LG G4 as a portable source (2015 model not G3)?
Jun 24, 2015 at 10:35 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 26

Ira Delphic

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I have the LG G3, very satisfied with the SQ and wondering how the LG G4 compares. The reviews just gloss over the sound and there's little mention anywhere (that I can find) regarding the SQ and especially how it compares to the G3. Also no rants that the G4 sound is bad (very unusual not to have some of those for ANY flagship Android phone). 
 
Anyone have the G4?
 
Jun 29, 2015 at 1:17 PM Post #2 of 26
  I have the LG G3, very satisfied with the SQ and wondering how the LG G4 compares. The reviews just gloss over the sound and there's little mention anywhere (that I can find) regarding the SQ and especially how it compares to the G3. Also no rants that the G4 sound is bad (very unusual not to have some of those for ANY flagship Android phone). 
 
Anyone have the G4?

 
I'm new here and while I'm a long-time follower, I can't really give you the details you're probably looking for. That said, I own the iPhone 6 Plus, S6 Edge, One M9 and as of last Friday, the LG G4. 
 
My initial impressions are pretty good, though, I only briefly had the G3 and never even connected a pair of headphones so I cannot compare to the G3. Compared to the others, however, I find the sound quality to be fantastic with a very rich and full sound. Compared to the S6 Edge, the G4 has noticeably less-forward mids and highs. Volume with just a pair of headphones is not great, though louder than my Z3 Tablet Compact (sorry, forgot I had that too!). In comparison to the One M9, volume levels are not even remotely close. 
 
Maybe if you have some specific things for me to look for or compare directly, I could be of more help? I should also note that I use several sets of IEMs, but no headphones or amps. 
 
Cheers, 
 
-Collin-
 
Jun 30, 2015 at 6:25 PM Post #3 of 26
Keep in mind, any audio improvements will probably not be noticeable from your clip, except for higher volume, as the LG G3  (SD805) and the G4 (SD808) use the same chip (qualcomm in house) for audio processing. If anything the g4 has higher volume, but audio reproduction should be the same. I think you would be better off buying an amp or a dedicated portable source with better output (based on gsm arenas).
 
 
From  http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g4-review-1254p7.php   you can also see the frequency response graph in this page, tried to link it, but no dice.
 

Very good audio quality, not quite the best

We don't know if it's the curvature that caused it, but the LG G4 audio output is a step back from what the G3 offered. Good thing then that the former flagship did so well and a step back still gives you very good output.

The G4 posted excellent scores when connected to an active external amplifier, posting excellent scores top to bottom and garnishing them with impressively high volume levels. In fact in the first part of our test the smartphone was among the loudest out there.

Unfortunately, plugging in our standard headphones caused quite a bit of distortion, bringing down the overall scores. The frequency response worsened a bit, intermodulation crept in and the amount of extra stereo crosstalk is higher than on other flagships. Add the fact that volume plummets to only average levels and you end up with a not particularly pretty picture. With the kind of competition it faces, the G4 won't be winning any extra points from audiophiles.

Anyway, here go the results so you can do your comparisons.

Which is odd, as chip is the same, probably something to do with a pre-production model/android version.
 
Slightly relevant I was in your spot, you didn't ask, but IMO you will notice a world of difference with a dedicated DAP.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/766487/looking-for-a-dap-to-replace-smartphone
http://www.head-fi.org/t/766261/portable-amp-for-lg-g3-usb-out-suggestion-and-a-couple-of-question
 
Jul 5, 2015 at 11:47 AM Post #5 of 26
Id like to know more about this as well as its a big factor as to whether i get this phone. I know ithers have technically better dacs etc but i want to know how perceptable the difference actually is and whether its at least acceptable. I dont care too much about on paper scores, just if the audio quality is "acceptable".
 
Jul 6, 2015 at 6:16 PM Post #6 of 26
  collin, can you elaborate on the lg4's volume with headphones? it appears they've beefed up the amp, but you seem to indicate that it's still not loud enough...

Well, keep in mind I never listened to the G3 so I don't know how they've improved it. That said, I could (somewhat uncomfortably) crank the volume all the way up on my G4 with my TF10, T-Peos Altone200 and my Sony XBA-A3 IEMs. While I wouldn't want to listen to it that loud for any duration, I think it does signify that the phone may struggle with higher impedance headphones. In contrast, my One M9 and my iPhone 6 Plus I would not ever dream of reaching 100% volume. 75% or so is the max I can tolerate. 
 
