[artpiggo]

Some interesting views to share - I just got the Vivo X90 Pro Global Version after learning it has all the latest flagship whistles as well as a CS43131 DAC built in. No 3.5 jack so I sourced a Moto Z analog USB C dongle to make sure I'm using the internal DAC.

Vivo has a hifi mode for certain apps and UAPP is now one of them (Qobuz still missing). Happy to report that using this setup the audio is quite nice and detailed - very clean with decent instrument separation and studio grade quality streaming Qobuz via UAPP with hifi mode on.

So dongle life again but this is an analog one - at least no need to disconnect the dongle every time you get a call and you are listening to UAPP the X90 Pro as a phone overall just feels amazing and the camera seems really funky

Apple music is missing hifi too.

However you can download 2 hour blank audio/ silence.mp3 and play it in music app. Then you get hifi sound for all the apps while having background play from music app.

 

[reverbhifi]

Apple music is missing hifi too.

However you can download 2 hour blank audio/ silence.mp3 and play it in music app. Then you get hifi sound for all the apps while having background play from music app.

Not sure how X90 Pro with CS DAC and no jack compares to an Xperia 1 V with plain QC DAC but an actual jack - curious if anyone has tested both?

 

[352178]

No, but I tested the previous one, Xperia 1 IV. It's such a joke, like the Xperia 10 iii, that's not even worth mentioning.The 10 IV is considerably better, although no match for HTC 10, let alone the LG V10. By the way, Nihon has discontinued their V10 battery. It was proved to be the best aftermarket one. I was so happy to find another on AliExpress. Within hours, price dropped from 15 to 10 and now even less. Bulgarian customs charge additional taxes above 150. So I bought 27 batteries for 150$. Fingers crossed... I've never seen such a deal. Nor have I ever heard such capable audio below $ 1000. So I got 4x LG v20 and 4x LG V10 and 2x HTC 10 and 2x Xperia 10 iii.

 

[reverbhifi]

No, but I tested the previous one, Xperia 1 IV. It's such a joke, like the Xperia 10 iii, that's not even worth mentioning.The 10 IV is considerably better, although no match for HTC 10, let alone the LG V10. By the way, Nihon has discontinued their V10 battery. It was proved to be the best aftermarket one. I was so happy to find another on AliExpress. Within hours, price dropped from 15 to 10 and now even less. Bulgarian customs charge additional taxes above 150. So I bought 27 batteries for 150$. Fingers crossed... I've never seen such a deal. Nor have I ever heard such capable audio below $ 1000. So I got 4x LG v20 and 4x LG V10 and 2x HTC 10 and 2x Xperia 10 iii.

Well coming from an LG G8X and Nex S, I would say Vivo X90 Pro with a Moto Z analog dongle sounds very close to an LG Quad DAC but with a CS signature. Vivo Nex S sounds that little bit better but I guess for 2023 flagships we may have a new king with the Vivo

 

[352178]

Thanks! Do you mean the digital sounding CS signature, with fake analog sound and polished edges? I find it thin and boring. Soundstage is also narrow. I've heard Ibasso DC03 Pro and Xduoo Link 2 Bal. Both are no match for any LG I own. The Ibasso cannot even best HTC 10.

 

[reverbhifi]

Thanks! Do you mean the digital sounding CS signature, with fake analog sound and polished edges? I find it thin and boring. Soundstage is also narrow. I've heard Ibasso DC03 Pro and Xduoo Link 2 Bal. Both are no match for any LG I own. The Ibasso cannot even best HTC 10.

It really depends on the implementation and it seems Vivo does a good job with that. The Vivo Nex S has a CS DAC and it's the best analog sounding phone I ever had. It even tops out the LG G5 with BO module, HTC 10 and LG8X that I owned before it. The X90 Pro sounds good, probably better than the HTC10 and on par with the G8X. But it's all subjective

 

[reverbhifi]

Update: I had changed the UAPP settings so I wasn't actually accessing the hifi DAC. Took settings back to default and now HIFI mode is really on. The Vivo X90 Pro is truly Audiophile Grade, instrument separation, no distortion etc it's really like an LG flagship from 2023 just without the physical jack and with a CS instead of ESS DAC. As per Soomal, the older X80 Pro with SD8gen1 sounds better though it's the same CS43131 so not sure that's exact. Apparently X90 Pro Plus is even better in all regards but that is CN only and I do like my Android Auto!

 

[352178]

Thanks. But I didn't find any Vivo NEX S on eBay not on AliExpress. I tried searching for Ultimate or Special edition, which are it's other names... And I didn't like the demo of uapp. Not in the slightest on my LG G7.

 

[reverbhifi]

Thanks. But I didn't find any Vivo NEX S on eBay not on AliExpress. I tried searching for Ultimate or Special edition, which are it's other names... And I didn't like the demo of uapp. Not in the slightest on my LG G7.

