've bought Chord Mojo, and HiBy R3 (https://www.headfonia.com/review-hiby-audio-r3/) a mini DAP based on ES9028Q2M DAC, that also works as usb dac and bluetooth dac.

HiBy R3 is very fast, resolving, neutral. with a tocuh of warm bass and sweat highs, making it very satisfactory. I am happy to use it all day, every day.
Compared to LG V60: HiBy R3 sounds more 'digital', less analog. LG V60 is continuous, analog, true to the real life like music. While HiBy R3 is raw digital feeling, it is a very fun complimentary to V60. I am keeping HiBy R3, just for fun.

Chord Mojo: i have tried many connection methods: PC USB, LG V60 USB, Coax (HiBy R3 can output Coax to Mojo).
The sound: it is fluid, continuous, musical. however, the sound is blurred from bottom to top, lack of resolution everywhere in bass, mids and highs.
Honestly, I don't understand why people like it. For the sake of 'continuous analog' sound, it sacrificed way too much.
Compared to LG V60: V60 produced same level of fluid, continuous music, while keeping all the details from bottom to top. V60 is Mojo on Steroids.

In my previous posts, I forgot to mention, one of the biggest difference between LG V60 and all the HiFi phones I have used (Meizu Pro5, LG V20, V30, V50) is: analog feeling. All other phones have digital feeling, like HiBy R3, music is not fully continuous. While LG V60 doesn't have ANY digital feeling, it is fully analog and continuous.
So, I don't see any reason to keep Mojo, I am letting it go.