I know it isn't a test to see which phone can make a person go deaf, but I definitely noticed the volume slider reaching near the max on the G4. I think it will really come down to which IEM/headphones you choose to pair it with. 
 
***EDIT: Where did you see that they beefed up the amp in the G4? I haven't noticed anyone reporting anything about the audio other than GSM Arena and Phone Arena. I am very curious to know!
 
Id like to know more about this as well as its a big factor as to whether i get this phone. I know ithers have technically better dacs etc but i want to know how perceptable the difference actually is and whether its at least acceptable. I dont care too much about on paper scores, just if the audio quality is "acceptable".

Quality-wise the phone sounded fine to me. It sounded more along the lines of my Z3 Tablet Compact, while the iPhone 6 Plus was noticeably more flat. The G4 sounded "full" in comparison to my iPhone, which I find to be harsh at times depending on the music and which IEMs I'm using. Perhaps it was just me, but if I had to make one adjustment it would be to bring the highs just a little more forward. 
 
Curious to know how anyone else's findings compare to mine! I'm no expert, but I've done my best for you guys :)
 
-Collin-
 
Jul 6, 2015 at 6:27 PM Post #7 of 26
Well, keep in mind I never listened to the G3 so I don't know how they've improved it. That said, I could (somewhat uncomfortably) crank the volume all the way up on my G4 with my TF10, T-Peos Altone200 and my Sony XBA-A3 IEMs. While I wouldn't want to listen to it that loud for any duration, I think it does signify that the phone may struggle with higher impedance headphones. In contrast, my One M9 and my iPhone 6 Plus I would not ever dream of reaching 100% volume. 75% or so is the max I can tolerate. 

I know it isn't a test to see which phone can make a person go deaf, but I definitely noticed the volume slider reaching near the max on the G4. I think it will really come down to which IEM/headphones you choose to pair it with. 

***EDIT: Where did you see that they beefed up the amp in the G4? I haven't noticed anyone reporting anything about the audio other than GSM Arena and Phone Arena. I am very curious to know!

Quality-wise the phone sounded fine to me. It sounded more along the lines of my Z3 Tablet Compact, while the iPhone 6 Plus was noticeably more flat. The G4 sounded "full" in comparison to my iPhone, which I find to be harsh at times depending on the music and which IEMs I'm using. Perhaps it was just me, but if I had to make one adjustment it would be to bring the highs just a little more forward. 

Curious to know how anyone else's findings compare to mine! I'm no expert, but I've done my best for you guys :)

-Collin-


Sorry to go a little off topic, but seeing as you have all those phones, just wondering if i could ask a recommendation fr if the g4 is worth it in general? Interested mainly in day to day battery life, real life performance, and audio quality of course! (Not the phones speakers, just the output).oh and also whether the g4 screen is as good as they say.
Once I commit im stuck, so buy now or wait?! (Have an M8 at the mo fyi).
 
Jul 6, 2015 at 6:37 PM Post #8 of 26
Sorry to go a little off topic, but seeing as you have all those phones, just wondering if i could ask a recommendation fr if the g4 is worth it in general? Interested mainly in day to day battery life, real life performance, and audio quality of course! (Not the phones speakers, just the output).oh and also whether the g4 screen is as good as they say.
Once I commit im stuck, so buy now or wait?! (Have an M8 at the mo fyi).

Happy to help! I'm a chronic phone-swapper. I'll try to answer your specific areas of interest, and then give you my thoughts. Hopefully I'm not breaking rules by going too far OT. 
 
I thought as a general package, the G4 was the best of all the phones I had. If you need something with decent battery life, that to me is the only thing holding back the S6. I liked everything about the S6, but the battery life was abysmal for me. I actually considered the S6 Active, but it's hideously ugly, it's exclusive to AT&T and it removes the marvelous fingerprint scanner so I decided against it. I found the G4 screen to be really nice (though not as bright or colorful as the S6), but it's really about whether you prefer that type of panel to Samsung's AMOLED screen. The G4's is more accurate apparently and overall I found it great. You've seen my thoughts on the audio already, but I think you'll be downgrading a big in comparison to the M8. It will be slight, but I think you'll notice it with higher-impedance headphones. 
 
You didn't mention camera, but the G4's is absolutely wonderful. I found it to match the S6 in pretty much every respect and it usually tops the iPhone 6 Plus for me. The iPhone 6 Plus is a bit quicker to open and snap, but the G4 is right there with it most of the time. If you care anything about the camera, sadly I think you will be disappointed with the One M9. I have been carrying the One M9 for a few days trying to live with it as my daily driver, but I just cannot believe how bad the camera is even after a software update that supposedly fixes the camera. It's not in the same ballpark as any of the other phones I've mentioned, but I just cannot get away from the sound out of the headphone jack!
 