I had the same view on UAPP when I had it on my G5 with BO module then G8X - plasticity, clinical, harsh. I kind of wrote it off until the Vivo Nex S and now X90 Pro. Not sure what's the technical explanation here. Must be an LG thing as even Hiby FC3 which is ESS sounds fine with UAPP.

Vivo Nex S is from 2018 and is the global version of the phone mainly for India, so Ali Express will have other CN versions. Remember if you get it then you need to trigger a blank file from VLC or other supported apps to achieve Hifi mode on UAPP. With X90 Pro unneed an analog dongle, however Hifi mode is natively supported on UAPP now so for Qobuz folk like me this is golden since Qobuz itself isn't supported. Complicated life of an analog audiophile

 

[PsiCore]

I'm still deliberating what route should I go.
I want to change my good old LG G8X to a more current gen smartphone (something from this or last year), but although at the beginning I thought I need to get a Sony or Asus (because of the 3.5mm), maybe a better option is just to get a regular phone + USB DAC (e.g. Shanling UA3)? Do the modern Sony / Asus have still better DAC than an external dongle?

 

[reverbhifi]

I'm still deliberating what route should I go.
I want to change my good old LG G8X to a more current gen smartphone (something from this or last year), but although at the beginning I thought I need to get a Sony or Asus (because of the 3.5mm), maybe a better option is just to get a regular phone + USB DAC (e.g. Shanling UA3)? Do the modern Sony / Asus have still better DAC than an external dongle?

That was my dilemma moving from LG G8X and Vivo Nex S into a modern flagship - if you can source a Vivo X90 Pro Global I would recommend it. Having the Hifi DAC built in alongside the app optimisations in Hifi mode is a key value add. You can then use big an analog dongle or the regular ones with a DAC. Sounds as good as an LG Quad DAC through the analog dongle and you can use UAPP and still answer calls without disconnecting the dongle every time. Xperia and Asus have regular QC DACs just with a jack

 

[Brain Damage]

I'm still deliberating what route should I go.
I want to change my good old LG G8X to a more current gen smartphone (something from this or last year), but although at the beginning I thought I need to get a Sony or Asus (because of the 3.5mm), maybe a better option is just to get a regular phone + USB DAC (e.g. Shanling UA3)? Do the modern Sony / Asus have still better DAC than an external dongle?

And you can always keep your LG G8 for home use. So many uses for the LG G8 (as a mid tier DAP, as a LO to an amp, or as a streamer).
I have done exactly this. Purchased a cheap moto g13 and have a few USB DAC/Amps (the RU7 being my main one). But I still use my LG V30 and V40 at home.

 

[352178]

Can anyone elaborate on how does the RU7 compare to LG QUAD DAC? I need a higher end dongle. As my Xduoo link 2 bal is no match for LG QUAD DAC. I was thinking of getting the Huawei Y91 with modern Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G (6 nm) and an absurd 7 Ah battery. (Does it compensate your d*ck like a muscle car does?) I tried it and liked it in the showroom, especially for the option to manually set white balance, as I'm a pro photographer. Such a beefy battery would have no problem with a dongle. The lack of Google services is a plus. I'm tired of spyware and paying for it too. When I an ETO cadet on a ship, the bloody Google play started updating apps in the middle of nowhere. It's always Google crap that I don't use and it always has new versions every few days...Lo and behold, a few hundred dollars for updating the apps around Morocco. Almost half my salary. I'll probably sell both Xperia 10 iii phones, as oled is bad for the head and I feel it. I want either 16:9 or 21:9 display. Anything else is a joke.

 

[ozz007]

Any idea what phones support aptx lossless? or have a good Bluetooth. Protocol?

 

[Brain Damage]

Can anyone elaborate on how does the RU7 compare to LG QUAD DAC? I need a higher end dongle. As my Xduoo link 2 bal is no match for LG QUAD DAC. I was thinking of getting the Huawei Y91 with modern Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G (6 nm) and an absurd 7 Ah battery. (Does it compensate your d*ck like a muscle car does?) I tried it and liked it in the showroom, especially for the option to manually set white balance, as I'm a pro photographer. Such a beefy battery would have no problem with a dongle. The lack of Google services is a plus. I'm tired of spyware and paying for it too. When I an ETO cadet on a ship, the bloody Google play started updating apps in the middle of nowhere. It's always Google crap that I don't use and it always has new versions every few days...Lo and behold, a few hundred dollars for updating the apps around Morocco. Almost half my salary. I'll probably sell both Xperia 10 iii phones, as oled is bad for the head and I feel it. I want either 16:9 or 21:9 display. Anything else is a joke.

The RU7 is more organic in timbre offering a more analogue sound. The LG Quad DAC is more resolving of details, which can make it on the brighter side of neutral when switching back from the RU7; however, I have come to the conclusion that the LG is not brighter, but rather it's the difference in rendering from a 1bit DAC v Delta Sigma. At the same time, don't think the RU7 falls short in clarity and detail, it's still technically brilliant - better than the RU6 in this department. You will not be disappointed by the RU7 and it provides a great synergy with all of my iems and headphones.