[RishiGuru]

Recently got a ROG5 but i still own a V50S and i don't think there are differences between V50 and V50S DAC. Maybe a different tuning, because V50S was launched in Corea only. V60 has a different, newer DAC.

First, LG G6, V30, G7, V35, V40, G8, V50, V50S, G8X all used the same audio processor. ESS designed Sabre ES9218P better known as LG's QuadDAC. This audio processor was designed for LG in such a way so as to custom tune the final sound signature and tonality at hardware level.

Secondly, LG V40, V50, V50S & G8X QuadDAC's were all tuned by Meridian Audio. So V50 & V50S sounds the same over headphone jack.

Thirdly, names can be deceiving as LG V50S is not derived from V50 but a completely new model. It was specially designed from scratch to be used with LG's new Dual Screen Case. V50S had 5G capability as it incorporated discrete Qualcomm 5G modem that came along with Snapdragon 855 SoC. V50S had an LTE (4G) version known as LG G8X.

In the end V50S & G8X are the same phone, with the V model having 5G capabilities.

When it comes to audio through headphone jack, how do you rate ROG5 and V50S? Which one do you prefer and why?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[RishiGuru]

Is the LG V50S better than the V50 (for audio)? I have seeen people in the thread say the S has a different DAC. But no opinions on which is better. Thanks.

No. Both uses same DAC.

 

[RishiGuru]

Some people (I include myself here) prefer not having to carry around a dongle plus cable. The Asus ROG 5 looks to be pretty good all round (unless one demands the best camera - and let's face it, most of us just take snaps for personal use/fun).

I hate dongles. May they burn in hell.

I pray almighty to show us light and give back audio jack in smartphones.

 

[RishiGuru]

I meant for native DSD sound quality of at least vivo nex level, what are the options? Will dongle dac/amp be able to better that?

Also, with dongle dac/amp is native dsd possible? Is there any smartphone or android limitations that might prevent it or is it possible to play dsd natively via external dac/amp with any smartphone and any android version?

Just an update ... I was hopeful like you Vivo/ iQOO to enable native DSD playback on their iQOO 7 Legend (just iQOO 7 in China). The phone comes with a potent inbuilt Cirrus Logic CS43131 audio processor that has the hardware support of DSD decoding. Unfortunately the manufacturer did not enable it at software level. A guy from another forum confirmed this.

Like Vivo NEX (NEX S in China), it does not have "Professional DSD mode" under:

Settings -> Sound and Vibration -> Hi-Fi -> Professional DSD mode

This means the phone will only accept PCM audio in any form. Any DSD content playback will be software decoded to PCM rather than superior hardware decoding at the audio chip level. Also the abject lack of 3.5 mm audio jack from this phone to promote crappy TWS saddens my heart.

 

[RishiGuru]

I don't have to convert it, as you can see on my screenshot the Rog phone 5 can't play DSD natively, it converted to PCM, but I can definitely hear difference in volume, the DSD file have lower volumes than the flac version so I need to crank up it up.

Here is the DSD version


And here is the flac version

Asus ROG 5 as you confirmed does NOT support native DSD playback.

The drop in volume levels during DSD playback is manly due to real time DSD to PCM conversion at software level and feeding PCM to the audio processor while loosing its inherent audio quality. Where as for native DSD playback the raw file is decoded at hardware level inside the audio processor resulting in even higher volume levels than PCM.

My jaw drops whenever I switch the same song from PCM (flac) to DSD (dsf, dff) on my Vivo NEX. While playing DSD files natively, the richness and volume is much higher. DSDs also sounds more analogue to me.

BTW thanks for the info.

 

[Strifeff7]

I have the ROG5, it has pretty impressive sound if not a little too sterile in presentation and flat in soundstage. If you want timbre or depth, then a TOTL DAP is still the answer.

For the most part though, I don't think any dongle, or even entry-level DAPs can come close in terms of clarity and accuracy of the ROG5. Like 70% of a WM1A.

...

PS.... Phone is friggen huge AF lol

Best thing about it maybe the extension,
great bass rumble,
I think the sound quality it's similar to the Lotoo S1 / E1DA 9038s,
I sold it, because I don't like dongle,

My current setup is just a BTR5 for convenience and a desktop stack for a maximum sound quality,

 

[x X x]

I have searched a lot for a small Android phones and they simply don't exist, so I stuck with a big one. If you aren't married to Android the best option imo is the first iPhone SE. Super cheap, very small. Otherwise Sony used to do Compact versions of their flagships e.g. XZ2 Compact. But still big next to an SE:


The Sony goes for around $250 used. The SE seems to go for around $100, even for the one with the most storage (no SD card slot).