In a nutshell there really is no perfect phone, but for an overall package it would be a tie between the iPhone 6 Plus and the LG G4. As of right now, I have chosen the iPhone 6 Plus and what pushed me to it over the G4 is because my wife uses an iPhone. I know it sounds silly, but iMessage, Facetime and AirDrop are things I really find convenient when we're sharing photos and whatnot. If that didn't matter, I would have an incredibly hard time choosing between the G4 and the iPhone 6 Plus. Technically I think everything is better about the G4, but Apple has managed to create a consistent user experience that somehow reminds you that you don't need 2015 hardware specs to have a great phone. 
 
Sorry for the long-winded reply, but you hit on a subject that is near and dear to my heart. All this could change if Samsung comes out with this rumored "S6 Plus." If that has the Wolfson DAC and a larger screen/battery than the S6, I'll put all my chips on that phone. 
 
-Collin-
 
Jul 7, 2015 at 2:34 AM Post #9 of 26
Happy to help! I'm a chronic phone-swapper. I'll try to answer your specific areas of interest, and then give you my thoughts. Hopefully I'm not breaking rules by going too far OT. 

I thought as a general package, the G4 was the best of all the phones I had. If you need something with decent battery life, that to me is the only thing holding back the S6. I liked everything about the S6, but the battery life was abysmal for me. I actually considered the S6 Active, but it's hideously ugly, it's exclusive to AT&T and it removes the marvelous fingerprint scanner so I decided against it. I found the G4 screen to be really nice (though not as bright or colorful as the S6), but it's really about whether you prefer that type of panel to Samsung's AMOLED screen. The G4's is more accurate apparently and overall I found it great. You've seen my thoughts on the audio already, but I think you'll be downgrading a big in comparison to the M8. It will be slight, but I think you'll notice it with higher-impedance headphones. 

You didn't mention camera, but the G4's is absolutely wonderful. I found it to match the S6 in pretty much every respect and it usually tops the iPhone 6 Plus for me. The iPhone 6 Plus is a bit quicker to open and snap, but the G4 is right there with it most of the time. If you care anything about the camera, sadly I think you will be disappointed with the One M9. I have been carrying the One M9 for a few days trying to live with it as my daily driver, but I just cannot believe how bad the camera is even after a software update that supposedly fixes the camera. It's not in the same ballpark as any of the other phones I've mentioned, but I just cannot get away from the sound out of the headphone jack!

In a nutshell there really is no perfect phone, but for an overall package it would be a tie between the iPhone 6 Plus and the LG G4. As of right now, I have chosen the iPhone 6 Plus and what pushed me to it over the G4 is because my wife uses an iPhone. I know it sounds silly, but iMessage, Facetime and AirDrop are things I really find convenient when we're sharing photos and whatnot. If that didn't matter, I would have an incredibly hard time choosing between the G4 and the iPhone 6 Plus. Technically I think everything is better about the G4, but Apple has managed to create a consistent user experience that somehow reminds you that you don't need 2015 hardware specs to have a great phone. 

Sorry for the long-winded reply, but you hit on a subject that is near and dear to my heart. All this could change if Samsung comes out with this rumored "S6 Plus." If that has the Wolfson DAC and a larger screen/battery than the S6, I'll put all my chips on that phone. 

-Collin-


Thanks so much! The G4s looking good- but since we're at head fi-
That wolfson chip on an s6 plus or even note 5 is likely to be the same (or marginally upgraded) as the the S6. How does the audio jack out compare between that and the g4? is it night and day? And not volume, just quality :D Your answer might make the difference between jumping to a g4 or waiting! Haha
 
Jul 7, 2015 at 12:24 PM Post #10 of 26
Thanks so much! The G4s looking good- but since we're at head fi-
That wolfson chip on an s6 plus or even note 5 is likely to be the same (or marginally upgraded) as the the S6. How does the audio jack out compare between that and the g4? is it night and day? And not volume, just quality
biggrin.gif
Your answer might make the difference between jumping to a g4 or waiting! Haha

:)
 
The S6, to me, is a tad louder than the G4 but it is definitely not night and day. It's weird, because I don't think my listening experience agrees with the Phone Arena headphone-out voltage test. Their test shows the G4 as being louder than the S6 but I have found the opposite. As for quality, I think they just have a different sound signature. Of all the phones I've had, the S6 (for me) produces some seriously harsh treble at times. Sometimes I have to turn on the gimmicky "tube amp" setting to tame the highs a bit. For the G4, I would prefer a tad more forward highs as I mentioned. So I think it really depends on what headphones or IEMs you plan to use, as well as what sound signature you prefer. The S6 is pretty flat, where the G4 brings mids and bass a bit more forward. Again, I would argue strict quality-wise, they're pretty even for me. 
 
The S6 Plus and Note 5 are still in rumor phase, and you have a great phone already (M8 right?). Then again, we have no guarantee that the Note 5 or S6 Plus will have Wolfson DACs. If they go with Snapdragon, they likely won't. So I'd go get the G4 and enjoy it. Which carrier are you on? I'm on T-Mobile for one of my lines, so this new "upgrade whenever you want" is awesome for my chronic swapping :-D
 
Best,
 
-Collin-
 
Jul 17, 2015 at 4:13 PM Post #11 of 26
Had the G4 for a week, lot's of listening, very very good, had iPhone 5s before and this beats it hands down. Works really well with the Oppo HA-2 or plugged straight in. Using Oppo PM-3 headphones and even without the amp it drives them just fine.
 
Jul 17, 2015 at 9:02 PM Post #12 of 26
  Keep in mind, any audio improvements will probably not be noticeable from your clip, except for higher volume, as the LG G3  (SD805) and the G4 (SD808) use the same chip (qualcomm in house) for audio processing. If anything the g4 has higher volume, but audio reproduction should be the same. I think you would be better off buying an amp or a dedicated portable source with better output (based on gsm arenas).
 
 
From  http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g4-review-1254p7.php   you can also see the frequency response graph in this page, tried to link it, but no dice.
Which is odd, as chip is the same, probably something to do with a pre-production model/android version.
 
Slightly relevant I was in your spot, you didn't ask, but IMO you will notice a world of difference with a dedicated DAP.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/766487/looking-for-a-dap-to-replace-smartphone
http://www.head-fi.org/t/766261/portable-amp-for-lg-g3-usb-out-suggestion-and-a-couple-of-question

 
Interesting note from gsmarena: We don't know if it's the curvature that caused it, but the LG G4 audio output is a step back from what the G3 offered. Good thing then that the former flagship did so well and a step back still gives you very good output.
 
I wonder if LG is still having production issues with the first batch of G4s like they had with the initial launch of the G3. I find the G3 North American version to be respectable with Neutron / UAPP and paired with the right set of phones.
 
Jul 20, 2015 at 10:46 AM Post #13 of 26
 
  Keep in mind, any audio improvements will probably not be noticeable from your clip, except for higher volume, as the LG G3  (SD805) and the G4 (SD808) use the same chip (qualcomm in house) for audio processing. If anything the g4 has higher volume, but audio reproduction should be the same. I think you would be better off buying an amp or a dedicated portable source with better output (based on gsm arenas).
 
 
From  http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g4-review-1254p7.php   you can also see the frequency response graph in this page, tried to link it, but no dice.
Which is odd, as chip is the same, probably something to do with a pre-production model/android version.
 
Slightly relevant I was in your spot, you didn't ask, but IMO you will notice a world of difference with a dedicated DAP.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/766487/looking-for-a-dap-to-replace-smartphone
http://www.head-fi.org/t/766261/portable-amp-for-lg-g3-usb-out-suggestion-and-a-couple-of-question

 
Interesting note from gsmarena: We don't know if it's the curvature that caused it, but the LG G4 audio output is a step back from what the G3 offered. Good thing then that the former flagship did so well and a step back still gives you very good output.
 
I wonder if LG is still having production issues with the first batch of G4s like they had with the initial launch of the G3. I find the G3 North American version to be respectable with Neutron / UAPP and paired with the right set of phones.

 
No mention on XDA - sq a step back from the G3.  I have a G4 now and the sq was no worse (or no better) than the G3. Maybe they got a bad G4?
 
Aug 9, 2015 at 6:23 PM Post #14 of 26
I remember when I had the S6 the volume with my Hifiman RE272 was on the low side, rooting and using viper4android let me boost the volume to something near my actual M9, BT was even louder! Can someone try V4A with the G4?
Dunno if I get it or Note 4
 
Aug 15, 2015 at 5:55 AM Post #15 of 26
I remember when I had the S6 the volume with my Hifiman RE272 was on the low side, rooting and using viper4android let me boost the volume to something near my actual M9, BT was even louder! Can someone try V4A with the G4?
Dunno if I get it or Note 4

Yes but isn't that digital gain? The more it's amplified like this,the worst the sound quality.
 

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