Actually, the Sony is very small next to a Samsung S9, which is a fairly compact phone these days (costs about the same):

Hi! I bought S10 finally. Nice phone, size is quite OK, configuration for pure audio is non-problematic. As addition I bought a Bibxy Remapper app from Google Store and have long press on volume button set to move between tracks and Bixby button as Play/Pause. Right now I have some problems with USB port on it (it was bought as used one and I will fix it or replace for another one) but I was using it with my BTR5, UP4, Hidizs S3 and iFi HIP-DAC without any problems. For bit-perfect playing I have spend some time with Hiby app, UAPP and Poweramp - Poweramp is the most powerful in terms of customization abilities and it look really great but I can't set my iFi on it to play more than 24 bit / 48 kHz PCM audio. I do not know is that app-related or dac-related problem. UAPP is quite ok, very simple interface but contains all needed stuff. And bit-perfect works without problems. I am an Apple Music user also so need to wait for the bit-perfect support on it (as introduced in Tidal recently).

 

[etlouis]

Best thing about it maybe the extension,
great bass rumble,
I think the sound quality it's similar to the Lotoo S1 / E1DA 9038s,
I sold it, because I don't like dongle,

My current setup is just a BTR5 for convenience and a desktop stack for a maximum sound quality,

Does the BTR5 drive your MEST ii with proper power?

Can it take phone calls and have the noise control to make it work? Like in traffic?

 

[Gee Simpson]

I hate dongles. May they burn in hell.

Why?

 

[BnGMurphy]

I hate dongles. May they burn in hell.

I pray almighty to show us light and give back audio jack in smartphones.

I have only tried one and it was a horribly frustrating week as it wasn't compatible with my phone. It also gets in the way under the phone, I didn't like it being there. Solution: ordered an LG V50. Returning the dongle has been a hassle, they insist on sending another instead of a refund, so I will have to keep the phone that doesn't work for now to show them it still won't work when they send a new one. I will literally tell them to come and collect it for a refund within 5 minutes of it arriving... from China. Donkeys! At least they collect and pay for postage.

Never want to see a dongle again in my life after 10+ hours wasted with it. If LG had promoted their superior audio I would have been buying their phones for years, its a shame it seems to be a hidden feature and that they have quit now.

 

[artpiggo]

I hate dongles. May they burn in hell.

I pray almighty to show us light and give back audio jack in smartphones.

I also have same thought.. Please bring back Hi-Fi to audiophile phone.

 

[kislaykaushal]

I hate dongles. May they burn in hell.

I pray almighty to show us light and give back audio jack in smartphones.

So, if no 5g mobile phone with native dsd support gets released, you will be going for DAP rather than external dac/amp combo? Which would be the cheapest DAP having better sound quality for native dsd playback when compared with vivo nex?

 

[kislaykaushal]

Just an update ... I was hopeful like you Vivo/ iQOO to enable native DSD playback on their iQOO 7 Legend (just iQOO 7 in China). The phone comes with a potent inbuilt Cirrus Logic CS43131 audio processor that has the hardware support of DSD decoding. Unfortunately the manufacturer did not enable it at software level. A guy from another forum confirmed this.

Like Vivo NEX (NEX S in China), it does not have "Professional DSD mode" under:

Settings -> Sound and Vibration -> Hi-Fi -> Professional DSD mode

This means the phone will only accept PCM audio in any form. Any DSD content playback will be software decoded to PCM rather than superior hardware decoding at the audio chip level. Also the abject lack of 3.5 mm audio jack from this phone to promote crappy TWS saddens my heart.

Will rooting a phone device having dac which supports native dsd playback make the phone to be able to utilize that capability? If it is possible, then I will buy rog 5 a bit early and continue using nex/lg for dsd listening. Just before switching to another mobile phone will root rog 5 and use rog 5 for dsd listening.

 

[x X x]

Guys, let's make a list of Android music apps which are capable of bit-perfect streaming of local music to usb DACs. I was looking for alternatives of UAPP and other "popular" bit-perfect apps, mainly because GUI of these apps are way bad, old, eg.

1. UAPP
2. Neutron
3. Poweramp - in this case I am not sure if there is a real bit-perfect options or just upsampling to "hi-res standards", there are a lot of weird settings...
4. Hiby Music (quite nice)
5. Fiio Music (imho better than Hiby)
6. Onkyo HF Player
7. Sony | Music Center (not great, app designed mainly for maintain connected Sony devices, but looks like bit-perfect is there; only white GUI)
8. and 9. are apps from Pioneer and Onkyo DAPs, can be installed but there is no options to start/open them.

Anything else? I mainly looking for the apps with modern UI.

 

[artpiggo]

Guys, let's make a list of Android music apps which are capable of bit-perfect streaming of local music to usb DACs. I was looking for alternatives of UAPP and other "popular" bit-perfect apps, mainly because GUI of these apps are way bad, old, eg.

1. UAPP
2. Neutron
3. Poweramp - in this case I am not sure if there is a real bit-perfect options or just upsmpling to "hi-res standards", there are a lot of weird settings...
4. Hiby Music (quiet nice)
5. Fiio Music (imho better than Hiby)
6. Onkyo HF Player
7. Sony | Music Center (not great, app designed mainly for maintain connected Sony devices, but looks like bit-perfect is there; only white GUI)
8. and 9. are apps from Pioneer and Onkyo DAPs, can be installed but there is no options to start/open them.

Anything else? I mainly looking for the apps with modern UI.

Hiby and neutron is great.